Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Audition by Skye Warren


Audition is the latest book from bestselling author Skye Warren, coming out on December 9. Check out this excerpt and then preorder your own copy! Be sure to follow the tour and let the author know what you think. And then of course, you have to enter the giveaway!


Audition

Blood and sweat. Bethany Lewis danced her way out of poverty. She’s a world class athlete… with a debt to pay.

Joshua North always gets what he wants. And the mercenary wants Bethany in his bed. He wants her beautiful little body bent to his will.

She doesn’t surrender to his kiss.
He doesn’t back down from a challenge.
It’s going to be a sensual fight… to the death.


Read an excerpt:
Blinding lights. Aching lungs. Thunderous applause. The final show concludes the same way we rehearsed for months, the same way we performed for weeks. My muscles know the movements better than they understand rest. The prospect of after, of what comes next, makes my breath catch. Even as the primas take their bows, relief echoes around the stage. Vacations are planned. Relief for strained muscles. Everyone needs a break, even professional athletes. I’m the only one onstage dreading it.

We bow and curtsey with practiced grace. The curtain descends to the floor. Almost to the second we break formation—a flock of crows startled from the woods. The more exuberant among us, the young ones, the new ones, the ones using steroids, prance and jete toward the dressing rooms. Most of us limp our way out. One hundred percent of NFL players are injured every season. Professional dancing is the same. We hurl our bodies through the air, forcing massive impact through tired joints night after night. I catch my friend Marlena in my arms. Her face is white with pain.

“Ice,” she says. “Or better yet—tequila.”

I push my shoulder under hers as we exit the stage. “Don’t sell yourself short. You can have both.”

A delicate snort. “Not likely. We have to smile and flirt with the old men with big, fat wallets. And for what? I won’t be here next season. You won’t be, either.”

The reminder clangs inside me like a copper bell. I won’t be coming to the New York City Ballet after the break. We fall into our creaky chairs in the dressing room. “Are you going to miss it?”

“Miss it? Of course I’ll miss it.” Marlena turned twenty-eight last month. It’s comfortably retirement age for a dancer. “When the little children do their terrible pirouettes, when they sneeze and throw up and cry all over my leotard, I’ll think fondly of the beautiful art I left behind. Then I’ll be able to walk home. That won’t happen if I try to dance another season.”

“You’ll make a wonderful teacher. You know you were mine.” She didn’t teach me to dance. It was my first love, before I learned to flip and contort myself. Before I ever leapt from a trapeze bar.

Marlena taught me the ropes of the ballet company when I joined two years ago. Most of them thought I wouldn’t last a week. Some of them didn’t want me to. It’s a rigid world, the hierarchy stacked with graduates of Juilliard or the John Cranko school.

I don’t have a pedigree.

All I have is a body that does what it must, no matter how much it hurts.

Which means changing out of my sweaty leotard into a fresh one. We’re contractually obligated to attend the ball. Like Marlena said, we should smile and flirt with the high society people who attend. Both the male and female dancers have to do it. It’s what convinces the sponsors to write checks that will fund the next season. By the time they’re rehearsing The Nutcracker I’ll be in New Orleans, the place I swore I’d never return.


Book Links
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About Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.


Skye Warren will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

See Me (Alpine Valleys Book 4) by L. Simpson


Welcome to the book blast for See Me by L. Simpson! Reviewers are loving this contemporary romance, completely engaged in its heartwarming story. Read an excerpt and then download a copy so that you can find out for yourself. Be sure to follow the tour and let the author know what you think along the way. And of course, there's a great giveaway!



See Me

Architect Ethan James's life is a mess. He's juggling being a single dad while fighting his infuriating ex who's trying to get full custody, while at the same time he's barely keeping his head above water in the job of his dreams. When he meets Mia Sullivan at a friend's engagement party, her bright spirit and kind heart shines a light into his life when he needs it most. With so much coming at him from all directions, he relies on Mia’s support but makes the heartbreaking mistake of not cherishing her love. Mia sees the writing on the wall and pulls back before her heart is shattered. Ethan can't lose the woman who makes his life complete, and shows her he is the man she needs him to be.

Read an excerpt:
“Tell the others we’re going.”

