Jilly

Sweet Surrender by Liliana Hart…ARC Review

About SWEET SURRENDER:

It’s been twelve years since Liza Carmichael stepped foot in Surrender, but after her great aunt’s death she has no choice but to return and settle her estate. Which includes the corner bakery that’s been a staple in Surrender for more than fifty years.

After twenty-five years on the job, Lieutenant Grant Boone finds himself at loose ends now that he’s retired. He’s gotten a number of job offers—one from MacKenzie Security—but he’s burned out and jaded, and the last thing he wants to do is carry the burden of another badge and weapon. He almost turns down the invitation from his good friend Cooper MacKenzie to stay as their guest for a few weeks while he’s deciding what to do with the rest of his life. But he packs his bag and heads to Surrender anyway.

The only thing Boone knows is that his future plans don’t include Liza Carmichael. She’s bossy, temperamental, and the confections she bakes are sweet enough to tempt a saint. Thank God he’s never pretended to be one. But after he gets one taste of Liza and things start heating up in the kitchen, he realizes how delicious new beginnings can be.

My Review:

Sweet Surrender is the newest story in author Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie Series as well as novella number 19 in the 2016 1,001 Dark Nights line-up. I love Ms. Hart’s MacKenzie series and know that each story will be packed with heat, suspense, and emotion. Sweet Surrender was all then and more! I loved it!

What do you get when a sassy baker crossed paths with a sexy ex-cop, both looking to forget their pasts and make a clean start? You get a delicious chance meeting packed with tons of heat and more than a bit of danger when our sexy ex-cop’s former girlfriend shows up with more than a little chip on her shoulder. Few things are worse than a woman scorned with tons of ammo and firepower!

Liza and Grant sure do start off with a bang and only get better and better as the pages turned. I loved Liza and her sassy, no-nonsense self. She is strong and capable and knows what she wants out of life. Grant is equal to Liza in those traits as well and together they really are quite a match! They were thrown together in one heck of a dangerous circumstance and they quickly realized that fate had a plan for them. Sometimes things really did happen for a reason and with Liza and Grant it was certainly true.

If you’re looking for an action packed, sexy read, this is a novella for you! Whether you’re already a fan of Ms. Hart’s or this is your first taste, you won’t be disappointed.

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

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Direct Link: https://video214.com/play/m6EX1T1fipH1pvuj0zXOjg/s/dark

About Liliana Hart:

Liliana Hart is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author in both the mystery and romance genres. After starting her first novel her freshman year of college, she immediately became addicted to writing and knew she’d found what she was meant to do with her life. She has no idea why she majored in music.

Liliana is an avid reader and a believer in all things romance. Her books are filled with witty dialogue, steamy sex, and the all-important happily-ever-afters her romantic soul craves. Since self-publishing in June of 2011, she’s sold more than 1.2 million ebooks all over the world.

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Holiday Recipe Guest Post and Giveaway with Author Belle Calhoune, author of Reunited at Christmas

About Reunited at Christmas: Two years after the avalanche everyone thought had claimed her life, Ruby Prescott returns to the remote Alaskan town of Love. And no one is more ecstatic than her husband, Liam, and their young son. Even if amnesia has robbed Ruby of her memories, she’s soon woven back into the fabric of their lives. As they celebrate the holiday season, Ruby is falling head over heels for the man she’s told was the love of her life. But she can’t escape the feeling that there’s something Liam is keeping a secret. Will the return of her memories tear them apart for good—or will this be a Christmas she’ll never forget?

Buche de Noel (French Christmas cake)

A recipe guest post by author Belle Calhoune

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Beautifully wrapped presents nestled under the Christmas tree. Holiday music floating through the air. The spirit of Christmas is everywhere! It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Buche de Noel—a French Christmas cake—holds a special place in my heart during the holidays.

My Aunt Josephine was a legendary baker. She grew up with my grandmother on the tiny island of Montserrat in the Caribbean before moving to Boston with the rest of her family. My four siblings and I loved visiting Aunt Jo in the heart of Boston. She loved to bake for us and there was always plenty of treats for our family to enjoy. Cakes. Cookies. Fudge. She could do it all.

