That’s what I wanted when I signed up for all of those dating apps.
There were so many people out there looking for the same thing I was.
One of them was bound to be the one, right?
My one?
True love.
What a crock.
More like true despair.
All I received for my efforts was a stalker that turned my every fantasy into a nightmare.
A man that built up my hopes just to destroy them.
And a game that had deadly consequences.
So, you know what?
F*ck waiting for true love.
I’ll take it from the one I choose.
*One More Click is a contemporary romance with dark themes, violence, and sexual content that some readers may find triggering. Recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content. This book can be read as a standalone.
I’ve been a prisoner in my own home for as long as I can remember. My mother says I’m sick in the head, and that’s why I can’t leave. And maybe she’s right.
But that doesn’t stop me from watching our new groundskeeper from my window and wanting things I shouldn’t. Like his hands on my body. His lips on my skin. Just him and me, running free in the world.
All I want is a normal life, but it’s a fantasy. Insanity.
Because no one would want a crazy girl like me.
PRESTON
I broke the cardinal rule of the private investigator business—I fell for my client’s daughter. When I agreed to go undercover to get Rosalie out of her house, I had every intention of bringing her to her father. After all, it’s what he hired me to do.
But Rosalie’s life is a tangled web of mystery, tragedy, and lies. Her loneliness calls to mine, tempting me with a chance at redemption I never thought I’d have. I refuse to deliver her from one hell to another.
Even if it means risking my life.
Marie’s Tempting Reads – “Loner was a sweet, amusing, sexy and sincerely heart stopping irresistible romance that makes this final book in one of my all time favorite series one of the best endings ever!”
PP’s Bookshelf – “I haven’t read something so magnetic and intriguing like Loner by Jamie Schlosser in a long time.”
The Hatters (Britt) – “This book utterly and completely blew me away!”
PROLOGUE
She was just supposed to be a job I turned down.
I’ve been picky about my clients before, and when I was approached by a man with ties to the mafia in search of his daughter, my immediate answer was no. His personal private investigator had recently died under mysterious circumstances, and I didn’t want to meet the same fate.
Then I saw Rosalie’s picture.
I should’ve walked away.
I didn’t.
Jamie Schlosser writes steamy new adult romance and romantic comedy. When she isn’t creating perfect book boyfriends, she’s a stay-at-home mom to her two wonderful kids. She believes reading is a great escape, otters are the best animal, and nothing is more satisfying than a happily-ever-after ending.
At thirty-five, Firefighter Julia “JJ” Jensen runs circles around most firefighters. When her talent leads to a fast-tracked promotion, she loses her boyfriend and gains colleagues who resent her. Enter Dr. Nick Barrows, a surprise lover who makes her forget her name. Will he support JJ through the complications of her career or hold her back from professional success?
Chapter 1
On the first day of her captaincy, JJ Jensen rode shotgun in her new rig, Engine 2. The call had come in at one p.m. and the five firefighters sped to a site for one of the worst kinds of fire—in a hospital. They pulled into the Memorial’s circular driveway where she caught sight of Incident Command, which would run the operation. Jumping out in full gear, with her air pack ready to go, she crossed to the jeep where she wasn’t surprised to see Fire Chief Joe Redman in charge, the structure blueprints in front of him. An acrid smell of burning debris assaulted her nostrils the closer she got.
“Engine 2 on scene, Chief.”
“You’re first-in, Jensen. Go in and find the seat of the fire. There’s fire reels in each section for you to use.”
“Yes, sir.” JJ glanced down at the layout of the building, which she’d already seen before. “I came here for a fire drill before my new job started.”
“Good for you.” More softly, he added, “You can do this, JJ.”
Jogging back to the rig, she faced her squad, who’d gotten off the truck. “Full turnout gear. Grab tools. There fire reels and extinguishers are inside.” Fire reels were hoses connected to water inside a building. “We’re gonna look for the point of origin.”
