New Release ~ The Sweet Spot ~ by ~ Cassie Cross

TheSweetSpot_releaseblitz

Today we have the release blitz for THE SWEET SPOT by Cassie Cross! Check it out and grab your copy today!

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Title: THE SWEET SPOT

Author: Cassie Cross

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

 

About The Sweet Spot:

Lexie James spent years dreaming about opening her own bakery. She’s invested every penny she’s ever saved—and some other peoples’ pennies too—into making that dream come true. The Sweet Spot is thriving thanks to her dedication and penchant for perfection, but she’s lonely and Hunter, the gorgeous guy who owns the gym across the street, is a nice distraction.

Hunter Elliott is Lexie’s high school crush. The timing’s never been right for the two of them, but when he notices that all work and no play makes Lexie a stressed-out overworked mess, he stages an intervention. He’s determined to show her that she can be successful and have a life.

First, he needs to help her find that sweet spot between business and pleasure…

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Exclusive Excerpt:

“How did you know that I live up here?” I ask, feeling more and more like myself as time passes.

He looks caught out for a second. “I stay late at the gym sometimes. If I see the light on in the kitchen, I keep an eye out to make sure you’re safe. I’ve seen you walk up here a few times.”

An involuntary aww-like sound makes its way out of me. Heat rushes to my cheeks as my mouth moves itself into what has to be a dopey smile.

“I watch you walk to work in the morning. Sometimes,” I catch myself, not wanting to sound like too much of a creep. “I keep an eye out to make sure you’re safe.”

He takes a step closer and the brain fog from my near-death experience dissipates. A new one forms thanks to his close proximity, and when he grins at me it gets worse. I’m close enough to kiss him now. He might have noticed that too, because he plants his hands on either side of my thighs and leans in.

I involuntarily lick my lips. Hunter watches that, then his gaze slides up to meet mine.

“Are you stalking me?”

I look down at my half-eaten cupcake and shrug. “Maybe a little. In the laziest way possible since it never requires me to leave this building.”

“Seeing you standing in the window every morning is sometimes the best part of my day.” He’s a liar, but the lies feel good, so I’m content to let him keep telling them. His flattery turns me into a puddle, and I’m about to drip off this counter and onto the floor by his feet.

“How come you never said anything?”

“Because it’s cute. I like it.”

Our lips are like magnets, inevitably attracted to each other. I move forward, I can’t help it. It’s science.

Only it doesn’t quite work out the way I’d hoped, because instead of kissing me, Hunter sighs and moves back far enough that I’ll topple over if I follow.

I knew it was too good to be true.

“Sorry,” I say as I look down at the floor, because if I look him in the eyes I might die of embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have.”

He surprises me by tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re in shock, Lex. When I kiss you, I want to make sure it’s real, that it’s not the adrenaline or the fact that I just saved you with my…what did you call them?”

“Bionic arms,” I repeat, kind of dazed.

He smiles. “Yeah, that.”

“You want to kiss me?” I ask, completely blowing past his cute little callback.

“Constantly. I only recently became aware that you might feel the same way.”

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About Cassie:

Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80’s sitcoms.

 

Connect with Cassie:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiecrosswrites/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassiecrosswrites

 

New Release ~ Behind the Mask ~ by ~ Abbi Cook

Title: Behind the Mask
Author: Abbi Cook
Genre: Dark Adult Romance
Release Date: February 9, 2020

 

 

 

I’m a bad man. I never said I was anything else.

 

I shouldn’t want the beautiful brunette who lives in that suburban cul-de-sac, but one glance
and I can’t think of anything else but taking her. The innocence in her dark eyes tells me she
has no idea what life in my world is like.
But she’s going to find out.
I control everything around me, and that includes Kaia now. At first, she’ll beg for her freedom,
but it won’t take long before she’s begging for something else.
Her world has changed. She’s mine now.

 

 

 
 

 

Abbi Cook grew up wondering if she was different because she always wanted to know more about the villain than the hero in the stories she read. When she got older, she found there were others in the world like her and devoured their writing, loving every dark word. She’s written her own tales for years, but in 2019 she decided it was time to take the next step and publish them. She’s never looked back since that day.

 

Readers can find her at her website at abbicook.com, on FB and IG, and through email at abbicookauthor@gmail.com

 

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Release Tour ~ Wicked Saint ~ by ~ Veronica Eden

Title: Wicked Saint
Series: Sinners and Saints Book 1
Author: Veronica Eden
Genre: Dark NA High School Bully Romance
Release Date: February 10, 2020

GEMMA

 

He stole my first kiss… and now he thinks everything else is his.
I said no to the one person no one at this school dares to refuse.
Now I’m targeted by jealous girls, guys that compete to be the first to “break the prude”, and by him. After one kiss, the king of the school hunts me down like I’m a conquest to win. He’ll have to fight harder than that, because I’m no one’s trophy.
They all want a piece of me, but I will not bend or break for them.
 