When Aunt Jo discovered I was a Francophile and was going to France with my high school class for six weeks, she was thrilled. She then invited me over to her apartment to make a French Christmas cake. She called it Buche de Noel. Aunt Jo had traveled to France herself and knew how to speak French. I’ll admit it, I had no idea what French holiday cake she was talking about, and most likely I didn’t really care. After all, I loved eating her treats, not making them.

But, what I learned that day and can’t ever forget, is that baking for the people in your life is an act of love. Baking side by side with someone during the most joyful time of the year is a bonding experience. It is the art of creating memories you won’t ever forget.

Although Aunt Jo has been gone for a long time now, I make Buche de Noel almost every Christmas as a tribute to her love and generosity. It doesn’t hurt that I absolutely adore chocolate!

Buche de Noel is a Christmas favorite of mine. It reminds me of my great Aunt Jo, who instilled in me a love of baking and the spirit of giving. She loved her family unconditionally and supported all of our dreams. She wasn’t just teaching me how to bake. She was sharing with me a beloved recipe and bonding with me over our shared love of all things French. Whenever I make Buche de Noel I enlist the help of my two daughters and I try to instill in them the same feeling of wonder my Aunt Jo gave me in the days leading up to Christmas. And perhaps they too will make Buche de Noel for their children and make it a family holiday tradition.

Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays in the presence of your loved ones.

Buche de Noel recipe

Ingredients:

For pan:

Butter and small amount of flour

For sponge cake:

1/4th cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

2 large egg whites

Additional 1 Tablespoon of sugar for egg white mixture

Filling Ingredients:

½ teaspoon vanilla

1cup heavy cream (cold)

3 Tablespoons of sugar

1tablespoon sour cream

Chocolate shavings and powdered sugar for top of cake

Heat oven to 425° F.

Butter a 17 X 12 jelly roll pan or baking pan and line with parchment paper.

Butter the parchment paper liberally so it doesn’t stick. Sprinkle with flour to avoid sticking when sponge cake cooks.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch cocoa, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.

Beat the egg yolks, and two of the eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a bowl

with an electric mixer on medium for several minutes.

Beat on high until the mixture is fluffy and light in color.

Fold in half of the flour mixture, then continue to beat. Gradually fold in the remainder of the flour mixture and continue to beat the mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high until whipped, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour this egg white mixture into the larger bowl of ingredients.

Once the contents of the bowl are stirred, pour the mixture into your pan, smoothing the surface so it’s even.

Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8 to 9 minutes. Check to see if it’s done and if the cake springs back it should be ready. You can also insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean it’s ready.

(Filling) Whip the heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a medium bowl for three minutes. Then place mixture in fridge.

Once the cake has been taken out of the oven take a knife and slide it along all sides to loosen. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the pan. Then flip the pan over and pat bottom of pan until cake comes out.

Now peel the parchment paper away from the bottom of the cake. It should easily peel away. Now sprinkle powdered sugar with a sifter over cake. Using the end of the kitchen towel, begin to roll the cake up in the towel so it is in the shape of a log.

Leave the cake in the towel for about 45 minutes until it cools.

Unroll the cake from the towel so it lies flat. Then spread out the cream filling in an even manner. Spread lightly toward the edges to prevent mixture oozes from the ends. Then roll the cake back up tightly and place on a serving dish, seam side down.Frost cake with desired chocolate icing and place chocolate shavings and powdered sugar on top if desired.

Thanks so much for stopping by with this great recipe, Belle! ~Jillian

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About author Belle Calhoune: Belle Calhoune was born and raised in Massachusetts, one of five children. The daughter of a Physician and a Biologist, Belle found herself entranced by the literary world. Growing up across the street from a public library fed her hunger for books, particularly romance novels and mysteries. After graduating from Syracuse University, Belle worked as a Federal Investigator in Boston. After the birth of her youngest child, she and her college sweetheart husband moved to Connecticut, where they now reside with their two daughters, a loveable chocolate lab and a very spoiled poodle. Being an author is her dream job.