Lt. Abe Quinn, second in charge, buttoned up his turnout coat and put on his Nomex hood. Then his air mask and helmet. “Should I go in or take the rear?”
“You go first. I’ll follow you inside.”
They hurried in through the ground floor, which housed the ER. Smoke hadn’t reached here yet, which was a good sign that the blaze was contained. Retrofitting years back had compartmentalized the hospital into closable sections for keeping fire contained. Firefighters would have to check each floor regardless, and soon reinforcements would arrive to help with that. Pulling off her air mask, she sniffed. She followed the smell up the steps and came to floor two. The sign read SICU—Surgical Intensive Care Unit. The smoke thickened as they strode down the corridor until they reached Surgery.
The unit was semi-dark with smoke, but they had some visibility. “We’re in the surgical unit, chief. Smoke indicates fire might be here.” To the others, she said, “Let’s go down to the end. Looks like the point of origin. I’ll check each room on the way to be sure they’ve evacuated.”
As her team covered the distance at a fast pace, she did a cursory check of each OR they passed. OR 1—empty. God forbid they had an active surgery going on. OR 2—the same, but the third operating room was occupied.
Shit, JJ thought.
Straight ahead, they could see fire. “It’s in here,” Quinn called in his radio. “The Surgical Sterilization Center.”
JJ joined them. “Morey, pry the door open. Cortez, hook up to the hose reel about three feet down from you, low, on the wall. If the unit itself is on fire, Lt. Quinn will put it out with the Class C extinguishers inside and the rest of you use the reel to contain fire that’s spread.” These life saving devices had also been installed when the place was brought up to speed on the new standards.
Morey lifted the halligan, set the pick end on the door handles and Cortez hit the end hard with a large hammer. The door opened. The others made quick work of the fire wheel and soon had the hose ready.
Inside the room, the smell was metallic. She watched as Quinn grabbed the extinguisher and sprayed the cleaning device, which doused the fire. The others opened the hose nozzle on the walls. She radioed the chief. “Fire’s out. Point of origin is the sterilization section.”
“Makes sense. Teams searching the rest of the hospital report no sign of fire. Do you want more people to search for victims and do the salvage and overhaul?”
“Maybe one squad.” Quinn, on the call, too, spoke for all of them. “We could use more hands to make sure there’s no fire hiding in the walls.”
Cortez had already begun the process.
“You got it.”
“Copy that.” JJ added, “There’s an operating room in use.”
Redman swore. “You go, Jensen, and assess the situation.”
“I’m heading to the active OR.” She looked at her lieutenant. “You got this, Quinn.”
JJ jogged down to room 3. The windows were obscured by smoke in the corridor, so she opened the door, ducked inside and quickly closed it. A thin mist of smoke had already permeated the space. Four people stood around a table, gowned and gloved, wearing goggles and face shields. A patient lay hooked up to machines.
“I’m Captain Jensen of the CCFD. I’m breaking sterilization because you already have smoke in here. We gotta clear this room of its occupants right away.” She gestured to the manifold wall lever to turn off the gasses.
“Stay where you are!” a doctor with his hands in a guy’s chest, shouted. “I have to get him off the bypass machine before we can leave.”
“Bypass?” You gotta be kidding me.
“We’re almost done with a heart repair. If you stop us now, he’ll die.”
“How long do you need?”
“Minutes until you can cut the power.”
Their face gear kept enough visibility for them to work quickly.
Soon, he said, “All right, Macon, punch in a higher dose of anesthesia then we’ll cut the gases. Nurse Baker, get the portable oxygen tank in the emergency compartment.”
As they worked, they started to cough.
The woman brought over a kit zipped into a medium-size bag, took it out and attached the tank to the bed. They switched masks on the patient because the second was hooked up to a battery.
“Now, Captain,” the surgeon called out.
JJ pulled the lever next to her. The bright lights shut off and a smaller light over them went on.
