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Excerpt & Review…In Chaos We Reign by Amo Jones

by Courtney

Everything they thought they knew is about to change.

In Chaos We Reign, an all-consuming dark romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amo Jones is out now!

I was the trick that they could never play.
She was the greatest game of all…

There was elegance that comes from being carved from the ashes of all the darkness that surrounds you in the world. You start as dust, and you end as dust. At least that’s what I always thought. Crowned Princess Mayhem all my life became old fast, and I found myself forging my iron crown with the blood of our enemies.

To The Brothers of Kiznitch, I was nothing but a little brat that always got my way. I was the sister none of them asked for, but they’d find themselves needing. He was no different. Loving Keaton Cicero was never going to be easy. There was evil within him that would never be accepted.

They thought their over-protectiveness had kept me safe all these years, but they were wrong. Everything they thought they knew, was about to burn around them. I wasn’t someone who needed protecting…

They were.

In Chaos We Reign can be read as a stand-alone, but it is recommended to read In Silence She Screams first to better understand some story points.

Download your copy today on Amazon and Free in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3JUV4YF
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/ICWR

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Keep reading for a look inside In Chaos We Reign!

Chapter One
Cartier
Sixteen years old
I remember the first time I realized my brother was crazy. I was twelve years old, and I watched him rip the meat off a man’s bones after he kidnapped me and locked me in an abandoned house to play dress-up. The man was a stranger, and even though our family business was risky, it had no connection with Midnight Mayhem or Kiznitch. Yet my glorious brother tore him to pieces with his bare hands and didn’t blink once. Tonight is just like then, only worse. Worse because this is someone I know, and it’s someone who tried to hurt me.
Doors slam closed outside, and I stop pouring the cashmere pink bubbles into my bath. Reaching for my phone on the counter, I open Spotify and hit play on “OT” by Niykee Heaton before dipping my toe into the warm water. Bubbles spill onto the dark veined marble floors as I sink deeper beneath the water, closing my eyes in an attempt at scrubbing the night away. I don’t want Kyrin to hear me cry because I know it will only make him worse. I’ve handled this school since my parents dumped me in it when Kyrin threw a fit to keep me away from Mayhem, and I will continue to handle it when he goes back on the road. Right now, I need peace. I need to feel nothing. See nothing. Hear nothing. They say drowning is the most peaceful death, I can imagine why. After being suffocated from oxygen for minutes, you welcome the feeling of numbness. Like now. Void. Stuck between a realm of life and death, I could float and hold my breath until I simply… die.
A hand is around my throat, pulling me out of my haze and I swipe water from my face angrily when I resurface. “What the fuck!” As soon as my eyes open, they land on Keaton, one of the four Brothers of Kiznitch. He and my brother have been inseparable since they were born—they all are—but Keaton isn’t like the rest of them. He is simply… different.
My mouth closes as I take in his clothes. Blotches of blood litter his designer jeans, and when I finally look up at his face, I find mud and more blood all over his cheek and shirt. The Brothers of Kiznitch have all been my extended brothers, all of them except Keaton. He is nothing like a brother to me, and that’s largely because he has never treated me the same way the other Brothers have. He doesn’t seem pissed about my presence, but not that fond of it either. He has always just existed. For a long time anyway. But I don’t know if I’d call what we share a normal friendship. My stomach always twists anytime I catch him staring, and it’s become more frequent the older I get, but that doesn’t change the fact that we both fight. Fight probably more than any of the other brothers, Kyrin not included.
“What the fuck, Keaton?” I glare up at him while leaning back against the curve of the bath, flicking my toe against the faucet to turn the hot water back on.
I see him dip to a kneeling position out of the corner of my eye, when his fingers curl around my chin, forcing my face to his. I hold my breath when his eyes settle on mine. Keaton is the scariest of all The Brothers—to everyone but me. Darkness hovers over him everywhere he goes, and no matter what he does, he’ll never be rid of it. Torment swims beneath the surface of his god-like features, and it has always bothered me that I can never take it away. No one can.
“Was there anyone else involved?” His voice is low enough to be a warning. I find myself losing my train of thought when I trace the edges of his naturally swollen lips.
“No,” I whisper, only it comes out broken from the saliva forming in my throat.
He stands back to his full height and kicks off his boots, tugging his shirt over his head from the back and throwing it onto a pile in the corner.
“Keaton…” I warn. “If Kyrin—”
“—don’t really give a fuck right now, Tigger.” I close my eyes and lean against the edge of the bath, listening as the clink of his belt falls to the floor before a long stretch of silence drifts between us. Just when I think he’s not going to do what he’s going to do, I feel his leg brush mine as he lowers himself into the bath opposite me. Keaton and I have kept each other at a distance, and most of the time I think I’m imagining the things I do. The long stares, brushes of hands, lingering touches. We fight as hard as we clearly care about one another, but it has always been clear. The lines have never been blurred.
Until now.

“A killer’s love is as violent as the art in which they take lives.”

Sooooo….I am probably one of the very few of Amo’s readers who has not read this series at all. So why did I read the last book, first?!?! Because I can. And I was not once confused at all.

Maybe it’s because I have read her EKC series so I knew of some of the secondary characters and what they entailed. Or maybe it’s because I have read other books by her, that I knew how dark her writing can be.

Or maybe it’s just the plain and simple fact that Amo is able to right fantastic inter-connected standalones within a series and make each book standout on its own.

Regardless, I gorged on this book from start to finish within a day and it is by no means a small book. I devoured the craziness and chaos that riddled these pages and lapped up every bit of destruction these characters left behind.

I always think I am prepared for what Amo could bring her readers, but she always delivers way more than I can ever anticipate.

And now I must go back and read the previous books and lose myself in the world of Midnight Mayhem.

“She feels like sin wrapped in angel dust.”

Meet Amo Jones
Amo Jones is a USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author whose books have been translated in multiple countries.

She resides in the tropics of Australia with her family, though she’s a born and bred Kiwi who more often than not, misses New Zealand.

Connect with Amo
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3wgiYXa
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TZPWNh
Website: https://bit.ly/3izUGDC
Join the Wolf Pack: https://bit.ly/3izUt3i
Join her newsletter: https://bit.ly/2TpdudS

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Excerpt Reveal…Fling by Adriana Locke

by Courtney

FLING by Adriana Locke

Release Date: August 15th

Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance

Add to Goodreads:

https://geni.us/cqw2

PREORDER IS AVAILABLE!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3881pl1

Amazon Universal: https://geni.us/FlingLocke

Excerpt:

CONTEST: WIN A DATE TO MY HONEYMOON

I realize that a social media post isn’t the usual way to secure a date to your honeymoon—for obvious reasons—but here we are.

My wedding was canceled. What’s not canceled is the nonrefundable, ten-thousand-dollar all-inclusive vacation at a luxury resort, and I’m not about to let it go to waste.

I’m packed and ready to hit the beach. But I can’t deny that it might be more interesting to honeymoon with someone.

Since my track record of picking dates isn’t exactly golden, I’ve done something that I hope I don’t regret. In a moment of weakness—mixed with panic and fueled by margaritas—I agreed to let my friends choose someone to go with me.

It’ll be a blind date / postnuptial vacation—without the nuptials. A few fun days in paradise with no expectations. No obligations.

Before you say, “pick me for a free vacay!”, a few things to consider …

The perfect candidate will be single. He won’t talk too much on the plane. And he’ll be able to leave town quickly.

He will also be okay with sharing a bed. It’s a honeymoon suite, after all.

If you want to be considered, email Rebecca and Sara your application at the address below. (Get creative. There’s a free vacation on the line.)

Wheels up next week!

Blurb:

Subject: You up?

This is definitely a feeling cute, might want to delete later situation. But isn’t every message sent at two in the morning a precursor to regret?

By the way, I hope you read that subject line as the pun it was intended to be.

