Category Archives: Giveaway

Semper Fi Cowboy
Lone Star Leathernecks #1
by Heather Long

SYNOPSIS

A Leatherneck by any other name can still kick ass, which is just what retired United States Marine Corps Captain Tanner Wilks plans to do when he returns to his Texas family ranch to care for his ailing father. And nothing will stop him from achieving his mission—not even a lithe, brown-eyed town veterinarian who seems hell-bent on driving him wild.

Captain Tanner Wilks, honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, returns home to find his father struggling after his latest heart attack. Worse yet, Julia Heller—the sexy new girl in town that he once spent a hot night with—is the resident veterinarian who’s made a home for herself at Round Top ranch, and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to repeat their time together.

It falls on Tanner’s shoulders to take on the ranch and keep an eye on his father before he falls victim to another heart attack. But Julia doesn’t appreciate Tanner coming in or pursuing her. Even if he’s hot as hell and can make her quiver with just a look. Ousting her may give Tanner the leverage he needs to corral his father, but first he has to wrestle with his own heart.

BUY LINKS

Amazon US
Amazon UK

Add to your Goodreads TBR

GUEST POST

Mamas Please Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

I remember playing cowboys when I was a kid, I grew up in and around Dallas. Not a block away from my apartment was a riding farm, and I used to escape to where they had the horses and visited them daily. I learned to ride young, and even went to a horse camp as a kid. I fell in love with the idea of cowboys thanks to the Cartwrights (Bonanza) and the Barkleys (Big Valley) when I was a kid. Then there were the John Wayne movies and flash forward to the most recent version of The Magnificent Seven and you can see why my life long affair with cowboys has me rooting for mamas to let their babies grow up to be cowboys.

Why do I love them so much?

They love long walks or rides through the country, over hills and streams and through the woods. Weather doesn’t bother them, as long as their horses are all right.
To be a cowboy is to be passionate and devoted to the land and animals. They don’t quit.
Their word means something. In an age where we can’t always take people at face value, you can with a real cowboy. When they say something, they mean it and when they give you a promise, they keep it.
They aren’t afraid of hard work whether it involves fixing fences, feeding horses, or spending long hours tending an animal in need.
They know how to treat those around them with integrity and respect, men and women alike.

Really, what’s not to love?

EXCERPT

Whoever the group was they had talent, and as Tanner studied the newcomers, he focused on a woman who slid over to the bar and drained a glass of water while the musicians found their rhythm. A minute later, she glided back onto the dance floor.

For the next three songs, she traded partners. The woman could move. Tall, long-legged, and beautifully curved, she also had a gorgeous face, from her generous mouth—which pulled into an easy smile—to her sweet, dark eyes. Dark hair clung to her cheeks, and her sleeveless white top gave Tan- ner a good look at her toned arms.

He didn’t know her. She didn’t even ring a familiar bell, but she sure as hell looked fun. When she waved off a fourth man swooping in for a dance and headed to the bar, Tanner enjoyed the light, strutting cadence to her walk. Someone had taken her spot, so she sidled up to the bar next to him.

Fanning her face with one hand, she gave him a cool, quick grin, then waved at Sully. The bartender slid a glass of water over to her. “You ready for a glass of wine yet, darlin’?”

“In a bit.” She took a long drink of the water. The slender column of her throat convulsed with each swallow, and a fresh wave of lust crashed through Tanner. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to trade places with the glass.

“Put her wine on my tab, Sully,” Tanner called. The number of dance partners and lack of a ring gave him hope she was free. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“No, thank you,” the country goddess declined in a smooth, polite tone. “I’ll take care of my own drinks.”

Sully hid a smirk, but he had other customers.

“No need to be testy, ma’am.” He lifted his beer. “Just offering to buy you a drink.”

“Not being testy at all.” She turned sideways and gave him a once-over. “And you didn’t offer—you just decided to do it, sir.” The cool dismissal didn’t possess an ounce of malice or disrespect. “I simply like to pay my own way, and I never accept offers from strangers.”

“Hard to make an acquaintance if you don’t.” Though he couldn’t fault her. Even the women in his unit or those he’d met on assignment at various bases around the world maintained a sense of control over their environment, both in what they would tolerate from others and what they would accept. “My apologies for overstepping. I’m Tanner, by the way.”

Offering his hand, he waited as she took a beat before wiping her palm against her jeans and then accepting the handshake. “My friends call me Jules.”

“Jules.” Was it short for Julianna? Or Julie? Something else entirely? He liked the sound of it. Maybe it was the beer mellowing him out. Maybe it was being home. Or maybe it was simply watching her, but he wanted to spend some time with Miss Jules.

“Is it all right if I call you Jules?”

“I said my friends call me Jules, you can call me ma’am.” She chuckled, then drained her glass of water and started watching the band. They’d switched to a slow song. Shaking her head, she lifted the hair from the back of her neck. From her ushed cheeks to the gleam in her dark eyes, she was stunning.

“I’d be happy to call you ma’am.” The sentence worked, and Jules returned her attention to him and her eyebrows raised.

“Tell me, ma’am, may I have the next dance?”

