Category Archives: Excerpt

RELEASE BLITZ – Miss Misguided by Ash Hosking

Title: Miss Misguided
Author: Ash Hosking
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: November 5, 2020
BLURB
Celeste was only looking for the escort she hired for her sister’s wedding. Instead, she got Noah Archer. 
Tall, dark and handsome, incredibly charming, and a doctor to boot. 
Too bad she doesn’t believe him when he tells her he isn’t the guy she paid for, although he does get the job done. 
Boy, does he ever. 
Noah’s new neighbors are interesting. 
In particular, the cute teacher in the apartment below his. 
Volunteering to be Celeste’s wedding date seconds after meeting her was possibly not his wisest decision, but it turns out to be one of the best nights of his life. 
Celeste Sweetley is utterly bewitching, but after their initial mishap, she only wants to be friends. 
A misguided idea at best, but Noah’s willing to play along if it means getting to spend more time with her. 
Can they really just be only friends when neither of them can forget that night? Or are they setting themselves up for a messy heartbreak the likes of which they’ve never seen before? 
Only time will tell.
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


EXCERPT
“You’re a good, sweet man, Doctor Archer.” 
Meeting his gaze, a flush of warmth rushes through my body like a swish of fire. 
This connection is what I’d been missing back at the bar. Finding myself drawn closer, I take up the space between his thighs. Reaching out to brace myself on the window frame to keep my hands from touching him like I want to. 
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I’ve been thinking all night,” Noah’s disagreement is barely a murmur as his eyes drop to my lips. It’s spoken carefully, like he’s afraid to spook me. Like I may suddenly change my mind and back away. 
I’m not sure this is even my decision. 
I imagine this must be what a moth feels like with an open flame. Completely captivated. 
Brushing my lips against his, a feather light touch I give him the chance to do what I can’t and stop this before we both go up in flames. 
“What have you been thinking about?” 
Whispering in the breath of space between us, I’m all but begging him to douse the flame as my gaze falls to his lips. Noah’s tongue swipes across them like he can taste me there. 
Noah’s hands tug and bunch my cardigan at my back which he uses to draw me closer until our chests meet. 
“This.” His left hand releases my cardigan to sneak beneath the hem of my dress, fingertips skating up the back of my thigh. I drop my arms propped up on either side of us onto his shoulders. 
“And this,” Noah adds before eliminating the space between our lips. I’m lifted onto the tips of my toes by his arm around my waist and his hand gripping my butt cheek. Lifting one leg over his to prop my knee on the windowsill for better leverage, I tangle my fingers in his hair while kissing him in return. 
This is the passion I’d been craving earlier. 
Something I’d never known until meeting Noah and now I don’t know how to live without it.


AUTHOR BIO
Ash Hosking is an admitted daydreamer and hopeless romantic with a dirty mind from the Gold Coast, Australia, who loves to write stories about strong, smart women and the men they fall for with a mixed bag of emotions thrown in. 
She lives with her husband and adorable fur baby, Prim, who loves to keep her from getting anything done. 
Ash is always up for an adventure, is addicted to coffee frappes and can never say no to a Tim Tam.
AUTHOR LINKS


RELEASE BOOST – Blood and Wine by Margot Scott

Title: Blood and Wine
Author: Margot Scott
Genre: Dark Vampire Romance
Release Date: October 29, 2020
BLURB
A slow-burning descent into darkness and desire… 
Betrayed. Imprisoned. Alone. 
For decades I have suffered as a reluctant blood donor. Caged like an animal and drained of my strength to enrich the Radcliffs and their winery. I’d forsaken all hope of escape—until the winemaker’s daughter returns to the family’s estate. 
A drop of my immortal blood is all it takes to activate her psychic talents. Now we’re connected, and all that remains is convincing her to seek me in the darkness. 
Bribe. Seduce. Deceive. 
To claim she’s too young is an understatement. But a starving man doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for fruit to ripen. I’ve awakened her gifts, and now it’s her turn to replenish me. 
I will have my fill of the winemaker’s daughter. Then I will take revenge on her family. 
Author’s note: Please be aware that this book contains scenes of violence, gore, and rough sexual contact, as well as an age-gap pairing spanning literal centuries. If you find drastically inappropriate older man/younger woman romances squicky, do yourself a favor and skip this book.
PURCHASE LINKS
99c for a limited time!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited


EXCERPT
I inhale the perfume of lilacs, and watch the horses grazing among the vines. Then I remind myself that it’s October, and there aren’t any horses on the grounds anymore. 
That’s how I know I’m still dreaming. 
I’ve been a lucid dreamer since I was little, capable of controlling my consciousness at whim while asleep. It’s the one Greyson-like talent I’ve been blessed with, and it’s not even that interesting. 
A burst of laughter calls my attention to a couple drinking champagne on the patio. I approach them. They ask if I’m wearing that to the party, and it’s not until I notice how they’re dressed—her in a silk blue wrap dress with ruffles, and him in a fedora and striped jacket—and the way their silhouettes dissolve slightly into the air around them, that I realize they aren’t just stand-ins manufactured by my dream engine. 
They’re ghosts. My mom tried describing them to me, but it’s one thing to hear about something and another to actually see it with your own eyes. 
Ghosts don’t look the way you might expect, all white-sheeted and billowy. Neither do they resemble rotting corpses. They look like shimmery versions of regular people. A little fuzzy around the edges, maybe, but otherwise normal. 
The clamor of horn-heavy music playing elsewhere on the estate coaxes me to step barefooted into the grass. I make my way toward the sound. Sure enough, there’s a party in full swing in the grand foyer. I peek through the windows at the crowd of ghosts having a grand old time, drinking, laughing, and dancing. 
I stay and watch for a while and listen to the band play, until a man in a waistcoat comes up behind me and asks if I have an invitation. I run into the field, glancing over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being chased. 
A woman in a white dress watches me from a second-story window. I’m not a hundred percent certain, but I’m pretty sure she’s watching me from the room I’m staying in. She’s too far away to note the details of her face, but her hair is long, dark, and straight, like mine. I blink and she’s gone, and her absence unsettles me and sends me galloping further into the grapevines. 
The sky hasn’t changed since I awoke into the dreamscape, giving the vineyard a sense of timelessness. Now that I’m away from the house, I make my way down the rows of vines slowly, skimming my fingers over the leaves. 
This place isn’t so bad without Edward and his awful relatives making me feel unwelcome. It would’ve been even nicer to have come here with my mother; I could’ve listened to her tell her own stories. 
A crow soars overhead and then drops into a cluster of trees. That’s when I spot the man standing with his back to me among the vines. 
“Hello,” I call out, moving a little closer. He turns his blond head slowly, like he’s not sure if he heard me. I call out again, “Hello, sir?” 
When our gazes meet, I stop advancing. His eyes are so blue they’re almost turquoise. I’m already lost in them, and I just got here. He studies me curiously, like he’s never seen a girl in a Blind Melon tee shirt before. 
“Did you say something to me?” he asks. 
“I said hello.” 
The man looks around, like he’s making sure I’m not actually talking to someone behind him. He’s a pretty big guy, fit and brawny. Maybe he’s the ghost of a laborer, I think, though his clean shirt and fair skin would suggest he’s not one for toiling in the sun. I’d guess him to be somewhere in his mid-thirties. I wonder how long it’s been since he passed on, then remind myself he isn’t real. This place looks like the vineyard, but it’s not the vineyard. There’s no reason my mind couldn’t dream up ghosts just as easily as it cooks up impatient servers. 
“How long have you lived here?” I ask. Mom also told me that ghosts sometimes forget they’re dead, and when they do, it’s best not to remind them. Nine times out of ten, whenever there’s an aggressive haunting, it’s because a ghost is confused, or hasn’t yet come to terms with their situation. This man appears lucid enough, and his silhouette is surprisingly crisp, but I figure it’s better to play it safe. 
His lip curls slightly. “I’ve been here much longer than I’d like to be.” 
“Oh. That sucks.” I’m not sure how else to respond. 
Two rows of vines separate us, but even that distance and a coating of golden scruff aren’t enough to mask the fact that he’s handsome. His face is angular without being pointed, his lips full, yet defined. The longer I look at him, the faster my pulse starts to race. Heat floods my face as I force myself to stop gawking at him like some wannabe groupie. 
“I’m just visiting my dad,” I say, hoping he won’t notice the tremor in my voice. The man says nothing. When I allow myself to glance his way again, he’s no longer standing in the same spot. 
He’s right beside me. 
I stagger back a few steps. 
“How did you do that?” A dumb question, considering ghosts don’t have to follow the laws of physics in the real world, let alone the nonexistent rules in my dreams. 
I hold my breath as the man reaches out to touch my cheek. Somehow his eyes are even bluer this close up. 
“How is this possible?” He strokes the sides of my face. 
“Anything’s possible in a dream,” I say. He shakes his head in disbelief, like I’m the ghost in his dreams. 
“This is why he wants you,” he says, and I have no idea what that means. 
“Who wants me?” 
His gaze lifts over my shoulder, in the direction of the house. 
“It’s time to wake up, Mariah.” 
“Why?” And how does he know my name? 
“You have a visitor.” He grasps my shoulders firmly enough to pinch and shakes me. 
I’m jolted awake, for real this time. 
It takes me a second to recall where I am—in bed, in the guestroom, at Red Cliff—and half a second more to realize that I’m not alone.


AUTHOR BIO
Margot Scott likes long nails and short, sexy reads, rainbow sprinkles on vanilla ice cream, and rainy days spent in bed with her furbabies. When she’s not writing forbidden-love stories about bearded older men, you can find her browsing Pinterest for pictures of pink things.
AUTHOR LINKS

RELEASE BLITZ – Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney (Amore Island #3) by Natalie Ann

Title: Family Bonds- Mac and Sidney
Series: Amore Island #3
Author: Natalie Ann
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 3, 2020
BLURB
Mac Bond, Chief of Police. He came from the black sheep side of the family and he carried it wrapped like a noose around his neck. He was tough, he was strong, and he was cocky. Women loved his hard side at first, then ditched him when they realized he couldn’t be anything but. He was sick of feeling like he’d never measure up and figured he’d be alone for a long time.
Sidney Hollister has a few secrets in her life. She liked being alone and minding her own business. Then good old Mac Bond, Chief of Police, starts to flirt with her one night, and her eyes were opened to what a great guy and wonderful personality he actually had. And when a past threat enters her life, she finds that the tough, strong, and cocky side that other women complained about was actually what she loved the most.
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited


EXCERPT
“Morning,” she said, walking forward. Rather than grab her fitted shirt from the floor, she found his and pulled it over her head and crawled back in bed. She’d been hot against his body but chilly now that she moved around the house, her feet on cold floors. 
“That’s a nice look,” he said. 
“Goes well with the bedhead.” 
“Bedhead is a good look on you.” 
He moved his arm for her to tuck under it, her head on his shoulder. She’d never been much of a tender person either. No romance for her or sweet words. She’d never experienced it and wasn’t sure if she wanted it. She didn’t think she was the type of person to fall for it. Or maybe she was still sour she fell for Rod’s words years ago. 
Not sweet ones, but cocky ones. Yeah, she had a thing for cocky men. 
And though Mac was cocky, he wasn’t an ass about it. She’d never thought he was before she had a more vested interest in him but she knew he definitely was not now. 
“You surprised me last night,” she said. 
“You didn’t think I could go that long? I’m kind of hurt.” 
“No,” she said, poking her finger in his side. “You’ve got a little romantic sexy side to you. It came out of left field, but damn, does it work.” He started to laugh. “What? What did I say?” 
“You said I had a romantic sexy side. I’m not sure there is a person on the face of this earth who thinks that. Plenty have said just the opposite. Including my family.” 
“Well, I wouldn’t expect you’d be showing your family romance, but I liked it. Maybe most women wouldn’t think of it that way. I don’t know. I’m not the hearts and flowers type of girl. But get me naked and keep eye contact while you’re screwing my brains out and my heart just went all aflutter. That’s sexy and romantic to me.” 
“Really?” he asked. “Guess I learned something new too. I just went with my gut.” 
“Well, your gut made the right choice.” 
He was silent for a second and she wondered if maybe they were getting a little too deep. “You’re the first person I’ve done that with. And though I know I shouldn’t talk about other women when we are in bed together, I just felt the need to say that.” 
“I’m glad you did,” she said. “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that might have felt something they never had before.” 
“No,” he said quietly. “You aren’t alone.”


ALSO AVAILABLE
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited


COMING SOON
Releasing February 2
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


AUTHOR BIO
NATALIE ANN is a USA Today bestselling author that lives in Upstate NY with her husband, son, and French bulldog, Ella. She has always had a love for books, especially happily ever after. She writes contemporary romance with a dash of humor focusing on real life (but fictional) situations and storylines. She’s inspired by the crazy, ridiculous, touching and emotional family dynamics that most people go through. Her series are based right in her home state or cities she has visited.

RELEASE BLITZ – The Director (Chicago Bratva #1) by Renee Rose

Title: The Director
Series: Chicago Bratva #1
Author: Renee Rose
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Release Date: October 30, 2020
BLURB
NO ONE TAKES WHAT’S MINE.
The lovely attorney kept a secret from me. 
A baby she’s been carrying since Valentine’s night. The night we were thrown together by the roulette wheel. She never contacted me. Meant to keep me in the dark. 
She’s about to find out what happens when you cross a bratva boss. 
Punishment is in order. Sequestering until the birth. 
And I’ll use that time to win her surrender. 
Because I don’t just plan to keep the baby– 
I plan to make his mother my bride. 
And it would be much better for both of us if she were willing.


PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
*B&N coming soo


EXCERPT
“Don’t scream.” He barely speaks it. Just a low intonation from the shadowed figure in my armchair. 
My heart stutters and thuds painfully when I identify him, one elegant leg crossed over the other, lounging back like he owns the place. 
He unfolds his large form from the chair with grace. 
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I catch the back of the sofa with my fingertips to steady the swoop of the room. Damn blood volume. 
He doesn’t answer, just saunters toward me with a devilish smirk in place. Like he knows everything that’s about to happen and enjoys that I don’t. 
Damn Russian. 
“I came to get what’s mine.” He advances slowly. 
The floor stops tilting enough for me to take my hand away from the couch and jab it into the purse still slung over my shoulder to find my phone. I might be able to call 911— 
Ravil catches my wrist and takes the phone away, pocketing it. 
Or not. 
He divests me of the purse, which he drops on the floor by the satchel. 
If he looked angry, if his touch had hurt me, I’m sure I would have screamed. At least, that’s what I tell myself. 
In reality, I’m trapped in his azure gaze, memories of how he commanded my body so masterfully the last time we were together flooding back. 
I find indulgence in his eyes… not rage. Only a hint of danger. 
I put a hand protectively over my belly and take a step backward toward the hall. 
He catches my wrist again and pulls me back. Places my palm back on the sofa. “I liked you where you were, kotyonok.” 
Kotyonok. His pet name for me. 
Kitten
He picks up my other hand and puts it on the back of the sofa, and I have no doubt why he enjoyed this position. I’m perfectly presented for a spanking. He presses down on the backs of both hands, his body crowding mine from behind. “Don’t. Move,” he murmurs against my ear. 
I instantly rebel, pulling one hand up and away. 
“Hmmm.” He’s patient. He catches my hand and pins it down again. “No safe words for you this, time, kitten. But I’ll be gentle.” 
He bands one arm around my waist and splays his hand over my growing belly. “You shouldn’t have kept this from me.”


AUTHOR BIO
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR RENEE ROSE loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a half million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, and The Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance. She’s hit the USA Today list seven times with various anthologies.
Sign up to receive a FREE ebook: https://subscribepage.com/alphastemp
AUTHOR LINKS


RELEASE BLITZ – When He’s Dirty (Walker Security: Adrian #1) by Lisa Renee Jones

Title: When He’s Dirty
Series: Walker Security: Adrian #1
Author: Lisa Renee Jones

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 27, 2020
BLURB
As a member of Walker Security, Adrian Mack has found redemption for a walk on the dark side. For two years the former FBI agent was undercover in the notorious Texas Kings biker club. For two years he changed, he became one of them and when the bust happened, he didn’t know who he was anymore. On a hitlist with a price on his head he disappeared and joined Walk Security, but now, the trial is set to start and witnesses are dropping like flies. 
Assistant District Attorney, Priscilla Miller is tasked with the conviction of The King himself, and she’s passionate about taking him down, but her case is falling apart. She’s also in trouble, and while she resists Adrian, the sexy ex-FBI agent with a killer reputation, and his team at Walker Security are her answer, in more ways than one.
He touches her, she melts.
He shields her, she survives.
But everything is not as it seems. Friends are enemies. Secrets are really lies. And the one time in his life Adrian lets his heart do the thinking, passion might just be deadly.
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