Okay, cutting to the chase—neither of us has an interest in cultivating an emotional connection with each other, right? You have your reasons, and I have mine. But none of that keeps us from nearly crossing the line from professional to personal every freaking day.

I mean, what was that almost kiss in the hallway this afternoon?

Something has to give. So this is me, giving in.

I can’t believe I’m suggesting this, but what if you and I had … a fling?

Just a short-lived non-romance. No pretending it will ever be more. We’ll avoid flowers and flirting and get to the f—you know what I mean.

That’s all either of us wants anyway.

Think about it. Let me know.

I’ll see you in the office in the morning.

Oh! One more thing—If you’re not into this, don’t ever mention you saw this email. I’ll pretend I never saw it either.

Okay. Bye.

About the Author:

USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.

Connect w/Adriana:

Website: https://adrianalocke.com

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

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

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379774.Adriana_Locke

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/adriana-locke

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August 2022 Contemporary Romance Excerpt Excerpt Blitz Excerpt Reveal Pre-Order Romance Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review….Moments In Time by K. K. Allen

by Courtney

Title: Moments in Time

Series: Camp Bexley #2

Author: K.K. Allen

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 24, 2022

BLURB

Jamison Bexley was the one who got away.

If only I hadn’t pushed him.

Seven years ago, he was my everything.

My confidant.

My safe haven.

My best friend.

However, dating was never an option.

Not when his eyes gravitated toward every girl in town but me.

That is, until the curse of bad timing found us both… and struck.

All it took was one night.

One big mistake.

Altering everything we could ever be.

I’m still paying for my sins all these years later.

Life has been downright cruel.

I’m working countless hours trying to hold onto the pieces of my shattered dreams.

Determined that nothing will keep me from my end-goal.

Until Jamison struts back into our small town and gets a first-hand glimpse of my life.

Suddenly, he wants to be my knight in shining armor.

But I don’t need a savior.

Those moments in time are long gone.

And he’s about to realize why.

ADD TO GOODREADS

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

I lean back against his chest while I grind against him. “Tell me how it feels for you.”
His lips fall to my ear, and he whispers, “Familiar.”
The instant the word is out of his mouth, my heart thumps chaotically against my ribcage because I know exactly why he would say that.
“Tell me you remember that night after senior prom.” His words are so soft and airy, they tickle my neck and linger there for a long beat before he speaks again. “We were all camping out in the woods, and you and I had decided to share our own tent.”
Heat billows through my body at the memory. “Everyone was having the loudest sex. We were trying not to laugh,” I add.
“You were trying not to laugh,” he says.
“That’s right.” My cheeks heat. “Because I was muffling you.”
“So I started tickling you.”
“And we started wrestling.”
My skin is scorching, thanks to the very vivid memory. I remember that night well, not because of what happened between us in that tent but because Jami was the only one who had asked me to our senior prom. Heartbroken, I told Jami I wasn’t going, and that was when he asked me. It ended up being one of the best nights of my life.
“You were wearing that sexy little red tube dress.” His tone becomes raspy with his words.
“You had stripped down to your boxer briefs.”
His nose grazes my cheek. “And you had a— what’d you call it again?”
“A wardrobe malfunction.”
He chuckles with his next groan. “Yeah, that’s it. Your tits came bouncing out, and I couldn’t stop staring.”
There’s a whirring in my chest as I sneak a look at him. “And I let you.” He sighs as his eyes flutter closed then back open. “I wanted you to look. I wanted you to do more than look.”
My mind fogs as I continue to move for Jami while imagining myself right back in that tent with him. Back when there was still the possibility of something more.
I still remember the shock that lit up his face when my tube top slipped down. He had my hands pinned behind my head and his knees between my thighs when it happened. Just like that, my bare breasts and hard nipples were the focus of his attention.
He looked so hungry sitting there, his tongue sliding around his lips so slowly I thought I might die if he didn’t kiss me. But it wasn’t my lips he leaned down to kiss.
When he lowered his head, the movement was so still that I knew it was on purpose. He was asking for permission without actually saying the words. I had plenty of time to push him away, to tell him no, to pull my top back up before we laughed it off like it never happened.
I swear, a chorus erupted in a rendition of Hallelujah when his mouth finally touched down. A warm breeze from his heavy breathing hit my nipple first, creating an ache between my thighs. His lips grazed me next, causing my entire body to shiver beneath him. But when he took my nipple into his mouth, sucked, and started flicking it with his tongue, my need for relief was so intense that all I could do was work my hips to rub against him.
Coming back to the present, I still feel like I’m floating somewhere in between.
“You’re so big for me,” I croak out to him. “Just like you were in that tent.”
He lets out a desperate breath in my ear. “You didn’t believe me when I told you to keep grinding on my cock until you came.”
“So I told you I wanted to test your theory. You gripped my waist and moved with me.”
“I was hitting you as deep as I could, but our underwear was in the way.”
He’s right. Neither of us had dared remove another layer. We were both virgins, and still just friends despite all the time we spent together and the number of intimate moments we had shared in the past. It had been an unspoken agreement that we didn’t cross that line even though we were steadily approaching the point of no return.
“You flipped us so I could ride you. Remember that?” I use that opportunity to flip myself around so we’re face to face. I continue my rocking, the friction sparking my core. “It felt so good when I finally came. Like fireworks were shooting off in my body.”
His mouth parts slightly. “I wanted to be inside of you so fucking bad that night.”
“I wanted that too.” I’m so lost in him, in us, in the past, that I almost forgot my mission. I was going to tease him until he was close to climax and then abandon him to teach him never to come back to my place of work again. But I don’t know if I can do that anymore. Not when these feelings I’ve kept buried for so long keep rising to the surface. “Still do.”
Pain lances across his face, my words striking him deeply. “Let me touch you, Vi. Where can I touch you?”
His words—an ice-cold bath of reality—hit me hard. This moment we’re sharing isn’t special like the one we once had together. This one is muddled with present-day confusion, painful secrets, and dark desires. I’m wearing a mask, for fuck’s sake. And we’re on camera. This isn’t real.
With my heart beating triple its normal speed, I seize all movement and slide off his lap. “Time’s up.”

ALSO AVAILABLE

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COMING SOON

Releasing September 27

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Releasing December 2022

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UNIVERSAL

AUTHOR BIO

K.K. Allen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author who writes heartfelt and inspirational contemporary romance stories. K.K. graduated from the University of Washington with an Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences degree and currently resides in central Florida with her ridiculously handsome little dude who owns her heart.

K.K. published her first contemporary romance, Up in the Treehouse, in 2016 which went on to win the Romantic Times 2016 Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best New Adult Book of the Year.

With K.K.’s love for inspirational and coming of age stories involving heartfelt narratives and honest emotions, you can be assured to always be surprised by what K.K. releases next.

AUTHOR LINKS

AMAZON

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

MAILING LIST

INSTAGRAM

BOOKBUB

WEBSITE

Moments in Time is Allen’s newest interconnected standalone romance featuring the Bexley brothers. This book centers around Jamison and his high school best friend, Violet. Violet and Jamison had been best friends growing up and well into college. They supported one another and were there for each other through everything. They also even shared firsts with one another. Then one moment happened and that destroyed everything between them. I won’t go into much detail as I enjoyed not only the story but these characters so much. I really enjoyed getting to know both of these characters as individuals, as best friends and as a couple. Moments in Time is told in both past and present from both Jamison and Violet’s POV. Allen gives readers a well-rounded look into this story and I truly enjoyed it. It was like walking down memory lane with two of your closest friends that reconnected later in life. This was another beautiful story from Ms. Allen and I cannot wait for the next Bexley brot

her.

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Excerpt & Review…Doctor Love by Leisa Rayven

by Courtney

He’s about to learn that love isn’t logical at all.