LUCAS
No one refuses the king.
One case of mistaken identity and a hasty kiss turned my world upside down.
The new girl refused me. Not only that, she threw down the gauntlet. That won’t stand. No one ever says no to me. This school is mine and she’ll learn her place as a loyal follower or her life is going up in flames.
I’ll make her say yes. She’ll be screaming it before I’m finished breaking her

 

Lucas smiles down at me, but there’s nothing sweet about it. The smile is all hunter, mean and precise. The smile of a hungry predator with its prey in reach.
“Because what I say fucking goes around here. If I want you to come sit in my lap, you’ll do it. Do you need another reminder of who’s in charge around here?”
Who the fuck does this guy think he is?
“Did a football hit you too many times in the head?”
A confused wrinkle appears on his forehead.
“No,” I say slowly, so he understands. “I don’t want to sit with you. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
Lucas tugs sharply on my braid. He literally pulls my hair, like the bullying boys that girls are always warned about.
A scoff of amused disbelief leaves me. “Did you really just…?”
“I’ll give you one more chance, Gemma.”
Lucas’ playful demeanor and big-man-on-campus act has vanished. Now he’s deadly serious as he stares at me.
“Or what?” Sheer astonishment at this whole situation bleeds into my voice.
“You don’t want to know that. You’re either with us or you’re against us, and you don’t want to be against us. Just accept it, like everyone else does, or you’ll face the consequences.”
With us or against us. Consequences. Lucas sounds like some power-hungry mafioso rather than a high school quarterback.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. I said no, you bastard.” My voice raises. “Back off, or I’m going to dump my lunch tray on you! I don’t think gravy stains will go well with your expensive tailoring.”
He drops my braid, but I don’t get the chance to move back before he grips my hips, his fingers digging at my skin through the material.
I mash my lips together to withhold a grimace.
“What is your problem? You can’t just manhandle me into getting your way,” I grumble. “Do you not understand what no means? That’ll get you in trouble with the law someday when your power trip goes to your head.”
Lucas rears back with a shocked look. Then his eyes narrow to dangerous slits.
“Jesus, I’m not a rapist, you little—”
I hoist my tray threateningly and he cuts off.
“Leave me the hell alone, Lucas! I don’t want jack shit to do with you or your lousy friends!”
Hushed mutters breaks out around the room. A few phones are held up, capturing the drama as it unfolds. They’ve got proof of me denouncing their king.
It’ll be all over Snapchat and Instagram stories within minutes, spreading like a fatal forest fire across the school, no doubt.
“You’re going to regret that,” Lucas promises in a rough, dark voice.
Those proverbial gallows feel like they’re snapping around my neck and wrists.
But I won’t bend the knee in fealty to this asshole.
Who would want someone like Lucas? Not me, that’s for damn sure.
“See if I give a shit. Go ahead and throw a tantrum.” I jerk my head back at my table. “I’ll be over there enjoying my lunch.”
Before the spectacle continues, I spin on my heel to end the conversation.
Lucas hooks his foot around my ankle as soon as I take a step and fucking trips me up. I stumble, but I don’t go down. My water bottle is the only thing to topple from my wobbling tray. I meet the eyes of a few people nearby and can sense the hunger for blood.
No one’s satisfied that I didn’t crash to the floor face first into my lunch.

 

I bend to retrieve the water bottle and when I rise, Lucas is two steps closer, lurking right behind me like an imposing shadow.

Veronica Eden is the author of dark new adult romances + reverse harem romances with spitfire heroines and irresistible heroes. She loves exploring complicated feelings, magical worlds, epic adventures, and the bond of characters that embrace us against the world. She has always been drawn to gruff antiheroes, clever villains, and the twisty-turns of morally gray decisions. She believes sometimes the villain should get the girl and is a sucker for a deliciously devilish antihero. Veronica Eden is the pen name of romance author Mara Townsend. When not writing, she can be found soaking up sunshine at the beach, snuggling in a pile with her untamed pack of animals (her husband, dog and cat), and surrounding herself with as many plants as she can get her hands on.
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New Release ~ Hate You Not ~ by ~ Ella James

 

Title: Hate You Not
Author: Ella James
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 12, 2020

Blurb
I didn’t know I was
that person. You know—the one who gets the kids. But that’s what the will said.
June Lawler: Legal Guardian.
My niece and nephew are 6 and 9, and all they’ve ever known is San Francisco. I
arrive the day after the wreck, pack up my sister’s mansion, and fly them back
to Georgia.
The small-town farm where their mom and I grew up isn’t what it once was, but
it’s home. That’s all they really need.
 
