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
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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.
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 20, 2021
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★ A sexy, small town sports romance from USA Today bestselling author Lex Martin! ★
What’s worse than having Rider Kingston, the star quarterback, give you the big brush-off because he doesn’t want to get serious? You’d probably think living across the street from him where you get a firsthand view of his hookups, right?
That’s what I thought. Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.
I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.
They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.
I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.
As I walk Sienna to her car, she squeals. “Holy crap, is that Rider Kingston?” Without my permission, my gaze slides across the street to the oversized man-child, who has the gall to be moving furniture shirtless while flexing his stupid abs. Judging by the other sweaty minions pouring out of the two story, Rider’s getting new roommates too. My eye twitches again, and my focus snaps back to Sienna. “I thought you said you weren’t a fan of football.” “Oh, I’m not. I can’t sit through an entire game. But I am a fan of football players.” Her gaze turns ravenous as she scans my neighbor’s front lawn. Or, likely, the glistening eight-pack Rider’s put on display. “All that testosterone. Those bulging muscles. That deep, masculine grunting. Oh yeah. Get me one of those!” She cackles, and Rider hears it. Of course he does. Shockingly, he deigns to speak to me. “Hey, Gabby,” he shouts. “How was your summer?” I’m not sure when he decided to stop ignoring me, but that’s better than pretending we’re friends, which we’ll never be. I close my eyes because I don’t need any reminders of his masculine beauty. And I definitely don’t need to see that sexy smirk, the one more powerful than his cannon that took the team to the playoffs last year. No, I’m not interested in the star quarterback. Not anymore. Turning on my heel, I wave my middle finger and march back to my house. Laughter is all I hear as I slam the front door shut behind me.
AUTHOR BIO
Lex Martin is the USA Today bestselling author of the Texas Nights series (Reckless/Shameless) and the Dearest series. She writes contemporary romances, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters. A former high school English teacher and freelance journalist, she’s lived all over the country but currently resides in her hometown of San Antonio with her husband and twin daughters.
Title: Totally Folked Series: Good Folk: Modern Folktales #1 Author: Penny Reid
Genre:Contemporary Romantic Comedy Release Date: July 20, 2021
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One unforgettable night leads to an unlikely shared connection, and unlikely connections never go unnoticed by the good folks in Green Valley, Tennessee. . .
Jackson James follows the rules. He has to. He’s a sheriff’s deputy in a super small town with a super big personality. However, strict adherence to the law during the day has been enjoyably balanced by rakish rules at night. Jackson, typically happy to protect and serve (and serve, and serve), starts questioning the value of wayward evenings when getting laid starts to feel more like being waylaid. Could it be that Green Valley’s most eligible—and notorious—bachelor longs for something (and someone) real?
Mega movie star Raquel Ezra follows only one rule: always leave them wanting more. Studio execs, reporters, audiences, fans, lovers—no one can get enough of the smart, savvy, and sexy bombshell. But when “generous offers” begin to feel more like excessive demands, years of always leaving has the elusive starlet longing for something (and perhaps someone) lasting.
When Raquel abruptly returns to the quirky Tennessee hamlet, her path crosses with the delectable deputy with whom she spent one unforgettable night. Unfortunately, scandal and intrigue soon follow. Raquel and Jackson must decide which is more important: following their rules? Or, at long last, finding something real.
TOTALLY FOLKED is a standalone, contemporary romantic comedy novel and book #1 in the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 20, 2021
BLURB ★ A sexy, small town sports romance from USA Today bestselling author Lex Martin! ★
What’s worse than having Rider Kingston, the star quarterback, give you the big brush-off because he doesn’t want to get serious? You’d probably think living across the street from him where you get a firsthand view of his hookups, right?
That’s what I thought. Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.
I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.
They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.
I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.
As I walk Sienna to her car, she squeals. “Holy crap, is that Rider Kingston?” Without my permission, my gaze slides across the street to the oversized man-child, who has the gall to be moving furniture shirtless while flexing his stupid abs. Judging by the other sweaty minions pouring out of the two story, Rider’s getting new roommates too. My eye twitches again, and my focus snaps back to Sienna. “I thought you said you weren’t a fan of football.” “Oh, I’m not. I can’t sit through an entire game. But I am a fan of football players.” Her gaze turns ravenous as she scans my neighbor’s front lawn. Or, likely, the glistening eight-pack Rider’s put on display. “All that testosterone. Those bulging muscles. That deep, masculine grunting. Oh yeah. Get me one of those!” She cackles, and Rider hears it. Of course he does. Shockingly, he deigns to speak to me. “Hey, Gabby,” he shouts. “How was your summer?” I’m not sure when he decided to stop ignoring me, but that’s better than pretending we’re friends, which we’ll never be. I close my eyes because I don’t need any reminders of his masculine beauty. And I definitely don’t need to see that sexy smirk, the one more powerful than his cannon that took the team to the playoffs last year. No, I’m not interested in the star quarterback. Not anymore. Turning on my heel, I wave my middle finger and march back to my house. Laughter is all I hear as I slam the front door shut behind me.
