Read-Love-Blog

Book Promotion & Review

Series Cover Reveal….Fun For the Holidays series by J. Sterling

New York Times and USA Today best selling author J. Sterling has revealed the covers for
the
Fun For the Holiday’s series!

     

Kissing My Co-Worker releasing December 16, 2011
Dumped for Valentine’s releasing February 1, 2022
My Week with the Prince releasing March 1, 2022
Spring’s Second Chance releasing May 1, 2022
Summer Lovin’ releasing July 1, 2022
Falling for the Boss releasing  September 1, 2022
Christmas with Saint releasing December 1, 2022

New York Times bestselling author, J. Sterling has created this collection of fun and flirty stories with holiday based themes for you to get lost in and enjoy. Prepare to fall in love today!

Cover Designer: Michelle Warren 

Preorder the series today!
Amazon: http://mybook.to/ffth

Meet J. Sterling

I’m a New York Times and USA Today best selling author of over 18 books! My goal is to write stories that you can get lost in, that will leave a smile on your face and a full heart. If you can forget about the real world while you’re reading and fall in love with my characters, then I’ve done my job. A lot of what I write has real life aspects in it, but that’s what makes the stories so relateable- the fact that they could happen to anyone… and have!

I live in California with my only son, Blake. If you can’t find me sitting behind a computer screen, then there’s a good chance I’m sitting in the bleachers of a baseball stadium watching him play. I love traveling to new places, meeting my readers and living life with the Real Jack Carter. ♡

I know you have a million books to choose from and I am humbled, grateful and thankful each time you choose to read one of mine, or tell someone else to read them. Thank you.
 
Connect with J.
Website | www.j-sterling.com
Goodreads | https://bit.ly/2PEuiZB
Amazon | https://amzn.to/2UOJHZu
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJSterling/
Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3CoKsw2
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/authorjsterling/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/AuthorJSterling
Bookbub | https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-sterling
Pinterest | https://pinterest.com/authorjsterling/
Newsletter |  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t9i7i9
Text Updates | Text JACK to 77948

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Surprise Cover Reveal & Re-release…Spider by Ilsa Madden-Mills

“Spider is a delicious, forbidden read you won’t be able to put down.”
–Melanie Harlow, USA Bestselling Author

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills has a surprise just for you! SPIDER has an incredible new look, and to celebrate it’s ZERO PENNIES for a limited time only!

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.

“She crossed my path and changed my whole direction.”

He called himself Spider.

I just knew him as the sinfully gorgeous guy with eyes of fire that fate sat next to me on the airplane.

I didn’t know who he really was . . . British rock star . . . my stepbrother.

He kissed me because he thought we’d never see each other again. We would.

Everyone warned me about him.
They told me he was ruthless and cold and screwed up.
They said he’d leave me with a hole in my heart.

Maybe I should have listened.
Maybe I should have built up a fortress to keep him out.
But I crumbled instead.

They say an unbreakable thread connects those who are destined to meet. If that’s true, then the moment he sat next to me, we were bound together forever.

He just had to figure it out before it’s too late…

Don’t miss this steal! Grab your copy for ZERO PENNIES today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pmkFAf
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SpiderNC

About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT
Instagram: http://bit.ly/35xfNfo
Stay up to day with Ilsa by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2ZWaTYh
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EESfM9
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GaR6cni
Website: https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com
Join her Unicorn Girls Group on FB, the best way to keep up: http://bit.ly/37B6Nay
Sign up for phone alert for book releases (max of 4) Text ROMANCE to 21000
*Text message rates apply*

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Cover Reveal…Beautiful Nightmare by Giana Darling

Giana Darling has revealed the cover for Beautiful Nightmare!