*
 
I was courting an investor when it happened. Tromped all up and down the
Himalayas, and he didn’t even buy in. It was a week before I found out what I’d
lost. My little brother meant the world to me. Now even his kids are gone.
Spirited away to Heat Springs, Georgia—population 298.
They’re living on a farm that’s half a breath from bank foreclosure with a
26-year-old who didn’t finish high school. Nowhereville is not the place for
little Mastersons. But I’ll get them back. It’s the money she must want, and
I’ve got lots of that.
“June Bug” Lawler is poorer than that red dirt she comes from. I can make her
dreams come true—and do one last thing for my brother.
I hate him.

She makes me crazy.

He thinks he can buy me off! I’ve never met a man so arrogant.

There’s no woman anywhere more stubborn.

I wish I had never met him.



But that’s not the story.

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Author Bio
Ella James is the USA Today and Amazon Top 10 bestselling
author of more than twenty novels. She writes emotional, hard-won love stories
with steam, suspense, and Kindle-throwing twists. She lives in Colorado with
her husband, three young children, and hyperactive dog.


To connect with Ella, sign up for her newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/EllaJamesNews 
and
join her reader group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EllasEliteTeam Questions or comments? Tweet her at author_ellaj or e-mail her at ellafjames@gmail.com.

 

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Cover Reveal ~ Malady ~ by ~ Natalie Bennett

Title: Malady
Series: Deviant Games Book 2
Author: Natalie Bennett
Genre: Dark Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 24, 2020
Let’s play a game…
Words can be powerful things, and those four just granted me a golden ticket straight to hell.
Two beautifully deranged boys have decided I’m their next acquisition.
To make things fair they give me a chance to save myself. All I have to do is beat them at a few games of their choice.
 
Truth or dare.
 
Hide and seek.
 
Simon says.
 
Seems simple until you account for the bloodied twist they each have.
 
They say in all chaos there’s calculation. For my sake I hope that’s true because if we’re going to play, I’m playing to win.
Malady is a complete novel. There’s no cliffhanger, but it must be read after Crucible.

AVAILABLE NOW

RELEASING JULY 8, 2020

 


 With a penchant for (writing) villainous immoral men, and a tendency to deviate away from traditional happily ever afters, Natalie Bennett is an international bestselling author of twisted and unconventional love stories.
 
When she’s not slaying words she’s somewhere in the sunshine state, happily taking life one curve-ball at a time.

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Cover Reveal ~ Catch Twenty-Two ~ by ~ Marie James

🔥🔥 COVER REVEAL 🔥🔥

The BEAUTIFUL cover for Catch Twenty-Two is here! This is book 2 in the Westover Prep series by Marie James. Catch Twenty-Two is releasing on March 23rd… Get ready for Frankie and Zeke’s story! Enjoy a sneak peek into the book below.

Cover designed by:

Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art: https://www.facebook.com/Simply-Defined-Art-1622658254619778/

He can’t stand anything about her, but can’t keep his hands off of her.

Frankie

I wasn’t looking for him.

He found me.

With his sexy smirk and irresistible body.

I wanted nothing to do with someone like him.

Judgmental and brooding.

So full of himself.

But now, I’m stuck playing the fool.

Falling for him.

And losing it all.

If only for one night.

ZEKE

Stuffy, rich, entitled.

The kind of girl that gets what she wants.

When she wants it.

And I want nothing to do with her.

Yet, I can’t stay away.

I’m drawn to her kindness and compassion.

Her beauty.

She holds me when the pain won’t subside.

And now, if I can help it, I’m going to hold on to her…

Forever.

PREORDER CATCH TWENTY-TWO TODAY!

AMAZON US: http://bit.ly/Catch22US

AMAZON UK: http://bit.ly/Catch22UK

AMAZON CA: http://bit.ly/Catch22CA

AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/Catch22AU

GR: http://bit.ly/CatchTwenty-Two-GR

Catch up on the series and start reading book 1, One-Eighty, and find out why readers are loving the Westover Prep series!

AMAZON US: http://bit.ly/OneEightyUS

AMAZON UK: http://bit.ly/OneEightyUK

AMAZON CA: http://bit.ly/OneEightyCA

AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/OneEightyAU

I don’t know a dang thing about farms or crops or smelly animals. Westover isn’t exactly urban, but since it’s in the center of Colorado, we have mountains and steep upgrades rather than mooing cows and clucking chickens running around.

