Release Day & Reviews – How to Get Lucky, Lauren Blakely & Joe Arden

January 14, 2021 By

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HOW TO GET LUCKY by Lauren Blakely & Joe Arden
Release Date: January 14th

Add to Goodreads:
http://blkly.pub/GoodreadsLucky

HEAT UP YOUR KINDLES TODAY!!

HOW TO GET LUCKY is a sexy, flirty, dirty all-male POV romantic comedy co-written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely and Award-Winning Romance Narrator Joe Arden! This addictive, heartfelt, and hilarious standalone is NOW AVAILABLE!!

 

 

AVAILABLE NOW!!
✦Amazon ➜https://amzn.to/2LyYNBs
✦Apple➜ http://blkly.pub/AppleHowLucky
✦Nook ➜ http://blkly.pub/NookHowLucky
✦Kobo ➜ http://blkly.pub/KoboGetLucky
✦Google ➜ http://blkly.pub/GoogleGetLucky

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

Joe Arden performs the book, with cameos from special guests Erin Mallon, Emma Wilder and Maxine Mitchell!

Kara's Review

5 out of 5 stars

How to Get Lucky is a new standalone romance written by Lauren Blakely and Joe Arden. It’s a laugh out loud, sizzling boss’s sister romance that I absolutely adored! I love when authors collaborate and I was excited to see how my favorite author and one of my favorite narrators wrote a book together! Let me just say this: I loved it!  When they meet, Teddy doesn’t know she’s his boss’s sister. They have an instant connection and they bond over dogs, sushi, and music. Teddy is trying to get his new DJ business off the ground while London is working on choreography to further her career. They vow to be just friends, but the flirting is too tempting. And so is the challenge London hits Teddy with. He’s just the man for the job. The perfect man. But as they get closer and closer to the line of friendship and much more, they know they are breaking the rules. Should they end it or just come clean? Oh man! These two were so perfect together! Teddy’s love for music and London’s love for dance and their love for their dogs! I loved the texts between London and her friends and Teddy’s friends from the club. I want to be a part of their friendships! I laughed so much, I swooned, had to fan myself and instantly fell in love with Teddy and London.

Five-star reviews are up there with blow jobs and tacos. Not always in that order, of course. I’ve had some pretty righteous tacos.

What do I think?

I think I might come as I am.

I reply.

 

Sandra's Review

5 out of 5 stars

How to Get Lucky is a new standalone by the ever-talented, Lauren Blakely and narrator, Joe Arden! Fun, right? Joe has been narrating Lauren’s books for years and now they have written one together. And it’s so good!! I laughed so hard. Kara says I have a twelve year old hidden away inside me. 🤣

Teddy is a deejay for a male revue show but that is not his endgame. He wants get his side-hustle up and running so he can become a full-time DJ for events such as weddings, dances, corporate, and everything fun. The last year has been all about starting over, and going full-speed ahead. No distractions. No rule-breaking. Then, he sees her. A beautiful woman doing air-guitar at the bar with two dudes. They only exchange a few words but she never left his mind that night. He didn’t think he would ever see her again until fate steps in. Thank God for dogs since they are who brings them together the next day which turns into a date that night. It was everything. She was amazing. Then the bomb drops. She is also working for the club, and even worse…she was his boss’s little sister. Not only one strike but two! His luck has run out or has it?

London is a dance choreographer Who has been going through a drought. She hasn’t had luck in the love department and things were looking up when she met Teddy, a good guy. An adorable guy. A guy who makes her laugh and swoon at the same time. He is also the perfect guy for a new project. She has the moves but she needs the music to go with it and Teddy is just the talent and man she needs. They need to keep it professional. No mixing business with pleasure. But, when a challenge arises, they are both up for it. It for all good guys. It’s science. And one, they are both happy to be part of the experiment. Over and over again.

Omfg! This book is hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times. It’s also so sweet, adorable, and sexy. Teddy and London just hit it off from the start but it’s complicated. It’s also just so easy. Their banter is so fun. Their chemistry is sizzling. Their dogs are the best. Teddy is adorable, witty, hilarious, and has awesome taste in music, pooches, and finding a woman for him. London is smart, sensual, and funny and has amazing taste in dogs, dance moves, ice cream, the 90s and of course finding a man for her. I am so hoping to see them again someday.

Quotes:

Note to self: find my passport when I get home because I want to spend some time in London.

This woman is full of contradictions and complexities, and I want to explore them.

“Okay, you make me laugh and you turn me on at the same time. Is that your special skill?”

“Why, yes, it is.”

“But the trouble is . . .”

“Barking pumpkin dog.”

“Nailed it,” she says a little sadly.

 

 

Blurb:
A sexy standalone romance written by #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely and Award-Winning Romance Narrator Joe Arden!

Every man knows there are lines you don’t cross. Like this one — don’t bang your boss’s little sister.

Too bad I didn’t know sexy, clever, irresistible London is related to the guy who signs my paychecks. Would have been helpful to have that intel before I took her out on that first date, before I kissed her on the beach, before I made plans to take her home that night.

But now I know and I’m going to be so damn disciplined. I’m a good guy, after all. And good guys don’t break the golden rules of the bro code. I’m going to follow the f&*k out of all the rules. I won’t break a single damn one.

Even when London asks me to help her with a work project. One that has us working late every night, all alone, in my tiny apartment.

One that tests every ounce of willpower I have.

One that is driving me out of my ever loving mind.

But I resist.

Until the night she issues a challenge I can’t refuse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Lauren Blakely:
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. She also writes red-hot, escapist love stories. She’d love to give you a free book today! Check out her web site to grab your free read: https://laurenblakely.com/one-free-book

Connect w/Lauren:
Website: laurenblakely.com
NL Signup: laurenblakely.com/newsletter
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/laurenblakely3

 

About Joe Arden:
Joe Arden is one of the industry’s most prolific and decorated narrators of Romance and Erotica. He has been nominated for multiple Audie and SOVAS Awards and has received AudioFile’s Earphones Award numerous times. He is a vocal advocate for consent and equality. In his free time, he trains and fosters rescue pit bulls. This is his debut novel.

