Bound to Protect (Crescent City Kings) by Anya Summers

 

Welcome Anya Summers back to the blog with yet another book in her Crescent City Kings series! Read an excerpt from Bound to Protect and then follow the tour for even more! Remember to leave your questions and comments along the way. Best of luck entering the great giveaway!

The weight of the world on her shoulders…

Sabrina Thomas needs to catch a break. By day she juggles two jobs, only to head home at night to care for her mentally ill brother. With their parents gone, the responsibility for his care, the doctor’s bills, the hospital stays, the at home care, falls to her. Six months ago, the trust fund their parents left them dried up and with the mounting bills, she has until the end of the month to make good on late rent payments before they are evicted. Sabrina knows where she could make a lot of quick cash with her looks: Bayou Sin, the classiest strip joint on Bourbon Street. But her plans go awry when Dante hauls her off the stage and takes her to his penthouse.

His lifestyle called into question…

Billionaire Michael Fitzgerald and his partner in crime, Dante Rousseau, have been topping submissives together for years. As the owner of the fifth largest sugarcane supplier, with a host of multi-conglomerate corporations to run, Michael has always kept his bedroom preferences under wraps. When a rival on the board attempts to engage in a hostile takeover and have Michael expelled from his own company, he knows he needs to find a woman he can trust to pretend to be his fiancée and put the kibosh on the illicit rumors spreading like wildfire through the company’s board members. When Dante shows up with their housekeeper, Sabrina, who is spitting mad at being denied the opportunity to make some fast cash, Michael knows she is just the woman for the job.

An offer neither can refuse…

Michael and Dante make Sabrina a deal: pretend to be Michael’s sole love interest for thirty days to dispel the rumors and stop the takeover. In exchange, they will pay her ten million dollars at month’s end. But the lines soon become blurred as to what is real and what is make believe. And when their time together is up, will they be able to walk away, or will they take the chance to make their relationship the real deal?

Read an excerpt:

Brad Coldwell, the CFO of Fitzgerald-Logan Realty, added, with a pensive, concerned expression on his face, “Now, we plan on conducting a discreet investigation over the next thirty days. If these claims are true, we will be forced to take action at that time.” Michael could tell that the matter troubled the longtime associate of the realty company. His salt and pepper hair looked like he had been running a frustrated hand through it all morning.

“I can promise you those claims aren’t true. In fact, I will be announcing my engagement shortly,” Michael lied through his teeth, and kept his face stone cold as he surveyed his board. He wondered which one of them was the culprit behind the claims. At this time, they were all suspect. And he hated that because, until this meeting, he had considered the people in this room to be individuals he trusted—otherwise they wouldn’t be on the board. It was true he didn’t care much for Dan personally, but he knew the work Dan did for his company, and that he was at the top of his game.

“Oh, really? I hadn’t heard you were dating anyone,” Dan stated with a hard gleam.

The man always had been a sanctimonious asshole. Once Michael got past this blip, he would see about replacing the ingrate. Keeping his tone smooth as butter yet with an edge of steel behind it, Michael said, “That’s because she is no one you know, Dan. We’ve kept our relationship low key and out of the press.”

“Well, that’s wonderful news,” Robert said, with relief covering his expression, “And if that’s the case, we can put this nasty business behind us.”

“And who, might I ask, is she?” Dan asked with a tick in his jaw.

The fucking bastard was trying to shove Michael out of his own company. The company his grandfather and father had built. Fucking prick. “Look for the announcement in the papers next week.”

Available on Amazon

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Crescent City Kings Series

Lone Survivor, Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X4JN5DX

Far Reaching Consequences, Book 2: https://amzn.to/2SmLqWm 

The Right to Remain Silent, Book 3: https://amzn.to/2URBzY2 

Bound to Protect, Book 4: https://www.amazon.com/Bound-Protect-Crescent-City-Kings-ebook/dp/B08FCX75XZ/

Self Sacrifice, Book 5 – Coming December 2020

Never Surrender, Book 6 – Coming 2021

Oath & Indenture, Book 7 – Coming 2021

About the author:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Visit her website here:
www.anyasummers.com

Visit her on social media here:

http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor

Twitter: @AnyaBSummers https://twitter.com/anyabsummers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-summers

http://bit.ly/2yZTCRp

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Newsletter https://anyasummers.com/newsletter/

Anya Summers will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to one winner via Rafflecopter. Follow the tour for more chances to win! 

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Read an excerpt from Where the Birds Fly: The Sculptor by Cathrine Goldstein

 

Read an excerpt from Say You Love Me (The Reclaiming Heaven Duet) by E.R. Whyte

  

Forbidden love. Dangerous followers. A relationship that will pull more than her body into the spotlight.

Eighteen-year-old Gunner Ford is a hopeless romantic. After his best friend’s older sister kissed him on a dare five years ago, he lost his heart to her completely. But when his friends take him to a strip club to celebrate his birthday, his dreams evaporate as he sees his perfect woman performing onstage.