Cover Reveal….Hot Zone by Carly Phillips

Hot Zone Cover Reveal! by Carly Phillips

Date of Publication: December 9, 2016

Blurb

Hot Stuff
Book 1

He’s about to find out … She’s not just one of the guys.

Annabelle Jordan and her two sisters were orphans in frilly dresses when they went to live with their sports-lawyer uncle in his world of locker rooms, bookies and gambling. Now the girls are publicists in their uncle’s firm, The Hot Zone.

Despite her upbringing, Annabelle is all woman. She’s naturally drawn to real men—like her latest client, businessman and former football legend Brandon Vaughn.

The chemistry is potent, undeniable, irresistible. Annabelle soon realizes that Brandon is much more than just another jock. And that she’d better hold on tight if she doesn’t want to lose her heart.

Hot Number
Book 2

Micki Jordan is a tomboy as much at home on the playing field as in a locker room full of naked guys.

But the star publicist is looking to prove she’s also an irresistible woman in order to get a second shot at professional baseball player and major league playboy, Damian Fuller.

Micki transforms herself into one hot number Damian can’t help but notice and together they burn up the sheets and find themselves falling hard. Until Damian’s past returns, threatening their future.

Hot Item
Book 3

Cool, collected Sophie Jordan loves her daily routine running her family’s top sports management agency, as long as she gets to stay behind the scenes. But with big sister on maternity leave and little sis on her honeymoon, she’s forced to step up to the plate. And a recent media crisis surrounding the disappearance of super-agent Spenser Atkins is not going to make the job any easier.

Enter star quarterback and notorious bad boy Riley Nash who, for reasons of his own, needs to track down Atkins. Up until now, Sophie has kept a strict no-dating-clients policy, but each day with Riley makes her rule near impossible to follow. With her job and her heart on the line, Sophie will need to make the toughest choice of her life!

Hot Property
Book 4

Just one short season ago, major league center fielder John Roper had it all: the looks—and personal life—of a sports hero and the public’s adoration. But this hot property’s lucky streak has run out. After a World Series disaster, fans diss him, shock jocks mock him and his dysfunctional family hassles him for money he really can’t spare.

Now it’s up to him, and Hot Zone publicist Amy Stone, to get his life back on track.

Amy finds it’s easier said than done. What with the constant intrusions of his nutty family, a crazed fan playing stalker, and Roper’s refusal to put his own needs first, she’s starting to think that life in the fast lane isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when the two retreat to a secluded lodge, the sexy center fielder throws Amy a curveball—one she never saw coming…

About Carly Phillips

After a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at www.carlyphillips.com.

Find Carly Phillips Online

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The Only One by Lauren Blakely…. Excerpt Tour Stop

From New York Times Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes THE ONLY ONE, a sexy new standalone novella in her One Love Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure you grab your copy today!

Lauren Blakely’s THE ONLY ONE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule

December 7^th

Hart’s Romance Pulse – Review

2 Girls & Their Kindles – Review

AC BOOK BLOG – Review & Excerpt

As You Wish Reviews – Review & Excerpt

BFD Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Little Red Reading Hood – Review & Excerpt

Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads – Review & Excerpt

December 8^th

BookSmacked – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Crazy Daisy Book Whore – Review & Excerpt

Lightning City Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

My Girlfriends Couch – Review & Excerpt

Excerpt:

I was taken with her the moment I sat down at the table next to hers at the café on a street corner in Barcelona. Her warm eyes met mine, and I wasn’t able to look away, so I didn’t. When her almond cake arrived, she arched an eyebrow, and said, “You’re admiring my dessert.”

I laughed. “I don’t think it’s the dessert I’m admiring. But I have been hoping you’d want company to help devour it. May I join you?”

She nodded and I moved to her table. She picked up her fork and said, “It’s made with caramel—my favorite. And it’s divine. By all means, let’s devour.”

“I’m a big believer in the consumption of sweets.”

“We have a saying in America. Eat dessert first,” she said.

I lifted my fork and took a bite of the Tarta de Santiago. “I like this saying. Can you appoint me a temporary American?”

She tapped my shoulder, something that shouldn’t have turned me on, but somehow it did.

“There. Done. By the power vested in me, I’ve declared you able to eat dessert first.”

