Category Archives: Excerpt

Axel wants a second chance with the one who got away.

And he’s not going to let her go this time.

Just One Wish, a tantalizing novella set in the Kingston Family world from New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips and 1,001 Dark Nights.

He was her first love. She was his.

They broke up to follow their dreams.

Axel Forrester became a world famous drummer.

Tara Stillman became a veterinarian.

Years later, he’s scrolling social media and sees they’re both in East Hampton, NY.

Fate? Or Coincidence?

What’s a rockstar to do other than borrow his friend’s dog as an excuse to see the good doctor.

And—show up at her office after all this time.

Axel wants a second chance with the one who got away. He’s not going to let Tara go this time.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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Excerpt

Axel Forrester adjusted his sunglasses and leaned back against a lounge chair, grateful for the first warm, summerlike day in June in the Hamptons. Xander Kingston’s dog, Bella, sat by his side.

An extra pair of glasses lay on the table beside him. He picked them up and propped them over the golden retriever’s eyes. “There you go, girl. That’s better, isn’t it?” He patted her on the head, and she stretched out on the ground, leaving the glasses in place.

He tipped his head up to the sky and closed his eyes, enjoying the heat on his face. As a California kid, his first winter in New York had been a huge adjustment. He’d moved here last summer when he’d become the drummer for the Original Kings and had spent the first couple of months bunking at the lead singer Dash Kingston’s house.

Axel learned fast that the band was a tight-knit bunch, all living in Dash’s home. Until a baby scare with a groupie put Dash in need of a fake girlfriend to fix his reputation, and Axel’s sister, Cassidy, had played the role.

Now Cassidy and Dash were married, having wed in front of family and friends this past winter. Axel had rented a house nearby, as had Jagger, the guitar player, and Mac, the bassist. But Axel and the guys spent more time at Dash’s home studio or here at Xander’s than at their own places.

Xander complained about the fact that the band had followed Dash’s lead, making his house their home away from home, but nobody believed Xander really considered them unwanted company. And Sasha, the famous actress Xander had married this past spring, welcomed them, as long as they knocked first.

Given the Kingston family’s dysfunctional background, courtesy of their now deceased father, the fact that four of the five siblings were settled and happy gave a guy like Axel hope that he’d meet the right woman. He was sick of the rock-star lifestyle, the parties after the shows, the groupies, and the drinking. At thirty years old, he wanted a partner for life.

And if he couldn’t find the right woman?

BLP REVIEW – Tracy

I love a second chance story…. and while Just One Wish was a quick read it was really good.

Axel Forrester wasn’t quite what I expected. The guy was really sweet, caring and determined to get a chance with Tara, even after all the time they’d been apart. He’s ready for something more and knows that Tara could be it for him.

Tara Stillman has a settled life that she loves. She doesn’t feel that she needs anything more then she sees Axel again… but can she trust her heart and him or would she be better off alone.

I enjoyed seeing this pair work things out to find their way back to each other.

About the Author

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. The author of 50 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a full time writer. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as a romance club pick and was the first romance on a nationally televised bookclub. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.

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BLOG TOUR – Smartasses ~ a sexy nerd rom com anthology

Aug 19

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

There’s nothing better than a sexy nerd!

Except maybe 12 of them!

Smartasses, an all fun and flirty, romantic comedy anthology from 12 bestselling authors, is out now!

Because what’s hotter than a sexy nerd?

Twelve of your favorite Rom Com authors bring you a new anthology celebrating geeking out and falling in love.

Featuring Smartass Stories by:

Avery Flynn

Erin Mallon

Helena Hunting

Jana Aston

Jiffy Kate

Karen Grey

Kayley Loring

Krystyna Allyn

Penny Reid

Sara Ney

Sonali Dev

Susannah Nix

Fall in love today for ¢99!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vjxI8y

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Smartasses

Apple Books: https://apple.co/38A9rDc

Nook: https://bit.ly/3E4yPge

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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3QE27Hn

***Smartasses Anthology is available for 99 cents until August 30th!

Keep reading for a look inside Smartasses: a Sexy Nerd Anthology!

NOT JUST A CRUSH by Helena Hunting

The blustery wind pushes me through the door and causes a swirl of flakes to follow me. As soon as I’m clear of the door, she tries to close it. But the wind is strong, and she’s . . . tiny. The kind of tiny I associate with the girl on top of the cheerleader pyramid or those creepy semi-life-sized dolls they sell in department stores. It’s clear she’s using her full weight against the door, yet she’s losing the battle.

I lift a hand over her head—I don’t have to reach high to accomplish that—and push it closed. She stumbles forward a couple of steps, and her toe catches on the doormat. She recovers herself and spins around, her face a shade of pink I associate with embarrassment.

She takes three large steps to the side, putting a few feet of distance between us. She pushes her glasses up her nose and glances from the door to me and back again. “Good fucking God, are you part bear? You’re huge.” Her hands flail around in the air, then find each other, then part again.

“Maybe you’re just small?” I offer.

My breath puffs out in the air with each exhale, and so does hers. It’s freezing in here. Which explains why she’s wearing a parka, a beanie, a scarf, and a pair of giant mittens. All in matching shades of pink. She looks like a chewed-up wad of bubblegum with a face and limbs.

“Having trouble with the fire, then, Princess?” I motion to the hearth where the fire sits unlit.

She crosses her arms. “My name is Dahlia, not princess.”

“Dahlia?” I echo.

I inspect her closer. It can’t be . . .

Dahlia is not a common name. Tiny Dahlias with long, dark wavy hair and almond-shaped eyes so dark it’s nearly impossible to see where her iris ends and her pupils begin seem even more rare. But the odds seem . . . implausible.

“Yeah. Like the flower.” She pushes her glasses up her nose again with her mittened hand and goes back to crossing her arms.

And I stand there, like an idiot, and keep staring. Because it is her.

Dahlia Forest.

Seriously, that’s her name.

And I had the biggest fucking crush on her in high school.

Like seriously, the biggest fucking crush.

But I was on the football team, and she was a mathlete. We ran in different circles. I was a giant asshole with even bigger asshole friends, and she was a gorgeous nerd. One of my best friends back then, who I still talk to now, used to make fun of her all the time. It was juvenile. And dickish. I didn’t participate, but I also didn’t stop him. Which makes me just as bad, if not even worse.

So far, she hasn’t recognized me. It’s been four years. Maybe she won’t recognize me at all. Maybe I wasn’t on her radar in high school. Maybe she was too busy being a fucking genius to notice the jocks. Although she did tutor a couple of my teammates along the way.

I realize I haven’t replied to the whole flower comment or responded in general. “Looks like you had some trouble starting the fire.” I thumb over my shoulder.

“I never got the fire-making badge in Girl Scouts.” I can’t tell if she’s being sarcastic.

“Have you unpacked anything yet?” Man, my conversation skills need a serious workout.

“No, I was too busy trying to earn my fire-making badge.” Her nose is pink from the cold, and her cheeks are already flushed, but the way she ducks her head tells me she’s pretty damn embarrassed by her lack of fire- making ability.