GIVEAWAY

Rafflecopter link:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today best-selling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, Fun, Giveaway, Guest Post, New Releases, Promo

2 Comments

Tags: @Barclay_PR, @HVLong

RELEASE WEEK CELEBRATION ~ Call To Engage by Tawny Weber

Jun 30

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

The Poseidon team are hard-bodied, fiercely competitive Navy SEALs. But when a sensitive mission goes disastrously wrong, three of the team’s finest will have to trust their hearts and instincts to uncover the truth…CALL TO ENGAGE will delight fans of UNDER PRESSURE by Lori Foster and A SEAL’S PLEDGE by Cora Seton!

Rafflecopter for Call to Engage Blitz Tour Giveaway:

One (1) lucky winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

GIVEAWAY LINK

About Call to Engage:

Title: Call To Engage
Series: Team Poseidon
Author: Tawny Weber

Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense/Military Romance

Lieutenant Elijah Prescott should be spending his precious leave somewhere with sun, surf and scantily clad women. Instead, he’s heading home with two goals in mind. Figure out exactly how his last assignment went to hell and almost killed him—and reconnect with the woman who might offer salvation.

Ava Monroe has streamlined her life, eliminating every source of pain—including a marriage touched by tragedy. One glimpse of her ex and those good intentions turn to bad-girl desires. Her strategy: get over Elijah by getting under him again, sating herself until she can finally let go. But as betrayal within the rank of the SEALs turns deadly, there’s no denying that her heart and her life are on the line. Elijah is the only man who can protect both…

Add to your TBR list: Goodreads

Available: Amazon | Harlequi n | Kobo | B&N | iBooks

Excerpt

An excerpt from CALL TO ENGAGE

Incredible.

That was the only word in his head as the aftershocks trembled through their bodies.

Incredible.

And then he came down.

Not in a nice, slow, gentle descent, either.

Nope, he crashed like a plane plummeting from the sky to ram into a mountainside.

He’d just had sex.

With Ava.

His ex-wife. The only woman he’d ever loved. The only one he’d ever wanted to love. The one who’d broken his heart into tiny little pieces and tossed them aside.

Shit.

His body still slick with sweat, the scent of Ava wrapped around him like a second skin, Elijah wondered if she realized that while extracting her promise of no regrets, he hadn’t offered the same.

After all, Elijah knew just how pointless promises could be. Especially the ones between him and Ava.

His body spent, his mind worn, he couldn’t find anything left to offer up on the altar of past regrets, though. He wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulders. Ava responded by snuggling closer, her thigh nestled between his as she shifted her chin into the indention where his shoulder met his chest. Her breath fluttered over his throat, soft and easy in sleep.

Regret?

Oh yeah, he knew he’d regret this in the morning. Hell—he glanced out the window, gauging the time from the angle of the moon—it was nearing dawn and the regret was already winding through him. Shoving aside pleasure, easing out satisfaction.

Closing his eyes against it, he drifted into sleep with her hand entwined with his, the twisted band of her ring rubbing gently between his fingers.

And he knew it for the talisman it was, the hope that lifted him from his nightmares.

If only for tonight.

Because nobody knew better than Elijah that tonight was all they had.

BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy

*
*

About Tawny Weber:

New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of more than forty books, Tawny Weber loves writing about sexy heroes, most notably her popular Navy SEALs series. Her sassy, emotional romances are filled with men dedicated to being the best—and women determined to have the best. Tawny credits her ex-military alpha husband for inspiration in her writing, and in her life. The recipient of numerous writing accolades, including Romantic Times Reviewers Choice and in addition to the NY Times and USA Today bestseller lists, Tawny has also hit the number one spot on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

A homeschooling mom, Tawny enjoys scrapbooking, gardening and spending time with her family and dogs in her Northern California home.

Connect with Tawny: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, Giveaway, New Releases, Promo, Reviews, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser, Want to read

Leave a comment

Tags: @Barclay_PR, @tawnyweber

RELEASE DAY BLITZ & GIVEAWAY ~ In the Pursuit of Charity by Alexandria Sure

Jun 30

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Title: In the Pursuit of Charity

Author: Alexandria Sure

Genre: New Adult – college/sports

Publisher: Beaumont Tower Press

Editor: Richelle McFate

Cover Designer: Jake Sager

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:

He expected her to recognize him.

He expected her to be seduced by his charms.

He expected her to fall for him.

Expectations are a funny thing …

When his parents named him Herbert Lincoln James, they already had expectations that Linc would attend an ivy league university and go into politics. Linc didn’t. As captain of his swim team, he was expected to win the big relay to carry his swim team to the state championship for the first time in decades. Linc didn’t. Society expected him to walk past her. He couldn’t.

She expected him to see through her.

She expected him to make her into a joke.

She expected him to be cruel.

Expectations are a funny thing …

Alexandria Sure is from Michigan and adores her supportive family, her two rescue pups, and her mighty Spartans. Her coffee obsession leads her to writing in local coffee shops where characters come alive between salted caramel lattes and large cups of “cold brew extra cream two Splenda,” which are usually on the counter when she walks in because the baristas know her car. (Thanks, Biggby!)

When she is not writing, she spends a great deal of her time perfecting her craft. She is an active member of Capital City Writers Association and attends several writing conferences each year.

Sure’s first novel, Before Him Comes Me, is an unconventional romance of self-discovery, described by readers as “the first BDSM book with no sex.”