The surgeon said, “Everybody but one person, go. I’ll need help getting the bed out.”
The anesthetist stood. “I-I can stay, Dr. Barrows.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m an EMT,” JJ told him, “I’ll stay.”
“I—”
“My call, doc.” To the others she ordered, “Leave on your goggles and shields. The smoke’s penetrable in the corridor, still. Can you find your way to the unaffected section of the hospital?”
“Yes. We practiced this.” This from the nurse.
Into the radio, JJ barked, “I’m sending out the anesthetist and two nurses.”
They left the room.
“All right, Captain. Stay where you are until the man’s closed up.”
She saw that he still had his hand in the man’s open chest! He poked the heart with his finger. Nothing. “Come on, Barry.”
JJ held her breath.
He poked again.
“It pinked up. We’re a success!”
“Wow.”
“I’ll have to put a temporary bandage on before we can move him.” He worked quickly as he spoke, cleaning the skin around the area, drying it, and applying a huge strip of medical tape she’d seen once on someone who had hip surgery.
Over the radio she heard, “Status, Jensen.”
She explained what happened. “We’re—”
An explosion rocked the room.
“Chief?” She waited.
Then she heard from Quinn, “Sterilization unit reignited. We put it out again, Cap. Truck 3’s helping us look for fire in the walls.”
Already she could see blacker smoke enter the hall.
“Everybody okay?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“Nothing’s easy, is it, Captain?” Dr. Barrows coughed but continued to work.
“I guess.”
Finally, he stepped back. “I taped up the wound and covered the bandaged patient.” He got out blankets. Minutes had passed.
“Jensen!!!” she heard over the radio. “Just finished, Chief. Leaving now. Doc, go to the head of the bed. I’ll pull from the open door, since I’m right by it and then I can push. Once we get in the hall, I’ll share my air with you.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He moved to the head of the bed.
He was pretty calm for a critical situation. He was a surgeon, so she guessed he had to be.
She opened the door and more smoke filtered into the room, cutting visibility in half.
“Try not to bump him,” the doc called out.
“I won’t. We have to stay in lock step.” They maneuvered the patient into the hall. Thicker smoke, now, even blacker.
A coughing fit seized Barrow. “Take some of my air.”
“You’re too far away. Let’s go.” They headed down the corridor as quickly as possible. JJ couldn’t force him to take her air.
They got halfway out of the wing, when he started hacking—and he crumpled to the ground. She was going to kill a heart surgeon on her first outing!
Stopping, she moved around the bed, slipped her arms under his and dragged him to her end. She lugged him up and laid him over the legs of the patient, face down. Then she pushed hard. Harder. Fast. Faster.
When they reached the wing that had been compartmented off, the door opened and she pushed them inside.
“Bring him to this room,” a nurse called out.
JJ rolled them to a curtained off area. Three people surrounded the patient. She drew Barrows up and off the flat part of the bed. He fell into her arms. Someone shoved a gurney over and they slid him onto it.
“The doc needs oxygen. He wouldn’t take mine.”
Quickly, they hooked up oxygen on him while the others stayed with the patient.
After pulling off her helmet, facemask and Nomex hood, she heard over the radio, “JJ, talk to me.”
“We’re safe. In the west wing.”
“Thank God. Condition of the patient and doctor?”
“Patient’s fine,” one nurse called out, so the chief could hear.
“The doctor?”
“Getting oxygen now.”
Coughing, Barrows roused. “H-how’s…” More coughing. Then, “How’s Barry?”
“He’s on our oxygen, doctor.” Another nurse. “He’s in good shape.”
Bracing himself on his arms, he inched halfway up. “I applied only a temporary bandage. I have to stitch him up.”
“No, Nick,” A white-coated man who’d entered the room had come up to the bed. “I’m here to do it. Relax and breathe.”
He deferred, laid back and took a hit of his own air. Then looked up at her. “Oh, hell, you’re young.” He gave her a smile. “And pretty.”