I nod once. “All right. Well, let’s grab your bag and get you out of here.” “Out of here?” she parrots.

“Yeah. I’ll take you back to town. Set you up at the motel.” I take my gloves off because my hands are starting to sweat. The great thing about my jacket is that it keeps me warm in subzero temps. The bad part is that now that I’m no longer facing -30 degrees and a face full of snow, I’m over here sweating my balls off even though it’s pretty freaking frigid in here.

“Motel?” Her nose wrinkles. “Why can’t I stay here?”

“You can, but they’re gonna close the roads soon, and when they do that, you’ll be stuck here until they open them again.”

“Close the roads?” Apparently, she’s trying out for the role of parrot tonight.

“Yeah. Unless you missed it, there’s a blizzard happening out there. We’re getting another twelve to eighteen inches between tonight and tomorrow afternoon. If I don’t get you off the side of this mountain soon, we’re both going to be stuck here until the storm is over and they’ve had a chance to plow the roads.”

“Oh, my God. How long will that be?”

I shrug. “Could be a couple of days, could be a week.”

“A week?” Her tone is dog whistle shrill.

“It’s a big fucking storm.”

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BLOG TOUR – My Grumpy Billionaire by Nadia Lee

Aug 16

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

My Grumpy Billionaire, an all-new must-read romantic comedy full of heat and laughs from New York Timesbestselling author Nadia Lee is available now!

My ex won’t accept that it’s over. He showed up at my divorce-cation in New Orleans at a masquerade ball. Lucky for me, a tall, debonair man in a mask rescued me and swept me away. It. Was. Phenomenal. And yeah, I had a one-night stand. And I’d do it again.

Back in the real world, the ex persists. And while I’m a woman who believes in saving herself, I was relieved when his sexy colleague Griffin jumped in and implied that we were dating to get the jerk to bug off. Of course, now we have to pretend to be dating.

Griffin is the least likely match for me. He’s grumpy and serious. But very. VERY. Hot. And he reminds me of a certain man I met in New Orleans…

Now I’m not sure if we’re faking it, or if the feelings are real, but I see that Griffin is nothing like I thought. And even though he doesn’t want to chat about pleasure augmentation devices with me, he knows how to use them.

But where there’s silicone, there’s scandal. What I didn’t anticipate was that Griffin’s got some scandals of his own.

Grab your copy today!

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Excerpt

The guest room Sierra takes me to after dinner faces the master bedroom. The only thing separating us is the hall. And the doors, of course.

It makes sense. If her ex-husband decides to break into the place, I’ll be right here. I don’t think he’s quite that deranged, but then, I didn’t think he had it in him to show up at Sierra’s place drunk, so anything’s possible.

“This is the biggest room, other than mine,” she says, gesturing me in. “You have your own bathroom. It has a tub and a separate shower stall. Fully stocked with body wash and shampoo. I can give you conditioner if you need it. Towels are in there, too. If you need anything else, let me know. You can explore the rest of the house later. There isn’t much except for three rooms on this floor, downstairs, which you already saw, and the basement which you can look at tomorrow. Mi casa es su casa and all that.”

“Okay.” I stop at the sight of the bed. It’s king-size, which is fine, but… “Pink sheets?”

She looks at them. “Fuchsia.”

“Pink.”

“No. They’re fuchsia. Very different. And brand new. Nobody’s ever slept on the bed or the sheets,” she adds, like somehow that makes it better.

It doesn’t. And for some reason, this room, too, smells like apple. Like her.

“Did you spray the place with air freshener?” I ask, breathing shallowly. I’m going to become positively Pavlovian over this damn scent.

She frowns. “I don’t use air freshener. Why? Are you allergic to something in the room? Are you having a reaction?”

She sounds almost too eager as she asks. Does she want me to keel over?

It is possible, I decide. A woman this chirpy and happy must have a dark side nobody knows about to counterbalance all that brightness.

“I have some antihistamine,” she offers, looking up at me helpfully. Like a puppy waiting to be praised. And loved.

My heart feels weird. F*ck. Me. I better not be having a heart attack in a house that smells like apple and a woman who’s driving me crazy with her smile.

“I’m not allergic,” I say, before she decides to order an EpiPen over the Internet. “I just thought the place smells…” Like you. Hot. Sexy. Fresh. Makes me horny. “Funky,” I say, blurting out the first antonym that snaps into my head for what I’ve been thinking.

She looks horrified. “Funky?” She walks around, sniffing. Finally, she stops at the foot of the bed. “I don’t smell anything except fabric softener.”

“You’ve been here for too long. Your nose becomes numb to the scent.” I’d rather drink bleach than tell her I’m feeling horny over the infernal apple scent.

“You’ve been here for a while too. So how come you can smell it?”

“An exceptional nose,” I tell her. “If I were a dog, I would’ve been a bloodhound.”

“Hmm.” She looks skeptical. “Well, if the smell bothers you that much, you can open the windows. Actually, let’s just do that right now. Air the room out a little.” She pushes the curtains—which are in a shade in between purple and pink—aside and opens the windows. “There. That should do it. Now, do you need anything else? Other than an air freshener?”

“No.”

“At least it’s just funky, not skunky,” she jokes.

Is that supposed to make me feel better?

“Good night. And thanks for staying here.” She flashes a sweet smile, then leaves.

The second she closes the door behind her, the room feels empty. I exhale, trying to gain a logical perspective on the situation. My own bedroom is twice as large as this one. There’s no reason to feel so…alone.

I brush my teeth, change into a pair of boxers and slide under the sheets, clicking the bedside lamp off. I put my nose in the sheets and inhale. She must use apple-scented fabric softener, because I can still smell that damned fruit. Just like her shampoo.

At least nothing here smells like silicone d*cks.

My mind doesn’t do pep talks very well.

Right now, I’d rather smell rubbery silicone. The smell of the apple is driving me crazy. I keep thinking about how Sierra looked yesterday in that dress that showed off the sensual lines of her arms and legs.

And was she wearing a bra when we were having dinner downstairs?

Cut that out, I order my unruly mind. There was nothing to see.

Only because the shirt was big. She probably wasn’t wearing a bra. If it were tighter, her nipples would’ve shown through the fabric.

Argh. I turn over and force myself to count sheep.

By the time I reach two hundred and thirty-seven, I give up. It’s no use. Every time I shift and my bare skin touches the sheets, my nerve endings prickle, and my blood heats. My d*ck is painfully hard.

No number of sheep is going to help that.

There’s supposedly this powdered aphrodisiac that’s absorbed through the skin. When you want to seduce somebody, you just find some way to get it on the other person’s body.

Noah told me that after spending some time in a Southeast Asian jungle. He likes to talk about all sorts of asinine things he’s seen and heard after trips he takes to photograph wildlife. There’s no way there’s powdered aphrodisiac sprinkled on the sheets.

Then why are you hard for no reason?

I sigh and run a hand over the sheets. Nothing.

Could be super-fine powder…

I bury my face in the sheets and inhale. If there’s powder, I’ll cough.

