Dare You, the first book in the all new sexy and playful Dare to Try Trilogy from USA Today bestselling authors Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine is available now!
From Ella Frank’s Prime Time series and Brooke Blaine’s South Haven series comes an explosive spin-off of both worlds.
Sebastian “Bash” Vogel, the magnetic, cross-dressing CEO of AnaVoge, has long been a lone island when it comes to his personal life. Self-assured and playful, he’s never left wanting for suitors—but Bash isn’t looking for something permanent. He’s more than fulfilled with his company and his closest friends, and no one is going to shake up the status quo. That is, until he’s thrown over the shoulder of one of Chicago’s finest and hauled out of a burning building. Kieran Bailey, a sexy, hardworking lieutenant at Station 73, has been reaping the rewards of being crowned the city’s hottest fireman, which his crew never lets him forget. So many ladies, so little time. So when he rescues the latest damsel in distress, no one is more shocked than him to realize he’s played prince charming to another…prince.
But Bash isn’t like anyone Kieran has ever met, and soon his world is turned upside down as he becomes more intrigued by the enigmatic man that he can’t stay away from.
They’re from two different worlds. This could never work. But what if…they dared to try?
Dare You is book one of the Dare to Try trilogy, which must be read in order. Prior reading is not required, but is always a fantastic idea for maximum enjoyment.
Grab your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction.
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.
Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance that ranges from comedy to suspense to erotic. The latter has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts. If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for years. Or you can reach her at http://www.BrookeBlaine.com.
If you’d like to be the FIRST to know about a new release, sale, giveaway, or upcoming signings & events, make sure to join Brooke’s mailing list: http://www.BrookeBlaine.com
BELOVED is available now on Amazon and FREE with KindleUnlimited! Gwen and Chevy are the fifth and final couple in the Carmel Cove series
If you love… 🩺 A nurse who’s determined to help her surly neighbor 💔 A grumpy recluse on a mission 🐶 A senile dog named Oscar 🔥 Scorching hot romance with a dash of suspense …then grab your copy of BELOVED today!
BOOK BLURB
A year ago, Gwen Reynolds loaned her car to the beautiful, bloodied man in her emergency room. No name. No questions. No expectation she’d see him again.
Until he shows up in the hallway of her building… moving into the apartment next door.
Chevy McIntyre is in town for one reason only: to find the men responsible for his fiancée’s death. He’s not looking for friends, and he doesn’t need help. Especially from the neighboring angel whose bright smile has haunted his dreams for months. But his solitude doesn’t sit well with Gwen’s larger-than-life personality.
As Carmel’s most beloved nurse, Gwen will do anything to help anyone—including the handsome recluse. So, she refuses to back down until she’s helped solve the case and healed his damaged heart.
Though there’s an undeniable spark between them, Chevy tries to fight its pull because desire has always had the power to destroy. And when the investigation takes an unexpected turn, he’ll have to choose between risking his only shot at justice or losing his only chance at love.
I knew going into the final book in the Carmel Cove series that I was gonna love Gwen.
We’ve met her throughout the series to date and we’ve discovered how good a person she is but we hadn’t really found out just how much of herself she gave up for her work and friends.
Her initial meeting with Chevy was understandably tense and intense given the circumstances of his appearance in the hospital she works in. These fleeting interactions had more of an impact on both of them than either would have expected, especially when they didn’t think they’d run into each other again.
Gwen has the biggest heart and is really selfless but I was glad she eventually decided to think more about herself and her own future….. until she didn’t…. and while I got the reason behind her decision it vexed me that she felt herself so dispensable! Her determination to get Chevy to talk to her made for some entertaining moments.
Chevy, the gods, this guy carried so much baggage and guilt around it was a surprise he could think straight… at first I was peeved that he was being such an ass to Gwen but when we got where his head was at it was kinda understandable… but then he got caught up again in his fight for justice and couple of things he did made me want to slap him – thankfully Gwen was more patient with him that me!!!
It’’s sad that Rebecca has wrapped up things in Carmel Cove – I’ve loved this series and all the character we’ve been introduce to but I’m betting that we’ll come across them in future spinoff/crossover books.
MORE IN THE SERIES
The Carmel Cove series is COMPLETE! So, if you’re looking for a series to get lost in, you’ll want to check this out!
If you love: ✅ swoony alphas & strong heroines ✅ a small town setting you won’t want to leave ✅ smokin’ sexytimes ✅ a dash of suspense ✅ five standalone happy endings
Start the series today→mybook.to/ReadBeholden
OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR
💜 Check out the COUNTRY LOVE collection here→https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PPTN3L1
UPCOMING SERIES
Four brothers. Four bodyguards. Four smokin’ hot romances brimming with danger🔥
The REYNOLDS PROTECTIVE series arrives early 2022….. and Archer is the very first brother whose heart is put in the crosshairs!
💗Reserve your copy of ARCHER here→mybook.to/ReadArcher
Add the REYNOLDS PROTECTIVE series to your Goodreads TBR: 💗ARCHER→https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58501794-archer 💙HUNTER→https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58501875-hunter 🧡GUNNER→https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58501888-gunner 💚RANGER→https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58501921-ranger
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Rebecca Sharp, while using a pen name, is actually a doctor living in Pennsylvania with her husband – the love of her life.
She enjoys working in her practice with her father as well as letting her creativity run free as an author. Growing up she’s always loved a good love story and finally decided to give writing one of her own a go.
After graduating with her doctoral degree, she now enjoys spending that thing called free time traveling with her husband, cooking, and knitting.
Dare You, the first book in the all new must-read Dare to Try Trilogy from USA Today bestselling authors Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine is available now!