Shiloh Brookings believes that family comes first. So when her teacher’s salary won’t cover her brother’s medical bills, she takes a second gig as an exotic dancer to pay off his debt. But her worst fear is realized when she spots a senior from her high school sitting in the crowd.

Determined to help her, Gunner renews their friendship while he secretly longs for the off-limits apple of his eye. And as Shiloh draws dangerously closer to the sweet young man, a stalker dogs her every move and threatens much more than her employment.

Will this student-teacher connection result in a deadly lesson?

Say You Love Me is the first book in the tense Reclaiming Heaven contemporary romance duet. If you like unforgettable characters, steamy tension, and slow-burn suspense, then you’ll adore E.R. Whyte’s irresistible story.

Read an excerpt:

I place one hand on the door jamb above her head and lean in, inhaling her nerves. She doesn’t give an inch of ground. I smile, a slow curl of my lips. “Shiloh.”

“Don’t call me that.” She probably hates the slight quaver in her voice but gives no sign. Instead, she tips her chin up in response to that primal something she can feel arcing between us. I know she can feel it. Damnit, if I can feel it every time we get close to each other, there’s no way she isn’t feeling it, too. Her pragmatism is no doubt telling her to lock it down. My bet is that the woman in her is telling her something very different.

“Do you have any idea how f*cking hot it makes me when you get all prissy and schoolmarm-ish on me?”

“Gunner!” she gasps, placing a hand on my chest to shove me away. I hold my position. “I just want to put my hand on your thigh… right about here... ” I demonstrate with a light graze, then return my hand to the door jamb. “…and pull that skirt up an inch at a time… pull those sexy glasses off your face…” Her eyes are fixed on my throat, her lips parted. I can feel her breath ghosting the surface of my skin as she breathed in and out. “I just want to break that propriety you pull so tight around you, Shiloh. Watch you splinter.”

Available on Amazon

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Book 2 is now also available on Amazon!

Elle Rae Whyte is a simple girl at heart. She lives on a farm in Virginia and spends her time raising her family of five, catering to two cats, and indulging her reading and writing habits. She loves being alone, bananas foster, and Pepsi.

Whyte worked as a high school English teacher for around a decade before she decided she really wanted more time to devote to her family and other fun stuff. Now she writes, homeschools her youngest, and spends entirely too much time on the computer.

She writes slightly steamier romantic suspense novels under the pen name E.R. Whyte.

Links:

BookBub: https://bit.ly/2ZPXL7i
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/31Mr0Jq
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3eZd1nP
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2OMUzUW
Twitter: https://bit.ly/32PtAR2
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gXRSw8
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37voiKN

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers. 

Say You Love Me (The Reclaiming Heaven Duet) by E.R. Whyte

 

Forbidden love. Dangerous followers. A relationship that will pull more than her body into the spotlight.

Eighteen-year-old Gunner Ford is a hopeless romantic. After his best friend’s older sister kissed him on a dare five years ago, he lost his heart to her completely. But when his friends take him to a strip club to celebrate his birthday, his dreams evaporate as he sees his perfect woman performing onstage.

Shiloh Brookings believes that family comes first. So when her teacher’s salary won’t cover her brother’s medical bills, she takes a second gig as an exotic dancer to pay off his debt. But her worst fear is realized when she spots a senior from her high school sitting in the crowd.

Determined to help her, Gunner renews their friendship while he secretly longs for the off-limits apple of his eye. And as Shiloh draws dangerously closer to the sweet young man, a stalker dogs her every move and threatens much more than her employment.

Will this student-teacher connection result in a deadly lesson?

Say You Love Me is the first book in the tense Reclaiming Heaven contemporary romance duet. If you like unforgettable characters, steamy tension, and slow-burn suspense, then you’ll adore E.R. Whyte’s irresistible story.

Read an excerpt:

I sigh, the sound a susurration in the silence. Using the provided remote, I dim the lighting to its lowest setting and turn the music on. The sultry notes of Portishead’s ‘Glory Box’ fill the small space and I begin with a measured walk behind Gunner, approaching slowly. This will be easier if I don’t have to look him in the eye. I pause when I’m behind him, uncertain, and then hesitantly place my hands on either side of his head and run my fingers through his hair. It’s thick and soft to the touch, and I can feel nerves radiating up through my hands as I connect with him. He’s nervous, too, I realize.

The realization gives me courage, and I continue.

“Tell me why. Why a lap dance? Why me?” I ask. “Somebody got you hot and bothered?” He tenses when I trail my fingers down the side of his neck and along his outstretched arm but doesn’t answer.

I walk in front of him. “Need to let off a little steam?” I press. “A little frustration?” I stand for a moment in front before him, meeting his eyes through the black of my mask. How can he keep up this charade? Pretend that we’re strangers, that this is okay? My heart thuds in my chest in tune with Portishead’s sultry chorus, and I close my eyes. I can’t look at him.

This dance will change everything in profound ways, I know. It’s an admission. A confession. Yes, I feel it, too. Yes, I want you.