But nope. Nothing. I can breathe fine.

However, powdered aphrodisiac or no, the fact that I have a throbbing erection doesn’t change. I know I’m not getting any sleep until I do something about it.

The solution is simple. Jerk off real fast, then roll over and go to sleep. I’ve done it many times before. Just not in a girl’s room that smells like apple p*rn.

I push a hand under the sheets, fist my shaft and move up and down mechanically, the way I always do when I need a quick release.

The expected pleasure builds, but it’s flat. There’s no buildup, no swelling that’s going to push me over the edge. Now it’s worse because my d*ck’s harder, pulsing rapidly, but it isn’t going to let me come.

I raise my head off the pillow and glare at my d*ck in the dark. Just how picky are you?

My p*nis stays silent, but it twitches once. It feels like, F*ck you.

Bastard.

I drop my head back on the pillow and close my eyes, hand still around my c*ck. It shows no sign of settling down. The scent of apple is stronger, and my crotch is throbbing so badly, it’s painful.

Although I’ve been resisting the idea, I know exactly what I need.

About Nadia

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nadia Lee writes sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Born with a love for excellent food, travel and adventure, she has lived in four different countries, kissed stingrays, been bitten by a shark, fed an elephant and petted tigers.

Currently, she shares a condo overlooking a small river and sakura trees in Japan with her husband and son. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading books by her favorite authors or planning another trip.

Connect with Nadia

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3IEsTg3

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Website: https://www.nadialee.net/

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BLOG TOUR – Matchmaking a Single Dad by Angela Denise

Aug 16

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

She drives him crazy and he’s falling crazy in love.

Matchmaking a Single Dad, a hilarious, hot single dad romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank and USA Todaybestselling author Angela Casella writing as Angela Denise, is out now!

They’re all wrong for each other…but sometimes two wrongs do make a right.

Cole

The only woman I need in my life is my eight-year-old daughter, Jane. As a widowed brewery owner, I don’t have the time or inclination for anything more serious than a one night stand. Running the brewery is a big job, and being a parent is a bigger one, especially since my in-laws keep trying to prove I’m an unfit guardian.

But there’s no denying Holly Mayberry drives me crazy with her sassy mouth and attitude. I’ve known her most of my life, but I’ve always done a good job of evading her. Until now. She’s teaching Jane’s after-school computer program, and fate keeps throwing us together.

Holly and I are like oil and water, no good for each other. I need to stop thinking about her, so I agree to beta test a new dating app—one that Holly designed, although she’s the last person I’d tell.

My match and I can only DM each other for thirty days. No photos. No real names. No personal information until the end.

If I wanted more with a woman, Cherry Bomb checks all the boxes…so why can’t I stop thinking about Holly?

Holly

Cole Garrison is a jerk. Or so I’ve told myself for years. The truth is, he’s a DILF and a half, and bickering with him is better than kissing someone else.

Hopefully, the guy I’m chatting up on my dating app will help me forget him…and take his place in my dirty daydreams.

Download your copy today on Amazon or Free in Kindle Unlimited!

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Keep reading for a look inside Matchmaking a Single Dad!

The door opens, and the teacher sponsoring Tech Time, Mrs. Applebaum, comes in, followed by a boy and three little girls. Four. That’s not so bad. That’s two each for Mikey and me. I give him a we can do this look, but his expression has soured like milk left out too long. Mrs. Applebaum takes care of getting the kids into the room, which is its own brand of chaos, and then she claps her hands, her expression changing from frazzled to upbeat, and says, “There. Now I’ll leave them in your capable hands.”

“Wait,” Mikey says with alarm, rocking on his feet, “you’re not staying?”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re quite capable of holding down the fort. I’ll check in with you toward the end.”

“Are you sure—” I start, but I’m cut off by the closing of the door.

“Hi, I’m Eloise,” one of the kids says. She’s a little girl in a button-up shirt with pearl buttons that go up so high I’m surprised it’s not choking her.

Oh, yeah. Introductions. “I’m Holly,” I say, gesturing broadly to Mikey, “and this is Mikey. Why don’t you all pick computer stations?”

“Aren’t we supposed to call you Miss Holly and Mr. Mikey? Or by your last names?” Eloise asks as the kids get seated.

They’ve barely had time to introduce themselves before the door bursts open, revealing a newly harried looking Mrs. Applebaum, followed by none other than Cole Garrison himself and his small, dark-haired daughter, Jane.

“No,” I say reflexively.

“No, what?” Jane asks. “Hey, Dad, that’s the woman you always argue with.”

It’s my turn for murder eyes, only I make them at Cole. Cole, who only got better with age, damn him. His wavy dark hair has been joined by a short, trimmed dark beard that perfectly frames his lips, as if saying, “please kiss here.” Those eyes are as puppy doggish as ever, and now he’s both tall and broad, the kind of man any woman would welcome in her bed. To her detriment. Because he’s still a jerk.

I’ve had a somewhat recent refresher course on his jerkitude, actually. Before I left for New York, I made the monumental mistake of trying to be nice to him, and it’s a tactic I’m not about to reprise.

“Will you be joining us, Jane?” I ask, my tone tight.

Cole mustn’t know the no-swearing-in-a-school rule either, because he curses under his breath. “I didn’t know you were teaching this class,” he says to me. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Excuse me,” I say. “I’m very qualified to teach a bunch of eight-year-olds Scratch.”

“What’s Scratch?” Jane asks. “Is it gambling?”

“No,” Mrs. Applebaum blurts, looking horrified. “I mean. It’s not, is it?”

“It’s basic coding,” I say, glancing back at the other kids. “I’m going to teach y’all to make your own games. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

Please God, let them say yes.

There are a few enthusiastic nods, although Eloise instantly raises her hand again. Sighing, I nod at her. “Yes, Eloise?”

“Will there be a test?”

“No,” I say, “but we’ll be giving a presentation to the rest of the school before Christmas break.”

“Sounds like a test,” Jane mutters.

There’s probably no getting rid of her, and it’s not her fault that I have an issue with her father, so I say, “Why don’t you take a seat?”

She does, choosing the open seat near Mikey.

Cole scratches the back of his neck, looking at her. I guess Mrs. Applebaum is satisfied to have done her part, because she nods and says, “All right. That’s settled then. I’m going to my classroom. I’ll be back at the end of class.”

Does she have a flask in there or something? She seems suspiciously eager to get back to her desk.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Cole asks. It takes me a second to realize he’s addressing me.

I gesture toward the children. Mikey is regarding them with escalating terror, probably because if I step out, he’ll be left in charge. “Not a great time, to state the obvious.” “Why are you doing that?” Jane asks Mikey, who’s tapping the side of her monitor agitatedly. “Do you have a nervous tic, or is there something wrong with the screen? If there’s something wrong with the screen, you probably shouldn’t have let me sit here.”

He mutters something about this being just like middle school.

“It’ll only take a second,” Cole says, his eyes burning into me. Despite myself, I feel a not unpleasant sense of awareness.