Connect w/Joe:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealJoeArden/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/therealjoearden
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealJoeArden

 

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Excerpt Reveal – The Invitation, Vi Keeland

January 14, 2021 By

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Title: The Invitation
Author: Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 18, 2021
Excited about Vi Keeland’s upcoming release, The Invitation? Check out this SNEAK PEEK of CHAPTER 1!
CHAPTER 1 

 

Stella 
“I can’t do this…” I stopped halfway up the marble staircase. 
Fisher paused a few steps ahead of me. He walked back down to where I stood. “Sure you can. Remember the time we were in sixth grade and you had to make that presentation about your favorite president? You were a nervous wreck. You thought you were going to forget everything you’d memorized and be standing there with everyone staring at you.” 
“Yes, what about it?” 
“Well, this is no different. You got through that, didn’t you?” 
Fisher had lost his mind. “My fears all came true that day. I got up in front of the blackboard and started to sweat. I couldn’t remember a single word I’d written. Everyone in the class stared, and then you heckled me.” 
Fisher nodded. “Exactly. Your worst fear came true, and yet you lived to see another day. In fact, that day turned out to be the best day of your life.” 
I shook my head, bewildered. “How so?” 
“That was the first time we’d ever been in the same class. I thought you were just another annoying girl like the rest of them. But after school that day, you ripped into me for teasing you while you were trying to do your presentation. That made me realize you weren’t like the other girls. And that very day I decided we were going to be best friends.” 
I shook my head. “I didn’t speak to you for the rest of the school year.” 
Fisher shrugged. “Yeah, but I won you over the next year, didn’t I? And right now you feel a little calmer than you did two minutes ago, don’t you?” 
I sighed. “I guess I do.” 
He held out his tuxedo-clad elbow. “Shall we go in?” 
I swallowed. As terrified as I was of what we were about to do, I also couldn’t wait to see what the inside of the library looked like all done up for a wedding. I’d spent countless hours sitting on these steps, wondering about the people walking by. 
Fisher waited patiently with his elbow out while I debated another minute. Finally, with another loud sigh, I took his arm. “If we wind up in jail, you’re going to have to come up with the bail money for both of us. I’m way too broke.” 
He flashed his movie-star smile. “Deal.” 
As we climbed the remaining steps to the doors of the New York Public Library, I went over all of the details we’d discussed in the Uber on the way here. Our names for the evening were Evelyn Whitley and Maximilian Reynard. Max was in real estate—his family owned Reynard Properties—and I’d gotten my MBA at Wharton and recently moved back to the City. We both lived on the Upper East Side—at least that part was true. 
Two uniformed waiters wearing white gloves stood at the towering entrance doors. One held a tray of champagne flutes, and the other a clipboard. Though my legs somehow kept going, my heart felt like it was trying to escape from my chest and take off in the opposite direction. 
“Good evening.” The waiter with the clipboard nodded. “May I have your names, please?” 
Fisher didn’t flinch as he doled out the first of what would be a night full of lies. 
The man, who I noticed had an earpiece in, scanned his list and nodded. He held a hand out for us to enter, and his partner handed us each bubbly. “Welcome. The ceremony will take place in the rotunda. Seating for the bride is on your left.” 
“Thank you,” Fisher said. As soon as we were out of earshot, he leaned close. “See? Easy peasy.” He sipped his champagne. “Oooh, this is good.” 
I had no idea how he was so calm. Then again, I also had no idea how he’d managed to talk me into this insanity. Two months ago, I’d come home from work to find Fisher, who was also my neighbor, raiding my refrigerator for leftovers—a common occurrence. As he ate two-day-old chicken Milanese, I’d sat at the kitchen table sorting through my mail and having a glass of wine. While we talked, I’d sliced open the back of an oversized envelope without checking the address on the front. The most stunning wedding invitation had been inside—black and white with raised gold leaf. It was like a gilded work of art. And the wedding was at the New York Public Library, of all places—right near my old office and where I’d often sat and had my lunch on the iconic stairs. I hadn’t visited in at least a year, so I was seriously pumped to get to go to a wedding there. 
Though I’d had no idea whose wedding it was—a distant relative I’d forgotten, maybe? The names weren’t even vaguely familiar. When I turned the envelope over, I quickly realized why. I’d opened my ex-roommate’s mail. Ugh. That figured. It wasn’t me who was invited to a fairytale wedding at one of my favorite places in the world. 
But after a couple of glasses of wine, Fisher had convinced me it should be me going, and not Evelyn. It was the least my deadbeat ex-roommate could do for me, he’d said. After all, she’d snuck out in the middle of the night, taken some of my favorite shoes with her, and the check she’d left behind for the two months of back rent she owed had bounced. At a minimum, I ought to get to attend a ritzy, thousand-dollars-a-plate wedding, rather than her. Lord knew none of my friends were ever getting married at a venue like that. By the time we’d polished off the second bottle of merlot, Fisher had decided we would go in Evelyn’s place—crash the wedding for a fun night out, compliments of my no-good former roomie. Fisher had even filled out the response card, writing that two guests would attend, and slipped it into his back pocket to mail the next day. 
I’d honestly forgotten all about our drunken plans until two weeks ago when Fisher came home with a tuxedo he’d borrowed from a friend for the upcoming nuptials. I’d balked and told him I wasn’t going to crash some expensive wedding for people I didn’t know, and he’d done what he always did: gotten me to think his bad idea wasn’t really that bad. 
Until now. I stood in the middle of the sprawling lobby of what was probably a two-hundred-thousand-dollar wedding and felt like I might literally pee my pants. 
“Drink your champagne,” Fisher said. “It’ll help you relax a bit and put some color back in your cheeks. You look like you’re about to attempt to tell the class why you like John Quincy Adams so much.” 