I drag my hands over my sides and up, up along the swells of my breasts, my neck, my cheeks and into my hair. “Do you need to be in charge?” My last question is a whisper.

Beth Gibbons’ round tones fill every corner of the small room and the nuanced beat thrums in my blood. Give me a reason / to love you / Give me a reason to be / a woman.

I place one hand on his shoulder and begin to sway, shoulders and hips moving in languid counterpoint as I rock closer. He reaches out to touch me and I move his hand firmly back to his lap.

Retreating, I lower myself to my knees, reach beneath my tee shirt, and unhook my bra with clumsy fingers. He’s focused intently on me, mouth unsmiling. How is he so composed? I’m a mass of nerves. Masking my turmoil with a smile that taunts, I whip the bra out from beneath my tee and swiftly flick it at him.

And then, mind made up, I lower myself to all fours and begin to prowl toward him.

Available on Amazon

(affiliate link) 

Book 2 is now also available on Amazon!

Elle Rae Whyte is a simple girl at heart. She lives on a farm in Virginia and spends her time raising her family of five, catering to two cats, and indulging her reading and writing habits. She loves being alone, bananas foster, and Pepsi.

Whyte worked as a high school English teacher for around a decade before she decided she really wanted more time to devote to her family and other fun stuff. Now she writes, homeschools her youngest, and spends entirely too much time on the computer.

She writes slightly steamier romantic suspense novels under the pen name E.R. Whyte.

Links:

BookBub: https://bit.ly/2ZPXL7i
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/31Mr0Jq
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3eZd1nP
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2OMUzUW
Twitter: https://bit.ly/32PtAR2
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gXRSw8
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37voiKN

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers. 

Lovers, Players, and the Seducer by J.A. Jackson

 Are you looking for something to light your fire this weekend? Check out this excerpt from Lovers, Players, and the Seducer by J.A. Jackson! And then download your own copy. Get even more as you follow the tour and leave your thoughts and questions along the way. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Lust and passion fueled star-crossed lovers Lacey and Kienan. Their love was packed with anguish and heartbreak from the start. Add in her brother Nicholas addiction to deceitful games. Their daily lives feel more like being on a bad scandal-ridden roller-coaster ride.
Being an older brother has its perks. Nicholas thinks his sister Lacey is the perfect target for his manipulative schemes after a series of bad investments places him in a great need of money. He plots and schemes his way into getting others to do his bidding.

As Nicholas let lose a series of plans, tragic forces emerge. A vengeful seducer is unleashed, as he opens up doors to the past.

The past where the dead never dies.
Life will never be the same in this gripping shocking twist-filled story of love, lies, and redemption!

Will Lacey discover her brother’s deception before it’s too late?

Read an excerpt: 

A half hour later, he made his way to the house on little Panoche Road. He quickly turned into the driveway.

As Tabitha open his car door and went to climb out of his car, she paused and then turned and stared back at him. “You know Quinn, I never thought you believed in all that hocus pocus stuff. You do know Madame Rosa is a witch.”

“I don’t believe in that hocus pocus stuff,” he said, his face was serious. “But I hear Madame Rosa has other gifts to offer.”

Tabitha saw the skepticism in his face. “Oh, you are looking for those things, like potions,” she said knowingly.

“What of it? Potions are harmless. Just fun and games.”

“Be careful Quinn, you do know Madame Rosa is the real thing?”

Quinn chuckled softly. “By real thing you mean a real witch. I only believe in witches on Halloween and today isn’t Halloween.”

“Just be warned Quinn, her potions come with a price that must be paid,” she said realizing that it was hopeless trying to tell him anything. “Pull around back Quinn,” Tabitha commanded. “Madame Rosa said you’ll find her out back. Oh, and have her money ready.”

Quinn hurried around to the back of the old rambling Victorian House. He’d been told the grand mansion had originally been built by an English nobleman in the 1800’s.

Madame Rosa was lying on a chase lounge staring up at the sky. She wasn’t old or thin. She rose up as Quinn drew near.

Quinn smiled warmly at the sight of her. She was attractive with long jet-black hair and deep green catlike eyes. She had an exotic beauty that could only be described as mesmerizing.

“You have my money Quinn?”

Quinn handed her what she wanted and as he did he could have sworn the air around him changed. It smelled like sweet sin.

She smiled wickedly. “So, tell me Quinn, is your situation so drastic that you had to come to me?” She stared back at him, “You are the Wizard of love?”

This book is free on the following sites:

Amazon * Smashwords * Kobo * Apple * BN

J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills. Her love for cooking and writing come from her Southern roots of Louisiana and Arkansas. She isa member of South Bay Writers Association, Yosemite Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America (RWA).



Twitter: https://twitter.com/jerreece

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerreece-Ann-Jackson/204377496289139?ref=hl

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

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Return of the Wolfe by Nancy Fraser

 Today we welcome author Nancy Fraser back to the blog! Today you can check out an excerpt from her contemporary romance Return of the Wolfe! Then be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more and let her know what you think along the way. Plus you get extra chances to enter the great giveaway!