AUTHOR BIO
Lex Martin is the USA Today bestselling author of the Texas Nights series (Reckless/Shameless) and the Dearest series. She writes contemporary romances, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters. A former high school English teacher and freelance journalist, she’s lived all over the country but currently resides in her hometown of San Antonio with her husband and twin daughters.
Title: Inked Obsession Series: Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins #2 Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 20, 2021
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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
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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 Romantic Comedy Release Date: July 19, 2021
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Ladies, you’ve never had a first date quite like this. He’s a billionaire. Desperately handsome Wildly charismatic.
In fact, a certain article of clothing of mine has gotten quite damp. Except… It’s not the good kind of damp. Actually, I’m suddenly very, very wet. Oh no.
I’ve left out something important. I’m nine months pregnant. Don’t ask about the father. I’d rather forget.
But I’m sitting in the fanciest restaurant you can imagine. Opposite the man of my dreams. It’s our first time alone together. The start of something spectacular. And… My water just broke. ___
Tasty Mango is a standalone romantic comedy about going into labor on a first date with a billionaire, the ensuing hilarity (and pushing) in a very expensive limo, and trying to manage a new relationship with the world’s most eligible bachelor while cleaning spit up out of your hair.
I’ve always pictured this moment. Me, in a little black dress. My hair swept into a perfect chignon. An exclusive restaurant filled with elegant diners.
China clinks. Crystal glasses gleam on linen tablecloths.
Seated opposite me is the ideal man. Tall, dark, handsome.
Custom suit. Gold cufflinks. He’s charming and witty. Wildly successful in business. And he only has eyes for me.
It could have been the greatest first date of my life. Except.
My belly is too big to let me pull up to the table properly.
The baby is kicking like crazy for me to eat something — NOW.
And a funny trickle of wetness is forming deep in the recesses of my panties.
And not the good kind. Am I peeing myself?
“Havannah, are you okay?” Donovan McDonald pauses, his water goblet halfway to his lips. He’s a gentleman, so he’s not drinking wine since I can’t.
His eyes are on me, his thick brows knitted in concern. His gaze dips to the table’s edge, where I’m hunched, trying to hide my bump. I’m desperately trying to appear like a normal date from the chest up.
“Perfect!” I say, keeping my voice as chipper as possible. I shift on the chair, making sure my legs are hidden by the tablecloth. I spread my knees in hopes that I can air dry.
Pregnancy is a beast.
But I have a few days to go until I’m due, and I hear first babies are always late. I’ve vowed to be nothing but chic and put together on this date. He’ll see my elegance, my poise —
Uh oh. Another squirt of wetness slips out.
How can this be? I peed right before I came. I’m not coughing, or laughing too hard, or sneezing.
I push my cloth napkin under the tablecloth and shove it up under my dress. Sorry, fancy restaurant. I’m stealing this. It’s an emergency.
To be honest, if I had known what was about to go down, I would have left right then.
But I didn’t.
And you’re not going to believe what happens next.
AUTHOR BIO
JJ Knight is the USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic comedy including Single Dad on Topand Big Pickle.
Title: The Grumpy Player Next Door Series: Copper Valley Fireballs #3 Author: Pippa Grant
Genre: Romantic Comedy Release Date: July 8, 2021
BLURB
An enemies-to-lovers / sports / grumpy-sunshine / neighbor romance
I, Tillie Jean Rock, am not in love with my brother’s teammate. Sure, he might have those biceps and that “I am the grouchiest of grouchy bears” smolder, and he might shovel snow off his driveway next door wearing nothing but boxer shorts and rubber boots, and he might be running a side business feeding all the stray goats in town, but studliness is only skin-deep.
And I might flirt with him every chance I get, but I swear it’s only to annoy my brother.
And him.
Because Max Cole?
Under all of those glorious muscles and chiseled cheekbones and searing glares beats the heart of a heartless devil.
I could no sooner fall in love with a guy who treats me like a kid, and judges me at every opportunity, and sets an army of garden gnomes loose on my yard, than I could fall in love with my grandfather’s pet parrot.
But I can definitely annoy him. I can one hundred percent get on board with annoying him.
That’s what you do when you don’t like your neighbor, right?
But you know what they say about love and hate…
It’s a very thin line.
Especially when the real reason I’m not in love with Max Cole—that he’s incapable of love—might not be true at all.
The Grumpy Player Next door is a fun-filled enemies-to-lovers romcom featuring a ray of sunshine on a mission, an athlete who’s only grouchy around her, and an epic prank gone wrong. It stands alone and comes complete with small-town shenanigans, a goat who’s not nearly as wise as his name suggests, and proof that sometimes, love is the best kind of vengeance.