EXCERPT
I exit the bathroom and halt to find him standing in the doorway, his hands on either side of the doorframe. “What are you doing?” 
“This,” he says, and suddenly, his hands are on my waist, and he’s walked me back into the bathroom. 
Before I know what’s happening, he’s kicked the door shut, and his fingers are diving into my hair. “Kissing you, because I can’t fucking help myself. And because you might not ever let me do it again. That is unless you object?” 
That’s the part that really gets me. The “unless I object,” the way he manages to be all alpha and demanding and still ask. Well, and the part where he can’t fucking help himself. 
I press to my toes and the minute my mouth meets his, his crashes over mine, his tongue doing a wicked lick that I feel in every part of me. And I don’t know what I taste like to him, but he is temptation with a hint of tequila, demand, and desire. His hands slide up my back, fingers splayed between my shoulder blades, his hard body pressed to mine, seducing me in every possible way. 
I moan with the feel of him and his lips part from mine, lingering there a moment before he says, “Obviously, someone needs to protect you from me,” he says. “Like me.” And then to my shock, he releases me and leaves. The bathroom door is open and closed before I know what’s happened. And once again, I have no idea if or when I will ever see him again.


COMING SOON
Releasing December 15
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Releasing March 23
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones writes dark, edgy fiction including the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series and the upcoming, crime thriller The Poet. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland and Bad Mom’s) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. 
Prior to publishing Lisa owned a multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a cat that talks too much, and a Golden Retriever who is afraid of trash bags.


RELEASE BLITZ – Demon King (Claimed by Lucifer #1) by Elizabeth Briggs

Title: Demon King

Series: Claimed by Lucifer #1

Author: Elizabeth Briggs


Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: October 28, 2020
BLURB
I made a deal with the devil. Now he’s claimed me as his mate.
When my best friend goes missing in Las Vegas, there’s only one man I can turn to for help.
Lucas Ifer. Billionaire playboy. CEO of Abaddon Inc. King of Sin City. And…the devil himself?
Lucas—aka Lucifer—agrees to help me, but in exchange he wants one thing: me.
He’s dark, dangerous, and wickedly handsome. Oh, and evil incarnate. I should say no, but I can’t. I’m that desperate.
But when you make a deal with the devil, there’s no escaping it. Now he owns my body for seven nights of sin. Even worse, he owns my soul for all eternity.
I’m Persephone being claimed by Hades, and I have no choice but to enter his underworld and become his dark queen.
Is there any light left in that black heart? Or will his darkness consume me?

Demon King is a sinfully sexy Hades and Persephone story with a Lucifer twist, perfect for fans of Laura Thalassa, Amelia Hutchins, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas.
PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited


EXCERPT

“You understand there is always a price for my help?”
Panic wrapped an iron band around my chest, and I sucked in a shaky breath. I’d known this was coming, and I had no idea what he’d want in return for his help. “I don’t have any money.”
“Oh, I don’t trade in money.” He laughed, but his face flashed with something villainous. “My currency is dark deeds and dirty secrets.”
I swallowed hard and glanced at the hallway, wondering if it was too late to escape. I had no secrets, none that I remembered anyway, which meant he would want a dark deed of some kind. Would he ask for something illegal? Something dangerous? Something I would regret for the rest of my life? I nearly ran out the door, but then I pictured Brandy’s son looking up at me with barely contained tears as he asked when his mom was coming home, and my resolve hardened. I looked Lucas in the eye and nodded.
He leaned forward, no longer casual. “Are you willing to do whatever it takes?”
“Yes,” I said breathlessly. “What do you want?”
“You.”
My jaw dropped, and my stomach dropped lower. Possibly through the floor. All the floors. “Me?”
He chuckled, the sound a dark melody full of wicked promises. “Six nights with you. Here in my penthouse. Mine to do with as I please.”
I gasped at the sensual pause between each of his last three words. Then I shook my head, certain I’d misheard. Misunderstood perhaps. Yes, that last one. “Excuse me? You expect me to give you carte blanche to do anything to me? For six nights?”
“Would you prefer seven?” A sinful grin crossed his lips as he leaned back against the soft leather of the couch. “I will warn you, I don’t rest on the seventh day.”
Seven?” My thoughts scrambled, and all I could do was stare at him. Was he serious?
He nodded. “Yes, let’s make it seven nights. One for each deadly sin. Even better.”
Shit. I really shouldn’t have questioned that six nights thing. I ran the scenarios through my head, my face warming as I saw many of them in glorious detail. Yes, the man was insanely attractive, but he was proposing something six degrees of indecent. Not to mention, he was a total stranger. A very gorgeous,
very dangerous stranger. What he was asking of me…it was too much. Maybe there was some other way I could find Brandy. Someone else I could go to for help.
Lucas watched me, waiting for my decision. “Tick-tock. Time is slipping away. The longer you wait, the less likely we’ll find your friend alive.”
Fear pulsed through me at the thought, but he was right. She’d already been missing for days. I needed to make a decision quickly, but I had to be sure about what I was getting myself into. I cleared my throat. “Let me get this straight. You want me to stay here with you for seven nights while you…do whatever you want to me. Sexually.”
His gaze darkened to a glower, and I nearly trembled at the intensity of it. “I have never forced myself on a woman, and I never will, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
A breath of relief left my lips. “I had to be sure. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“I promise no harm will come to you by my hand. But as for sex…” He rose to his feet and walked the few steps toward me, making me look up at him. Then he bent forward and rested his hands on the back of the couch on either side of my head, caging me in. “Don’t you know who I am? They call me the devil for a reason. Temptation, lust, sin, all wrapped up in a neat little package. Oh, who am I kidding? A
huge package. Trust me, before the week ends you’ll be begging for every single thing I do to you.”