From Ella Frank’s Prime Time series and Brooke Blaine’s South Haven series comes an explosive spin-off of both worlds.
Sebastian “Bash” Vogel, the magnetic, cross-dressing CEO of AnaVoge, has long been a lone island when it comes to his personal life. Self-assured and playful, he’s never left wanting for suitors—but Bash isn’t looking for something permanent. He’s more than fulfilled with his company and his closest friends, and no one is going to shake up the status quo. That is, until he’s thrown over the shoulder of one of Chicago’s finest and hauled out of a burning building. Kieran Bailey, a sexy, hardworking lieutenant at Station 73, has been reaping the rewards of being crowned the city’s hottest fireman, which his crew never lets him forget. So many ladies, so little time. So when he rescues the latest damsel in distress, no one is more shocked than him to realize he’s played prince charming to another…prince.
But Bash isn’t like anyone Kieran has ever met, and soon his world is turned upside down as he becomes more intrigued by the enigmatic man that he can’t stay away from.
They’re from two different worlds. This could never work. But what if…they dared to try?
Dare You is book one of the Dare to Try trilogy, which must be read in order. Prior reading is not required, but is always a fantastic idea for maximum enjoyment.
Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction.
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.
Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance that ranges from comedy to suspense to erotic. The latter has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts. If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for years. Or you can reach her at http://www.BrookeBlaine.com.
If you’d like to be the FIRST to know about a new release, sale, giveaway, or upcoming signings & events, make sure to join Brooke’s mailing list: http://www.BrookeBlaine.com
As far as Lilah’s concerned, her note writing stalker just gets more stupid every day. One, two, three, the cat is in the tree? What is that? And what does it have to do with a wedding turned bloody?
Lilah continues to hunt for the monster who killed a bride-to-be while she awaits news on Kane’s chopper that emergency landed in the ocean. She’s angry. She’s worried. She’s ready to kill the man she knows is responsible for Kane’s crash: Pocher.
It’s a race against the clock to save Kane and catch a killer.
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.
Title: Bookworm and the Beast Series: Eastport Bay Billionaires #1 Author: Tru Taylor
Genre: Small Town Romantic Comedy Release Date: July 27, 2021
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I’ve been sent into the lair of the beast….
It should be a dream assignment—leave my boring day-to-day routine and travel to a seaside mansion to interview superstar author Jack R. R. Bestia. Who wouldn’t want that?
Me, that’s who.
He has a reputation for being reclusive and temperamental, but that’s not why I’m leery of the assignment. It’s because the first (and last) time I met Jack… well, let’s just say I didn’t make a good impression.
When I get to the mansion—which is more like a secluded castle—things don’t go much better. I’m sure he’s going to throw me out entirely. The only way I manage to squeak in is by signing a massive non-disclosure agreement. And I soon figure out why.
Jack has a secret—and it’s a big one.
Now that iron-clad contract I signed means I have to stay here until his long-overdue book is finished—and he’s not going to make it easy.
Jack acts every bit as beastly as the tabloids claimed, and I feel like a fairytale princess trapped in his tower. But every once in a while I get a glimpse of the charming (not to mention super sexy) man beneath the growly exterior and I wonder… could this beast be tamed?
Bookworm and the Beast is a full-length hot romantic comedy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It’s a standalone enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, slow burn romance with no cheating or cliffhangers but plenty of humor and heart.
Jack towered over me—so much taller and larger than I’d realized when I’d seen him sitting down at the book signing. He was, in a word, intimidating. “Uh hi,” I blurted, sounding as foolish as I felt. Nervous, I unconsciously rubbed the tapered end of the sleek award. One of Jack’s brows lifted, and his gaze dropped pointedly to my hands. I glanced down at the distinctly phallic trophy I’d been caressing then turned again and quickly set the award back in its place. Spinning back to face Jack, I attempted to salvage the awkward caught-in-the-act moment by sticking my hand out. And babbling. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve really been looking forward to this, and I hope you have, too, because I think this is really going to be great. Our readers will be really excited to hear what you have to say about the new book—I mean, no pressure to say anything in particular. I know how you feel about spoilers, and I’d never ask you to divulge any. Oh, I’m Bonnie Hamelin. But I guess you already know that.” The good news was I’d managed actual speech this time. His arrival had been so sudden I hadn’t had time to work up quite as many nerves as the first time I’d seen him. The bad news was his answering expression could have incinerated me on the spot. He didn’t take my offered hand but continue to scowl at me. “Yes, I know who you are, Ms. Hamelin,” he sneered. “You’re the interviewer. Which I believe means your purpose here is to interview me, not to invade my home and… fondle my private possessions.” My nerves, combined with his use of the words “fondle” and “private” together made me giggle, which then made me blush in mortification. Oh, good Lord. This wasn’t starting well. I was just grateful there was no chai latte nearby this time. The thought caused my gaze to drop involuntarily to the front of Jack’s pants. I did hope he’d fully recovered from the hot-tea incident. It would be such a shame if such an obviously virile man were permanently— Jack cleared his throat loudly. Yanking my gaze away from his crotch and withdrawing my hand, I twisted it with the fingers of my other hand and forced a smile I hoped was both apologetic and charming. “I’m so sorry about that. I’ve just never seen one in person. Or one so big. And you have so many. Awards. Not possessions. I mean, you do have some nice possessions. I was just talking about… the… award.” Jack just kept staring, studying me as if I were a fascinating yet slightly repulsive bug. A dung beetle, perhaps. Mrs. Potts, whose existence I’d completely forgotten in the last minute and a half, spoke up. “Jack?” He shot her a heated side-glance then looked at me again. His scowl moderated into a more neutral expression. “Well?” “Oh—it’s… very beautiful. And heavy.” The scowl returned. “I wasn’t fishing for compliments about my award. Are you by any chance ready to begin the interview?” “The interview. Yes. Absolutely. I’m ready. Let’s do it.” He shook his head as if giving up on something. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
#2
She was beautiful, and not just the regular kind. The made-exactly-for-Jack kind, the kind of gorgeous I’d only ever imagined when dreaming up a new character, a siren intent on luring my hero to his death in dark, cold waters, for instance. The kind of beauty who only existed in fiction. But here she was, the living, breathing version of my physical ideal. In my library. And the way she’d looked at me… I shuddered remembering it. She had the most intense brown eyes I’d ever seen. When she’d spun around and they’d met mine, I’d nearly stumbled backward. It was like she could see straight into my soul. And then her eyes had dropped. And zeroed in on my dick. While rubbing my dick-shaped writing award. Not gonna lie—I had movement. It had been a while since I’d spent time around a woman I didn’t employ or regard as a family member, but if memory served, that kind of behavior signaled interest. Not that I’d be interested in this reporter, no matter what she looked like. Wait—I wasn’t interested, was I? I was rocked by a sense of impending doom. This woman was dangerous. I needed to get her out of my house as soon as possible.