Doctor Love, an all new sizzling opposites attract standalone romance from International Bestselling author Leisa Rayven, is out now!

Toby Jenner may be tall, handsome, and own the world’s greatest collection of cardigans, but his track record with women is woeful. Even though he’s the tech genius behind the most successful matchmaking app of all time, it seems as though Doctor Love is able to predict everyone’s perfect partner except his own.

All that changes when a beautiful, intelligent, quirky-as-hell woman crashes into his life. Plagued by her own relationship woes, Joanna’s done with dating guys who aren’t right and pins her hopes on the Happy Ever After app turning her love life around.

Within hours of meeting her, Toby realizes he’s finally found the soul-deep connection he’s always craved. Even better, she seems to feel the same way.

There’s just one problem–according to his own state-of-the-art compatibility algorithm, they don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of working out.

Being a man of logic, Toby knows he should forget about her and move on. He knows he shouldn’t move into her plush Manhattan apartment so he can monitor the glitchy A. I. that runs/ruins her life. He knows he should be fine with her dating men whose compatibility scores aren’t in the single digits. And he should absolutely ignore how just being near her sets his entire world on fire.

Yes, Toby is very aware that falling for his perfectly imperfect match will lead to devastating heartbreak. But he also knows that if there’s even a one-percent chance of them making it, he’ll move heaven and earth to beat the odds.

A sizzling new standalone from the internationally bestselling author of Bad Romeo.

Download your copy today, exclusively on Amazon or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3r1796E
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/drlove

Keep reading for a look inside Doctor Love!

I down more of my drink. For an eighteen-dollarish glass of whiskey, it’s not bad.
When I glance at Eden, I see her eyes have glazed over. I follow her gaze across the room to where her boyfriend is talking to one of the test couples. As if he feels her staring, Max turns, and the expression he gets makes me shake my head. Pretty sure I’ve never looked at a girl like that, but I’d like to.
I wonder what it must be like to be that much in love. The way they’re looking at each other … the chemistry is so thick, you can almost see it shimmering in the air. It’s like there’s no one else in this entire place but them. Whenever I witness the passion between Eden and Max, I wonder if that sort of depth of emotion is reserved for a lucky few. Will everyone get to feel something that powerful during their lifetimes? Or is it some kind of cosmic lottery that most of us never get to win?
“Out of interest,” I say. “Did you and Max fill out your compatibility questionnaires?”
Eden drags herself away from her man and leans one elbow on the bar. “Of course. Max wanted to make sure your algorithm was working.”
“So, what did you score?”
She gives me a smug smile. “Ninety-two.”
I almost choke on my own saliva. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
She looks confused. “No. Why?”
I stand up straighter. “Just haven’t seen a score that high before. New record.” Up until now, the highest was eighty-six, and that was one of my research couples who’d been together for thirty years. “Guess it must feel good to know you chose right.”
She smiles wistfully into her wine. “I don’t need a score to tell me Max is my soul mate. When you know, you know.”
I roll my neck again to try and relieve the tension in my shoulders. “So I hear.”
She touches my forearm, and I can feel the sympathy she’s exuding. “Toby, you’re a six-foot-five, totally ripped, scruffily handsome genius. I have zero doubt you’ll meet your perfect match someday soon.”
I shrug her off. “Doesn’t bother me.” I’m such a liar. I want a soul mate just as much as the next person. I just doubt it’s something I’m ever going to have.
Eden frowns for a second, before turning to me with an excited expression. “Well smack my ass and call me stupid, why didn’t I think of it before? I have a single friend who’d be great for you.”
Oh, Jesus, here we go. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Just hear me out. She’s gorgeous, intelligent, quirky as hell––”
“Eden, I’m the professional matchmaker here. How about we leave potential dates to the expert instead of just hooking me up with some random woman you know.”
“She’s not random. She’s Asha’s best friend.”
I cringe. “Are you talking about that Joanna chick you mentioned ages ago? The one who first told you about Mister Romance? Didn’t you say she was a compulsive liar?”
“That was before I got to know her. She’s actually remarkably cool.”
“I’m sure. Still not interested. Plus, I’ve already made it clear that until this app is out in the big, bad world, I have zero time to scratch myself, let alone date.”
She nods like she understands, but knowing Eden, this subject is not being dropped any time soon. “Okay. Sure. I hear you. But just know that one day, you’ll meet someone amazing and forget all about how busy you are. When your soul mate shows up, you can try to deny them, or ignore them, but it won’t work. They’ll bully their way into your life whether you want them to or not. Take it from someone who knows.”
I down the dregs of my whiskey and put the empty glass on the bar. I love Eden like a sister, and I’m grateful that she looks out for me, but I’m really not in the mood for this conversation tonight. She’s working on the assumption that there’s someone out there for everyone, and the more I study the numbers, the more certain I am that most of us are destined to stagger from one bad relationship to the next, until we die, miserable and alone.
“Well, thanks for the drink,” I say as I pat her shoulder. “But I really need to get back to work.” Without waiting for permission, I sit back down in front of my laptop and open it.
She rubs my back. “Okay, then, Doctor Love. Go matchmake your little heart out. I have to head home to finish up a story, but I’ll see you at work on Monday, okay?”
“Yep, see you then.”
As she heads across the room to kiss Max goodbye, I watch them for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and diving back into the dizzying labyrinth of code on the screen in front of me.

Doctor Love is my first book by Leisa. The premise of this book had me intrigued and curious on how everything works out.

This book is told completely from Toby’s POV and while I don’t mind single POV’s in romance, I think with this particular story, it hurt the book a bit. The beginning starts of great and I am definitely pulled in but then somewhere in the middle, things become too mundane for me that it takes me longer than usual to get through it (I even read another book while reading this one and I normally don’t do that). And then the book picks back up near the end.

Readers are given the inside scoop on Toby as to what his past was like, who he is now and where he’s at in life. Readers are unfortunately given an outsiders view of Joanna and that hurts understanding her reasons and motives for her actions. A good portion of this book surrounds Joanna and her inability to be honest with those closest to her. She keeps a lot closed off and no one knows why but accepts it as “it’s just who she is.” I can honestly say, for the majority of this book I did not care for her.

While I enjoyed the plot of this book, I truly struggled to get through a good portion of it because it felt repetitive with how Joanna reacted to things. I adored Toby and his continuous fight to get whatever he could from Joanna. He was the only reason I finished this book.

Overall, this book as ok for me. I think readers who read the first two books in this series may enjoy it more than others as they have more insight to everyone. However, Doctor Love was right down the middle for me.

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3rq5msh

About Leisa Rayven
Author, actor, and professional snuggler, Leisa is the creator of the critically acclaimed Starcrossed series, published through Macmillan New York: BAD ROMEO, BROKEN JULIET, and WICKED HEART. The finale in the Starcrossed series was the holiday-themed anthology, BAD ROMEO CHRISTMAS.
Her latest endeavor is the Masters of Love series, which has everyone swooning over some spectacular book boyfriends who will do anything for their soul mates. The first two books, (MISTER ROMANCE and PROFESSOR FEELGOOD,) are now available, and DOCTOR LOVE is scheduled to be published in early 2019.
Leisa’s books have gained hordes of passionate fans all over the world, and can be found on e-readers and bookshelves in fifteen foreign countries, and she’s also been featured on various international bestseller lists.
Leisa lives in Australia with her husband, two enormous teenage sons, four cats, and a kangaroo named Howard. (Howard may or may not be her imaginary marsupial friend. Everyone should have one.)
When Leisa isn’t writing books, she’s probably eating cheese. Or guacamole. Or cheese covered in guacamole.