I squinted at Fisher, though he smiled back, undeterred. I was certain nothing was going to help me loosen up. But nevertheless, I gulped back the contents of my glass. 
Fisher tucked one hand casually into his trouser pocket and looked around with his head held high, like he didn’t have a fear in the world. “I haven’t seen my old friend party animal Stella in a long time,” he said. “Might she come out to play tonight?” 
I handed him my empty champagne flute. “Shut up and go find me another glass before I bolt.” 
He chuckled. “No problem, Evelyn. You just sit tight and try not to blow our cover before we even get to see the beautiful bride.” 
“Beautiful? You don’t even know what she looks like.” 
“All brides look beautiful. That’s why they wear a veil—so you can’t see the ugly ones, and everything is magical on their special day.” 
“That’s so romantic.” 
Fisher winked. “Not everyone can be as pretty as me.” 
Three glasses of champagne helped calm me enough to sit through the wedding ceremony. And the bride definitely didn’t need a veil. Olivia Rothschild—or Olivia Royce, as she would be now—was gorgeous. I got a little teary eyed watching the groom say his vows. It was a shame the happy couple weren’t really my friends, because one of their groomsmen was insanely attractive. I might’ve daydreamed that Livi—that’s what I called her in my head—would fix me up with her new hubby’s buddy. But alas, tonight was a ruse, and I was no Cinderella story. 
The cocktail hour took place in a beautiful room I’d never been in. I studied the artwork on the ceiling as I waited at the bar for my drink. Fisher had told me he needed to use the restroom, but I had a feeling he’d really snuck off to talk to the handsome waiter who had been eyeing him since we’d walked in. 
“Here you go, miss.” The bartender slid a drink over to me. 
“Thank you.” I took a quick look around to see if anyone was paying attention before dipping my nose inside the glass and taking a deep sniff. Definitely not what I ordered. 
“Ummm, excuse me. Is it possible you made this with Beefeater gin and not Hendricks?” 
The bartender frowned. “I don’t think so.” 
I sniffed a second time, now certain he’d made it wrong. 
A man’s voice to my left caught me off guard. “You didn’t even taste it, yet you think he poured the wrong gin?” 
I smiled politely. “Beefeater is made with juniper, orange peels, bitter almond, and blended teas, which produces a licorice taste. Hendricks is made of juniper, rose, and cucumber. There’s a different smell to each.” 
“Are you drinking it straight or on the rocks?” 
“Neither. It’s a gin martini, so it has vermouth.” 
“But you think you can smell that he used the wrong gin, without even tasting it?” The guy’s voice made it clear he didn’t think I could. 
“I have a very good sense of smell.” 
The man looked over my shoulder. “Hey, Hudson, I got a hundred bucks that says she can’t tell the difference between the two gins if we line them up.” 
A second man’s voice came from my right, this one behind my shoulder a bit. The sound was deep, yet velvety and smooth—sort of like the gin the bartender should’ve used to make my drink. 
“Make it two hundred, and you’re on.” 
Turning to get a look at the man willing to wager on my abilities, I felt my eyes widen. 
Oh. Wow. The gorgeous guy from the bridal party. I’d stared at him during most of the wedding. He was handsome from afar, but up close he was breathtaking in a way that made my belly flutter—dark hair, tanned skin, a chiseled jawline, and luscious, full lips. The way his hair was styled—slicked back and parted to the side—reminded me of an old-time movie star. What I hadn’t been able to see from the back row during the ceremony was the intensity of his ocean blue eyes. Those were currently scanning my face like I was a book. 
I cleared my throat. “You’re going to bet two-hundred dollars that I can identify gin?” 
The gorgeous man stepped forward, and my olfactory sense perked up. Now that smells better than any gin. I wasn’t sure if it was his cologne or some sort of a body wash, but whatever it was, it took everything in my power to not lean toward him and take a deep whiff. The sinfully sexy man smelled as good as he looked. That pairing was my kryptonite. 
There was a hint of amusement in his voice. “Are you telling me it’s a bad bet?” 
I shook my head and turned back to speak to his friend. “I’ll play along with your little bet, but I’m in for two hundred, too.” 
When my eyes returned to the handsome man on my right, the corner of his lip twitched just slightly. “Nice.” He lifted his chin to his friend. “Tell the bartender to pour a shot of Beefeater and a shot of Hendricks. Line ’em up in front of her, and don’t let us know which is which.” 
A minute later, I lifted the first shot glass and sniffed. It honestly wasn’t even necessary for me to smell the other, though I did it anyway, just to be safe. Damn… I should’ve bet more. This was too easy, like taking candy from a baby. I slid one shot glass forward and spoke to the waiting bartender. “This one is the Hendricks.” 
The bartender looked impressed. “She’s right.” 
“Damn it,” the guy who had started this game huffed. He dug into his front pocket, pulled out an impressive billfold, and peeled off four hundred-dollar bills. Tossing them in our direction on top of the bar, he shook his head. “I’ll win it back by Monday.” 
Gorgeous Guy smiled at me as he collected his cash. Once I took mine, he lowered his head to whisper in my ear. 
“Nice job.” 
Oh my. His hot breath sent a shiver down my spine. It had been way too long since I’d had contact with a man. Sadly, my knees felt a little weak. But I forced myself to ignore it. “Thank you.” 
He reached around me to the bar and lifted one of the shots. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed before setting it back down and smelling the other. 
“I don’t smell anything different.” 
“That just means you have a normal sense of smell.” 
“Ah, I see. And yours is…extraordinary?” 
I smiled. “Why yes, it is.” 
He looked amused as he passed me one of the shots and held the other up in toast. “To being extraordinary,” he said. 
I wasn’t generally a shot drinker, but what the hell? I clinked my glass with his before knocking it back. Maybe the alcohol would help settle the nerves this man seemed to have jolted awake. 
I set my empty shot glass on the bar next to his. “I take it this is something the two of you do on a regular basis, since your friend plans to win it back by Monday?” 
“Jack’s family and mine have been friends since we were kids. But the betting started when we went to the same college. I’m a Notre Dame fan, and he’s a USC fan. We were broke back then, so we used to bet a Taser zap on games.” 
“A Taser zap?” 
