Category: Giveaway

The Marriage Code by Brooke Burroughs…Book Spotlight, Author Q&A, and Giveaway

About the Book:
Title: The Marriage Code

Author: Brook Burroughs

Release Date: January 1, 2021

Publisher: Montlake

Summary:
Emma has always lived her life according to a plan. But after turning down her boyfriend’s proposal, everything starts to crumble. In an effort to save the one thing she cares about—her job—she must recruit her colleague, Rishi, to be on her development team…only she may or may not have received the position he was promised. (She did.)


Rishi cannot believe that he got passed over for promotion. To make matters worse, not only does his job require him to return home to Bangalore with his nemesis, Emma, but his parents now expect him to choose a bride and get married. So, when Emma makes him an offer—join her team, and she’ll write an algorithm to find him the perfect bride—he reluctantly accepts.


Neither of them expect her marriage code to work so well—or to fall for one another—which leads Emma and Rishi to wonder if leaving fate up to formulas is really an equation for lasting love.

Q&A with Author Brooke Burroughs

The Marriage Code is your debut novel. Can you tell us about your publishing journey?

In a word, long! I’m always envious reading about writers who wrote their first book, got an agent, and published in like, the span of six months. Mine was definitely longer as this book was first written as a memoir, then I fictionalized the story which took a few years. The big moment was when Melissa Marino selected my manuscript for Pitchwars, and that led me to find my agent.

As tech experts both your hero and heroine tend to be data driven which leads to the creation of ‘the marriage code’. What is the code and how did it come about?

The marriage code is a customized search for the perfect woman that Emma develops for her coworker Rishi. It only finds women who match his exact specifications (well, his and his family’s). I like to think of it as Match.com (or shaadi.com in India) on steroids.

This is definitely not a love at first sight story! In fact, Rishi and Emma have quite a difficult time getting along at first. Can you describe their first meeting and how this sets the scene for their relationship?

Emma is in a super rough spot. Her carefully constructed world is collapsing because her boyfriend has publicly proposed to her, she wasn’t ready, and he in turn blames her for turning him down. So the next day she goes into work, clinging to the fact that at least she has her job, and this project she’s put all her blood, sweat, and tears into. But then Rishi, a stranger, tells her that this project is no longer hers. For a woman who likes patterns and predictability, well…she loses it. Now Emma is faced with the threat of no job, no boyfriend, no homey apartment—until she convinces her manager to give the project to her, not knowing Rishi is slated to manage it, and that it’s his salvation from the pressures of his family. They still need to work together…closely. And that sets the two of them off on a journey they never expected.

Rivals to friends to confidants … to something much, much more. What do you consider the turning point in their story?

I think the big pivot for Emma and Rishi is when she finally lets her guard down and tells him about her past when they’re in Kerala. Emma is really private and feels like she’s always had to protect her vulnerability to be successful, and I think for a lot of women in tech that can be true (well, probably true for a lot of women in many jobs). That opening up leads to the much, much more!

Emma is from the Northwest and Rishi from the south–southern India that is. There are some serious cultural differences between these two. What are some of the biggest roadblocks they face in their relationship?

Emma’s biggest roadblock is trying to protect herself. She’s carefully constructed this world she lives in to be compartmentalized, practical, and to suit the life she thinks she needs to rely on. Even though Rishi’s not out to get her professionally, she’s been taken advantage of before by male coworkers and she doesn’t want to let it happen again. For Rishi, the pressure to get married to a woman who will fit into the culture of his family is the biggest roadblock. His family depends on him, and their reference point for someone marrying outside their culture has caused so much heartache, it’s hard to get past that.

As much as they are different, Rishi and Emma have a lot in common — including their careers and their drive to succeed. What are some other similarities that you found when writing your hero and heroine?

Food is something that very much brings these two together. For Emma, growing up poor and with her grandmother, who had to work multiple jobs to support her, throughout her childhood she basically survived on canned food and hotdogs. So now that she’s out on her own, she relishes in amazing cuisine wherever she can get it. For Rishi, he is super passionate about the different varieties of Indian food, but his favorite is still what his mom cooks. He often serves as her culinary guide around Bangalore, and Emma helps him open his eyes to the food he’s been eating his entire life. That balance brings them together often, and how they are able to become friends—and more!

This is a very personal story to you—like Emma, you moved to India and had to adapt to your new environment. What are some customs that you liked the best? Which ones were more challenging for you?

When I first moved to India, and especially when interacting with my (now) husband’s family I was constantly trying to make sure I wasn’t offending anyone. In the US, we have one main gesture that is super offensive and it’s easy NOT to use it. In India, what you do with your hands and feet can be offensive, and so it’s more nuanced; there is a lot of using your right hand vs your left hand, not putting your feet towards someone, knowing when to take off your shoes, and that takes some constant reminding and getting used to. Oh, and eating with your hands. In the book, Emma feels like she looks like a toddler eating, and yeah, so do I!