Author Links:

Amazon:

Buy Links:

Amazon US:

Amazon UK:

Amazon CA:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

In the Pursuit of Charity

by Alexandria Sure

Giveaway ends July 31, 2017.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Giveaway, Teaser, Trailer

Leave a comment

Tags: @AlexandriaSure, @LadyAmbersTours

BLOG TOUR ~ Not My First Rodeo 2 Boxed Set by Donna Alward, Jenna Bayley-Burke, and Sarah M. Anderson

Jun 29

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Not My First Rodeo 2 Boxed Set

by Donna Alward, Jenna Bayley-Burke, and Sarah M. Anderson

Publication Date: June 26, 2017
Genres: Adult, Entangled: Select, Contemporary, Romance, Boxed Set

BUY:

SYNOPSIS:

In Donna Alward’s Seducing the Sheriff, Cassidy’s first foray into online dating is an unqualified disaster. Witness to a bank robbery, she’s now in danger. Sexy sheriff Joe Lawson is willing do whatever it takes to protect her, even if that means hiding her away in his secluded mountain cabin.

In Roping the Rancher by Sarah M. Anderson, all Tommy knows is girls his own age don’t do it for him. Carly has no interest in being anyone’s cougar, but when Tommy says he’ll do whatever she tells him to, she can’t resist the chance to take what she wants from a man with no strings attached. But no one said anything about scarves…

In Jenna Bayley-Burke’s Captivating the Cowboy, aspiring designer Jules is about to head to New York. Before she leaves, she’s going to help widower Slade Weston find the perfect ranch wife, but finding his forever turns into schmexytimes. Jules doesn’t want to be a wife and mom, and Slade isn’t moving across the country. It’s just a fling, until she’s not sure where she truly belongs.

ABOUT DONNA ALWARD

While bestselling author Donna Alward was busy studying Austen, Eliot and Shakespeare, she was also losing herself in the breathtaking stories created by romance novelists like LaVyrle Spencer, Judith McNaught, and Nora Roberts. Several years after completing her degree she decided to write a romance of her own and it was true love! Five years and ten manuscripts later she sold her first book and launched a new career. While her heartwarming stories of love, hope, and homecoming have been translated into several languages, hit bestseller lists and won awards, her very favorite thing is when she hears from happy readers.

ABOUT JENNA BAYLEY-BURKE

By day, Jenna is faster than a speeding toddler, stronger than a stubborn husband, able to leap tall Lego structures in a single bound…but by night, while the family sleeps she writes romance novels where no one ever has to scoop up after the dog, change diapers, clip coupons, drive carpool, do laundry, mop floors, get silly putty out of hair, vacuum, empty the vacuum bag (gross!), exercise, count calories, apply bandaids, clean up puke…wait where was this going? Oh, Jenna writes romance because it is glamorous. Just ask the dog.

ABOUT SARAH M. ANDERSON

Award-winning author Sarah M. Anderson may live east of the Mississippi River, but her heart lies out west on the Great Plains. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how their backgrounds and cultures take them someplace they never thought they’d go. Sarah won the 2012 RT Reviewer’s Choice Desire of the Year award for A Man of Privilege. The Nanny Plan was a 2016 RITA® winner for Contemporary Romance: Short.

Sarah spends her days having conversations with imaginary cowboys and billionaires.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Giveaway, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser

1 Comment

Tags: @DonnaAlward, @IndieSagePromo, @jennabb, @SarahMAnderson1

BLOG TOUR ~ Storming the Castle by Arianna Hart

Jun 29

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

About the Book:

Sam Castleton has fame, houses all over the world, and one really big problem—he’s got an album due and he can’t write. All he wants is a quiet place to get his head straight. Dale, Georgia, seems like the perfect quiet spot to try to hear the music again and get some lyrics down on paper.

With her daughter’s paternal grandparents making a sudden appearance and the difficulties of running her own lodge and being a single mom, Faith Adams doesn’t have the time to worry about the mysterious stranger staying in one of her cottages, no matter how sexy he is.

Her newest guest may be surly, but his money is good, so she’s willing to overlook his surly nature. If only she could ignore the way he awakens a searing hunger in her…

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Faith finally gave up trying to sleep at five in the morning. She’d tossed and turned all night, reliving the kiss and imagining what she could have done differently. The pull of attraction had been there through the whole meal, but she’d thought she’d done a good job of ignoring it. Then, wham. He laid one on her, and she melted into a puddle of lust.

She’d be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t imagined kissing him a hundred times over the last two weeks. He was sexy, had a wry sense of humor and smelled fantastic. Any woman with a heartbeat would want to kiss him, and she didn’t even put up a token protest. It would have been only that, a token, but at least she wouldn’t have fallen at his feet like ripe fruit. Where was her pride? God, he must have thought she was easy pickings. She wasn’t stupid. She knew he was a musician of some sort, and he had to be successful if he had a manager and a crap ton of money. He was probably used to women taking one look at him and dropping their panties.

And boy had she considered it. It wasn’t like she didn’t know him, really. Women had sex with guys they met at bars, and she’d known Sam for two weeks.

Two whole weeks. Yeah, sleeping with a guy you’ve known less than a month is so virtuous. I’m sure Momma would be proud. And really, what do you actually know about Sam besides he’s hot, knows how to do laundry, and can kiss the brains right out of your head? That’s not exactly something to build a relationship on.

