Jilly

February Harlequin Spotlight: Q&A with Stella Bagwell, author of Her Sweetest Fortune

HER SWEETEST FORTUNE

by USA Today bestselling author

Stella Bagwell

Sophie Fortune Robinson is on a mission. The word around the office watercooler is that the boss’s youngest daughter is intent on landing Mr. Right by Valentine’s Day—and that she has her eyes, and heart, set on a certain hunk in Marketing.

But when she enlists her longtime pal and coworker Mason Montgomery to teach her how to get a man to notice her, little does she know she’s already captured his attention!

Now Mason’s in a real bind! He has just a few short weeks to fight his way out of the “friend zone.” On his agenda: convincing sweet Sophie that he is the real man of her dreams! Will Fortune smile on true love’s venture?

Q&A with Stella Bagwell

How did you come up with the friendship/relationship love triangle as a plot?

Actually, the plot was suggested by the editors as a part of a special continuing series. As the author, it was my job to breathe life and personality into the characters and their story.

What is your favorite part about writing for Her Sweetest Fortune?

My favorite part of writing Her Sweetest Fortune was putting two friends together and watching their confusion and surprise as the attraction builds between them.

Any tips for readers hoping that a special someone was more than just a friend?

If that special someone goes out of his way to do something thoughtful for you, then he probably has more than friendship on his mind!

What was the first book that made you cry?

While I was still in high school my brother gave me a set of Ernest Hemingway books. When the hero of A FAREWELL TO ARMS lost the love of his life, I definitely cried. To this day I still can’t watch the movie or I’ll start sobbing.

How long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

That all depends on the setting of the book and the plot. If it’s a place or plot I’m familiar with then a week or two of research is plenty. When writing continuity the research always takes longer because you have to make sure characters, setting details and plot lines match those of the authors stories going before and after your own.

How do you select the names of your characters?

For me, choosing names for my characters is one of the most time consuming part of writing a book. I want the name to define my character’s personality and at the same time I have to be careful not to choose a name I’ve used in a prior book. If something doesn’t immediately pop into my head, I’ll reach for the telephone directory and search until I find a name that feels right.

If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

I would probably be doing the job I held before I became a writer, which was a hairdresser. By the way, a treasure trove of stories goes through a beauty salon!

Do you believe in writer’s block?

I think a writer’s mind can go on a lazy streak or be distracted by outside influences. But I personally don’t believe in writer’s block.

What is your favorite thing about writing contemporary romance? My favorite thing about writing contemporary romance is definitely the happy endings and the hope that the future will be filled with love.
Are you excited for Valentine’s Day?

I always look forward to Valentine’s Day. After being married for nearly forty-six years it still melts my heart to get flowers and romance from my husband!

About the author:

STELLA BAGWELL is a USA Today bestselling author who has written close to 90 books for Harlequin. She lives on the Texas Gulf coast with her husband, where the winters are mild and the summers sweltering. Along with her writing, she stays busy helping her husband care for their 10 horses, 11 cats, and a flock of gulls that always seem to know when it’s feeding time!

February Harlequin Spotlight: Q&A with Carolyne Aarsen, author of Courting the Cowboy

Courting the Cowboy

by Carolyne Aarsen

Synopsis:

Looking for inspiration, artist Ella Langton rents a cabin in the isolated Porcupine Hills of Alberta, Canada. She didn’t count on having neighbors, but rancher Cord Walsh and his three children are just a stone’s throw away.

Still healing from a tragic accident, Ella has no plans of reaching out, but she’s having a hard time keeping them out of her yard—and her thoughts. And when little Suzy ropes Ella into helping her with an art project, she can’t help her growing feelings for the girl’s rugged daddy.

With three persistent children, Cord and Ella may find their fenced-off hearts opening up sooner than they thought!

Q&A with Carolyne Aarsen

How did you come up with the relationship between artist Ella and rancher Cord?

The first picture that came to me was a woman with three kids standing on the deck of her house, looking at her like they are supposed to help her out and she is reluctant to. Then a truck comes on the yard and here comes the father. This was how the book starts and this was the first idea that came to me. So then I had to figure out why the woman didn’t really want to help the kids. Why the father was so upset at her reaction. And because I knew I needed them to be forced together, I had to delve into that. I knew my heroine was an artist trying to find solitude so I came up with the idea that the kids, once they found out she was an artist, finagle her into helping them with an art project. The hero is trying to protect his children and knows that she is uncomfortable around them but also that they really want this to happen.

What is your favorite part about writing Courting the Cowboy?