She nodded, then winked. I grinned back as Ethan pulled me away. We hurried through the crowd, Ethan leading the way as he gripped my hand. His long legs were striding and I struggled to keep up.

“You in a hurry?” I asked.

He turned to me but didn’t smile. Instead, he kissed me, and my toes curled.

When he closed the door, he stood in front of me and pinned me to the car with his hips as he kissed me again. I could kiss this man forever. His strong, steady rhythm was demanding, and I willingly followed his lead. I put my hands in his hair, loving the soft feel of it between my fingers. Like on the dance floor, our kiss took on a life of its own.

When he buried his face in my neck and sucked right below my ear, I wondered if I would survive. “Ethan, honey, you’re killing me. I hope you have a lot of condoms.” He chuckled at my neck. “I’ll buy a box for next time.” It took me a moment before I realised he wasn’t moving anymore. “Ethan?” I whispered.

“Do you want a next time?” His voice was rough.

He shifted to look at me, and I didn’t know if it was a trick question. “Of course.” I smiled, although the protracted silence had my stomach starting to drop.

“Mia…”

Realization hit me like a slow-moving truck.

“I can only give you tonight.”

“Why?” I didn’t like the sound of my voice. It was small and fragile. He didn’t answer, but he looked haunted. He wasn’t going to answer me. “You only want tonight?” I still hoped I was reading this wrong.

When he nodded, I felt something break in me. Something I had pretended was strong and secure.

“I can’t do that,” I whispered. “Not with you.” My voice cracked under the weight of unshed tears. I couldn’t let it happen again. I wanted more.

“Mia…” He moved back, his hands still on my hips.

We were still close, but not.

“I don’t do well with one-night stands. There isn’t anything wrong with them, but I’m not built that way. Especially when I… care. I can’t turn my feelings off and I don’t think I should have to. I like you, Ethan, and I want to be with you like this and like we were today. I want more than sex, and I thought you wanted that, too.” By the end of my speech, any effort to hide my tears was futile.

“I can’t give you that.” He moved back, breaking our connection completely.

“You mean you won’t.”

“It isn’t like that.”

He reached for me, but I moved to the side.

“It’s exactly like that. I should’ve known better.” I righted my clothing and pushed off the car.

I’d made it two steps before he grabbed my elbow and turned me around.

“Trust me. I don’t want to hurt you.” His expression was full of pain and grief.

“Too late.” I pulled out of his hold.

This time, he let me.


Book Links
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About L. Simpson


As a girl growing up in Australia, Laura was lost in the world of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. During high school, volleyball dominated her life. There had to be something positive about being 6’1” with red hair. Representing Australia from a young age she eventually took a scholarship at the University of Iowa. Living in America and being a full time athlete in a college town was an eye-opening experience and lots of fun (from what she can remember). #gohawkeyes

Returning from the States, her career took a different turn as she started working at the Red Cross and completed her Masters of Law in Human Rights. As one of the few non-lawyers in the class, her essays were far more floral than the rest, something that caused the discerning professors to shake their heads. Through working and studying, she realised there are other ways to win hearts and minds.

While she’s spent the last 14 years as an advocate against poverty and homelessness, the desire to change the world through storytelling has only got stronger. She now lives in the Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria, Australia with her husband, daughter, son, two dogs and seven chooks. When she’s not doing the whole mum thing, working at a homelessness agency, renovating her farmhouse, or trying to do laundry bleary-eyed at midnight, she is writing.

Say G’day to Laura:

website: www.lsimpsonauthor.com

facebook: facebook.com/l.simpson.romance

twitter: @lsimpsonauthor

instagram: @lsimpsonauthor

linkedin: linkedin.com/in/laura-simpson-47278971



L. Simpson will be awarding a $10 Boroughs Bucks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 25, 2019

When You Close Your Eyes by Roxanne D. Howard


Welcome to the book blast for When You Close Your Eyes by Roxanne D. Howard. Reviewers are raving about this book, saying it is so much more than just erotica. It's full of heart and has a hint of suspense as well. Enjoy an excerpt before you download your own copy to check out. Be sure to follow the tour and leave your comments along the way. And of course, be sure to enter the great giveaway!