My favorite customs are mostly around how in general, I think Indians cherish their traditions. Despite all the Western influence, it feels like people still care a lot about continuing to practice traditions of their family, religion, and heritage. Whether it’s the clothes people wear, the multitude of holidays, or the weddings chock full of ritual and customs, I think it’s amazing to take the time and intention to continue practicing those. I also really appreciate their reverence for elders. There is a lot of respect given to the wisdom and experience of older people in the culture that feels very different then how we often treat our elders in the US, for example.

Both you and your characters are very adventurous. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to make big decisions for their future?

If you want to try something that feels like it will challenge you (even if it’s scary!) do it! If you make a mistake you can always come back from it. Most of my regrets in life are because I didn’t do something, and it’s hard to recapture and relive those moments. I don’t have regrets on trying to do something new, like moving to another country or going on a safari in an open jeep with a lion five feet away (both scary and amazing). But I have regretted that trip I didn’t take, or words I didn’t say to someone. I think that’s one of my biggest life lessons.

Why is The Marriage Code the perfect book to introduce you to readers?
The Marriage Code is very personal to me because I wanted to write a book that echoed some of the experiences I had moving to India and meeting my husband. So if there is any kind of introduction to my writing and me, this is definitely a good one!

***

The Marriage Code Excerpt

Two cups of coffee. His laptop bag hung on one shoulder, threatening to slip off. His sunglasses fell from his head and teetered on the end of his nose as he approached the room. He tried to use his hip to push the handle down and splashed coffee on his jeans. He looked through the glass door. Emma was sitting there, laughing at him. 

“Help, please,” he said, a thread of irritation in his voice, through the practically soundproof glass. 

She made a big production of sighing and taking off her headphones and rolling her chair back inch by inch, the wheels moving as slowly as bad bandwidth. Yet the whole time, she was still smiling with complete amusement. 

She pulled open the door, her arm sliding up the edge and blocking his entrance to the room with her body. “Can I help you? I mean, you look like you need help.” 

“Uh, yeah. I got you a coffee. Apparently the last time I’ll do that. Take it.” He thrust it toward her. Now he could slide his sunglasses back on top of his head and save his suffering forearm from his laptop bag, which he was carrying like an old woman with an oversize purse. 

“Oh, why, thank you.” Her eyes lit up in surprise as she tasted the coffee, just a sip, and looked up at him through her eyelashes. He tried not to notice how cute she looked, her nose hidden inside the cup, inhaling the coffee. But puppy cute. Like a tiny stray he’d found outside his house who needed help. 

Rishi shook his head and glanced up at the projected screen. Now it was his turn to laugh. It reminded him of when his professor had once said, “Done code is better than perfect code.” This was definitely just done. 

“Wait, are these the bugs you’re trying to address? What is this code?”

“Look, I’m not an app developer, but I’ve been reading up.” She unplugged her monitor, like she could hide the evidence. “I told you I needed help.” 

“I’ll fix the bugs in the log. I think you should leave that to us app devs, honestly. You might break something.” 

“Oh? Well, hopefully I didn’t break your marriage code.” 

Sometimes she really exasperated him. “Emma, you can’t be perfect in every aspect.” 

She tilted her head and pursed her lips, doing that puppy thing again. Or maybe like her part-android brain couldn’t process what he’d said. 

He didn’t mean perfect in every aspect, of course. He shook his head. What was wrong with him? “I just meant you’re not an app developer. You’re good at web crawls, right? Desktop development? That’s more than most people can say.” 

She straightened up and typed on her laptop. “Well, I guess you’ll be the judge of that. Should I put the candidates for the future Mrs. Iyengar on the big screen?” She looked at him before plugging in the HDMI cable. 

He looked at the hall, still empty. Still way too early for anyone to be in here. “Sure. I’m ready for the big unveiling.” He took a deep breath and crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. Was he ready? What if it hadn’t worked? Or what if he felt insta-love just by looking at the screen? Should he pray or something before she showed him what the results had come up with? He’d practically promised his mom he would take care of it. That he could find “the one.” And after his conversation with Sudhar, one of these women had to work. 

Rishi’s feet tapped on the floor. Why was a sudden cocktail of impatience, dread, and curiosity swirling in his stomach? A perfect match could be presented to him in a few short seconds. Because if he knew anything about Emma Delaney, it was that she strove for perfection. 

And control. 

And with passion. 

If they really went on an Indian tour together, outside the confines of Bangalore’s best eateries, what would it be like? He’d have to show her the best things about the country he called home. Let her taste the coconut-seeped curries of Kerala. Visit a roadside dhaba in Punjab where the paneer melted on your tongue. Show her the famous Madurai temples in his hometown, but also his favorite Ganesh temple, the tiny one near his apartment. 

She’d have to see the flower vendors at Gandhi Bazaar, with their overflowing baskets of marigolds and roses, and eat chaat from his favorite cart in Vijayanagar. She’d take his India, place it in her mouth, and suck the joy of his country like a mango seed. 

And end the tour by seeing what other flavors they could search out in the curves of each other’s skin. 

What the hell was wrong with him? That couldn’t happen. Obviously, it couldn’t. And yet the thought snaked through him, a depraved viper swallowing his brain whole. He slumped over on the table, his elbow on the cold metal, his palm catching his forehead. 