Connect with Leisa
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3NMXR88
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Tumblr: https://bit.ly/3LHrXYA
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Website: www.leisarayven.com

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Those Three Little Words by Meghan Quinn

by Courtney

THOSE THREE LITTLE WORDS by Meghan Quinn

Release Date: April 5, 2022

Genre/Tropes: Romantic Comedy/Contemporary Romance

GRAB THIS ALL- NEW HILARIOUS, SEXY SPORTS ROMANCE TODAY!!

AVAILABLE NOW!!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited!!

Universal: mybook.to/ThoseThreeLittleWords

MQThoseThreeLittleWordsCover55x85_MEDIUM

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3uyX3eg

Blurb:

From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a brand new romantic comedy about a one-night stand gone completely wrong. Laugh out loud and steamy with a heart-stopping happily ever after.

I knocked up my best friend’s sister.

Figured I would get straight to the point because how it happened is a mere snippet of the story I have to tell. The real meat and potatoes is what happened after.

Let’s start with how she decided to inform me and Pacey the news . . . together. Imagine that nightmare. I was going into what I thought was a hockey marketing meeting and then BAM! I’m going to be a dad and my best friend/teammate is attempting to imprint my face with his fist.

It wasn’t pretty.

Threats were tossed around, friendships were revoked, and then I was marched up to her apartment, suitcases in hand, and forced to live with her so I could take care of her every need. Given how much I’ve pined for the girl, you would think that wouldn’t be a hardship. Wrong.

This is my one shot to win my teammate back. Pacey is the only family I’ve got, so hooking up with his sister isn’t a mistake I can make twice . . . despite the fact that she’s pregnant with my child.

But with every mood swing, every pair of pants that doesn’t fit right, and every late night run to find the perfect donut, I’m finding it harder and harder not to fall for my best friend’s little sister.

Especially when she kisses me…

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Excerpt:

**ELI**

I’m a fun guy.

Some might say . . . neat.

A solid, trustworthy good time.

If you’re looking to have an amusing night out, I’m your man.

No drama.

No worries.

Just good old-fashioned fun.

I learned from a young age that life is short, and you have to fucking enjoy every second of it. So my rule is to say yes.

Say yes to as much shit as you can.

Hornsby, want to go to the pub down the street and get wasted with the locals?

Of course.

Hornsby, do you want to go skinny-dipping in the coach’s pool—when he’s home?

Absolutely.

Hornsby, do you want to fly to Vegas on our day off and run up the poker tables?

That’s a hell yes.

Living in the moment, that’s my motto, and up until now, that motto has served me well. It has taken me places I never thought I’d go. It has presented me with opportunities I never thought I would have.

But . . . and that’s a big but, a huge one.

This time, my yes has come back to bite me in the ass.

You see, it all happened on my birthday. We had an off day, high from a big win against the Calgary Barnburners. It was Valentine’s Day—yes, I’m a Valentine’s baby—and we went to the best singles bar in the city that would be crawling with women.

The drinks were flowing.

The conversations were engaging.

And I was by no means calling it a night anytime soon.

That’s when she walked into the bar.

In a hot pink dress that clung to every inch of her curvy body, she styled her platinum-blonde hair into long, silky waves, and the lipstick staining her gorgeous lips matched the color of her dress. There was no doubt about it—she was a total smokeshow.

Every guy she came within a ten-foot radius paused what they were doing to give her a very blatant once-over.

Unmistakably the hottest girl in the bar.

And as she saddled up next to me, unaware of my presence, it felt like the music stopped as she gently placed her clutch on the bar top. Casually, she leaned toward the bartender, her manicured nails drumming along the wood top as she sweetly asked for a gimlet with two lime wedges.

I was entranced.

I was hooked.

I was stolen for the rest of the night.

My mind wanted one thing.

Her.

She had my attention, and no one would steal me away.

No one would stop me.

Because in all honesty, I’ve had my eye on her for a while, ever since I met her two years before.

And that night . . . it was my chance. All excuses, all restrictions, they were tossed to the curb as I laid down the best tool at my disposal to get her to talk to me: it was my birthday.

And fuck, did we have a night. I can still remember the way her dress slid off her body as I held her in my arms. I can still vividly recollect that her lips tasted of lime and danger. And I can still smell her intoxicating perfume floating around me as I drove into her, one pulse after the other until we both came at the same time. Multiple times.

It was one of the best nights of my entire life.

But it had to end because we agreed it would be a one-night thing. So that morning, she slipped away undetected, and we both went back to our daily routine. Eat, sleep, and breathe hockey.

Was it the best birthday present I could ask for?

Absolutely.

Did she fulfill my every goddamn fantasy?

More than I could ever have imagined.

And if she came up to me and asked for more, would I oblige?

I would be hard pressed to say no.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a fairy-tale story of how my one-night stand turned into a romance for the ages, though.

Nope, that would be far too easy. This story, well . . . it exposes me as the man that I am. The man I feel to my very core. This is the story of how I wear the title “Ultimate Fuckup,” because not only did I accidentally get the girl in the hot pink dress pregnant . . .

But I broke bro code.

Because the girl in the hot pink dress is the sister of my teammate . . . and best friend.

About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.

Connect with Meghan:

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x

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Excerpt & Review…The Difference Between Someday and Forever by Aly Martinez

by Courtney

The world took everything from us.
And we would stop at nothing until we took it all back—forever.

The Difference Between Someday and Forever, the much anticipated and stunning conclusion to The Difference Trilogy from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is now live!

The world took everything from us.

As survivors of not only a plane crash, but two other impossible tragedies, we’d more than earned a life of peace. But time and time again, we were shown that fate had no intention of giving that to us.

Remi and I were soulmates. Plain and simple. Our love should have died in the depths of our darkness, but the sun still exists even when it’s not shining.

The secrets of our past threatened to destroy us at every turn, but for Remi, I would never stop fighting for our future.

The world took everything from us.
And we would stop at nothing until we took it all back—forever.

Fall in love today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FMcUte
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SomedayForever

Start the trilogy today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3u82l1L
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SomebodySomeone