Ever since she was a teenager, Sarah Tremayne wanted one thing and one thing only—to be a park ranger at Big Bear National Park in Bear Lake, Wisconsin. Her dream was always to work along side her ranger brother, Brent, and be the first brother-sister team in department history.

Matthew Wolfe is also a ranger and Brent’s best friend. He tolerated Sarah when she was a gangly teen following him around the park like a lost puppy. However, as Sarah blossomed so did his desire.

Just as they’re exploring their mutual attraction, a tragic accident pulls them apart.

Four years have passed and Matthew is returning to Big Bear as the man in charge. Will he and Sarah be able to mend their ragged fences and rediscover what they once had? Or, will Sarah’s pain and anger force her away from Big Bear, and Matt, forever?

Read an excerpt:

Matt wanted to touch her, shake her, make her understand. He wanted to protest, to yell, to demand she stay and talk to him, but he knew he lacked the inner strength necessary to carry out the actions; to upset her even more.

"Yes, Ranger Tremayne," he said finally, "you're excused."

She nodded. "Thank you." She took two steps toward the door and then turned back. "Sir?"

His gaze lifted to hers. "Yes, Sarah?"

"I submitted a transfer request day before yesterday. I'd appreciate it if you could attend to it as soon as possible."

He studied her expression, hoping to see some emotion, some signal that would tell him she wasn't serious. Instead, he saw only anger and pain. Her hands were still clenched at her sides, her lips still pursed tightly no doubt in an effort to arrest the telltale trembling. Her pulse fluttered erratically beneath the smooth line of her throat. With each heartbeat he imagined her tears came closer to falling with nothing more than her hatred keeping them in check.

A searing flash of remorse jolted his body centered directly around his heart. His response to her request was slow in coming, drawn out by the magnitude of his pain. "If that's what you want, Sarah."

He watched her carefully, hoping for some show of regret, some possible sign of forgiveness. She only nodded and moved through the door and into the hallway.

How could he possibly make up for all the pain he had caused her? Would Sarah ever trust and care for him again?

Or, was returning to Big Bear the biggest mistake of his life?

Buy Links

Amazon * B&N *  Apple

Just $0.99 during the tour!

Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published over thirty books in full-length, novella, and short format.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bookbub

Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube

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

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Maraschino Marriage Pact by Tamela Miles

 

If you want your romance to have a hint of the paranormal about it, then check out this excerpt from Maraschino Marriage Pact by Tamela Miles! If you follow the tour, you'll find even more and can let her know your thoughts along the way. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Mikayla DiAngelis has spent the past two years traveling the world and avoiding the demands of her overbearing warlock father. A confusing kiss from her former bodyguard is yet another reason for her to stay two steps ahead on the run.

Warlock bodyguard Austin Luca will stop at nothing to bring Mikayla home. His loyalty belongs to her family, but his heart belongs to her, even though he has ties that bind him to his own family responsibilities.

Their encounter was inevitable, and Mikayla is soon caught up in Austin's passion and the world she vowed to leave behind. Will surrendering to her former protector cost her the freedom she needs?

Read an excerpt:

“You know better than to use your magick in public, Mikayla. What if I was some ordinary human passerby?”

Mikayla froze midmotion. That deep, amused drawl had been with her since she was a child. She slowly turned around, scowling. “I knew I shouldn’t have come back here for the summer. Am I that obvious, Austin?”

The tall, leanly muscled man with straight dark hair and piercing chocolate-brown eyes shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “I lost track of you last year in Rome. Kudos for managing to give me the slip, considering I taught you every trick you know. I bet on your sentimentality about this place bringing you back.” He gestured at the skimpy black sundress she wore. “You’re looking well.”

She nodded. “Thank you. You haven’t changed. You never do. Why can’t every warlock age as gracefully as you do?” Sighing heavily, she placed her hands on her hips. “If you tell me again to come home, I’m hopping off this pier.”

His face shuttered. “I have news about your family, Mikayla. This time, it’s serious.”

Buy on Amazon

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Tamela Miles is a school psychologist with Ed.S and PPS credential and a graduate of California State University San Bernardino and California State University Dominguez Hills. She is also a former flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California in that tumultuous time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland Empire, CA. She's a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good having her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why they can never seem to change their wicked ways.

She enjoys emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or her Facebook page, Tamela Miles Books. She also welcomes reader reviews and enjoys the feedback from people who love to read as much as she does.

Social Media Links:

On Twitter: @jackiebrown20

On Instagram: Tamela Miles Books

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sassysleepingbeauties/

All Author Page: https://allauthor.com/author/tamelamiles/

Tamela Miles will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

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Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen

 

If you're looking for a new friends-to-lovers romance this week, check out this excerpt from Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen and then download your copy. Be sure to follow the tour for even more and then enter the great giveaway!

Two battle buddies. One fateful deployment. Two vastly different sets of wounds. One friendship changed forever.