“Fine,” I say begrudgingly. “Mikey, get them to turn on their computers and draw up the program.” It’ll be easier for him to step up if there’s a concrete task to focus on.

I step out into the hall, and Cole takes several steps back, as if he feels the need to constantly keep a minimum distance between us. Fine by me. “What is it?” I ask tersely, shutting the door.

For a second, he just looks at me, and I’m about to lose patience when he finally says, “I know you don’t like me, Holly. But don’t take it out on my daughter.”

He might as well have punched me in the gut.

“Is that what you think of me? You think I’d be a creep to a little girl because she has the misfortune of being related to you? If anything, I’ll be nicer to her to make up for it.”

His expression suggests my shot has landed too, and I’m glad, but only temporarily.

The corner of his lips tip up in a self-deprecating smile that lacks any mirth. “You’re hardly the only person to think it’s her misfortune. I had to say it.”

“Did you?” I ask, tilting my head.

He takes a slight step toward me, as if preparing to tell me off, then says, “Goodbye, Holly.”

In my mind, I think of another day, of a young boy, still on his way toward becoming a man, saying, “I’ll be seeing you, Holly Mayberry.”

How the hell has it come to this?

I watch him go, partly because I want to make sure he really leaves and partly because he does, damn him, have a fine butt. No harm in looking, ladies.

BLP REVIEW – Tracy

This was a fab read…… Holly and Cole seemed to hate each other, but you know what they say abut hate being akin to love……

I loved that we saw their history from both their pov’s so it gave an understanding of why they baited each other as they did. There were a couple of times that I honestly wanted to punch Cole to see if that would rattle some sense into him, but he kinda worked it out for himself after a while….

Holly hid her heart behind her snark. She cared a helluva lot more that she’d like people to believe – especially Cole – and when she did let her guard down you saw the other part of her that rounded out who she was.

I adored Jane, to a certain extent she was kinda like a mini version of what you’d imagine Holly to be when she was younger. Raised by a single dad who let her know that she was his world she was a well adjusted, bright girl with a big heart who was full of sass and so very initiative.. this kid missed nothing!

With a great supporting cast of characters, a few completely detestable individuals – well written ‘cos I honestly disliked them so much – this was a fun read with some sad, a lot of laughs and an unexpected twist or two….

I’m looking forward to more in the series.

About Denise Grover Swank

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten ho uses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

Connect with Denise

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3gLPdF2

Instagram: https://bit.ly/31QjfmL

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3gOHyFR
Stay up to date with Denise, join her newsletter: https://bit.ly/3gLPtnu

Website: https://bit.ly/3hRjcNl

About Angela Casella

ANGELA CASELLA loves writing romcoms, particularly with the lovely Denise Grover Swank. They write together as Angela Denise. Angela also writes the Fairy Godmother Agency series. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, daughter, and two geriatric dogs. Her hobbies include herding her daughter toward less dangerous activities, stress baking, and marathon watching TV shows.

Connect with Angela
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3JC1ZpG
Website: www.angelacasella.com

About New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank and USA Today bestselling author Angela Casella writing as Angela Denise

ANGELA DENISE is the pen name for the writing duo Angela Casella and Denise Grover Swank.

ANGELA CASELLA loves writing romcoms, particularly with the lovely Denise Grover Swank. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, daughter, and two geriatric dogs. Her hobbies include herding her daughter toward less dangerous activities, stress baking, and marathon watching TV shows.

DENISE GROVER SWANK is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author and has sold over three million books. She indie published her first book, a romance mystery, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes, in 2011. She has since published over fifty novels, multiple novellas and short stories as an indie and with five publishers. She is published in seven languages. She is a single mother to six children and four dogs and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

Connect with Angela Denise

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3k1DQNt

Posted in #KU, Authors & Books, Blurb, Buy Links, Excerpt, Favourites, Must Read, New Releases, Recommended, Reviews, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser

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Tags: @AngelaCasella, @DeniseMSwank, @jennw23

REVIEW – Rule Bender (Chicago First Responders #4) by BJ Harvey

Aug 16

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Title: Rule Bender

Series: Chicago First Responders #4

Author: BJ Harvey

Genre: A steamy firefighter/boss’s daughter/best friends romantic comedy (Interconnected Standalone)

Release Date: July 21, 2022

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/RulebenderGR

Blurb:

London Kelly is in love with her best friend and has been for years.

Too bad he’s an adorably clueless idiot who a) just doesn’t see what everyone else sees and b) abides by the rule of ‘don’t screw the crew’s sisters, daughters, or exes.’ And since London’s dad is his fire captain, that puts her firmly in the do not touch category.

Then one night, London decides to throw caution to the wind and kisses him, finding her unequivocally placed in the friend zone.

That’s when London decides that maybe it’s time to move on.

Except fate decides to have the last laugh, calling Luca to the scene of a fire at the very same restaurant where London is on a secret blind date, bringing him face-to-face with the reality that he could lose his girl.

Suddenly all bets are off.

Besides, bending the rules isn’t the same as breaking them… right?

Buy Links:

Universal Link – https://books2read.com/rulebender

Amazon – https://mybook.to/Rulebender

Apple Books – https://apple.co/3Iokeyk

Barnes & Noble – https://bit.ly/RuleBenderNook

Kobo – https://bit.ly/RuleBenderKobo

Google – https://bit.ly/RuleBenderGoogle

Excerpt:

“Lonnie’s the one who met Luca Rossi and fell head over heels at first sight,” my sister Violet declares.

“That’s old news, Vi,” I mumble, my cheeks burning hot.

“Hey. It’s cute. Kinda adorable. And even after you went away and came back, you’re still friends with him, despite everything.”

“Despite nothing. He’s gone from ‘no, I don’t see you like that’ to ‘I’m going to drop two thousand big ones and give you the date of your dreams with the man of your dreams then give you the best sex of your life and—’” I slap my hand over my mouth, my wide eyes slowly scanning the amused and approving faces of my friends and family.

“I knew it!” Val says. “It’s still eww because he’s my brother, but good on Luc. At least he’s got that working for him. The rest can be a work-in-progress.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, if you’ve got chemistry, respect, honesty, and yes—hot sex—anything is possible, ” Skye adds.

I sigh. “Do I have honesty though? Because he took three years to make a move after more than a few chances.”

Renee shrugs. “Maybe he’s just slow on the uptake.”

“More like a damn snail,” Val says.

Skye giggles. “Or a sloth.”

Val’s brows furrow “Is a sloth slower than a snail?”

“Wait. Let’s look it up.”

BLP REVIEW – Tracy

This was a great end to the series.

I loved London and how she felt about Luca… lordy, everybody but the man himself could see how good they were together and that they were all but an ‘official’ couple because they did just about everything together…

I liked the fact that London tried it move on, how sweet a guy her date turned out to be when she outed herself and how the fact that seeing London with another guy made Luca realise just what he had and was potentially gonna lose.

I got Luca’s concerns and understood where he was coming from to an extent but he needed to start thinking more with his heart and a bit less with his head IMHO.