Releasing: December 14, 2021

Bianca has finally found her rightful place amid the powerful Constantines. But all is not what it seems in this glittering new world. And Tiernan Morelli refuses to give her up…

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kiXYLi

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3GWh3wy

Nook: https://bit.ly/3qk3OQo

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3mSSXLg

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3D4PGhK

 

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3kj7EFJ

 

 

Meet Giana


Giana Darling is a USA Today and Top 40 Amazon best selling Canadian romance writer who specializes in the taboo and angsty side of love and romance. She currently lives in beautiful British Columbia where she spends time riding on the back of her man’s bike, baking pies, and reading snuggled up with her cat, Persephone, and Golden Retriever puppy, Romeo. She’s a lifetime athlete, playing and coaching basketball, soccer, field hockey, and softball, so she comes by her competitive spirit naturally. A born reader and self-proclaimed geek, she is enamored with mythology, history and all kinds of literature. Before becoming a romance novelist, she was a food journalist, a food blogger, a coach, a French tutor and the owner of a pie company. For the last few years she has been living all over Europe, mostly in her second home France, but she’s finally settled with the Love of Her Life in her hometown on an island off of Vancouver.

Connect with Giana

Website: https://gianadarling.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14901102.Giana_Darling

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01BR0QFI2

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/819875051521137/

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/giana-darling

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Cover Reveal…If Only In My Dreams by Carrie Aarons

Carrie Aarons has revealed the 
cover for If Only in My Dreams!

Releasing December 3, 2021

‘Tis the season to … be freshly divorced at twenty-six and moving back into your parents’ house?

Because that’s my reality this Christmas. As if it isn’t bad enough that my entire hometown is buzzing with the news of my failed marriage, who is the first person I bump into at the grocery store? The guy who treated me like his personal booty call in high school just happens to be looking at spices while I’m trying to pick up cinnamon for my mother.

And get this; Porter Kelly, the broody, mysterious recluse who exposed his own secrets to the world by writing a book about his family years ago, is the one who acts like I wronged him. His rude remarks on aisle nine are the final straw as my exhausted unhappiness breaks, and I’m officially calling off the most wonderful time of the year.

Too bad it’s literally impossible for the woman whose parents own a railroad that specializes in Christmas train rides to ignore the holiday season. Because I’m back under their roof, it’s mandatory to work in the middle of the red and green merriment, Santa himself, and wait for it …

Porter serenading us with the greatest festive hits of all time. That’s right, apparently my teenage heartthrob turned nemesis not only works for my parents, but can strum a guitar like he’s trying to get every soccer mom on board pregnant. As we’re forced to spend more time together than ever, his past baggage and my marital rejection make their way to the surface, bonding us in ways neither of us knew possible.

I thought I was heartbroken about my ex-husband wanting to end our marriage, but that pain is nothing compared to what Porter could inflict. He seems like a changed man, one on the precipice of a new chapter, which is exactly where I find myself. Would it be crazy to think we could turn the page together?

Returning home was the only option I had. But as I come dangerously close to counting on the first man who broke my heart, I wonder if all of my future dreams are too good to be true.

Cover Designer: Okay Creations

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/OIiMDtbr

Meet Carrie Aarons

Author of romance novels such as Fool Me Twice and Love at First Fight, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.

When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She’s a Jersey girl living in Texas with her husband, daughter, son, and Great Dane/Lab rescue.

Connect with Carrie
Website | www.authorcarrieaarons.com
Goodreads | https://goodreads.com/carrieaarons
Amazon | https://amzn.to/3do0EDf
Facebook | https://facebook.com/carrieaarons
Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/2DDt1xX
Instagram | https://instagram.com/authorcarriea
Twitter | https://twitter.com/authorcarriea
Bookbub | https://bookbub.com/profile/carrie-aarons
TikTok | https://bit.ly/3fzcrkI
Newsletter | https://bit.ly/authorCAnewsletter

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Cover Reveal…Washed Up (Bayside Heros) by Kandi Steiner

 

Kandi Steiner has revealed the cover for Washed Up!

 

Releasing: December 6, 2021

Cover Design: Kandi Steiner

Photography: Perrywinkle Photography

 

It was just another day in the Emergency Department — until she was wheeled in through the doors.

Amanda Parks, my childhood best friend’s mom who I may or may not have secretly kissed before leaving for college.

I haven’t seen her in over a decade, and in so many ways, she hasn’t changed.

Same killer curves.
Same hypnotizing eyes.
Same reaction from my heart when I see her.

But something new?
There isn’t a ring on her finger anymore…
And I’m much more of a man than I was at eighteen.