The interacation with the kids and Ella. I have two precocious granddaughters and a chubby loveable grandson and they became my models for Suzie and Ollie. Paul was a composite of my other grandson and a nephew’s son. It was fun bringing them to life.

How is it different to write about children than adults?

Kids say what they think and aren’t scared to ask the hard questions. They aren’t scared to satisfy their curiosity so that makes for some interesting and fun conversations. Plus they don’t overthink so what you see is what you get. Adults spend more time debating and questioning and filtering what they say so it’s a different dynamic.

How did you pick a cabin in Alberta as the backdrop for the book?

I loved the idea of seclusion and the mountains and a ranch. It created a sense of coziness that appealed to me. I wanted my heroine to be apart from her usual support system so that she was a bit vulnerable when the kids came barging into her life.

What was the first book that made you cry?

The Outsiders. I remember sitting under one of those dome, homestyle hairdryers, my hair in curlers as the hot air blew over my head, reading the book and my tears drying on my hot cheeks as I read how Johnny died. Such delicious sadness.

How long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I often say I’m always researching stories and books. I gather information and hoard it, store it away for when I can use it. So it’s difficult to say. I love ranching life and the lifestyle and my husband has his horses and cows so, like I said, I’m always trying to find ways to write what I know into my story. As for the other stuff, like the art references in this book, I have a niece who’s an artist and I’ve listened to her talk about shows and galleries so I drew from that as well. Then, whatever I don’t know I fill in as needed either by phoning or going on Google.

How do you select the names of your characters?

I actually have a master list of names of hero’s and heroine’s that I’ve used in the past and for future books so I don’t make the mistake I did previously of having two hero’s named Logan. I usually pick names that sound strong, masculine for my men and a bit softer for my women. And that’s about it. For secondary characters I rely on a little tool in Scrivener that gives ideas for names. I’ve used it often.

If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

Take pictures and edit them. Make covers for books and learn how to properly use the gradient tool in Affinity. Sometimes I think I would like to work in a store with other real people instead of the fake people I spend so much time with. (though they become very real to me). But the truth is I really can’t imagine not being a writer. I’m always coming up with stories.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Not really. I think it’s often resistance to do the hard work that keeps me from writing. For instance I’m supposed to be reworking a book right now that I’m struggling with so it’s much easier to fill this out than to work on it. But I will go back to it and keep plugging. I know, for me, when I shut the internet off, the distractions cease and I have no choice but to work. I can’t really say that I’ve had actual writer’s block. Resistance to do the hard work, yes, but not writer’s block.

Are you excited for Valentine’s Day?

I know I’m supposed to say yes, but Valentines Day is often just another day here. If I’m in town I’ll buy some Lindor Chocolate for my husband and I and we’ll have them with tea as we have our devotions after supper. My dear husband is not a romantic so it’s often a non-event. I don’t doubt my husband’s love for me and I’ve learned, long ago, that birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day should never be a test of that love.

About the author:

CAROLYNE AARSEN lives in Northern Alberta where she was born, raised and married and has raised four children and numerous foster children. Her writing has been honed between being a stay-at-home mother, homemaker, gardener, crafter columnist and business partner with her husband in their cattle farm and logging business.

Stay tuned for more from:

Mack Daddy by Penelope Ward….Reveiw Tour Stop

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy, STANDALONE second-chance romance.

They called him Mack Daddy. No, seriously, his name was Mack. Short for Mackenzie. Thus, the nickname. Perfect, right?

So was he: perfect. The perfect physical male specimen.

At the private school where I taught, Mack Morrison was the only man around in a sea of women.

Everyone wanted a piece of the hot single father of the sweet little boy.

I was riddled with jealousy, because they didn’t know that—to me—he was much more.

They didn’t know about our past.

He’d chosen my school for his son on purpose, because Mack and I, we had unfinished business.

As my friend Lorelai so eloquently put it: “Unfinished business between two people who are clearly attracted to each other is like an eternal case of blue balls.” And I was suffering in pain from my case.

I was still intensely attracted to Mack. I tried to resist him, immersing myself further into a relationship with another man just to protect my heart.

Not to mention, getting involved with a parent was strictly against school rules. But seeing Mack day in and day out was breaking me down.

And soon I might be breaking all the rules.

Author’s note – Told in alternating points of view, Mack Daddy is a full-length standalone novel.

ADD TO GOODREADS

iBooks | Nook | Kobo

My Review:

Mack Daddy is the newest work from author Penelope Ward; an author who is quickly becoming one of my top ten fave authors. This book was everything I love about her writing and more.