“Are you okay?” Emma had pulled her laptop up and slid it over toward him. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just forgot something.” Like my mind. 

“Here you go.” 

Rishi took a deep breath.
***


Author Biography:
Brooke Burroughs has worked in the IT industry for over ten years and lived in India—where she met her husband—for three. Burroughs has experience navigating the feeling of being an outsider in a traditional, orthodox family. Luckily, she and her in-laws get along well now, but maybe it’s because she agreed to a small South Indian wedding (with almost a thousand people in attendance) and already happened to be a vegetarian with an Indian food–takeout obsession.

Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.brookeburroughs.com/marriagecode 

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

Twitter: @brookebwrites

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20291854.Brooke_Burroughs


Rafflecopter Giveaway
Direct Link
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f265

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Layla by Colleen Hoover ~ Excerpt, Review, and Giveaway

Colleen Hoover Introduces a Scene from her New Paranormal Romance Layla!

This month bestselling author Colleen Hoover released her very first paranormal romance, Layla. Today Colleen shares one of her very favorite parts of the book and introduces the scene. Colleen, take it away! 

“Leeds and Layla have just met about an hour before this scene takes place. I wouldn’t say they experienced insta-love, but it was definitely an immediate attraction. Leeds is lonely and withdrawn from life, while Layla is the opposite. She’s over the top and fun and everything Leeds isn’t. He’s a musician who has never released any of his own music due to insecurities and doubt. But Layla lights a fire in him and uncovers the confidence about his music that he keeps buried.”   

Excerpt from Layla by Colleen Hoover

Layla leans in and I expect her to kiss me, but instead she whispers, “Play me something,” against my mouth. Then she moves to the couch and lies down. “Play something worthy of that piano,” she says. 

She crosses her legs at her ankles and lets one of her arms dangle off the couch. She runs her finger against the hardwood floor while she waits for me to start playing, but I can’t stop staring at her. I’m not sure there’s another woman on this planet who could make me want to stare at her without blinking until my eyes dry up, but she’s looking at me expectantly. 

“What if you don’t like my music?” I ask. “Will you still let me kiss you?” 

She smiles gently. “Does the song mean something to you?” 

“I wrote it using pieces of my soul.” 

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” she says quietly. 

I spin around on the bench and place my fingers on the keys. I hesitate for a moment before playing the song. I’ve never performed it for anyone before. The only person I’ve ever wanted to sing it for is my father, and he’s no longer alive. His death is the reason I wrote this in the first place. 

I’ve never been nervous while playing Garrett’s songs onstage, but this feels different. This is personal, and despite the fact that there’s only one person in the audience right now, it feels like the most intense audience I’ve ever performed for. 

I fill my lungs with air and slowly release it as I begin to play. 

That night I stopped believing in heaven

I can’t believe in a god that cruel

Can you?

That night I stopped praying on my knees

But I don’t pray standing either

Do you?

That night I closed the door and closed the

window

I’ve been sitting in the dark

Are you?

That night I learned happiness is a fairy tale

A thousand pages read aloud

By you

That night I stopped believing in God

You were ours, he didn’t care, he

Took you

So that night I stopped . . .

I stopped . . .

I just

Stopped.

That night I stopped.

I stopped.

I just stopped.

That night I stopped.

I . . .

When I’m finished playing the song, I fold my hands in my lap. I’m a little hesitant to turn around and look at her. The whole room got quiet after I played the last note. So quiet—it feels like all the sound was sucked out of the house. I can’t even hear her breathing. 

I close the cover to the piano and then slowly spin around on the bench. She’s wiping her eyes, staring up at the ceiling.

“Wow,” she whispers. “I wasn’t expecting that. I feel like you just stomped on my chest.” 

That’s how I’ve felt since I first laid eyes on her tonight. 

“I like how it ends,” she says. She sits up on the couch and tucks her legs beneath her. “You just stop in the middle of the sentence. It’s so perfect. So powerful.” 

I wasn’t sure if she’d realize the intentional ending, but the fact that she does makes me all the more enamored of her.
***

My Review:

Woza! Do you like mystery? Do you like paranormal elements? Do you like romance? Do you like to start a book and immediately get sucked in and end up ignoring everything you were supposed to do that day and read the entire thing in one sitting because you simply HAD to know what was going to happen next? Then LAYLA is the book for you!

I loved everything about this book from the characters, to the setting, to the mystery surrounding out hero and heroine. It’s hard to describe this book because it really has so many elements to it but they all add up to one heluva story I KNOW you will love.

Thank you, Colleen, for a FAB read!

Five Loves


About the Book
Title: LaylaAuthor: Colleen HooverRelease Date: December 8, 2020Publisher: Montlake


Summary
When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.
Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.

Author Biography

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women’s fiction novel It Ends with Us and the bestselling psychological thriller Verity. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

Social Media Links
Website: http://www.colleenhoover.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenhoover

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover

Rafflecopter Giveaway
Direct Link
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f264

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Layla by Colleen Hoover ~ Author Q&A and $100 Amazon Gift Card GIVEAWAY

About the Book:
Title: LaylaAuthor: Colleen HooverRelease Date: December 8, 2020 Publisher: Montlake


Summary:
When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.
Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.