Whoa, hold on. Who said anything about building a relationship? He was a renter who was going to leave in six weeks. A renter who was probably used to gorgeous women throwing themselves at him. They had nothing in common, and there was no future in even daydreaming about him. So he’d kissed her, big deal. That’s all it had been, a kiss.

But what a kiss.

Instead of crawling into bed with him, she broke out the vacuum cleaner and got to work. The store wouldn’t open for a while yet, but that didn’t mean she had to sit and stew. There was nothing like scrubbing toilets to kill a libido.

By seven, the house was sparkling, and she’d had to take a shower and change her clothes. Lists in hand, she let Sadie inside the house and climbed into her truck. All was quiet in the direction of the blue cottage, and she refused to let her gaze linger on the path to it.

He’d be gone in six weeks, that wasn’t so long to resist this crazy sexual pull.

Sure.

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Gift Card

Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio:

Arianna Hart enjoys spending time with her family, reading anything she can get her hands on, and of course writing! She’d love to spend her days on a beach with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, but until she wins the lottery she’ll just have to settle for chasing her girls around the pool.

Connect:

Site: http://sizzlingscribes.com/ss_arianna.htm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arianna.hart.37

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariannahart212

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/8cjuRX

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, Giveaway, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Want to read

Leave a comment

Tags: @ariannahart212, @AuthorsPal

RELEASE DAY BLITZ ~ Mixed (Breaking Free #2) by Maya Hughes

Jun 29

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Mixed
(Breaking Free #2)
by Maya Hughes

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: Natasha Snow Designs

Release Day: June 29, 2016

Synopsis

Jen Taylor’s life was anything but simple, but at least she had a plan. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t leave a lot of room for her to follow her artistic passions, but that one art class a week was her escape from a whirlwind of legal proceedings, and take some time for herself. She wasn’t expecting that the nude model from her life drawing class would wind up being the owner of her new favorite bar…

You draw a guy nude—one time—and suddenly he thinks he knows what’s best for you… then again, what if he’s right?

Mark Jones has finally wrapped up the divorce from hell, or so he thinks. But his ex-wife isn’t finished with him yet. Thanks to her scheming, everything he holds dear could come crashing down around him, unless he can find a way to buy her out – and fast. To make matters worse, in a moment of desperation he agrees to be a nude model for some extra cash and that has come back to haunt him, in the guise of a crazy sexy blond artist that caught his eye and almost made him lose his cool.

When family secrets, betrayal and revenge threaten everything that keeps them together, will their new-found love be strong enough to survive?

Mixed is a standalone romance in the Breaking Free series with no cliffhanger and a guaranteed HEA.

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rQKJUN

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2saJHlV

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2u42roL

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2t69XlR

Giveaway

A Kate Spade Handbag, One of Two $10 Amazon Gift Cards, or One of Five ebooks of Mixed by Maya Hughes

Rafflecopter giveaway

Also Available

Blinded
(Breaking Free #1)
by Maya Hughes

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2pmt8po

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2qfcrdM

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2oF7aPs

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2pGsmEG

About the Author

Maya Hughes is an author of hot romance novels with humor and heart. Her debut novel Passion on the Pitch is about an American girl finding love with an Irish footballer (soccer player).

Maya is a longtime fan of romance novels, sci-fi books and films, and burning up massive amounts of time procrastinating on the internet.

When she’s not writing, reading or procrastinating, Maya loves to spend time with her awesome kids and amazing husband, who has supported her every step of the way.

Connect with Maya

Website: https://www.mayahughes.com/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cK6dqH

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2oMMqjQ

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2qrQuIu

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2qa03eT

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2oMJNOW

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2pwK8dz

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2p7gLNo

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2pD4YYG

Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Giveaway, New Releases, Teaser

Leave a comment

Tags: @forewordpr, @mhugheswrites

RELEASE WEEK CELEBRATION ~ PROM QUEEN by Katee Robert

Jun 27

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Celebrate the Release of PROM QUEEN!

A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new erotic romance from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Katee Robert.

Welcome to Bad Boy Homecoming! Five bestselling authors got together to see what happens when bad boy heroes (and even a bad girl or two!) roll back into a small town in Texas for their High School reunion. Sexy times, angst-filled memories, and second chances abound with this contemporary romance series.

Add PROM QUEEN to your TBR pile on Goodreads, then keep reading for an exclusive excerpt! Be sure to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card, a Signed Paperback Set of the entire Bad Boy Homecoming Series, or a Prom Queen themed scented candle!

Title: Prom Queen
Series: Bad Boy Homecoming
Author: Katee Robert

Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Katee Robert
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
Jake Davis had it all in high school—a scholarship to his college of choice, a promising football career, and the gorgeous prom queen for a girlfriend. And then he lost it all when he was injured right after graduation. Ten years later, he’s mostly made his peace with that, and now runs a company that provides women with dates for special events. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that the ex who left him in the dust needs a fake boyfriend for their high school reunion…

Jessica Jackson used to be the mean girl to end all mean girls. But life didn’t turn out like she’d thought it would, and now she’s twenty-eight, single, and works as an insurance agent to A-listers instead of being the A-lister like she’d always dreamed. She can’t go back to her hometown and admit just how thoroughly she’s failed, so she lets her friends set her up with a fake date for the reunion.