“His father was a cop. He gave him a Taser to keep under his car seat just in case. But I don’t think he envisioned his son taking hits of fifty-thousand volts when a last-minute interception made his team lose.” 
I shook my head. “That’s a little crazy.” 
“Definitely not our wisest decision. At least I won a lot more than he did. A little brain damage might help explain some of his choices in college.” 
I laughed. “So today was just a continuation of that pattern, then?” 
“Pretty much.” He smiled and extended his hand. “I’m Hudson, by the way.” 
“Nice to meet you. I’m St—” I caught myself in the nick of time. “I’m Evelyn.” 
“So are you a gin aficionado, Evelyn? Is that why I didn’t smell anything different between the two?” 
I smiled. “I wouldn’t consider myself an aficionado of gin, no. To be honest, I mostly drink wine. But did I mention my occupation? I’m a fragrance chemist—a perfumist.” 
“You make perfume?” 
I nodded. “Among other things. I developed scents for a cosmetics and fragrance company for six years. Sometimes it was a new perfume, other times it was the scent for a wipe that removes makeup, or maybe a cosmetic that needs a more pleasant smell.” 
“Pretty sure I never met a perfumist before.” 
I smiled. “Is it as exciting as you’d hoped?” 
He chuckled. “What exactly is the training for a job like that?” 
“Well, I have a chemistry degree. But you can have all the education you want, and you still won’t be able to do the job unless you also have hyperosmia.” 
“And that is…” 
“An enhanced ability to smell odors, an increased olfactory acuity.” 
“So you’re good at smelling shit?” 
I laughed. “Exactly.” 
A lot of people think they have a good sense of smell, but they don’t really understand how heightened the sense is for someone with hyperosmia. Demonstrating always worked best. Plus, I really wanted to know what cologne he was wearing. So, I leaned in and took a deep inhale of Hudson. 
Exhaling, I said, “Dove soap.” 
He didn’t look completely sold. “Yes, but that’s a pretty common soap choice.” 
I smiled. “You didn’t let me finish. Dove Cool Moisture. It’s got cucumber and green tea in it—also a common ingredient in gins, by the way. And you use L’Oreal Elvive shampoo, same as me. I can smell gardenia tahitensis flower extract, rosa canina flower extract, and a slight hint of coconut oil. Oh, and you use Irish Spring deodorant. I don’t think you’re wearing any cologne, actually.” 
Hudson’s brows rose. “Now that’s impressive. The wedding party stayed in a hotel last night, and I forgot to pack my cologne.” 
“Which one do you normally wear?” 
“Ah… I can’t tell you that. What will we do on our second date for entertainment if we don’t play the sniff test?” 
“Our second date? I didn’t realize we were going to have a first.” 
Hudson smiled and held out his hand. “The night’s young, Evelyn. Dance with me?” 
A knot in the pit of my stomach warned me it was a bad idea. Fisher and I were supposed to stick together and limit contact with other people to minimize our chances of getting caught. But glancing around, my date was nowhere in sight. Plus, this man was seriously magnetic. Somehow, before my brain even finished debating the pros and cons, I found myself putting my hand in his. He led me to the dance floor and wrapped one arm around my waist, leading with the other. Not surprisingly, he knew how to dance. 
“So, Evelyn with the extraordinary sense of smell, I’ve never seen you before. Are you a guest or a plus one?” He looked around the room. “Is some guy giving me the evil eye behind my back right now? Am I going to need to get Jack’s Taser from the car to ward off a jealous boyfriend?” 
I laughed. “I am here with someone, but he’s just a friend.” 
“The poor guy…” 
I smiled. Hudson’s flirting was over the top, yet I gobbled it up. “Fisher is more interested in the guy who was passing out champagne than me.” 
Hudson held me a little closer. “I like your date much better than I did thirty seconds ago.” 
Goose bumps prickled my arms as he lowered his head, and his nose briefly brushed against my neck. 
“You smell incredible. Are you wearing one of the perfumes you make?” 
“I am. But it’s not one that can be ordered. I like the idea of having a true signature scent that someone can remember me by.” 
“I don’t think you need the perfume to be remembered.” 
He led me around the dance floor with such grace, I wondered if he had taken professional lessons. Most men his age thought slow dancing meant rocking back and forth and grinding an erection against you. 
“You’re a good dancer,” I said. 
Hudson responded by twirling us around. “My mother was a professional ballroom dancer. Learning wasn’t an option; it was a requirement if I wanted to be fed.” 
I laughed. “That’s really cool. Did you ever consider following in her footsteps?” 
“Absolutely not. I grew up watching her suffer with hip bursitis, stress fractures, torn ligaments—it’s definitely not the glamorous profession they make it out to be on all those dance-contest TV shows. You gotta love what you do for a job like that.” 
“I think you have to love what you do for any job.” 
“That’s a very good point.” 
The song came to an end, and the emcee told everyone to take their seats. 
“Where are you sitting?” Hudson asked. 
I pointed to the side of the room where Fisher and I had been seated. “Somewhere over there. Table Sixteen.” 
He nodded. “I’ll walk you.” 
We approached the table at the same moment as Fisher, who was coming from the other direction. He looked between Hudson and me, and his face asked the question he didn’t say aloud. 
“Umm…this is my friend Fisher. Fisher, this is Hudson.” 
Hudson extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.” 
After shaking with a silent Fisher, who seemed to have forgotten how to speak, he turned to me and took my hand once again. “I should get back to my table with the rest of the wedding party.” 
“Okay.” 
“Save a dance for me later?” 
I smiled. “I’d love to.” 
Hudson turned to walk away and then turned back. As he walked backwards, he called, “In case you pull a Cinderella on me and disappear, what’s your last name, Evelyn?” 
Thankfully, him using my fake name reminded me not to give him my real one as I’d almost done the first time. “It’s Whitley.” 
“Whitley?” 
Oh God. Did he know Evelyn? 
His eyes swept over my face. “Beautiful name. I’ll see you later.” 
“Uhh…okay, sure.” 
When Hudson was barely out of earshot, Fisher leaned close to me. “My name’s supposed to be Maximilian, sweetheart.” 
“Oh my God, Fisher. We have to leave.” 
“Nah.” He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. We made up Maximilian anyway. I’m your plus one. No one knows the name of the person Evelyn brought. Though I still want to play a real estate tycoon.” 
“No, it’s not that.” 
“Then what is it?” 
“We have to leave because he knows…” 

