Thursday, April 30, 2020

B@@K REVEAL: Hasty by Julia Kent


Hasty
Julia Kent
(Do-Over Series, #4)
Publication date: July 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
AN ALL-NEW STANDALONE FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JULIA KENT
I never thought my perp walk would lead to true love.
Then again, I never thought I’d be arrested on RICO charges and hauled away in zip ties on camera for the world to see, minutes after closing the most amazing deal of my career.
And all of it in front of my biggest rival, billionaire wunderkind Ian McRory.
I am broke.
I am disgraced.
I am alone.
I am a sucker.
But the worst part? I have to go back to my hometown and live in my bedroom filled with relics from my childhood.
Lisa Frank never made me so mad before.
Just when I needed a rescue, I got one — in the form of help from my biggest rival.
He can’t bring back my money.
He certainly can’t bring back my reputation or my pride.
But there’s one thing he can bring back to me.
A sense of hope.
Maybe even love.
Ian sees something in me no one else does, and he’s relentless about making me see it, too. As we grow closer, I’m starting to see that while my entire life used to be a lie, the truth is staring me in the present — and it’s a truth I like very, very much, hot eyes and gorgeous smile and all.
But I have to be careful.
I can’t be too —
That’s right.
Hasty.
The final book in the USA Today bestselling Do-Over Series (Fluffy, Perky, Feisty), as Mallory’s sister, Hastings “Hasty” Monahan gets her turn at a happily ever after that starts off with an arrest.
Hers.


Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.

XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ: The Run Around by Bernadette Franklin #GIVEAWAY


The Run Around
Bernadette Franklin
Publication date: April 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Arranging a wedding for her brother and a five-time thoroughbride tests Hope’s skills and patience. She’d believed the vows would be the most dangerous part of the ceremony, but a baseball to the head during the photography session proves her wrong and lands her in the sights of her brother’s best friend, Fredrick.
He wants her to plan his wedding.
She wants to be his bride.
Diving into the treacherous world of wedding planning, Hope keeps her word and arranges the vows for the one man she believes she could love. He doesn’t know how much she cherishes him and his friendship.
What she doesn’t know lands her in the heart of a royal mess.
EXCERPT:
A sensible woman would’ve been delighted to be her future sister-in-law’s maid of honor, as it implied cordial relationships or some sort of bullshit like that. I knew better.
I made an excellent scapegoat.
As the wedding party’s weakest link, everyone expected me to trip on my dress, maybe break an ankle along with my neck, or spill the entire wine fountain onto the floor. My brother claimed he loved me, but I believed he’d been the one to spread the rumor I was the world’s clumsiest woman.
When I secured my revenge, it would be sweet.
But first, I needed to survive my brother’s wedding without being responsible for a single hiccup. Playing to my brother’s misconceptions, I’d spent months tripping over nothing on purpose so I could transform myself into the image of traditional beauty and grace.
I’d even lost twenty pounds so my dress would fit.
The wedding would be a disaster, but I would emerge from the chaos smelling like roses, red wine, and garlic bread. Honestly, I doubted the wedding would make it to the reception.
Some weddings had bridezillas. We had a thoroughbride, and if she got it into her head to run, I wished my brother the best of luck catching her before she fled from the church. My proposal to have the wedding on a yacht, where my brother’s thoroughbride couldn’t escape, hadn’t earned me points with anyone.
The bride hated the ocean.
My brother was smart enough to catch onto my implication.
It wasn’t my fault Amy wasn’t exactly the most reliable woman in the world when it came to marriage. Once was a fluke. Twice was a trend. Five incidents of running from the wedding was evidence the thoroughbride would strike again, and my dear old brother would be saddled with the fifty thousand dollar bill, as he refused to believe Amy would run out on him.
Oh, no. Amy would never run out on him.


Author Bio:
Bernadette Franklin is a figment of imagination owned and operated by two cats, a few plants, and a human.