I love a good second chance romance and with two characters as dynamic as Mack and Frankie, I was hooked form the very first chapter. Unlikely college friends, they both hid an attraction towards one another for the years they lived together. Mack, because he was in a long-term, long distance relationship, and Frankie because she was convinced he was way out of her league. Just when they decide to share their feelings, things take a serious turn and they won’t end up seeing each other again until years later. A lot had changed over those years apart but one thing remained the same: that unexplored and unfaded attraction. Now, back in each other’s lives, Mack isn’t going to waste his chance to catch the one who got away. Of course, with things like a current boyfriend, a son, a hateful ex, and politics involved, that will prove way easier said than done.

One of the thing I loved so much about Mack and Frankie was that they are both at a point in their lives where not speaking your mind isn’t something they practice any longer. Maybe it’s because they’re both older and know that all the game playing is a waste of time, or maybe it’s just because Mack is as determined as a dog with a bone to get Frankie back? Whatever the reason, the level of honesty and soul bearing they share during the quiet moments is truly magical. Their story is written in a way where we alternate going from the present to the past and it gave such a clear understanding of just how important and meaningful the relationship between them was back then and how much they still cared for one another. If ever there was a coupe I was rooting for, this is it. The road that leads them to their happy ending was indeed a rough one but also a necessary one and I loved every emotional minute of it. Of course I also have to give mention to the moment they share their first kiss…I think even I got butterflies! So damn good.

Overall, there was just so much to love about this book and this couple. This 100% gets a Laughing Cow rating! If you’ve never picked up a Penelope Ward book, you really must.

Thank you, Ms. Ward, for another delicious story!

Five Loves

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She’s a fifteen-time New York Times bestseller of twelve novels.

Having grown up in Boston with five older brothers, she spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 12-year-old girl with autism and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

Connect with Penelope Ward

Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Website |Twitter | Instagram

Other standalones from Penelope Ward:

Neighbor Dearest:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aWvypX
iBooks: http://apple.co/29mC6L8
Nook: http://bit.ly/2akQ2aq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2axt1SY

Stepbrother Dearest:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mFNMeg
iBooks: http://bit.ly/YER0mT
Nook: http://bit.ly/1taMFjG
kobo: http://bit.ly/1fJaaBs

RoomHate:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/294lIeT
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PgsvE7
Nook: http://bit.ly/1PLGnSL
kobo: http://bit.ly/1POvSnW

Playboy Pilot: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2dbetFA
iBooks ➜ http://apple.co/1Wb06Cf
B&N ➜ http://bit.ly/2c9vRdV
Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2ctb6dv

Stuck-Up Suit: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1S3LnpZ
iBooks: http://apple.co/1Qbwy57
Nook: http://bit.ly/29vrQhV
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/stuck-up-suit

Cocky Bastard: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MvHLg2
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PffE2J
Nook: http://bit.ly/1EjxNpY
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UxCSUO

Sins of Sevin:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1F9tbc3
iBooks: http://apple.co/1K8mzGg
Nook: http://bit.ly/1hTKAKE
kobo: http://bit.ly/1OaGY3D

Jake Undone (Jake #1):
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1dJrHBC
Nook: http://bit.ly/1obAwJ6
iBooks: http://apple.co/1fJayQ8
kobo: http://bit.ly/1SPKl0M

Jake Understood (Jake #2):
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GFdves
Nook: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z
iBooks: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC
kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk

My Skylar
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1obOG2F
iBooks: http://bit.ly/SLNOTR
Nook: http://bit.ly/SLO1qi
kobo: http://bit.ly/1kNrtAB

Gemini:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vgk1SE
Nook: http://bit.ly/1KfmLHD
iBooks: http://apple.co/1QTaONj
kobo: http://bit.ly/1BGJ2wu

Liberty States Create Something Magical Conference Speaker Interview Series: Tere Michaels

I’m so excited to be returning to one of my favorite events this March: the Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical Conference in New Jersey. It’s a wonderful event that I enjoy each year and highly recommend attending. I am honored this year to be hosting an interview each week with the attending speakers! It begins today and will continue each week leading up to the conference. I hope you enjoy! ~Jillian

Today the Liberty States Create Something Magical Conference Speaker Interview Series continues with author Tere Michaels:

What made you want to become a writer? How early in life did you start writing?

I was an early self-taught reader (thank you Sesame Street!) and fell headlong into a love affair with words. Around four or five, I made the connection that someone WROTE those words and my brain just went – yeah, that’s what we’re going to do. By early grade school I was making up stories then in third grade we had to write a book and illustrate it. Mine was about two bunnies saving other animals from a forest fire and boom, there you go!