Catching up with the rest of their group and seeing how they’re doing is always fun. I’m sad the series has come to a close but I’m excited to find out what’s gonna be coming next from B.J.

More in the Series:

Book 1: Show Stopper: A Knight in Charming Armor Firefighter Rom Com

→ https://books2read.com/Showstopper

Book 2: Life Changer: A Single Dad Firefighter Rom Com

→ https://books2read.com/Lifechanger

Book 3: Miracle Worker: An Opposites Attract Cop/Firefighter Roommate Rom Com

→ https://books2read.com/Miracleworker

Author Bio/Social Media Links:

BJ Harvey is the USA Today Bestselling Author of angsty contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and sometimes a little bit of romance suspense. She regards herself as a smut peddler, suspense conjurer, and a funny romance thinker upper. An avid music fan, you will always find her singing some hit song badly and loving every minute of it. She’s a miner’s wife, a mom to two beautiful teenagers, and was born in New Zealand and currently lives in Perth, Australia.

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Buy Links, Excerpt, Favourites, More in the Series, Recent Release, Recommended, Reviews, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser

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Tags: #AuthorBJHarvey, #ChicagoFirstResponders, @EJBookPromos

RELEASE BLITZ – What’s It Gonna Take (Burgers and Brew Crüe #5) by Lacey Black

Aug 9

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Title: What’s It Gonna Take
Series: Burgers and Brew Crüe #5
Author: Lacey Black

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 9, 2022

BLURB

Garreth

From the first moment I saw Reagan Turner at the bar and restaurant I help manage, I was drawn like never before. She was dating someone at the time, which meant she was off-limits, until the jerk broke up with her. I can’t get her out of my head, can’t stop wanting to kiss those perfectly lush lips. Fighting this attraction has been my kryptonite.

So, I give in to temptation.

Now, all bets are off. One touch, one kiss, one night will never be enough. Of course, I wasn’t factoring in us working together, which means I have to keep my desire—and my hands—to myself.

Should be easy enough.

Reagan

There’s something about the charismatic, flirty bar manager that pulls me in. When my boyfriend breaks up with me via text message, I suddenly see Garreth Taylor in a whole new light. He’s gorgeous, fun, caring, and everything a single woman could ever want. And for some reason, he seems to have his sights set on me, even if he doesn’t say it outright.

So, I make the first move.

The result is both explosive and dynamic, and before I know it, one night turns to two. He has a hang-up, however, about being professional while at work, and draws a line in the sand.

Looks like I’ll have to show him how fun it can be to cross it.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60632244-what-s-it-gonna-take

PURCHASE LINKS

US: https://amzn.to/3hI4MAw
UK: https://amzn.to/3hLylkK
CA: https://amzn.to/3sNyA55
AU: https://amzn.to/34jl4g6

Free in Kindle Unlimited

EXCERPT

My blood is boiling.
What kind of douche canoe sends a text to break up with a woman, and then shows up at the same place said woman you just broke up with is eating dinner?
Justin fucking Morales, that’s who.
I want to punch him in his smug, dirtbag face, but I won’t because my employers frown upon it. Well, maybe not Jameson as much as the others, especially when he hears what happened to his wife’s cousin. He’d probably jump to the head of the line to knock out a few teeth.
I remember growing up with Jameson and Walker. They definitely weren’t afraid to get into parking lot scuffles. We didn’t hang in the same circles, but I never had any issues with them. I was just more focused on getting good grades, playing baseball, and getting into college.
Reagan approaches where I stand, eavesdropping on her confrontation and not ashamed in the least. Her eyes are cast down at first, and when they finally meet mine, I can see her embarrassment and anger swirling together like a tornado. Part of me wants to reach out and pull her against my chest, vowing to kick his ass for hurting her, but I know she won’t appreciate that right now.
Instead, I go to the one place I know will get a reaction out of her. “I’m so turned on right now,” I mutter, throwing her a wink and a smile.
And just like that, the shock and rage reflecting in her stunning eyes falls away and is replaced by laughter. “Oh my God,” she sputters through her giggle fit. “What is wrong with you?”
See? This right here. I’d rather see her happy and laughing instead of what that asshole made her feel like. When she smiles, there’s this light that surrounds her. It’s vibrant and makes me feel like I won a million dollars or something equally as badass.
“You wound me, love.” I place a hand over my heart and sigh dramatically.
Reagan rolls her eyes, much as I’d expect her to. “You’re nuts.”
I sober and step closer, greedily breathing in her sweet scent. “Do you want me to drop a drink in his lap? Or maybe step on his patty before I serve it? I’d do it in a heartbeat, for you,” I tell her, only half-joking.
Reagan gives me a sad smile, and Jesus, I don’t like it. “I do appreciate the offer, but I don’t think that’s necessary. Please don’t make any health code violations on my behalf,” she replies with the faintest grin on her pretty lips.
“If you change your mind, send me a signal, okay? Maybe blow me a kiss from across the room or twerk. Twerking’s always good.”
Her face completely relaxes as she laughs and shakes her head. “You’re terrible. I’m going to head back to my friends,” she says, reaching out and squeezing my arm. Little bolts of lightning streak through my veins and land firmly in my balls. It’s hard to just stand here and watch her walk away. “Oh, Garreth?”
Glancing up, I meet her gaze. “Yes?”
“Thank you. For making me smile.” She rewards me with another small smile.
My throat is tight with emotion. “Anytime.”
Reagan rejoins her party, immediately jumping into an animated telling of what happened over with Justin. As much as I’d love to go over there, I can’t. I have a job to do, which right now, is serving the ex. Even if I’d rather kick his ass out or just flat out refuse to serve him, that’s not my job, and I always strive to do the best job I can.
Dammit.

BLP REVIEW – Tracy

What’s It Gonna Take is one of my favourite books in the series. The gods, I thought Walker and Jameson were pretty awesome but Garrett is up there with them.

I loved that there wasn’t a lot of angst in the read, it was an easy, fun filled book that was packed with heat and passion. This pair bring out the best in each other and their flirting and banter was so much fun.

One of the best things about this series is being able to keep up with the other guys in the crew and their ladies. I love their chat when they’re all together, they’re funny and love to get a rise out of each other but they’ve always got each other’s backs.

I was soooo happy when I discovered that Lacey Black is not yet finished with this series and I cannot wait for the next couple.

ALSO AVAILABLE

#1 Kickstart My Heart – 99c for a limited time!