GIVEAWAY!
XBTBanner1

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

BOOK BLITZ: The Best Mistake by Cookie O'Gorman #GIVEAWAY


The Best Mistake
Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: April 23rd 2020
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports
Honor Tierney just wants one night with the playboy.
One hot, steamy, meaningless hookup, and then she’ll happily go back to reading her favorite books, studying to be an accountant and writing for the campus-paper-nobody-reads. Too bad she ends up in the wrong bed, with the wrong brother…who gives her the hottest night of her life.
Archer O’Brien just wants to play ball.
Well that, and for his brothers to stop acting out, so he won’t have to worry 24/7. As the oldest O’Brien and team captain, it’s his duty to make sure they don’t drink too much, party too much, or get in too much trouble. But when she walks into his bedroom—mistaking him for his brother—life throws him a curveball.
She’s determined to guard her heart. He’s not giving up.
And when Honor gets assigned to cover the Wolves baseball team, it’s game on.
This new adult sports romance features one hot (and hilarious) case of mistaken identity and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.
Sometimes, the best mistakes are worth making.
EXCERPT:
A sudden feeling drew my attention to the other side of the room. I couldn’t really explain it. It was hot like electricity, something magnetic. My eyes searched for the source of that strange pull—and clashed with gray.
My breath caught.
It was like looking into the heart of a storm, intense, powerful. I hadn’t gone up in flames for any of the others, but this guy… Well, this O’Brien who was staring at me—devouring me—with those unusual gray eyes, wearing a frown like he never smiled, a stare so focused I thought he might be memorizing every move I made? Or reading my mind?
“Wow,” I said, voice nothing but a shaky exhale.
This guy caused a slow burn inside me. I wanted to run. Either to him or away, I wasn’t sure. But as his eyes traveled the length of my body, all the way down to my shoes, and back up again to meet my gaze, everything inside me turned to wildfire. I licked my lips, thighs clenching together instinctively.
His frown deepened, jaw tight.
And that made him seem even sexier.


Author Bio:
Cookie O'Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake.



XBTBanner1

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

B@@K REVEAL: The Divorce Attorney by Melanie Munton


The Divorce Attorney
Melanie Munton
Publication date: May 26th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
What are you supposed to do when your insanely hot divorce attorney leans over after you’ve signed your divorce papers and seductively whispers in your ear, “Give me a call if you want to know how it feels to be handled by a real man since you were clearly too much woman for him,” before sliding his business card over and walking out the door?
I mean, what do you do with that?
Sure, I’m tempted. I just lost a hundred and eighty pounds of stupid, cheating man. I deserve to treat myself.
The thing is, I think he might be too much man for me.
After all, he’s fifteen years my senior, though he doesn’t look it.
But the urge to learn what this seasoned pro could teach me proves irresistible.
And as it turns out, he’s a pro at a lot of things…like destroying people’s lives.



Author Bio:

Traveler. Reader. Beach-goer. St. Louis Cardinals fan. Pasta-obsessed. North Carolina resident. Sarcastic. Bit of a nerd.
Author of the Cruz Brothers, Possession and Politics, and Timid Souls series, Melanie loves all things romance, comedies and suspense in particular because it’s boring to only stick to one sub-genre! From light-hearted comedies to sexy thrillers, she likes to mix it up, but loves her some strong alpha males and sassy heroines.
Go visit Melanie’s website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!


XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ: Grinded by Heather Slade #GIVEAWAY


Grinded
Heather Slade
(The Invincibles, #3)
Publication date: April 27th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
When the odds are against them, they fight for each other.

First loves torn apart…
With a Tuscan backdrop of romance and innocence, sixteen-year-olds Miles “Grinder” Stone and Pia Deltetto learn of love and loss. After a whirlwind romance, they return to their separate lives with a hope of reconnecting someday.