Looking out the window only increases my annoyance. Other than a small house about a quarter of a mile away, there’s nothing but fields dotted with cattle as far as I can see. I can only imagine what it’s going to smell like around here when the temperatures increase.

I’m supposed to be up here resting, per Nan’s instructions, but sleep is the last thing on my mind. I’ve been here less than two hours, and I’m already bored out of my mind. An entire summer of doing nothing is going to be the death of me. I cringe with the thought, knowing just how lucky Piper is to have survived the crash. Tears sting the back of my eyes as a heavy sense of helplessness settles in my bones.

I’m considering taking a nap just to pass the time when an old pickup truck turns into Nan’s front gate, making its way down the winding dirt drive. Kicking up dust as it nears the house, the truck turns toward the barn rather than pulling up directly in front of the house.

“Thank God for small favors,” I mutter.

The last thing I’m in the mood for is meeting people. I know it’s going to happen sooner or later because Nan mentioned introducing me to a hoard of folks on the drive back from the airport. The entire town has been awaiting my arrival if I go by her excitement of me being here. Clearly, she’s been anticipating my visit and telling everyone who will listen.

My jaw practically unhinges when the passenger door opens.

“What do we have here?” I mumble, taking a step closer to the window for a better look.

The hottest guy we have at Westover Prep is Dalton Payne, but he’s the biggest jerk that walks the earth, hateful and vicious in his dislike of Piper and me.

Dalton has nothing on the dark-haired, boot-wearing stranger climbing out of the truck. Even from fifty yards away, his strong jaw and wide shoulders are the stuff fantasies are made of. Maybe my forced visit to Utah won’t be so bad. If I can’t go home to be with my best friend, at least I’ll have this guy to look at in the interim.

As if he can feel my eyes on him, the stranger turns his head, finding me standing in the window gawking at him. My first instinct is to dart away and hide behind the thick curtains, but his eyes are on me before I manage to move. I’m locked in his stare, unable to pull my eyes from his.

Like a bumbling idiot, I raise my hand and give him a quick wave. It’s something I’d never do back home, but Utah is different from Colorado. Nan assured me the people who live around here are hardworking, gracious, and kind. I’ve never found much of that back in Westover, especially not walking down the hallways of school.

This guy mustn’t have gotten that memo because instead of waving back or tossing a simple smile my way, his lips turn down in a sneer. He’s all the way across the yard, and I can still feel the hatred rolling off of him as he glares at me.

In return, I narrow my own eyes. I’m no stranger to hate-filled stares. I’ve spent the better part of my life hiding in the shadows, keeping to myself, and doing my best to stay off the radar of the spiteful people I go to school with, but it’s unnerving that even hundreds of miles away, this stranger seems to feel exactly the same way about me.

He doesn’t pull his eyes from me until the man driving the truck yells to get his attention. When he turns his face away, only then can I move, as if some connection has been broken.

I’m not one to focus on the bad things in life, having a defeatist attitude is a waste of time, but the malicious look that guy just gave me is making me want to reconsider my stance.

Anger and agitation settle inside of me. I haven’t been here long, but I don’t imagine there will be many people around that are close to my age, yet I’m not surprised. Of course the handsome guy helping on the farm would hate me at first sight. From experience, I know my tiny, pixie-like frame isn’t exactly what guys are looking for. Guys want girls with big breasts, tiny waists, and hips they can grip when—

I clear my throat as I turn from the window, refusing to let self-deprecating thoughts back into my head. I promised myself I’d be different this summer, and I’m sticking to it. Who cares if one guy on this stupid farm doesn’t like me? That doesn’t mean there aren’t other people I can make friends with. Nan mentioned a sweet boy named Ezekiel that she wanted to introduce me to, and I bet he’s even better to look at than the jerk at the barn. Besides, looks aren’t everything. Kindness and common decency go a long way in making someone appealing, and in reverse, a bad attitude and lack of compassion can make the most gorgeous guy hideous.

Refusing to let one stupid boy make me feel bad about myself, I lie down on the bed, taking Nan up on her suggestion for a nap. With any luck, when I wake up, he’ll be gone, and I’ll never have to look at him again.

The author is giving away a $10 Amazon GC on her Facebook page. Please direct readers here to enter —> http://bit.ly/MarieJamesFacebook

Marie James is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance. She’s book boyfriend crazy, the mother of two rowdy boys, and a wife of 15+ years. She’s obsessed with tacos, otters, and FunCo Pops figures. Born, raised, and still living in central Texas, Marie spends most of her time locked away writing and reading.

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Cover Reveal ~ Image Adjuster ~ by ~ Lily Alexander

Title: Image Adjuster
Author: Lily Alexander 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 11, 2020
Cover Design: Tattered Quill Designs
Release Notification

 

 

 
In Hollywood, image is everything.
 