Excerpt from The Difference Between Somebody and Someone

“Sorry, is my mood killing your buzz?” I asked.
Her blue eyes sparkled in the glow of the airplane reading light. “It really is.”
I shook my head and went back to mindlessly flipping the pages of a magazine I’d bought at the terminal back in Colorado. I’d picked it up with hopes it would be a distraction from the cyclone raging within me on our way back to Atlanta. The minute she ordered that drink, I’d known it was a lost cause.
Her hand came across the armrest and landed on my thigh. “Bowen, stop. It’s not a big deal.”
It was the truth. Compared to everything we’d been through, our house could have been swallowed by a sinkhole and it wouldn’t have been considered a big deal.
Honest to God, I was lucky to still have her at all. It had only been nine months since we’d met, but we’d lived a thousand lives in that time. Unfortunately, that also meant we’d died almost as many deaths.
Terrifying, tortuous, agony-filled deaths.
We’d also found love though—immeasurable amounts of it.
I stared down at her engagement ring. I’d cashed out a huge chunk of my savings account and still had to open a line of credit with the jewelry store to buy the three-karat princess-cut ring. The payment was roughly the same as I paid for my truck each month, but the tears in her eyes as she’d sat in her hospital bed, clutching it to her chest the day I proposed, made it all worth it.
She was worth it. Every day, every tear, every worry-filled minute shaved off my life.
I’d do it all again.
If only I weren’t so helpless to save her. I loved that woman. Whole heart. Whole soul. Bend me, break me, crack me open and she would have been there. No matter how bad it got, she was always a part of me.
I wasn’t sure anymore if she could say the same.
“Bowen,” she whispered, just as she’d done so many times before. It was a plea. One she knew I’d answer no matter the situation. No matter how mad I got. No matter how much I feared losing her again.
My gaze instinctively lifted to hers.
She smiled and the sight caused an ache in my chest. It was a lie.
God, I missed her smile.
“Baby, I’m okay.” She tilted her head to her drink. “I hate flying. That’s all this is.”
That was a lie too.
My shoulders fell and a loud breath tore from my burning lungs, but I let myself pretend, my mind going back to a time when it could have been the truth.
I thought of the nights we’d shared multiple bottles of wine and made love, laughing and moaning under the covers until the sun crept across the horizon. She’d rested peacefully in my arms. No nightmares. No crying in her sleep. No insomnia. Just even breaths, her head on my shoulder, and her body wound around mine so tightly it was like a second skin.
But that was the past.
The unreachable, insurmountable past.
The plane jerked, forcing me back to the present.
“Shit.” She moved her hand off my thigh to grasp her drink as it sloshed all over her. “Crap, crap, crap,” she chanted, using a cocktail napkin to dry the dark-red pool of tomato juice on her white pants.
For a moment, I sat there and watched her struggle. It wasn’t the most chivalrous thing to do, but I was all out of grand gestures.
She unbuckled her seat belt and lurched to her feet, her phone along with a handful of ice cubes from her lap falling to the floor. “Damn, this is going to leave a huge stain.”
The plane jerked again and she stumbled forward, crashing into the seat in front of her before I could catch her arm.
“Dammit, sit down before you get hurt.”
Ignoring me, she bent over to fish her phone from under the seat. “Hit the button for the flight attendant. I need some club soda and a lemon. STAT.”
“No, what you need is to sit down.”
I gave her arm a tug and dragged her down to the seat. Using the tip of my boot, I swept her phone toward her. Aforementioned lack of chivalry aside, I was no contortionist; leaning over to pick it up was out of the question.
She folded her upper body over my lap and blindly patted around the floor. I fought the urge to run my fingers through the back of her hair. In the beginning, it would have been a no-brainer. I’d have curled forward and suggestively whispered in her ear, “Since you’re already down there…”
She would have grinned up at me, her whole face filled with mischief as she traced a finger over my zipper, ignoring anyone who dared to watch her as she replied, “You mean down here?”
I’d have grabbed her hand and made her stop even though I was the one who had started it. She had no filter. She always took it one step too far. I’d loved that about her when we’d first met. It was fresh and exciting, a far cry from the stuffy women I’d dated in the past.
But now, she was in the past too.
We were in the past.

A trilogy like no other!!!

The Difference Between Someday and Forever is the final book in Aly’s The Difference Trilogy.

This book starts off exactly where book two ended and readers are right back to gripping the edge of their seats.

All of Aly’s readers know how addictive her characters and their stories. However, this trilogy hit differently and shows immense growth in her talent.

This conclusion was dramatic and emotionally intense. While books 1 and 2 gave readers a intense, heart-pounding suspense, this final book was just as intense but in a completely different way.

TDBSAF was still intriguing and intense but on a more emotional and mental level. Aly brings a different intensity to this story that’s just as compelling and has readers waiting with bated breath.

Remi and Bowen’s story is one for the ages. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

This trilogy kept me on my toes to the very end. Aly delivers a few unexpected surprises in this final installment and still gives readers the story of a lifetime.

About Aly
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four hilarious children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys movies that can surprise her with a twist, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT
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GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ
Website: https://alymartinez.com/
Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today: http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas

by Courtney

♦ ♦ ♦

𝑨𝑹𝑶

Hawken Trent. So polite. So sweet. Such an upstanding young man.

A virgin, too, I hear. He never gets naughty with a girl. Probably because Jesus told him not to.

And now here he is, trying to be the hero by protecting another girl from me.

He calls me a bully. 𝘐𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭. 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘈 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭. He can call me anything he wants, I’ve heard worse.

And he can try to stand between me and my money, but he’s never had to fight for food. That rich, clean, school boy doesn’t have what it takes.

𝑯𝑨𝑾𝑲𝑬

I surprised her. You should’ve seen her face.

𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘐’𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵.

That is until I realize I 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵’𝘷𝘦 actually gone too far this time.

She’s there. I’m there. The scene of the crime.

It’s dark. The police show up.

We have no choice. We run. Down High Street, into Quinn’s bake shop, and I pull her through the entrance to the old speakeasy that everyone forgot was here decades ago.

The door locks, the cops circle the building, never knowing we’re right here, and I’m hidden in plain sight, indefinitely, with someone who’s awful.

𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘯. 𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺.

A thief. A delinquent.

Until one night, lost in all of these rooms together, I don’t see any of those things anymore.

She’s smart. Daring. Soft.

Hot…

Everything’s changing. It’s this place. It does something to people.

We have a silly urban legend in Shelburne Falls about mirrors. They’re a gateway. Don’t lean back into them.

But we came through front first.

I don’t care what the county records say. This was never a speakeasy.

It’s Carnival Tower.

*𝐹𝐴𝐿𝐿𝑆 𝐵𝑂𝑌𝑆 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒, 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑎𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 18+. 𝐼𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑠ℎ 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑔𝑒, 𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠. 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐴𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑓𝑢𝑙, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑦.

♦ ♦ ♦

Falls Boys is the start of Penelope’s newest series (an apparent spin-off from another series) and it starts to this series off with a bang.

First and foremost, I have not read the series that this is a spin-off from and I can honestly say it didn’t hinder my understanding, enjoyment and love for this book.

I honestly don’t know where to start this and want my review to do this book justice.

Hawke isn’t the stereotypical 18yr guy – he’s got his life together and has a plan for this future. He’s also never had to struggle for anything.

Aro’s life is a complete 180 of Hawke’s. She’s pretty much done whatever to survive in the foster care system.

By happenstance, Hawke and Aro find themselves in a very complicated spot. And this where these two find themselves seeing more of one another than just the surface level.

Hawke is quite intelligent and his protectiveness really comes out when it comes to Aro. His thoughts on why he’s still a virgin and his thoughts on Aro – just makes readers love him more and more.

Aro is quite the complex yet fierce character. I’m not sure what I loved more about her- her ability to never stop wanting to overcome everything she is faced with. Her devotion to her siblings and wanting to protect them at any costs just speak to who she is.

I couldn’t read this book fast enough. As much as I wanted to know how things transpired, I also didn’t want it to end. I cannot wait to see what Penelope brings us next in this series.

♦ ♦ ♦

ARO

We sit in silence, me forcing my eyes closed when I really just want to watch the door of the garage. He taps away on his phone before turning on the music.

But after a few, he’s antsy. “This doesn’t feel right,” he murmurs.

“It’s only been three minutes.”

“We shouldn’t have sent her in there,” he tells me. “Another fucking mistake. All I’m doing is making mistakes.”

I open my eyes, staring ahead at the garage down the street. “I’m going to remind you one last time before I beat it into you,” I grit out and then look at him. “No one needs you. Reaction is still action, and you broke the law too. Don’t put this all on me. I’ll use you like you’re using me, but make no mistake, I’d get it done without you.”

“You’d be in jail already or dead if I didn’t show up last night,” he says, looking down at me.

I just snicker. “This isn’t my first adventure, Pirate. I got along before you, and I’d still be kicking the shit out of your friends right now if you hadn’t come along and stuck your goddamn nose into everyone else’s business, like I’m quite sure you have a habit of doing because you’re a control freak who needs to insert himself to feel superior.”

He just laughs, shaking his head. “This conversation is tedious.”

I tip my head back, staring up through the sunroof as I mock back. “This conversation is tedious.”

“Stop acting like a child,” he growls. “And I’m not a control freak.”

I turn my head, gazing over at him. “You watch everyone in town. Like God.”

He can’t argue that, can he?

“Do you get hard when you do it?” I ask.

He goes still.

“Knowing where everyone is at any moment?” I go on. “Who’s skipping classes? Which spouses are cheating? Who stopped off at a liquor store, three sheets to the wind, before climbing behind the wheel of a car? Having the power to ruin a life whenever you want?”