Washed Up is a stand-alone age gap medical romance coming this winter!

 

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝐭𝐡: 𝗪𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏 by Kandi Steiner

Anesthesiologist ⁣

Older woman/younger man⁣

Son’s best friend⁣

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑𝐭𝐡: 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐄𝗪𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏 by Harole Rae

Hospital Security Guard⁣

Opposites attract⁣

No-strings arrangement

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡: 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏 by @kkallen_author

Firefighter/EMT⁣

Single Parent⁣

Workplace (Photographer/Firefighter Calendar)

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟕𝐭𝐡: 𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐏 by Tia Louise

Smoldering Internist⁣

Second-chance⁣

Spicy romantic suspense ⁣

Get an alert when each book is live!

smarturl.it/BaysideLiveAlert

Add to Goodreads:⁣

Washed Up: bit.ly/WashedUpGR

Screwed Up: smarturl.it/ScrewedUpTBR

Fired Up: smarturl.it/fireduptbr

Tangled Up: bit.ly/3lsgWjw

The Bayside Heroes series is a set of four interconnected STAND-ALONE medical romance novels that will have you panting, faking an injury for medical attention and begging for more.⁣

Meet Kandi

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi

Website: www.kandisteiner.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7319216.Kandi_Steiner

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kandi-Steiner/e/B00JDJOINE

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kandilandks/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KandiSteiner

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kandi-steiner

Verve: https://bit.ly/39u1KLs

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Series Cover Reveal…Bayside Heros by Multiple Authors

⚕️ SERIES COVER REVEAL ⚕️

Bestselling authors Kandi Steiner, Harloe Rae, K.K. Allen, and Tia Louise are thrilled to announce the Bayside Heroes series—coming this December!

 

The Bayside Heroes series is a set of four interconnected STANDALONE medical romance novels that will have you panting, faking an injury for medical attention, and begging for more.

 

December 6th: WASHED UP by Kandi Steiner

❤️ Anesthesiologist 

❤️ Older woman/younger man

❤️ Son’s best friend 😨

 

December 13th: SCREWED UP by Harloe Rae

❤️ Hospital Security Guard

❤️ Opposites attract

❤️ No-strings arrangement 😏

 

December 20th: FIRED UP by K.K. Allen

❤️ Firefighter/EMT

❤️ Single Parent

❤️ Workplace (Photographer/Firefighter Calendar 😏)

 

December 27th: TANGLED UP by Tia Louise

❤️ Smoldering Internist

❤️ Second-chance

❤️ Spicy romantic suspense 😮

 

COVERS AND BLURBS COMING NOVEMBER 22ND!

 

👉 Get an alert when each book is live!

smarturl.it/BaysideLiveAlert

 

👉 Add to Goodreads:

Washed Up: bit.ly/WashedUpGR 

Screwed Up: smarturl.it/ScrewedUpTBR

Fired Up: smarturl.it/fireduptbr

Tangled Up: bit.ly/3lsgWjw 

Meet K.K. Allen


K.K. Allen is the USA TODAY Bestselling and award-winning contemporary romance author of sweet, sexy, and inspiring stories that evoke emotion at every turn. 


K.K.’s debut romance novel, Up in the Treehouse, was named the Best New Adult Book of the Year by RT Book Reviews, an honor beyond belief. And she continues to take reader’s emotions on an epic ride every single time with real, layered, coming of age romance stories that will make you fall in love over and over again. 

Born in Hawaii, raised in Washington, and currently residing in Florida, K.K. lives for laughs with her little dude, the great outdoors, watching football, dancing the night away, and her eclectic taste in music. 

K.K. also loves connecting with her readers and attends signings when she can! You can find upcoming event dates and other information at: www.kkallen.com.

Connect with K.K. Allen

Newsletter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Instagram 


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Cover Reveal….Resolution by Adriana Locke

 

 

Resolution
Author: Adriana Locke
Cover Designer: Kari March
Release Date: December 10th


Preorder: https://amzn.to/3kKR8OZ

Synopsis:

From USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a workplace romance between a grumpy, alpha architect and his new client—who just so happens to have the blueprint to bring him to his knees. 