When You Close Your Eyes

Dreams are the perfect shelter for fantasies, safe havens to step inside without changing our daily lives. For Lark Braithwaite, all that is about to change. During the last six months, Lark has dreamt of a mysterious Irish lover who knows what she wants and gives her exactly what she needs. In her waking life in busy London, things aren't as ideal as her long-term relationship with her controlling fiancé Charles has hit a dry spell.

When Lark is called home to Oregon for her father's funeral, she comes face to face with the demons from her past, but she never expects to meet her dream lover in the flesh. Niall O'Hagan steps straight out of her fantasies and into her life, and the powerful connection they share rocks her foundation. Although she's dealing with the bitterness of her fiancé's betrayal and his jealousy, Niall soon stirs Lark's awareness of her superficial existence and reawakens her sexuality....and her soul.

FROM PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Howard (The Longer They Last) explores the concept of fated love in this skillfully woven contemporary erotic romance. Lark Braithwaite, an American in London, is living with her British fiancé, Charles Chase, when she starts dreaming of a sexy mystery man with an Irish brogue. After Lark gets word that her estranged father has died and she returns to her Oregon hometown for the funeral, she meets the dream man in the flesh: he's her parents' widowed lawyer, Niall O'Hagan. Lark quickly falls in love with Niall, struggling to decide whether she should follow her heart or the commitment she's made to her fiancé-a decision that gets easier when Charles shows his true and ugly colors... Explicit sex scenes crackle with heat, and Howard's characters invite readers to come in and get lost on the pages with them as the plot hurtles toward a shocking, but not unbelievable, climax involving Lark's father's past and her future. Erotic romance fans will devour Howard's suspenseful and heart-filled story."

Read an excerpt:
“Thank you.” She closed her eyes and took several large gulps, the cool liquid a balm to her throat.

“My name’s Niall O’Hagan.”

His deep and pleasant voice sounded different, lighter than the sultry bedroom voice she was used to from her dreams.

“I’m the Braithwaites’ attorney.”

Lark paused in midsip and lowered the bottle in her hands. “You—no.” She glanced at him.

His mouth lifted at the corners as if it dawned on him he was the butt of a joke he wasn’t aware of. “I…what?”

Oh, the irony of dreaming about her father’s lawyer this whole time. Oh, God. She giggled like a madwoman. This was it; she’d officially lost it. She rose and walked to the top step of the porch, put a hand over her face, and plunked down. “I am so messed up.”

An unwanted flash of Gemma’s flirtatious “darlin’” to Charles yesterday surfaced, and tears stung her eyes. She went silent and willed them not to fall. Nice try, but no use.

Niall sat on the step beside her. “I’d offer you a drink, but I quit ten years ago.”

Lark laughed, despite the tears. “An Irish attorney who doesn’t like Guinness is like an Englishman who doesn’t like fish and chips.”

“I know; shameful,” he said with mock contrition. “Don’t hold it against me. I’m doing the world a favor. Trust me. I was a horrible drunk. Are you okay, miss?”

Lark scoffed and gesticulated with her hands to the sky. “It’s Lark. And what a loaded question.” She couldn’t look at him, not after what happened. She clenched the edge of the step on either side of her and stared out at the trees.

“Well, since we’ve already nailed second base, we might as well be open with each other. Forgive me if I’m candid, but it seems you were in the throes of an alleged, eh, intense dream, and you awoke and believed I was him. Is that right?”

Horror dawned on her at what she’d done, and her jaw dropped. “No!” Yes. She glanced at him, and his knowing expression begged to differ.

“I see,” he said, his tone careful but persistent. “Then why did you kiss me like that?”

“I-I don’t have to answer.” She lifted her chin with defiance.

He scooted closer to her. “No, you don’t. But I wish you would.”