Being part of a power couple can mean the difference between your star rising or being iced out of roles. No one ever said the relationship had to be real.
 
Stephanie, an actress and the daughter of Hollywood royalty has made a thriving business out of posing as a girlfriend to celebrities who need a bit of a PR boost. Everything is scripted and when the contract ends everyone goes their separate way.
 
No feelings, no risk, just acting.
 
Devon is just another client – no matter how handsome he might be, how compatible they seem. The arrangement works perfectly. It’s all business. Definitely just business.
 
Unless it’s not.

 
“Sounds like I’m barely needed at all.”
“Oh, quite the contrary.” He wiggled his black eyebrows at her suggestively. “I need you. I want you. You are an integral part of this scheme.” He playfully sandwiched one of her hands with his own and cradled it gently before releasing it again.
Stephanie shook her head, trying desperately to ignore the tiny flash of heat in her chest at his words and touch.
“You sure you haven’t done this before?”
“Absolutely.” He reached across the table and took both of her hands into his. Stephanie sobered for a moment and was caught up in the serious expression of his icy eyes that were anything but cold. “Stephanie Von Feldt? Would you please help me con the press and general public into believing that we are a hardcore devoted couple? Then have a fantastic blow-out breakup fight with me in public so everyone knows it’s over?” His playfully serious expression was just too much.
“Why, Devon Greene, I would be so honored to charge you a small fortune for providing just such a service.”
As Devon planted a gentle kiss on her knuckles, the quiet sound of a camera shutter went off just on the other side of the patio.
“Whoops, spotted.” Devon’s bright smile faded a bit, then brightened again. “Guess today that guy got lucky. That’ll be worth a couple weeks’ pay with TMZ.”
“I’ll never understand why the ones with just a phone don’t turn that fake shutter sound off. Seems silly to give yourself away if you’ve managed to ninja stealth yourself an exclusive picture.”
Devon threw his head back in laughter, nodding his agreement.
Momentarily distracted, he tapped out a text to someone after his phone pinged, and glanced around, a half-grin on his face.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Someone from work is giving me a hard time. I think she’s around somewhere or drove by or something.”
After a few watchful moments, he let it go and they chatted a bit more, his attention split between Stephanie and his phone.
It was silly to feel jealous, but she couldn’t help it. Said co-worker was a she, and he was amused by her.  
Giving herself a mental slap, Stephanie pushed those thoughts and feelings away and focused on their conversation and her coffee.
Not long after, they finished their drinks and went their separate ways, Stephanie torn between being nervous about spending so much time with Devon all at once with minimal script planning time and being relieved that it would be over before she could make a fool of herself or lose her professional edge.
Who was she kidding – she was already losing her edge. The worst part was that for the first time since she could remember, she actually genuinely got along with a client. 
She liked him.
The very idea made her shiver and tingle with long-repressed feelings like want and need. 
Stephanie was in big trouble.

 

Lily is a Colorado native enjoying the fantastic climate of Southern California with her family and cranky cat after surviving more than a decade in hot, humid places where hurricanes get their own season and Winter is a myth.
 
The written word is her favorite thing – reading or writing, she doesn’t discriminate. Left to her own devices she can read about a book a day; that HEA is a powerful drug! 
 
As an only child she grew up inventing elaborate stories for her dolls to act out. She started word processing on a computer around age 10 and never looked back. After suffering the heartbreak of catastrophic drive failure a regrettable number of times, she has finally learned to back things up appropriately and often.
 
Follow her antics on social media! (If she disappears for a bit around late August, don’t worry, that’s just her wanderlust kicking in. She’ll be back soon.)

 

Book Tour ~ May Leave Stars ~ by ~ Catherine C. Heywood

Title: MAY LEAVE STARS
Author: Catherine C. Heywood
Genre: Moulin Rouge meets Dangerous Liaisons Historical Romance
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Cover Design: Najla Qamber at Qamber Designs

“A vivid world… of the female and society’s judgements and expectations. Of power, control, passion, troubles, and hardships.” ~ Books, Tea, and Me

“Wow! What a fantastic book. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could…” ~ NetGalley Reviewer

“Heywood’s Paris burns hotter and shines brighter–her prose clever and banter sharp–making the reader feel as though they are walking through the city’s streets.” ~ Author A.R. Hadley

“I loved Jasper and Amélie as a couple. Their chemistry was tangible…” ~ Raya’s Reads

“This book was amazing. This is the way historical fiction should be done…” ~ NetGalley Reviewer

“I absolutely love [Heywood’s] attention to detail… She really makes the world of late-19th century Paris come to life.” ~ Little But Fierce Book Diary

“From Amazon bestselling author of romantic historical fiction novellas in her full-length novel debut.”
 