Romance is not in Wade Mason’s portfolio.

This is tragic. It’s unfair that a man so maddeningly gorgeous—an architect with a deliciously squarish jaw, adorably dimpled chin, and the hottest black glasses that straddle the line between professional and provocative—rebukes all things love. 

I knew this well before I walked into his office. 

The man is a conundrum—a complicated, steel-wall of a puzzle. On one hand, he brushes against me in the conference room with a broodiness that sets me on fire. He demands in-person meetings nearly every day about the house we’re working on together. I catch him watching me out of the corner of his eye with a look that’s anything but platonic. But any talk of hook-ups, love, or relationships—even in general? Completely off the table. 

I’m determined to peel back his layers until I get to the bottom of the mysterious businessman. But my plan is foiled by a surprise that leaves both of us reeling. Neither of us see it coming but it changes everything … forever.

 

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Cover Reveal…The Player Hater by Sara Ney

Release Date: February 15


I would do anything for my best friend.

 

Well. Almost anything.

 

When she begs me to come on a weekend getaway so I can bond with her new boyfriend, I can’t say no—no matter how badly I want to. After all, who will keep an eye on the guy; he’s your stereotypical, professional football player (emphasis on PLAYER) and I don’t trust him with my friends heart.

 

Worse? He has the nerve to bring his single best friend Davis on the trip, too. Davis is too handsome, so funny and smart he can’t possibly be human. Grandma’s, babies and kittens all fall for his smile.

 

In fact, everyone adores but me **narrows eyes** What’s he hiding?

 

I refuse to fall for his act; at some point he’ll will drop the Good Guy act and show his true colors: he’s a player, too. He must be.

 

You know the saying: if he seems too good to be true, he probably is.

Pre-Order Your Copy Here:

Add to your Goodreads TBR List! 

Meet Sara Ney

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. 


Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced lattes, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British. 

Connect with Sara Ney


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Release Day Blitz…The Enigma by Jodi Ellen Malpas

The Enigma by Jodi Ellen Malpas is now live!

A fatal blend of revenge and desire.

After leaving her fiancé at the altar and quitting her job as a Miami cop, Beau Hayley stumbles through life, feeling only resentment. Injustice. Loss. Her mom’s death was called an accident. She’s not convinced. Grieving, she becomes numb to everything except the constant, biting pain of heartbreak and hate. She can see no light. Until she meets James Kelly, a man who seems as damaged as she is, inside and out. And yet despite his twisted, cold façade, he stimulates feelings. Pleasure. He is a respite from her own flaws. A complete mystery.

And impossible to resist.


James Kelly has only one objective. Find the men who murdered his family and kill them all very slowly. But the web of crime and deceit leads him to Beau Hayley, the daughter of the notorious FBI agent who pursued him relentlessly until her death. Beau is not what James expected, and past the darkness that shrouds her, he finds a glimmer of light. Light is addictive. An escape. Beau might be the key to James’s mercy mission, but with dire consequences. So he has to decide–leave her breathing and risk exposing himself, or kill her and continue his mission, still unknown.

Still The Enigma

Two tortured souls playing one deadly game. But who will survive?

 

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/EnigmaUS

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3DfaouG

Nook: https://bit.ly/Enigma_Nook

Kobo: https://bit.ly/Enigma_Kobo_US

 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3abY6qq

 

Meet Jodi

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her real-life man, her boys, and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer and has a terrible weak spot for alpha males.

After writing in secret for too long, Jodi exploded onto the scene in 2012 with her debut novel This Man, starring the prolific Jesse Ward. Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the limelight of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-five languages across the world.

Find out more about Jodi at www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk

Connect with Jodi

Website: http://bit.ly/JEMWebsite

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/JEMGoodreads

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fjw6Cn

Facebook: http://bit.ly/JEMFacebook

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1756448714573353/

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

Twitter: http://bit.ly/JEMTwitter

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/JEMBookbub

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Cover Reveal…The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

I will protect and own her.

The Ritual, an all-new dark new adult romance by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Shantel Tessier is coming November 19th and we have the dreamy cover!