#3
Bonnie was silent as she read, her face paling with each line she scanned. When she looked up at me, her expression was disbelieving and at the same time utterly defeated. A tide of satisfaction washed through me. “This is ludicrous,” she said at last. “You don’t really expect me to adhere to this, do you?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why wouldn’t I? You signed it.” “Yes but… this says I can’t see anyone, can’t talk to anyone outside of this house. It says you’ll confiscate my laptop and my phone.” “It sure does. Right there in black and white.” I gave her a wicked grin, enjoying her astonished indignation. Now she knew how it felt. She stared at me then looked back at the contract, as if the writing on the page might have magically changed in the past minute. When her gaze came back up to meet mine there were a million questions behind her eyes. There was also a new understanding. I owned her. “Are you going to have me… locked in my apartment?” “No.” Her shoulders relaxed but then tensed again when I elaborated. “You’ll be staying here. Where I can keep an eye on you and make sure you’re not spilling any secrets.” “Here?” Her eyes bulged. “At your house? For how long?” “Until I turn the book in.” “Your deadline is four weeks from now.” “That’s right.” Her mouth dropped open and she let out a gasp of shock. “I can’t stay here for a month.” It was a little bizarre to force a woman to stay in your home. But what choice did I have? I couldn’t risk the truth getting out. I’d be ruined. Bonnie had just proven she wasn’t trustworthy. And I refused to let those slivers of guilt go any deeper. This was her fault, not mine. She’d forced me into this. I didn’t like it any more than she did. After a lengthy pause, Bonnie uttered a begrudging, “Fine.” “Fine. So we have an agreement.” A sense of relief spread through me, enabling my tightly bunched muscles to relax a fraction. “I have your promise you won’t leave?” She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t aware I had a choice.” “You don’t. And I’ll make you a promise in return. I won’t keep you a second longer than is absolutely necessary. Four weeks, and then you’re out of here on your nosy little ass.” Her expression grew more troubled as she appeared to accept her fate and began to understand what it all meant. “My things are still back at the Seacliff Inn—my laptop, my clothes—I only have two days’ worth with me. And where will I sleep?” she asked. “Harrison will go to the hotel and check you out, pack your things, and bring your bags here. Whatever else you need I can order and have delivered. If you’re worried about the potential awkwardness of living in the same house, don’t be. It’s a big place. I can assure you—we won’t be seeing much of each other. I have no desire to spend any further time with you.” I extended my hand, palm up. “I’ll take that phone now.” Her mouth dropped open, then closed again and her jaw hardened. “Do I at least get a call first?” “A call?” I barked an incredulous laugh. “What part of ‘no contact with the outside world’ did you not understand?” Her chin jutted out. “I believe one phone call is standard procedure for all prisoners.” “You’re not in a prison. You’re in a mansion.” “Am I allowed to leave?” “No.” “Then it’s a prison.”
COMING SOON
#2 Bargain with the Bachelor – Releasing August 25
Award-winning romance author Tru Taylor writes romantic comedies to make you swoon, smile, and snort with laughter.
She runs on Coke Zero and dark chocolate, lives for lunches with her girlfriends, and drives to the town beach several times a week to watch the sun set over the water.
She loves LOVE and will attempt to turn any show or movie she’s watching into a romance whether it is one or not. Star Wars? A romance. Lord of the Rings? Clearly a romance. The Expendables? Okay, well not even Tru can redeem that one.
When she’s not writing, Tru enjoys watching movies and reading books with happy endings, spending time with her husband and two kids, and sneaking Hershey’s Kisses from the top shelf of the freezer throughout the day. (Top shelf because… two kids. Enough said.)
Tru is the author of the Eastport Bay small town rom com series and loves living in a small New England town where she’s surrounded every day by the beautiful coastal setting you see brought to life in her books.
Title: Only in Dreams Series: Road Trip Romance #9 Author: A.K. Evans
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 27, 2021
BLURB
When Samantha Roberts wandered into his bar three years ago, Calvin Gates immediately knew she was the woman for him. Sadly, she ends up attached to someone else before he can make his move.
Calvin’s pull to Samantha is undeniable, and he’s never faced a challenge more difficult than fighting his feelings for her.
Until one day, she steps through the front door again and has heartbreak written all over her face.
For years, Calvin settled for being Samantha’s friend—listening as she shared her hopes and dreams and fears. And now that she’s single, he’s hoping to find a way to make the woman who existed as more only in dreams a reality.