A timeless love story set amidst the glamour of the Belle Époque…
Paris, 1889: Amélie Audet toils in a laundry when, only steps away, investors promise the most glittering dance hall the city has ever seen. Determined to secure an audition, she stumbles into a meeting with the alluring owner of the Moulin Rouge and must face her scandalous past.
Jasper Degrailly is enchanted by a painting come to life. He sets out to seduce Amélie with his gilded world and the dark warrens of his mind. Yet he has his own sordid entanglements, and soon the gentleman and the singer must manage the greedy machinations of bohemian and high-society Paris.
Caught between competing artists, directors, and dance halls, Amélie struggles to earn the role that could make her a star, while Jasper strives to let go of his tortured past and hold on to his bright future. Eventually, their fates collide, and they find themselves torn between their desperate hearts and their irreconcilable lives.

 
 
 
FOUR DAYS LATER, Amélie stood before No. 7 rue de la Paix with a note in hand:

Amélie,
My carriage will arrive for you at noon on Saturday.
JD

The House of Worth. She couldn’t afford even a speck of dust on the floor of the place, let alone a haute-couture gown.

After seeing Aubrey at the Salon, she’d felt certain it would signal an end to Monsieur Degrailly’s interest. But when she walked in the door, he was waiting.

“What am I doing here?” she asked after exchanging courtesies.

“You need an evening gown, and we need to get your measurements.” He directed her to a room filled with cast figures wearing the most elegant dresses she’d ever seen.

“They’re beautiful, but I can’t afford these.”

“I can afford them.”

“Have you suffered a head wound?”

He chuckled. “My mind is perfectly sound.”

“Need I remind you we haven’t come to any arrangement.”

“I know, and I’ve been giving it a lot of thought.” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against a sofa. “You have this idea of how wonderful your life will be when you get on that stage, but you haven’t any idea how wonderful it might be with me. I intend to show you.”

She raised her brow.

“This is merely a costume so that you may play your part.”

She sighed. “What part is that? I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“My mistress, of course.”

She shook her head.

“One night. Give me one night, and I’ll give you your audition.”

“I’ve told you I won’t have sex to sing.”

“This isn’t that. It seems like it, looks like it, feels like it…”

“But it isn’t.”

“It isn’t. You paired the two together. I didn’t.”

He was right. He hadn’t.

“And before you say her name, Daphne’s a good sport. She sees other people. I see other people. We see people.”

“Your ex-wife? Do you see her as well?”

“Jos has no interest in seeing me.”

“But you have an abiding interest in her, I think.”

He smiled flatly as he stared at her. Finally, he said, “I’m not looking for love, Amélie.”

“Neither am I.”

“Then why do you hesitate?”
Catherine C. Heywood is an Amazon bestselling author of romantic historical fiction, and a former political communications consultant and speech writer.
Raised in Red Wing, Minnesota, she studied international politics at the University of Edinburgh and has degrees in politics, writing, and communications from the University of St. Thomas and Boston College.
 
She explored the law and improv before settling on storytelling. Her worst job was scraping year-old tobacco spit off a shoe factory wall. Her best is doing this.
She lives in Western Wisconsin with her husband and sons, and her interests include architecture and design, fashion and food.
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Excerpt Reveal ~ The Guy in the Middle ~ by ~ Kate Stewart

Want a peek inside The Guy in the Middle by Kate Stewart? Check out this jaw-dropping excerpt! Don’t forget to add it to your TBR!
Contemporary Romance
Blurb:

I was born to play and bred to win.

My priorities were instilled in me early on—family and football. Those ideals led me to TGU and a coach whose ironclad principles mirrored my own.

With one last college season to play, my goal was singular—get drafted. By realizing my NFL dream, I could save my family, our ranch, and the only home I’d ever known.

Two birds, one ball.

Playing hard was my only option, but there’s always a wild card.

For all of my planning and hard work, I never anticipated falling for the coach’s daughter. Harper was a fair catch, but who knew loving her could be the one play to throw my career before it started or that the weight of our secret would change the game.

*The Guy in the Middle is a stand alone novel in the Underdog Series. This is Lance’s story.

EXCERPT:

Harper

“I’ve missed you, you know? More than you can imagine.”

“Can’t imagine it at all,” he says, picking through a book he’s not reading.

“Can I help you two?” One of the store sales associates asks, and I shake my head and smile. When she takes her leave, I look over to Lance who stands fuming on the other side of a table filled with loose items. We’re in a mismatch shop full of mostly cheap junk, and I can’t imagine him finding anything for his mother here.