Broken and battered…
Severely wounded in battle, Grinder refuses Pia’s sympathy and pity. However, when he realizes the true danger Pia is in, Grinder will do anything to save the only woman he’s ever loved. With everything on the line, she’s forced to trust himr with her estate, her life, and her heart. But has too much time passed to bring to shattered souls back together where they belong?
EXCERPT:
Four hours later, I raced out of customs at the Florence airport and into Pia’s waiting arms. My heart raced as I touched her warm, opened her lips with my tongue, and the rest of the world went silent. There were no more birds singing, no sounds of the traffic that surrounded us. Even the wind stilled as I focused solely on the way her body shuddered as I brushed soft kisses from her mouth, down her neck, to the smattering of freckles on her bare shoulder.
“Tell me there’s somewhere we can be alone.”
“Sì,” she said, leading me outside to where a car sat waiting. “Do you want to know where we’re going?”
I shook my head. “I don’t care.”
When the driver opened the back door and we got in, I pulled her into my arms and devoured her mouth like a starving man. We spent the next hour with our lips fused together in one long kiss.
The driver pulled up to what looked like a resort. I got out and waited for Pia to put her hand in mine. I pulled her close and kissed her again. “I can’t get enough of you.”
“Come,” she said as I grabbed our bags from the driver and followed her down a walkway to a villa that looked like a miniature of the one at Valentini.
Once inside, she put her hands on the hem of my shirt; I grabbed the back and pulled it over my head.
Santa Madre di Dio.” She rested her hand on my bare torso, leaned up, and kissed me.
“Pia,” I breathed. “If you want me to stop…tell me now.”
She wound her fingers in my hair and pulled me closer. My blood throbbed, and my heart beat frantically in my chest. All at once, I felt like we were melting into each other, our two bodies dissolving into one.
She reached up and slid her dress off her shoulders. It floated to the wood floor, landing in a heap at our feet and leaving her naked but for her pale pink knickers.
“Touch me,” she demanded, bringing my hand to her breast. I couldn’t resist a taste. My mouth covered her nipple, and we both groaned. Her skin tasted like the sweetest honey; I wanted to lick her everywhere.


Author Bio:
I write stories set in places I love with characters I'd be happy to call friends. The women in my books are self-confident, successful, and strong, with wills of their own, and hearts as big as the Colorado sky. And the men are sublimely sexy, seductive alphas who rise to the challenge of capturing the sweet soul of a woman whose heart they'll hold in the palm of their hand forever.
I'm an Amazon best-selling author, and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. I speak, teach, blog, am an executive sommelier, and all-around entrepreneur.
I grew up an East Coast girl, and then spent half my life on the West Coast. Now my husband, our two boys, and I happily call Colorado home.


XBTBanner1

Monday, April 27, 2020

BOOK BLITZ: A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair #GIVEAWAY


A Touch of Ruin
Scarlett St. Clair
(Hades & Persephone #2)
Publication date: April 23rd 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Persephone’s relationship with Hades has gone public and the resulting media storm disrupts her normal life and threatens to expose her as the Goddess of Spring.
Hades, God of the Dead, is burdened by a hellish past that everyone’s eager to expose in an effort to warn Persephone away.
Things only get worse when a horrible tragedy leaves Persephone’s heart in ruin and Hades refusing to help. Desperate, she takes matters into her own hands, striking bargains with severe consequences.
Faced with a side of Hades she never knew and crushing loss, Persephone wonders if she can truly become Hades’ queen.