A.K. Evans is a contemporary romance author of over twenty published novels. While she enjoys writing a good romantic suspense novel, Andrea’s favorite books to write have been her extreme sports romances. That might have something to do with the fact that she, along with her husband and two sons, can’t get enough of extreme sports.
Before becoming a writer, Andrea did a brief stint in the insurance and financial services industry and managed her husband’s performance automotive business. That love of extreme sports? She used to drive race cars!
When Andrea isn’t writing, she can be found homeschooling her two sons, doing yoga, snowboarding, reading, or traveling with her family. She and her husband are currently taking road trips throughout the country to visit all 50 states with their boys.
Title: Inked Obsession Series: Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins #2 Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 20, 2021
BLURB
The Montgomery Ink saga from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues with a second chance romance sure to tug at your heartstrings.
When men in uniform showed up on Eliza Wilder-Strong’s doorstep, she knew her life would be irrevocably altered. She not only lost her husband, but the future she’d carefully planned. A year later, she’s looking to start over—beginning with a solo healing vacation. Only she never expects to see a familiar, tempting face along the way.
Beckett Montgomery refuses to want his little sister’s best friend—especially because she’s a widow. Yet there’s no stopping the connection between them. As the temptation to give in intensifies between them, so do the reasons they shouldn’t stay together.
Painful ghosts from both of their pasts stand in their way and sometimes it’s the living that can haunt you when you’re not looking.
“I don’t mind dancing with you, Eliza.” And I meant it, even if I was tired, and my back had started to ache something fierce. Or that every time I was near her these days, I wanted to lean down and sniff her. I’d developed an addiction to something I shouldn’t have, and I needed to quell that need damn quick.
She sighed. “Well, thanks for saving me—like everyone seems to be doing these days.”
The way she said it made me frown, but then a sliver of memory slammed into me. I pushed it away. “I don’t always save people,” I bit out, my voice cool.
She stared at me, questions in her gaze, but she didn’t ask them. Good, because I didn’t have answers for her. “Okay, Beckett. Okay.”
I didn’t save everybody. And I knew that.
The dance was slow, but I wasn’t paying attention. Didn’t see anything. Didn’t even see him. Didn’t catch that soft scent again. I just swayed as the others gave us odd looks as they danced around us. I ignored it all.
Because I didn’t save everybody. Not even myself.
AUTHOR BIO
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Fractured Connections, and Elements of Five series, which have sold over 3.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over seventy-five novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.
Title: Her Noble Protector Series: Night Storm #7 Author: Caitlyn O’Leary
Genre: Romantic Military Suspense Release Date: July 31, 2021
BLURB
Her worst nightmare had come true—somehow she had been kidnapped and forced to kill her captor to get away.
Finally home in Arizona, Lisa Garcia was scared all the time. She jumped at every sound and shadow, too scared to even leave her home. How could someone who used to ride the rapids and trek the wilds of Alaska be reduced to this?
Navy SEAL Raiden Sato had forgotten more missions than he could remember. But this last one would stick in his mind forever. Lisa Garcia. How could he ever forget her? Tough, strong, compassionate, beautiful, the woman was a force of nature. But Raiden couldn’t help remembering how she’d been when they’d parted. She’d seemed broken. He needed to know how she was now.
When Raiden took leave to check on Lisa in Arizona, he was shocked at the woman he found. The kick-ass wilderness guide was gone, replaced by a woman still mired in trauma. She was positive that someone was out to get her. Determined to help her, Raiden was positive that he could heal her with time, patience, and perhaps even love. But what happens when Lisa is right, and somebody really is out to get her?
This is an action, adventure, romantic, stand-alone novel.
Lisa shot up, her eyes wide, as she struggled to breathe, struggled to get away, but something was holding her down. She tried to fight, tried to get away, then she heard glass shatter and it stopped her short. “Goddammit!” She focused and saw the light on in her bathroom. She always kept her light on, so she wouldn’t be scared if she woke up from a nightmare. “Yeah, like that helped me.” This one was bad, she went to turn on the lamp on her nightstand, and realized it wasn’t there. She blinked back tears when she realized that was what the breaking glass had been, she’d knocked it half way across the room with as she’d thrashed about. She yanked at the sweat soaked sheet. The damn thing was tangled around her like some kind of jungle vine. She kicked herself free then swung her legs over the side of the bed almost stepping in the glass. Lisa crawled to the end of the bed, stumbled to the wall and slammed on the switch so that the overhead light turned on. She whipped her head around and sighed in relief. The two locks on her bedroom door were secure. God, what kind of loser has locks on their bedroom door? “Shut up!” The nightmare was probably nothing, but maybe she had heard something. She’d already called the police three times over the last six weeks for no reason whatsoever, she wasn’t calling again. She picked up the aluminum softball bat that was beside the door, and slowly unlocked the door, and waited. Her arms started to tremble. Lisa had no idea how long she’d been in this position, with the bat at the ready. Ten minutes? A half hour? An