The second Jessica realizes that her fake date is Jake, she tries to call the whole thing off. The problem is the chemistry between them is even hotter now than it was when they were teenagers. Against her better judgment she lets herself get drawn into Jake’s arms again—and into his bed. But time doesn’t heal all wounds—sometimes, it actually makes them worse—and if Jessica and Jake can’t learn to forgive each other, their second chance might not last the weekend.

Find out more at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Check out the entire Bad Boy Homecoming Series

Enter for your chance to win one of these fabulous prizes!
One (1) $50 Amazon Gift Card
One (1) Signed Paperback Set of the Bad Boy Homecoming Series
One (1) Prom Queen themed Scented Candle

RAFFLECOPTER LINK

Excerpt from PROM QUEEN

Taking a fortifying breath that did nothing to fortify, she scrolled through her texts to find the number that had shown up last night. The words were short and to the point.

I’ll pick you up at the airport.

Nothing there to tell what kind of man she’d ended up with, and she’d been too cowardly to text back anything other than a generic agreement. Now there was nothing left to stall with. Jessica hitched her purse higher up on her shoulder and headed through security. The big red line tiled into the floor was a point of no return in so many ways. Why did I think this was a good idea?

Her mama didn’t raise a coward, though, so she lifted her chin and marched forward. No matter who this guy was, she’d faced down worse. She’d been worse. It couldn’t be more horrifying than the Miss Texas Teen USA pageant of 2005 where that little brat Misty Brennan cut holes into her dress and she didn’t realize it until she was out on stage and had her pink polka dot bra showing to the audience and God. Jessica had powered through that and walked out with second place, and she’d power through this, too.

She joined the people from multiple flights crowded around the baggage claim, her body practically vibrating from nerves. The scent of too many people in too little space assaulted her, but she was more focused on the faces she didn’t recognize from the plane. Too many, all filtered in with the travelers—there was no way she’d be able to pick him out of the crowd. Her date had her picture, so he’d have to be the one to approach. What if he doesn’t? What if this is just karma giving me one last kick in the teeth?

Oh, for God’s sake, stop being so dramatic.

“Jessica.”

A thrill shot down her spine, quickly eaten up by a dread so strong, she wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. She shot a look at the nearest exit, but if she took off now, she’d have to admit that she fled instead of turning and facing her Number One Nightmare.

Jake Davis.

Praying she was wrong, she turned slowly to face him. Nope. That was definitely Jake Davis, ex-quarterback, ex-boyfriend, just all around ex when it came to Jessica. And he was definitely way better in real life than he’d been in the pictures she’d seen while she was creeping on him. Her heart picked up and her body sparked to life in a way it hadn’t in far too long.

Something like ten years.

She was staring. She couldn’t stop. Jessica licked her lips, her breath stalling in her lungs when his green eyes met hers. His eyes had always been one of her favorite features—a true green that brightened depending on what he was wearing, framed with thick, dark lashes that had always made her jealous when she was a teenager. Going by those eyes, Jakes would be judged downright pretty.

At least until you saw the rest of his face. His hair had darkened over the years, closer to brown than blond, and his lantern jaw was covered with… “What the hell is that on your face?”

He blinked, the only outward sign that she’d surprised him.

“Nice to see you too, Jessie.” He touched his scruff. “A lot’s changed since you left.”

Her gaze jumped to his right shoulder. There was no outward sign of the injury that had started the end of it all, but then, he was wearing a light-weight black T-shirt, so it wasn’t like it would show. Focus, Jessica. “What are you doing here? Are you picking up someone for the reunion?” There you go. Nice and casual.

“You might say that.” He kept looking at her like he could see the inside of her head. Another new trick.

She glanced around, trying to be subtle. The baggage claim had started to clear out, and there weren’t any conveniently gorgeous men standing around alone. Where was her date? Now would be the perfect time for him to sweep in and do the job she’d hired him for. “I’m here with someone.”

“I know.”

She frowned. “What are you talking about?” On second thought, escaping Jake before she met her date was probably a better choice. She didn’t want to have to deal with meeting this new guy and trying to pretend they’d been dating forever. And how was she going to explain how she’d magically lost him between getting off the plane

and the baggage claim.

Cora’s so-called perfect plan was teetering toward disaster.

“Your order from Diamond Dates.” He gave her a slow, knowing grin that she felt all the way to her toes, and offered his hand. “Jessica Jackson, I’m your date for the reunion.”

BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy

*
*

About Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.” When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram

Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Excerpt, Favourites, Giveaway, New Releases, Recommended, Reviews, Teaser

Leave a comment

Tags: @Barclay_PR, @katee_robert

RELEASE TOUR ~ By The Book by Maria Vickers

Jun 27

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

“Great Story. Great Characters.”

Title: By the Book
Author: Maria Vickers

Genre: Gay Romance

Release Date: June 14th

Cover Designer: T.E. Black Designs

Editor: Shana Vanterpool

Joshua Dayton met the man of his dreams as a sophomore in high school—his mentor and biology teacher, Mr. Cayden. Fearing his love would be considered forbidden and rejected, he ran away to college, determined to move on and forget. Three years later, he is summoned home and comes face to face with the man he tried to leave in the past. The same man he never stopped loving.

Samuel Cayden was looking for a fresh start and an escape. What he was not expecting was to develop feelings for his student, Joshua. Yet when the boy returns home a man, Samuel can no longer pretend the pull between them doesn’t exist.