EXCERPT:
Demetri must have felt her staring because he finally looked up from his tablet, the article he was reading reflected off his black-framed glasses. She noted the title. It was another piece about her.
“Persephone. Please, come in. Close the door.”
That stone in her stomach was suddenly heavier. Shutting herself in Demetri’s office was like walking right back into her mother’s greenhouse—anxiety built, and she felt fear at the thought of being punished. Her skin grew hot and uncomfortable, her throat constricted, her tongue thickened…she was going to suffocate.
This is it. She thought. He is going to fire me.
She found herself frustrated that he was drawing it out. Why invite her to sit? Act like it had to be a conversation?
She took a deep breath and sat on the edge of her chair.
“What did you do?” she asked, glancing at the pile of newspapers. “Pick one up on every block?”
“Couldn’t help it,” he said, smirking. “The story was fascinating.”
Persephone glared.
“Did you need something?” she asked finally, hoping to change the subject—hoping that the reason he called her into his office had nothing to do with this morning’s headlines.
“Persephone,” Demetri said, and she cringed at the gentle tone his voice had taken. Whatever was coming, it wasn’t good. “You have a lot of potential and you have proven you’re willing to fight for the truth, which I appreciate.”
He paused and her body stayed tense, preparing for the blow he was about to deliver.
“But,” she said, guessing the direction of this conversation.
Demetri looked even more sympathetic.
“You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have to,” he said.
She blinked, brows furrowing. “Ask what?”
“For an exclusive. On your relationship with Hades.”
The dread crawled up her stomach, and spread, sizzling in her chest and lungs and she felt the heat abruptly leave her face.
“Why do you have to ask?” Her voice was tight, and she tried to stay calm, but her hands were already shaking and squeezing her coffee cup.
“Per—”
“You said you wouldn’t ask if you didn’t have to,” she stopped him. She was tired of him saying her name. Tired of how long it was taking him to get to the point. “So why are you asking?”
“It came from the top,” he answered. “It was very clear that you either offer us your story or you don’t have a job here anymore.”
“The top?” she echoed, and paused for a moment, searching for a name. After a moment, it came to her. “Kal Stavros?”
Kal Stavros was a mortal. He was the CEO of Epik Communications—which owned New Athens News. Persephone didn’t know much about him except that he was a tabloid favorite. Mostly, because he was beautiful—his name literally meant crowned the most beautiful.
“Why would the CEO request an exclusive?”
“It’s not every day the girlfriend of the God of the Dead works for you,” Demetri said. “Everything you touch will turn to gold.”
“Then let me write something else,” she said. “I have a voicemail and an inbox full of leads.”
It was true. The messages had started pouring in the moment she published her first article on Hades. She’d slowly been sorting through them, organizing them into folders based on the god they criticized. She could write about any Olympian, even her mother.
“You can write something else,” Demetri said. “But I’m afraid we’ll still need that exclusive.”
“You can’t be serious,” was all she could think to say, but Demetri’s expression told her otherwise. She tried again. “This is my personal life.”
Her boss’s eyes dropped to the stack of papers on his desk.
“And it became public.”
“I thought you said you would understand if I wanted to cease writing about Hades?”
She noted that Demetri’s shoulders fell, and it made her feel better that he was at least a little defeated by this, too.
“My hands are tied, Persephone,” he answered.
There was a stretch of silence, and then she asked, “That’s it? I have no say in this?”
“You have your choices. I need the article by next Friday.”


