Lasairiona McMaster writes sassy, classy and badassy women and strong, yet vulnerable men.
She challenges reader’s expectations by openly dealing with mental health issues, often exploring tough-to-handle topics and ‘taboos’ and books with a whole lotta heart.
She can either be found enjoying a gin and lemonade by the Irish sea, or baking sweet treats in her kitchen while singing at the top of her lungs.
When she’s ‘home’ in Texas, and isn’t eating fresh-popped popcorn while buying things she has absolutely no need for in Target, she can be found at Chuys eating her body weight in chips and queso and washing it down with a margarita swirl.
Forest is first to break the kiss, pulling back with a groan and breathing heavily. The warmth of desire that flared earlier cools almost instantly at seeing his eyes clenched shut.
“How could I possibly forget you?” he whispers, and had he not already owned my heart, he would with those words. Such seductive words. Being this close is hard for me; I can barely resist the urge to pull him closer.
Popular girl, Kennedy Myers made one mistake in high school – she chose the wrong boy. If only her nerdy friend, Elijah Stevenson would have told her how he felt, maybe things could have been different. Ten years later, the Spring Hills High School reunion gives them a chance to face their regrets. Will they get a second chance, or will it be just another missed connection? Readers who enjoy swoony reads will love Kiss You Back by Mel Walker, a second chance, friends-to-lovers, small town romance.
Excerpt
Copyright 2022 Mel Walker
I climb off the bike and begin to walk with it toward the edge of the water when movement to my right causes me to turn. It’s a person, and I nearly jump. “Kennedy?” He stares at me with a surprised look that must match mine. “Elijah? What…” I don’t complete the sentence. Words aren’t necessary. We both know why. My eyes scan over his shoulder to his rental car from this afternoon, backed into the woods and camouflaged by the trees. On the ground in front of it is a blanket, a bottle of beer, a half-eaten sandwich, and a book. Of course, a book. “I don’t want to disturb you…” I mutter, feeling like an intruder. There are a thousand hidden roads outside of town, but only one both Elijah and I claim, and I had to decide to visit this one the same night he returned to town. What could this mean? He hops to his feet, striding toward me. He’s changed outfits, now sporting a comfortable aqua polo shirt and khaki shorts. He’s barefoot, his sandals placed to the side of the blanket. His hazel eyes lock on me, and I feel like I’m in a tractor beam of a spaceship, unable to move. He reaches me in three long strides, a look of determination in his body but vulnerability in his voice. “Please. Stay.” I have no defense for his words. Before I take another breath, he slips his hands into mine and doesn’t move. He stares at me like I’m a dream—as if I’m a prize. No one has looked at me like that in years. Surely this close, he must see the broken pieces in front of him. “I thought the sunset would be the most beautiful thing I hoped to see this evening.” He squeezes my hand slightly. “Once again, you’ve proven me wrong.” He leans in, and a woodsy and citrus scent from a recent shower fill my nostrils. His words are so different, so daring from the quiet boy years ago, yet the look remains the same. He’s finally able to enunciate the words he’s always held back from me. I close my eyes and prepare, hoping he’ll reward me in our own special way. His warm lips land on the tip of my nose. “Kiss you.” His voice catches as the words stretch to fill the silence. I sway on my heels, his gentle pull the only thing keeping me from falling. My eyes open, no longer surprised to find his gaze locked on me, examining me. This is no longer the boy who backs down, who walks away. His gaze lowers to my lips, which part with a soft exhale. We are too close for the shadows to hide him mouthing the words oh my god. Help us both. I’m not sure how exactly we fell into this deadly greeting, but nothing in the world gets my heart beating like this. Every single time. I feel like I’m on a tightrope walking a thin cable while a storm whips around us. Every single time, I expect to fall. Every single time I nearly do. I end this torture by pressing my lips to the tip of his nose. I linger longer than I ever have before, only the burn in my calves causing me to lower. The bottom of my lower lip brushes against the top of his upper one. A spark races through my body, and another audible sigh escapes my mouth. “Kiss… you back.” I avoid his gaze, landing on his Adam’s apple as he takes a long gulp. “Like minds,” he says and juts his chin toward his blanket. I follow him, our hands still intertwined as one. Mason’s Trail was Elijah’s go-to spot back in high school. At least twice a week, he’d hide out here away from the world. The first time he brought me here was junior year. Getting to know Elijah is a process. It takes a long while to earn his trust and for him to lower his barriers, but once he does, you have a permanent place in his fortress. We’ve only been here together maybe a dozen times in the final two years of high school, but I always think of this place as our place, not his, not mine. “I was out for a ride, and the bike just turned down the road,” I say as we slip down to a large red-and-black plaid blanket. My visit to the women’s center is just another secret I keep from him. He tilts his head in my direction, a sexy half smirk on his beautiful face. “Did you come for the sunset or me?About Mel Walker
Mel Walker has been writing fiction most of his adult life. Specializing in Short Stories and Contemporary fiction and Romance Novels. A native New Yorker and life-long frustrated NY Mets fan. He loves to write about ordinary people placed in difficult situations, especially as it relates to their closest relationships. Mel Walker is a rare bird, the male romance author. Specializing in heartfelt small town romance, he enjoys telling compelling romances with all the feels. A native New Yorkers and life-long frustrated NY Mets fan, he enjoys long walks, bike rides and taking in the energy of the city.
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𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀…𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁?
𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵.
𝘚𝘰, 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘐’𝘮…𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘒𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.
𝘈𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳.
𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘚𝘦𝘦, 𝘒𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘦.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵? 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘵𝘰𝘰.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝗮𝗺, 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲?
“How are you, Els?”
That was a loaded question. Between the exposure he’d subjected me to, and the sexual tension that revolved being around him, I couldn’t say what or how I was. “I’m…okay?”
His lips twitched, a glimmer of mischief glinting in his eyes. “You haven’t fainted. Or fallen asleep.”
“Nope.”
My heart hadn’t slowed one bit. It galloped, springing forward like a racehorse; it threatened to break out of its cage, pushing against my ribs. And it was desperate to reach Kyle.
From where his lips met my knuckles, I pulled his hand lower. I removed my fingers from his, wrapped them around his wrist and pressed his palm beneath my throat, in the center of my collarbone.
He swallowed. “That’s fast.”
We were practically nose to nose, the invisible bridge between our eyes growing ever shorter. Not leaving my sight, Kyle mirrored my actions, lowering his sweatshirt so I could feel his pulse.
Combustion.
“Reading for you has been the single most exciting thing I’ve done in a long while, Miss Jenkins.” He flicked his tongue out, swiping it over his lower lip. “I hope I did you proud.”
“You did much more than that.” A tear stained my cheek at the memory of him sharing my work. His deep voice relaying the story I wrote, the sincerity in it. It felt like a box of chocolates detonated inside my soul. “You made me not hate it.”
Shani Haim has been a romantic at heart for as long as she can remember.
One of her greatest passions has always been reading, and she devoured anything that swept her away to faraway places.
From reading she made the transition to writing, falling in love with her flawed, broken and full of soul characters one happily-ever-after at a time.
When she’s not swooning over book boyfriends, she’s practicing yoga, drinking unhealthy amount of coffee, or watching Netflix with her husband in their Tel Aviv home.
When there is Love at Sea, can a no-strings rebound turn into more than a distraction? For Grayson Hamilton, this all-expenses-paid cruise is his chance to focus and work on saving his reputation. But when his best friend’s little sister, Abby Winters, enters the picture all grown up with a freshly broken heart, he losses focus and finds himself making an offer neither one of them can refuse. Fans of best friend’s sibling romances will devour ABANDON SHIP by Karigan Hale, a spicy jilted bride romance.
Abby
Instead of walking down the aisle, my fiancé walked out the door. So I’m taking our honeymoon cruise without him. I’ll enjoy seven perfect days of endless margaritas, pristine beaches, and island excursions even more with my best friend instead. What I need is a complete break from ANYTHING akin to romance. Complete break. That includes the tempting Grayson Hamilton, I remind myself. No matter how much of a crush I had on him back in high school. No matter how lickable his abs turned out to be. I AM ON A BREAK!
Grayson
Scoring my dream job with the industry’s leading travel magazine was a lucky break. Unfortunately, I’m just about out of luck. This all-expenses-paid cruise my employer sent me on is my last chance to save my reputation. I have to stay focused despite all the beautiful, single women on this Love at Sea cruise. Yep. Focused. Focused on my job. NOT on my best friend’s little sister, all grown up and smoking hot, looking like she needs someone to help her get over her freshly broken heart. On second thought, maybe a little distraction couldn’t hurt. Maybe an offer of a no-strings-attached rebound will help get her out of my system. Then I can concentrate on saving my career before we both Abandon Ship.
Abandon Ship is a jilted bride romance, part of the Love at Sea multi-author series. Get ready to set sail through the Caribbean on Festival Cruises’ most alluring voyage with eight of your favorite authors – happily ever after guaranteed!
Experience everything the Love at Sea series has to offer. From speed dating to masquerades, guests are sure to enjoy the hot days and steamy nights. Explore hidden waterfalls, swim with dolphins, and watch as eight couples find their forever on the open ocean.
Excerpt
Copyright 2022 @Karigan Hale
I am reinventing myself. I’m a ME not a WE. Since I’m no longer Asshole’s fiancée, I can be anything I want to be. I could be a recovering circus performer who left the big top for big adventure. I could be a rich German heiress just waiting on wire transfers—oh wait, that’s already been done.
I could definitely be carefree and happy and not have people look at me like I’m going to crack. I can find myself again. I can be single and happy and unattached.
As we pass a group of oglers, I smile brightly and toss my hair. Instead of looking cool and collected, I am momentarily blinded by the sun and miss the small step to the ramp, pitching me forward into the crowd.
“Shit, Abby. You okay?” Jazz asks, trying, and failing, to grab my elbow.
Luckily, my fall is broken by the person in front of us.
Unluckily, my nose ends up embedded in his ass crack. I grab his thighs to keep myself from sliding down his backside. He clenches his muscles in surprise, but that only makes my face smoosh harder into his ass. I’m sucking in his khaki shorts instead of air, but if I let go, I will faceplant onto the gangway. I hold on until I can get my feet under me and pray I don’t pass out from lack of oxygen. Imagine the headline: “Jilted Woman Suffocates in Man’s Ass on Love Cruise.”
Jazz grabs my arms and helps me stand. I suck in khaki-free air.
“At least buy the man dinner first,” she quips.
The man glances over his shoulder with a frown. I give him a sheepish smile and a finger wave. “Crowds, am I right?”
He nods, lips twitching, and turns back around, putting his earbud back in his ear. The gesture and the way his dark hair falls over his forehead slams me with deja vu, but I can’t think of why. I shake off the feeling. I’m just too mired in memories today.
I can’t help but glance at his backside now that I’m at a distance to examine it. It looks damn good in the shorts he’s wearing. If I had to face plant into a butt today, I’m glad it was a nice one.
“Well, that’s one way to make an impression,” Jazz says, suppressing a laugh as we follow the slowly moving crowd up the ramp to board the ship. “I didn’t peg you for being into ass play. I guess what they say about school teachers is true.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Go on. Get it all out of your system so we never have to mention this again. Like ever.” I groan. “I’m so not good at this flirting thing. I’ll be your wingman and live vicariously through your overly friendly vagina. Just put a sock on the door if you don’t want me walking in.”
“Next please?” the woman at the check-in booth says with a forced smile. Her cheeks must hurt by the end of the day.
“Sorry,” I say, handing over my passport to her. Jazz does the same.
“Welcome aboard, Abigail Winters and Jasmine Bucolo. You will be in Sea Terrace 13090A.”
I’m looking at my room key when a deep male voice startles me. “Excuse me.”
I jump a little and turn to see the man I bumped into earlier. My face heats to match the red carpet of the entrance way.
“I’m so sorry for earlier. I don’t normally grope strangers. I tripped and—”
“It was an accident. That isn’t why I stopped you. I—uh—this is weird, but did I hear your name is Abby Winters?”
I tilt my head at him, the fog of embarrassment lifting. And holy shit. “Grayson Hamilton?”
A broad smile lights up his face, smoothing out the strong angles, and my memories start clicking into place. Grayson and my brother, Alex, dominating the soccer field in high school. Grayson and the rest of Alex’s annoying friends teasing me to no end. Grayson’s adorable, crooked smile. Grayson dominating my fevered teenaged dreams.
He holds out his hand. “Little Breezy Winters. Of all the cruise ships in all the world, you had to board this one.”
I laugh a little too loudly and take his hand. “God, no one’s called me Breezy in years. How are you, Gray?”
Besides really freaking hot. His handsome features—that I used to discretely study more than my homework…but in a not-at-all creepy way—have filled out into strong manly angles. Small lines form around his mouth and deep brown eyes when he smiles. In short, he has aged very, very yummily.
No, I scold myself. I am most definitively on a break from men.
About Karigan Hale
Karigan Hale is a writer, reader, wife, mother, teacher, and photographer. She married her high school sweetheart and has been a hopeful romantic ever since.
She’s highly susceptible to sudden summer thunderstorms and happily ever afters. Highly allergic to poison ivy and early mornings. And highly addicted to fountain sodas and true crime.
When she’s not reading or writing swoon-worthy romances, she’s usually stalki…er, chasing her two daughters around with her camera, grading papers, or cleaning up after the animals on her mini-farm (at least emus, goats, chickens, dogs, and cats are cute, right?).
Follow: Facebook |Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon|
About The Love at Sea Series
Get ready to set sail through the Caribbean on Festival Cruises’ most alluring voyage with eight of your favorite authors – happily ever after guaranteed!
Experience everything the Love at Sea series has to offer. From speed dating to masquerades, guests are sure to enjoy the hot days and steamy nights. Explore hidden waterfalls, swim with dolphins, and watch as eight couples find their forever on the open ocean.
Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope from our amazing line up of authors including: Kate Stacy, HM Thomas, Mari Sol, S.A. Clayton, T.L. Anderson, Karigan Hale, Susan Renee, and A.M. Williams.
This promotional event is brought to you by The Indie Pen PR
I darted into the bakery and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly and sending up a small prayer of thanks that I’d survived the walk. That deserved something special. Like a cookie. And oh look, I was in the right place for cookies.
Trying to look like I hadn’t literally run for my life, I stepped to the counter with a fake smile and ordered a coffee to go with a muffin and cookie. I had to order the muffin, so no one remembered me as the chick who ate a cookie for breakfast.
If I died soon, I didn’t want people to remember me for my unhealthy eating habits. Yes, I had them, but I didn’t want to be remembered for them.
The woman behind the counter, who smiled way too big for the time in the morning, wore a pink apron with the word Anessa embroidered into it. She made my coffee as I ducked into the bathroom, leaving my banana on the counter.
Now I wouldn’t look as suspicious. Totally better.
In the mood for a steamy holiday read? One that’s loaded with smexy scenes, snarky romcom humor, and the filthiest Scrooge this side of the North Pole?
Moody Under the Mistletoe, a grumpy sunshine holiday romance by JC Jaye is available now!
Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/3grTtyW Add MOODY UNDER THE MISTLETOE to your TBR List on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/MUTMgoodreads
A filthy-mouthed Scrooge. Instalust ignites when gorgeous elementary teacher Jules Morgan moves in next door to PF Grange during the height of the festive season. But this broody blue-collar boy with his miserable memories despises all things Christmas, while crafty Ms. M. can’t stop decking her halls. Holy skin-tight leggings, just his friggin luck. A yuletide-happy beauty. Offering to nurse a muscly alpha into the holiday spirit seemed like a swell idea, but maybe there are beasts not even a tinsel-bright optimist can tame. Here’s hoping this temporary house guest mellows out with a spiked eggnog or three and takes a peek at her naughty wish list… Penned in delicious detail under the sheets with a single tatted grump in mind.
Incredible chemistry, a tumble on the ice, and a mega misunderstanding… Ho-ho, oh no!
One-Click: https://amzn.to/3grTtyW Goodreads: https://bit.ly/MUTMgoodreads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
It’s all Rhett and Scarlett’s fault.
(Talkin’ the grand staircase scene, people.)
Stung by the literary lovebug at a tender young age, JC has been devouring spicy romantic fiction ever since. Seriously… What could be more delectable at the end of a rough day than a big, bad, moody male brought to his knees by a kick-ass, rock star of a heroine?
Well, besides Tom Hardy showing up on your doorstep with car trouble.
Dreaming up “I wish” fantasies while slogging through her woefully alpha-scarce world, JC invites readers to indulge in decadent escape through her foulmouthed and passion-saturated tales.
Um.
You did hear foulmouthed, right?
Website: https://jcjaye.com/ Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cVQiLK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcjayeauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcjayeauthor/ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3cXSvGt TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jcjayeauthor
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