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About Roxanne D. Howard


Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Also, she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Author Links

Website: www.roxannedhoward.com

Newsletter: http://roxannedhoward.com/subscribe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxanneDHowardAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoxanneDHoward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxanned.howard

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/roxanne-d-howard-2db98b1d-431f-4065-ba0e-6eef7cca7142

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roxanne-D.-Howard/e/B01BURXAVW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15019190.Roxanne_D_Howard



Roxanne D. Howard will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 18, 2019

Review of A Woman's Persuasion by Jeanette Watts



Welcome to the Blurb Blitz tour for A Woman's Persuasion, a lesbian fiction novel by Jeanette Watts. In addition to an excerpt, I'm also sharing my thoughts on this story. Be sure to let the author know what you think and ask her any questions you may have. Follow the tour for even more! And of course, there's a great giveaway at the end.

A Woman's Persuasion

What would you do for a second chance at a perfect love?

Anne's privileged family forced her to break off her romance with Freddie Wentworth, an Air Force pilot; they didn't approve. Almost eight years later, Freddie is back in her life. Can they rekindle an old flame? Or is there too much hurt and misunderstanding in the way?


Read an excerpt:
A Moment of Clarity

She looked in the mirror at the result of eight years of self-neglect and self-hatred, and she didn't like what she saw. She wished Freddie could have looked at her and seen that she had improved over the years. It didn't even need to be about her physical appearance. If she would have had three Master's Degrees and a PhD to her name, or a Pulitzer Prize, or an Oscar for Best Screenplay, or a byline in The New Yorker, that would have been something. But she had nothing to show for all the intervening years.

She wondered if Freddie had said the words out of spite, calculating that Henry and Louis would repeat them to her, or they were merely said honestly, not thinking that they might get repeated back to her. She could only assume that Freddie expected the hurtful words to reach her ears. Freddie had not forgiven her.

Well, could she blame her? Her feebleness of character, her inability to stand by her loved one in the face of adversity, wasn't something Freddie would respect. Being in a relationship with a soldier in military service took dedication and courage, not weakness and timidity. Anne couldn’t blame her for being hurt, even disgusted. She was not worthy of the love Freddie had offered her.

The eyes that looked back at her in the mirror confirmed what she already knew. She was going to have to change. It was too late with Freddie, but she needed to be a person she could respect. She wanted her self-respect back.


Buy it on Amazon
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**My thoughts**
I felt like there was a bit of a slow start and that the original relationship between Freddie and Anne was somewhat glazed over. I wanted to know a lot more about that original relationship. And there was a lot of other story about all of the other people in Anne's life and how everything economically was changing, which is timely for when the novel takes place.

And then I started to really feel for Anne. Freddie accidentally appears in her life and it is so awkward. It's so hard to pretend that you have no history with someone as you're trying to save face in front of mutual people. And then there is the whole part about Anne not feeling up to par with who she was back when she and Freddie first met. There's that whole, "If only they could see me now," only Anne hasn't quite gotten to that point before Freddie comes back.

There's a lot of emotion going on here, even beyond this relationship. It may surprise you what kinds of emotions and memories it brings up in your own life. It's also short enough that it is a quick read, though I almost wanted more out of it.

Thank you the author and publisher for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.


About Jeanette Watts


Jeanette Watts was happily writing historical fiction when she got the idea for her first Jane Austen-inspired novel, Jane Austen Lied to Me. Going to a JASNA event to work on selling that book, she attended a lecture that asked, "Why does everyone rewrite Pride and Prejudice so much more than her other novels? Why doesn't anyone rewrite Persuasion?"

So she had to...




Contact Links

Website: http://www.jeanettewatts.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWomansPersuasion

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanetteAWatts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6967936.Jeanette_Watts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanetteamlwatts/


Jeanette Watts will be awarding a Cameo Necklace to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

10 Facts in A Perfect Mistake Based on Reality by Laura Brown


Welcome to the book tour for A Perfect Mistake by Laura Brown! One of the bits of advice that writers are often given is to write what you know. And you'll always find an element of truth inside every story we write, even if it is a mere kernel. Today, author Laura Brown is letting us in on 10 elements of her latest book that are actually based on reality. Let her know what you think in the comments! And then follow the tour to learn even more about her. Best of luck in the giveaway!


