Tag: 2020

New Release ~ Second Star ~ by ~ S.E. Rose

Career failures bring both Brittany and Tyson back to Holiday Springs but second starts aren’t easy and broken dreams threaten futures. Will a former Olympic athlete and budding musician get a second chance at their happily ever after? Readers will fall in love with this second chance romance from S.E. Rose. The Holiday Springs Resort series is here and SECOND START is now live!

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Will a former Olympic athlete and budding musician get a second chance at their happily ever after?

Brittany Evans and Tyson Mitchell were the “it” couple in the Poconos. Until their own dreams and goals got in the way. With broken hearts, they both left their town while doing their best to never look back.

But, when a skiing injury and a failed singing career bring them both back home, they find that their feelings may not have iced over after all.

Fate has brought them together again, but if Tyson wants to win back Brittany’s heart, he’ll have to prove that she’s the only dream that matters.

Escape to the romantic paradise of Holiday Springs and warm-up with your next happily ever after.

Excerpt

Copyright S.E. Rose 2020

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and her eyes meet mine.

“W-What? Why?” Her eyes flash with more confusion.

I reach out and caress her face with my gloved hand, wishing I could feel her skin beneath mine. “I’m sorry for hurting you, Superstar.”

Her eyes glance back down at her lap. “It was a long time ago, Ty.”

I push under her chin, and she gazes at me again. “I’m sorry. I was young and stupid. I thought I was protecting you.”

She pulls back. “Protecting me from what?”

I sigh. “From me, from having to have a boyfriend that was never here, that was always busy.”

“But all I wanted was you,” she states bitterly.

“And I wasn’t here for you. No one could’ve had me. I was too… too busy and wrapped up in my Olympic dreams.”

She turns and zips up her bag. “I would have waited,” she murmurs as she stands up to leave.

I jump up and block her path. “I know you would have. But I couldn’t ask you to do that. You have dreams, too.”

“But you never gave me the choice to decide for myself,” she says and jams a finger at my chest. “You decided for both of us.”

“I did. And I can’t take it back, but if I could, I would,” I reply as I grab her head in my hands and kiss her.

She doesn’t move as I press my lips to hers. They warm under mine, and after a second she sighs, allowing my tongue free reign of her mouth. I taste her for the first time in way too long. And she tastes just as sweet as I remembered.

She drops her guitar case in the snow, letting her arms wrap around my middle as my hands hold her face. I don’t feel anything except her, not the snow, the cold, the wind, nothing but Brittany. Our warm breaths mingle in the cool air, surrounding us in our own personal cloud. I groan as I deepen our kiss.

She pulls back suddenly. Her hand flying to her lips.

“I’m sorry. I… shit, I’m sorry.” She has a look of anguish on her face.

“Brit, I kissed you. There’s nothing to be sorry about. When are we going to stop dancing around this thing,” I motion between us, “that’s clearly still between us?”

She shakes her head. “No. There’s nothing between us. That’s over. It ended when you walked out of my life.” I watch as a single tear falls on her cheek, and it might as well be a knife plunging into my heart.

I reach out to pull her back to me, but she jumps away.

“No. We can’t do this. I can’t do this. Not again.”

And it hits me. She’s protecting herself. I hurt her so badly that she reacts to me like a hand touching a hot pan. I can’t blame her.

“Brit, I won’t hurt you. I never met to hurt you.”

“I know,” she answers as another tear falls on her cheek. “But you did.”

Only on Amazon + Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited

About S.E. Rose

USA Today & International Bestselling romance author, S.E. Rose lives near Washington D.C. with her family. When she’s not wrangling her cats or keeping up with her kids, she’s plotting her next story.

She loves all things wine, coffee, and cats. In her non-existent free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, binging on her favorite shows, and reading, especially if it’s a good mystery or comedy.

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About the Holiday Springs Resort Series

Nestled deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Holiday Springs Resort promises to bring the heat this winter!

Join Forever Write PR and seven amazing authors as they take to the slopes on the adventure of a lifetime and find their happily ever afters.

From hot bartenders to brooding exes, Holiday Springs Resort is the place to be. Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope to love from our amazing line up of authors including: second chance romance and best friend’s sibling to jilted brides and friends to lovers. Your holiday wonderland won’t be complete without a widower, office, and enemies to lovers romance.

We’ve got a remarkable line of up must-read romance authors including, A.M. Williams, Julie Archer, Kim Bailey, Moni Boyce, S.E. Rose, Stacey Lewis, and B. Ivy Woods.

Follow the Holiday Spring Resort series on Facebook for more on release dates, cover reveals, and exclusive book news ➝ https://www.facebook.com/HolidaySpringsSeries/

This series and all promotional events are brought to you by Forever Write PR – Forever your source for all your writing needs. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverWritePR/

New Release ~ The Optional Aunt ~ by ~ Zoe Hill

 

Title: The Optional Aunt
Series: Coalition Collection #2
Author: Zoe Hill
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 24, 2020

 

BLURB

 

She’s the older woman. He’s the man who killed her husband. 

 

 

Rosalie Carmichael has spent most of her life doing as she’s told. She is the perfect wife, a loving mother, and the aunt everyone calls on when they need a favor.

 

Her life is peaceful until her happy family is torn apart and she finds herself at the mercy of the Coalition once again.
Scared and alone for the first time since she was sixteen, Rosalie seeks comfort in the arms of her much younger bodyguard. Together they dream of a future where they’re free to love each other out in the open without fear of recriminations or bloody repercussions.

 

And for six short months it seems as if escape might be possible. 

 

Then the Coalition requests an urgent meeting, and Rosalie is left with an impossible choice.
Choose the bloodless—and loveless—option or follow her heart down the violent path to freedom?

 

The Optional Aunt is a dark and erotic romantic suspense novel set in a world where deception is the norm and the truth can’t be trusted. It is the second book in The Coalition Collection, a series of interconnected standalones featuring the Ingram-Greaves, Averell, Zidane, and Du Croix crime families. 

 

 

*Full-length novel, complete with a HEA, and can be read as a standalone*

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS
$2.99 for a limited time!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS

 

TRAILER
ALSO AVAILABLE
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AUTHOR BIO

Zoe Hill is an Australian writer. Having found her niche spinning tales about love and villains, Zoe loves nothing better than typing all the words and consuming exorbitant amounts of coffee and Skittles while her teens are at school.

A country girl at heart, she is a rabid reader, a metal head, and UFC fanatic. When not writing, Zoe can be found chatting about plot bunnies with her menagerie of animals and musing out loud about how well she’s moonlighting as a competent wife and mother.

Zoe is active online and loves nothing better than chatting about books and memes. Feel free to friend her on Goodreads, check out her website zoehillwrites.com, or search Zoe Hill Writes to find her social media accounts.

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Book Tour ~ Betrayed ~ by ~ Jacklyn Daher

 

Title: Betrayed
Series: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Book Two
Author: Jacklyn Daher
Genre: YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Release Date: November 19, 2020
Cover Design: TRC Designs

“Betrayed was an intense, action-packed, fantastical mystery of a read with a lot of angst and emotional moments. Reading more of Luxor’s life was very intriguing anf addictive, and I cannot wait to read more of her story. – Fifty Shades of D and J

 

“Betrayed is action packed with an appropriate amount of teen angst and deception for a YA book.” – Goodreads Review 

With the revelation Luxor Everstone is the daughter of the Prince of Darkness, an entirely new door fraught with danger is opened. As Cane lays in wait, Luxor is forced to have constant protection, leaving her suffocated. 

 

When new help arrives in the form of a witch, and a mysterious and dreamy boy who seems to soothe her more than anyone else can, she doesn’t hesitate to invite them into her life despite her growing affection for Hunter.
As fresh dangers loom on the horizon, she begins to unravel different details about her past, while greater powers are introduced, and the others continue to evolve. Conflicted between the pull toward her darkness and her desire to be good, Luxor juggles the priorities—and her opinionated guardians—while trying to find some semblance of balance.
When the darkness returns to claim her completely, can she trust herself to make the right choice?

 

 

A mother of two boys, I’m a self confessed nerd who loves to write dark and twisted characters in modern settings. You could find feisty MC’s and bad boys with filthy mouths. Doesn’t mean I don’t love to read or write saucy romances too!
 

 

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Book Tour ~ Spring’s Knight ~ by ~ Joy Wild

 

Title: Spring’s Knight
Series: Seasons of Love Book 1
Author: Joy Wild
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 18, 2020

“I can’t remember when I have ever read a book I loved so much. So beautifully written and such an amazing plot.” – Amazon Review

Paramedic Spring Williams lives for her job. With a devastating past, she throws herself into her work, avoiding any personal connections outside of her partner and best friend. When strange events begin to occur, it becomes clear she has a stalker trying to get her attention. Committed to handling it herself, Spring falls prey to escalated assaults, landing her in a deadly game of cat and mouse with nowhere to turn.
 
Steve Knight, a swing medic assigned as Spring’s new partner, can’t resist the pull he has to her from the minute they meet. With Spring’s commitment to avoiding a romantic connection, he has his work cut out for him in earning her trust. Accepting the challenge, he does everything he can to gain her trust and hopefully earn her affection. 
Spring’s past holds her back, can she finally move forward and open up to love? 
Steve’s harboring a secret that could put out any fire before it even starts. Will he be her knight in shining armor or just another part of her nightmare?
Joy Wild lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She is a former paramedic in Louisiana has always been an avid reader. After an accident ended her paramedic career, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of writing. She uses her past experiences to create exciting and romantic stories. Married with three children, Joy spends her days in accounting and her evenings writing stories she hopes will help readers escape from reality and get lost in the happy ever after.
 
Joy loves to connect with her readers, so be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram!
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Book Tour ~ Pandora’s Pleasure ~ by ~ Vanessa Fewings

 

Title: Pandora’s Pleasure
Author: Vanessa Fewings
Genre: Erotic Romance/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 18, 2020
Cover Design: Feed Your Dreams Designs

 

“Vanessa Fewings has done it again! Pandora’s Pleasure kept me up all night, turning page after page on my Kindle, unable to walk away. Steamy hot and sweetly romantic, it is a five-star read and one of my favorites of this year. Fewings remains one of my one-click authors, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.” – Ashley Hastings, author of The Art of Ghosting

 

“Vanessa Fewings wrote an amazing story that captivates me right from the start.” – Myla

 

“I really loved how smart and strong Pandora was. And how Damien was dominant, yet had these soft, vulnerable moments that had you falling for him … Fewings knows how to turn up the heat.” – Lu Lu Reviews

 

“Pandora’s Pleasure is hands down, my favorite book of 2020! Full of intrigue. Captivating characters. Erotic scenes. Brilliant writing. Duel POV’s. And an addicting story.” – Hazel *Craves the Angst Reviews

 

 

 

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Vanessa Fewings returns with a new romance, ushering in an alpha for the ages. 
Damien Godman is a dangerous mystery.
There’s nothing quite like his thrust of power. Once you feel it inside you, you’ll never be the same. It creates a whitehot passion. One that I crave. His strong body. His willful mind. His unbreakable spirit. Just thinking of him makes me melt.
It wasn’t always this way. This man once made me seethe with hatred. He was my enemy. Now he makes me burn with desire. Because he became my lover.
But this is a love that comes with a price. There’s only so deep you can dive before you’re lost forever. I should escape before it’s too late.
Before Damien completely consumes me.

 

 

 

Vanessa Fewings is a USA TODAY bestselling author. Her latest series is The Icon Trilogy, a romantic suspense about Zara Leighton, London’s most brilliant art investigator on the hunt for the notorious thief known as Icon.
 
Vanessa’s previous novels include the bestselling Enthrall Sessions, a romance series spanning eight books about a woman who gets swept up into Enthrall, L.A.’s premier club that caters to the secret desires of the elite.
Readers can also listen to Vanessa as she hosts the weekly podcast The Romance Show, a captivating podcast featuring authors and industry professionals in the romance genre.
 
Prior to publishing, Vanessa worked as a registered nurse and midwife. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. She has traveled extensively throughout the world and has lived in Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Cyprus and the USA.
Born and raised in England, Vanessa now proudly calls herself an American and resides on the East Coast with her husband.
 
Vanessa can be found on her Facebook Fan Page and in The Romance Lounge, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads. She enjoys connecting with fans all around the world.

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Book Tour ~ Wild Forces ~ by ~ Karen Renee

 

Title: Wild Forces

Series: O-Town Series
Author: Karen Renee
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 17, 2020

“… this story has twists and love which all leads to an all-consuming read.” – Wendy’s Book Blog

 

 

“This story is proof that Karen is able to come up with new and jaw-dropping ways to torment her characters and her readers. I can’t wait to see what comes from her mind next because she’s sure to provide a ride that I won’t want to miss.” – Jenn the Readaholic

Orlando DJ, Gabe Sullivan spins a woman up only to revolve right out the door. His tune changes when his only female friend, Cassie, pretends to be more than friends. Sparks fly from their fake kiss, and Gabe insists on exploring things further with Cassie.

 

Despite the risks, Cassandra Daughtry falls deeply and quickly for Gabe. As their love grows, Cassie relinquishes her heart to him. He’s turned over a new leaf.
Except, a business deal enters the picture and Cassie pleads for Gabe to listen to her. His fiery temper and misconceptions about women with money creates an enormous rift. When Cassie finds Gabe to work it out, she discovers he’s kept a secret from her. He claims he was protecting her, but his betrayal cuts too deep.
Can their love overcome so many outside forces of confusion and betrayal?

 

 

It wasn’t until I felt the warmth inside me that I realized Gabe and I had been so carried away he hadn’t put on a condom.

“Oh, no,” I sighed.

He lifted his head, and his warm blue eyes narrowed. “That should be ‘oh, yeah,’ honey.”

“You didn’t use a condom… and I’m not on the pill.”

His relaxed smile dimmed and his eyes focused on a spot behind me. 

I didn’t take that as a good sign. “I guess I’ll have to hurry to the drug store. See about getting a morning-after pill or something, but I don’t know if I have to see the doctor first for that.”

His eyes met mine. Then, he thrust a couple more times into me.

“Gabe! What are you doing? As athletic as you are, your sperm are probably Olympic-style swimmers. Are you trying to get me pregnant? I can’t bring an illegitimate child into the world!”

He bit his lower lip before his head tilted back and he laughed. I swatted at his chest, because nothing about this was the least bit funny.

When he captured my wrist in his hand, I saw the serious look in his eyes. “How fuckin’ awesome would it be if I got married before Brock or Vamp? I get your ass pregnant, I’ll marry you. I’m that fuckin’ serious about you. About us, sweetheart. Not only can I not imagine life without you in it, I don’t fuckin’ want to contemplate it. So, hopefully, this drives it home,” he thrust again on the words drive and home. “I love you, Daughtry.”

My brows furrowed. “That all sounds fine and great, but did you come in here planning to go bare?”

He shook his head. “No, you make me crazy horny, I couldn’t stop myself. But hear me when I say this: if you’re pregnant after this, it is not the end of the world. It’s the beginning, and a damned good one if you ask me.”

“Marriage?” I blurted.

He slowly pulled himself out of me, but put his hand on me. His earnest grin made my heart skip a beat. “Why the hell not? You got someone else you want to spend your time with at night? In the morning? Some other man know you’re crazy enough to love Mick Jagger the way you do? And do not get me started on your devotion to Tori Amos. I love all of that about you. And we already know you love me. So, yeah. Marriage.”

I put my hand on his wrist to move his hand. He wouldn’t budge.

“Marriage, then a baby, Sullivan. I’m a little old school that way, okay?”

His fingers pressed into me, and my eyes widened. “It’ll happen the way it’s supposed to happen.”

I shoved against his wrist again, and finally he let go. With no time to waste, I hopped off the counter and moved to the toilet.

“You’re cleaning up that mess on the counter, Gabe.”

“As long as you’re not going to the drugstore, Cassie.”

 

 

Karen Renee is the author of the Riot Motorcycle Club, Beta, and O-Town series of books. She once crunched Nielsen ratings data but these days she brings her imagination to life by writing books. She has wanted to be a writer since she was very young, but it’s taken the last twenty plus years for her to amass enough courage and overall life experience to bring that dream to life. Some of those life experiences came from the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.
 

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Book Tour ~ Holiday Hookup ~ by ~ S.A. Clayton

Title: Holiday Hookup
Author: S.A. Clayton
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Christmas Novella)
Release Date: November 17, 2020
Cover Design: Outlined with Love Designs
 
I never thought I’d be divorced and a single mother before I turned thirty. But life had other plans. 

 

I was content with my life. Being a mom to Jaxon, working as a legal assistant, and hanging out with my best friend.
Then I met Dane Thompson.
Lead singer of Blanked Edge and my new neighbor.
The man looks way too delicious in those tight shirts and baggy jeans, with eyes that seem to sear into my very soul.
And when my apartment floods and he asks us to move in for a few days, I find myself saying yes.
Is it a good idea?
Probably not.
Do I do it anyway regardless of the way he makes me squirm with just a look?
Of course.
Nothing at all can go wrong….right?

 

 

 

S.A. Clayton lives in a small town outside of Toronto, Canada with her husband of five years and her scary large collection of books that seem to take over every room.
She has worked on both sides of the publishing industry, both in a bookstore and for actual publishing companies. Although she loved both for different reasons, she found that writing was her true passion and has spent the last few years breaking into the industry as best she can.
She is a lover of all things romance and began her writing journey in her late twenties. Since then, she has immersed herself in the romance genre and couldn’t be happier.
When she’s not writing or reading, she enjoys binging a great Netflix show (Stranger Things anyone?), baking (because who doesn’t love cookies!), and spending time with her family.

 

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New Release ~ Christmasly Obedient ~ by ~ Julia Kent

 

Title: Christmasly Obedient
Series: Obedient #4
Author: Julia Kent
Genre: Holiday Romantic Comedy
Release Date: November 24, 2020

 

BLURB

 

Tree picking in glorious, downeast Maine. Snow. Santa. Roaring fires, people you love, and a good life. What more could a guy want? 

 

Or, rather, two guys?
Mike and Jeremy have a quiet life with Lydia, on her parents’ family campground in Verily, Maine. It’s a little boring, sure, but after the craziness of their old lives, what’s wrong with boring?
Besides, Jeremy and Mike find Lydia anything but.
As Christmas looms, and an unexpected oops leaves them all in a state of uncertainty, they have to ask themselves: is it time to let life be a little less boring?
And what’s inside that slim box Lydia’s giving them both on Christmas morning?

 

Christmasly Obedient is a new holiday book in Julia Kent’s USA Today bestselling Obedient series. 

 

The Obedient Series includes:

 

Maliciously Obedient 
Suspiciously Obedient 
Deliciously Obedient

 

 

 

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS
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EXCERPT

 

“I refuse to be the elf,” Jeremy insisted as Lydia tossed the tights at his face, the silky green fabric catching on the inside of his lip. 

 

“But you’re tall! And wiry! Like that guy in the movie.”
Sputtering, he flung the cloth on the couch, one leg draped over the arm in a manner that reminded him of a brothel.
“I look nothing like the guy who played Elf,” he argued.
“With your hair all grown out like that and curly, you kind of do. You need to shave the salt and pepper beard, though.”
“I do not have salt in my beard!”
Lydia stroked the side of his cheek and laughed. “I didn’t know you were in denial, too, Jeremy.”
He grunted, shoving his feet into his boots, but he couldn’t stay grumpy for long as Lydia stood, adjusting her long, flowing red shawl. Today was the Camp Christmas Festival at Escape Shores Campground, and it was all hands on deck.
But Jeremy refused to be an elf hand.
“Miles can wear the damn tights.”
“Miles is on elf strike, too.”
“Can’t Pete and Sandy find some local kids to play the elves?”
“The little kids still believe in Santa.”
“Then find some teens to do it.”
“Too jaded. Plus, they’re all busy with final exams and sports.”
“Get Ed and Madge up here. They can be elves.”
“Grandma did it for years. It’s too cold, Jeremy. They can’t be outside for hours like that.”
“I will not be guilted into this.”
Just then, the front door to their cabin creaked open, Mike entering the living room.
Wearing… a Santa suit.

 

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

Book 1, Maliciously Obedient, is
FREE for a limited time!
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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three children in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.

 

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Cover Reveal ~ The Estate ~ by ~ Ivy Wild

Title: The Estate

Author: Ivy Wild
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 15, 2020
Cover Design: @ohsomanyfeels
Model: Kuba Walicki @kubawalicki
Photographer: Daniel Krol @daniel_krol_photographer

 

 

Carter:
Family. Honor. Commitment.
My entire life was built around these three words.
And my entire life turned out to be a lie.
But burying the pain is easier than dealing with it and that’s what I’d planned to do.
Until Lex Evans showed up.
She tore down the walls I’d thrown around my heart brick by brick.
She reduced me to rubble, so she could build me back up.
Lex:
I am the girl people abandon and I’ve accepted that.
I don’t say no because I don’t know how and people take advantage of it.
I hoped he’d be different. It seemed like he was.
Carter Ross swept into my life and I didn’t say no.
But this time, I didn’t want to.
His walls are up so high, but I can see the cracks.
And in all his darkness, he can’t stop the light from seeping through.
When he leaves, I’ll be the one to break.
The Estate is a complete stand-alone contemporary romance novel. No cliffhangers!
 

 

 

https://kingsumo.com/js/embed.js

 

Writer of all things untamed, romantic and free, Ivy Wild never planned on becoming a romance novelist. In fact, she hated romance as a kid and was quite proud of that fact. Basically, life is weird.

Married to her own alpha hero, she currently lives in various places of the world at various times thanks to his military career.

Her current side hustle is being a lawyer.
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New Release ~ Head over Heels for the Holidays ~ by ~ Jennifer Bernard

Today we have the release day blitz of Jennifer Bernard’s Head Over Heels for the Holidays! Check out this gorgeous new romance and be sure to get your copy today!

Title: Head Over Heels for the Holidays

Author: Jennifer Bernard

Genre: Holiday Romance

About Head Over Heels for the Holidays:

Is he the cure for her holiday heartbreak?

 

Ever since her ex-boyfriend dumped her on Christmas Eve, the holiday season has been tough for Maya Badger—especially since Lost Harbor, Alaska, pulls out all the stops for the holidays. Sure, she could focus on her police work and her father’s recovery from heart surgery. But when her dad’s home healthcare nurse turns out to be her childhood buddy—all grown up and the stuff of her naughtiest fantasies—she may have a solution to her holiday blues. After all, Jay-Jay always was the perfect playmate!

 

Rune Larsen hasn’t been skinny little Jay-Jay in a long time…not since he and his teen sister were forced to change their names to avoid Cara’s stalker. Taking a job in tiny, remote Lost Harbor seems like the perfect way to stay one step ahead of danger. The fact that his childhood friend is the town police chief is a bonus. Not to mention the fact that Maya has grown into a beautiful bronze goddess. Hell, even her serious cop side is a turn-on…though he’s up for the challenge of bringing some fun back into her life.

 

In fact, if they can navigate a stalker, a runaway yak, eleventy-billion holiday parties and a criminal investigation into the dark side of Lost Souls Wilderness, Rune just may convince Maya to fall head over heels for the holidays…and beyond.

 

 

Get Your Copy:

Amazon | AppleBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play | Goodreads | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Australia

 

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

Without thinking too hard about it, Maya rose to her feet and grabbed Rune by the collar of his jacket, pulling him close. “How about a fake kiss?” she asked quickly. “Just make it look good from a distance.”

He flashed her a pirate grin and cupped her face with his free hand. “My pleasure. I’m an excellent fake kisser.”

“Come on, hurry.”

He bent his head over hers, but he still didn’t go for the kiss. “You can’t hurry a fake kiss, or it will look fake. We’re flirting, we’re completely caught up in each other, we don’t even care that we’re drifting on the open ocean. Keep looking at me, just like that except without the ‘what the hell are you talking about’ expression.”

She smothered a laugh and relaxed her face into a dazzled smile. As if Rune was the most wonderful thing in the world, better than chocolate and bubble baths combined.

He blinked, as if she’d momentarily thrown him off his game with her smile. A personal triumph, she figured.

“That’s…good,” he said, a little more strained than before.

For a fake kiss, he sure was overthinking it. They needed to get this thing done.

She took command and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck. Tugging him down, she offered him her mouth. “Let’s do this,” she hissed. “Tick-tock.”

Honestly, why did she always have to be the one with any common sense? If those men onshore had binoculars, they were already watching. To throw them off, she only had a few moments. If the men thought they’d been busted, they might rework their entire comms system. The lead would be worthless. The source would be burned. The case back to square one.

And then all thoughts of logic flew from her mind as Rune claimed her lips with a kiss that sent shock waves through her system. Warmth…sizzle…sunshine…all of it swirled together in a rush of brilliant pleasure. His lips were firm and generous at the same time, as if they were inviting her into his world. A world where she would be queen and he would be whatever she needed.

A kind of exhilaration swept through her and she parted her lips for more. He gave it to her, sweeping his tongue inside the cave of her mouth, where every surface tingled and warmed at his touch.

Fake kiss, my ass.

This was the real thing and she couldn’t get enough of it. She drank him in as if she’d been starving for this, pining for it. Her mind—always working, always on guard—let go like an anchor releasing her to drift on the current. She lost herself in the flood of pure physical joy.

She staggered as the boat got slammed with a supersized wave. Rune held her tight so she didn’t lose her balance. “I need to steer this thing,” he murmured against her lips before turning back to the helm.

“Yes. Yeah. Of course.” She ran her tongue across her lips, tasting salt from the spray and sweet from Rune. She plopped down onto the bench as he wrestled with the wheel. Picking up her binoculars, she focused on the spot where the two men had been.

They were gone—or maybe her angle had changed and she couldn’t see them anymore.

She dropped her glasses and sighed. Hopefully she hadn’t messed anything up by making them suspicious. “Go ahead and pick up speed. Let’s keep going toward Mount Sage for a bit.”

“Roger that.”

Was his voice a little gruffer than usual? Was it the effect of the salt in the air?

He put the boat in gear and they cruised farther into the bay. She watched the little cove as it receded into the distance, swallowed up by the greater landscape of forests and rugged outcroppings.

What now? How to handle this? She and Rune had kissed, and there was no way she could forget about it the way she had when she was a kid.

Maybe never mention it again?

Or maybe do it again?

The tempting thought hovered out there like the promise of an ice cream sundae after a long week. Treat yo-self, she could imagine her cousin Reecie in Anchorage saying. Go for it, Kate would urge. I knew it, Jessica would say.

“Tell me when you’re ready to head back,” Rune said. “It’s your call.” His voice had returned to normal. She wondered what he was thinking about this situation. Then again, he didn’t overthink things like she did. He probably wasn’t worried about it at all. He probably kissed people all the time—all those non-girlfriend “girls” he’d talked about.

“I will,” she told him. “Give it a few more minutes.”

“The other thing is your call too,” Rune said softly, his attention still on the choppy water ahead.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know you’re trying to decide what to do about that kiss. I can see your wheels spinning from here.”

“I’m not—okay, I am. I didn’t intend for it to be like that.”

“It’s my fault.” His voice shifted to a jaunty cheerfulness. “My pride was hurt that you forgot the first kiss. I was aiming for ‘best kiss.’ One that you wouldn’t forget. That’s all.”

It wasn’t all. She could hear it in his voice. It was so much more complicated than that. Friendship, attraction, sizzle…all that, lined up against her better judgment. But even so, it touched her that he was trying to make the whole thing easier for her.

“Best kiss? Isn’t that a little arrogant?” She adopted a teasing tone to match his.

“Second best? Third? Just tell me it wasn’t the worst. Gotta start somewhere.”

“It wasn’t the worst.”

That was as far as she could go right now.

And maybe it was the best. Because right at this moment, she couldn’t think of any other specific kiss that might compete with it.

 

About Jennifer Bernard:

Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. Sign up for her newsletter for book news and fun exclusives.

 

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