Will the student become the teacher, showing Samuel how to open his heart? Will Samuel be able to prove to Joshua that things are not always what they appear? Or will the spark fizzle before it has a chance to ignite?

It’s time they got a lesson in love and temptation.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2sSGqth

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rgrnMW

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B071YWSJKB

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B071YWSJKB

Also available on Kindle Unlimited

Samuel

I stood there like a statue, my lungs burning from not releasing the air I had trapped in them. When he didn’t continue, I prodded, “Yes?”

His shoulders shrugged, but his chin practically rested on his chest so that I couldn’t see his face. Without answering, he spun around and pulled out the bacon and eggs from the refrigerator, setting them gently on the counter.
With his back turned, I heard his soft reply, “I didn’t want to lose.”

What did that mean? I wasn’t trying to come between him and his mother. I would never do that. Granted, their relationship left something to be desired—not that I was an expert by any means—but she was still his parent, and the only one he had left. “You aren’t going to lose your mom. I wasn’t trying—”

Whirling around quickly, his glare could melt the polar ice caps. “What do you mean?”

Instinctively, I took a step backwards.

“Is there something going on with my mother?” He spat the last word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

“No,” I spoke quickly. She would be one of the last people on earth I would think about in any sense other than as his mother.

“Then what do you mean?” he demanded.

Fire and ice. One minute there was an unspoken awkward gap between us, and the next the chasm opened and the switch was flipped. He went from hesitant to furious before I batted an eye, and I was having hard time keeping up. His chest heaved with the deep breaths he was taking and his face, which had a slight flush to it, turned red. His jaw was clenched and his hands were fisted.

“What exactly are your intentions toward my mother?” he sneered.

His anger began to feed my own. How dare he accuse me of anything when he hadn’t a single goddamn clue? Marching up to him, I pushed him against the counter behind him, accidentally knocking off the carton of eggs and they fell to the floor. “You don’t know anything,” I growled right before I pressed my lips to his in a brutal kiss. His hands fisted in my shirt, and I couldn’t tell if he was trying to push me away or pull me closer. I prayed for the latter.

Both of my hands were gripping his hips tightly. I moved one to his face, using my fingers to put pressure on his chin, opening his mouth for a heavier onslaught. My tongue plunged in, snaking around his, tasting him.

His wrestled with mine for control. It was an aphrodisiac.

And then a bird squawked, a car alarm blared…our bubble was broken.

I let him go quickly, stumbling backwards with wide eyes and a racing heart. His eyes were also wide with shock, and his mouth looked red and raw from my beard. He had been thoroughly kissed and I craved more of him. Instead of going to him though, I apologized, “Sorry,” and then hightailed it out of the house. I couldn’t believe I’d done that.

Jumping into my car, I ran away like Josh had done multiple times. For me though, I was pretty sure if I hadn’t left, he would have kicked me out.

***

Joshua

What the fuck just happened? Had I dreamed that? Sam kissed me. I couldn’t believe it. Sam really kissed me.

Slowly, I brought my hand to my face and felt the skin around my mouth that had been scraped by his beard, and I could feel the smile curling my lips upward. He’d kissed me, and as soon as I felt his lips press against mine, the sky opened up and I heard the angels singing. Well, maybe not that dramatic, but something like that. The ground beneath me shifted and my life, my whole world, came into complete focus.

Kissing him, his arms gripping me, had filled a void within me. The same void that had opened up the day I laid eyes on Sam. I’d tried to fill that space with others, and when I couldn’t, a couple of fuck buddies helped to distract me and scratch an itch. But two minutes with him, did what no one else could do. I felt whole.

At least until the moment he left me standing in the kitchen alone and reeling from the best kiss I’d ever experienced.

A new determination burned within me. Samuel Cayden would be mine. I’d find a way to win him and prove that no one else could ever compare.

Maria Vickers currently lives in St. Louis, MO with her pug, Spencer Tracy. She has always had a passion for writing, and after she became disabled, she decided to use writing as her escape.

She has learned a lot about life and herself after becoming sick. One of the things she has learned and lives by is, life is about what you make of it. You have to live it to the fullest no matter the circumstances.

***

I’ve always loved books. Not only creating stories but reading them as well. Books transport me, and when I was younger, I would run into walls because I refused to put my books down even for a second. Take not, walking while reading is not advised. LOL.

With my books, I dream of sharing my stories with the world. I want others to be transported or to feel the emotions my characters feel. That is my goal. If I can do that for one person, I succeeded.

Getting sick changed me and my life, but it also opened doors that I thought were closed. Today, even though I may not be able to do as much as I once could, I still have my mind, and I can write.

Facebook I Amazon I Newsletter I Reader Group

Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, Giveaway, New Releases, Teaser

Leave a comment

Tags: #MariaVickers, @HotTreePromos

RELEASE BLITZ ~ Writing Mr. Right by T.K. Leigh

Jun 26

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Title: Writing Mr. Right

Author: T.K. Leigh

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: June 26, 2017

Blurb

My name is Molly Brinks, but most people know me as Vivienne Foxx, bestselling author of chance meetings, stolen glances, and the much-needed happily ever after. My addictions include coffee, home improvement television, and the occasional pint of ice cream. The love of my life is an eighty-pound labrador retriever named Pee Wee. At the age of twenty-nine-plus-one, I am at the top of my game…professionally. My personal life is a completely different story, one best left untold. Success has its sacrifices and I’ve been more than happy to put my search for Prince Charming on the back burner while I create fictitious tales of the naïve virgin, the broken girl with a torrid past, and the strong-willed
student finding their own Mr. Right… Until one hell of a case of writer’s block and a tight deadline set by my publisher forces me outside my cozy downtown Boston apartment in search of inspiration.