(My review is coming next week but in the meantime, I have to say…..I LOVED THIS BOOK! ~Jilly)

Author Q& A:

You have written in many different genres and always keep your fans wanting more. For Layla, you are dipping your toes into a paranormal story that has lots of secrets. How do you describe Layla without giving anything away? #spoilerfreezone 
What is supposed to be a short, romantic getaway for new couple Leeds and Layla turns into an extended vacation full of bizarre occurrences. But no matter how much Layla wants to leave, Leeds is more focused on finding answers for the unexplainable.


The paranormal elements in your story are faint…just a whisper…until they take over. What was it like adding another worldly twist to your writing for the first time?  It was HARD. Super hard. I love using my imagination, but I also love realistic stories, so I found myself trying to pull back on things I didn’t feel were realistic. But then it got a lot easier when I decided to just make Leeds’s reactions sort of mirror what I would do orsay in those early moments. I put a lot of my own thoughts in Leeds’s character. He finds it hard to explain some of the things that happen, so his reactions are probably what my reactions would be at first. Until there was no room left for doubt, anyway. Then his actions veer very far from what mine would have been.


Love-at-first-sight is such a mundane phrase for what these two share. Their passionate relationship seems to move in fast-forward. What is it about these characters that make their connection so instantaneous?
I knew where the story was going to go, so I needed their meet-cute to be believable, fun, and I wanted them to be a couple readers would root for. I probably rewrote that first chapter dozens of times,but I focused mainly on their banter. Sometimes we meet people we instantly click with on so many different levels. Leeds and Layla clicked with their sarcasm, their humor, their taste in music. And she read him without even knowing him. To Leeds that was special. I think he felt seen in a world where he’s often overlooked. 


It becomes somewhat of an inside joke between your couple that, before Layla, Leeds’ always wore a look like he was“dying inside.” The truth is that he was deeply unhappy before meeting Layla. How does she change his life?
Leeds is lonely and holding back on his dreams because of doubts. Leeds sees something different in Layla. She’s carefree, fun and gives him confidence to follow his dreams. In a sense, I think she’s his missing puzzle piece. She fills the parts of him that are empty.  


Before Leeds, Layla doesn’t have a real direction in her life. What does this romance provide to her and why is she so grateful to have found her hero? 
Layla is fresh out of college, living with her parents and unemployed. Leeds’s career gives her focus, and being with him inTennessee got her out of a place where she probably felt useless and unproductive. 

Can readers expect more paranormal elements in your books moving forward?
I’ll never say never! 

Enter the $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway HERE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f263

Author Biography
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women’s fiction novel It Ends with Us and the bestselling psychological thriller Verity. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.colleenhoover.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleenhoover

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover

…and be sure to come back next week, December 14, for another giveaway, my review, and MORE!

Cover Reveal….Kiss the Stars by A.L. Jackson

Kiss the Stars

A Falling Stars stand-alone romance from A.L. Jackson

Coming March 5th

Cover: LJ Designs

Photo: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Chase Mattson

DETAILS:

TITLE: KISS THE STARS

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 5TH, 2020

Synopsis

A Falling Stars STAND-ALONE NOVEL from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson . . .

A single mother.

An up-and-coming drummer with a sordid past.

Their paths never should have crossed.

But when a senseless crime rocks Mia West’s entire world, she agrees to spend the summer hiding out at her rock-star brother’s mansion in Savannah until the storm blows over.

What she never expected was the gorgeous, brooding drummer living in the guest house.

His darkness a lure.

His gaze a trap.

She knows better than to go after what will hurt her most.

Leif Godwin has two focuses in his life: his band, Carolina George, and seeking retribution for what was stolen from him.

Mia was never supposed to be a part of the equation.

Her eyes an appeal.

Her body a temptation.

Touching her is nothing but a sin.

But will loving her destroy them all . . .

Add to Goodreads: https://smarturl.it/KTSGoodreads

Amazon Live Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAmzn

Want a Signed Paperback or Kiss the Stars Release Box? PRE-ORDER : https://smarturl.it/KTSPaperback

Audible Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAudio

Can’t wait for the release? Be sure to vote for KISS THE STARS as one of your most anticipated reads on Goodreads!

Vote Here: https://smarturl.it/VoteKTS

Add to Goodreads: https://smarturl.it/KTSGoodreads

Amazon Live Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAmzn

Want a Signed Paperback or Kiss the Stars Release Box? PRE-ORDER : https://smarturl.it/KTSPaperback

Audible Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAudio

Pre-Order a Kiss the Stars Release Box – includes a signed paperback and tons of Kiss the Stars Merchandise and goodies! This one is EPIC!

KISS THE STARS RELEASE BOX PRE-ORDER:

https://smarturl.it/KTSPaperback

GIVEAWAY

COMPLETE BLEEDING STARS SIGNED SET

Win a complete Bleeding Stars Signed Set in honor of Kiss the Stars – A Bleeding Stars spin-off!