10 Facts in A Perfect Mistake Based on Reality

  1. Like my main character, Nica Anders, I worked as a social worker, specifically a case manager in elder services. I had clients who were frail and needed more help to stay at home. It shaped me in many ways, especially being in my mid-twenties when I started working there. My views on aging changed, and I learned a lot from my clients. I wanted to put some of that into Nica, because it’s a very powerful thing.
  2. Along with number one: Because of the area I worked in (and partly why I applied for this job in the first place), I had a building filled with Deaf elders, and since I’m fluent in ASL, I worked with them. Due to language and culture they didn’t have the same access when working with a non-signing case manager. I not only could communicate, but I understood the culture and life with a hearing loss. It’s one of the things I miss most since changing careers.
  3. Nica has a cat named Oreo, based off a real life trouble maker I had. Oreo was a kitten sized adult, a former stray we adopted. She was labeled “quirky” and when I went to pick her up I learned she was deaf! She never learned ASL, much preferring to use my signing hands to get scratches.
  4. Nica’s apartment (sensing a theme here?) was based off an apartment I had! I loved the exposed brick, renovated factory interior, and even though I had moved when I started writing this story, the apartment kept coming to mind as I pictured Nica at home.
  5. Brownie covered oreos. My couple has a bit too much fun baking these, but it’s a real treat! Simply mix up a batch of brownies, dip oreos in the batter, and bake. Yum!
  6. My hero has a hearing loss and so do I! Cam Thompson may be Deaf, while I’m Hard of Hearing, but it’s important to me to show characters with hearing loss, and show the reality of life with a hearing loss.
  7. Along with above, I made Cam verbal and have him lipread, but make a point of showing how incredibly hard this is. Lip movements only account for about 20% of the sound, the rest is a guessing game. I always say it’s easier for me, because I have some hearing, than Cam, who doesn’t, but he does a better job lipreading than I do. He’s also fluent in ASL and that is his primary language, without it he’d have struggled much more with spoken English.
  8. Jewish funerals. When I first wrote this, I hadn’t intended to make any of my characters Jewish. But I had a funeral scene to write, and I could either research how others do things and ask my husband a million questions, or I could write what I knew. The story and characters came alive with this decision.
  9. Fall in New England. Salem, Massachusetts, gets all spooky and Halloween ready over the summer, so by September (summer, really!) there are already Halloween happenings covering the city, even if most of the tourists don’t come until closer to the end of October.
  10. The reality of keeping a professional relationship with clients and caregivers. Nica finds herself in an ethical quandary when she realizes Cam is a caregiver to one of her clients after their one-night-stand. I assure you I never found myself in this situation, but it’s one that would have serious consequences to employment and career. My former co-workers look at me with shock when I tell them the basic plot!


A Perfect Mistake

Falling for the forbidden has never felt so right…

When social worker Nica Anders indulges in one night of sexual passion with delicious Deaf man Cam Thompson, the last thing she expects is to see him the next day while visiting her dying client. He’s Cassie’s grandson and caregiver, the one treat she shouldn’t have tasted. Now her job is on the line, demanding she stay away.

But their attraction is building like a raging inferno and Nica can’t help but get burned.

Cam Thompson’s life is a mess. He’s losing his grandmother, the one person who’s supported him his whole life, and her dying wish is for him to settle down with a good woman—specifically her social worker Nica Anders. Despite Nica trying to hold tight to her ethics, he’s falling for her hard and fast.

Yet Cam's grandmother isn’t the only matchmaker in his family, and someone's determined to keep him and Nica apart.

Steamy, touching, heart-warming. A much-needed #OwnVoices romance to go perfectly with that plate of chocolate brownies and glass of wine!


Read an excerpt:
As I approached the room, my grandmother’s door inched open. I waited a minute, but no one emerged. I stepped to the side, letting the social worker finish up, trying not to tap my foot in impatience and envision how many digits my inbox had soared to.

I wondered if this was the social worker Grandma always talked about. The thought alone caused me to laugh and my foot to still. For years Grandma had matchmaking aspirations between me and the social worker. Then again, Grandma always had matchmaking aspirations, really bad matchmaking, take one look and run the other way kind. We’d never met but had e-mailed many times. I contemplated taking another step to the side to avoid any additional matchmaking attempts when the door opened further. A female with familiar blond curly hair backed out of the room. She waved to my grandmother and closed the door. Before I could chastise my dick on the urges the hair created, I found myself face to face with Nica.