Armed with an account on every dating website out there, I devise a plan. Meet some nice, professional men. Go on a few dates. Hope one of them has the spark I need to finish my book. Then walk away.

But plans are meant to be broken.

My name is Molly Brinks, and this is my story about Writing Mr. Right.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

99c for a VERY limited time!!

AMAZON: US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio

T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Beautiful Mess series, in addition to several other works. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog, and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). In late 2015, she gave birth to her first (and only) baby. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found training for her next marathon (of which she has run over twenty fulls and far too many halfs to recall) or chasing her daughter around the house.

T.K. Leigh is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. All publishing inquiries, including audio, foreign, and film rights, should be directed to her.

Author Links

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST
GOOGLE PLUS

Giveaway

Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Giveaway, New Releases, Teaser, Want to read

Leave a comment

Tags: @givemebooksblog, @TK_Leigh

BLOG TOUR ~ Bear With Me (The Blood Realm Series #4) by Jennifer Blackstream

Jun 25

Posted by Book Loving Pixies

Title: Bear With Me

Series: The Blood Realm Series #4

By: Jennifer Blackstream

Publication Date: April 4, 2017

Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Cover Designer: YOCLA Designs

#bearwithmetour

A PRINCE TRAPPED IN THE BODY OF A BEAR

Torben is a bear shifter struggling to pass a test laid on him by his power-hungry stepmother. Bound into his beast form during the day, able to be human only at night when the darkness hides him, he must find a wife. She can know him only as a bear and a bodiless voice in the night. For one year, she must let him keep his secrets, trust him as a wife should trust her husband. But what woman will climb into bed with a bear and trust it is a man waiting for her?

A BARD LOOKING FOR HER VOICE

After witnessing her mother’s murder left her blind, Leta had to put away her sword and her dreams of becoming a bard. Now she is resigned to a calm life where the best she can hope for is a good marriage that will take the burden of her care from her father’s shoulders. When her father claims the gods have sent a man to be not just her husband, but perhaps her savior, Leta has to take a leap of faith…and hope she falls in love.

Even a blind woman can see when something is worth fighting for…

The Blood Realm Series #3

Amazon

The Blood Realm Series #2
Amazon

The Blood Rose Series #1

Amazon

It was on the tip of Leta’s tongue to argue, to tell her father what he could do with his suitor who thought he could fix the poor little blind girl. But she bit it back. This was what they’d hoped for, what they’d thought would be impossible. This was no time for her battered pride to make a stand.

“I’ll meet with him.” She took a deep breath and straightened her spine. “Perhaps you could invite him to dinner this week?”

Her father cleared his throat. “He’s here. Now.”

She slumped, hands going limp in her lap. “What? What do you mean he’s here now?”

“He’s here…for you.”

“He’s…” Her voice was a pathetic squeak, and now it was her turn to clear her throat. “Father…are you telling me you’ve already given him my hand?”

“I signed the marriage contract five minutes ago.”

His voice was a whisper, so quiet she might not have heard it two months ago, before she’d lost her vision, when her other senses had not been quite so keen. She swayed and put a hand on the floor to steady herself. She’d agreed to an arranged marriage, had given him her blessing to find her a suitor. But…

“I don’t understand. Why so quickly?”

“Leta, it’s been two months. I’d hoped you would come through this on your own. I prayed you would come through this on your own. But you haven’t. I don’t know how to help you. I…” His voice broke and he groped for her hands, took them in his trembling fingers. “Leta, you need someone who will make you feel safe, who might be able to bring you through—”

“And what if there is no through this? What if this is who I am now, what I am now?” Her muscles tingled with the urge to stand, to stalk away from him, storm off in a healthy fit of justified indignation. “You couldn’t let me have any dignity? Couldn’t let me go into this arranged marriage like any other woman? You had to send me off to be fixed, as though I were a table with a wobbly leg?”

Experience kept her kneeling on the floor. If she tried to fly off in a rage, she would succeed only in humiliating herself. High emotions flustered her, made it harder to remember where all the furniture was, how far the wall was. A broken nose or bruised shins wouldn’t help anyone, and it certainly wouldn’t do her wounded pride any good. And so she sat there, a prisoner. Locked in a dark world.

“Well then,” she said, her voice tight, “I suppose I’d better go meet the man who will be my nursemaid from now on.”

“Leta—”

“Are you going to escort me out, or would you like me to feel my way there, give him a good idea of what he’s getting himself into?”

“Leta, please—”

“Very well.” She was being childish now, but she didn’t care. She surged to her feet and stuck her arms out in front of her, swinging them side to side as she took small steps toward where she thought the doorway was. Her nerves screamed with heightened awareness, bracing to be struck by something, as if the room were suddenly full of stalactites. Ignoring her father’s protests, she shuffled forward, feeling in front of her with the toes of each foot and the tips of her fingers.