Author Bio:
Scarlett St. Clair lives in Oklahoma with her husband. She has a Master's degree in Library Science and Information Studies and spends a lot of time researching reincarnation, unsolved murders and Greek mythology-all of which made it into her debut novel, When Stars Come Out.

XBTBanner1

Sunday, April 26, 2020

BOOK BLITZ: Hollywood Lighting by J.V. Speyer #GIVEAWAY


Hollywood Lighting
J.V. Speyer
Publication date: April 23rd 2020
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
A rowdy superstar in danger. His resentful new guardian. It’s hate at first sight until love takes an unexpected encore.
Closeted actor Owen fears failure and betrayal. So after he’s stabbed by a crazy fan, the movie studio offers a hunky bodyguard for protection. Suspicious that the ripped security man is just a gossip-seeking plant, he pushes back at his bulging biceps, ignoring the chemistry.
Newly retired SEAL Jamal is having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. Reluctantly taking a Hollywood job for a bad boy with tight abs, he’s sure the star is simply paranoid. But when he discovers the sexy celebrity is in serious jeopardy, he doesn’t hesitate to jump into action mode.
As the peril hits closer to home, Owen finds himself falling for the handsome hero fighting for his life. And as the threats intensify, Jamal fears he might lose the man he has come to love.
Will Owen and Jamal go down in a catastrophic climax, or will they star in their own happy ending?
Hollywood Lighting is the red-hot first book in the Bodyguards M/M contemporary romance series. If you like tortured heroes, intense predicaments, and steamy affairs, then you’ll adore J. V. Speyer’s tale of LGBT passion.
Buy Hollywood Lighting to let desire take centerstage today!
EXCERPT:
Owen sat back in his chair and tried not to fidget. He didn’t want to come off as bored, even if he didn’t actually see the point of being where he was. He had two other projects going on right now, both of which could have moved faster through production if he were on set. Instead he was here, cooling his heels and waiting for Ryan to finish a scene that should have been done three hours ago.
“Cut!” Drew threw his megaphone into Jamal’s arms. Jamal wasn’t expecting it, but he was a SEAL or had been, anyway. He caught the thing easily. Owen tried not to moon about it.
“Ryan, we’ve been over this fifteen times. For fifteen takes. Owen’s been hanging out here for three hours he could have spent working on his other projects, because we were supposed to have been working on his scenes by now. The only way we can make all of this work is by sticking to the schedule. That means we can’t run a scene fifteen times because you don’t know your right from your left.”
Ryan didn’t look like a robot up on the set. He looked like a collection of parts made from children’s modeling clay, badly stuck together and then half-baked. If parts started falling off, Owen wouldn’t be surprised in the least.
“‘Scuse me if I don’t prioritize Pretty Boy’s fucking side gigs.” Ryan staggered over to his chair, on Jamal’s other side, and grabbed for his water bottle. He chugged half of it down, threw it toward the wall, and turned to a pretty little blonde PA who’d been lurking nearby. “Sandra, darlin’, why don’t you nip into my trailer and grab me another one of these?”
The PA, who might or might not have been named Sandra, winked at Ryan and sauntered off toward the trailers. Owen turned back to his phone and made his best effort not to seem at all interested in Ryan’s going on. Ryan’s drunkenness was not news.
Drew took a deep breath. “What Owen is or is not doing with his time isn’t the issue. The fact is, the entire crew is here longer than they need to be because you can’t remember your lines. You can blame Owen’s side projects, you can blame Mercury retrograde, you can blame the writing, but at the end of the day everyone else manages to get the job done. You’re the only one consistently holding up production. You need to get your shit together, Ryan. You’ve been in the business long enough to be more professional than this. You should have more respect for the crew if not your cast mates.”
Ryan staggered, and then he lurched. “Like anyone could have any respect for that prima donna. Look at him, sitting there on his phone. Probably coordinating some kind of drug deal right now.”
Owen glanced at his texts. He’d turned off notifications simply because he didn’t have anyone to text him anything important. Silvia didn’t contact him often, thinking he was a drug-addled degenerate thanks to the gossip sites and their shared parent. Izzy couldn’t contact him, and Dan would call or email. Chris was usually on site with him.
No one else would bother. He might hope Jamal would contact him someday, especially after that amazing night before production started on Hamlet. He wasn’t going to count on it, though.
As he scrolled through the usual crap – mostly automated junk – one message caught his eye. His stepmother’s parents, Linda and George, lived up in Colorado. Silvia had managed to get away from their dad and gone to live with them maybe a year ago. Owen got along a little bit better with all three of them now that they understood what was going on with their son in law better, but he still wouldn’t call their relationship one of trust and affection. They didn’t reach out, as a general rule.
When he saw their number in his incoming texts, he froze. Were they looking for money? Was something wrong with Silvia?
The only way to find out was to click on the text.
On set, Drew’s face had gone bright red. “I don’t care if he’s personally taking over for El Chapo, he knows his lines and he’s where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. It’s more than I can say for you.”
Owen opened the text. There wasn’t a lot to read, but the Carsons hadn’t ever been the most verbose people. Not with Owen, anyway. Your father challenged us for custody of Silvia. He won, effective immediately. He took her back to Orange County today. There were no further messages.
Owen’s stomach sank. Silvia hadn’t confided in him. They hadn’t been close, but Owen knew what kind of man his father was. If Silvia had fled to Colorado, he’d already started pushing her to start a “show biz” career. And his contacts weren’t on the lighter side of Hollywood – not anymore.
He typed out a response. Thanks for letting me know. You may hear from the LAPD. Please cooperate with them. There’s not a lot I can do because of the restraining order, but I’m going to do everything I can.
On set, Ryan spun around to try to get a good look at Drew. His balance wasn’t able to keep up with his intentions, and he pitched forward off the sound stage and onto the ground.


Author Bio:
J.V. Speyer writes LGBTQ+ romance novels heavily flavored with suspense, mystery, and adventure. She has lived in upstate New York and rural Catalonia before making the greater Boston, Massachusetts area her permanent home. She currently lives just south of Boston in a house old enough to remember when her town was a tavern community with a farming problem.
J. V. finds most of her inspiration from music. Her tastes run the gamut from traditional to industrial and back again. When not writing is a baseball fan, a hockey mom, and a devotee of all things weird and creepy about New England.
J. V. can be found on Twitter at @JVSpeyer, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JVSpeyerAuthor