hour? She was afraid to move even a millimeter to check her smartwatch. It wouldn’t matter if she did, since she had no idea when she first stood watch. You’re such an idiot, Garcia! She felt a tear slip through her defenses. The bat, which wasn’t all that heavy, felt like it was made of lead. Lisa felt her right hand begin to cramp, when she tried to loosen her grip so that she could relieve the pressure, she couldn’t get it to move. She tried again. Ahh God. Now her tense shoulders were starting tremble. She pushed herself against the wall, willing her body to move. She had to be able to swing the bat if someone came in. She had to. She listened intently. She didn’t hear anything, but that didn’t matter. She remembered how quietly the SEALs could move. She hadn’t heard a thing when they’d come up behind the man who…who… Lisa shook her head, willing away the memory. Willing all memories away, even the older ones that got confused with the newer ones. She pushed away from the wall and gritted her teeth. I can do this. I can. The bat started to lower as her shoulders lost strength. She rested the bat on her right shoulder, it wasn’t good because she would lose some of her speed when she swung, but she had no choice. Lisa heard her harsh breathing. She needed it to stop, it would tip off whoever was out there. Breathe through your nose. You can do it. She kept listening intently. Nothing. Or was there something. What is it? Am I going crazy? How long have I been in this position? Her back hit the wall as she slumped, but so did the bat, the metallic bing rang through her bedroom. Somebody was sure to have heard it. She pushed herself off the wall and tried to get back to a batter’s stance, but she couldn’t, she just couldn’t. Her arm’s were trembling so bad, that she could barely keep them up. Lisa tasted salt and knew she was crying again. She was always crying. Staring at the doorknob, she willed it to move so she could take the swing before she fell over, but nothing moved. It was too much. With what little strength she had left, she grabbed the doorknob and swung open her bedroom door and stepped out. The kitchen light was on, like it always was. Frantically, she looked around her home’s open floorplan and saw nothing. She raced to the front door and sagged when she saw both deadbolts were in place. Her head swiveled on her neck as she spun to look at the door in her kitchen that led to her carport. Not only did it look closed, she could see the pizza pans resting up against them were still in place. She whimpered with relief. She swung around again to check the patio door. She was almost positive that nobody would have gotten in through her patio they would have had to break the glass to get in, plus she had two cookie sheets and three pizza pans tipped up against the door so they would have knocked it over and she would have heard the crash, but she dashed over to the door to double check it. Lisa gave a watery sigh when she saw that the steel bar at the bottom of the sliding door was still in place and not one single pan had been tipped over. She felt her legs start to give out, and she eased herself to the floor before she fell down. Lisa tried to drop the bat, but her hands were too cramped to let go, she shook her arms, trying to force it to drop on the floor. It finally fell. Her hands hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. She shoved them between her knees, trying to stop the painful tingling. It was sweltering in her house, why hadn’t she turned on the air conditioning before she went to bed? Looking around she wondered why she hadn’t done a lot of things. There were dirty dishes all over her coffee table, and some on the floor in front of her couch. She frowned when she saw three bags of groceries on her dining room table. One was tipped over, and there was a pint of yogurt and a loaf of bread peaking out. When had she ordered groceries? What was in the other two bags? Who cares? Lisa rested her head against the blinds on her sliding glass door, it felt a tiny bit cool. She should get up, right? She needed to keep her eyes open, if she didn’t she’d dream then there wouldn’t be a jungle, or in the back of Damon’s pick-up. Two times when she had been helpless. Utterly helpless. Don’t close your eyes. Please God, don’t let me close my eyes.
Caitlyn O’Leary is a USA Bestselling Author, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and a Golden Quill Recipient from Book Viral in 2015. Hampered with a mild form of dyslexia she began memorizing books at an early age until her grandmother, the English teacher, took the time to teach her to read — then she never stopped. She began re-writing alternate endings for her Trixie Belden books into happily-ever-afters with Trixie’s platonic friend Jim. When she was home with pneumonia at twelve, she read the entire set of World Book Encyclopedias — a little more challenging to end those happily.
Caitlyn loves writing about Alpha males with strong heroines who keep the men on their toes. There is plenty of action, suspense and humor in her books. She is never shy about tackling some of today’s tough and relevant issues.
In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic suspense novels, she is a devoted aunt, an avid reader, a former corporate executive for a Fortune 100 company, and totally in love with her husband of soon-to-be twenty years.
She recently moved back home to the Pacific Northwest from Southern California. She is so happy to see the seasons again; rain, rain and more rain. She has a large fan group on Facebook and through her e-mail list. Caitlyn is known for telling her “Caitlyn Factors”, where she relates her little and big life’s screw-ups. The list is long. She loves hearing and connecting with her fans on a daily basis.
Genre:Standalone Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 12, 2021
Excited about Vi Keeland’s upcoming release, The Spark? Check out this SNEAK PEEK of CHAPTER 1!