And yes, I still have the book!

Is there one piece of advice you would give an aspiring writer?

Read everything! Read outside your genre! Fiction, books about writing, memoirs, books about screenwriting. Listen to writers talking about their process. Read books about publishing. The more information you have, the more easily you can navigate both the creative and business sides of things.

Who is on your bookshelf?

I have a very eclectic set of bookshelves! My autobuys are J.R. Ward and Rachel Caine at the moment but I read a little bit of everything including non-fiction. I love books on writing, books on creativity and inspiration, sociology, history.

Can you tell us about one of the most memorable moments in your writing career thus far?

I’ve gotten some really incredible emails over the years that I am humbled by; after Duty & Devotion came out, I had a flood of emails around the main character’s (Evan’s) age, about their very similar experiences coming out. The internal struggles, how other people perceive you, how you perceive yourself. Like I said – humbling. And powerful. To know that your fiction can resonate with people like that.

Tell us about your newest release/current work in progress.

My last release was a paperback version of Groomzilla, with a code called Groomzilla Goes to Vegas. It’s a rom com about a wedding planner, a reality show, a hot producer and the groomzilla of all groomzillas!

Currently I’m working on book 3 in my Vigilante series, about a dystopian NYC and the man battling corruption and drug dealers.

Tell us a little about your workshop at the Create Something Magical Conference.

I have two workshops this year I’m very excited about. Writing Supporting Characters is an exploration of world-building, plot development and illuminating your main characters through the “village” that surrounds them. It’s one of my most requested – and favorite – workshops to give. My second is Intimacy with my friend Damon Suede. Damon and I enjoy teaching together; despite our different styles we have a similar emotional narrative to our writing.

About Tere:

Tere Michaels unofficially began her writing career at the age of four when she learned – via a Disney magazine subscription – that people got paid to write stories. It seemed the most perfect and logical job in the world and after that, her path was never in question.

Tere’s specialties are snark, angst, and happily ever afters. And not so happily ever afters that eventually work out because she is, after all, a romantic – tempered with realism. She has written fifteen books including her popular Faith, Love & Devotion series and the superhero saga The Vigilante.

She is a member of RWA and Liberty States Fiction Writers

Tere Michaels

www.teremichaels.com

https://twitter.com/TereMichaels

Cover Reveal…The Best Man by Barbie Bohrman

Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for The Best Man by Barbie Bohrman! Check it out and grab your copy March 28^th!

Title: THE BEST MAN

Author: Barbie Bohrman

Genre: Contemporary romance

Release Day: March 28^th

About The Best Man:

Veronica Webber is single again after being in a loveless marriage way past its expiration date. For the first time in a very long time, she feels free and after being burned so badly by love in the past, any thought of romance is the last thing on her mind.

In walks a man from her past, Trevor Allen, a tall, dark, and handsome womanizer who is usually all about the bottom line. For Trevor that bottom line has always been made up of the countless notches on his bedpost. But when he sees Veronica after so many years, he can’t help but be drawn to her and know her again… even if that means being friend-zoned from the start.

As this unlikely pair spends more and more time together, they quickly realize that there might be something between them that goes past “just friends.” But there’s just one tiny detail that makes this situation slightly more complicated… Trevor was Veronica’s ex-husband’s best man at their wedding nine years ago.

So when past mistakes and indiscretions come back to haunt them, will their happily ever after end before it even gets started?

Or will the best man win this time.

Add on Goodreads!

Exclusive Excerpt:

I couldn’t pinpoint how I had been feeling for the past couple of days, but I was just… I don’t know. Off my game, I guess was the best way to put it. And the worst part was I knew exactly when and why this all started for me.

Ever since I’d seen Veronica off from my apartment this past Saturday, I couldn’t shake her from my thoughts no matter how hard I tried. And trust me, I had tried. But then my mind would wander and then the next thing I knew, I would remember how beautiful she looked as she peeled away a layer of insecurity at a time during our night out. I’d recall how she exuded that confidence at the karaoke bar that I found so alluring in any woman, but in Veronica, it was off the fucking charts sexy. And then I’d be reminded of how I slowly undressed her with care and put her in my bed for the night. All of her flawless, soft skin on display, the way her long legs stretched as I pulled her skirt off of her and the barely there lace panties she had on. As if all of that wasn’t enough to torture a mere mortal man such as myself, when I helped to remove her sweater and I got a damn good eyeful of the matching bra, it had taken every ounce of effort to not run the backs of my knuckles softly and slowly against the swells of her breasts. My dick was getting hard just thinking about it all over again. The images were still as vivid as if it had happened a minute ago… and I knew I was a piece of shit for thinking about any of it. For picturing Veronica over, around, and under me; for imagining her plump lips wrapped around my dick; for knowing how sweet she would taste against my tongue and how hard I could make her come.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath and ran a hand down my face. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