COMING SOON
Releasing March 31
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Releasing June 1
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


AUTHOR BIO
Elizabeth Briggs is the New York Times bestselling author of paranormal and fantasy romance with bold heroines and fearless heroes. She’s worked for an international law firm, mentored teens in writing, and volunteered with dog rescue groups. Now she’s a full-time geek who lives in Los Angeles with her husband, their daughter, and a pack of fluffy dogs. 
AUTHOR LINKS

REVIEW & RECOMMENDATION – Forking Around (Hot Cakes #2) by Erin Nicholas

“You can always count on Erin Nicholas for fun, sexy contemporary romance.”
—Melissa Foster, New York Times bestselling author

Forking Around, a flirty and sexy romantic comedy standalone from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas, is available now!

ForkingAround300 (1).jpg

A Cinderella story with a hot boss so charming even a fairy godmother couldn’t do better.

Everyone thinks Dax Marshall is a prince of a guy. And he’s definitely charming.

But Jane has enough going on without adding a torrid fling with the boss to her life. Between her father’s illness, her wicked-ish stepmother, her little sister’s teenage drama, and the co-workers who depend on her—she can’t handle another mess.

No matter how tempting and gorgeous the mess may be. Or how messy he wants to get with her.

Dax has spent his life being very serious about only one thing: proving you can be successful while still having a helluva good time. But he’s just met the one woman who might break his I-can-charm-anyone streak. She’s actually taking him seriously…and she seriously thinks they have nothing in common and can’t be together.

Maybe he’s the one who needs a new view of happily ever after. It’s time to stop forking around.


Forking Around - AN

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3apzdpN
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2WQeo2L
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/forkingaround
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3asm67e

Add FORKING AROUND to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2Up4G6c


Excerpt:

He was the new strawberry pie in her life. She’d had one taste of Zoe’s strawberry pie and that had been it. Nothing else would ever measure up. She would never not crave it. She would never pass up a chance to have it on her tongue.

Yeah, Dax Marshall was that.

And then some.

He pulled back, breathing hard, staring down at her.

She quickly put her hand over his mouth. “Don’t talk. Talking is the wrong choice right now.”

She was going to have to deal with the boss thing soon enough. And the millionaire thing. And the he-doesn’t-live-here-and-isn’t-staying thing. And all the other crap she always had to deal with that made this impossible.

But for another minute—or maybe ten—she didn’t want to think about any of that. And if he talked, that would be very difficult.

He pulled in a breath, gave her a short nod that she interpreted as okay, no talking and she moved her hand.

Which was the right choice, because he leaned in as he slid his hand up the side of her body, skimming over her hip, waist, the side of her breast, up and into her hair. Then he cupped the back of her head and lowered his mouth to hers again.

This time he kissed her.

And seriously, she’d give up strawberry pie for this.

They made out like that for long, delicious minutes.

When he finally took his mouth from hers, it was to slide it along her jawline, his beard causing goose bumps to trip down her arms and tighten her nipples. In her ear he said gruffly, “I have to talk now.”

She laughed lightly. “I didn’t think it would last for even this long, really.”

“Well, I do love using my mouth this way too.” He dragged his lips along the side of her neck.

Her nipples got even tighter, begging for him to drag those lips down there.

“But I can’t resist saying—” He lifted his head. “You are the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.”

She grinned. “Well… same.”

A very sexy kind of surprised but superhot look crossed his face. “What about pie?”

She sighed. “Pie is amazing.”

“But the kissing…” he prompted.

She knew she shouldn’t tell him the truth. The guy’s ego didn’t quit. Already. But she found herself nodding. “I was really hoping you’d be bad at it. Like terrible. Like no-worry-of-dirty-dreams bad,” she said.

He arched an eyebrow. “And?”

She sighed. “It was really good.”

“Dirty-dreams-tonight good?” His voice was rumbly and low.

She nodded. “Unfortunately.”

He looked very pleased by her answer. His mouth curled up. “Maybe we should combine the kissing and the pie.”

Her eyes widened before she could stop it. That would be… holy crap she would never recover. “I can’t even imagine that, honestly. I might die.”


BLP REVIEW – Tracy

Forking Around, book two in the Hot Cakes series from Erin Nicholas, was a really fun read.

On the surface Dax Marshall is the complete opposite of Jane Kemper.. she’s got so many responsibilities between work and family while Dax seems to just coast through life with little worry or concern.. but once Jane catches his eye and his interest and lets him know how she feels about getting involved with someone who’s her boss and all of the reasons that she thinks them getting together wouldn’t work Dax sets out to prove her wrong.

Where can I find me a Dax??? This guy was such a sweetie – yeah he was portrayed as the player/prankster/laid back one of the group of friends who have taken over Hot Cakes but when someone takes the time to dig a little deeper and have more than just a laugh with him – namely Jane – she finds out that there’s a lot more to the guy than she (or lets face it, most people) thought.

Jane was a really good person. Regardless of the impact to her life she was there for her sister and dad, her friends and coworkers and nothing was ever done with complaint. She didn’t believe she had time for a life of her own or why someone like Dax would be interested in her… so glad he set out to show her.

I love the dynamic of the friends in this series. Be it the Fluke guys or the girls in these books they all understand each other, they get what they are going through without much discussion and they are there with their support and backup, no matter how crazy their actions may appear.

Dax and Jane’s first ‘date’ was fun reading and his easy read on people and ability to know just what to do really helped calm the chaos going on around Jane. I understood Jane’s fear and Dax’s concerns when things turned serious, but man, was I rooting for them to get to their HEA.