“I must tell you a secret. I already possessed the ability,” I said, and she laughed, a pretty sound, like bells.

And I was halfway to hooked. Maybe it was her confidence. She seemed a few years younger than me, but there wasn’t a shred of shyness or insecurity about her. Her wit was intoxicating, and so was her beauty.

When we finished the almond cake with the caramel layer on the bottom, I was certain of two things—I didn’t want to let her get away, and I needed to see her again. “May I take you to dinner?” I asked.

She said yes.

But we didn’t wait till dinner. We spent the afternoon together, wandering around the city, strolling through the side streets, ducking into the churches and buildings and seeing the sights she wanted to explore.

All the while, I learned more about her. That she’d studied European History in college, that she’d loved traveling across the continent these last few months, and that she was looking forward to her job on Wall Street at Smith and Holloway Bank when she returned to the United States.

Mostly, she added. She was mostly looking forward to it.

“This trip is my last hurrah before I enter the working world,” she told me.

Praise for Lauren Blakely and THE ONLY ONE:

“An extraordinarily dreamy love story that will melt your heart!”

~Beneath The Covers Book Blog

“This is an epic second chance romance that filled my heart with love, hope and longing.”

~5-Stars! Two Book Pushers

“Lauren has knocked this one out of the park and down the street into the kitchen of Rocco DiSpirito. This book is smart, sexy, and full of surprises with characters you can’t help but fall in love with. I want to find my very own Gabriel now. A sexy man with an accent who can cook for me. Who could ask for anything more?”

~Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews

“Insanely romantic and so genuinely charming…”

~Fresh Fiction Reviewer

About Lauren Blakely:

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US over three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With thirteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than seventy times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone hit romances like BIG ROCK, MISTER O, WELL HUNG, and THE SEXY ONE which were all instant New York Times Bestsellers. In January she’ll release FULL PACKAGE, a standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter.

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Cover Reveal…Salvaged by Jay Crownover

About SALVAGED

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

Add it to Goodreads

About Jay Crownover

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, Welcome to the Point, and Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters and make the reader feel something.

Cover Revel….The Darkest Promise by Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter is proud to share the cover for the 13^th novel in her bestselling Lords of the Underworld series, THE DARKEST PROMISE! #LOTU

Order THE DARKEST PROMISE here!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * BAM * Powell’s * IndieBound

THE DARKEST PROMISE Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance…

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn’t allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him—until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile…and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they’ve forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever…

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

About Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld series, two young-adult series—Everlife and The White Rabbit Chronicles—and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs and all her upcoming books at GenaShowalter.com or Facebook.com/GenaShowalterFans.

Website | Twitter @genashowalter | Facebook | Goodreads

Cover Reveal…One Careful Owner by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Releasing January 2nd, 2017

99¢ pre-order, a limited time promotion

Amazon US

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“Take me, all of me, broken and in pieces, or say to hell with me.”

WARNING!
This book will break your heart!
From the best-selling romance author of THE EDUCATION OF SEBASTIAN comes a sexy, heart-breaking and heart-warming story about one man and his dog. (Standalone)

Alex is lost and alone, with only his dog, Stan for company. He doesn’t expect kindness from anyone anymore, but sometimes hope can be found in the most unlikely places. He has a second chance at happiness, but there’s a dark side to Alex, and a reason that more than one person has called him crazy.
Single mother Dawn is doing just fine. Except that her ex- is a pain in the ass, her sister isn’t speaking to her, and her love life is on the endangered list.
At least her job as a veterinarian is going well. Until a crazy-looking guy arrives at her office accompanied by an aging dog with toothache. Or maybe Alex Winters isn’t so crazy after all, just … different.
Dawn realizes that she’s treated him the same way that all the gossips in town have treated her—people can be very cruel.

Contains scenes of an adult nature.

This is a standalone novel with no cliff-hanger.

Jane is a writer of contemporary romance fiction, known for thoughtful stories, often touching on difficult subjects: disability (DANGEROUS TO KNOW & LOVE, SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM); mental illness (THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE, SEMPER FI); life after prison (LIFERS); dyslexia (THE TRAVELING MAN, THE TRAVELING WOMAN).