He’s clearly smart if he knows how to gain access to that surveillance, but it’s still not clear what he’s doing with it. Or with that place. I searched the rooms. There’s only one bedroom with clothes, personal items, and a bed that looks like it’s been slept in. He’s not sharing the hideout. He stays there alone.

“I wouldn’t blame you,” I admit. “It would feel good to have some power like that. But don’t worry. I know it doesn’t turn you on.” I lay my head back again and close my eyes. “That’s not why you do it.”

It takes him a few moments, but eventually he speaks. “Why do I do it?” His voice is soft, like it was last night when he patched me up.

I smile, not sure I’m ready to play that card yet. Or that he’s ready to hear it.

When I don’t answer, he exhales hard and then I hear him open his door. “She hasn’t texted,” he says. “She’s supposed to text every five minutes.”

I open my eyes, immediately spotting something ahead.

“I’m going in there.” He starts to climb out of the car.

I grab his arm. “Wait.”

He looks back at me, but I’m looking out the front windshield. “There she is,” I tell him, sitting up.

She taps away on her phone, looking at ease like I told her to, and then she passes Hawke and climbs into the backseat.

“What’s the matter?” I ask her.

“Are you okay?” Hawke slams the door and turns in his seat, looking back at her.

She just nods, pulling on her seatbelt. “Yeah. It’s done.”

He and I exchange a look.

“Already?” I blurt out. “I told you to take your time. To relax. To blend in.”

“Are you sure no one saw you?” he questions.

She just laughs under her breath. “Most people don’t.”

We both stare at her, but I glance behind me to make sure no one’s following her. Hawke turns and loads the camera onto his laptop.

“Don’t worry,” she tells me, relaxed. “We’re good.”

But I’m still on the fence, looking behind me once again for any sign that she was followed. Just walking in and out like that is suspicious.

But then Hawke just laughs. “Well, shit.”

I follow his gaze, seeing the workroom appear on his screen, the camera positioned just like we told her. Two guys play pool, but the flood of activity that usually happens at night has quieted. It’s a pretty clear picture. I look up at Hawke. Where else does he have his own hidden cameras posted? I would post them everywhere. This is kind of fun.

Tommy clears her throat. “You’re welcome,” she sing-songs.

I smile, and Hawke flashes her a warm look in the rearview mirror. “Thanks, Dietrich.”

If that was this easy, we might use her again. One camera might not be enough.

“So, what do I get?” she chirps, doing an excited little bounce in her seat.

Hawke meets her eyes again, like he hadn’t expected her to demand anything other than the pleasure of hanging out with him today.

She looks at me. “I mean, I should get paid, right?”

“Yep.” I cast a look at Hawke.

Like the Joker said, if you’re good at something, never do it for free.

She grins, gazing at Hawke again. “I want to go to the Loop.”

♦ ♦ ♦

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next!

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.

♦ ♦ ♦

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Excerpt & Review…Taste by Melanie Harlow

by Courtney

TASTE, an all-new sexy, stranded enemies-to lovers rom com from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melanie Harlow is live now!

The last person on earth I want to be stranded with is Gianni Lupo.

But thanks to the blizzard of the century, I’m trapped in a roadside motel room with that cocky bastard for two straight days.

With one small bed.

Some women might thank Mother Nature for delivering a polar vortex that maroons them with six feet of solid muscle, those deep blue eyes, that sexy grin–but not me. I’ve known Gianni Lupo all my life, and he’s never brought me anything but bad luck and trouble.

So when the tension between us explodes with enough fiery heat to melt my icy defenses, I should have known what the disastrous end result would be–

A big fat plus sign.

After the snow melts, I’m left with more than just memories of the night we spent keeping each other warm. And he might be a rising star on the culinary scene, but he’s got no idea how to handle this bun in the oven.

He says he wants to do the right thing, but I’m not about to spend the rest of my life feeling like someone settled for me.

But just when I think I’ve got Gianni Lupo all figured out, he gives me a taste of the man he could be, of the family we could become, of the way he could love me if I let him.

I’m terrified of falling for him.

But one taste might be all it takes.

Grab your copy exclusively on Amazon or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JIXsRM
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TasteMH
Paperback: https://harlow.pub/Taste-pb
Audio: Coming Soon

Excerpt

I sat at the foot of the bed and dialed Winnie’s number. She picked up immediately.
“Ellie?”
“Hey.”
“Thank God! You guys okay?”
“We’re fine.” I watched Gianni unwrap a candy bar and lean back against the headboard. “We found a motel with a vacancy.”
“You mean you’re staying in a motel room together?” she asked, loud enough for Gianni to overhear.
“Yeah. And there’s only one bed.”
She laughed. “How’s that going?”
“Fine.”
“You guys are getting along?”
Gianni made a lewd gesture involving his fist, his tongue, and his inner cheek. I gave him the finger. “As well you’d expect.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it.”
“We’re going to try to get out of here as soon as we can in the morning. I’ll let you know when we’re on the road.”
“Sounds good.” She laughed again. “Sleep tight.”
“Oh. We will.” I eyed the length of the bed. “We have no choice.”
After ending the call, I opened the Truth or Drink app on my phone and picked up my wine. “Ready to play?”
“Hit me.”
I scrolled through the options. “Do you want to play normal mode, party mode, or dirty mode?
Gianni looked at me like I was crazy. “Duh.”
I sighed and reached for my wine. “Okay, fine. I feel like I’m going to regret this, but dirty it is.”
“Can I take my pants off?”
“No. What’s your age range for a one night-stand?”
“Hmm.” Gianni thought for a moment.
“Please say at least eighteen.”
“No teenagers. I’ll say twenty to forty-five.”
“Forty-five? Really?”
He shrugged. “I think mature women are hot. But I can’t go near fifty because that’s my mom’s age and then it would be weird.”
“Right.”
“So what about you? Same question.”
“I’d have to say . . . thirty to forty.”
He looked offended. “Why thirty? You’re only twenty-three.”
And so was he, which was why I’d said it. “I know, but I think older men are just better in bed.” (I’d actually never been with anyone over twenty-eight.)
“In what way?”
“Just . . . more patient. More knowledgeable. More generous. Guys in their twenties think they’re all that just because they have younger bodies, especially if they’re—you know—well-endowed. But it’s not just the size of the boat. It’s definitely the motion of the ocean.”
He harrumphed. “You’ve been in the wrong boats.”

Add Taste to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3sWbzNO

Another, right down the middle read for me.

Taste is Melanie’s next book in her Cloverleigh Farms series. I have not read any of the other books in this series and easily read this one without any previous knowledge.

This was my third enemies to lovers book in a row and each one was written differently by each author. This book had a few other tropes thrown in (close proximity and surprised pregnancies) that made it not fit the norm.

Ellie and Gianni grew up together as their parents were very close. They weren’t exactly hateful to another but they also were not nice either. And it seems as though that animosity has continues on into their adulthood.

These two find themselves stranded in a hotel room due to a snowstorm and that is where things get interesting. These two find themselves slinging insults and then their bodies at one another. Then they find themselves in another predicament.

Melanie tried showing readers the past between Ellie and Gianni to get a better understanding, but I wanted more of that. I felt that their story was rushed – we got some of their past, then for most of the book, it was them stuck in the hotel for two days, then return home to drop the mother of all bombs on their parents and then it’s the end. Gah! Just too fast for my liking.

Overall, it’s a good story. I just wanted more depth and growth from the two of them and for their story to be more than 50% romps in a a hotel bed.

About Melanie Harlow

USA Today bestselling 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 Ted Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the BELLAMY CREEK series, the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, and the FRENCHED series. 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.

Connect with Melanie

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Website: www.melanieharlow.com

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Excerpt & Review…Always Meant To Be by Siobhan Davis

by Courtney

“Ken and Van’s story will hit your feelings like a freight train. It is angsty, delicious and original. Everything I look for in an epic romance.” – LJ Shen, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author

Always Meant to Be, an all-new emotional and forbidden stand-alone romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Siobhan Davis is available now!