 

★★★ 
 

 

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Please note: There will not be an Amazon ebook pre-order, but it will be available on Amazon on release day.

 

 
 

 

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AUTHOR BIO
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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Release Day & Excerpt – Never Got Over You, S.L. Scott

January 14, 2021 By

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Release Date: January 14

 

 

The universe shifts, and our stars realign.

I’d sworn off men. And then I met Nick Christiansen.

Technically, I fell for him, literally, the moment I landed in his quarterback-sized arms and looked into those soulful eyes. I blame the rum. Or was it tequila?

Spoiler alert: It was those delectable dimples.

Either way, Nick was stupidly handsome and ridiculously charming. He held me like he cared and listened to me like I mattered. Captivated by great conversation and rock-hard abs, Nick had me reconsidering the “No Men” promise I’d made myself.


I still regret walking away the next day.
~
I can’t stop thinking about the one who got away. But then I run right into Natalie St. James.She’s still unwittingly gorgeous, if not more so, and as wildly quirky as I remember.

Sidebar: She’s on a date.

What do I expect? For her to still be thinking about me?

I still regret what happens next.

We didn’t get the love story we deserved the first time, then I screwed up our second chance. When the universe shifts and our stars realign, is the third time a charm?

Grab Your Copy Here!

 

Read an Excerpt Here:

 

He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “About that date? The offer still stands if you’re up for it.”

“Tonight?”

“Right now.”

Checking my watch, I purse my lips in thought. “I don’t know. I’m coming off a bad date, so that puts a lot of pressure on you to redeem my night. If you don’t, that will be two bad dates in one night. Might be a record.”

“I’m up for the challenge.” I knew he was, but I love that he takes the bait . . . I mean, up to the task. When he looks at me, it’s as if he sees my thoughts, and my cheeks heat in response. Taking a few steps closer, so close that my eyes dip closed as if I’m about to be kissed, he says, “As I see it, we have several options.” 

Playing off how bad I just misread that situation—again, I might add, recalling the last rejection from him that I barely survived—I tap my eye as if dust invaded the corner. “Sorry,” I reply, blinking like a crazy person. Lowering my arm, I latch my good eye onto him. “Several options, you say? Do tell.”

He gives me a second full once-over and then rubs the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip as if he’s devising a plan. The intensity of his eyes lands back on me. “We can get a drink at a nearby bar. Or maybe you’re up to hang out at my hotel suite . . . or your place. Whatever you want to do, I’m all yours.”

“Are you?”

A smirk splits his lips. “Since Catalina, but that’s old news, and I want to hear about the new you.”

“Like?”

“Natalie in New York versus you in California.”

Undecided on what I want to do, I look down the street one way and then the other, but with him standing so close, his scent has our past trickling back into my memories. I turn back to face him. “I know a place not too far from here. It’s low-key at this hour, but then turns into an after-hours dance club.”

“I prefer low key.” 

“Then we have ourselves a date.”

We make it to the corner before he says, “You look good, by the way.”

“Thanks. You aren’t so shabby yourself.” The sound of his laughter is addicting, and don’t get me started on that cute smile. I’d almost forgotten about those dimples. 

He playfully knocks his elbow into mine. “Looking on the bright side paid off.”

“How so?”

“You told me that if we look on the bright side, we won’t be strangers the next time we meet. And here we are—not strangers.”

“At the time, it was one of my wiser pieces of free advice.” 

“What about now?”

“I’d tell you to get my phone number. Much wiser, but you know, we could reintroduce ourselves and share our numbers just in case one of us goes MIA.” Hint. Hint. Hint.

 

 

Do you listen on Audible? Grab it here!
Narrators: Aiden Snow & Brooke Bloomingdale
Meet S.L. Scott
New York Times and USA Bestselling Author, S. L. Scott, was always interested in the arts. She grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and wiling her days away lost in a good book and the movies.
With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald. 
 
She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the worlds those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones. 
 
This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories.
 
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.

 

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New Release & Review – The Forever Girl, Jill Shalvis

January 13, 2021 By

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New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis does it once again with a heartfelt story of family, forgiveness, and secrets that have the power to change the course of more than one life.

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.

Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery.

Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qoQw25

 

Kara's Review

5 out of 5 stars

The Forever Girl is the sixth book in the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. I love the people who live in Wildstone and these characters just add to my love! Maze, Cat, Heather and Walker were best friends and family years ago. Cat’s family opened their house and hearts to Heather, Maze and Walker but they were all torn apart by an accident that Maze and Walker both blame themselves for. Caitlin is the only who knew a parents’ love. It’s hard to forget that you were never wanted as a child. Those fears followed them into adulthood. Now they are all back together for Caitlin’s wedding at her family’s lake house. They had such great memories there when they were kids and now that they are back together all the good, and bad times are coming back. Maze and Walker always had a thing for each other, but Maze always walked away. She’s happy and sad to hear Walker, Cat and Heather have kept in contact with each other. Being back home makes her realize she misses them and isn’t going to let time go by again. But she needs to let go of her past and learn from her mistakes. Walker isn’t going to let Maze walk away this time. Cat just wants everyone to be happy. But what if she’s not happy? Heather has a secret of her own and she wants her family around her more. Friendships are mended, forgiveness is given, I love yous are said. I love the mix between Walker and Maze’s story and Heather and Caitlyn’s. It’s like three for one! Overall, I laughed out loud, cried and smiled! Another feel good romance from Jill Shalvis.

 

 

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Cover Reveal – Used, Kate Dunbar

January 13, 2021 By

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This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…

Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, A young woman’s life takes a disturbing and utterly fascinating turn as the past she’s put behind comes back to haunt her.  USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.

USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar, will be releasing on March 8, 2021 on all retailers! Don’t miss the fantastic cover below, and pre-order your copy today!

“USED was amazing. Like seriously amazing. I can’t remember the last time I hated to put a book down so I could go to sleep and then immediately pick it up to finish it the next morning. And yet, here we are and that’s what I did.” ~ Samantha Chase, New York Times Bestselling Author 

“Rarely have I read a book so vividly described, so rich with emotion, that I felt like I lived it. USED is the kind of book that engages your heart and takes you on a journey that leaves you hopeful and empowered by the end.” ~ Erika Kelly, Award Winning Author of the Rock Star Romance Series

 

Photography by K Keeton Designs
Cover Design by Uplifting Author Services 

Model: Cameo Hopper

About USED (Coming 3/8/2021):

 

At the age of seventeen, after a decade of lies, hurt, and severe abuse by her brother Lucas, Sabra Valentine is able to breathe.

Lucas is behind bars thanks in large part to Sabra’s quick thinking and self-preservation-even if that’s one more secret she has to keep.

Now, seven years later, life is moving forward, and Sabra is starting to heal, live, and love again with her friends and Trevor Collins by her side. He’s tall, dark, and sexy, and he doesn’t fall for Sabra’s games. The future is finally looking bright-until one phone call shatters everything.

Used is a romantic suspense with domestic thriller elements. Please be aware that there are topics that may be triggers for some readers, and this work is meant for mature readers.

 

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦Amazon US ➜ https://amzn.to/3sjFRqW

✦Amazon Intl ➜ https://geni.us/4fBU5
✦Apple ➜ http://apple.co/3nDaQuK

✦Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/39s8hGz

✦Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/2LMTD4z

✦Audio ➜ COMING SOON!