Her father tried to take her arm when she reached the door, but she shrugged him off. Composing herself as best she could, she groped along the wall of the hallway, inching closer and closer to the main room of the house. She was grateful there were no stairs, and she was able to make it to the sitting room attached to the foyer without falling or striking anything.

It was hard to describe how she knew someone was in the room, even though she couldn’t see. Something about the hairs on the back of her neck, a tingle down her spine that screamed at her she was being watched. She always knew when someone else was in the room with her, but this time there was something more. A thrill that brushed her fight-or-flight reflex, filled her with a strange, warbling anxiety. Someone was watching her. Someone…big.

Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t possibly feel size, her mind chastised her. Still, her senses stubbornly refused to admit any doubt. Whoever was watching her had a weight to his presence, and she could feel it. She blinked and moved her eyes around, trying to see something, anything, a slice of shadow or light that would give her a clue. But the darkness remained as thick as it always was, silent and impenetrable.

A strange scent wafted past her nose. Musk and the crisp scent of the wind off the mountains to the north. The faintest hint of sea air. The floor creaked as someone shifted their weight. Her heart skipped a beat and her instincts crowed in vindication. There was definite weight to that sound.

If that was her husband, he was not a small man.

“Are you really going to let the blind woman stand here wondering if she’s alone in the room?”

“You seem very aware that you are not alone.”

The voice was masculine, and so deep that it vibrated things low in her body, quickened the pulse in her neck. She angled her ear toward that voice, forming a mental picture of the room and her visitor’s location based on where his voice had come from. It was lower than she’d expected, as though he were sitting down.

“Leta, this is Torben Biorna. Torben, this is my daughter Leta.”

“I understand I’m your wife now.”

She threw the words down like a gauntlet, using her tone to make it clear what she thought of such things being settled without her presence, let alone input. The floor creaked again, and somewhere underneath that was a different sound that she wasn’t familiar with. Something hard sliding against the wood. It was brief, too brief for her to consider it closely. She frowned and tilted her head a little more, waiting to hear if it would happen again.

“Yes, you are my wife.”

Again his voice did strange and wonderful things to her body, teasing sensations from her with that hint of promise, that faint brush of heat. Warmth washed over her cheeks, and she was horrified to realize she was blushing.

If he noticed her embarrassing reaction, he kept it from his voice. “Things progressed quickly, and I don’t blame you for being displeased at your lack of participation. It is not how I would have liked to begin our relationship, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to make it up to you.”

She groped for her temper, needing it to bolster her defenses against that voice. “My father says you think you can fix me.”

“Leta,” her father warned.

“No, it’s all right. I would be offended too, were I in her place.”

Another creak of the floorboards, followed by that same sound. Leta leaned forward, and it stopped immediately.

“You do not need to be fixed, Leta. You are not broken.”

Her father had spoken those same words to her, more times than she could count. But they were different coming from this man. He spoke with a definite authority, an unwavering confidence that said he knew he was right. It touched something inside her, something frightened. A tiny knot of tension she hadn’t been aware of relaxed.

“Torben was a solider.” Her father’s voice was gentle now, encouraging. “He’s known a lot of men who had very strong reactions after witnessing horrible things. He’s helped them.”

“Your father told me what happened to your mother,” Torben said quietly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Echoes of her mother’s screams filled Leta’s ears. Her chest rose and fell more rapidly, her breaths sharper, painful. Ice water trickled through her veins, chasing away the warm feeling Torben had summoned with his words, his voice. The knot of tension returned, trailing a string of others until she stood hunched in on herself, falling into an all-too-familiar nightmare.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her voice was weak, strangled by the memory peeking out at her like a monster from the mouth of a cave. She held her hands out, feeling around herself for orientation.

“Leta, here, come sit down.”

Her father took her arm, and she wilted with relief and let him lead her to a chair. Sitting calmed her, took away the awful feeling of disorientation that struck her when her emotions overwhelmed her spatial sense. She fought her way out of the panic, tried to reorient herself, remember where her husband was.

“We don’t have to talk about it.” He spoke as if he’d sensed her discomfort, her need to know where he was. “Know only that I am here to listen if you change your mind.”

She bobbed her head, grateful for his willingness to let it go. “You’re going to stay with us for a while, then?”

Awkward silence billowed into the room like dense fog.

“Leta…he’s your husband.” Her father shifted on his chair, his discomfort announced by every squeak of the wood. “You’re leaving with him.”

Jennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy/paranormal romance. Urban Fantasy will soon be joining her repertoire, and if she doesn’t get hold of the insidious roving gang of plot bunnies, there’s going to be steampunk sprinkled in there too…

For news, new releases, and a free copy of What Big Teeth You Have, sign up for Jennifer’s mailing list on her website at jenniferblackstream.com.

Jennifer has unfailing affection for the authors who have influenced her, including Laurell K. Hamilton, Jim Butcher, and the sorely missed Sir Terry Pratchett. Her books include humor, romance, and action, with enough darkness to keep things very interesting.

When Jennifer isn’t writing, she can be found re-watching Boondock Saints, Noises Off, or Gross Pointe Blank. With one of those classics in the background, she might also be searching Amazon for something she wants, but doesn’t need (Is there any such thing as a kitchen gadget that isn’t an absolute necessity? And don’t even get me started on office supplies…).

Social Media Links

Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter
Website