I should have gone out for lunch with Jack. Maybe the momentary change of scenery would have helped to keep my mind busy because studying up on the new client was quickly becoming a distant memory. Maybe the one thing Jack said was right though… I needed to get laid. And since Veronica was obviously not an option, I had to go elsewhere for the relief my dick was so sorely in need of. Because there was no way that my sanity could afford to wake up one more day this week with a case of blue balls. I was but one man.

My mind was racing through a mental catalog of women I knew that I could request the pleasure of the company of their pussy. They were women that knew without any prompting that I was the kind of guy you didn’t bring home to meet your parents. I had always appreciated those women the most; the ones that didn’t need the introduction or the “talk.” All they wanted or ever needed from me was a fuck. And that worked out perfectly as far as I was concerned.

Let’s see, I could call either Patsy, Bridget, Mary, Liv…

As soon as Liv’s name popped into focus, I knew she was the one I needed to reach out to. We had met at some sort of meet and greet for under-thirty-entrepreneur-shindig when I was technically under thirty some time last year. She was a tall, leggy blonde with perfect tits and an ass that I could bounce quarters off of. Liv and I had hit it off that first time we met, fucked, whatever. What made her different than other women was that right off the bat, she was the one to tell me that she had no intention of wanting any kind of relationship. Ever. So since that first time we slept together, she had been someone I knew I could call on to take the edge off. She hadn’t let me down yet, and I sure as hell hoped that she wouldn’t tonight.

I shot off a quick text to Liv:

Can you meet me later?

It didn’t take too long until I saw the familiar three flashing dots and then her response:

I can. Where and when?

Smiling, I knew I was in good hands and texted her back the name of a bar that was walking distance from my apartment that we could meet up at and the time. She was quick with her response:

See you there.

About Barbie Bohrman:

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Barbie Bohrman dreamed of becoming an author. Long after she had given up, a book club’s prologue contest enticed her to give it one more go. What emerged were the beginnings of her debut novel, Promise Me. Now she’s living her dream and writing stories that entice readers to escape and break away from reality. When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to get through the books on her Kindle (more than a thousand at last count) or watching Lost or Seinfeld. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Connect with Barbie:

FB~ https://www.facebook.com/Barbie-Bohrman-Author-170019943145037/

GR~ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6875784.Barbie_Bohrman

Twitter~ @BarbieBohrman

Instagram~ @barbiebohrman

Website~ www.barbiebohrmanbooks.com

Amazon Author Page~ https://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Bohrman/e/B00DJASPA0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1482419573&sr=8-1

Enter Barbie’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ex-Con by Katana Collins….Series Review

Description:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to-toe…the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance.

My Review:

Ex-Con is the newest work from author Katana Collins and is broke up into three scorching, high octane parts. I was lucky enough to get all three at at the same time so I breezed right through them all and I loved every second!

From the very first chapter I was hooked on this story. Shane is the perfect anti-hero wrapped up in a sexy package with a hidden soft side I just adored. I was pulling for him for the very beginning to get his life together while keeping things on the straight and narrow. Of course that would prove a difficult task from the word go. I also loved Charlie; the sexy mechanic Shane ends up working with in her shop. She is a total bad ass without being too hard edged. She reminded me a bit of Angelina Jolie’s character in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds but with better hair lol! Together the attraction between them is instant and intense. Total off the charts heat factor!

This collection as a whole has so much to sink your teeth into… a crew of less than savory guys, illegal street racing, a psycho ex, tons of heat, ups and downs, two unforgettable main characters, and a fresh and exciting story line all well written and guaranteed to keep you glued to each page!

Thank you, Ms. Collins, for a fantastic trio of stories. I loved every second of Shane and Charlie’s story! If you haven’t picked up a Katana Collins book, you really must.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Part 1:

Ex-Con Part 1:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495394

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-1/id1176387018

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-1

Part 2:

Ex-Con Part 2:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Charlize “Charlie” Wakeman fixes cars and doesn’t suffer fools. But when the hot as hell ex-convict Shane McGill enters her mechanic shop, she can’t resist one wild night with him. It was just meant to be a fling…the wildest, most thrilling fling of her life. But Shane’s too ruthless, too bad to ignore, and Charlie can’t stop herself from coming back for more.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495385

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-2/id1176215427

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-2

Part 3:

Ex-Con Part 3:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Three of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Shane McGill learned one thing from prison—if you get a second chance, don’t screw it up. Shane doesn’t regret a single second of his life once he’s found Charlie. She’s the happiest, hottest, most important thing to happen to him. But as tensions rise in the Harrison Street Crew, his relationship with Charlie takes on a new level of heat, and danger…

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495376

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-3/id1176384694

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-3

Author Bio

KATANA COLLINS is lucky enough to love her day job almost as much as she loves writing. She splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir and newborn portraits and writing steamy romances in a variety of genres — paranormal, contemporary, new adult and suspense.

She bounces between living in New York and Portland, Maine, with an ever-growing brood of rescue animals: a kind of mean cat, a very mellow chihuahua, and a very not mellow lab puppy… oh yeah, there’s a husband somewhere in that mix, too. She can usually be found hunched over her laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.

Author Links

Website: www.katanacollins.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatanaCollins

Twitter: twitter.com/katanacollins

Ex-Con Part 3 by Katana Collins….Release Day Event

Your wait is now over!
The conclusion of EX-CON by Katana Collins
is now available!

Ex-Con: Part 3

(The Harrison Street Crew)

by Katana Collins

Blurb:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Three of a three-part volume

Available for purchase at

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

Make sure to grab Parts I and II

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

EX-CON: Part 2

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

EX-CON: Part 3

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

Don’t forget to pre-order Book 2 in the

HARRISON STREET CREW SERIES

OUTLAW

Available to pre-order at

Kindle  Nook  iTunes  Kobo

About The Author

Katana Collins is lucky enough to love her day job almost as much as she loves writing. She splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir and newborn portraits and writing steamy romances in a variety of genres — paranormal, contemporary, new adult and suspense.She lives in Portland, Maine, with an ever-growing brood of rescue animals: a kind of mean cat, a very mellow chihuahua, and a very not mellow lab puppy… oh yeah, there’s a husband somewhere in that mix, too. She can usually be found hunched over her laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.

You can find Katana at

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

Presented By

Crossing Hearts by Kimberly Kincaid…Release Event

CROSSING HEARTS

Cross Creek series, book 1
by Kimberly Kincaid

Continue reading Crossing Hearts by Kimberly Kincaid…Release Event

The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff….Blog Tour Stop with Excerpt

We are so excited to be a part of a 2-part tour for the release of best selling author Pam Jenoff’s new historical fiction title, The Orphan’s Tale!

Follow along the excerpt tour beginning in February, with long excerpts in consecutive order at each tour stop, followed by a review tour beginning on 2/21, release day!

About The Orphan’s Tale

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: MIRA (February 21, 2017)

A powerful novel of friendship set in a traveling circus during World War II, The Orphan’s Tale introduces two extraordinary women and their harrowing stories of sacrifice and survival

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and being forced to give up her baby. She lives above a small rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep… When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the child that was taken from her. And in a moment that will change the course of her life, she snatches one of the babies and flees into the snowy night.

Noa finds refuge with a German circus, but she must learn the flying trapeze act so she can blend in undetected, spurning the resentment of the lead aerialist, Astrid. At first rivals, Noa and Astrid soon forge a powerful bond. But as the facade that protects them proves increasingly tenuous, Noa and Astrid must decide whether their friendship is enough to save one another—or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything.

“I read this novel in a headlong rush, transported by the relationship between two vastly different women during World War II: a Jewish circus aerialist and a teenage runaway with a baby. Deftly juggling secrets, lies, treachery, and passion, Pam Jenoff vividly brings to life the agonizing choices and life-or-death consequences for a hardy band of travelers under Nazi occupation.”—Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

“Readers who enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants will embrace this novel.”—Library Journal

“In prose that is beautiful, ethereal, and poignant, The Orphan’s Tale is a novel you won’t be able to put down.”—Bustle

“A gripping story about the power of friendship to save and redeem even in the darkest of circumstances, The Orphan’s Tale sheds light on one of the most colorful and inspiring stories of heroism in Nazi Germany. This is a book not to be missed.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue and The Aviator’s Wife

“Jenoff expertly performs a pirouetting tale worthy of a standing ovation. A circus of hidden Jews, a powerful friendship, The Orphan’s Tale proves that the human spirit defies hate, fear, and gravity with a triumphant ta-da!”—Sarah McCoy, New York Times bestselling author of The Mapmaker’s Children

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

“Ingrid!” Herr Neuhoff booms as he enters the sitting room. If he is surprised to see me, he gives no indication. Herr Neuhoff is not as old as my father and in my childhood memories, he had been dashing and handsome, if portly, with dark hair and a mustache. But he is shorter than I remembered, with a full stomach and just a gray fringe of hair. I rise and start toward him. Then, seeing the small swastika pin on his lapel, I stop. Coming here had been a mistake. “For appearances,” he says hastily.

“Yes, of course.” But I am not sure whether to believe him. I should just go. His face appears genuinely glad to see me, though. I decide to take a chance.

He gestures to a chair overlaid with lace and I sit, perching uneasily. “Cognac?” he offers.

I falter. “That would be lovely.” He rings a bell and the same woman who answered the door brings in a tray—one house servant where there used to be many. The Circus Neuhoff has not been left untouched by the war. I feign a sip from the glass she offers me. I do not want to be rude, but I need to keep my head about me to figure out where I am going from here. There is no resting place for me in Darmstadt anymore.

“You’ve just come from Berlin?” His tone is polite, one step short of asking what I am doing here.

“Yes. Papa wrote that he disbanded the circus.” Herr Neuhoff’s brow creases with his unspoken question: the circus broke up months ago. Why have I come now? “More recently I lost contact and my letters came back unanswered,” I add. “Have you heard from them?”

“I’m afraid nothing,” he replies. “There were only a few of them left at the end, all of the workers had gone.” Because it was illegal to work for the Jews. My father had treated his performers and even the manual laborers like family, caring for them when they were sick, inviting them to family celebrations, such as my brothers’ bar mitzvahs. He’d given generously to the town, too, doing charity shows for the hospital and donating to the political officials to curry favor. Trying so very hard to make us one of them. We had nearly forgotten that we weren’t.

Herr Neuhoff continues, “I went looking for them you know, after. But the house was empty. They were gone, though whether they went on their own or something had happened, I couldn’t say.” He walks to the mahogany desk in the corner and opens a drawer. “I do have this.” He reveals a Kiddush cup and I rise, fighting the urge to cry out at the familiar Hebrew letters. “This was yours, no?”

I nod, taking it from him. How had he gotten it? There had been a menorah, as well, and other things. The Germans must have taken those. I run my finger along the edge of the cup. On the road my family would have gathered in our railcar just to light the candles and share a bit of whatever wine and bread could be found, a few minutes of just us. I see shoulders pressed close to fit around the tiny table, my brothers’ faces illuminated by candlelight. We were not so very religious—we had to perform on Saturdays and had not managed to keep kosher on the road. But we clung fast to the little things, a moment’s observance each week. No matter how happy I had been with Erich, some part of my heart always drifted from the gay Berlin cafés back to the quiet Sabbaths.

I sink down once more. “I should never have left.”

“The Germans still would have put your father out of business,” he points out. If I had been here, though, perhaps the Germans would not have forced my family from their home or arrested them, or done whatever had caused them to not be here any longer. My connection to Erich, which I had held up like such a shield, had in the end proved worthless.

Herr Neuhoff coughs once, then again, his face reddening. I wonder if he is ill.

“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help,” he says when he has recovered. “You’ll go back to Berlin now?”

I shift awkwardly. “I’m afraid not.”

Pam Jenoff Author Photo credit: Mindy Schwartz-Sorasky

About Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including the international bestseller The Kommandant’s Girl, which also earned her a Quill Award nomination. Pam lives with her husband and three children near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school.

Connect with Pam

Website | Facebook | Twitter

THE ORPHAN’S TALE Excerpt Tour:

Monday, February 6th: The Sassy Bookster

Tuesday, February 7th: Just Commonly

Wednesday, February 8th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, February 9th: Chick Lit Central

Friday, February 10th: Bibliotica

Monday February 13th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Tuesday, February 14th: Read Love Blog

Wednesday, February 15th: The Lit Bitch

Thursday, February 16th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Friday, February 17th: Books a la Mode

THE ORPHAN’S TALE Review Tour:

Monday, February 20th: A Chick Who Reads

Monday, February 20th: Barbara Khan

Tuesday, February 21st: Savvy Verse and Wit

Wednesday, February 22nd: Caryn, The Book Whisperer

Thursday, February 23rd: West Metro Mommy

Friday, February 24th: Reading is My SuperPower

Friday, February 24th: A Bookish Affair

Monday, February 27th: Building Bookshelves

Monday, February 27th: Just Commonly

Tuesday, February 28th: Bibliotica

Wednesday, March 1st: Kahakai Kitchen

Wednesday, March 1st: Susan Peterson

Thursday, March 2nd: A Literary Vacation

Friday, March 3rd: Cindy Burnett

Monday, March 6th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Monday, March 6th: Literary Quicksand

Tuesday, March 7th: The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, March 8th: The Romance Dish

Thursday, March 9th: Just One More Chapter

Friday, March 10th: Suzy Approved

Monday, March 13th: Reading Reality

Monday, March 13th: Diary of an Eccentric

Tuesday, March 14th: Patricia’s Wisdom

Wednesday, March 15th: Bibliophiliac

Thursday, March 16th: The Maiden’s Court

Friday, March 17th: View from the Birdhouse

Monday, March 20th: A Bookish Way of Life

Tuesday, March 21st: Write Read Life

Wednesday, March 22nd: 100 Pages a Day

Thursday, March 23rd: Silver’s Reviews

Friday, March 24th: Not in Jersey

Friday March 24th: SJ2B House of Books

Tuesday, March 28th: Travelling Birdy

Tempt Me by J. Kenner….ARC Review

Synopsis:

Sometimes passion has a price …

When sexy Stark Security Chief Ryan Hunter whisks his girlfriend Jamie Archer away for a passionate, romance-filled weekend so he can finally pop the question, he’s certain that the answer will be an enthusiastic yes. So when Jamie tries to avoid the conversation, hiding her fears of commitment and change under a blanket of wild sensuality and decadent playtime in bed, Ryan in more determined than ever to convince Jamie that they belong together.

Knowing there’s no halfway with this woman, Ryan gives her an ultimatum – marry him or walk away. Now Jamie is forced to face her deepest insecurities or risk destroying the best thing in her life. And it will take all of her strength, and all of Ryan’s love, to keep her right where she belongs…

Review:

Tempt Me is the newest work from author J. Kenner and is also the first Blue Box special of 2017 from 1,001 Dark nights. I adore Ms. Kenner’s writing and can always count on a sexy, swoon-worthy read with dynamic characters and a fantastic story line and Tempt Me was yet another prime example of that!

Ok, so here’s the thing. I, personally, am a total over thinker, especially when it comes to big life events. Needless to say, I could totally relate to Jamie and her reservations in this book. Yes, Ryan is amazing and a total catch in sooooo many ways and I love him but poor Jamie is having a whole lot of reservations when it comes to marrying him. That, of course, leads to a whole lot of emotion and gave me so many feels while I was reading. There was a whole chapter where I had an actual pain in my chest and was so worried for these two. I desperately wanted them to have their happy ever after and loved their road to getting there. I have to say, the ending of this book is hands down one of my faves ever and one I know will stay with me for a really long time. It was so amazing!

Beyond the high emotion there is so much heat and so many deliciously sexy moments added in and I freaking loved it. *fans self*

Whether you’re already a fan of Ms. Kenner like I am or you’ve just found her, I know you will love Tempt Me as much as I did!

Five Loves

Book Links:

1,001 Dark Nights: http://www.1001darknights.com/blue-box-specials/j-kenner-tempt-me/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bEkMnr

B&N: http://bit.ly/2l8e7pC

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lCBZlM

iBooks: http://apple.co/2kDlAJK

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2l0QIEh

About the author:

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Visit J. Kenner’s website and follow her on:

Mack Daddy by Penelope Ward….Release Day Event

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy, STANDALONE second-chance romance.

They called him Mack Daddy. No, seriously, his name was Mack. Short for Mackenzie. Thus, the nickname. Perfect, right?

So was he: perfect. The perfect physical male specimen.

At the private school where I taught, Mack Morrison was the only man around in a sea of women.

Everyone wanted a piece of the hot single father of the sweet little boy.

I was riddled with jealousy, because they didn’t know that—to me—he was much more.

They didn’t know about our past.

He’d chosen my school for his son on purpose, because Mack and I, we had unfinished business.

I was still intensely attracted to Mack. I tried to resist him, immersing myself further into a relationship with another man just to protect my heart.

Not to mention, getting involved with a parent was strictly against school rules. But seeing Mack day in and day out was breaking me down.

And soon I might be breaking all the rules.

Author’s note – Told in alternating points of view, Mack Daddy is a full-length standalone novel.

ADD TO GOODREADS

iBooks | Nook | Kobo