Enter Here: https://smarturl.it/KTSCoverGiveaway

Add to Goodreads: https://smarturl.it/KTSGoodreads

Amazon Live Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAmzn

Want a Signed Paperback or Kiss the Stars Release Box? PRE-ORDER : https://smarturl.it/KTSPaperback

Audible Alert: https://smarturl.it/KTSAudio

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, and CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART novels. Watch out for her upcoming stand-alone, KISS THE STARS, releasing March 5th.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn
Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor

Sweet Victory by Alley Cruz…Release Blitz

 

Title: Sweet Victory
Series: BTU Alumni #3
Author: Alley Ciz
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Release Date: November 11, 2019
Blurb
Holly Vanderbilt is running.
From her past, her present, her future – everything.
Baking is her only solace. Cookies, cakes, ingredients coming together, they
make sense.
A professional fighter walking into her kitchen? Not so much.
Vince Steele is focused on his future.
The next fight.
The next win.
Nothing else matters except feeling the weight of the Light Heavyweight
belt around this waist.
Until Holly.
He has what it takes to win the belt.
But will Holly’s past prove to be an opponent he can’t beat?
He’s never backed down from a fight.
He wasn’t going to start now, not when winning Holly’s heart could be the
sweetest victory of all.
The Coven is back and about to recruit a new member. SWEET VICTORY is the
third book in the BTU Alumni series and can be read as a stand-alone. This book
features a Christmas-loving hot mess of a baker, an alpha-dirty-talking MMA
fighter, and the best group of friends ever (even if they don’t know how to
mind their own business). HEA guaranteed—being on Santa’s Nice List…not so
much.
Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Also Available
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Alley Ciz is an indie author of Contemporary/New Adult,
Rom-Com, Sports Romances.
She’s a stay at home mom to 3 amazing and crazy mini royals, a 95lb
lab, and let’s face it on some days her hubby is her 4th kid… But to be fair
she totally loves him a a lot.
When she’s not corralling her crazy mini royals she can be
found writing the stories the voices in her head tell her. Caffeine is a staple
in her daily diet since she does most of her writing late at night when
the rest of her house is asleep, usually with her trusty dog Buke (short
for Beukeboom reluctantly named after a NY Ranger even though she’s a NJ Devils
fan all the way. Is it any surprise she writes sports romances?
Pizza and mac-n-cheese are major food groups and she is a proud
Potterhead and superhero buff.
She is a complete romance junkie and can always be found reading or
listening to a book.
Author Links
FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
GOODREADS
NEWSLETTER
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
WEBSITE
YOUTUBE
AMAZON
BOOKBUB
Giveaway

Release Day Blitz & Review…Calico Descending by Keri Lake

RELEASE DAY

Title: Calico Descending

Author: Keri Lake

BLURB


I was fourteen when I was sold to the men in black uniforms. Too young to understand I served a purpose beyond that of the other girls they’d taken.


For the greater good.

Now, after four years in Calico, I’ve seen more death and suffering than during my days of surviving out in the Deadlands against the threat of Ragers and famine. I didn’t think this world could get any bleaker. Didn’t think it could take any more from me than it already had.

Not until I finally learned my purpose.

That same day, I walked the dark halls in the bowels of this hell, where the suffering is in silence, and ghosts of the dead whisper through the walls. A place where nightmares are real.
A place where I met my Champion—the most revered Alpha in S-Block—locked away in his dark cell.

For the greater good.

He’s their weapon, their only line of defense against the mistakes of the past: the mutations that could wipe out all of what’s left of us.
Me, I’m his whipping girl. His reward for good behavior.
And his punishment for acts of defiance.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2mDQffZ

Amazon UK:  https://amzn.to/2kXbIAd

Amazon CA:  https://amzn.to/2mgOZ1W

Amazon AU:  https://amzn.to/2l7cnPr

B&N:  http://bit.ly/2mzfz6F

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

iBooks:  https://apple.co/2maOW80

After falling into a slight book funk – this one has awaken my book love again!!!

O.M.G. Holy shit – I cannot get enough of this series. Hot damn, Keri!!

Calico Descending is the sequel to Juniper Unraveling. You MUST read Juniper Unraveling in order to fully understand this post apocalyptic, dystopian world. While Calico Descending focuses on a whole new set of characters, Juniper Unraveling gives you all the details and world building that you need to fully grasp this book.

Keri really knows how to deliver a dark, dangerous and gritty story inside a world that you can’t begin to describe in your worst nightmares. The story goes back and forth between past and present from Cali’s view until the views meet up to the present day. In her present views we meet three Alphas – Cadmus, Titus and Valdys. They are all a key to what is going on inside Calico.

I was just as drawn and ensnared with this book as I was the first one. It is a dark, twisted, creepy and very unsettling post apocalyptic world with characters that will grip you. I was honestly one edge the entire time reading this book. I couldn’t put it down and couldn’t stop thinking about it. It is that addicting.

I cannot praise this story enough. Even if you don’t think this genre is your thing, give it go. Be warmed, it is very detailed and gruesome at times, but that is what makes it so damn good too.