She is also a campaigner for former military personnel to receive the support they need on leaving the services. She wrote the well-received play LATER, AFTER with former veteran Mike Speirs. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk1CyB8c0xA )

Author Links

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Cowboys Don’t Come Out by Tara Lain….Excerpt Blog Tour Stop

Cowboys Don’t Come Out

by Tara Lain

Blurb:

Rand McIntyre settles for good enough. He loves his small California ranch, raising horses, and teaching riding to the kids he adores—but having kids of his own and someone to love means coming out, and that would jeopardize everything he’s built. Then, despite his terror of flying, he goes on a holiday to Hana, Hawaii with his parents and meets the dark and mysterious Kai Kealoha, a genuine Hawaiian cowboy. Rand takes to Kai’s kid brother and sister as much as he drools over Kai, but the guy sports more prickles than a horned toad, and more secrets than the exotic land he comes from.

Kai’s earned his privacy and lives to protect his “kids.” He ought to stay away from the big, handsome cowboy for everyone’s sake—but since the guy’s just a haole on a short vacation, how much damage can he do? When all of Kai’s worst fears and Rand’s darkest nightmares come true at once, there’s not much chance for two cowboys who can’t—or won’t—come out.

Available for purchase at

Also available in paperback

Excerpt

He stopped and tried to hear over the rushing of the surf out beyond the reef if anyone else hid in the dark. No sounds. Fortunately, no big water hit this beach, so he didn’t have to worry about getting swamped. Actually, between the lapping waves and the brilliant moonlight, the scene resembled some fairy-tale romance. Fuck that.

Right where the dry sand verged on the wet, he flopped on his butt. What she’d said—that he settled for a good-enough life. That he wasn’t happy. Don’t I get to decide that?

He leaned back on his elbows. Yeah, but she’s right. I created a whole life—as if I was somebody else. Most people find “the one” and build a future so it suits them both. I imagined a cowboy and slid into his boots—Rand McIntyre. Say that with a drawl, son. Just one problem. I’m gay—always have been—and cowboys don’t come out. Where does that leave me? A-fucking-lone, pardner. Always will be.

You’re not the only gay cowboy.

Have you seen Brokeback Mountain? Shit.

Phosphorescence sparkled on the tops of the waves farther out. Pretty. Guess there could be all kinds of weird man-eating shit in that water.

Do you think more sharks and barracudas swim at night than during the day?

Yeah, right.

He sprang up, stripped his Hawaiian shirt off and tossed it on the sand, then pulled off the shorts his mom had given him. Commando. What would it feel like to have fishes nibbling at his balls? Not like anybody else was doing any nibbling. He strode into the water. Whoa! Not cold, just startling.

When he waded out past his thighs, his penis and balls started to float. He chuckled. Kind of like being a kid in the bathtub. Endless hours of fun playing with your own built-in toys. A few more steps, and he submerged to his shoulders. He gave a tiny shiver. Weird being sunk in inky blackness. Still, the water felt good. He kicked off and swam a few yards out, turned, and stroked back towards shore. He wasn’t a good enough swimmer to push his luck alone at night.

After treading water a couple of minutes, he pulled himself back into the shallows and sat on the hard wet beach. He glanced down. Some shrinkage, but his balls still lay on the sand. Remember to rinse them off or you’ll itch. Slowly he released his breath. What was he going to do? Answer? Same as always. Nothing. He couldn’t risk all the great shit he’d made to try to make it better.

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at Lain

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The Only One by Lauren Blakely….Release Day Event

EXCERPT:

The clock mocks me.

As the minute hand ticks closer to eight in the evening, I wrack my brain to figure out if I got the time wrong. Maybe we picked two. Maybe he said ten. Maybe we’re meeting tomorrow.

My chest twists with a desperate anxiety as I toy with the band on my watch.

But as the fountains of Lincoln Center dance higher under the waning light, I’m sadly certain there was no error in communication.

The only error was one of judgment.

Mine.

Thinking he’d show.

Drawing a deep, frustrated breath, I peer at my watch once more, then raise my face, searching the crowds that wander past the circular aquatic display at Manhattan’s epicenter for the performing arts. This fountain is so romantic; that’s why we chose it as the place to meet again.