US: https://amzn.to/2MtJElh
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#2 Don’t Go Away Mad

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#3 Same Ol’ Situation

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#4 Wild Side

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UK: https://amzn.to/3IDmel5
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Free in Kindle Unlimited

COMING SOON

#6 Home Sweet Home – Releasing January 10

US: https://amzn.to/3SgtTLE
UK: https://amzn.to/3SrsLFt
CA: https://amzn.to/3OJfXXH
AU: https://amzn.to/3Q8plVX

Only available at the following retailers for a limited time

B&N: https://bit.ly/3bC4xYk
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3d3Ngrs
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3zTmqLn
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3zCBR9I

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://www.laceyblackbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaceyblack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceyblackwrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack
Newsletter: http://www.laceyblackbooks.com/newslette

Posted in #KU, Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Buy Links, Coming Soon, Excerpt, Favourites, More in the Series, New Releases, Pre-order links, Recommended, Review to Come, Teaser

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Tags: @AuthLaceyBlack, @GiveMeBooksPR

RELEASE TOUR – The Right Guy by Mel Walker

Aug 5

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

In THE RIGHT GUY by Mel Walker, Hunter Farro is looking for a fresh start on his own, but after a kiss with a stranger, his plans derail when he finds himself in a fake relationship. Hunter’s secret relationship with Catherine March isn’t the only thing he is hiding behind, and when the truth comes out, he will risk everything important to him, including Catherine. Fans of Sealed by Laura Pavlov will delight in this sweet must-read fake relationship, small-town romance from the Meet Cute Book Club Series.

Read Now!

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3MOBfSR

Catherine March is what many would call an unparalleled success. With tons of friends from coast to coast and outstanding success as the manager of a premier event space in the state, she has overachieved in every aspect of her life except one – finding a partner. Finding the right partner.

Returning to her hometown for a friend’s wedding she is confronted by her ex, the man who predicted she’ll always be alone. And to make matters worse, he’s trotting his replacement all around town.

Faced with a tough choice, Catherine decides the solution to her problem is to find the perfect fake boyfriend for the week.

But being an overachiever has its own set of challenges, even her fake relationship appears real to everyone, including herself.

New city, new job, new challenges.

Hunter Faro is far from home and he’s looking to stand on his own without the assistance of his powerful family.

It sounded simple enough. That is until a stranger kisses him and ropes him into being her pretend boyfriend for her friend’s wedding

She is a beautiful distraction and he has his reasons for agreeing but as the charade grows he realizes the danger. The fake relationship isn’t the only secret he is hiding behind and if the truth comes out everything he’s worked for may disappear.

If you love small towns, fake relationship stories, moments that will tug at your heartstrings, and a swoon-worthy happy ending, then you’ll love this sweet romance.

Add to Goodreads!

Goodreads → https://bit.ly/3DDi9Mv

Excerpt

Home is where you go to find peace, but not today. My shaking hands and the throbbing in my chests only confirm my fears – disaster awaits.

My Uber flies down Market Street and I duck down to hide as we roll by Mr. Paul’s Ice Cream shop as if I’m expecting the ghost of boyfriend past to be sitting at our favorite booth sipping on a black and white milk shake staring out the window on alert.

I sit on my hands but still fail. I form tight fists, squeezing to the point that I feel the pain of my nails digging hard into my palm. This trip is different. He knows I’m coming home; he knows my schedule; there will be no avoiding him this time.

I don’t trust myself to even think his name, let alone speak it out loud. The fear of his name on my lips activating some horror movie spell, conjuring him in front of me, a smug smirk on his face and a condescending attitude on his shoulder.

I’m only two hours removed from the pep talk from my former college classmate and good friend, Shannon, but I don’t hesitate to dial her. Anything to pull me out of the anxiety hole I’m slipping down.

“Catherine!” she answers on the first ring, surprise in her tone, “don’t tell me you left something here at the Inn.”

I shake my head, knowing she can’t see me. “No. At least I don’t think so.” Her question merely pulls me from one rabbit hole to another. I’ve spent the last three days with Shannon and the rest of the women in our book club back in our college town of Abbot Ridge, North Carolina. Three amazing days of kinship, reconnecting and refilling my cup with positivity. Nearly all of it evaporating when I stepped on the plane and flew cross-country back to my hometown. “I’m almost to my parent’s home and I wanted to hear you tell me once again that everything will work out?”

“Ok,” she whispers, and I imagine Shannon pulling on the sleeves of her bohemian top with more colors than Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It’s early afternoon and all of her bed-and-breakfast patrons should have either checked out or have left to enjoy the charm that is Abbot Ridge. I picture her sitting in her favorite rocking chair with a cup of herbal tea nearby. “It’s been too long since you’ve gone back home. You miss your family. You love your family and they love you. That’s all that matters. Palmer Easton is ancient history.”

I squeeze my eyes tight with the mention of my ex. The man whose heart I broke and who now seems to be on a mission to make my life a living hell.

“You are the kick ass hero in this story.” Shannon pulls me back to the present, her voice filled with love and admiration, the two things my heart needs the most right now. “You only have to see him once for a few hours with lots of other people around to act as a buffer. You’re going to be just fine. And when you leave town again, he’ll be the one wishing he had made different life choices.”

I know she’s right, but it’s nice to hear it out loud. Logic and fear aren’t exactly great bedfellows. “Thank you. In every other area of my life, I have no doubts, but anytime I come home to Mesa my nerves are on edge, fearing I’m going to run into Palmer.” My tongue clicks against my teeth, “only this time it’s one hundred percent guaranteed that we’ll cross paths.”

I think back six months to the arrival of the wedding invitation from my childhood friend, Ava. The hand written note slipped into the invite. Don’t you dare say no. She knows my history with Palmer, everyone does. Mesa, Arizona, may be home to nearly half a million people these days, but in many ways it’s still a small town.

“And I’m one hundred percent sure you’re gonna shine. Do I need to fly out there?” Shannon asks and for a second, I consider it. I RSVP’d with a plus one six months ago, figuring I had all the time in the world to find a date. The last thing I wanted to do was show up to the wedding and sit at the singles table subjecting myself to even more barbs and slings from Palmer. His parting words to me after I left him were that I would never find happiness or another man. I found out too late that Palmer and the high road never intercepted.

About Mel Walker

Mel Walker is a rare bird, the male romance author. Specializing in heartfelt small-town romance, he enjoys telling compelling romances with all the feels. A native New Yorker and life-long frustrated NY Mets fan, he enjoys long walks, bike rides, and taking in the energy of the city.

Follow:

About The Meet Cute Book Club Series

Escape with the Meet Cute Book Club where meet-cutes don’t only happen between the pages of romance novels and members find their own happily ever afters.

Eight single women bound by their love of books take a monthly break from real life to lose themselves in the chapters of romantic fiction. From friends to lovers to fake relationships and more, each story features a brand new couple and their journey to find love from an amazing lineup of authors including Louise Lennox, Tracy Broemmer, A.M. Williams, Mel Walker, RJ Gray, Rebecca Wilder, Julie Archer, and Kate Stacy.

These eight standalone romances are packed with meet-cutes, heat, and of course a happily ever after!

This promotional event is brought to you by TheIndie Pen PR

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BLOG TOUR – Unfinished EX by Samantha Christy

Aug 3

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Seeing him again has her second guessing everything.

Unfinished Ex, an all-new steamy romance with a surprise twist from bestselling author Samantha Christy, is out now!

He wanted everything I couldn’t give him. A doting wife, a perfect family, a white picket fence, and game nights.

It’s not that I didn’t want to be his wife anymore. I just wanted something more—a career. So when an opportunity came up two years ago, it was easier to make him hate me than have him think he wasn’t enough.