I’m really enjoying this series and cannot wait to see how Josie’s story plays out!!!!

Forking Around gets 5 Hot Cakes (or is it that Buttered Up?!?) stars!!!!


About Erin Nicholas

ErinNicholas

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Connect with Erin

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2R88arL
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2QLd1Pr
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ty1w5k
Instagram: http://bit.ly/36NqV9y
Website: http://bit.ly/2FM3Doo
Stay up to date with Erin Nicholas by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/38a5Fv5


RELEASE BOOST – Homebound by Kata Ĉuić

Title: Homebound
Author: Kata Ĉuić

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 9, 2020
Blurb
A second-chance romance set in the heart of Appalachia that will make you root for first love, forgiveness, and family.
Lenore Wheeler knows what a hard life, heartbreak, and failure tastes like. Heading home to the backwoods Appalachian town she swore she’d never return to with her young daughter in tow, she can’t imagine her future getting much bleaker.
That is until she comes face-to-face with the one man she never expected to see again.
Jesse Yates was supposed to escape the mountains, make something of himself, and attain every dream Lenore destroyed. He’s determined to wear down her resolve and win her back, but she’s got a secret to keep and
reasons to keep her old flame at arm’s length.
Lenore already broke her own heart to save Jesse, but she’ll do anything to protect her daughter from the same fate.
Except fate has a funny way of working out, especially when all roads lead to home.
Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Excerpt
A sharp rap on my open classroom door precedes the entrance of my new boss into my professional sanctuary. I can’t fault him for his dominance here and now. This is his building. I’m his employee who he’s
contractually bound to supervise.
I still haven’t come up with a new plan to circumvent that twist of fate. Mostly because my wildest dreams have no place in my current reality.
Jesse perches on the edge of the student desk closest to mine, his forest-green eyes boring into me. That’s ironic, considering he
couldn’t be bothered to make direct eye contact for the duration of our faculty meeting. He’s sure making up for it now. His gaze sweeps me from head to toe quickly, then he starts over again much, much slower. 
I let him drink his fill because I’m hungry to do the same. The past five years have been so good to him. He’s removed his jacket and vest,
leaving me to feast on a white dress shirt and red tie that look like they cost a pretty penny. The hint of his physique I noticed in the auditorium is much more pronounced without added layers. Scrawny until the night I left him, his arms now look as strong as they used to feel when they were wrapped around me tight. Biceps bulge against the fabric of his shirt. A row of buttons clings to his flat stomach then disappears beneath his belt. His smooth dress pants hug muscular thighs that used to thrust against me until pleasure I never knew was possible made me feel so high I wondered if I’d ever be able to come back down.
I’m down now, all right.
His heavy gaze touches me in all the places that the years haven’t been as kind to me.
I squirm in my seat, cursing Mama and Liz’s choice of dress. There’s no way to hide the bulge of my belly or the breasts that aren’t as
perky as the last time he caressed them. At least that’s one thing going for me. He’s matured and aged like a fine wine, but any physical trait I used to possess that attracted him to me is long gone.
His voice sounds the same, even if it’s softer now than the last time I heard it. “I have imagined this moment in so many different ways over the past five years, but now that it’s here…I don’t rightly know what to say.”
I nod even though I never imagined this moment at all.



Author Bio
Kata Čuić lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and three teens. No one told her life was gonna be this way. She holds a degree in
Linguistics with a minor in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her plans of becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon were foiled by OChem 1. Fortunately, she’d been making up stories in her head since the days of her imaginary friend, Choosy. Putting pen to paper, er…fingers to the keyboard…came
surprisingly naturally after her aforementioned teens decided it was time for
them to cut their respective cords. 
Kata writes everything from angst-filled NA series to standalone rom-coms and has been known to dabble in a bit of paranormal on the
free stories section of her website. She believes nice guys shouldn’t have to finish last (except in the bedroom where she prefers an alpha between the sheets but a gentleman in the streets), and that the surest way to a woman’s heart is through laughter and food.
Author Links

RELEASE BLITZ – Grease Babe by Elle Aycart KP

Today we have the release day blitz for Elle Aycart’s GREASE BABE! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Grease Babe

Author: Elle Aycart

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Grease Babe:

Alden is not only home to the gorgeous Bowen brothers, but also to the OGs, three hilarious octogenarian grandmas who believe age is nothing but a number. After their success helping one grandchild find love, they’ve decided to move on to the next. Nothing will stop them. Not even jail…

Rachel’s upbringing was rough, but at 34, she loves the life she’s built for herself. She adores her grandmother, Alden, and her job as a mechanic. Now, if her grandma and her friends would just stop getting into trouble, everything would be perfect. She’s doing her best to keep them on the straight and narrow, but she spends more time arguing with the sheriff than working in her garage. Case in point the OGs’ latest stunt, which got all of them, Rachel included, sentenced to community service. So now she has to keep an eye on the crazy grannies and on the street teenage thugs she’s been court-ordered to teach mechanics to.
And all thanks to the sheriff and that huge, unbendable stick up his ass.

Adrian Skehan, a top-notch detective in Boston, enjoyed putting dangerous criminals and drug kingpins behind bars. He loved his fast-paced, glamorous city life, but after his estranged grandfather had a major stroke, he moved to Alden, became the sheriff and now he spends his days chasing after senior citizens and dealing with the OGs –the bane of his existence— and Rachel, their obnoxious defender.
Terrific career move, really. Way to screw up his life. And his mental wellbeing.

As if life wasn’t hard enough, now the OGs have decided to work on their bucket list… meaning the granddaughter and the sheriff must join forces to survive the mayhem.
He likes his women… ivory-tower delicate. Not loud, highly opinionated and smelling of gasoline.
She likes her men… easy-going. Not arrogant know-it-alls and sticklers for rules.
Keeping these two together is a recipe for disaster. Too bad the OGs don’t see it that way.