A childhood in foster care taught Carey Everett to hold tight to what he has. Enlisting in the Marines gave him purpose, but a life-threatening injury ended his career—and took his leg. Now fully recovered, Carey’s happier than he’s ever been. He has a fulfilling job, a chosen family and, best of all, a cherished friendship with Jase DeSantis, the platoon medic who saved his life.

Despite Jase’s heroism in combat, he’s haunted by his actions overseas. Playing music with his band keeps the demons at bay, but it’s a battle he’s starting to lose.

After a week of sun and fun in San Diego, Jase and Carey’s connection takes an unexpected turn. With change comes a new set of challenges. For Jase, it means letting someone else into his deepest pain. For Carey, it’s realizing love doesn’t always equal loss. In order to make their relationship work, they’ll have to come to terms with their pasts…

…or risk walking away from each other for good.

Read an excerpt:

His throat tight, Carey said, “Please look at me.” He tugged on their joined hands. “Please.”

Finally Jase dragged his eyes to his. The remoteness in them scared Carey even more than tears would have. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry for everything I said that night.”

“I know…”

“No, you don’t know, because I don’t think I’ve ever said it plainly, flat-out, that I’m so fucking sorry for every hurtful, untrue word that came out of my mouth that night.” Carey sucked in a fortifying breath. “And for not saying the words I should have said. Like thank you. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for fighting asshole medics for me. Thank you for coming to the hospital, for moving in with me, for working out with me, for—”

“Stop.” Now Jase’s eyes held the glimmer of a smile. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Oh, but I do.” Carey grinned. “Except it’d take all day, because there’re so many things I’m grateful to you for. Like teaching me yoga. Fetching the mirror. Playing me songs. What I should do is make you sit here and listen to all of it—”

“Carey, stop.”

“—but how about I just kiss you instead?”

Buy on Amazon 

Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.


Website: https://melaniehansenbooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13505006.Melanie_Hansen

Melanie Hansen will award a randomly drawn commenter a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Follow the tour for more chances to win! 

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Review of Born for Leaving by Jude Munro

 Welcome to the review tour for Born for Leaving by Mia Kerick writing as Jude Munro. I'm a longtime fan of Mia Kerick, so was excited to see a new title and intrigued by a pseudonym. Read on for an excerpt, as well as my thoughts. Follow the tour for even more reviews and to leave questions and comments for the author along the way. Be sure to enter the great giveaway!

When they say be careful what you wish for, do you pay attention?
Neither did Oliver Tunstead.

Oliver wishes for nothing more than to get his mind off his crappy bartending job, pile of debt big enough to swallow him whole, and playboy ex-boyfriend/boss who refuses to back off. Too bad distractions, like the hot little convertible he has his eye on, cost megabucks. And Oliver is flat broke. Renting the spare bedroom in his rundown beachfront cottage is his only option to pick up the cash he needs—a risky proposition, as Oliver is the polar opposite of a people-person. When he responds to a bizarre ad in the Waterfront Gazette seeking summer housing, he gets more than he bargained for. But Oliver can cope… After all, how much harm can a single quirky tenant do to his tightly guarded life in three short months?

Where Oliver is a loner by design, urban cowboy Bodie is a loner by necessity. A family dispute long ago dropkicked him onto the path of a lifelong wanderer. This changes when Bodie moves into the tiny beachfront cottage and starts working the door at Oliver’s bar.

Despite Oliver and Bodie’s nearly paralyzing instinct to avoid commitment, they fall into a wary romance. And to their surprise, life as a couple is sweetly satisfying; that is, until their jealous boss devises a cruel plan to destroy the tentative bond they’ve built. True to form, Bodie hits the road, leaving Oliver to lick his wounds alone.

Can these wounded souls defy their urge to flee and fight for love?

Read an excerpt:

“He wants to date you. Am I right?”

“Date me?” Bodie replies. “I’d say he wants something else.”

I nod. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“In theory.”

“I mean, just tell him you’re not gay. That pretty much closes the door to what Jack’s interested in.”

“But I am gay.”

I hate myself for gasping, but I do because this complicates things. For Bodie, with regard to Jack. And for me, because I’m starting to feel things for him I shouldn’t. “Uh…did you tell Jack that you’re gay?”

“He asked. I answered.” Direct, as always.

“You don’t owe him your private information.”

Again, he shrugs. “I don’t hide who I am.”

“Well, maybe you should have.” Jack won’t leave him alone now. He’ll interpret Bodie’s lack of interest as some kind of warped challenge.

And then Bodie does the strangest, most unexpected thing. He reaches out, hesitates with his arm midair, and takes my hand. He’s shaking. “I need this job, Ollie.”

“Fucking Jack Wheeler,” I mutter. “He’s such an asshole to put you in this position. I’ll talk to him.”

“I fight my own battles.” His words are clipped.

“I believe you. But please, let me try to help.”

He ignores my plea. “You used to be Jack’s guy, huh?” Bodie’s eyes narrow.

“Did he tell you that?”

“Yep.” He nods. “Do you still want to be his?”

“Not if he was the last man on earth.” I’m surprised at how certain I am about this.