XBTBanner1

Friday, April 24, 2020

B@@K REVEAL: Pretty Nightmare by J.A. Huss #GIVEAWAY


Pretty Nightmare
J.A. Huss
(Creeping Beautiful #2)
Publication date: May 26th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
INDIE
I have them all now. Just the way I want them.
McKay, the one who loves me deepest.
Adam, the one who protects me fiercely.
Donovan, the one who tells the truth.
They are my friends, they are my lovers, they are my world.
And Maggie belongs to all of us—no matter who her father is.
This is the family I’ve always wanted.
This is the family I deserve.
And I will do whatever it takes to keep them.
McKAY
I have a secret that could ruin everything.
But I’m not keeping that secret to hurt her.
Nathan St. James needed to go.
ADAM
I made plan that could ruin everything.
But I did it to save us in the end.
The Company needed to come back.
DONOVAN
I told a lie that could ruin everything.
But I didn’t tell the lie to them—I told it to myself.
Carter is closer than we think.
There is something truly wrong at Boucher House on the Old Pearl River.
Some hidden evil lurking deep inside the woods.
Nothing about their blissful life is what it seems.
Because just when they think they have it all—he shows up to take it back.


Author Bio:
JA Huss is the New York Times Bestselling author of 321 and has been on the USA Today Bestseller's list 21 times in the past five years. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings.
Her new sexy sci-fi romance and paranormal romance pen name is KC Cross and she writes novels and teleplays collaboratively with actor and screenwriter, Johnathan McClain.
Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Five of her book were optioned for a TV series by MGM television in 2018. And her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.


XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ: Perfection by Kitty Thomas #GIVEAWAY


Perfection
Kitty Thomas
Publication date: April 8th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Dark Romance, Romance
Everyone thought I was married to the perfect man. But if Conall Walsh were perfect, I wouldn’t have killed him.
I thought I got away with it until I received an anonymous note at the ballet company I dance for:

You were a very bad girl. If you don’t want me to report what I know about last night, meet me at the old opera house after rehearsal. I will tell you the price of my silence when you arrive. If you speak of this or bring anyone with you… no deal.

But his price isn’t money. It’s me.
THIS IS A STANDALONE contemporary dark romance.
EXCERPT:
SCENE ONE:
There’s a crackling sound and then a booming male voice magnified over a speaker.
“I neither need nor want your money, Ms. Lane” It’s a smooth, rich baritone. But I can’t tell if the voice belongs to someone old or young. And I don’t recognize it.
“Do you know he beat me? He threatened to kill me. What was I supposed to do? He practically owned this city. Do you know how much power he had? What other choice did I have?” I shout into the mostly empty theater.
“Do you know how much power I have?” he counters.
Obviously a lot if he can get into this building and have electricity running in it. “I don’t deserve prison,” I say.
“Murder is a serious crime.” His tone is similar to the one you’d hear in the principal’s office after being caught vandalizing a dumpster behind the school.
“Please…” I feel the hysteria bubbling over as my gaze continues to dart around the cavernous theater, trying to find where he’s hiding, what perch he observes me from. “Please…” I say again… “You said you’d tell me your price. How much? Please. I’ll pay you anything.”
“No, Ms. Lane. Not money. I have plenty of that. The price of my silence is your obedience.”
The stillness that follows this announcement is so complete you could hear a pin drop on the black dance tarp. What the hell does that mean?
“Empty out your dance bag in the center of the stage and spread out all the contents,” he says.
I freeze at that. There’s a gun in my dance bag. I’m not that stupid, that I’d just go meet some mysterious blackmailer without going home to get a weapon first. I mean, come on.
“I want to remind you that we aren’t in a 1940’s noir film. I have a phone on me at all times, and I will use it to report you if you hesitate again.”
I take a deep breath. My hands are visibly shaking as I empty out the dance bag, arranging the contents, carefully concealing the gun in a dance sweater.
“What are you hiding from me?” the voice asks again.
I look around the otherwise empty theater, trying desperately to find the source of that voice.
“N-nothing!”
“Do you want to go to prison, Cassia?”
His use of my first name startles me. It feels too familiar in spite of everything.
The voice continues. “No. Lies. I want to see what you’re hiding.”
I don’t know how I thought I would get away with this. Did I think he’d just show up and confront me in some straight forward face-to-face way? Did I think he’d let me see him? Did I think I’d have a clear shot, and he’d just stand politely still while I put a bullet in him?
What the hell was I thinking?
“Last chance to save yourself,” he says, his patience running out.
I feel like I’ll hyperventilate as I unwrap the gun from the sweater and lay it out on the brightly lit stage. I flinch and look around me as if he’ll somehow swoop down, materialize on top of me, and rip me apart for daring to try to defend myself.
He chuckles. “Were you planning to build a body count? Gotten a taste for it, have you?”
“N-no,” I stammer.
“No, Sir,” he corrects. “I expect a basic level of formality and etiquette when we’re in this space together.”
Everything inside me freezes at this. When we’re in this space together.