The Chosen One
I vow. You vow. We vow.
Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.
People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom.
I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.
After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.

Reserve your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ugbm6I
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/The-Ritual

Connect with Shantel
Join Shantel’s Sinful Side Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3d02WHc
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2w8PyQQ
Instagram: https://bit.ly/39ETUNa
BookBub: https://bit.ly/2UWXRHT
Stay up to date with Shantel by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2JClgZO

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Blog Tour…Bad Cruz by L. J. Shen

Bad Cruz, an all-new romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and sure to make you fall in love and LOL from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!

I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy.
But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.

He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician.
I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.

He is Fairhope royalty.
I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.

He’s well-off.
I’m…well, off.

When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise.
Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else.
Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand.
(My fault, of course.)
But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question:
Can I take another chance on love?

Enjoy a laugh and fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz

Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs

Excerpt

This whole day made me feel super prickly, but I still went with it. Unfortunately, I had no say in this, since I had lost a bet.

Then there was Trinity and my parents’ wrath to think about. And the fact Bear deserved a mother who didn’t look like she practiced the most ancient profession in the world.

Also, privately, I could admit I really, really liked the Anthropologie dresses. 

“I think I’m starting to get a feel of what you’re into,” Cruz said when we got out of the store, which by the way, smelled like a new car and someone’s upscale bathroom.

I ignored his observation. I already felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman without being told I was on the cusp of self-discovery and inner transformation.

Next, we went to Free People, where I grabbed a few pairs of pants and some casual shirts and jackets. Then we went to a bohemian boutique, something small and not too pricey, and Cruz splurged on two pairs of sandals for me—both orthopedic but surprisingly not hideous—and a little purse that didn’t look like a tie-dyed squirrel. 

I didn’t thank him one time during the entire shopping trip, careful to remind him that it was his idea, not mine.

Finally, around two in the afternoon, when I was ready for my lunch (more like in danger of eating my own arm), he stopped in front of Prada.

He jerked his chin inside. “Ladies first.” 

“Are you crazy?” I glared at him. “I’m not really going to let you buy me anything from there.”

I knew I’d joked about it the other day, but I also joked about having Benicio del Toro’s babies, and I sure as heck was closed for business. 

“It’s an outlet.”

“It’s outrageous,” I countered. “I don’t care how much money someone has, a five hundred dollar scarf is excessive.”

“Quality costs.”

“Say that to my Kmart shoes. They’ve been servin’ me well for three years and counting. Even when I work double shifts.” I was surprised my feet didn’t slap my face for lying.

“I try not to converse with inanimate objects as a general rule. Why do you even care? It’s my money. I get to decide what I want to spend it on.”

“Why would you want to spend it on a semi-stranger you don’t even like?”

“This semi-stranger I don’t even like is about to become my family. Besides, I’m a shitty tipper.”

We were blocking the entrance to Prada, but that was all right, because no one but us seemed irrational enough to wander in.

There was also a guard at the entrance. A flipping guard. It made me want to throw up. I would never, ever walk into a store where some people might not feel welcome.

People like my mom.

Or like me, for that matter. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I thumbed my nose at him, adamant to put up a fight. “I’d hate to be associated with you. You may ruin my reputation.” 

“Your reputation’s in the shitter,” he reminded me kindly.

“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll find your kissing technique there, since it seems to be in the same destination. What the hell was that about yesterday?”

Classic aversion.

I was a master of misdirection. 

“You enjoyed it,” he said calmly. 

“Did not.”

“Did, too.”

Lord, I had.

And not only had I enjoyed it, but the fact that it had been sweet and intimate and not filthy and carnal had completely disarmed me. I still felt my pulse against my lips. Both pairs.

Mental note number one hundred and sixty: Charge. That. Vibrator.

About LJ Shen
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

Connect with L.J. Shen
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Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

Bad Cruz, an all-new romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and sure to make you fall in love and LOL from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!

I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy.
But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.

He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician.
I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.

He is Fairhope royalty.
I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.

He’s well-off.
I’m…well, off.

When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise.
Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else.
Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand.
(My fault, of course.)
But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question:
Can I take another chance on love?

Enjoy a laugh and fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz

Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs

Excerpt

This whole day made me feel super prickly, but I still went with it. Unfortunately, I had no say in this, since I had lost a bet.

Then there was Trinity and my parents’ wrath to think about. And the fact Bear deserved a mother who didn’t look like she practiced the most ancient profession in the world.

Also, privately, I could admit I really, really liked the Anthropologie dresses. 

“I think I’m starting to get a feel of what you’re into,” Cruz said when we got out of the store, which by the way, smelled like a new car and someone’s upscale bathroom.

I ignored his observation. I already felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman without being told I was on the cusp of self-discovery and inner transformation.

Next, we went to Free People, where I grabbed a few pairs of pants and some casual shirts and jackets. Then we went to a bohemian boutique, something small and not too pricey, and Cruz splurged on two pairs of sandals for me—both orthopedic but surprisingly not hideous—and a little purse that didn’t look like a tie-dyed squirrel. 

I didn’t thank him one time during the entire shopping trip, careful to remind him that it was his idea, not mine.

Finally, around two in the afternoon, when I was ready for my lunch (more like in danger of eating my own arm), he stopped in front of Prada.

He jerked his chin inside. “Ladies first.” 

“Are you crazy?” I glared at him. “I’m not really going to let you buy me anything from there.”

I knew I’d joked about it the other day, but I also joked about having Benicio del Toro’s babies, and I sure as heck was closed for business. 

“It’s an outlet.”

“It’s outrageous,” I countered. “I don’t care how much money someone has, a five hundred dollar scarf is excessive.”

“Quality costs.”

“Say that to my Kmart shoes. They’ve been servin’ me well for three years and counting. Even when I work double shifts.” I was surprised my feet didn’t slap my face for lying.

“I try not to converse with inanimate objects as a general rule. Why do you even care? It’s my money. I get to decide what I want to spend it on.”

“Why would you want to spend it on a semi-stranger you don’t even like?”

“This semi-stranger I don’t even like is about to become my family. Besides, I’m a shitty tipper.”

We were blocking the entrance to Prada, but that was all right, because no one but us seemed irrational enough to wander in.

There was also a guard at the entrance. A flipping guard. It made me want to throw up. I would never, ever walk into a store where some people might not feel welcome.

People like my mom.

Or like me, for that matter. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I thumbed my nose at him, adamant to put up a fight. “I’d hate to be associated with you. You may ruin my reputation.” 

“Your reputation’s in the shitter,” he reminded me kindly.

“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll find your kissing technique there, since it seems to be in the same destination. What the hell was that about yesterday?”

Classic aversion.

I was a master of misdirection. 

“You enjoyed it,” he said calmly. 

“Did not.”

“Did, too.”

Lord, I had.

And not only had I enjoyed it, but the fact that it had been sweet and intimate and not filthy and carnal had completely disarmed me. I still felt my pulse against my lips. Both pairs.

Mental note number one hundred and sixty: Charge. That. Vibrator.

Bad Cruz was quite a different read for me from LJ Shen and I quite enjoyed this change of pace in her writing. Bad Cruz is a romantic comedy and Shen delivers the hilarity well.Tennessee (Messy Nessy to the town’s people) is quite an interesting and entertaining character. While she is strong in so many ways, her biggest weakness is her family. But there were also the only ones who were there for her when everyone else cast her out.Cruz Costello is the town’s golden boy; he was a like a celebrity to them. He left town, became a doctor and came back to take over his dad’s practice. He had an image to maintain and did everything he could to avoid tarnishing that image.When Cruz and Tennessee find themselves on the wrong cruise line, that’s when things get entertaining in so many ways. The banter, the scenes, and the mannerisms of these characters made this book so entertaining.I truly enjoyed these characters. Shen gave us a heroine that was relatable on many levels. And Cruz wasn’t exactly who he portrayed himself to be. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and watch them let their walls down with one another.Bad Cruz is a hilarious and sweet romance that moves at the perfect pace. While there were parts that I was not crazy about, overall, I enjoyed this book so much. Highly recommended read.

About LJ Shen
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

Connect with L.J. Shen
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1
Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo
Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ
Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

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