Oh hell was right!
More Than Enough – Available NOW
At Last – Available NOW
No Easy Choice – Available NOW
Equal Partners – Available NOW
A Different Way – PreOrder NOW
To Trust Again – PreOrder NOW
A NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has written dozens of self-published original romance titles, print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won many awards for her work: five RT Book Reviews awards, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year and several “Starred Reviews.” One of her firefighter books hit #20 on the NEW YORK TIMES list. Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over ten million copies of her books in print and downloaded online. Reviewers have called her work “emotional and heart-wrenching.”
SUMMER WITH YOU by Taylor Jade is releasing August 13th!Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Enemies to lovers this one is a continuation of their love story a few years later.
Summer – one of the most fun and hottest times of the year.
All Celine wanted was a peaceful summer vacation out on the lake with her husband and kids.
But, of course, that was too much to ask when they lived in the sunshine state.
It was like a repeat of twelve years ago; a hurricane is threatening to tear through Florida once again.
And it’s not just her and Ace anymore – they have their entire family to worry about, including her brother and his family.
They survived their first hurricane together, but will they be able to survive another one all while keeping their families safe?
Follow Celine and Ace on this thrilling adventure as they return in the third installment of the Loving You Series.
Tears welled in my eyes at the adoration in my husband’s eyes. Sometimes, I knew this man was too good to be true.
“I love you, Ace, with my entire heart.” We reached for each other, our hands meeting halfway across the table and connecting, fitting together perfectly just like they always had. Ace Danvers would always be my soul mate, and I would always be his.
He didn’t let go of my hand as he paid the bill and then walked us out to our cars. We stood at my big, white SUV. He leaned into me, pushing my body against the hot car, his hands planted on the window, caging me in, but I never minded being this man’s prisoner.
“You know better than to put handprints on my window,” I whispered against his lips, closing my eyes just in time for his lips to crash against mine.
Time had made him more demanding. He didn’t ask for permission anymore. He just claimed, but I didn’t mind. This man owned me.
Biting my bottom lip, he soothed the sting with a brush of his tongue before parting my lips, tangling his tongue with mine, assaulting my senses. I moaned against his lips, my hands gripping the front of his shirt.
It didn’t matter that we were in broad daylight, nor did I mind the sweat dripping down the side of my face or my sundress sticking to my body like a second skin. None of it bothered me. All that mattered was the passion between me and my man.
If the world crashed and burned around us, I knew I would be okay because I had him—my rock, my hero, my Ace.
We’d been through hell, and now, it was time for our happily ever after.
I pulled away from his demanding lips to gasp for breath. I leaned my head against his chest, feeling his chest rise and fall, his heart beating as rapidly as mine. Years later, we still had the same effects on each other that we did when we first met.
“I just want a calm summer with you and our kids. I don’t care what we do as long as I spend the summer with you,” I told him. His arms banded around me, crushing me against him as he sought my lips out again.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Taylor Jade is 21 years old and already pursuing her dreams. Beginning at age 12, Taylor wrote numerous stories for personal pleasure and school, always excelling when it came to English essays. Writing is one of her many hobbies along with water skiing and jet skiing, but writing is her favorite without a doubt. She can be herself and escape into another world where there are no rules, as she makes up her own.
Taylor began her writing career on a website called Wattpad, shown to her by one of her friends at school. She went from reading numerous stories to posting her own. After finishing her second book, she decided it was time to publish after all the positive reviews she received.
At 14 she published her first novel, and four years later at 18 she published her second.
‘I absolutely loved being back in the Beaumont world! Julius and Autumn make an amazing addition to the series.’ ~ Book Nerd13
From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers a contemporary romance that will leave you dancing in the end zone!