✦Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/38AlFct

“Heartbreakingly beautiful. This book isn’t about angst and pain. It’s about a fighter-a survivor-that we all attain to be. The story tears you apart in the best ways and builds you back up in the most beautiful.” ~ Nichole Chase, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

 

“Used is a raw, heart-wrenching story of surviving trauma, but it’s also so much more. It’s a romantic, emotionally gratifying tale of unflinching, all-in love. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” ~ Brenda Rothert, Author

 

 

USED is being narrated by Stella Hunter and will be available March 8th! Stay tuned for all the pre-order information! Sign up for Kate’s newsletter to get the latest audio news! www.katedunbar.com

 

About Kate Dunbar:

 

Kate Dunbar is a wife, mom of three, and obsessive tea drinker who loves a great story. She’s passionate about people and learning what makes them tick. You can find her eavesdropping, people watching, and living her best life wherever the winds take her.

Website: https://katedunbar.com/

Facebook: https://fb.com/KateDunbarAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdunbarwrites 

Newsletter: https://katedunbar.com/ 

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3q6SqEa 

 

Sample Social Media Post:

This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…

USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar, will be releasing on March 8, 2021 on all retailers! Pre-order your copy today!

✦Amazon US ➜ https://amzn.to/2LJCEQV
✦Amazon Intl ➜ https://geni.us/4fBU5
✦Apple ➜ http://apple.co/3nDaQuK
✦Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/39s8hGz
✦Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/2LMTD4z
✦Audio ➜ COMING SOON!
✦Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/38AlFct

 

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Blog Tour, Excerpt & *Giveaway* – Just One Kiss, Traci Hall

January 13, 2021 By

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JUST ONE KISS

by Traci Hall

Publication Date: January 11, 2021

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Bliss, Contemporary, Romance

 

Free-spirited Grace Sheldon is used to living on a tight budget as a freelance photographer. But nothing short of a miracle could produce the thirty thousand dollars she owes on the house she’s inherited. Without steady employment, the bank refuses to give her a loan. Working a temp job won’t give her nearly enough, but she’ll take any little bit she can get until she figures out a solution. Her first day, though, she realizes this is no ordinary office—and her handsome new boss is no ordinary man.

 

After Sawyer Rivera’s well-planned career in Seattle officially imploded all he’s looking for is a small beach town where he can open a dog training facility and start a simple life. Except, his new office assistant is anything but. Grace is carefree, artsy, and doesn’t know a thing about dogs. The woman has pet chickens! She’s also funny, kind, and the best part of his day.

Grace is his complete opposite—and completely refreshing. But when her month of temp work is over, she could disappear from his life for good. Sawyer realizes he has just one chance to try to change their fate.

 

BUY LINKS

Amazon:https://amzn.to/38BsR8u

iTunes: http://apple.co/35jYOjx

Kobo: http://bit.ly/3omNtXm

BN: http://bit.ly/3hPkuct

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3pYEXON

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/38oZpCg

Amazon AUS: https://amzn.to/2Lv4dNL

Add to #Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Xgzcjf

 

GIVEAWAY

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a3541981

 

 

EXCERPT #2

Grace was pretty good at going with the flow, but it took all of her willpower not to smash the rest of her chocolate cupcake into the guy’s handsome face. One, it would be a waste of a good cupcake, and two, it would set a very bad example for Violet. While she tried to hold back, Violet diligently colored outside the lines, completely unaware of Grace’s dilemma. 

Why hadn’t he waited for her? She hadn’t pegged him as the kind to skip out on something. He’d fooled her, and that burned. Maybe she’d given more credit than was due, and that was ridiculous. Her anger needed to be at herself, too.

Lottie passed the coffee and donut he’d ordered over the top of the glass case. “You’re Sawyer Rivera, aren’t you?”

He shuffled his feet, as if suddenly uncomfortable. “Yes.”

Grace popped up from her seat, and all the calming self-talk went out the window. She’d never heard of him, but Lottie obviously had. She ambled toward the two men. “Lottie, this is the guy I was telling you about on the beach this morning.”

“With the bad dog?” Lottie asked in surprise. She wiped her hands on her apron. 

Sawyer backed up a step, almost into poor Bill, who juggled his coffee and an apple fritter. Lottie giggled nervously, her green eyes round. Bill looked from Grace to his friend in confusion.

“Yep.” Grace glared at him.

Sawyer set his coffee and donut on one of the empty white tables. “I can explain,” he told her in a rush. He glanced from Grace to Lottie and back. “I wanted to wait for you, but my dog ate your camera, and I had to take him to the vet.”

That was probably the worst excuse she’d ever heard. No wonder teachers all over the world didn’t fall for it. 

Grace flung her arms to her sides. “He didn’t eat the camera. He chewed the strap a little.” She lifted an eyebrow at Bill. He was a good guy—if Sawyer was lying, Bill would tell her, right?

“Sawyer, what’s she talking about?” Bill asked. “Grace, hon, there has to be a mistake. My buddy just moved to Kingston…” He put his coffee down next to the register. “He’s a dog trainer.”

“Trainer?” That had to be the biggest joke of all, if that was why he was famous. “I don’t believe it. He had no control over his dog.”

Sawyer reached for her arm, his fingertips grazing her elbow and making her whole arm tingle. She instinctively jerked back, and he flushed as if embarrassed. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “After you left, Bert broke your camera with his teeth and swallowed the plastic pieces. I had to make sure he’s okay. Vet said he upchucked it all on his own, no surgery, so that was a relief. He’s fine now.”

“Oh.” He’d had a legitimate emergency, which made her feel bad for assuming he’d ditched her. Grace swallowed and smoothed the ruffles on her bright yellow hem to calm down. Bert had been a handful. “I’m glad your dog’s okay.” Should she ask for his assistance with the camera or just let it go?

 

AUTHOR INFO

 

With an impressive bibliography in an array of genres, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall has garnered a notable fan base. She pens stories guaranteed to touch the heart while transporting the reader to another time and place. Her belief in happily ever after shines through, whether it’s a romantic glimpse into history or a love affair for today.

 

AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

 

Website: www.tracihall.com

Newsletter: www.tracihall.com/about-traci-hall

Facebook: www.facebook.com/traciella

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/traci-hall

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2MK5LnB

Amazon Profile: www.amazon.com/author/tracihall

EP: www.entangledpublishing.com/author/traci-hall

 

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Cover Reveal & Excerpt – Hope’s River, Margaret McHeyzer

January 13, 2021 By

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Title: Hope’s River
Series: Hope River #1
Author: Margaret McHeyzer
Genre: Small Town Second Chance Romance
Cover Design: Outlined with Love Designs
Release Date: February 8, 2021

 

BLURB

 

Working with my hands has always been my passion, so now I flip houses for a living. I love what I do. 