Bodie’s half grin appears and his eyes pop wide. “Good.”

“Why’s that good?”

“Got my reasons.” He continues to smile.

“Care to share them with your housemate?” I squeeze his hand, flirting. I’m scared of his reply as much as I’m desperate for it.

“Here’s my answer.” Bodie pulls his hand from my grasp and places it gently on the side of my face. And he leans in for a kiss. Soft, but not tentative. Just a brush of his lips to mine and, when he pulls back, it’s only by a few inches. I feel his breath on my lips, so sweet and light. Patient too. As if considering whether we fit together.

I nod and he moves even closer. More unified breathing, and the most emotional intimacy I’ve shared with another man—and we’re fully dressed on a beach, not naked in bed. I press my lips to his, but he pulls back.

“Let me do it,” he whispers against my parted lips, and I understand that this kiss is his ballgame, not mine.

Another feathery kiss to my lips and then another. Fingertips brush my cheek, the side of my neck, my chest on top of my thin T-shirt, drawing out goosebumps up and down my arms and along my spine.

I struggle to control my breathing, as a realization hits me: This weathered cowboy isn’t tough and cool, through and through. Bodie’s just a man, like me. With his share of hopes and fears and needs. A man who requires protection, as much as he is a protector.

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**My thoughts**

I have been a fan of Mia Kerick's for a while now. She has a great way of sharing the stories of teens and young/new adults in the LGBTQ+ community that really grab at your heartstrings. So I was interested to try out an adult book under her pseudonym.

I read the book easily in one afternoon while sitting near the pool. I wasn't as invested in these characters as I am with the younger ones in her other books, yet I was compelled to finish the book as quickly as I could so that I could find out what was going to happen with this couple. I think the difference for me is these are older men in a different place in their life.

Each of them come to the table with their own personal baggage and trauma. They have both been abused in different ways and have a lot of healing to do. In fact, Bodie's trauma is so intense that people say he is "born for leaving," as he never stays in one place for too long, trying to run away from his past. The two of them are actually quite good for each other, but it is going to take some time to find their way.

As they are going through their own personal battles and facing their own demons, they are also dealing with a horrific boss, Jack, who reminds me of some real creeps I have known in restaurants and bars over the years. There are a couple of other creeps, but the rest of the supporting characters are actually quite fabulous. I think I would actually enjoy hanging out with all of them, with the exception of Jack.

You're going to go through a lot of emotions while reading this book, but it is an entertaining and different love story. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes in the future. Thank you to the author and to Goddess Fish for providing me with a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author:

Like Jude Munro, her fictional characters in her gay romance novels are drawn to the beach. They’ve sunbathed on the sands of many alluring East Coast beaches, along with the fantastical beaches in Jude’s books. They’ll answer questions like “Who do you think you are, the sun god?” (which they often resemble) if they can hear you over "Boys of Summer" cranking on their headphones. To most of Jude’s men, no shoes and no shirt is really not a problem. But even on the sunniest of beach days, the guys in Jude’s books do have problems… as in, serious relationship issues. Many of which seem insurmountable. And each character must earn his day at the beach. (Yes, there is always a HEA).


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20447502.Jude_Munro

Website: https://judemunrobooks.com/

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Twitter: @books_jude

Jude Munro will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

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D*mn Near Perfect by Nancy Fraser

 

Welcome to the blurb blitz tour for D*mn Near Perfect by Nancy Fraser! You'll enjoy the excerpt I'm sharing and the giveaway at the end. Be sure to follow the tour for more chances to win and let Nancy know what you think along the way!

Beth Andrews has given up on ever finding a happily-ever-after. Still smarting from a bitter divorce, she’s decided the only thing she truly needs is sex.

Unfortunately, wanting sex and actually finding it are two very different things.

Jonathan Tucker is perfectly satisfied with his bachelor lifestyle. He has a wonderful career, a kick-ass new condo, and any woman he wants. As often as he wants. At twenty-seven, he’s convinced he’s living life exactly as it should be.

Will the older, albeit sexy, ad executive and the handsome, talented artist both find there’s more to life than what they have now? Or, will they be satisfied with what the both claim to want—d*mn near perfect sex!

Read an excerpt:

Beth couldn’t sit still. Not only was she on edge about a new client, but her lack of physical contact was really starting to get on her nerves. This had to be a sign of middle age or, heaven help her, menopause because all she could think about was sex. Or, her lack thereof.

What didn’t make sense was this sudden awareness, the realization that she missed sex. Her marriage had never been overly active in that regard. So, why now?

She blamed it on the guy who lived above her. He was like a rabbit in heat and in bad need of an oil can for his bed springs. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine him going at it...fast...rough...making his conquest for the night scream with delight.

“Are you ready to go?” Maddie, a close friend from Tuesday yoga class, drew Beth from her salacious thoughts.

“Yes,” she responded. “More ready than I’ve ever been.”