She froze, an expression of pure bewilderment that I surely mirrored. Eyes wide enough that white surrounded her irises. On the lapel of her pink button-down shirt she had an ID badge. Her picture was on the badge, under the logo for Independent Senior Services, with her name: Veronica Anders.


Available on Amazon 


About Laura Brown

Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Her husband has put up with her since high school, her young son keeps her on her toes, and her two cats think they deserve more scratches. Hearing loss is a big part of who she is, from her own Hard of Hearing ears, to the characters she creates.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorLBrown

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraBrownAuthor/

Website: https://www.laurabrownauthor.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Brown/e/B00IADINQW/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42903541-a-perfect-mistake


Laura Brown will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Whom Shall I Marry...An Earl or a Duke? by Laura A. Barnes


Welcome to the blurb blitz tour for Whom Shall I Marry ... An Earl or a Duke? by Laura A. Barnes! Please enjoy the excerpt I have for you and then be sure to follow the tour for even more. You can leave comments and questions for the author. And of course, be sure to enter the great giveaway!


Whom Shall I Marry ... An Earl or a Duke?


An afternoon spent in disguise leads to a passion that …

She wanted to explore the promise of his kiss. He wanted to persuade her to become his mistress. Will a case of mistaken identity lead to a marriage of love?

While trying to prevent her friend from a scandal Sophia Turlington becomes entangled in her own. As she waits for her friend in a brothel, a duke mistakes her for a harlot. When he requests an arrangement, Sophia decides to explore the passion he awakens in her soul. Her only stipulations for the affair are a mask, one week, and he must never discover her true identity. Can Sophia give him her heart and walk away as if their time never affected her?

Alexander Langley’s life as a prominent duke will soon come to an end unless he can acquire a duchess whose family can support him through a scandal. When he meets a violet-eyed temptress that awakens his every desire his search comes to a halt. As they explore their passion, he loses his heart to a woman he can never marry. Will Alex put aside his status in the ton for a love to last a lifetime?

Throughout the season Lady Sophia Turlington and Alexander Langley, the Duke of Sheffield’s dislike for one another is known to all. A chance encounter throws them together as Alex and ‘Violet’. After their time ends, Sophia wants Alex to see her for herself. If not, then she might as well accept her friend’s marriage proposal. Can Alex overcome Sophia’s deceit? Or will his need for revenge destroy the love she holds for him?

Whom Shall I Marry… An Earl or A Duke? is the second novel in Laura A. Barnes’s steamy historical romance series. If you enjoy a story filled with passion and secrets set in Regency England, then you must read Sophia and Alex’s journey toward love.

Unlock Whom Shall I Marry… An Earl or A Duke? to read the next book in Laura’s Tricking the Scoundrels series today.


Read an excerpt:
Sheffield cornered Sophia against the tree tucked in the dark recesses of the garden.

“Well, I suppose you will do.”

“Do for what?”

“The kiss I was promised.”

“I have not promised you a kiss.”

“No, you did not. However, your friend lured me into the garden to compromise her. Since she has broken our engagement to trifle with Wildeburg, I have been left abandoned. Therefore, because a kiss was promised, somebody must fulfill the bargain. So, that leaves you.”

“You are absurd, no gentleman would suggest such an offer was made.”

“I’m not feeling very gentlemanly at the moment, since Lady Sidney passed me over for a mere marquess. As her best friend, Sophia, it falls on to you to console me.”

They were hidden in the shadows. Sophia tried to sneak around him, but his body surrounded hers. She gasped as he bent his head to press his mouth to hers. They were warm as they coaxed her lips apart. Without realizing her actions, she wrapped her arms around his neck drawing him in closer to their kiss.

He only meant to scare her. But his bruised ego fought against the moral code of a gentleman and he'd threatened her with a kiss. If it were not for her interfering, he would still be engaged to Sidney Hartridge. Instead he was once again in the market for a bride. A kiss would warn her against trifling with his life.

He stood before her, raking his eyes over her appearance.

“Not what I expected, but it will do.”