He’s my eighteen-year-old son’s best friend, and I’m old enough to know better.

My marriage is falling apart, and Vander’s home life is tragic.

Yet, his broken parts speak to mine, and amid all the chaos, a true connection is formed.

The only peace I find is in those stolen moments when we share our darkest secrets and our deepest desires.

This thing between us has disaster written all over it.

But I’m powerless to resist the magnetic pull that draws us closer and closer.

Until lines are crossed, boundaries are broken, and everything I thought I knew about myself is undone.

This reverse age-gap romance contains mature scenes, dark themes, and situations that may push your boundaries. Reader caution is advised.

Fall in love today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

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

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Meanttobe

Add Always Meant to Be to Goodreads→ https://bit.ly/34DW0A7

Excerpt

VANDER

“You belong with someone your own age,” she counters after a few intense beats. She pulls her hand away from my face and averts her gaze. “You deserve to find someone young and pretty without any complications. I want you to be happy. I want that for you so much.”

“My happy place is you.” I reel her into my body, clamping my hands on her lower back to stop her from wriggling free. “You make me happy. I don’t want any other girl. I never have, and I never will. I only want you.”

“Vander, please.” Tipping her chin up, she stares at me with tears in her eyes. “Please forget about me and find someone else.”

I shake my head. “It won’t happen. I can’t tell my heart how to feel.” Taking her hand, I place it over my chest, hoping she can feel the steady thrumming of my heart. “This is yours, Kendall, whether you want it or not. It doesn’t matter if you don’t claim it, it will always beat only for you.”

**About Siobhan**

Siobhan Davis is a *USA Today, Wall Street Journal* and Amazon Top 10 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold over 1.5 million books and her titles are translated into several languages.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She lives in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

**Connect with Siobhan**

Subscribe to romance newsletter:http://smarturl.it/KennedyBoysList
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Contemporary Romance Excerpt Four Loves March 2022 New Releases New Reviews Romance Standalone

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Excerpt Reveal…Sapphire Sunset by C. Travis Rice

by Courtney

Will saving Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them apart once more?

Sapphire Sunset, an all new emotional and captivating MM romance from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writing as C. Travis Rice, is available now!

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writes as C. Travis Rice. Under his new pen name, Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy romance between men. The first novel, SAPPHIRE SUNSET, transports you to a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their heart’s desires.

Logan Murdoch is a fighter, a survivor, and a provider. When he leaves a distinguished career in the Marine Corps to work security at a luxury beachfront resort, he’s got one objective: pay his father’s mounting medical bills. That means Connor Harcourt, the irresistibly handsome scion of the wealthy family that owns Sapphire Cove, is strictly off limits, despite his sassy swagger and beautiful blue eyes. Logan’s life is all about sacrifices; Connor is privilege personified. But temptation is a beast that demands to be fed, and a furtive kiss ignites instant passion, forcing Logan to slam the brakes. Hard.

Haunted by their frustrated attraction, the two men find themselves hurled back together when a headline-making scandal threatens to ruin the resort they both love. This time, there’s no easy escape from the magnetic pull of their white hot desire. Will saving Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them apart once more?

Fall in love with Logan and Connor today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3m66C1f
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SapphireSunset
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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3ozKnl5

Excerpt

“Wow.” Logan’s voice echoed through the rocky chamber.
Here, the sounds of the ocean surf softened into something that was more like a gurgling brook. What whitecaps the cave’s mouth captured were filtered down into something frothy and inviting amidst the labyrinth of low rocks within. The basic security lights at foot level threw a soft golden light across the metal struts that secured the rock ceiling overhead.
“I used to come here all the time as a kid with my friends,” Connor said nervously. “There’re all kinds of caverns back here we used to play and hide in before my mom found out and busted us. She still has no idea they don’t go that deep. She still thinks you could get lost in here. But I’ve got an excellent sense of direction.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I usually know where things are headed.”
“Makes sense, I guess. Your life’s kinda laid out for you, right? You’ll probably run this place someday, right? Heir apparent and all that.”
“Oh, God. Do they still call me the prince?” Connor turned, resting his butt against the guardrail so he could focus on Logan.
“Kinda.”
“Is that a good thing? Should I be annoyed by that?”
“Better to be the prince than a peasant, I guess,” Logan said.
“Are those really the only two choices?”
Logan laughed, but there was relief in it. As if Connor’s snarky response had shined a light on possibilities he hadn’t seen before now. “I guess not.”
“Whatever. I’ll let it go.”
Silence then, save for the gurgling of the sea pushing its way past them and deeper into the cave.
Connor rested his elbows on the rail on either side of him, an attempt to look casual even though the sight of Logan leaning against the cave wall, hands in his pockets, studying Connor with a half smile made Connor feel welded in place. “All right, your turn.”
“My turn for what?” Logan asked.
“I told you mine, and my grandpa’s. What’s your magic moment?”
“Okay.” Logan straightened. “So if I remember correctly, it’s like a moment when you’re doing something you love and you feel the most satisfied by it. Is that right?”
“Exactly.” Connor was thrilled that Logan had listened so closely.
“Well, my life is kind of starting over, so I’m kind of figuring out what it is I love to do. Kickboxing’s up there, but that’s more of a fast and furious kind of thing, and the high is mostly when I’m done. Not sure there’s really a magic hour there. There was some stuff about the Marines that I loved, especially once I was a staff sergeant and I was in the zone for gunnery sergeant. But a lot of it was tough, and a lot to hold.”
“I’m sure.”
When Logan started toward him through the shadows, Connor’s breath caught. His feet felt planted to the boards, and the sides of his face got tingly and hot.
“So if I had to pick,” Logan said, “I’d pick this one.”
“Walking rounds?”
“No. I’d pick the moment when I’m finally all alone with a guy who drives me wild, and I know we’re about to kiss, but I’m not sure when. So there’s this tension in the air, and I can feel it. Everywhere.”
They were inches apart now, so close Connor had to look up at him to maintain eye contact.
“And we’re both circling, waiting for the right moment. And I’m trying to take it kinda slow because I know one little touch”—Logan gently grazed Connor’s cheek with the side of one finger—“and it might turn into a lot more than a kiss. But first, there’s a promise to be kept.”
“What promise is that?” Connor asked in a squeaky whisper.
“I believe you promised me a dance.”
“Or you promised me one.”
“Either way, seems like time.”

About C. Travis Rice
C. Travis Rice is the pseudonym New York Times bestselling novelist Christopher Rice devotes to steamy tales of romance between men. Christopher has published multiple bestselling books in multiple genres and been the recipient of a Lambda Literary Award. With his mother, Anne Rice, he is an executive producer on the AMC Studios adaptations of her novels The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches. Together with his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist, Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the production company Dinner Partners. Among other projects, they produce the podcast and video network, TDPS, which you can find at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com.

Connect with C. Travis Rice
Website: http://www.christopherricebooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.rice.writer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisricewriter

Connect with Blue Box Press
Website: https://theblueboxpress.com/
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Excerpt Reveal…The Assignment by Penelope Ward

by Courtney

Title: The Assignment

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 28, 2022

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

Reasons why I should not be drawn to Troy Serrano.

Number one: He’s obnoxious.

Number two: He and I were enemies over a decade ago in high school.

Number three: He’s my friend’s ex-boyfriend.

I could go on and on, really.

When my boss gives me an unwanted assignment and tells me it involves spending time with the grandson of one of our residents—the grandson turns out to be Troy. He’s now as successful as he is undeniably handsome.

Lucky me. Four hours a week of having to deal with his insufferable personality and unsolicited advice.

The only consolation is getting to stare at his annoyingly gorgeous face in between our many arguments.