“They say this new club is fan-dam-tastic.” Maddie stopped at the door to Beth’s office and took one last glimpse in the oval mirror on the wall, fluffing her naturally curly blonde hair and pursing her bright red lips together in a half-pout.

Beth stopped, as Maddie had, and shot a grimace in the general direction of her rather subdued appearance. “I hope so, Mads. I really need a night of fun.”

“True ‘nuff, girlfriend, true ‘nuff.”

Available on Amazon

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Just $0.99 during the tour!

Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published over thirty books in full-length, novella, and short format.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bookbub

Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube

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

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R.W. Buxton on creating the fictional world in Beverly Hills Torture

 

Welcome to the book tour for Beverly Hills Torture by R.W. Buxton! Today, he is taking us behind the scenes into his fictional world, plus sharing an excerpt. Be sure to follow the tour for even more information and extra chances to enter the great giveaway as you leave questions and comments along the way.

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Beverly Hills Torture isn’t necessarily an entirely fictional world, it takes place in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. But there aren’t vampires in the actual world so I had to create a world they could live in.

There is a vast amount of vampire fiction. All with conflicting rules and abilities. From the dark shadows of Bram Stoker to the glittering vampires in Twilight. I’ll be honest I’ve read more than my fair share of vampire novels. But my favorites are those where there are limitations on the vampires. They can’t survive the sunlight and if they can there is an excellent reason for it.

So when I created Erin, I looked at all the bodies of work I had read. Even referred to a vampire encyclopedia (yes there is such a thing) that summarized all the myths, legends, books and movies. Then I thought about what I wanted my vampires to be.

I wrote the rules. What they could and couldn’t do. If they did something outside of those rules, there had to be a reason. Then I figured out how they fit into the modern world. How they made money, how they changed their identities and how they avoided detection. For example, in my world it’s against the vampire law, if you will, for a vampire to kill a human. Drinking blood is okay, but not killing. This causes colossal problems for Erin in Beverly Hills Torture.

Even though Beverly Hills Torture takes place in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and Hollywood I had to create all of my establishments in and around those places. I spent a lot of time on Google Streets looking for areas that looked like they would work and then just set my locations there. Then blended them in with the actual sites and buildings around them.

World building for urban fantasy or paranormal romance isn’t nearly as difficult as it would be for Sci-Fi where it’s up to you to create everything from the planet to the political system and currency. I could work my novel into the threads of reality we are all familiar with, and just bend the rules a little to allow for the existence of vampires.

A frantic middle of the night call jolts Gerry from his quiet, but lonely life, back into a world fraught with dangerous creatures of the night. Erin's frenzied call leads Gerry across the country where he finds himself immersed in the luxuries of Beverly Hills and the seedier side of the Hollywood strip.

Sadness and longing grip him as he finds a blood-spattered room and Erin is nowhere to be found.

Alone in a strange city with nothing to go on can Gerry find and save Erin? Or is this the end of something never meant to be?

Her past has caught up with her and he's her only hope.

With a group of trusted friends Gerry takes on the impossible and gives everything to save Erin.

Beverly Hills Torture is the second novel in the Erin Kingsly series. Be sure to check out Capital Thirst.

Read an excerpt:

Nicolas walked back to the door. He turned and said, “This is a mistake. Mark my words.”

Erin watched him go, then sank to the bottom step of the grand stairway. Her head fell into her hands. This wasn’t the last she’d hear of the High Priestess. More messengers would come. Maybe they wouldn’t ask politely. Maybe they would try to force her. Maybe it would just be more groveling fools like Nicolas. Whatever happened, she wouldn’t give in to them. She wandered back up the stairs into her bedroom. The room she never slept in. It was her retreat though. She picked up the picture of her and Gerry again. He was so happy, and so was she. She saw it in both of their eyes. Honest and genuine happiness. Something she lost. It had been a year since things fell apart. It still felt like the first night alone.

She set the picture down and flopped on the bed. She lay back and tried to forget. But she couldn’t. It was still too real, too raw. Tears rose again and slid down her face. They were lost in her hair, and she stared at the ceiling. There was nothing she could do about her past decisions.

The only way to go was forward. Unfortunately, it would be a painful path.

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I love a good paranormal read, something about the un-dead haunts the fringes of my mind. Mix in romance, love, loss, and you have a great story.

I voraciously read everything, fiction, and non-fiction but always find myself turning back to the darker stories. I’ve always wanted to write and the dream became a reality with Capital Thirst, and the remainder of the Erin Kingsly novels.

I spend most of my days designing and building websites, but my free time is devoted to my wife, family, and cats. Yes three grown children and three cats. Things can be hectic.

For fun you might find me driving winding roads with the top down or out photographing nature.

Website RWBuxton.com

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Twitter  RW Buxton Author (@rwBuxtonAuthor) | Twitter

Other Links
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-w-buxton

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19658320.R_W_Buxton

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48481089-capital-thirst

https://allauthor.com/author/rwbuxton/

R.W. Buxton will be awarding $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

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Jeny Heckman chats with characters from The Warrior's Progeny

Welcome to the book tour for The Warrior's Progeny by Jeny Heckman! Today's post is a lot of fun, as she imagines a conversation between her characters that would have changed the entire story. Enjoy that and an excerpt from the book. Follow the tour for even more. And then be sure to enter the giveaway!

Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn't know what to think.

A widow with two children, Lilly travels to Kauai to attend the wedding of a friend and witness the union she lost three years prior. When she meets Colt, she struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future.

Strange events begin to occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. Black energy touches their world and the couple become pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love between them real, or part of a larger prophecy?

Read an excerpt:

Lilly looked down at the football, lying prone and guilty in the sand, as realization hit her.

“Oh my God, Que! Are you okay?”

She examined Que’s head and neck checking for injuries, with rapid authority. A small goose egg already formed just above her right temple. A tiny cut opened in her eyebrow, from her broken sunglasses now laying in the sand, causing a small bead of blood to well up.

Used to the recklessness of her son and his friends regarding the sport, Lilly turned, gearing up for an impressive tongue lashing to teenagers.

“What in the hell...” she bellowed, turning around and smacking her face into the sweaty muscular chest of a massive redhead. Refusing to let the fourteen-inch height difference and the hundred and sixty pounds of additional weight intimidate her, Lilly balled her small fists on her hips, shifted her gaze up, and narrowed her eyes.

“What in the hell is the matter with you? You’re on a crowded beach with a bunch of young children and families. You’re a grown-ass man. Can’t you catch a football?” When he stared down at her in fascinated disbelief, she continued. “There is a wide-open park just over there,” she said, stabbing her finger in the general vicinity. “Maybe you and your little friends”— she looked over at all the massive men in his group, but continued undaunted—“should go over there and pull your heads out of your asses.”

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In the Heaven & Earth series, the Titans have fought the Olympian Greek gods and lost. Cronus, ruler of the Titans is locked away in Tartarus, in the underworld, while Zeus, ruler of the Olympians rocks his golden throne and has a lot of sex. Cronus decides to manipulate some key people to create a prophecy dooming the gods and releasing the last plagues upon mankind. Themis, an Oracle of Delphi, gets wind of it and inserts a caveat that allows the modern-day descendants of the gods to go on a quest to save the Olympians.

I feel like the whole thing could’ve been avoided if Zeus and Cronus got over themselves and each other and talked it out. I envision something like this.

“Hey dad,” Zeus began, “I know we’ve had our differences, but mom was really angry you ate all her children, and Grandma was super angry you re-imprisoned, the Cyclopes uncles, and the Hecantonchieres clan. Everyone wanted a new ruler, and I stepped in. Can we at least try to figure out some common ground, and make this work for the family’s sake?”

“No, I’m pissed off,” Cronus spat. “This was my kingdom. I had to cut off my father’s penis, to get it for chrissake, but I did it for the family and I was a good leader. I won my place here fair and square.” Cronus ran his thick wrinkled fingers through his hair causing it to stand on end. “What am I supposed to do now?”

“Okay, I totally hear what you’re saying, but try to look at this from my point of view. You have to admit you were getting completely paranoid.”

“Because my dad, said you were going to take over my kingdom!”

“You didn’t have to eat everyone! I mean come on, how would you have liked that?” Zeus looked at his father with large pleading eyes. “I know we can work this out. Heaven and earth are all chill again. The people are happy. These could be the greatest years of your life, relaxing by the pool, playing with your grandchildren.”

Cronus looked out into the dark murky depths of Tartarus. Water dripped somewhere pinging echoes off the rock walls. “I don’t know. What would I do? Could I get out of here?”

Zeus brightened, “Absolutely! I’ll tell you what, how about I give you the Elysium? The only people that get in there are the heroes and other gods. It’s absolutely beautiful there. You can rule the place without any interference from me, at all. Plus, it’ll be way easier on your joints with all that sunshine.”

“It would be all mine?” Cronus eyes his son suspiciously.

“All yours, with just three conditions.”

“What are those?”

“You get on some medication for your depression and psychotic tendencies,” the young ruler counted on his fingers. “You go see a therapist to get out all those unresolved issues, and you don’t second guess my decisions in public once I’ve made them.”

Cronus remained silent, trying to come to a decision.

“Come on, dad,” Zeus said softly, placing an arm around the old ruler’s shoulders. “All this fighting isn’t doing anyone any good at all. Can we move on?”

Cronus looked into his son’s eyes, and recognized the truth in them. “Okay, you have a deal, but if I think you’re doing something wrong, I’m going to tell you.”

“As long as you do it in private, I’ll listen to every word and take it all under consideration.” He raised a hand. “That’s a promise.”

Cronus extended his own hand, but thinking better of it, drew his son in for a hug. Zeus patted the proud old man gently on the back, then leaned into the embrace and closed his eyes.

Thank you so much for joining me today! I truly appreciate your time and also a big thank you to Andi and Books to Light your Fire for hosting me. This was a lot of fun!

Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

She wrote her first book, the Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.

In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.

In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series.

Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.


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

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