There’s a fine art to revenge, and today, I am arting the hell out of it. I’m talking cackles of glee, evil cartoon overlord-style, rubbing my hands together while bouncing on my toes. Reminding myself to shut up because my brother will be home from his morning workout any minute now, and I don’t want to tip my hand when he doesn’t know I’m waiting for him here in his house up on the mountainside. You would think he would’ve learned to engage his security system more often by now. But he hasn’t, which means I’m here, armed and dangerous and ready, and I’m cackling with glee all over again. I know, I know. Is this really how you want to pay him back for having a box labeled “dildos” delivered to you at your parents’ house in the midst of all the pre-wedding activities for your other brother last week? Yes, actually. Yes, it is. It’s payback time. Also? I have zero doubt Cooper will have mad respect that I’m doing this. Sort of like while I was pissed when he replaced my coffee beans with roasted goat poop before he left for spring training nine months ago, I very much respected that he pulled it off, even if I wasn’t pleased at having to admit that that was the prank that took him over the top to win in our annual off-season prank war. But this winter? This winter, my brother Cooper “Stinky Booty” Rock is going down. The universe told me so. Why else would it have hand-delivered that video into my social media stream to inspire me right after I finished figuring out where to donate an unopened box of dildos? I cackle again. And then I slap my hand over my mouth. He’s home. There’s his dark head, bent toward the knob, beyond the tempered glass panel beside his front door. He’s dressed in Fireballs red, which is more orange than it is red, and he’s probably worn out from lifting at the gym. Yesterday was cardio day. I know, because he ran past Crusty Nut, our dad’s restaurant where I’m the manager five days a week, at least two dozen times without stopping in once to say hi. I haven’t seen him since the wedding several days ago, which either means he’s avoiding me and the revenge he knows I owe him, or he has a stick up his butt and has forgotten the little people. Or, possibly, he’s distracted, in which case, he needs this. I squat into position at the top of the stairs, as hidden as I can be while still seeing my target, Nerf blaster locked and loaded, waiting while he fumbles with his keys. For the record? It’s not easy to hide at the top of a curved staircase. I’m on my belly now, half-angled behind the wall of the hallway to his guest bedrooms, peering between the slats of the banister, hoping all my target practice pays off. Steady, TJ. This is what you trained for. The lock clicks. I flatten myself lower and take aim. The door swings open. Dark hair in the foyer. Go go go. I squeeze the trigger, sending a rapid blast of modified foam darts at the six balloons floating in the space above the door. The needle sticking out barely an eighth of an inch in the tip of the first dart connects. One helium balloon pops. Then two more, followed by the fourth and fifth. The sixth shifts after getting hit, like it’s a tough guy balloon. It’s the ninja of balloons, and it doesn’t want to participate in my dastardly plans today, but that’s okay. The other balloons are bursting in a sparkly, shiny, beautiful pink glitter spray that’s splattering on the walls, exploding from its nylon shell and raining down like a spring shower, coating the walls, making the air sparkle, and dusting all that dark hair as Cooper’s lifting his head. “What the—” And in the span of a heartbeat, before he can finish that sentence, I realize my mistake. My terrible, horrible, very bad miscalculation. If I were a superhero, I’d be sucking all that glitter into my lungs and redirecting it into my brother’s bedroom, which is likely what I should’ve done in the first place—hindsight, right?—but I didn’t. This was so much more dramatic and didn’t risk me having to find out which local he’s screwing around with in his spare time, as she’d be coated in glitter too after rolling around in his sheets, except my prank has failed. It has failed spectacularly. “Oh my god,” I gasp. That’s not Cooper. That is so not Cooper.
Pippa Grant is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes romantic comedies that will make tears run down your leg. When she’s not reading, writing or sleeping, she’s being crowned employee of the month as a stay-at-home mom and housewife trying to prepare her adorable demon spawn to be productive members of society, all the while fantasizing about long walks on the beach with hot chocolate chip cookies.
There is a giveaway for Grumpy Player Next Door Book Box full of goodies plus bonus signed paperbacks (1 winner, open internationally – please note international winners may be responsible for their own VAT should it apply)
Genre:Standalone Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 12, 2021
BLURB
Before I even met Donovan Decker, I knew his shoe size. You see, I’d gone away for a few days, and in my haste to get out of the airport, I’d grabbed the wrong suitcase. After checking out the expensive footwear and tailored clothes, I dialed the number on the luggage tag hoping maybe Mister Big Spender might have my bag. A deep, velvety voice answered, and as luck would have it, he had my suitcase, too. Donovan and I met at a coffee shop to do the exchange. Turned out, it wasn’t just his voice that was sexy. The man holding my luggage was absolutely gorgeous, and we had an immediate spark. He got me to admit that I’d snooped in his bag and then convinced me to make it up to him by letting him buy me coffee. Coffee led to dinner, dinner led to dessert, and dessert led to spending an entire weekend together. Donovan wasn’t just handsome with a panty-dropping voice. He was also funny, smart, and surprisingly down to earth for a man who wore seven-hundred-dollar shoes. Did I mention he also did my laundry while I slept? Definitely too good to be true. So what did I do to repay him for his kindness? I waited until he was in the shower, then ghosted him. My life was too complicated for such a great guy. In the months that passed, I thought about Donovan often. But New York City had eight-million people, so what were the chances I’d run into him? Then again, what were the chances I’d run into him a year later…when I’d just started dating his boss?
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.
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