Eventually, though, we slowly warm to each other and our outings become something I actually look forward to.

What’s happening to me?

Apparently, I misunderstood the assignment, because it certainly didn’t include thinking about Troy when I close my eyes at night, imagining what it would be like with him—just once. All the while hating myself for fantasizing about a guy who’s all wrong for me. A guy whose car I keyed back in the day. (Long story, but he deserved it.)

That’s all this is—a fantasy.

Well, until that one night at the bar.

The night Troy and I run into each other, and all of our pent-up frustration comes barreling out.

Still, I refuse to accept that it means anything.

There’s no way the guy I’m supposed to hate is also the one I can’t live without.

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**No Amazon e-book preorder.

Will go live on/around release day

EXCERPT

I hadn’t gone out with a man in ages, and I needed to get back in the game before I shriveled up. I laughed to myself. If only these dating app boys could see me in this mask and robe.

I sipped my tea and began to alternate scrolling with shoveling unsweetened cacao nibs into my mouth.

After several minutes of swiping through, I suddenly stopped chewing at the sight of a familiar pair of pearly whites.

I know those teeth.

I know that man.

Oh God.

Staring me in the face was none other than Troy Serrano.

Holy crap.

Troy, 29

I tossed my phone as if it were infected with a contagious virus.

A few seconds later, I picked it back up and stared at his profile picture. I wouldn’t have imagined Troy needed to use a dating app, but being new to town again, maybe he felt like it was the easiest way to meet people. Of course, the app had sent him my way in part because we were geographically close to each other. I wanted to block him, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. I’d never had to block anyone from seeing my profile before. But there was no way I wanted him to notice me on here. If he’d come up as an option for me, surely the app would present me to him at some point. My stomach sank. I’d figure out how to block him right after I thoroughly scrutinized his profile.

The photos he’d chosen were, of course, really good. But could he even take a bad photo with that face and f*ck-me hair? In one, he wore a form-fitting black sweater and leaned up against a brick wall. In another, he held up a fish he’d caught, with his chiseled abs on display.

Then I scrolled down to the section where you were supposed to describe yourself. Whereas most men write a simple paragraph, Troy had written an obituary.

God, what the hell is this?

Financial advisor Troy S.’s love of life will live on through his many friends who will continue to honor his legacy by living their lives to the fullest.

Born in Meadowbrook, New Jersey, to a single father who broke his ass raising him, Troy learned firsthand what it meant to work hard. On his own, though, he figured out that working hard meant you should play harder.

Troy attended the University of Florida for both his undergraduate degree and Masters in Business Administration. (Go Gators!) After several years of partying it up, Troy decided to take life seriously for once as he embarked on a career as one of the premier financial advisors in the Pacific Northwest. Troy shared his passion for numbers with his many happy clients.

The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Troy. He was equally happy Netflix-and-chilling as he was ziplining in Costa Rica. On weekends, Troy often spent time teaching himself how to play the guitar. He loved to explore local hiking trails and struck up conversations with strangers in many of Seattle’s coffee shops, charming people with his charisma and verve for life.

He had a remarkable ability to see the silver lining in everything. His positive personality was contagious to everyone he met. Troy is survived by his father, grandfather, and one needy cat.

Lucky for you, all of the above is mostly true except that Troy’s not actually dead. He’s very much alive and eager to see if you’re a match.

Lordy.

My phone vibrated, scaring the living hell out of me. It was a text from Jasmine, making sure I’d gotten home okay. But then the screen changed. Wait, what? When my hand jerked, I’d accidentally swiped right on Troy’s profile. I wouldn’t have even realized this were it not for the words: It’s a match!

What?

Oh no.

No. No. No.

If we matched, that meant one thing: Troy had previously swiped right on me. Ugh! How long had he known I was on here?

I threw the phone again, as if it were infected with yet another dangerous virus.

For about a minute, I just sat in a panic, my hands wrapped around my face.

Then I picked up the phone to try to undo the action. But before I could find the information, a notification popped up. Troy had sent me a direct message through the app.

My heart pounded in my chest. I clicked on it.

Troy: Well, well, well. What do we have here?

I couldn’t type fast enough.

Aspyn: We have nothing here. I accidentally swiped right on your profile. This was a mistake.

My pulse raced as the little dots moved around.

Troy: Um, what now? How exactly does that happen? Accidentally swiping right?

I realized how ridiculous that sounded. But it was the damn truth! Figures the stupidest thing ever would happen to me, and I’d never be able to convince him it was true.

Aspyn: My phone vibrated and startled me. I happened to be looking at your profile at the time.

Troy: Oh, that explains it. Phones vibrating can be quite traumatic.

I blew a frustrated breath toward my forehead.

Aspyn: You don’t have to believe me, but it’s the truth.

Troy: Why were you looking at my profile?

Aspyn: Because this stupid app force fed it to me.

Troy: So, were you looking at my pictures, thinking: “Damn, he’s a handsome sonofabitch. Too bad I hate him.”

Aspyn: You got the last part right. 😉

Troy: What did you think of my profile?

Aspyn: Honestly?

Troy: Yeah.

Aspyn: It’s utterly obnoxious.

Troy: Why do you say that?

Aspyn: That fake obituary? LOL Do you expect people to take you seriously?

Troy: It was supposed to be FUNNY and clever. I thought you said you liked funny men, according to your boring-as-f*ck bio.

Aspyn: If I’m so boring, why the hell did you swipe right on me?

Troy: Because I couldn’t get myself to swipe left. I felt bad for you. Let’s talk about your bio, though.

I looked up and screamed at the ceiling. My voice echoed throughout the house.

Aspyn: Let’s not.

Troy: Boring. As. F*ck. First off, though, a compliment: You look really hot in those photos. I barely recognized you.

I refused to acknowledge the chill that ran down my spine at his backhanded compliment. Instead, I typed again.

Aspyn: Nothing like immediately following up an insult with a compliment and then another insult.

Troy: It’s constructive criticism. I know you’re better than that bio. It was as if you copied and pasted it from some other boring-as-f*ck profile.

Aspyn: There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s simple and to the point. You’re not supposed to write a dissertation—or an obituary.

Troy: But you’re not selling who you actually are.

Aspyn: I didn’t realize I was supposed to be “selling” myself. I have enough trouble on the app attracting losers without doing anything at all. Maybe I should intentionally remain boring to keep them away. Yeah, that’s a better idea.

Troy: Well, your photos are the bomb. So you’re gonna attract a fair share of men. But come on, put a little life into the other stuff.

Aspyn: I was embarrassed for you reading your profile.

Troy: Well, at least within my fake obituary lies the essence of who I am.

Aspyn: A buffoon? You’re correct.

Troy: Let me help you rewrite your bio.

I cackled and typed.

Aspyn: No, thank you.

Troy: Give me a sec.

Contemporary Romance Excerpt Excerpt Blitz Excerpt Reveal February 2022 Pre-Order Romance Standalone

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Book Promotion & Review

Everything they thought they knew is about to change.

In Chaos We Reign, an all-consuming dark romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amo Jones is out now!

He’s about to learn that love isn’t logical at all.

Doctor Love, an all new sizzling opposites attract standalone romance from International Bestselling author Leisa Rayven, is out now!

The world took everything from us.And we would stop at nothing until we took it all back—forever.

The Difference Between Someday and Forever, the much anticipated and stunning conclusion to The Difference Trilogy from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is now live!

♦ ♦ ♦

♦ ♦ ♦

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TASTE, an all-new sexy, stranded enemies-to lovers rom com from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melanie Harlow is live now!

Will saving Sapphire Cove help forge the union they crave, or will it drive them apart once more?

Sapphire Sunset, an all new emotional and captivating MM romance from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice writing as C. Travis Rice, is available now!

The world took everything from us.
And we would stop at nothing until we took it all back—forever.