One week later.

Foolishly I hunt for the amber eyes and dark wavy hair, for the lean, tall frame, for that mischievous grin that melts me every time.

I listen for the sound of him amidst the melody of voices, wishing to hear his rise above the others, calling my name, apologizing in that sexy accent of his for being late.

My God, Gabriel’s accent was a recipe for making a young woman weak in the knees. That was what he had done to me. The man melted me when I first met him last month in Barcelona at the tail end of my summer of travels across Europe.

When I close my eyes and float back in time, I hear that delicious voice, just a hint of gravel in his tone, and a whole fleet of butterflies chase each other in my belly at the resurgence of that faraway romantic dream.

I open my eyes, trying to blink away the inconvenient intrusion of memory. I should go. It’s clear he’s not coming tonight.

But, just in case I mixed up the times, maybe I’ll give him one more minute. One more look.

One more scan of the crowd.

I let the clock tick past eight.

I still don’t see him.

I’ve been here for more than two hours sitting on the black marble edge of the fountain. Scouring the corners of Lincoln Center. Peering left, then right down Columbus. Circling, like an animal at a zoo—pathetic modern-day female waiting for male to stay true to his word.

Direct Link:https://video214.com/play/itFttmgwXE26fxl5YdB7XA/s/dark

About THE ONLY ONE:

From the New York Times bestselling author of THE SEXY ONE comes a romance about fate and second chances.

Let’s say there was this guy. And he gave you the most mind-blowing night of sex in your life. And you never saw him again.

Until ten years later.

Now, it turns out he’s the ONLY ONE in all of Manhattan whose restaurant is available for my charity’s event.

The trouble is, he doesn’t recognize me.

***

The trouble is, she won’t give me the time of day.

But I’m determined to change that.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon Paperback

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Praise for Lauren Blakely and THE ONLY ONE:

“An extraordinarily dreamy love story that will melt your heart!”

~Beneath The Covers Book Blog

“This is an epic second chance romance that filled my heart with love, hope and longing.”

~5-Stars! Two Book Pushers

~Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews

“Insanely romantic and so genuinely charming…”

~Fresh Fiction Reviewer

About Lauren Blakely:

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Going Under by Lexi Ryan…Release Day Event

Title: Going Under

Series: The Blackhawk Boys #3

Author: Lexi Ryan

Genre: New Adult

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Blurb

If I met Alexandra DeLuca for the first time today, I would only need one word to describe her:

MINE. She’s everything she was when we said goodbye. Beautiful, stubborn, sweet…and off-limits.

After two years leading separate lives, our worlds have collided. Now that she’s back home working and taking classes beside me, she’s bound to make me lose my mind.

She’s all I’ve ever wanted, all I’ve ever dreamed of, and the one thing I can never have.

Not because she’s my best friend’s sister.
Not because all four DeLuca brothers would come at me with fists swinging if I hurt her.
Not even because she’s way better than I will ever deserve.

I keep my distance because we didn’t meet for the first time today. We met five years ago when I was a different person. When my demons ruled me. Even though I’ve changed–even though I’ve gotten my life together and become a better man–I can’t change the past. And the secrets that haunt me would destroy her.

But I’m not the only one with secrets, and when the truth comes out, I don’t know where to turn. What do you do when your world washes away beneath your feet and you feel like you’re drowning? What do you do when the woman you promised yourself you’d never touch is the only thing that can keep you from going under?

GOING UNDER is a standalone novel and the third set in the world of The Blackhawk Boys series.

Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion. These boys don’t play fair. Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?

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Excerpt

He steps forward, close enough that I can feel his heat. “Do what?”

“Spend time with me. Come to my rescue. Make sure I make it home safely.” I wave a hand. “All of it. You don’t owe me anything.”

“You think I’m here out of a sense of obligation?” He laughs. “Fuck, that’s insane.”

“Is it? Can we just talk about the elephant in the room?” I ask him.