CHAPTER 1
Autumn
I’m definitely getting too old for this. I tossed a pile of mail on the couch and plopped down beside it. It was barely six o’clock, and I wouldn’t have minded climbing into bed and calling it a day. I needed a vacation from my four-day mini vacation. Thank goodness I’d scheduled myself a weekend to recover. My girls’ trip/early bachelorette party in Vegas for my friend Anna—the one where we were all going to relax by the pool and get spa treatments—had turned into all-night clubbing and almost missing my flight home earlier today because I’d overslept. It had definitely been a while since I drank more than two glasses of wine in the span of a week, and I was feeling my ripe old age of twenty-eight before the sun had even set this Friday night. Thank God I didn’t have to work tomorrow. I briefly considered going the hair-of-the-dog route and sucking back a vodka cran while zoning out on Netflix, but then my phone rang, crashing me back to reality. Ugh… Dad flashed on the screen. I should’ve just gotten it over with and spoken to him, but I didn’t have the energy. Nonetheless, allowing myself to avoid the stress speaking to my father would inevitably cause reminded me of the other thing I needed to do that I’d been avoiding all afternoon. Laundry. One of my least-favorite tasks—mostly because it required me to sit downstairs in my building’s dingy basement laundry room. Up until a few months ago, I would start my laundry and come back forty-five minutes later to make the switch to the dryer. But that practice had come to a halt after one of my loads went missing—an entire load of wet bras and underwear. Who the hell stole wet clothes? At least nab dry ones. Nevertheless, it was an expensive lesson, and now I didn’t leave the basement until my clothes were washed and dried. Sighing, I begrudgingly went to the bedroom, where my suitcase still sat on the bed, and unzipped it. I’d packed a linen skirt on top that I hadn’t wound up wearing, and I figured I’d hang it in the bathroom and hope the wrinkles worked themselves out over the course of a couple of steamy showers. I hated ironing almost as much as I hated doing laundry downstairs. But when I flipped open the top of the suitcase, my linen skirt wasn’t on top. At first I thought my bag must’ve been selected for search, and things hadn’t been put back in order… Though the wingtip shoe I lifted was most definitely not mine. Shit. I rummaged through the suitcase in a panic. Slacks, running clothes, a men’s dress shirt… A sickening feeling washed over me, and I scrambled to look at the luggage tag. I’d never filled out the identification card inside, but the leather had my initials embossed on the outside. And this one…had no initials. Crap. Crap. Crap. I’d grabbed the wrong bag off the luggage carousel. I started to sweat. All of my makeup was in that bag! Not to mention a week’s worth of my best outfits and shoes. I needed to get it back. Rushing to the kitchen, I grabbed my cell from the charger on the counter and Googled the number for the airline. After wading through a half-dozen prompts, I reached a recording. “Thank you for calling American Airlines. Due to unprecedented call volume, your estimated wait time is approximately forty-one minutes.” Forty-one minutes! I blew out a rush of air. Great. Just great. In the meantime, while I waited on hold on speakerphone, listening to staticky music, it hit me that whoever’s luggage I had might very well have mine. I hadn’t even checked the luggage tag to see if, unlike mine, the identification information was filled in. I zipped back down the hall to my bedroom. Bingo! Donovan Decker—kind of a cool name. And he lived here in the city! Thankfully, Donovan even had his phone number listed. It couldn’t be that easy, could it? I doubted it, but considering I still had forty minutes before I could speak to someone at the airline, I wasn’t losing much for trying. So I swiped to end my call. I started to punch in the numbers on the tag, and then decided to hit *67 first to make my number private. With my luck, the guy wouldn’t have my luggage, but he’d be a total creeper. I was caught off guard when a man’s deep voice answered on the first ring. I hadn’t yet figured out what I was going to say. “Uhhh. Hi. My name is Autumn, and I think I might have your luggage.” “That was quick. I just hung up with you guys two minutes ago.” He must’ve thought I was calling from the airline. “Oh, no. I don’t work for American. I traveled home this morning and must’ve grabbed the wrong bag at JFK.” “What are your initials?” “My initials?” “Yeah, you know, the first letter of your first name and the first letter of your last name.” I rolled my eyes. “I know what initials are. I just don’t understand why you would ask—Oh! Does that mean you have my luggage? I have my initials embossed on the luggage tag.” “That depends on what your initials are, Autumn. The first letter matches.” “My initials are AW.” “Well, then it seems you are indeed the thief who clipped my luggage.” Sure, I hadn’t checked my luggage tag, but it offended me that he was calling me a thief. “Wouldn’t we both be thieves? Since you’re in possession of my luggage?” “I only took yours because it was the last one left rotating around the carousel. You see, unlike you, I checked the luggage tag the first time it passed, and when I saw it wasn’t mine, I left it for the rightful owner to claim. But the line at baggage customer service was twenty deep, and I had a meeting I was already late for. So I took the one I have hostage until the airline could sort it out.” My shoulders slumped. “Oh. Sorry.” “It’s fine. Are you here in the City?” “I am. Could we possibly meet to swap bags?” “Sure. When and where? I’m out now, but I’ll be back in an hour or two.” The tag had an address on the Upper East Side, but I lived on the West Side, farther downtown. “Could we meet at the Starbucks on 80th and Lex?” That was closer to him, but at least I’d only have to drag the suitcase onto one subway. “I can’t think of any excuse not to. What time?” That was sort of a weird way to phrase a yes, and the way he emphasized the word excuseseemed odd. But hey, I was getting my bag back. So what if he turned out to be a little strange? At least I’d hidden my phone number, and we were meeting in a public place. “How about eight?” “I’ll see you then.” It sounded like he was about to hang up. “Wait…” I said. “How will I know it’s you?” “I’ll be the one holding your luggage, Autumn W.” I chuckled. “Oh, yeah. Sorry…long week in Vegas.” I bent and lifted the shoe from the top of the bag. Ferragamo. Expensive. And big, too. A quick peek revealed it was a size thirteen. The inner teenager in me couldn’t help but think big feet, big…. Plus, the guy had a deep, sexy voice. I would definitely be exploring more of the dude’s luggage after we hung up. “I’ll meet you at eight,” he said. “See you then.” I was just about to swipe my phone off when something hit me. Oh God! “Hello? Wait…are you still there?” It took a heartbeat or two, but the sexy voice came back on the line. “What’s up?” “Ummm… Did you…open my bag?” “I unzipped it at the airport to make sure it wasn’t mine when I noticed the luggage tag initials.” “Did you…see anything?” “There was a pink thong on top, so that pretty much sealed the deal that it didn’t belong to me. But I didn’t rummage through, if that’s what you’re asking.” I forgot I’d shoved that thong in at the last minute. It had been at the back of a drawer when I’d checked the hotel room one last time on my way out. But I’d take him seeing my underwear over the other stuff inside my bag. I blew out a sigh of relief. “Okay, that’s great. Thank you. I’ll see you at eight at Starbucks.” “Whoa. Hang on a second—not so fast. You sounded pretty nervous that I might’ve gone through your bag. Are you hiding something sinister in there? I’m not going to be walking around with a suitcase full of drugs or something, am I?” I cracked a smile. “No, definitely not. I just…I’d prefer if you didn’t go through it.” “Did you rummage through mine?” I glanced at the shoe in my hand. Taking out one measly piece of footwear wouldn’t be considered rummaging, right? Nah. “No, I didn’t.” “Are you planning on it?” he asked. I had no idea what the man looked like, yet I could tell by his voice that he was smiling now. “Nope,” I lied. “Alright. Then we have a deal. I won’t go through your bag, and you won’t go through mine.” “Okay. Thank you.” “Do I have your word on that, Autumn W? I might have some things I’d prefer you didn’t see in there.” “Like what?” He chuckled. “See you at eight.” After we hung up, I tossed the shoe back into the suitcase and bent to close it. But as I reached for the zipper, my curiosity got the best of me. Was he just screwing with me, or did he really have something in here he didn’t want me to see? Of course, I knew what I had in mine, which made me extra curious. I shook my head and started to pull the zipper closed. About halfway, I laughed out loud. Who was I kidding? Now that I didn’t have laundry to do, I had almost a full two hours to kill before I met Mr. Bigfoot. This suitcase would taunt me all that time. I’d most certainly give in eventually, so why not put myself out of that misery and just take a little look-see inside now? Then I’d be able to relax. He’d never know I hadn’t lived up to my end of the bargain. Not to mention, for all I knew, he was elbow deep in my suitcase right now. In that case, it would only be fair that I got to go through his, right? I nibbled my lip for a few seconds as a wave of guilt washed over me. But I quickly forced that out of my mind. Of course I’m right. Feeling justified now, I unzipped the suitcase and took a minute to mentally note how everything was packed: a white dress shirt was folded on top, and two shoes were set on either side, heels facing up. I carefully unpacked those and placed them on the bed next to the suitcase in the same order. The next layer had more folded clothes: two expensive dress shirts, a pair of sweats, boxer briefs, and a few T-shirts, one of which had something emblazoned on the front—familiar lettering that began HA—so I unfolded it to see what it said. Harvard Law. Ugh. One of those. No wonder he could afford Ferragamo shoes. Underneath the pile of clothes was a white laundry bag—the kind a hotel gives you to put your dry cleaning in, but most people used it to separate their dirty clothes. With no desire to sort through smelly socks, I started to fold the clothes back into the suitcase, feeling a twinge of disappointment. But when I smoothed out the layers of the pile, I felt something lumpy and hard underneath in the plastic laundry bag. So I took the clothes back out and looked inside, hoping to find…I’m not sure what. Though what I found was definitely not what I expected. The bag was filled with at least twenty or thirty of those little shampoo bottles hotels give out. Actually, a closer inspection revealed some were conditioner and a few were moisturizer. Buried on the very bottom were also three little sewing kits and half-a-dozen toothbrushes wrapped in plastic—the kind you could get at the front desk of a hotel when you forgot yours. What the heck had Mr. Bigfoot done? Rob a housekeeping cart? This kind of stuff, though a lesser quantity, is what you’d usually find in my suitcase since I was broke all the time. But it wasn’t the type of thing you’d expect in the suitcase of a man who had gone to Harvard and wore seven-hundred-dollar dress shoes. Now I was even more curious to meet Donovan Decker.
***
I arrived at Starbucks almost twenty minutes early, so I went online to treat myself to a flat white with honey almond milk. Even ordering it had me salivating, thinking about the sweet, creamy drink. Expensive coffee was my indulgence, but it didn’t happen too often with the five-dollar price tag and my skimpy budget. I stood at the end of the counter, waiting for my drink and mindlessly scrolling on my phone, when a man walking through the front door caught my attention. Oh, wow. Now that was one good-looking man. Describing him as merely tall, dark, and handsome didn’t cut it, not by a mile. Jet-black hair framed a magnificent face with a chiseled, masculine bone structure, full lips, and a Romanesque nose. I wasn’t the only one to notice, either. I watched as the Adonis took a step back outside to hold the door open for a woman exiting the store, and the poor lady caught one glimpse of him and literally tripped over her own feet. Seemingly oblivious that he’d caused the incident, he extended a hand to help her up, flashed a killer smile, and strolled inside. His bright blue eyes scanned the room, stopping right on my ogling ones. Embarrassed at being caught, I quickly diverted my attention back to my phone. A few seconds later, I was still pretending to be enraptured by my screen when footsteps came to a halt in front of me. I glanced up and blinked a few times. The guy from the door flashed a crooked smile. “Were you able to control yourself?” My forehead wrinkled. “Excuse me?” His eyes danced with mirth, and his voice lowered. “I bet you couldn’t.” I stared at him for an awkward moment before finally shaking my head. “What on Earth are you talking about?” The man’s brows furrowed. “We made a deal, remember? I wouldn’t go through yours, if you didn’t touch mine?” I’d watched the man walk in, stood right in front of him staring for at least a solid minute, and it took until nowfor me to notice he had something in his hand. “Oh my God. You have my suitcase!” He laughed but still looked perplexed. “What did you think I was talking about?” “I…I don’t know. I was thoroughly confused.” “I thought you saw me walk in.” I did. But I hadn’t made it past your face. “No, I hadn’t noticed. Sorry. I guess I was just zoning out.” The barista behind the counter yelled my name. I was glad for an excuse to put some distance between this guy and me. I needed a moment to gather my wits. Though when I returned, I still felt a little off-kilter. “Thank you for meeting me to swap suitcases,” I said. “I’m really sorry I took the wrong one.” “No problem.” I rolled his case forward and released the handle. But the Adonis didn’t do the same. In fact, he pulled my bag closer to his side. “Before we switch…” He tilted his head and studied my face. “I’m curious to know if you kept your word.” I mimicked his pose and tilted my head. “What if I say I didn’t?” “Well, then you’d have to pay a penalty for violating the terms of our deal.” I raised a brow, intrigued. “A penalty?” He nodded. “That’s right. There’s a penalty.” I laughed as I lifted my coffee for a sip. “I just got back from a girls’ weekend in Vegas. Pretty sure this overpriced drink just used up the last five dollars in my bank account.” “I wasn’t referring to a monetary penalty.” “What kind of a penalty, then?” He stroked the stubble on his chin for a moment. “You’d have to have coffee with me.” Did this guy really think that would be a hardship? I debated how to answer. If I told the truth, it would be embarrassing. I mean, I went through the man’s personal belongings. But the flipside was I’d get to check him out some more over coffee. Then again, I’d be agreeing to spend time with a complete stranger. Though…whenever I met a guy online, I usually met him at a coffeehouse, and I probably knew more about this guy after going through his suitcase than I would from an online chat. Not to mention, none of my online dates had looked like Donovan Decker lately. In fact, none had made it further than coffee in a while. Adonis had been watching my face as I debated my answer. His smirk made me think he already knew I’d checked out his bag. So, what the hell? I stood tall and met his stare. “Was the lady from housekeeping harmed in the robbery?” His eyes narrowed for a heartbeat, but then a giant smile spread across his face. He held his hand out toward the seating area. “After you, Autumn W.” ★★★
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AUTHOR BIO
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall StreetJournal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
Title: Open Lanes Series: Mooseheads Hockey #1 Author: Mary Morano
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance Release Date: July 1, 2021
BLURB
Brayden My dream has always been to go pro, but in that dream, she’s standing beside me. I messed up my chance once before but now I have a second chance. Just like on the ice, I will do anything I can to win. This time I’m playing for keeps.
Nicole He tortured me through High School, followed me across the country to college, and now I am stuck in a car with him for five long days. All I want to do is get home and go back to pretending he doesn’t exist. If only my stupid hormones would get on board with the plan.
For the first time, the precarious situation that I found myself in really hit home. I was a 20-year-old female, walking down the side of an empty highway with no help in sight—talk about the beginning of every serial killer movie ever made. I couldn’t even alert anyone to where I was, or the fact I wasn’t on my flight back home as planned. It would be hours before anyone even knew I was missing. Whoever was in this car heading toward me could rape, kill, and chop me up into little pieces to feed to the bears in the woods before anyone even knew something was amiss. I started walking a little faster, knowing there was no way I was going to outrun this car, and there was nowhere to run to anyway. There wasn’t even anywhere to hide. I was in the middle of nowhere on a highway surrounded by nothing but flat open land for miles in either direction. I felt my anxiety starting to ramp back up. Taking slow deliberate breaths, I counted down backwards from twenty, allowing my body to calm itself down enough that I was able to find some semblance of control. I couldn’t panic right now because that would leave me no chance for survival. In an effort to distract myself, I focused on the fact that if I did disappear, they will blame Señor Prick, since he was the last person anyone saw me with. Then he would have to spend the rest of his life in jail thinking about how he could have saved my life. That was the least he deserved if I died right now. I’d be dead and eaten, what did I care if he was wrongly accused? I’m not bitter or anything. The sounds of the car grew closer, and I heard the beat of the music playing from inside. I started walking faster, not paying attention to the fact that my suitcase was like a big yellow flag screaming ‘look at me.’ I heard the car tires hit the gravel behind me, as it pulled to the side and slowed down. It was close—too close for comfort if I had to be honest. This wasn’t looking good. I hope they at least put a good picture of me on the missing person posters, not my god-awful high school graduation picture like they tended to use on those things. The profile picture on my Instagram would be my first choice, I hope someone suggests that to them. I heard the car stop, and the window squeak as it rolled down, before a deep voice called out. “Hey, do you need some help?” I kept walking, not wanting to make it easier than it would already be for him to kill me. I really hoped he wasn’t a sadist, choosing to prolong my death by torturing me and hope he just kills me quickly. I really didn’t think I could survive torture, even papercuts made me cry. I kept walking, picking up the pace once more so I was practically running away. Behind me I heard the dinging sound a car makes when the door is opened, and the car is still running. Great, he was getting out. Now he was going to chase me. Yes, I kept myself in shape, but to be honest, the only running I ever did was when I was late for class, and that usually ended with me being bent over wheezing. My situation was quickly going from bad to worse. “Hey, I know you can hear me. I won’t hurt you; I just don’t feel comfortable leaving a female on the side of the road. Can I give you a ride somewhere?” The voice behind me asked. I snorted at his statement before yelling back over my shoulder. “I’m pretty sure all serial killers want you to believe they won’t hurt you. Then they chop you up and leave you in the mountains for bears to eat. No, thank you, I don’t plan on being bear food today!” Suddenly, a deep laugh rang out behind me. I stopped, was he laughing at me? What kind of serial killer did that? Isn’t he supposed to be chasing me? Maybe he doesn’t want to exert the energy yet to chase me? Or maybe this is all part of his sick twisted game. His laughter continued behind me as my annoyance ticked up a notch. What. The. Hell. Hands on my hips, I spun around to tell him off, only to stare into a very familiar, and very unwelcome face. Casually standing in front of me, with his thumbs hooked in his jean pockets as he relaxed back against the hood of his black SUV was none other than Brayden Montgomery. Fucking Brayden.
Mary is a single mom who decided to take her own advice and follow her dreams of being an author. She’s a New York Islanders Fan and can be often found driving her kids to one of their many sports activities. She enjoys reading, and watching Harry Potter, Avengers Movies, and SVU. You can find her on social media, and she would love to hear from you!