Author Bio:
KITTY THOMAS writes dark stories that play with power and have unconventional HEAs. She began publishing in early 2010 with her bestselling COMFORT FOOD and is considered one of the original authors of the dark romance subgenre.
To find out FIRST when a new book comes out, subscribe to Kitty's New Release List: KITTYTHOMAS.COM


XBTBanner1

Thursday, April 23, 2020

B@@K REVEAL: The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti


The Silent Daughter
Claire Amarti
Publication date: May 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Psychological, Suspense
Schoolgirl missing, the ticker reads, and the camera cuts to a girl’s face. Blonde hair waterfalling over her shoulders, serious eyes, lips a little parted like she’s about to speak. That’s when I realize I’ve been holding my breath, because the gasp when I inhale almost chokes me.
Sadie Kelly has lost her job. Until last month, she was a teacher at Horton College – the same high school she went to ten years ago along with her best friend, Fiona. But Fiona died in an accident on their graduation night, in circumstances Sadie’s spent the last ten years trying to forget, and since then nothing’s been the same.
Now Sadie’s back where she grew up, jobless, and living temporarily with Fiona’s mother. But when she hears that Devon Hundley, a Horton schoolgirl, has gone missing, everything changes. Devon’s the daughter of Philip Hundley, a man Sadie knows all too well, and Sadie can’t stop thinking about the last time she saw Devon. It was the day Sadie left Horton for good, and heard Devon murmur four little words as she walked away. Four words Sadie prayed she had misheard:
I know your secret.
A gripping page-turner for fans of Kerry Lonsdale, Diane Chamberlain, and Liane Moriarty.


Author Bio:
I’m an author who writes suspense stories about ordinary women – women like the ones we all know and love – who find out that their ordinary lives may not be quite so ordinary after all! My hope is that you will root for them, fear for them, and find yourself holding your breath when the action starts to get a little hairy!
When I’m not doing writing, I can be found strolling the streets of Brooklyn, New York City, my adopted home, dodging pigeons and traffic. I moved here a little over eight years ago – I hail from Ireland originally – and never looked back. To me there’s nothing more wonderful than that feeling of finding – or making! – a new home, that mixture of excitement at finding a place in the world, and the comfort of being able to come back to it time and again. That’s what reading feels like for me… and for you too I suspect! It’s also the same joy I get from writing. I hope my books can become a kind of home for you too: a place where you can trust that you’ll find a wonderful adventure, and then land safe and sound at the end of it all, ready to do it all again another day!

XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ: Sea Child by LaVerne Thompson #GIVEAWAY


Sea Child
LaVerne Thompson
(Children of the Waves #4)
Publication date: April 23rd 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Land or sea, he was her world.
Shawnah had a decision to make. Sea born but land raised, she now knew the truth of her birth and how far some would go to steal her powers. There was only one man she trusted to protect her while she learned how to protect herself. But what happens if she decides to flaunt destiny and not remain in the sea? Would she risk losing him? The children of Poseidon are fated to have one mate.
Cyrus didn’t think that applied to him, since he was a hybrid born of both land and sea. He never searched for a bride. But fate had other ideas, and once he held Shawnah in his arms, Cyrus had no intention of letting her go. When she is once again threatened, Cyrus is willing to take on the gods of the sea, or even her father of the land, to protect her and remain at her side.
EXCERPT:
…soon as his lips had touched Shawnah’s he knew…
She stirred in his arms and opened her stunning hazel eyes to stare into his golden ones. She smiled.
‘You’re safe now.’ Cyrus spoke into her mind.
‘I know you. How do I know you?’
He frowned. ‘I’m not sure, but at some point in our lives, our paths may have crossed. Come we must hurry.’
‘Where? I don’t remember much. Can you tell me what’s going on?’
‘Yes, but we need to get out of here. Trust me.’
His heart paused as he held out his hand and waited. It began beating again when she placed her hand in his.