He’s staring at me, and it takes a few beats for him to process that I’ve spoken. I’d laugh if seeing him drunk didn’t also unsettle something deep inside me, some old part of me that still wants Sebastian to be my rock. But I’m not the girl recovering in the hospital anymore. I’m not the girl crying at her sister’s grave. Those experiences are part of who I am now, but I’m more, too. I’m stronger. I don’t need Sebastian’s strength to hold me steady. Or I shouldn’t.

I tuck my hands into my pockets. “Two years ago, the night before I left for Colorado…” He goes still, and I can’t make myself finish the sentence.

“I crossed a line,” he says.

I snort. God, the problem isn’t that he crossed a line—it’s that he didn’t. “Are you serious right now?”

He cuts his eyes to me again, the muscle ticking in his jaw. “It was a mistake, and you’re obviously still angry with me about it.”

I step away from him and wrap my hands around the porch rail. If I let myself look at him, I’ll overanalyze every expression that crosses his face. I realize I’m holding my breath and exhale. “It was a shitty thing for you to do.”

He’s silent for several heavy beats of my heart. When I can’t stand the silence anymore, I release the railing and turn to face him. “Let me make sure I understand,” he says. “Since I almost kissed you two years ago, I can’t walk you home anymore?”

“I don’t want…” I take a breath as I search for the words to explain how this makes me feel. “I don’t want a pity friendship.”

“What the fuck is a pity friendship?”

“It’s when you spend time with someone because you don’t want them to be alone.”

“You’re an expert on what I want now?”

“I think you made it perfectly clear what you do and don’t want from me two years ago.”

He takes half a step forward, and his gaze drops to my mouth. Can you feel someone looking at your lips? Because his gaze is so intense on my mouth right now that I’m sure I could close my eyes and still feel it as distinctly as a touch. “Dammit, Alex, if I’d have known you’d hold such a grudge for thirty seconds of weakness, I would have kissed you that night. Fuck my better judgment. At least then I’d know how you taste.”

I swallow hard and tell my pounding heart not to make more of this than it is. “You’re drunk, Sebastian.”

Stepping back, he drags a hand over his face. “Yeah.” He takes another step back. “Good night, Alex.”

I unlock the door and go inside, shutting it behind me without looking at him again. Slowly, I take the stairs up to my old room, close the door behind me, and lean against it. Only then do I allow myself to squeeze my eyes shut and take a long, deep breath to calm my racing heart.

His words replay in my head, making the muscles in my stomach grow tight. Just once I’d like Sebastian Crowe to make good on one of the fantasies he inspires. Just once I’d like him to follow me into this room and lock the door before pushing me against it and lowering his mouth to mine. I’d like to feel those rough hands slide under my shirt to unbutton my jeans…

I pull out my phone and text Bailey, letting her know I made it home okay. Then, without washing my face or changing my clothes, I fall into bed, close my eyes, and break a promise to myself by fantasizing about Sebastian Crowe.

“At least then I’d know how you taste.”

Also Available

Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion.

These boys don’t play fair.

Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?

To celebrate the release of GOING UNDER, the first book in The Blackhawk Boys series is on sale for $0.99 (regularly $4.99 USD). All the books in the series can be read as standalones!

99c SALE

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B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLEPLAY

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

COMING IN 2017

#4 Falling Hard – Keegan’s story

iBOOKS PRE-ORDER#5 In Too Deep – Mason’s story

iBOOKS PRE-ORDER

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles, Lexi enjoys reading, sunshine, a good glass of wine, and rare trips to the beach.Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and neurotic dog. You can find her at her website: http://www.lexiryan.com/

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After We Fall by Melanie Harlow…Blog Tour Stop

After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
Publication Date: November 28^th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Jack Valentini isn’t my type.

Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave.

Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so.

But I’ve got a PR job to do for his family’s farm, so he’s stuck with me for ten days, and I’m stuck with him. His glares. His moods. His tight jeans. His muscles.

His huge, hard muscles.

Pretty soon there’s a whole different kind of tension between us, the kind that has me misbehaving in barns, trees, and pickup trucks. I’ve never done anything so out of character—but it feels too good to stop.

And the more I learn about the grieving ex-Army sergeant, the better I understand him. Losing his wife three years ago left him broken and bitter and blaming himself. He doesn’t think he deserves a second chance at happiness.