Book Links:
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About Laura A. Barnes


I am the author of The Romancing the Spies & The Tricking the Scoundrel Series. When I am not writing, I am spending time with my family. I love reading books on lazy afternoons and late into the night. Anytime really. Married twenty-nine years to the love of my life, we have three wonderful children and two sweet grandbabies. Besides writing, I have always wanted to travel. In the last few years, we have gotten our passports stamped in England, Scotland, and Ireland. We are hoping to add Italy to the list soon. My debut novel is Rescued By the Captain.




Websites:

Website: http://www.lauraabarnes.com

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/lauraabarnes

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16332844.Laura_A_Barnes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraA.Barnes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labarnesauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/labarnesauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/laura-a-barnes


Laura A. Barnes will be awarding $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Red Snowflakes by Kristal Dawn Harris


For fans of paranormal romance, I have an excerpt from the new Red Snowflakes for you to check out today. Be sure to let the author know what you think! And then follow the tour for even more of them. And of course, be sure to enter the great giveaway at the end!


Red Snowflakes

Forensic photographer, Dena Williams, has spent her life trained to see what others cannot. Vampire, Dimitri Kovac, has waited every Christmas for a miracle that does not come. In the Oregon wilderness, during a snowstorm, these two destined souls collide. Dena's only hope of survival rests in a vampire with the heart of a poet. Dimitri only has five days to win a skeptical woman's heart. As the Christmas tree lights burn brightly and the snow continues to fall, will Dena succumb to a vampire's charms? With so little time, can Dimitri win her love?

Read an excerpt:
Dena stood her ground waiting until he stopped directly in front of her-toe to toe. Her eyes lifted from his broad chest to his face. His breath caressed her skin in whispery touches. This close she could see the small lines around his eyes and the long length of his eyelashes. She’d photographed numerous crime scenes and witnessed the arrest of several criminals, so she knew the eyes of a killer. This man did not have those eyes. Predator yes. Murderer no. The sea-blue depths emanated tranquility, but there was something else there as well.

Trained to see things others didn’t, Dena’s head tilted while studying him trying to see what evaded her eyes. Engrossed in his features, almost drawn to him on a level her mind didn’t understand, her body leaned forward. He didn’t move away, but his pupils tracked every move she made. Dena focused on his eyes letting her own senses expand. Something was different in those sea-blue depths. They say the eyes are the mirror to the soul, but his seemed more like a mask. Her body jerked when the black of his pupils bled into the white until his sockets completely blacked out, then shifted back to their normal sea-blue color. Curiosity led her. One foot slid between his as she moved even closer until their bodies brushed. For some odd reason, she wasn’t afraid. “What are you?”


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About Kristal Dawn Harris

Kristal Dawn Harris is an American author, born in Middletown, Ohio. She currently resides in Ohio with her husband. Kristal has been married for 27 years and has two children. She graduated from Carlisle High School, then furthered her education at Miami University. She has a business degree in Accounting Technology. Kristal spent twenty years working as an Office Coordinator in the hospital until she released her debut novel, “The Rings of Faolan-Emeralds,” through The Wild Rose Press.

In 1999, Kristal suffered a debilitating disease called “Guillain-Barre Syndrome.” This rare disease damaged the nerves in her body requiring the use of drop-foot braces in order to walk. Kristal considers herself a survivor and encourages anyone with a disability to follow their dreams.

Kristal is considered a hybrid romance author since she published “Hand-Carved Wolf” and “Thief of Hearts” on her own. Kristal is an avid reader who enjoys romance from all genres, but paranormal is her favorite.

CURRENT BOOKS BY KRISTAL DAWN HARRIS

The Rings of Faolan-Emeralds

The Rings of Faolan-Rubies

Hand-Carved Wolf

The Burn

The Red Heart

Thief of Hearts


UPCOMING RELEASES

Red Snowflakes


LINKS

www.kristalharris.com

https://twitter.com/Kristal081670

https://www.facebook.com/kristalharrisauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/kristaldawnharris/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18576974.Kristal_Dawn_Harris

https://allauthor.com/author/kristaldawnharris/

https://www.amazon.com/Kristal-Dawn-Harris/e/B07HP1YKMM/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0


Kristal Dawn Harris will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway