Title: Love Like No Other A Small-Town Jilted-Bride Romance Series: Alondra Valley #2 Author: Jenna Hartley
Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance Release Date: August 24, 2022
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I’m secretly falling for Penny, but she has no idea who I really am.
She came to my small town to get married and to be closer to her idol—her fellow romance author, Meghan Hart.
But when Penny’s fiancé left her at the altar, she needed an escape. One I was more than willing to provide. It was supposed to be for one night, but it turned into something more.
The problem? I’m Meghan Hart.
Now I have to decide whether to trust Penny with my secret or let her go for good.
Jenna Hartley writes romance about strong women and the men who dare to love them. Her stories feature sexy, sweet, and laughable moments that reflect real love. When she’s not reading or writing, Jenna is chasing after her daughter or enjoying another episode of the Great British Bake Off with her husband. She lives in Texas with her family and loves nothing more than a good book and good chocolate.
Axel wants a second chance with the one who got away.
And he’s not going to let her go this time.
Just One Wish, a tantalizing novella set in the Kingston Family world from New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips and 1,001 Dark Nights.
He was her first love. She was his.
They broke up to follow their dreams.
Axel Forrester became a world famous drummer.
Tara Stillman became a veterinarian.
Years later, he’s scrolling social media and sees they’re both in East Hampton, NY.
Fate? Or Coincidence?
What’s a rockstar to do other than borrow his friend’s dog as an excuse to see the good doctor.
And—show up at her office after all this time.
Axel wants a second chance with the one who got away. He’s not going to let Tara go this time.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
Axel Forrester adjusted his sunglasses and leaned back against a lounge chair, grateful for the first warm, summerlike day in June in the Hamptons. Xander Kingston’s dog, Bella, sat by his side.
An extra pair of glasses lay on the table beside him. He picked them up and propped them over the golden retriever’s eyes. “There you go, girl. That’s better, isn’t it?” He patted her on the head, and she stretched out on the ground, leaving the glasses in place.
He tipped his head up to the sky and closed his eyes, enjoying the heat on his face. As a California kid, his first winter in New York had been a huge adjustment. He’d moved here last summer when he’d become the drummer for the Original Kings and had spent the first couple of months bunking at the lead singer Dash Kingston’s house.
Axel learned fast that the band was a tight-knit bunch, all living in Dash’s home. Until a baby scare with a groupie put Dash in need of a fake girlfriend to fix his reputation, and Axel’s sister, Cassidy, had played the role.
Now Cassidy and Dash were married, having wed in front of family and friends this past winter. Axel had rented a house nearby, as had Jagger, the guitar player, and Mac, the bassist. But Axel and the guys spent more time at Dash’s home studio or here at Xander’s than at their own places.
Xander complained about the fact that the band had followed Dash’s lead, making his house their home away from home, but nobody believed Xander really considered them unwanted company. And Sasha, the famous actress Xander had married this past spring, welcomed them, as long as they knocked first.
Given the Kingston family’s dysfunctional background, courtesy of their now deceased father, the fact that four of the five siblings were settled and happy gave a guy like Axel hope that he’d meet the right woman. He was sick of the rock-star lifestyle, the parties after the shows, the groupies, and the drinking. At thirty years old, he wanted a partner for life.
And if he couldn’t find the right woman?
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
I love a second chance story…. and while Just One Wish was a quick read it was really good.
Axel Forrester wasn’t quite what I expected. The guy was really sweet, caring and determined to get a chance with Tara, even after all the time they’d been apart. He’s ready for something more and knows that Tara could be it for him.
Tara Stillman has a settled life that she loves. She doesn’t feel that she needs anything more then she sees Axel again… but can she trust her heart and him or would she be better off alone.
I enjoyed seeing this pair work things out to find their way back to each other.
About the Author
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. The author of 50 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a full time writer. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as a romance club pick and was the first romance on a nationally televised bookclub. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.
The moment he divorced his ex-wife, Jeremiah decided two things.
One, he would never, ever get into that kind of situation again—i.e., marriage.
Two, he would spend more time doing what he loved—baking, riding motorcycles, spending time with the Battle Crows MC, and getting some quiet time for just himself. Pretty much doing the things he enjoyed, that his ex-wife could no longer ruin.
And, months after his divorce was final, he’s held strong.
He hasn’t gotten entangled with a woman. He’s opened his own bakery. And he’s never been closer to his club.
It has to be why he allowed them to have a massive club party at his place, which became the cause of Gracelynn Barry entering his life.
If he’d known Gracie was going to be his employee, he definitely wouldn’t have slept with her.
Yet, there he is, in the middle of an interview, finding out not only was the woman he slept with the most viable applicant for a job he very much needed filled, but that she’d recently broken up with the man he loathed. The second reason he’d divorced his ex-wife. Erich. His ex-stepson.
To say life is simple for Jeremiah would be a joke of epic proportions.
Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Romantic Suspense and has a love for all things romance. Lani is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world…that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
To get in touch, like her on Facebook, tweet her or sign up for her newsletter ~ check out Lani’s Contact page.
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance Release Date: August 22, 2022
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From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
The day I showed up to Dax Moody’s sprawling home, I had no idea what was coming. As a traveling massage therapist, I was used to entering the houses of strangers. But this assignment was different from any before it. From the outside, I’d correctly assumed the owner was rich. What Ididn’t realize was that he would be younger than I’d imagined, single, stunningly gorgeous, and mysterious. Despite the fact that Dax had booked a massage, it never actually happened, since our first appointment was unexpectedly cut short by a comedy of errors. Certain I’d never see him again after that day, I’d done nothing but think about the captivating man. To my surprise, he called a second time. That appointment, we talked a lot, developing a stronger connection. But once again, there was no actual massage. The man I now affectionately called “Moody” kept calling me to come back. It took three times before I finally gave him the massage he’d ordered. Let’s just say it was challenging to keep things professional. I was extremely attracted to Dax, and by that time, I was falling hard. Eventually, I’d find out why he’d been so aloof, the reason why he and I could never be together. Our story was supposed to end there, but it didn’t. Instead, I was left perpetually longing for a forbidden man.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
London Kelly is in love with her best friend and has been for years.
Too bad he’s an adorably clueless idiot who a) just doesn’t see what everyone else sees and b) abides by the rule of ‘don’t screw the crew’s sisters, daughters, or exes.’ And since London’s dad is his fire captain, that puts her firmly in the do not touch category.
Then one night, London decides to throw caution to the wind and kisses him, finding her unequivocally placed in the friend zone.
That’s when London decides that maybe it’s time to move on.
Except fate decides to have the last laugh, calling Luca to the scene of a fire at the very same restaurant where London is on a secret blind date, bringing him face-to-face with the reality that he could lose his girl.
Suddenly all bets are off.
Besides, bending the rules isn’t the same as breaking them… right?
***
USA Today Bestselling Author BJ Harvey brings you Rule Bender – Book 4 and the last book in a spin-off to the Cook Brothers steamy rom-com series featuring first responders in Chicago who are fighting the good fight and also finding love at the same time. This series can be read as a standalone and is set in the same world as the Bliss and Cook Brothers series before it.
“I’m not a child, Luc,” London pipes up. I look down at her mascara-smudged glare, my annoyance level dropping at the sight that’s more hilarious and adorable than menacing.
“Never said you were, Lonnie.”
“I prefer being called beautiful,” she grumbles.
I take a step forward and lift the clean corner of the towel and gently wipe around her mouth, my lips twitching as I look down at her gorgeous face. “Beautiful, you’re a cute drunk but you’re also a messy one, especially when you share your liquor with my turnouts and boots.” She giggles and my anger disappears completely. “I’m trusting Brock to—”
“Perfect Brock.”
The corner of my mouth tips up. “I ain’t calling him that, beautiful. You know there isn’t a man on earth that’ll ever be good enough for my girl.”
Her breath catches, a soft moan vibrating in her chest as her eyes flutter closed before slowly opening again.
“But I want you to go home, grab some water and some Tylenol, and go to bed. I’ll take care of your car and will come get you tomorrow on the way to lunch at my parents’, yeah?”
She stares at me for a good long while, but when the truck’s horn sounds, I know I’ve got to get a move on. “Can you do that for me, Lonnie?”
“Yes, Luc,” she nods, slowly at first then more enthusiastically.
“Good girl,” I say, earning a beaming, blinding smile this time. “And make sure you text me when you get home. Can you do that for me, beautiful?”
After she nods again, I lean in and touch my lips to her temple, ignoring how right it feels.
Before leaving her, I pin Perfect Brock with a knowing glare. “Straight home, man. I’m trusting you with something precious to me here.”
He tilts his head, rubbing his chin and studying me. “I can’t work out if you’re an idiot or you just don’t see it,” he says, pulling London snugly into his side. He looks to Cohen. “C’mon. You see it too, right?”
Cohen purses his lips and shrugs, not exactly denying it.
“What the fuck?” I ask.
He leans in and lowers his voice. “One date with this woman and I already know she’s someone special.”