Autumn LaRosa has been playing defense since the moment she met Julius Cunningham. After accepting a position as a meteorologist in Portland, she strives to make a good first impression. Then she meets the arrogant wide receiver who belittles her in front of her new friends. She could have walked off the sting of his bitter words, but he keeps showing up in her social circle.
Now, she is determined to meet him at the line of scrimmage and prove she’s not one to back down.
Julius Cunningham is well aware there’s a flag on the play after his harsh words to Autumn. The more he sees of Portland’s new weather girl, the clearer it becomes his judgments of her were unfounded.
But how can he call a timeout on the animosity he created?
When Autumn attends a charity event with the Pioneer players, she sees an opportunity too tempting to resist. Julius looks miserable being a part of the date auction, making it even more fun for Autumn to bid. Will she use the opportunity for some good old-fashioned payback? Or will this be their fresh start at the twenty-yard line?
Get ready for the snap and sprint for the end zone because Autumn and Julius are headed for either a tackle or a touchdown!
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
When writing isn’t occupying her time, you can find her sitting courtside at either of her daughters’ basketball games.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.
“This was such a beautifully written book that had so much to offer. … this is the MUST-READ book of 2021!” ~Goodreads Review (Judith)
“Once the story takes off you will not put this book down as it leads on a roller coaster ride until the end…” ~Goodreads Review (Debra W.)
One sexy jazz musician. One ordinary woman. One worldwide lockdown. And all that jazz…
Awkward, mundane, and dare I even say, “vanilla?”
That’s me. That’s my life.
A past riddled with disappointment.
A future that doesn’t look brighter.
The only thing that keeps me going, keeps me happy when everything sucks, is sexy jazz musician, Lucky De Luca, with his Great Gatsby-style music and videos.
But when I’m the “lucky” winner chosen to spend one week at his mansion in New Orleans with him and his band, everything changes.
It’s finally my turn for excitement, to break free and enjoy life for once.
Until a pandemic hits…
Locked down with the man of my dreams, I’m now trapped in a world of debauchery and forbidden pleasure.
Photographer/Cover Artist: Golden Czermak at FuriousFotog
They call him The Great Oz, but for Ozzy, sometimes life isn’t so great…
Over twenty years ago, at seventeen, the Blood Fury’s colors were inked onto Ozzy’s back.
But when the club imploded, he was one of the few who survived.
Throughout his life, the Original has made mistakes.
Too many to count.
Most didn’t matter.
Until the last one.
The one he regrets.
The one that left a mark.
Once he realized he screwed up, it was too late.
Now his urge to hit the road is strong, to go back to being a nomad tempting.
Recent events proved he never should’ve come back since being a rolling stone’s in his blood.
Because back then, he’d only joined the Blood Fury for one reason and one reason only…
Revenge.
Now, once again, nothing’s holding him in Manning Grove any longer.
Until someone tied to his past appears.
She makes him reevaluate his life choices, in both the past and for the future.
However, will he learn from his latest mistake, or is he destined to make the same one all over again?
Or will his choice be made for him once the truth is revealed?
Note: Blood & Bones: Ozzy is the ninth book in the Blood Fury MC series. As always, this book has no cheating, no cliffhanger, and has an HEA. It’s best to read this series in order. It’s also highly recommended to read Crash: A Dirty Angels MC/Blood Fury MC Crossover before Ozzy’s story.
JEANNE ST. JAMES is a USA Today and international bestselling romance author who loves writing about strong women and alpha males. She was only thirteen when she first started writing. Her first published piece was an erotic short story in Playgirl magazine. She then went on to publish her first romance novel in 2009. She is now an author of over fifty contemporary romances. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages, including interracial. Want to read a sample of her work? Download a free sampler book here: BookHip.com/MTQQKK
SUMMER WITH YOU by Taylor Jade is releasing August 13th!Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Enemies to lovers this one is a continuation of their love story a few years later.
Summer – one of the most fun and hottest times of the year.
All Celine wanted was a peaceful summer vacation out on the lake with her husband and kids.