 

I was happy where my life was heading. 
Although I knew he wasn’t the one, I was even content with my long-term relationship, until suddenly I wasn’t. 
I needed a change, so I got in my truck and asked the universe to help a sister out. It was then that I stumbled upon a cute small town called Hope River. Ironic really… 
Not only did the name of the town hold significance to my past, but it led me to find something I thought was once lost. 
*A stand alone, second chance, small town romance.

 

 

 

PRE-ORDER LINKS
$2.99 for a limited time!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

EXCERPT

 

“I’m sick of you pushing me away. Get out of the way of our happiness, Hope. We need each other.” His fingers find their way inside of me, and I suck in a breath as he plays and brings me to the brink of having an orgasm. Right here in a fucking vegan restaurant. 

 

Wait, is it really hot in here? Has someone turned the heat on? 
His mouth takes mine, muffling my sighs and moans as I concentrate on increasing this ecstatic explosion quickly rising. 
“Oh shit.” I grab on to him, and try to grind against his hand. Shit, shit, shit. “I’m nearly there.” I keep moving my hips, wanting him to bring me undone. Suddenly, he pulls away and slowly brings his fingers up to his mouth. “What are you doing?” I nearly leap on him to finish what he started. 
He sucks on his fingers, and winks. “You want me to finish?” I’m nodding furiously. “Then come to my house tonight.” He opens the door, and walks out. 
What the actual fuckity fuck, fuck, just happened?

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

STRONG, BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS CHARACTERS. 

 

**Write something worth reading**
I’m Margaret and I’m a self-published author.
Recently I was fortunate in obtaining New York Times best-selling status on my YA/NA book – Ugly, and my YA book – Mistrust.
My last six books have been YA and I’m completely in love with the genre. I love being able to communicate with people through my words and stories.
My writing genres all differ, but the one thing I keep consistent is my heroines. All my female lead characters are strong, gutsy and not the ‘perfect’ woman. While my books all have romantic elements in them, they aren’t just about the romance. They’re about finding strength, acceptance and making life long connections.
I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I have while writing them.

 

AUTHOR LINKS

 

FACEBOOK

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Release Day & Review – Repeat Offender, Lani Lynn Vale

January 12, 2021 By

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Repeat Offender

Souls Chapel Revenants MC Book 1

Lani Lynn Vale

Release Date: January 12, 2021

 

About the Book

Lynnwood Thatcher Windsor has lived a lot of lies. Seen a lot of good men go down.

 

But he will not stand by and watch as the world he’s built from the ground up burns to ashes before his eyes. Even if he has to build an army to combat the problem he sees brewing around him.

 

One step at a time, he carefully lays out his plan, building layer after careful layer until everything is where he wants it to be.

 

Every part is impeccably played, his pawns are in the perfect place, and then she barrels into his life, totally scattering every single piece he’s set in motion.

 

The bad thing is, she doesn’t even realize how badly she’s messed up until she’s roused the beast.

 

***

 

The day that Six Ines Broussard met Lynnwood Thatcher Windsor was the worst day of her life.

 

First, she has a public breakup with a man she’s not even dating. Second, she has to deal with a black-tie event that she’d rather gouge her eyes out than to go to. Third, she then has to sit at a table for hours on end with the one man she despises.

 

Just wanting a break, she thinks she’ll lose herself for a few hours and do what she loves to do best—spend time by herself and go for a walk in the middle of nowhere, spot some birds, and get a little sun. Only, her day doesn’t go nearly as planned.

 

She walks right into the middle of hell. And at the center of it? Lynnwood Thatcher. The mayor. The man that she took one glance at on the night of his inauguration and dismissed as boring. A total stick in the mud.

 

Only, he’s not so boring shirtless, in the middle of nowhere, doing things that are very illegal.

 

At first, she’s appalled. Then her interest gets piqued. Stuck-up suit is hot! And he has tattoos. Oh, and let’s not forget one hell of a mouth on him!

 

Then he goes and kidnaps her, and she realizes that nobody is quite as hot as you thought they were when they’re now holding you hostage.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2FDl5ix
Amazon Intl.: https://geni.us/yqDrnSX

Apple: https://apple.co/32E6Z9l
Nook: https://bit.ly/2H9wjfh
Kobo: https://bit.ly/35IoxDa

Audio: http://adbl.co/3q0YT3C

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ZDOTm7

Kara's Review

5 out of 5 stars

Repeat Offender is the first book in the  Souls Chapel Revenants MC series by Lani Lynn Vale. This is mayor Lynn’s story! We’ve met him over a few books and he was so intriguing that fans wanted his story and Lani gave it to us! And oh man, did she give it to us. I didn’t even realized I needed his story until I started reading it! Lani brings the heat with this one so prepare yourself! Lynn might be in a perfect suit and tie all day, but underneath he’s all muscle and tattoos. Six doesn’t know what exactly about Lynn makes her heart race but once she sees him she can’t stop thinking about him. Lynn isn’t looking for a woman, but when he sees Six it’s over. She’s it. He might need to kidnap her to get her keep quiet but then he realizes she’s loyal and honest and…his. Six and Lynn might have nothing in common, but they are just it for each other. He’s going to keep her safe. She’s going to keep him on his toes. I loved their story! It wasn’t a fluffy romance, but it had enough of the fun and laughs that I’m used to from Lani. It’s a sexy as sin romance with suspense, new characters that are going to be awesome! This new series is going to be sexy and dirty and fun!

About Lani Lynn Vale

Lani Lynn Vale is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.

 

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.

Lani is married with three children and lives in the Great State of Texas.

 

Website: http://www.lanilynnvale.com/

Facebook: https://bit.ly/LLV-fb

Instagram: https://bit.ly/LLV-IG

Twitter: https://bit.ly/LLV-twitter

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/LLVgoodreads

BookBub: http://bit.ly/LLVbb

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Release Day, Review & Excerpt – Roommate, Sarina Bowen

January 12, 2021 By

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Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I can’t stop thinking about.  

I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. 

Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.

Seeking: a room to rent in town. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread. 

I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me. 

A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street.

Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart… 

 

Back at home, I do all the chores and then some. 

First I put the cows in the north pasture. Moving cows is easy enough in good weather. It only requires me to move the portable fence and wave them through the opening. “Go on, enjoy,” I say as they file past me eagerly. Our herd is grass fed, and they don’t need to be asked twice. The long, seedy grass and corn stalks I’m offering are like a recently freshened, all-you-can-eat buffet.