“Lance, I have missed you. Horribly.”

“Could have fooled me.”

I can only take so much. Irritated, I lift a designer coffee mug from the table.

“You like this for your mom?”

“No.”

“How about this?”

“Nope.” He’s not even looking at what’s in my hands.

“You sure? It’s a hide purse. Cute for a rancher’s wife, don’t you think?” This gets his attention, and stormy eyes lift to mine.

“Would you buy that for you?”

I look it over and shake my head. “Not really my style.”

“Bet it’s not.”

I can feel my ears reddening. Fuming, I eye a box on the shelf, snatch it and shove it into his chest. “How about this giant fucking purple dildo and matching anal plug!? Think mom will like that?”

He looks up completely unaffected, “Nope.”

“I don’t think we’re in the right place,” Tossing the box down, I stalk out of the cluttered shop and into the department store next to it. He’s hot on my heels.

“Got that fucking right.”

I turn back to see he’s spoiling for a fight and release a stressed breath. Fighting with him is the last thing I want to do. “Look, lets, just…” I search around and pull a sweater from the closest rack. “How about this? Simple, elegant.”

“You think Mom’s simple, huh? I’ll give her your regards.”

“That’s it.” I hook the sweater back on to the rack and close the space between us, forcing his eyes to mine. “God, you’re still a brute, aren’t you? You haven’t changed a bit. Still pig-headed as hell.”

“Pig-headed?” He opens his mouth in mock shock and covers his chest with his hand. “How dare you.”

I’m in between fight or flight, but I’ve been dodging this long enough. My heart can’t take more confrontation. I missed him too much. His eyes flare with satisfaction at my irritation. “Misery loves company, right, Lance?”

“Never said I was miserable.”

“You don’t have to. Did you come to New York just to torture me?”

“Maybe.”

“Rub it in on what I’m missing out on?”

A voice sounds from next to us. “Is there something I can help you find today?”

We both turn to the woman with lasers in our eyes, and she swallows. I clear my throat. “We’re fine. Thank you.”

Lance winks at the woman, his eyes scanning her form. “Maybe you can help me?”

“You son of a bitch,” I hiss, before walking away from the table. His voice rings out next to me as I rip through a rack of scarves.

“Good to know you care, Priss, gotta admit, it’s surprising.”

I reel on him. “Don’t you dare! Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I had to make a clean break. I had just lost everyone that mattered to me. I was losing my mind.”

“I got pissed for one day, and you went off the grid.”

“And you let me go because you knew no matter how much we wanted it to work, it couldn’t. You have no idea what I went through!”

“What you went through? Do you know I spent six months ranting to an Uber driver named Dave because everyone on my team hated me when the truth came out?” He stomps after me as I pull sweater after sweater off the rack. “Troy jumped ship after he got drafted. I had no one but Tony and those fights.”

I turn to him with twenty sweaters in my arms. “Jenner? When did y’all get so tight?”

“When shit got tough, and my fucking girlfriend bailed!” He glares down at me, his breaths coming out fast.

“Guys, we’re going to need you to take this outside.” A woman whom I assume is the store manager approaches us cautiously.

I look around the store and see all eyes are on us, especially the women sizing him up. “He’s available ladies,” I snap, laying the sweaters on a nearby table, “I’m willing to bet he comes really cheap.” He’s on my heels as I push through the glass of the department store.

“Oh, was I supposed to wait for you? Must have missed that memo. That’s it, you must want a saint. That’s why you didn’t stay.”

“I was twenty years old and alienated from a place I didn’t want to be anyway.”

“Good to know.”

“That’s not the way I meant it. And you know damn well until you, I was only there to appease my Dad, who I barely speak to now.”

“I’m sorry about that, I am, but that’s on him. And what in the hell are you talking about ‘alienated’?”

“Forget it.” I pull on my gloves as heavy snow starts to come down. “I think we’ve concluded our tour for today.”

He glances around the sidewalk. “Well, no need to show me more, I hate this fucking place!”

“And why is that? Not enough free-range chickens?!”

His eyes flare. “You digging on the ranch now, Priss? I saw a fucking rat the size of a cat on my run this morning!”

“Probably has better manners than you, shit head.”

“Pulling out the big guns now, huh? There’s that backbone. I was wondering where it went.”

“Go home, Lance, you hate it here. And you obviously hate me.”

“Just the opposite. It’s impossible, and believe me, I’m trying!”

“Well, I hope you succeed! Thanks for stopping by, Mary Poppins. Best Christmas ever! Make sure to bulldoze the nativity scene on your way out!”

“Fuck this.” He throws his hands up and eyes me warily before turning and walking away.

“Merry Christmas to you, too!”

Blogger Sign ups!

The sign ups are open to bloggers, and we would love for you to join us for the upcoming release events!

Teasers: Feb 4, 11, 18, 25
Excerpt reveal: Feb 12
Release day: Feb 29
Review tour: Feb 29-Mar 7

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense. Kate’s title, Drive, was named one of the best romances of 2017 by The New York Daily News and Huffington Post. Drive was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice awards for best contemporary romance of 2017. Her works have been featured in USA TODAY, BuzzFeed, and translated in five languages.

Kate is a lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

 

Excerpt Reveal ~ The Sublime Series ~ by ~ Julia Wolf

The Sublime Series NEW Banner

The Sublime Series by Julia Wolf has a new look!

New Look!
New Titles
Same swoony stories!

One-Click Today!
One Day Guy, Book One: mybook.to/OneDayGuy
The Very Worst, Book Two: mybook.to/TheVeryWorst
Want You Bad, Book Three: mybook.to/WantYouBad
Fix Her Up ,Book Four: mybook.to/FixHerUp
Eight Cozy Nights, Book Five: mybook.to/EightCozyNights

Add the series to your TBR today!
https://www.goodreads.com/series/247843-the-sublime

one day guy ebook small

Check out this excerpt from One Day Guy, Book One:

“Rachel?”

Joe Silver looked directly at me for the first time in over a decade, astonishment written all over his older, more chiseled face.

“Hi, Joe.” My voice wavered slightly. More than slightly. The two words I said came out sounding like they had eight syllables each.

God, he was tall. When I knew him, he’d been lanky, but now, in his thirties, he’d filled out in all the right places. For just a moment, I let myself take him in. His dark hair was freshly cut, giving him an almost boyish look. But he was no boy. His face was a contrast of sharp angles and soft places. His wide mouth was plush, and his grey-blue eyes were still so easy to fall into.

He was stunning.

I was stunned.

I scanned up and down the sidewalk for Frannie, but that rat must have already scurried to her car. She was in big trouble for putting me in this situation.

Joe stepped forward, his familiar eyes roaming my face. Then he blasted me with a wide smile, making my knees weak from the sheer force of it.

“Rachel,” he repeated, this time a statement instead of a question.

He laughed, and before I knew what was happening, he threw his tattooed arms around me. Moving of their own volition, my arms circled his narrow waist and I laid my head on his chest. I had no earthly explanation for my actions. Sure, he was my teenage crush, but this man was a stranger to me now, and I was basically snuggling with him.

We stood like that for a few seconds—not nearly long enough—before I pulled back, feeling untethered and tongue-tied. He ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t believe you’re here, just standing on the sidewalk.”

I glanced in the direction Frannie had gone. “I was hiking with my friend. I…I’m heading home now.” I nodded as though I agreed with what I was saying. My body screamed, No, what are you doing? Why are you trying to leave this beautiful man? But my heart yelled, Run, Rachel, get out while I’m still mostly intact!

He touched my arm. “Hey, wait. You’re really leaving?”

I tried my hardest to act indifferent, my battered heart having won the fight today. “It was so great seeing you!” I sounded a hell of a lot more cheerful than I felt. “Maybe we’ll run into each other around town again.”

I didn’t think of myself as a coward—not until that moment. When I took off down the hill at full speed, away from Joe, away from my salon, and far, far away from the house I’d always dreamed of, I wasn’t proud. I was good at sticking things out even when I shouldn’t, good at making things work even when they were beyond repair, but today, I had taken the easy way out and made a run for it to spare my heart from any more bruises.

One-Click Today!
One Day Guy, Book One: mybook.to/OneDayGuy
The Very Worst, Book Two: mybook.to/TheVeryWorst
Want You Bad, Book Three: mybook.to/WantYouBad
Fix Her Up ,Book Four: mybook.to/FixHerUp
Eight Cozy Nights, Book Five: mybook.to/EightCozyNights

Add the series to your TBR today!
https://www.goodreads.com/series/247843-the-sublime

JULIA W-1

MEET THE AUTHOR:

As a little girl, I watched my mom read her Harlequin romance novels and always wondered what was so fascinating about them. When I grew up and finally read my first romance, my first reaction was “Oh!” followed by a “Ooooooh!”. A romance reader was born!

And now I create my own love stories. I like taking the everyday and injecting a whole lot of swoon into it. Who doesn’t want that?

Most of my books take place in and around Baltimore. It’s what i know, and it’s an area I love. I like to mix in a little bit of big city with my small town.

When I’m not writing, I’m momming my three crazy, beautiful kids. Although according to them, I’m always writing!