Now, a day after our divorce is final, I find myself thrust back in the town we grew up in, down the street from the house we once owned together.

Seeing him again has me second-guessing everything. My priorities. My reason for leaving. My secrets.

When we cave, and have one explosive night of ex sex, everything changes.

Or nothing has.

And I have to decide if history is about to be repeated.

Download your copy today or grab it FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3whOlTB

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/unfinishedex

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39SMeNe

Keep reading for a look inside Unfinished Ex!

“Aren’t you popular?” a familiar voice spews behind me.

I stiffen, then turn. “Jaxon.” I spin back and motion for the bartender.

My hair gets moved aside, and strong fingers come around the side of my throat. For a second, I think he might strangle me. Then his grip relaxes, and his thumb brushes against the hollow of my neck. Tingles shoot through my body. It’s the first time I’ve felt his touch in years.

“As if being all over television isn’t enough,” he says. “You have to come here and rub it in my face? What the hell, Nic? Is there any guy here you haven’t come on to?”

“Give me a break.” I shrug his hand off me and huff. “It’s my reunion too. And if you don’t want to see me on TV, change the channel. Anyway, don’t you have a girlfriend you should be dancing with?”

The disdain in our voices is surprising. We never spoke like this to each other when we were married. And I’m not sure why I’m speaking to him this way now. He doesn’t deserve it. But seeing him on the arm of another woman all night has been… devastating, to say the least. And my defenses are up.

He takes my arm and leads me to the dance floor.

I know I should resist, but I don’t. Not much anyway. “What are you doing?”

“Talking with my ex-wife. And showing everyone here that we can be civil.”

I glance around. Everyone is staring. And guffawing. And videoing. I suppose they either think I’m going to punch him or fuck him.

“Can we be civil?” I ask. “Because based on the two times we’ve seen each other, we’re either glaring at or ignoring one another.”

“I think we should try to be. How else are we going to survive two months of you being here?”

“Avoidance,” I say, trying to ignore the warmth of his hands. The solidness of his body. The familiarity of his scent.

Every synapse in my brain is firing, telling me to pull away. But my heart strings—apparently they think we’re still tethered together, and I find myself swaying to the music.

He moves with me. “How’s that working for you? Apparently not well since you decided to show up at the one place you knew I’d be. Not to mention my friends.”

“Oh, your friends.”

“Yeah, my friends. You left them too. Or have you forgotten?”

“I remember perfectly well. More than you could ever know.” I break away from him because being in his arms is suffocating. “I have to go. I need to be up early.”

“Then why did you even come?”

Why did I? “It was obviously a mistake.” I go back to the bar and Paige, who is holding up a shot. I’ve never needed one more. “Thanks. And now I’m leaving.”

She checks the time. “You almost made it an hour. That’s longer than I thought you’d last.” She glances behind me. “Oh shit.”

I turn to see Calista standing in the hallway, the sadness of her stare burning through my skin from twenty feet away. She saw us dancing.

Not bothering to say goodbye to anyone, I hightail it to the back door. I’m barely to the back gate when I hear, “Why can’t you leave well enough alone?”

Slowly, I rotate and face Calista. She walks toward me in what seems like slow motion. Is she going to call me names? Pull my hair? Tackle me to the ground? Behind her, people pour out from inside.

“Calista, now is not the time. We’ve both been drinking.”

“You think I’m going to cause a scene?”

“No, because I’m walking away.”

I get another thirty feet when I hear her heels on the pavement behind me. She runs ahead and stops my progress. Not with her fists or her body, but with her eyes. Her sorrowful, poignant stare that makes me feel even more guilty about being here.

“Calista, I don’t have time for this.”

“You left. You chose your career over him. You were selfish, uncaring, and insensitive. Not to mention you broke him. Do you know how long it took him to even ask someone out?”

“Cal—”

“It’s my turn. You had your turn. You had your chance with him. You don’t get to waltz back into town and pretend like everything is normal when you’re the reason he can’t be. He was just starting to heal. And tonight, I had a feeling he might even commit to this relationship. Then you show up and all anyone can do is look at you, and then look at him to see if he’s looking at you, and then look at me to see if I’m bothered by any of it. Why are you here? You made your choice. You don’t even want him, so why don’t you stay away and give him room to breathe? Please, Nicky. I’m begging you.”

I’m stunned by the lack of anger in her confrontation. But I shouldn’t be. Even when we butted heads back in high school, she was still nice about it. She didn’t get to be head cheerleader, class president, and prom queen by intimidation. She did it because she was delightful, caring, and perky. The kind of person who’s perfect for Jaxon.

Jaxon comes out of the pub and sees us.

Calista glances between him and me. “Unless you still want him.” Her eyes become glassy. “Do you?”

“I…” I clutch my pendant. “I have to go.”

I run through the parking lot. Then I run down the street. Then I take my shoes off and run barefoot until I get inside the house and up to my room. Then I collapse on my bed, knowing everything she said was one hundred percent true.

Especially the part about me wanting him. Because I was lying to myself. Being in his arms wasn’t suffocating. It was like going home.

About Samantha Christy

Samantha Christy’s passion for writing started long before her first novel was published. Graduating from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Criminal Justice, she held the title of Computer Systems Analyst for The Supreme Court of Wisconsin and several major universities around the United States. Raised mainly in Indianapolis, but also living in Lincoln, NE for a time, she decided to devote herself to family upon the birth of her third child and became a stay-at-home mom. It was then when the writing bug really took hold as she was a voracious reader. Being a stay-at-home mom facilitated her ability to follow her dream of becoming an author.

When she is not writing, she keeps busy cruising to every Caribbean island ships sail to. Samantha Christy currently resides near St. Augustine, Florida with her husband and the two of her four children who haven’t flown the nest. Oh, and her dog, Ozzy, who she worships and thinks is the most adorable Whoodle on the planet.

Connect with Samantha

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3vyOXEf

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Website: https://samanthachristy.com/

Posted in #KU, Authors & Books, Blurb, Buy Links, Excerpt, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour

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Tags: #SamanthaChristy, @jennw23

BLOG TOUR – Bayou Sweetheart by Lexi Blake

Jul 27

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

He’s looking for love but he never expected her.

Bayou Sweetheart, a brand-new small town cop meets Hollywood superstar romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, is out now!

Sparks fly in Louisiana’s Butterfly Bayou when a Hollywood starlet falls for a local deputy in a new small-town contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.

After leaving the military, Major Blanchard moved to Papillon, Louisiana, to be with his aging father, where he’s taken a deputy position with the sheriff’s department. Now that he’s settling into life on the bayou, he’s trying out the dating scene. Every single woman in town seems to be pining after the handsome newcomer. But so far, nothing’s worked out, and he’s had some spectacularly bad dates. Major’s getting ready to give up on love when a new lady roars into town to film a movie and turns his world upside down.