Keri delivers another jaw-dropping story that truly sinks its claws into. It also makes you wonder what our world would truly be like should we ever face a post apocalyptic world.


AUTHOR BIO

Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees.  When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kerilakeauthor 

Website: http://www.kerilake.com/ 

Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/2ODq95Q

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kerilake 

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/kerilake 

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/HJPHH


GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win a signed paperback + $15 Amazon gift card, visit Keri Lake’s Facebook page and check out the release day post pinned at the top of the page.  

Facebook page >> http://www.facebook.com/kerilakeauthor

Release Day Blitz & Review…Downfall by Willow Aster

🔥🔥 NEW RELEASE 🔥🔥

Downfall by Willow Aster is LIVE!!!

I was naïve to think my marriage to Luka Catano might work.

I was infatuated with him from afar…

Until I met him.

He loved the challenge of his next conquest, anyone would do…

Except me.

A wife was never something he wanted.

Torturous was not a strong enough word to describe how I felt when I was in a room with Luka. Besides hating nearly every word that came out of his mouth, I also drowned with lust every time I looked at him.

At times I thought he might feel the same.

But nothing prepared me for what his family would make me become.

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/Downfall-WillowAster

START READING TODAY! Only $.99 for a limited time! FREE on KU!

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/Downfall-US

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/Downfall-UK

Amazon CA: http://bit.ly/Downfall-CA

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/Downfall-AU

“You’ve outdone yourself,” he says. “Which Eden do I have tonight? Will you bite or will you purr?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

He holds his hands out. “What do you think? Am I suitable to be by your side?”

“You clean up okay.”

He smirks and steps closer to me, pulling me flush against him. “Keep playing the cool act. I know it shouldn’t, but it gets me so hard.” He presses into me to prove his point.

“Have you been drinking already?” I frown.

“This is me stone-cold sober.”

“So there’s nothing to excuse your behavior.”

His hands go lower and when he still feels my skin, he frowns. His hands go lower still until they find material, which happens to be hugging my backside. He thrusts into me again and leans his forehead against mine.

“You don’t want to excuse my behavior. You like me best this way. Hot and salivating over you. Admit it.”

I shake my head. “You need to take a step back.”

He exhales a shuddering breath and drops his hands, stepping back. “We’re going to be late. Let’s go.”

I shiver from the loss of his hands and the chill in his voice. I can’t win with him.

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

So this is a tough one to rate for me – on one hand I love the idea of this story and the series, but these particular characters did not win me over.

Downfall is the first book in Willow Aster’s next series, Kingdoms of Sin. Each book is to be a complete standalones with inter-connecting characters. This book is definitely a standalone as there is no cliffhanger but it also introduces many secondary characters and gives you a glimpse of how everyone is connected.

This series is set where there are Kingdoms ran by monarchies set in today’s society but completely different rules than normal. I like that Willow keeps the baseline modern but gives the story it’s own uniqueness to keep things interesting.

Downfall is Luka and Eden’s story and it’s quite a wild one. There is ALOT of angst in this story and I mean ALOT. All her life, Eden has been groomed and prepped for her marriage to Luka. She has no qualms about the pre-arranged marriage. But she does have issues with her future husband once they finally meet.

Luka is dick – no other to way to put it. I don’t like him, I never warm up to him and wish that Eden was marrying someone else. There, I said it. I know I will be in minority on this one, but I don’t like him. I do get what he acts the way he does, what he makes certain decisions but he just never wins me over.

Eden, I wish she had more of backbone than she did. I get that had this preconceived idea of what she thought she was getting based on looks and what she read. But once she met him and saw who he was and how he acted towards her, that should have been enough to take that crush feeling and turn it into pure outrage and hatred for him. She does later on stand up for herself, but she is so swayed by him and her attraction to him is so strong, that her anger towards him diminishes, making her come across as a pushover. I understand where she is coming from, I just don’t agree with her decisions.

While I didn’t care for the characters a whole lot, I did enjoy the idea of this series. I am intrigued by the other characters that were introduced and want to see who’s book is next. I find the inner workings of these kingdoms interesting and hope that I will like future books more than this one.

As I said at first, each book is a standalone. However, I would highly recommend reading this book first just to have that nice base to start. Willow does readers a family tree of who’s who at the start of the book, but honestly, that made no sense to me and it only helped me once I read the book was able to go back and go “oh yes.”

Overall, a nice start to a new series.

 

 

Willow Aster is a USA Today Bestselling author and host of Living in the Pages podcast. She lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband, kids, and rescue dog.