I grind my teeth together so hard my jaw aches.
“And I don’t owe you anything, especially not after your friendly disposition tonight. But just so we’re crystal clear, this date stopped being a date when she told me she can’t get over her stupid crush on her best friend, and because I’m a nice guy, a good guy, and not the asshole you seem to think I am, I’ll give you some free advice. You’ve got a choice to make, and you’re gonna have to make it sooner rather than later.”
“Oh yeah? Enlighten me, wise one, who seems to know everything about my girl here.”
His eyes flash. “You can either open your eyes to what’s right in front of you and how good it could be, or you can let her go so she can get over you and find a man who’ll give her the world she desperately wants from you.”
Then, like he hasn’t just laid me out where I stand, he carefully turns London around and walks her down the sidewalk away from us, leaving me standing there wondering what the hell just happened.
Excerpt #2
Stepping forward, I reach for the tie hanging from my brother’s fingers, running through the steps of tying a Windsor knot in my head.
Then, in what must look hilarious to anyone looking in, four grown men and a teenager, try—and fail—to get the ties to look right. Of course, Val, London, and my dad just sit back and laugh at us until I shoot desperate puppy-dog eyes to my best friend.
“Please, Lonnie. Help a bestie out? My ties are usually the already tied type,” I explain, not missing the snorts from the guys and Dad’s disappointed groan. I bat my lashes at London in one final plea. She sighs, then seems to take pity on me. She crosses the room, her eyes dancing with humor as she bats my uncoordinated hands out of the way and gets to work. I smile at the deep concentration on her face, and my chest warms when the tip of her tongue darts out to touch the corner of her mouth as she twists and folds and threads the material through the loop.
The problem is, when she lifts her eyes to mine just as she slides the knot up to my neck, there’s this moment where the whole world stands still, and it’s like we’re the only two people left moving. I notice gold flecks in her deep blue eyes that I’ve never seen before. My gaze drops to the perfectly curved Cupid’s bow on her top lip.
My head goes a little fuzzy, and I have what I can only think of as an out-of-body experience because it feels right far too right. Like it’s not just my best friend smoothing her palm down my chest making sure the tie is perfect.
As if sensing my confusion, Lonnie jerks her chin up. Her eyes lock with mine before she quickly steps away, and the moment is gone as she slowly makes her way down the line of groomsmen, helping them, one by one, too.
But I’m frozen in my spot, my heart racing as I try to comprehend what the hell just happened.
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
This was a great end to the series.
I loved London and how she felt about Luca… lordy, everybody but the man himself could see how good they were together and that they were all but an ‘official’ couple because they did just about everything together…
I liked the fact that London tried it move on, how sweet a guy her date turned out to be when she outed herself and how the fact that seeing London with another guy made Luca realise just what he had and was potentially gonna lose.
I got Luca’s concerns and understood where he was coming from to an extent but he needed to start thinking more with his heart and a bit less with his head IMHO.
Catching up with the rest of their group and seeing how they’re doing is always fun. I’m sad the series has come to a close but I’m excited to find out what’s gonna be coming next from B.J.
In The Series:
Book 1: Show Stopper: A Knight in Charming Armor Firefighter Rom Com – FREE for a limited time!
BJ Harvey is the USA Today Bestselling Author of angsty contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and sometimes a little bit of romance suspense. She regards herself as a smut peddler, suspense conjurer, and a funny romance thinker upper. An avid music fan, you will always find her singing some hit song badly and loving every minute of it. She’s a miner’s wife, a mom to two beautiful teenagers, and was born in New Zealand and currently lives in Perth, Australia.
***Smartasses Anthology is available for 99 cents until August 30th!
Keep reading for a look inside Smartasses: a Sexy Nerd Anthology!
NOT JUST A CRUSH by Helena Hunting
The blustery wind pushes me through the door and causes a swirl of flakes to follow me. As soon as I’m clear of the door, she tries to close it. But the wind is strong, and she’s . . . tiny. The kind of tiny I associate with the girl on top of the cheerleader pyramid or those creepy semi-life-sized dolls they sell in department stores. It’s clear she’s using her full weight against the door, yet she’s losing the battle.
I lift a hand over her head—I don’t have to reach high to accomplish that—and push it closed. She stumbles forward a couple of steps, and her toe catches on the doormat. She recovers herself and spins around, her face a shade of pink I associate with embarrassment.
She takes three large steps to the side, putting a few feet of distance between us. She pushes her glasses up her nose and glances from the door to me and back again. “Good fucking God, are you part bear? You’re huge.” Her hands flail around in the air, then find each other, then part again.
“Maybe you’re just small?” I offer.
My breath puffs out in the air with each exhale, and so does hers. It’s freezing in here. Which explains why she’s wearing a parka, a beanie, a scarf, and a pair of giant mittens. All in matching shades of pink. She looks like a chewed-up wad of bubblegum with a face and limbs.
“Having trouble with the fire, then, Princess?” I motion to the hearth where the fire sits unlit.
She crosses her arms. “My name is Dahlia, not princess.”
“Dahlia?” I echo.
I inspect her closer. It can’t be . . .
Dahlia is not a common name. Tiny Dahlias with long, dark wavy hair and almond-shaped eyes so dark it’s nearly impossible to see where her iris ends and her pupils begin seem even more rare. But the odds seem . . . implausible.
“Yeah. Like the flower.” She pushes her glasses up her nose again with her mittened hand and goes back to crossing her arms.
And I stand there, like an idiot, and keep staring. Because it is her.
Dahlia Forest.
Seriously, that’s her name.
And I had the biggest fucking crush on her in high school.
Like seriously, the biggest fucking crush.
But I was on the football team, and she was a mathlete. We ran in different circles. I was a giant asshole with even bigger asshole friends, and she was a gorgeous nerd. One of my best friends back then, who I still talk to now, used to make fun of her all the time. It was juvenile. And dickish. I didn’t participate, but I also didn’t stop him. Which makes me just as bad, if not even worse.
So far, she hasn’t recognized me. It’s been four years. Maybe she won’t recognize me at all. Maybe I wasn’t on her radar in high school. Maybe she was too busy being a fucking genius to notice the jocks. Although she did tutor a couple of my teammates along the way.
I realize I haven’t replied to the whole flower comment or responded in general. “Looks like you had some trouble starting the fire.” I thumb over my shoulder.
“I never got the fire-making badge in Girl Scouts.” I can’t tell if she’s being sarcastic.
“Have you unpacked anything yet?” Man, my conversation skills need a serious workout.
“No, I was too busy trying to earn my fire-making badge.” Her nose is pink from the cold, and her cheeks are already flushed, but the way she ducks her head tells me she’s pretty damn embarrassed by her lack of fire- making ability.
I nod once. “All right. Well, let’s grab your bag and get you out of here.” “Out of here?” she parrots.
“Yeah. I’ll take you back to town. Set you up at the motel.” I take my gloves off because my hands are starting to sweat. The great thing about my jacket is that it keeps me warm in subzero temps. The bad part is that now that I’m no longer facing -30 degrees and a face full of snow, I’m over here sweating my balls off even though it’s pretty freaking frigid in here.
“Motel?” Her nose wrinkles. “Why can’t I stay here?”
“You can, but they’re gonna close the roads soon, and when they do that, you’ll be stuck here until they open them again.”
“Close the roads?” Apparently, she’s trying out for the role of parrot tonight.
“Yeah. Unless you missed it, there’s a blizzard happening out there. We’re getting another twelve to eighteen inches between tonight and tomorrow afternoon. If I don’t get you off the side of this mountain soon, we’re both going to be stuck here until the storm is over and they’ve had a chance to plow the roads.”
“Oh, my God. How long will that be?”
I shrug. “Could be a couple of days, could be a week.”
Now Mother Nature is having the last word—with a secret baby surprise!
Jade Dare has done everything in her power to overcome her mother’s unstable influence. Changed her name. Became a success. Vowed never to risk passing on the potential for inherited pain. What has it gotten her? One fiancé who wanted her for money. A second who cheated on her with his brother’s wife.
Now she’s sworn off men. Or at least off serious relationships. But when the chance to indulge in a one night stand with a man she’s secretly fantasized about arrives, she jumps in. Only to land heart-first into a case of the feels she can’t bring herself to trust.
Knox Sinclair always suspected he liked his brother’s fiancé a little too much, that’s why he kept his hands to himself. But with ties broken and Jade all too willing, a no-strings-attached night sounds like a damned good idea.
Except one night isn’t nearly enough. But while Knox is busy convincing Jade they have a chance at forever, the past is planning one last parting shot.
I’ve said before that I’m not a big fan of millionaire/billionaire characters but it still stands that I’ll happily read Carly Phillips’s work with these kinda leading men.
I thoroughly enjoyed Just One Kiss. I understood Jade’s reticence around relationships and why her mind was set on one night only with Knox. I liked that she was upfront about what she was looking for or prepared to get involved in even if she was gonna miss the chance at a great future when it presented itself.
Knox Sinclair, I really liked this guy. Different from the wastes of space that Jade had previously been in a relationship with, he’s an honest-to-the-gods good guy….. he cared, paid attention and was exactly what Jade needed, even if she couldn’t quite admit it to herself!!
These two have a shared history but they also have a connection and loads of chemistry. Jade thinks one night is gonna be enough when Knox knows they’re meant for so much more together.
I loved Knox’s reaction and actions when things between the pair got serious, there was no doubting where he stood and what he wanted.
The book dealt with a couple of serious issues that were well written and handled realistically.
A solid 4.5* read and another good read in this series.
Meet Carly Phillips:
NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. The author of 50 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a full time writer. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as a romance club pick and was the first romance on a nationally televised bookclub. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter (below) and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.
My Grumpy Billionaire, an all-new must-read romantic comedy full of heat and laughs from New York Timesbestselling author Nadia Lee is available now!
My ex won’t accept that it’s over. He showed up at my divorce-cation in New Orleans at a masquerade ball. Lucky for me, a tall, debonair man in a mask rescued me and swept me away. It. Was. Phenomenal. And yeah, I had a one-night stand. And I’d do it again.
Back in the real world, the ex persists. And while I’m a woman who believes in saving herself, I was relieved when his sexy colleague Griffin jumped in and implied that we were dating to get the jerk to bug off. Of course, now we have to pretend to be dating.
Griffin is the least likely match for me. He’s grumpy and serious. But very. VERY. Hot. And he reminds me of a certain man I met in New Orleans…
Now I’m not sure if we’re faking it, or if the feelings are real, but I see that Griffin is nothing like I thought. And even though he doesn’t want to chat about pleasure augmentation devices with me, he knows how to use them.
But where there’s silicone, there’s scandal. What I didn’t anticipate was that Griffin’s got some scandals of his own.
The guest room Sierra takes me to after dinner faces the master bedroom. The only thing separating us is the hall. And the doors, of course.
It makes sense. If her ex-husband decides to break into the place, I’ll be right here. I don’t think he’s quite that deranged, but then, I didn’t think he had it in him to show up at Sierra’s place drunk, so anything’s possible.
“This is the biggest room, other than mine,” she says, gesturing me in. “You have your own bathroom. It has a tub and a separate shower stall. Fully stocked with body wash and shampoo. I can give you conditioner if you need it. Towels are in there, too. If you need anything else, let me know. You can explore the rest of the house later. There isn’t much except for three rooms on this floor, downstairs, which you already saw, and the basement which you can look at tomorrow. Mi casa es su casa and all that.”
“Okay.” I stop at the sight of the bed. It’s king-size, which is fine, but… “Pink sheets?”
She looks at them. “Fuchsia.”
“Pink.”
“No. They’re fuchsia. Very different. And brand new. Nobody’s ever slept on the bed or the sheets,” she adds, like somehow that makes it better.
It doesn’t. And for some reason, this room, too, smells like apple. Like her.
“Did you spray the place with air freshener?” I ask, breathing shallowly. I’m going to become positively Pavlovian over this damn scent.
She frowns. “I don’t use air freshener. Why? Are you allergic to something in the room? Are you having a reaction?”
She sounds almost too eager as she asks. Does she want me to keel over?
It is possible, I decide. A woman this chirpy and happy must have a dark side nobody knows about to counterbalance all that brightness.
“I have some antihistamine,” she offers, looking up at me helpfully. Like a puppy waiting to be praised. And loved.
My heart feels weird. F*ck. Me. I better not be having a heart attack in a house that smells like apple and a woman who’s driving me crazy with her smile.
“I’m not allergic,” I say, before she decides to order an EpiPen over the Internet. “I just thought the place smells…” Like you. Hot. Sexy. Fresh. Makes me horny. “Funky,” I say, blurting out the first antonym that snaps into my head for what I’ve been thinking.
She looks horrified. “Funky?” She walks around, sniffing. Finally, she stops at the foot of the bed. “I don’t smell anything except fabric softener.”
“You’ve been here for too long. Your nose becomes numb to the scent.” I’d rather drink bleach than tell her I’m feeling horny over the infernal apple scent.
“You’ve been here for a while too. So how come you can smell it?”
“An exceptional nose,” I tell her. “If I were a dog, I would’ve been a bloodhound.”
“Hmm.” She looks skeptical. “Well, if the smell bothers you that much, you can open the windows. Actually, let’s just do that right now. Air the room out a little.” She pushes the curtains—which are in a shade in between purple and pink—aside and opens the windows. “There. That should do it. Now, do you need anything else? Other than an air freshener?”
“No.”
“At least it’s just funky, not skunky,” she jokes.
Is that supposed to make me feel better?
“Good night. And thanks for staying here.” She flashes a sweet smile, then leaves.
The second she closes the door behind her, the room feels empty. I exhale, trying to gain a logical perspective on the situation. My own bedroom is twice as large as this one. There’s no reason to feel so…alone.
I brush my teeth, change into a pair of boxers and slide under the sheets, clicking the bedside lamp off. I put my nose in the sheets and inhale. She must use apple-scented fabric softener, because I can still smell that damned fruit. Just like her shampoo.
At least nothing here smells like silicone d*cks.
My mind doesn’t do pep talks very well.
Right now, I’d rather smell rubbery silicone. The smell of the apple is driving me crazy. I keep thinking about how Sierra looked yesterday in that dress that showed off the sensual lines of her arms and legs.
And was she wearing a bra when we were having dinner downstairs?
Cut that out, I order my unruly mind. There was nothing to see.
Only because the shirt was big. She probably wasn’t wearing a bra. If it were tighter, her nipples would’ve shown through the fabric.
Argh. I turn over and force myself to count sheep.
By the time I reach two hundred and thirty-seven, I give up. It’s no use. Every time I shift and my bare skin touches the sheets, my nerve endings prickle, and my blood heats. My d*ck is painfully hard.
No number of sheep is going to help that.
There’s supposedly this powdered aphrodisiac that’s absorbed through the skin. When you want to seduce somebody, you just find some way to get it on the other person’s body.
Noah told me that after spending some time in a Southeast Asian jungle. He likes to talk about all sorts of asinine things he’s seen and heard after trips he takes to photograph wildlife. There’s no way there’s powdered aphrodisiac sprinkled on the sheets.
Then why are you hard for no reason?
I sigh and run a hand over the sheets. Nothing.
Could be super-fine powder…
I bury my face in the sheets and inhale. If there’s powder, I’ll cough.
But nope. Nothing. I can breathe fine.
However, powdered aphrodisiac or no, the fact that I have a throbbing erection doesn’t change. I know I’m not getting any sleep until I do something about it.
The solution is simple. Jerk off real fast, then roll over and go to sleep. I’ve done it many times before. Just not in a girl’s room that smells like apple p*rn.
I push a hand under the sheets, fist my shaft and move up and down mechanically, the way I always do when I need a quick release.
The expected pleasure builds, but it’s flat. There’s no buildup, no swelling that’s going to push me over the edge. Now it’s worse because my d*ck’s harder, pulsing rapidly, but it isn’t going to let me come.
I raise my head off the pillow and glare at my d*ck in the dark. Just how picky are you?
My p*nis stays silent, but it twitches once. It feels like, F*ck you.
Bastard.
I drop my head back on the pillow and close my eyes, hand still around my c*ck. It shows no sign of settling down. The scent of apple is stronger, and my crotch is throbbing so badly, it’s painful.
Although I’ve been resisting the idea, I know exactly what I need.
About Nadia
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nadia Lee writes sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Born with a love for excellent food, travel and adventure, she has lived in four different countries, kissed stingrays, been bitten by a shark, fed an elephant and petted tigers.
Currently, she shares a condo overlooking a small river and sakura trees in Japan with her husband and son. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading books by her favorite authors or planning another trip.
She drives him crazy and he’s falling crazy in love.
Matchmaking a Single Dad, a hilarious, hot single dad romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank and USA Todaybestselling author Angela Casella writing asAngela Denise, is out now!
They’re all wrong for each other…but sometimes two wrongs do make a right.
Cole
The only woman I need in my life is my eight-year-old daughter, Jane. As a widowed brewery owner, I don’t have the time or inclination for anything more serious than a one night stand. Running the brewery is a big job, and being a parent is a bigger one, especially since my in-laws keep trying to prove I’m an unfit guardian.
But there’s no denying Holly Mayberry drives me crazy with her sassy mouth and attitude. I’ve known her most of my life, but I’ve always done a good job of evading her. Until now. She’s teaching Jane’s after-school computer program, and fate keeps throwing us together.
Holly and I are like oil and water, no good for each other. I need to stop thinking about her, so I agree to beta test a new dating app—one that Holly designed, although she’s the last person I’d tell.
My match and I can only DM each other for thirty days. No photos. No real names. No personal information until the end.
If I wanted more with a woman, Cherry Bomb checks all the boxes…so why can’t I stop thinking about Holly?
Holly
Cole Garrison is a jerk. Or so I’ve told myself for years. The truth is, he’s a DILF and a half, and bickering with him is better than kissing someone else.
Hopefully, the guy I’m chatting up on my dating app will help me forget him…and take his place in my dirty daydreams.
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Keep reading for a look inside Matchmaking a Single Dad!
The door opens, and the teacher sponsoring Tech Time, Mrs. Applebaum, comes in, followed by a boy and three little girls. Four. That’s not so bad. That’s two each for Mikey and me. I give him a we can do this look, but his expression has soured like milk left out too long. Mrs. Applebaum takes care of getting the kids into the room, which is its own brand of chaos, and then she claps her hands, her expression changing from frazzled to upbeat, and says, “There. Now I’ll leave them in your capable hands.”
“Wait,” Mikey says with alarm, rocking on his feet, “you’re not staying?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re quite capable of holding down the fort. I’ll check in with you toward the end.”
“Are you sure—” I start, but I’m cut off by the closing of the door.
“Hi, I’m Eloise,” one of the kids says. She’s a little girl in a button-up shirt with pearl buttons that go up so high I’m surprised it’s not choking her.
Oh, yeah. Introductions. “I’m Holly,” I say, gesturing broadly to Mikey, “and this is Mikey. Why don’t you all pick computer stations?”
“Aren’t we supposed to call you Miss Holly and Mr. Mikey? Or by your last names?” Eloise asks as the kids get seated.
They’ve barely had time to introduce themselves before the door bursts open, revealing a newly harried looking Mrs. Applebaum, followed by none other than Cole Garrison himself and his small, dark-haired daughter, Jane.
“No,” I say reflexively.
“No, what?” Jane asks. “Hey, Dad, that’s the woman you always argue with.”
It’s my turn for murder eyes, only I make them at Cole. Cole, who only got better with age, damn him. His wavy dark hair has been joined by a short, trimmed dark beard that perfectly frames his lips, as if saying, “please kiss here.” Those eyes are as puppy doggish as ever, and now he’s both tall and broad, the kind of man any woman would welcome in her bed. To her detriment. Because he’s still a jerk.
I’ve had a somewhat recent refresher course on his jerkitude, actually. Before I left for New York, I made the monumental mistake of trying to be nice to him, and it’s a tactic I’m not about to reprise.
“Will you be joining us, Jane?” I ask, my tone tight.
Cole mustn’t know the no-swearing-in-a-school rule either, because he curses under his breath. “I didn’t know you were teaching this class,” he says to me. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
“Excuse me,” I say. “I’m very qualified to teach a bunch of eight-year-olds Scratch.”
“It’s basic coding,” I say, glancing back at the other kids. “I’m going to teach y’all to make your own games. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
Please God, let them say yes.
There are a few enthusiastic nods, although Eloise instantly raises her hand again. Sighing, I nod at her. “Yes, Eloise?”
“Will there be a test?”
“No,” I say, “but we’ll be giving a presentation to the rest of the school before Christmas break.”
“Sounds like a test,” Jane mutters.
There’s probably no getting rid of her, and it’s not her fault that I have an issue with her father, so I say, “Why don’t you take a seat?”
She does, choosing the open seat near Mikey.
Cole scratches the back of his neck, looking at her. I guess Mrs. Applebaum is satisfied to have done her part, because she nods and says, “All right. That’s settled then. I’m going to my classroom. I’ll be back at the end of class.”
Does she have a flask in there or something? She seems suspiciously eager to get back to her desk.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” Cole asks. It takes me a second to realize he’s addressing me.
I gesture toward the children. Mikey is regarding them with escalating terror, probably because if I step out, he’ll be left in charge. “Not a great time, to state the obvious.” “Why are you doing that?” Jane asks Mikey, who’s tapping the side of her monitor agitatedly. “Do you have a nervous tic, or is there something wrong with the screen? If there’s something wrong with the screen, you probably shouldn’t have let me sit here.”
He mutters something about this being just like middle school.
“It’ll only take a second,” Cole says, his eyes burning into me. Despite myself, I feel a not unpleasant sense of awareness.
“Fine,” I say begrudgingly. “Mikey, get them to turn on their computers and draw up the program.” It’ll be easier for him to step up if there’s a concrete task to focus on.
I step out into the hall, and Cole takes several steps back, as if he feels the need to constantly keep a minimum distance between us. Fine by me. “What is it?” I ask tersely, shutting the door.
For a second, he just looks at me, and I’m about to lose patience when he finally says, “I know you don’t like me, Holly. But don’t take it out on my daughter.”
He might as well have punched me in the gut.
“Is that what you think of me? You think I’d be a creep to a little girl because she has the misfortune of being related to you? If anything, I’ll be nicer to her to make up for it.”
His expression suggests my shot has landed too, and I’m glad, but only temporarily.
The corner of his lips tip up in a self-deprecating smile that lacks any mirth. “You’re hardly the only person to think it’s her misfortune. I had to say it.”
“Did you?” I ask, tilting my head.
He takes a slight step toward me, as if preparing to tell me off, then says, “Goodbye, Holly.”
In my mind, I think of another day, of a young boy, still on his way toward becoming a man, saying, “I’ll be seeing you, Holly Mayberry.”
How the hell has it come to this?
I watch him go, partly because I want to make sure he really leaves and partly because he does, damn him, have a fine butt. No harm in looking, ladies.
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
This was a fab read…… Holly and Cole seemed to hate each other, but you know what they say abut hate being akin to love……
I loved that we saw their history from both their pov’s so it gave an understanding of why they baited each other as they did. There were a couple of times that I honestly wanted to punch Cole to see if that would rattle some sense into him, but he kinda worked it out for himself after a while….
Holly hid her heart behind her snark. She cared a helluva lot more that she’d like people to believe – especially Cole – and when she did let her guard down you saw the other part of her that rounded out who she was.
I adored Jane, to a certain extent she was kinda like a mini version of what you’d imagine Holly to be when she was younger. Raised by a single dad who let her know that she was his world she was a well adjusted, bright girl with a big heart who was full of sass and so very initiative.. this kid missed nothing!
With a great supporting cast of characters, a few completely detestable individuals – well written ‘cos I honestly disliked them so much – this was a fun read with some sad, a lot of laughs and an unexpected twist or two….
I’m looking forward to more in the series.
About Denise Grover Swank
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten ho uses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.
ANGELA CASELLA loves writing romcoms, particularly with the lovely Denise Grover Swank. They write together as Angela Denise. Angela also writes the Fairy Godmother Agency series. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, daughter, and two geriatric dogs. Her hobbies include herding her daughter toward less dangerous activities, stress baking, and marathon watching TV shows.
About New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank and USA Today bestselling author Angela Casella writing as Angela Denise
ANGELA DENISE is the pen name for the writing duo Angela Casella and Denise Grover Swank.
ANGELA CASELLA loves writing romcoms, particularly with the lovely Denise Grover Swank. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, daughter, and two geriatric dogs. Her hobbies include herding her daughter toward less dangerous activities, stress baking, and marathon watching TV shows.
DENISE GROVER SWANK is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author and has sold over three million books. She indie published her first book, a romance mystery, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes, in 2011. She has since published over fifty novels, multiple novellas and short stories as an indie and with five publishers. She is published in seven languages. She is a single mother to six children and four dogs and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.
Grab your suitcase and prepare for the time of your life in this swoony tale that’s as hot as the tropical destination itself. Fans of runaway brides, close-proximity, one-bed, and friends-to-lovers tropes will fall hopelessly in love with this fling-to-forever romance.
I realize that a social media post isn’t the usual way to secure a date to your honeymoon—for obvious reasons—but here we are.
My wedding was canceled. What’s not canceled is the nonrefundable, ten-thousand-dollar all-inclusive vacation at a luxury resort, and I’m not about to let it go to waste.
I’m packed and ready to hit the beach. ButI can’t deny that it might be more interesting to honeymoon with someone.
Since my track record of picking dates isn’t exactly golden, I’ve done something that I hope I don’t regret. In a moment of weakness—mixed with panic and fueled by margaritas—I agreed to let my friends choose someone to go with me.
It’ll be a blind date / postnuptial vacation—without the nuptials. A few fun days in paradise with no expectations. No obligations.
Before you say, “pick me for a free vacay!” a few things to consider …
The perfect candidate will be single. He won’t talk too much on the plane. And he’ll be able to leave town quickly.
He will also be okay with sharing a bed. It’s a honeymoon suite, after all.
If you want to be considered, email Rebecca and Sara your application at the address below. (Get creative. There’s a free vacation on the line.)
Wheels up next week!
Godspeed, honeymooners.
Grab your suitcase and prepare for the time of your life in this swoony tale that’s as hot as the tropical destination itself. Fans of runaway brides, close-proximity, one-bed, and friends-to-lovers tropes will fall hopelessly in love with this fling-to-forever romance.
About the Author:
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.
Book Loving Pixies 