But he’s wrong.

I don’t need to be his first love. If only he’d let me be his last.

“Second chances are not given to make things right, but are given to prove that we could be even better after we fall.” —Unknown

Excerpt:

“Wow,” she said, shutting the screen door behind her. “That was close. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” I crossed my arms, wishing I’d thought to grab a shirt. “Want to tell me what you were doing out there?”

Her cheeks colored. “Um, I was taking a run.”

“Up a tree?”

She laughed nervously. “No. Well, I didn’t start out in a tree. That happened later.”

I cocked my head, unable to resist giving her a hard time. Not so sure of yourself now, are you, Barbie? “Oh yeah?”

“Yes. See, I left the cottage I’m renting without using the bathroom by mistake,” she began, twisting her fingers together, “and I was planning on running a loop around the farm, but it’s bigger than I thought.”

“Ah. So you were looking for a bathroom in the woods?”

“Well, yes.” She swallowed. “Sort of. But then I heard a splash and saw you…” Her cheeks were practically purple now.

I played dumb. “Saw me what?”

“Saw you naked, OK?” she blurted, throwing her hands up. “I admit it—I saw you naked.”

I had no hangups about nudity, but I was damn serious about my privacy, and about people sneaking up on me. But her embarrassment was funny. The two times I’d seen her before, she’d been so polished and poised. It felt good to put her in her place a little. “So you climbed a tree for a better view, is that it?”

Bowing her head, she dragged the toe of one shoe across the wood planks of the porch floor. “Something like that.” Then she looked up at me. Took a breath. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I was—I mean, I got—I couldn’t—” She sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “I have no excuse. Will you accept my apology?”

She was prettier without makeup, I decided. And the way she wore her hair off her face emphasized the wideness of her eyes, the angle of her cheekbones, the arch of her brows. Her lips didn’t need all that glossy crap, either. They were a perfect rosy pink, and I wondered if they’d feel as soft as they looked.

Fuck. I hadn’t kissed anyone in three years.

Clearing my throat, I took a step back. “Yeah. It’s fine.” Now get out of here.

She didn’t move. “So you’re not going to fire me?”

“I never hired you.”

“I know. But I really want this job. I think I can help, Jack. I know I can.”

“Suit yourself. I want nothing to do with it.” My name on her lips was trouble. Needing some distance from her, I started walking toward the dock to get my shoes and socks, but she followed me. God, she was a pest. It reminded me of the way Steph used to tag along after the boys when we were kids, wanting to get in our games.

“Are you going to be like this the entire time I’m here?” she asked.

“Like what?”

“Moody and uncooperative?”

“Probably.”

“Why? Do you hate me that much?”

“I don’t hate anybody. I just don’t see why we should pay some city girl who’s never set foot on a farm to advise us.” We reached the dock, and I leaned down to get my stuff.

“I’m not even asking to be paid, so piss off!” she shouted, her voice carrying on the water.

I straightened. “Oh, you’re working for free?”

“Yes!”

“Then you’re an idiot. Or so rich you don’t need the money.”

“I’m not an idiot,” she said through clenched teeth.

“So you’re rich, then.” I don’t know why I was being such an asshole. But for some reason, I did not want to let her see another side of me, or see another side to her. “I should have guessed.”

She crossed her arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you look like you’ve led a charmed life. Like you’ve had everything you’ve ever wanted handed to you. Like you’ve never gotten your hands dirty.”

“So get them dirty.”

I almost fell off the dock. “What?”

“Get them dirty. Teach me about working this farm. I want to learn.”

Was she serious? The last thing I needed was to drag her ass around all day, explaining things. Or stare at her ass all day, imagining things. But one look at her defiant face and I shook my head. “Why do I feel like if I say no, you’ll just keep bothering me?”

She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, rocking forward on her toes. “Because I will. I don’t like being told no.”

“Of course you don’t.” Jesus, she was trouble. A bad apple—smooth and shiny on the outside, spoiled rotten on the inside. But for no good reason, I found myself giving in. “Fine. Go change your clothes.”

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About the Author:

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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Hot Zone Cover Reveal! by Carly Phillips

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Excerpt:

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