Get Your Copy Today!



Exclusive Excerpt:

“Never seen this place from this point of view,” Wilma said, sitting on the holding cell’s bench and glancing around. “Rather inhospitable.”

Rebecca and Greta, both on the bench next to her, nodded.

“You know what’s missing? Curtains,” Greta suggested. “Some festive theme. In red. There would be no outside view, but the bars would stay hidden. Would boost morale.”

Wilma assented. “And pillows. This bench is too hard.”

And now that they were on the topic, an in-depth cleaning would do this place a world of good.

“In hindsight, it was a good decision to keep the bathing suits on,” Rebecca said.

Yep, it had been. Or they would have been facing charges for breaking and entering, indecent exposure, and giving an officer of the law a heart attack.

“He got mad this time,” Greta murmured. “The bottle of champagne didn’t help.” Neither did all the run-ins they’d had with Adrian lately.

“I can’t believe you arrested them,” they heard Rachel yelling from the office.

“Your granddaughter is here to rescue us,” Rebecca informed Wilma. Then she frowned. “We didn’t get a free phone call, like in the movies. Or did we get it and I spaced out?”

“I don’t remember calling anyone,” Greta mused, shaking her head.

Neither did she, but whoever had phoned Rachel had their best interest in mind. Rebecca’s grandson, Mike, would have bailed them out but would have given them a talk and taken the sheriff’s side. Greta’s son, Grady, would probably pay to keep them behind bars. Rachel was the only one carrying the senior flag. She always took their side, no matter what. Even when they were in the wrong.

She’d rushed to their defense when the sheriff tried to get Wilma’s driving license revoked, which, taking into consideration that they were driving twice the allowed speed and about to turn into oncoming traffic, kind of made sense. In their defense, though, Wilma hadn’t had her glasses on, so she hadn’t seen the speedometer. And the oncoming traffic consisted of an empty street with a couple of cars parked on it.

Rachel sounded outraged. “You can’t keep eighty-year-olds in a holding cell.”

“And I wouldn’t have if they didn’t try to convince one of my officers to release them.”

“Since when is it a crime to try to conv—”

“Slipping him money,” Adrian cut Rachel off.

“I told you it was a bad idea,” Rebecca mumbled to her friends. “A fifty-dollar bill was too little.”

“Trying to bribe an officer is illegal. Breaking and entering too,” Adrian stated, his voice calm. So far.

Rachel’s snort was loud. And rude. “There was nothing broken, and they didn’t enter the building. They just used the outdoors facilities. You could say they were rehearsing for the opening, making sure everything worked.”

Wilma looked at her friends. “Why didn’t we think of that?”

The conversation outside seemed to grow louder and louder. Rebecca lifted her shoulders. “In between the champagne and the chlorine I ended up guzzling, I was a bit fuzzy. Still am.”

Greta pointed at the toilet in the far corner. “It’s the smell coming from that. As soon as we get out of here, we’re organizing some fundraiser to get this place in tip-top shape.”

Wilma couldn’t stifle the laughter. “You plan on visiting often?” At her friend’s shrug, she dug into the pocket of her bathrobe and produced her cellphone. “Let’s immortalize the moment. Just in case.”

“You had your phone all this time?” Rebecca asked.

“I just remembered. Let’s do a selfie. With the bars as the backdrop. Ladies, get your duck faces on.”

“I really don’t understand it,” Greta said in a sigh. “All our lives being told small lips are beautiful, and look at us now. Right when we need them, they’ve deflated.”

“Like everything else,” Rebecca commiserated. “No lips, no boobs, no ass. Just shriveled-up skin.”

“It’s from all the time we spent in the pool, don’t worry,” Greta said.

Rebecca didn’t seem too convinced.

“Ready?” Wilma asked, interrupting. She wasn’t wearing her glasses, so she wasn’t sure the shot was centered, but she stretched out her hand, took the picture and hoped for the best. “Now let’s Tweet with the hashtags #campingwiththegirls #exploringnewfrontiers #nevertooOldtogetarapsheet.” “Two months,” Adrian said sternly. Wilma could almost see him standing with his arms crossed on his chest. That handsome, young face of his, frowning and getting old and crinkled prematurely. What a waste. “The B&B opens in a couple of months. Couldn’t they wait?”

Rachel was raising her voice, sounding exasperated. “They don’t make long-term plans.”

“Two months is a long-term plan?”

“What do you think? They don’t even buy their bananas green,” her granddaughter all but yelled, her tone aggravated. Wilma could also see her in her mind, standing as tall as possible, on tiptoe, probably, facing off with Adrian. “This is an abuse of authority.”

Rebecca turned to Wilma. “I love your Rachel. You really got lucky in the grandchildren department.”

Wilma knew. She’d missed her granddaughter’s childhood because of the divorce, but Rachel had gotten in touch with her ten years ago, and when she decided to move to Alden, Wilma had been ecstatic.

“Like you can complain with Mike,” Greta said to Rebecca. “You’re both lucky. I struck out.”

Greta’s son was no fun. Her grandson, Connor, was a sweetheart, but he was in the military and was very seldom in the US.

“I remind you I’m already taking care of all the police cars’ maintenance.” Rachel’s voice was getting louder by the second.

“Three cars. Do I have to remind you what the OGs did to make that happen?”

Greta and Wilma stared at Rebecca, who whispered, “What?! That was an accident. It could happen to any one of us.”

“Wait a second.” There was a pause, and then Rachel cursed. “You have them in their bathing suits and wet robes? What are you thinking? They’re old. They could get a cold and die,” Rachel reprimanded him.