Author Bio:
LaVerne Thompson is a USA Today Bestselling, award winning, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi romances. She also writes romantic suspense and new adult under the pen name Ursula Sinclair, her alter ego, who likes her relationships a little more complicated. http://www.amazon.com/Ursula-Sinclair/e/B00415YAVK/

Her stories are highly sensual with erotic elements but she has a few that are considered erotic. Most of her books also have a touch of violence and a few more than that. She enjoys good action scenes in movies and has incorporated some of those elements in quite a few of her books. She is also a certified chocoholic.
Sign up for her newsletter to receive a chance at special freebies and sneak peeks at her work in progress. http://bit.ly/1hA7C9W



XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ: Dear Future Ex-wife by Jillian Quinn #GIVEAWAY


Dear Future Ex-wife
Jillian Quinn
Publication date: April 23rd 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
I, Harley McQueen, do not take Nathan King to be my husband…
I wish I could say no to this wedding. But to save our fathers’ company, my ex-best friend needs a fake bride to bail him out of his latest scandal.

Nate has a reputation with women.
I want the promotion my father has denied me for years.

Together, maybe we can make this fake marriage work.
As long as I don’t fall in love with him…
Again.
EXCERPT:
“Hey there, Queen,” Nate says as he approaches me with a wicked smile on his handsome face. “You look happy to see me,” he jokes, wiggling his eyebrows.
My throat closes up at the sight of him. His dark, wavy hair is gelled and styled to perfection. Tall and muscular, he fills out every inch of the navy suit that molds to his body. Women drool over him now, but I know the nerdy boy who had hair that would never stay put. His teeth were such a mess, he wore braces until our sophomore year of high school. And for a few years, I was several inches taller than Nate. But now, when he leans in to hug me, he has to dip down to meet my height.
He towers over me, his masculine scent filling my nostrils as he kisses my cheek. My skin tingles from the unexpected contact. Heat rushes to my face, which is now on fire from his delicate touch. He’s only doing this because he knows I won’t make a scene in front of our families. Nate takes every opportunity he gets to irritate me.
For as much as I hate him, I still miss him. So, when I hug him back it’s a real one. I don’t want to let him go, and the feeling seems to be mutual.
Nate clutches me, his fingers digging into my back. “You look good,” he whispers against the shell of my ear, sending chills down my arms. “I can see the Pilates paid off.”
I gasp at his comment.
Nate laughs in response.
Damn him.
I hate showing that he has any effect on me. More than anything I wish he didn’t have a single ounce of control over me. But he does.
Nate tugs on a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger. He did this when we were kids because he thought it was funny when I slapped him. My former best friend was an oddball. And now, he’s doing it to torment me. Men like Nate can smell desire on women. He damn well knows I think he’s hot. Nate looks like a walking orgasm in his expensive, silky suit that was tailor-made for him. Everything about him screams sex and money.
“Let’s get started,” my dad says, snapping me back to reality.
I flick Nate’s finger, and he drops his hand to his side. He stares me down with his hauntingly beautiful eyes. When I turn my back to Nate, Stefan is still standing behind the chair he rolled out from the table for me.
Nate sits across from me, though no amount of space is enough because I can practically feel the heat from his gaze rolling down my arms. Our parents get comfortable at the heads of the table, my dad to my left and Richard on the right. Nate’s wingtip hits my heel under the table. I ignore him as he taps me again. A few seconds later, his silky dress sock slides up my calf. I stare across the table at him, and he challenges me with one look.
Do it, his eyes demand. Fight me, Queen.
I hold my breath when his foot grazes my inner thigh. His gaze is pointed down the table at my dad, but I don’t miss the corner of Nate’s mouth lifting slightly into a satisfied smirk. He wants to play with me.
Game on, King.


Author Bio:
Jillian Quinn is an international bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books are light and funny but also on the steamy side. So, don't be surprised if you have to fan yourself with your Kindle.
As a lover of coffee and a collector of book boyfriends, you can find Jillian most days, thinking about her next romance novel as she pours another cup.




XBTBanner1