Let’s face it—the cows are easier to handle than any of my family members. They go where they’re needed, no questions asked. But my dog—Rexie—gives the cows a nice loud woof just to pretend he’s working hard. 

After the cow parade, I close up the fence and turn the electricity on. After that, I spend forty-five minutes raking cow shit out of the lower farmyard in the dark. 

It’s boring drudge work, and my mind starts to wander. And, fuck, it wanders right to Roderick Waites—the guy who climbed out of a blue Volkswagen and right back into my brain.

I wish I could say I haven’t thought about him since high school, but that would be a lie. And if I were a more spiritual person, I’d probably interpret Roderick’s reappearance in town as a sign. A wakeup call.

Nobody knows all the tangled things in my brain, but for a split second when I was a teenager, Roderick came close to learning one of my biggest secrets. 

The first time I saw him on his knees in front of another guy, it was an accident. 

It was autumn then, too. I’d been at a high school football game. It was chilly that night and, last second before leaving for the game, I’d grabbed my dad’s jacket from the hook by the door. After shoving my hands into the pockets while standing on the windy sidelines, I’d found a flask of whiskey. My father must have last worn the jacket when he was sitting out in the deer blind with his pals. Bonus. 

But, of course, I’d had to sneak around to find a place to take a taste. 

Leaving the crowd and the game, I ducked inside the door to the school’s gym. Under the cover of the bleachers, I drew out my dad’s flask, and unscrewed the top. Just as I raised it to my lips, I froze at the sound of whispered voices. Whoever was speaking had entered the gym at the other end of the bleachers. 

Their shadowy figures weren’t easily visible. But I guessed it was a couple looking for a little privacy for a make-out session. And since a couple sneaking off together wasn’t a threat to me, I stood my ground. 

I took a swallow of my father’s hooch. My first sip wasn’t life-changing—it burned going down and made my eyes water—it’s what happened next that changed everything. 

After screwing the lid on the flask and pocketing it, I ducked out of the gym and into the hallway. Feeling nosy, I walked toward the gym’s other entrance, noiseless in my Nikes. When I reached the door, I eased into a position that allowed me to spy on the couple I’d heard whispering to each other. They were silent now, and I wanted to know why. 

When I saw who it was, I swear my heart almost stopped. A varsity soccer player—Jared Harvey—stood beneath the bleachers, bracing his hands on a tread overhead. Roderick Waites knelt in front of him, unzipping Jared’s jeans. 

You can bet I didn’t even blink for the next five minutes…

All Links in one spot: https://shor.by/roommate (Great for sharing!)

Audible: https://geni.us/Audible-RM

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LIOevm

Apple: https://geni.us/Apple-roommate

Kobo: https://geni.us/Kobo-roommate  

Nook: https://geni.us/Nook-roommate

Kara's Review

5 out of 5 stars

Roommate is a standalone by the talented Sarina Bowen. If you’ve read her True North series then you will recognize some of the characters! This is a sexy, m/m story full of heat, laughs, food and family. Roderick is back in Vermont after years away from his home town. After a bitter welcome from his family he’s living in his car, looking for a job and a place to live. He’s not ashamed of who he is, but he’s not going to make the same mistakes again. He’s out and proud, crazy talented in the kitchen and just nice and fun. Kieran Shipley has lived here all his life. He’s hiding secrets from himself and his family. He’s cranky, broody and needs to get out of his parents’ house. He’s only working part time at the Busy Bean for extra money while he decides whether to take the next step in following his dreams. When Roderick walks in looking for a job, Kieran can’t help but remember the last time he saw him. Years ago, with another man. He watched and knew then that he liked men, but he’s never acted on it. Now Roddy is here with his sexiness and his likable self and Kieran is having a hard time denying who he is. Especially when he offers Roddy a room in his new place. It starts with cooking lessons, leads to a hot AF kiss and then Kieran needs to decide what he wants. Roderick isn’t going back in the closet again. But he’s having a hard time staying away from the sexy farm boy. Will Kieran finally decide to be who he’s meant to be? Or will he lose the only man he’s ever had feelings for? Oh man! I loved this story! I had the pleasure of listening to the audio and it was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Stephen Dexter sound so delicious together! Teddy with his fun, up beat voice and smooth cadence. And Stephen with his growly voice and his passion. Overall, my ears were so happy and I loved every second of it! Looking forward to Sarina’s Vino & Veritas series inside the World of True North (Sarina’s world, but with other authors writing books!)

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Release Day & Review -Shielding Riley, Susan Stoker

January 12, 2021 By

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Porter “Oz” Reed knows as well as anyone the damage words can do. So while he’s not looking for a relationship, he has no problem standing outside his apartment looking intimidating as his sweet neighbor finally kicks her verbally abusive ex to the curb. Just in case. But it’s Oz who’s punched in the gut when, at that precise moment, his ten-year-old nephew Logan is dropped on his doorstep.

After finally ditching her ex, Riley Rogers is ready for a break from men. But her plan to stay single takes an immediate hit when Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome from next door comes knocking, panicked at the prospect of caring for a nephew he never even knew existed. Riley’s only too happy to help. After all, Porter had her back when she needed him. And she feels a kinship with Logan…whose story hits a little too close to Riley’s own.

As they team up to make Logan feel safe in his new environment, Riley and Oz quickly fall hard for the boy, and each other. But they’ve barely adapted to their altered lives when Logan shares a secret that changes everything—again.

** Shielding Riley is the 5th book in the Delta Team Two Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/39nxZw6

 

Kara's Review

5 out of 5 stars

Shielding Riley is the fifth book in the Delta Team Two series by Susan Stoker. I haven’t read the entire series, but I’m already addicted. This is Oz’s story. Oz and Riley are neighbors but don’t really know each other well. Riley finally got rid of her abusive boyfriend and Oz is happy about it. Even more so now that he’s just inherited his nephew and needs help. While Riley helps Oz, they get to know each other and their attraction grows. It’s all going great, Riley loves his friends and their women, but danger seems to be right around the corner. Oz and his team have to work together to save someone they love. I love Oz and Riley! This story was so full of fun, emotion, family and suspense. Looking forward to the next books in the series!

“You know it’s so damn sexy that you can do that,” Riley said.

“Do what?”

“Move around with me sitting on top of you as if it’s not difficult at all.”

Oz grinned. “It’s not difficult,” he told her. “You’re tiny compared to me, and you’re kinda like my ruck sack.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah, just what every girl wants to hear.”

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