Good attempt at guilt tripping. It might have worked with other police officers, but Adrian was too seasoned. The OGs knew; they’d tried it before.

Adrian snorted. “They won’t. Viruses don’t dare mess with them. And it’s not my fault they decided to drive there in their bathing suits and without any spare clothes. Wait, how do you know…”

“They’re Tweeting from their cell, that’s why. You have them half-naked in there.”

Oops… and Wilma thought she’d pointed the camera at their faces.

“I’m going to sue you,” Rachel continued. “The whole department. This is misuse of power. Abuse of authority. Human rights violation. Whatever it’s called.”

From then on, Wilma couldn’t make out the words, because both were screaming. After a short while, the door from the corridor opened, and Rachel marched in, followed by Adrian.

“How good to see you, dear. You’re here to bail us out?” Wilma asked, as the sheriff began unlocking the cell.

Rachel had her arms crossed, her lips pursed, and was giving him the evil eye. “I’m afraid not, grandma.”

Adrian opened the cell and, to their surprise, pushed Rachel in and closed the door behind her. “She’s being charged with disorderly conduct.”

“Disorderly conduct, my ass,” she replied. “This is contempt of cop.”

The sheriff ignored Rachel. “The phone, ladies,” he demanded, stretching his hand out to them.

Wilma harrumphed but gave it to him. “Don’t take it out on poor Walter. He was scared of frisking me.”

“Have a great evening, ladies,” he said as he walked away. “See you tomorrow.”

“Now what?” Greta asked when they were alone again.

The four of them sat on the bench.

Wilma sighed. “Now we wait until Mike logs on to Twitter.”



About the Author:

After a colorful array of jobs all over Europe ranging from translator to chocolatier to travel agent to sushi chef to flight dispatcher, Elle Aycart is certain of one thing and one thing only: aside from writing romances, she has abso-frigging-lutely no clue what she wants to do when she grows up. Not that it stops her from trying all sorts of crazy stuff. While she is probably now thinking of a new profession, her head never stops churning new plots for her romances. She lives currently in Barcelona, Spain, with her husband and two daughters, although who knows, in no time she could be living at the Arctic Circle in Finland, breeding reindeer.

Connect with Elle:

Goodreads | Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group


RELEASE BLITZ – Homebound by Kata Ĉuić

Title: Homebound
Author: Kata Ĉuić
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 9, 2020
Blurb
A second-chance romance set in the heart of Appalachia that will make you root for first love, forgiveness, and family.
Lenore Wheeler knows what a hard life, heartbreak, and failure tastes like. Heading home to the backwoods Appalachian town she swore she’d never return to with her young daughter in tow, she can’t imagine her future getting much bleaker.
That is until she comes face-to-face with the one man she never expected to see again.
Jesse Yates was supposed to escape the mountains, make something of himself, and attain every dream Lenore destroyed. He’s determined to wear down her resolve and win her back, but she’s got a secret to keep and
reasons to keep her old flame at arm’s length.
Lenore already broke her own heart to save Jesse, but she’ll do anything to protect her daughter from the same fate.
Except fate has a funny way of working out, especially when all roads lead to home.
Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU


Excerpt
A sharp rap on my open classroom door precedes the entrance of my new boss into my professional sanctuary. I can’t fault him for his dominance here and now. This is his building. I’m his employee who he’s contractually bound to supervise.
I still haven’t come up with a new plan to circumvent that twist of fate. Mostly because my wildest dreams have no place in my current reality.
Jesse perches on the edge of the student desk closest to mine, his forest-green eyes boring into me. That’s ironic, considering he couldn’t be bothered to make direct eye contact for the duration of our faculty meeting. He’s sure making up for it now. His gaze sweeps me from head to toe quickly, then he starts over again much, much slower. 
I let him drink his fill because I’m hungry to do the same. The past five years have been so good to him. He’s removed his jacket and vest,
leaving me to feast on a white dress shirt and red tie that look like they cost a pretty penny. The hint of his physique I noticed in the auditorium is much more pronounced without added layers. Scrawny until the night I left him, his arms now look as strong as they used to feel when they were wrapped around me tight. Biceps bulge against the fabric of his shirt. A row of buttons clings to his flat stomach then disappears beneath his belt. His smooth dress pants hug muscular thighs that used to thrust against me until pleasure I never knew was possible made me feel so high I wondered if I’d ever be able to come back down.
I’m down now, all right.
His heavy gaze touches me in all the places that the years haven’t been as kind to me.
I squirm in my seat, cursing Mama and Liz’s choice of dress. There’s no way to hide the bulge of my belly or the breasts that aren’t as
perky as the last time he caressed them. At least that’s one thing going for me. He’s matured and aged like a fine wine, but any physical trait I used to possess that attracted him to me is long gone.
His voice sounds the same, even if it’s softer now than the last time I heard it. “I have imagined this moment in so many different ways over the past five years, but now that it’s here…I don’t rightly know what to say.”
I nod even though I never imagined this moment at all.



Author Bio
Kata Čuić lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and three teens. No one told her life was gonna be this way. She holds a degree in
Linguistics with a minor in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her plans of becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon were foiled by OChem 1. Fortunately, she’d been making up stories in her head since the days of her imaginary friend, Choosy. Putting pen to paper, er…fingers to the keyboard…came
surprisingly naturally after her aforementioned teens decided it was time for
them to cut their respective cords. 
Kata writes everything from angst-filled NA series to standalone rom-coms and has been known to dabble in a bit of paranormal on the
free stories section of her website. She believes nice guys shouldn’t have to finish last (except in the bedroom where she prefers an alpha between the sheets but a gentleman in the streets), and that the surest way to a woman’s heart is through laughter and food.
Author Links

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