Actress Brynn Pearson is trying to make a successful transition from child star to leading lady. Now that she’s landed her first lead in a major film, nothing can stop her. She’s committed to focusing solely on her work, so romance is the last thing she needs—too bad she can’t get her mind off the dreamy deputy who’s working security for the film. He’s gorgeous, and something about him makes her feel safe. As Brynn’s feelings for Major deepen, she starts to wonder if maybe there’s more to life than her career.

When a family crisis throws Major’s life into a tailspin, he turns to Brynn for support, and hopes the relationship growing between them will shine brighter than Hollywood lights.

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vGM9oK

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BayouSweet

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Kjlq5T

Nook: https://bit.ly/35mkBdL

Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://bit.ly/3tr6tHV

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3vCye3d

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Google Play: https://bit.ly/34ayfQn

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3blTCyn

Nook Paperback: https://bit.ly/3OO4iI1

Add Bayou Sweetheart to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/36UOlyD

Keep reading for a look inside Bayou Sweetheart!

“Are you still driving Harry’s truck? I only ask so I can have an idea of how many people are going to call the station about the pretty blond car thief.”

Brynn winced. “Sorry. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. And no. Harry had an emergency. Apparently his mother-in-law had some plumbing problems and he went out to help. I called a car service.”

“We have a car service?” Major asked and then winced. “Please tell me Greg Bonham isn’t still trying to make Guber happen.”

She snorted. “Yes. I heard all about his plan to create a fleet of golf carts.”

“That’s not road legal. You are not calling him to take you back.” He groaned, though it sounded like a sexy growl. “I’ll drive you home, and I’ll have a talk with Greg because putting twinkle lights all over a golf cart does not make it safe. So, where’s your buddy this evening?”

“Duke?” She didn’t have another buddy. She had acquaintances. She had coworkers. She had fans. She didn’t have buddies beyond her dog. She suddenly realized how sad that was.

“Yes. I miss his royal disdain.”

“Disdain?”

A brow rose over Major’s eyes. “That dog does not like me. And he didn’t like Dolly, either, which is a mistake on his part because she is delightful.”

Brynn chuckled. “That’s not what you were saying when she was wrapped around your shoulders.”

“Well, we’ve moved on and she’s delightful again. She never met a stranger, and I think she was hurt by Duke’s rejection of her love.”

Oh, this was an infinitely more dangerous man than the one she’d met before. Was he flirting with her? If he was, it was working, because she was ready to throw out everything she’d learned about him earlier in the day. “Duke takes his time warming up to people, but once he gets used to you, you’ll find him delightful, too. He’s back at the B and B. When I’m not able to take him with me, he usually stays with an assistant. In this case, he’s hanging out with Shep. What has you in a good mood? Did you get to ticket a bunch of people?”

He put a hand on his chest. “I do not enjoy ticketing people, Brynn. Especially not people around here. They’re mouthy and very creative in finding an excuse for not using their blinker when they turn. By the way, speaking of ticketing people, you have a lead foot. That is not going to do you well here. The boss is always on the lookout to upgrade the station house’s appliances, and the money from driving offenses goes straight into his budget. He’s got two small children at home now. He wants an espresso machine. He kind of needs it to keep functioning.”

Ah, the joys of small-town life. “Thank you for the warning. How about I gift him one and maybe you gently look the other way?”

That jawline of his straightened, and he turned on his serious stare. “Ma’am, are you trying to bribe an officer of the law?”

That cop voice got to her. She suddenly understood why people role-played. She’d always thought it was dumb, but now she could see how Deputy Major doing a slow search of her body could be sexy. In a playful way, of course. A consenting way.

Was she thinking about hopping into bed with him?

About Lexi Blake

New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.

Connect with Lexi

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vTyQyb

Facebook: http://bit.ly/339Svf9

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Website: https://www.lexiblake.net

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Buy Links, Excerpt, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour

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Tags: @AuthorLexiBlake, @jennw23

SNEAK PEEK – True North (The North Brothers Book 3) by JB Salsbury

Jul 25

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

He said he’d never fall in love.

Never say never.

True North, an all-new mistaken-identity contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author JB Salsbury is coming August 8th, and we have your first look!

The North name is a heavy burden. Two things I learned young—the best way to keep my head on is to keep my head down, and… never fall in love.

But I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress.

Lillian came into my life swinging. Mistaking me for my abusive twin brother, she greets me with a swift kick to the balls and a busted lip. Then she really shakes up my world.

She needs her job, but she needs a break just as much. And nothing silences my demons as efficiently as playing the hero.

To protect her from my jerk twin—her boss—I take her on a business trip and quickly learn that she’s different. Blunt. Honest. Intriguingly strange. I’m transfixed, so when she unknowingly sinks a multimillion-dollar deal, I don’t speak up. Something my family won’t forgive.

Now, I have a choice to make. I can go against my own blood and burn the North legacy to the ground, or play it safe, commit to my self-imposed rules and predestined future. Choosing her would ruin my life as I know it, but I’m starting to wonder if a life without her is worth living.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/37GpaAM

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/TrueNorthJB

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/38Yya4K

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3P7G0JH

Nook: https://bit.ly/3yuI2gZ

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3xsrvcB

Start the Wild North Series of standalones now!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3a4T53v

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WildNorth

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3s9EkCB

Nook: https://bit.ly/3eazOip

Keep reading for your first look inside True North!

Lillian

An hour and a half later, we’re in the backseat of a minivan, trying to figure out how we’re going to smuggle a bag of double cheeseburgers and fries into the hotel without anyone seeing.

“Here, you take the fries and fill your pockets.” I hand him the containers of fries and pop a couple in my mouth in the process. “Oh, these are so good.”

“Stop eating them all.” He carefully slips the sleeve of fries into the inner pocket of his coat and then eyes me. “What about the burgers?”

Turns out, our meal at the restaurant was delicious. The meat was tender and juicy and full of flavor, but even after we ate blue corn cakes with elderberry syrup for dessert, we were still hungry. We also had two more drinks and a glass of dessert wine from the local winery, which may have directly contributed to our current situation.

Because the entire staff saw us eat in the restaurant, and we don’t want to insult anyone, we’re sneaking food back to our rooms.

I grab a burger and shove it into my clutch. Then I stuff another into my cleavage.

“You can’t do that. It’s too obvious,” Hudson says without looking at me. “Give it to me. I’ll tuck it under my arm.”

“Eww, I don’t want your armpit touching my burger.”

He shoves his hand out again. “Then it’ll be mine. Give it.”

“No, this works.” I pat the burger between my boobs. “Women do this all the time. Look. You can’t even tell.”

His gaze drops to my chest and then darts away. “Uh, yeah. You can.”

“It’s fine. I got this.”

“What do you mean women do this all time?”

I do a doubletake. Is he joking? “You didn’t know that women use their cleavage as a pocket?”

Want more? Continue reading here >>> https://bit.ly/3RPd4ar

About JB Salsbury

JB Salsbury, New York Times Best Selling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.

Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.

Since 2013 she has published six bestselling novels in The Fighting Series and won a RONE Award.

Connect with JB

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3stLCRV

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mZRQaR

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3stsCms

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3dtpF0X

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3x7WCbh

Website: http://jbsalsbury.com/