Website: www.willowaster.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WillowAster

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowaster1/

Listen to her Living in the Pages podcast:

iTunes: https://bit.ly/2DzM9ZU

Android: http://bit.ly/2Uj5JkZ

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2SJE7bI

XO by Melissa Jane…Release Blitz

 

 

Title: XO
Author: Melissa Jane
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 2, 2019

 

Blurb
I swear to
God, Jacob Lynch, if I ever see your arrogant, smug face again, I’ll ruin your
manhood with a swift knee.
You were
the glorified football captain, the heartthrob, the most popular boy in school
and yet suddenly you vanish leaving all your horrid friends pointing the finger
at me, circling like hungry vultures to see if I would break.
They just
didn’t know that I already had. Daily. For months I cried for you. You. Broke.
Me.
You taunted
and tormented me for years until you finally convinced me to fall in love with
you. You said, “Nothing can ever tear us apart.” And I believed you.
But you
lied.
And then
you left.
Without a
word, without a touch, without a sound.
You. Just.
Left. Right when my world fell to pieces, you lit the match and watched from
afar, as what remained went up in flames.
So, if I
ever do see your stupidly handsome face again, you’ll be nothing more than the
boy I used to know. The boy who broke my heart and crushed my soul all in a
single day.
Because
Jacob Lynch… I have no more XO’s to give.
No longer
yours,
Rosie.
P.S. I hate
how much I still love you  

 

Purchase Links
$2.99 for a limited time!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Melissa Jane is a writer of strong Alpha’s and feisty
heroines. Her love for action and romance means she puts her characters through
some epic adventures and compromising situations, all with a healthy dose of
uncontrollable passion.
Residing on the beautiful beachy Gold Coast in Australia, Melissa enjoys the
year-round sunshine with her gorgeous husband and even more gorgeous furbaby,
Pocket-the-Yorkie.
When she’s not working, you’ll often find her with a glass (ahem…bottle) of
Sauvignon in hand, seeking out adventure with her just-as-crazy friends.

 

Author Links

Lean Into It by Winter Travels…Release Blitz

Title: Lean Into It
Series: Kings of Vengeance MC Book #2
Author: Winter Travers
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2019

 

For years the only place I called home was the open road.
 
Until the Kings of Vengeance became family.
 
Setting down roots and building a life sounds so good I can almost taste it. 
 
But evil and trouble are brewing, threatening to take the life and woman I’ve claimed.
 
I’ll lean into the devil himself and spit in his face before I let that happen.
 
Vengeance will be mine.
 

Winter Travers is a devoted wife, mother, and aunt turned author who was born and raised in Wisconsin. After a brief stint in South Carolina following her heart to chase the man who is now her hubby, they retreated back up North to the changing seasons, and the place they now call home.
 
Winter spends her days writing happily ever afters, and her nights zipping around on her forklift at work. She also has an addiction to anything MC related, her dog Thunder, and Mexican food! (Tamales!)
 
Winter loves to stay connected with her readers. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact her.

HOSTED BY:

Never Have I Ever by Lauren Blakely…Preorder Blast

 

NEVER HAVE I EVER by Lauren Blakely 
Release Date: October 4th

 

Falling for the enemy has never been so deliciously complicated in this standalone romance where a sexy single dad meets his unexpected match!  

 

PREORDER TODAY!
✦Kindle ➜ http://blkly.pub/NeverKindle
✦Apple ➜ https://blkly.pub/AppleNever
✦Nook ➜ https://blkly.pub/NookNever
✦Kobo ➜ https://blkly.pub/KoboNever
✦Google Play Books ➜ https://blkly.pub/GoogleNever

✦Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/NeverAudible

 

 

Lauren Blakey’s NEVER HAVE I EVER is coming your way this Friday, and if you preorder it you’ll be helping a good cause! Lauren is donating 100% of all preorder proceeds & release sales from all ebook and paperback retailers to several animal rescues, so one-click and you’ll get a sexy, emotional contemporary romance AND also help your furry friends! Plus, we’d love for readers to help pick the animal rescue organizations she donates to!!

If you have a favorite local one you want to nominate just fill out THIS FORM—>https://forms.gle/6ha3Hf11WaQkXbK67
(This applies to ALL preorders! Even if you preordered several months ago!)

 

NEVER HAVE I EVER releases on Friday, October 4th!!

 

Add to Goodreads:
https://blkly.pub/GoodreadsNever

 

Coming Oct 4th in ebook and paperback for the first time ever!
https://laurenblakely.com/neverhaveiever

PREORDER TODAY!
✦Kindle ➜  http://blkly.pub/NeverKindle
✦Apple ➜ https://blkly.pub/AppleNever
✦Nook ➜ https://blkly.pub/NookNever
✦Kobo ➜ https://blkly.pub/KoboNever
✦Google Play Books ➜ https://blkly.pub/GoogleNever

✦Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/NeverAudible

 

 

Blurb:
Falling for the enemy has never been so deliciously complicated in this standalone romance where a sexy single dad meets his unexpected match! Get ready for all the feels!

Never have I ever been so infuriated by a man I wanted to kiss.
They say opposites attract, but I beg to differ. Combust is more like it. Because every single time I talk to Zach Nolan, I see red.

The too-good-looking, too-smart, too-effortlessly charming single dad who works down the hall from me has turned getting under my skin into a sport. Call it the battle of wits between the wedding planner and the divorce attorney.

Trouble is, when we’re forced into closer quarters planning an engagement party for our best friends, I start to see his other sides.

And I fear I’m falling for the enemy.

***

I’m not out to make friends. My goals are simple — fight till the end for my clients, and my family.