But, of course, that was too much to ask when they lived in the sunshine state.
It was like a repeat of twelve years ago; a hurricane is threatening to tear through Florida once again.
And it’s not just her and Ace anymore – they have their entire family to worry about, including her brother and his family.
They survived their first hurricane together, but will they be able to survive another one all while keeping their families safe?
Follow Celine and Ace on this thrilling adventure as they return in the third installment of the Loving You Series.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Taylor Jade is 21 years old and already pursuing her dreams. Beginning at age 12, Taylor wrote numerous stories for personal pleasure and school, always excelling when it came to English essays. Writing is one of her many hobbies along with water skiing and jet skiing, but writing is her favorite without a doubt. She can be herself and escape into another world where there are no rules, as she makes up her own.
Taylor began her writing career on a website called Wattpad, shown to her by one of her friends at school. She went from reading numerous stories to posting her own. After finishing her second book, she decided it was time to publish after all the positive reviews she received.
At 14 she published her first novel, and four years later at 18 she published her second.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers a contemporary romance that will leave you dancing in the end zone!
Autumn LaRosa has been playing defense since the moment she met Julius Cunningham. After accepting a position as a meteorologist in Portland, she strives to make a good first impression. Then she meets the arrogant wide receiver who belittles her in front of her new friends. She could have walked off the sting of his bitter words, but he keeps showing up in her social circle.
Now, she is determined to meet him at the line of scrimmage and prove she’s not one to back down.
Julius Cunningham is well aware there’s a flag on the play after his harsh words to Autumn. The more he sees of Portland’s new weather girl, the clearer it becomes his judgments of her were unfounded.
But how can he call a timeout on the animosity he created?
When Autumn attends a charity event with the Pioneer players, she sees an opportunity too tempting to resist. Julius looks miserable being a part of the date auction, making it even more fun for Autumn to bid. Will she use the opportunity for some good old-fashioned payback? Or will this be their fresh start at the twenty-yard line?
Get ready for the snap and sprint for the end zone because Autumn and Julius are headed for either a tackle or a touchdown!
“Beautifully told with splashes of humor and heat, it’s the heart of this story that powerfully carries it through to the HEA” ~ BookAddict
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
When writing isn’t occupying her time, you can find her sitting courtside at either of her daughters’ basketball games.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.
It’s a strange little word about to change Nick and Brenna St. James’ world forever.
Brenna was raised to believe love conquers all. Losing piece after piece of herself causes her to waver in her beliefs. Insecurities abound and she can’t stop wondering if Nick can love the person she is now. Is it fair to ask him to?
Nick wants a do over. To go back to a time before Brenna was sick, before everything changed. But genies don’t exist, life doesn’t grant wishes, and time machines haven’t been invented. All he can do is follow his heart…and his heart wants Brenna.
Together, they have to face a battle they never imagined.
When fighting is all you have left…
When love can’t heal everything…
When life rests in the balance of the unknown…
When their vows, “…in sickness and in health”, are put to the test…
Will Nick and Brenna be able to fight through the odds stacked against them, or will everything come crumbling down?
Unconditional was previously released as He Loves Me Healthy, He Loves Me Not.
From a young age Renee Dyer had a love of writing, starting with a doodle pad at age four that soon turned into journals and later computer documents. Poetry became short stories and short stories became a novel.
Although she’s surrounded by males all day having three sons, a husband and a hyperactive chocolate lab, she still finds time to be all woman when she escapes into the fantasy of reading and writing romance. That is, until she needs male perspective and garners eye rolling from her husband.
She’s a true New Englander. You’ll find her screaming profanity at her TV while the Pats play and cuddling under blankets during the cold seasons (which is most of them) reading a good book. To her snow is not a reason to shut things down, only a reason to slow down and admire the beauty. Ask her questions and she’ll answer them. She’s an open book, pun fully intended.
True love.
TBR Book Blog 