The last thing I need is a vibrant, outgoing, snarky, and surprisingly big-hearted wedding planner to spend my precious free time with…except, watching Piper bond with my daughter just might break down the cinder block walls I’ve built around my heart these last few years.

Second chances don’t come around for guys like me…or do they?

 

 

About the Author:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. Her heroines are strong and smart and her heroes have hearts of gold and fantastic funny bones. She lives on the West Coast with her family, including her smoking hot and hilarious husband and her two brilliant and kind teenagers. She has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs — she might have four dogs, or maybe five. If she’s lucky, she’ll soon have six dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 3 million books. In October she’ll release Never Have I Ever.

She’d love to give you a free book today! Check out her web site to grab your free read: laurenblakely.com/one-free-book/

Connect w/Lauren:
Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lauren-blakely
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YzfGNv
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

Special Delivery News: https://laurenblakely.com/specialdelivery/

Hating the Boss by Kristen Granata…Release Blitz

Today we have the release day blitz for Hating the Boss by Kristen Granata! Check out the release festivities and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Hating the Boss

Author: Kristen Granata

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About Hating the Boss:

One night.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

Imagine my surprise when Mr. Sexy in a Suit breezed through the door on the first day of school.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new boss.

Not only does he instantly recognize me, but he accuses me of stealing something valuable from him the morning I walk-of-shamed out of his apartment.

When bullying me into a confession doesn’t work, he turns my life into a living nightmare – as if that will coax me into returning what I supposedly stole.

But this is my school, and the only thing I’ll be returning is payback.

Game. On.

There’s only one problem. I wanted him before I hated him, and even now, a part of me still wants him. Somehow, through all of our fighting, through the anger and the pranks, I think I’m falling in love with the enemy.

 

Grab Your Copy Today!

Exclusive Excerpt:

I’ve been out of my office for most of the day. There must be a full moon coming tonight because the kids in this school are feral. I’ve had to sign off on six conduct reports and three incident reports.

At one o’clock, I fall into my comfy rolling chair behind my desk. My door is closed, and I’m hoping to catch up on e-mails and make a dent in this paperwork piled high on my desk.

I place my hand on my mousepad, feeling around for the mouse.

What the …?

Where’s the damn mouse?

I check under my desk and inside the drawers, but it doesn’t take too long for realization to set in.

“Goddamnit.”

I tear open the door and stomp down the hallway.

Raegan’s at the whiteboard in her classroom in the middle of a math lesson. She doesn’t look surprised when I barge into her room and start searching through the drawers in her desk.

She does, however, look like a cat who’s been caught with a mouthful of bird.

With a bounce in her step, she waltzes over to me. “Good Afternoon, Principal Waters. Can I help you? What is it that you’re looking for?”

Glancing at the class briefly, I give her a hard stare and smile. “You know exactly what I’m looking for.”

“I can assure you that I don’t.”

I edge closer to her, lowering my lips to her ear. Her warm, sweet scent wafts into my nostrils, and I fight the urge to run my nose along her neck. Focus, Waters. Jesus. “Give it back, or things are going to get a lot worse for you around here.”

Her eyes blaze as they lock with mine. She closes the gap between us, her chest almost pressed flush against me, and she whispers, “You don’t scare me.”

A shiver racks through my body. I can’t decide if I want to strangle her or fuck her right here on her desk. I’m starting to gain a better understanding of people who have a choking fetish.

“Hi, Principal Waters!” Hannah’s waving at me with Joshua at her side.

I clear my throat and straighten my tie. “Hi, Hannah. Hello, class. I hope you’re all having a great day full of fun and learning.”

Raegan chokes back a laugh as she saunters back to the whiteboard.

Laugh it up now. You won’t be laughing for much longer.

About the Author:

Kristen Granata is a teacher by day, and an (exhausted) author by night. Known for writing emotional New Adult Romance, she loves creating realistic, flawed characters who struggle through the darkest parts of life and come out stronger on the other side. Kristen is a self-proclaimed “bitter cynic trapped in a hopeless romantic’s body.” Her characters pack a sarcastic punch, make you laugh, make you think, make you ugly cry – and they will always live happily ever after. If you’re a lover of moving, inspirational reads, Kristen’s your girl.

Kristen was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1986. She moved to Staten Island with her family and lived there for almost twenty years. There she attended community college and became a teacher. Despite her passion for writing, and despite her professors strongly suggesting she become a writer, she took the more sensible route (bitter cynic, remember?) After going through a difficult divorce when she was only twenty-nine, Kristen returned to writing. The raw story that poured out of her led her to publish her debut novel, Collision, in March of 2018. Soon after in August 2018, the sequel, Avoidance, was published. Her third novel, The Other Brother, released in April 2019.

Kristen openly shares her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety with her Instagram following. Her message is a beacon of hope to anyone who is suffering: You are not alone. She delicately weaves this theme into her writing, and demonstrates the ability of love to heal trauma.

When she’s not teaching or writing, Kristen is reading, Instagramming, indulging in her messy love affair with popcorn, and annoying her wife and step-daughters by incessantly singing along to The Greatest Showman soundtrack.

 

Connect with the Author:

Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon | GoodReads | Twitter

 

Enter Kristen’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway