First Look – TBR Book Blog

First Look ~ Green ~ by ~ S.M. West

Get Your First Look at GREEN by S.M. West!

Here’s your FIRST LOOK at S.M. West’s GREEN! Join us as we get our first peek at this hot and sexy romantic suspense where hope and friendship grow into something more.

Check out the excerpt and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Title: Green

Author: SM West

Release Date: 2/28/18

Publisher: Self-published

Series: A Love in Color Novel

Genres: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

Green. The color of hope.

ANNA MARI is living for today, not daring to hope for tomorrow. She’s a pawn in her grandfather’s game, and time is her enemy. Her freedom is the prize.

DAVIS COOPER is licking his wounds of betrayal when he’s assigned to babysit his boss’s sister. The pretty little thing who’s most definitely off-limits.

Though they struggle to set boundaries, the root of their friendship grows into something more. But none of that matters – Anna’s fate is sealed and neither hope nor love can save her.

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GREEN Excerpt

It’s the sway of her hips and mass of dark curls that catch my eye. She’s dancing at the bar while sipping a drink and leaning into some guy who is all over her. His hands bracket her waist, slowly inching down the curve of her ass.

She’s mine to protect. I charge like a bull, hot and agitated, yanking her out of his arms. Her drink spills over the guy’s shirt.

“Hey!” he yells, flicking liquid off his hands.

Anna whips her head to me, eyes wide and mouth open. “What are you…”

I lean in close and whisper, my tone thick, heavy and derisive. “This sex kitten act isn’t working for you, little girl. Stop making a fool of yourself.” I’m a damned liar, but I don’t intend to give that any thought right now.

“Get lost.” Her angry gaze lights into me, and she pivots toward the guy who is ready to take me on.

I grab her arm, wrapping her in an embrace while she tries to wriggle free. “We’re leaving.”

“Get your hands off her, asshole,” drunk college boy slurs, wobbling toward me.

“No, I’m not.” Her eyes narrow into a glower. “Leave if you want to. Let me go.”

“You heard the lady, let her go.” The guy looks at her with a stupid face that he probably thinks is endearing. Instead, he’s a jackass with puckered lips and crossed-eyes. “Hey baby, you okay?”

He paws her clumsily, and my patience snaps. “You touch her again, and you’ll lose your arm.”

He falters for a second, glancing down at my arms firmly banded around her and then back at me.

“Hey, man.” He raises his hands as if he’s staring down the barrel of a gun. “No disrespect, I didn’t know she was yours.”

“I’m not,” she grinds out, jabbing her elbow in my side.

I flinch but keep my hold on her and she releases a frustrated groan. The guy doesn’t give either of us a second look. He’s gone.

“Let me go,” she hisses. Ignoring her, I text Tango and Tommie to meet us out back.

Within minutes, I’m thrusting her into Tango’s arms and ordering them to take her home.

“Do not leave,” I stress, and Tango nods obediently.

Anna is fuming. Livid. Her nostrils flare and lips are tight while her eyes blaze. If looks could kill, I might be sucking in dirt. But I’ve gotta admit, hot and bothered looks good on her.

While completely uncalled for, I wink and flash my sexy grin– the one that has women falling at my feet–before turning my back on her. As I walk into the club, she curses a blue streak, and I laugh. My cock twitches, turned on by her spunk. Down boy, this is Anna. Off-limits no matter how tempting.

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S.M. West writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, erotica and whatever her heart desires. She spends most of her time juggling a day job, being a mom, wife, and writing. She’s a self-professed junkie of many things, including a voracious fan of music, a born wanderer, a wine aficionado and chocolate connoisseur.

First Look ~ Web of Frost ~ by ~ Lindsay Smith

A too-young queen must learn to control her powers in order to save her empire, but can she trust the man who’s taught her to use her gift?

The saints of Russalka work their blessings in mysterious ways, allowing the royal family to perform miracles for their people. But the young princess Katza fears her powers. She’s seen grave visions of her bloodied hands destroying her family’s empire. When her older brother succumbs to illness, leaving her next in line for the throne, Katza turns to a young rebellious prophet named Ravin who promises to teach her how to control her gift. As unrest grows in Russalka and a foreign monarchy threatens, Ravin understands Katza’s fears and helps her find confidence in her gift, and her own heart. Under Ravin’s unorthodox training, Katza learns to hear the saints once more—until revolutionaries claim her father’s life.

Reeling and desperate, Katza draws upon darker and darker powers to stop the revolutionaries, the foreign invaders, and the members of her own court who would see her fail. But the more Ravin whispers in her ear, the more Katza questions whether he—and the saints—have her best interests at heart. She must choose between her love of Ravin and her love of Russalka itself—and decide whether her empire might not be better off without her.

Here is an exclusive excerpt from WEB OF FROST:

“An incredible show of power,” Ravin said. “But you are capable of even more.” He paused, and turned his head, almost peering back at her over his shoulder. Again her gaze was drawn to the sharp line of his forehead, his nose beneath a dark sheaf of his hair where it had fallen across his brow. “Show me.”

Katza rolled her shoulders back. She had never before prayed to Saint Morozov; she’d never had reason to. She scanned the icons in the sanctuary, looking for his face—the blue eyes piercing with ice, the gray pallor of his skin as flecks of frost wreathed him. But all the colors were washed out on the ancient icons—he was hard to find. Saint Morozov. Her lips worked as she sought him out. Saint Morozov. Grant me the chill in your bones . . .

“No, no.” Ravin stalked toward her, shoulders bristling with cold fury. “You don’t need to focus on his icon. You must be able to draw the power anywhere. Anytime. Morozov is only a filter for turning the raw power into ice. You must reach past him.” He trembled with intensity. “Seize the power for yourself. It’s already there, just waiting for you to grasp it.”

“I—I’m sorry.” Katza bit her lower lip and looked down. Morozov. Let your cold envelop me . . .

And then she felt it, crawling inside her skin—the faintest threads of ice. If the saints were filters for Boj’s raw power, then Katza imagined herself reaching through that filter to grasp it at the source. Her breath crystallized before her as she exhaled, then twinkled like glass as it fell to the floor. Frost coated her hands, her face, and yet the cold was soothing, hardening around her like a shelter . . .

No. Like a tomb.

Katza thrashed, panicking as her skin became solid, stiff with cold. “O, Boj,” she cried. “I can’t—”

“You have to release it,” Ravin shouted. “Don’t keep it trapped inside you!”

Katza’s throat was closing up, turning into a block of ice. She tried to scream. Tried to move her arms—she had to force the cold away from her—

She flung her arms out wide.

Frost shot out from all around her, spinning fine as a spider’s web. It spread up the chapel walls, crunching and cracking as it went, riming the icons and choking the candles Ravin had lit. Katza’s breathing eased and she felt a tide surging through her. She was one with the ice, letting it into her as she spun it from her, a perfect symbiosis.

Katza’s chest rose and fell as she admired the ice thickening into columns and pillars and intricate lacework all around them. With a command, she could pull it all away. But she wouldn’t. She had made this, and she was in control, and everything was beautiful.

A voice inside her sighed happily and whispered in her ear, Yes.

“Incredible.” Ravin was breathing heavily too as he approached her once more, stepping around a pillar of ice. His dark eyes danced, reflecting the sunlight-kissed frost. “You are truly in control of it.”

Katza tested, fingers twitching; a column of ice thinned, melting, then thickened again at her command. “I am. I can feel that power you were talking about, that well. It’s just below the surface. But it’s rolling through me, a give and take . . .”

“Yes. You are in control of your power. But I, too, am blessed by Saint Morozov.” He drew closer and raised his palm. Ice sheathed his fingers, glinting with the menace of steel. “Can you stop it when someone else is using that blessing? Can you melt it all away?”

Katza staggered back from him, but backed into one of the columns of ice. She tried to melt it, but it was one he’d created—she had no power over it. Frost fringed onto her clothing, her hair, her neck, as if the column were consuming her, swallowing her up. Again she felt that burn in her chest, crystals sprouting and slicing her up, but it wasn’t in her control. She couldn’t push it away.

“Careful, tsarechka.” Ravin laughed behind pressed lips. “Or I’ll make a martyr of you.”

Panic spiked through her, a shard of ice in the warmth of the saints’ gifts. “Please, stop!”

His face loomed before hers. Gray washed over his features; his lips were deathly blue. “You must stop me.”

Katza swallowed. She couldn’t. She would never be strong enough—but she had to. It was what Russalka needed.

It was what she’d been craving, all along.

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Lindsay is the author of the young adult novels Sekret, Dreamstrider, and A Darkly Beating Heart, and is the showrunner and lead writer for Serial Box’s The Witch Who Came In From the Cold. Her work has appeared on Tor.com and in the anthologies A Tyranny of Petticoats, Strange Romance Vol. 3, and Toil & Trouble, and she has written for Green Ronin Publishing’s RPG properties. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and dog.

Follow Lindsay: Website | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

First Look ~ The Bastard’s Bargain ~ by ~ Katee Robert

Get a First Look at THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN by Katee Robert!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert delivers the final installment in her sizzling O’Malleys family series, hailed as “The Godfather meets Romeo & Juliet.” In THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN Dmitri Romanov must use his legendary focus and control to stay one step ahead of everyone else in the ever-shifting power plays of New York City.

What readers are saying:

“The Bastard’s Bargain presents a seductive escape and a fulfilling fantasy for that bad boy craving a girl can never outgrow.”—Isha at Book Likes

“Keira and Dmitri are everything. What develops between them is raw and carnal and wanton. The way they need each other and the way they connect is beyond sexy. It’s something deep and dark and heartbreakingly beautiful.”—Eva, Goodreads Reviewer

Meet Dmitri and Keira!

Pre-order THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN and add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get an EXCLUSIVE sneak peek at UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION and to enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or an eBook from Katee’s backlist!

Title: The Bastard’s Bargain

Author: Katee Robert

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Grand Central/Forever

Series: The O’Malleys

Married to the enemy

When Keira O’Malley was a child, she used to picture her perfect wedding. The flowers. The dress. Her husband. But nothing could have prepared her for saying “I do” to Dmitri Romanov-cold, domineering, and always one step ahead of everyone else in the ever-shifting power plays of New York City. She agreed to his bargain to secure peace for her family, and she may want the bastard more than she’d ever admit, but she’ll be damned if she’ll make this marriage easy for him.

Dmitri knows better than to underestimate Keira for one second. Molten desire smolders between them, a dangerous addiction neither can resist. But his enemies are already on the move, and he needs every ounce of his legendary focus and control to keep them alive. Keira could just be his secret weapon-if she doesn’t bring him to his knees first.

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EXCERPT:

It wasn’t until the front door closed behind Ivan that the reality of her situation sank in. Dmitri was furious. He might have faked it for his friend, but he stood next to her, a pillar of stone with anger coming off him in waves. His grip on her elbow didn’t hurt, but if she’d tried to leave, he would have restrained her.

She should be afraid. She should be terrified.

Keira’s heartbeat picked up, adrenaline kicking in. She swung to face him with a fierce smile on her face. “You didn’t compliment me on my dress.” It was a work of fucking art. She smoothed her free hand over her hip and up her side. “Actually, you called me a high-class sex worker. Is that any way to speak to your beloved wife?”

His gray eyes followed the movement, a muscle ticking in his jaw when she cupped her breast. “I meant it when I said you’re playing with fire.”

That wasn’t just anger on his face now. No, it was rapidly being overtaken by sheer lust. An answering feeling sent a bolt straight to her core. She stepped back, and he released her instantly. A strange feeling coursed through her, straightening her spine and making her want to laugh out loud. Power. This is what power feels like.

He wanted her. He wanted her so badly, he had his hands clenched at his sides to keep from touching her again. But he wouldn’t until she gave the green light. Keira took another step back. “I have a hypothetical question.”

“Ask.” His voice was rough. The way he watched her made her feel like prey, and she liked it far more than she should—because she wasn’t prey. Keira had her own teeth and claws, and Dmitri would learn that as time went on.

“Hypothetical, if I said yes tonight…how do you imagine that would go?”

He stared at her a long moment. “Nyet. I’m not playing this game with you.” She blinked and he was on her, one hand snaking around to press against the exposed small of her back, the other tangling in her hair. “We are not children, moya koroleva. These games don’t become us.”

He kissed her. There was no cautious exploration or easing into it. Dmitri kissed her like a conquering warlord who was sure of his welcome because he owned everything in the room—including her. There was no fighting this. She didn’t even want to try. Keira slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself more firmly against him. His cock was a hard length with too many layers between them. She rolled her hips, an invitation she wasn’t sure she was ready to follow through on.

Dmitri slid his hand down to cup her ass, guiding her movements. Long slides up the length of his cock and back down again. The stupid goddamn dress kept her from spreading her legs wider, from getting him exactly where she needed him. Her nipples rubbed against his shirt, the silk incredibly decadent across her sensitized skin.

“Keira. Moya koroleva.” He kissed down her jawline, tilting her head back until she had to arch her spine to accommodate the position. “Did you enjoy their eyes on you? Ivan’s. The men who owe allegiance to me. Anyone who cared to look.”

It took her desire-drugged brain a beat to catch up, but by then he was already growling out more words against her skin. “Did it make you feel powerful to know they were imagining stroking the nipples you flash with such impunity?” He moved his hand from her ass to do exactly that, dragging a finger over her puckered nipple. “They wanted the body you so proudly put on display.” His voice roughened. “They wanted what’s mine.”

Say something. If you don’t say something right now, you’re going to give in tonight and then it will all be over.

He moved his hand to her back and bent her until she relied solely on his strength to keep her off the ground. And then Dmitri’s wicked, wicked mouth closed around her nipple. The weight of the beaded design seemed heavier with his tongue flicking the engorged bud, making his touch that much hotter. She couldn’t hold back a moan as he moved to her other breast.

Dmitri dragged his mouth up the center of her chest, the only part of her not caged in the dress, stopping at the thick collar. He flicked the hollow of her throat with his tongue. “This is my favorite part of the dress.” He ran his thumb over it. “This, more than anything else, marks you as mine.”

A collar for a kept pet.

It was as if he’d doused her in icy water. Keira went rigid and shoved Dmitri away. She almost fell when he released her, but she regained her balance at the last second. They stood mere feet apart, breathing hard and staring at each other. I am no one’s pet. She slashed her hand through the air. “I might be your wife, Russian, but I’m not yours. I’ll never be yours.”

Read all the books in The O’Malleys Series

THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

THE WEDDING PACT

AN INDECENT PROPOSAL

FORBIDDEN PROMISES

UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION

THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN (Coming soon!)

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.” When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram

First Look ~ The Lord Meets His Lady ~ by ~ Gina Conkle

Title: The Lord Meets His Lady

Author: Gina Conkle

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Series: Midnight Meetings

Lord Marcus Bowles has stained his family’s reputation for the last time. Only after spending a scandal-free year restoring some far-flung property can this second son return in good graces. But Marcus isn’t one to abandon a lone damsel on a dark country lane.

One stolen kiss and Genevieve Turner’s handsome midnight savior disappears. Typical. No matter, Gen is finally on the way to her new post, and hopefully to finding her grandmother as well. Instead she finds her mischievous hero is her new employer. Surely a few more kisses won’t hurt…

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

Excerpt:

He grabbed the papers, getting an eyeful of his housekeeper. Fresh arousal stiffened his cock. Tiny moisture beads clung to her breasts, shining like diamonds on ample cleavage. Her shift’s white tie dangled over her bodice, begging to be pulled.

If he wasn’t careful, he’d press his mouth to hers and cry defeat.

His hips shifted, sloshing water in the tub. “The thing is what we have is like a game of Fox and Geese. Are you familiar with the board game?”

A sweet laugh erupted. “Fox and Geese? Yes, I’ve seen it. Pray tell, what do you mean?”

“Well, I’m the fox, outnumbered and outflanked by you.”

“Because of this morning.”

His gaze dipped to her pretty bosom. He was the worst kind of wastrel; everyone expected it of him.

Why not give in?

Sweat trickled down his temple, owing nothing to the hot bath. Miss Turner had to know he’d be putty in her hands if she crooked her finger at him.

“I’m not skilled with household matters.” He forced himself to look higher.

Dark lashes fringed her patient, knowing eyes.

He grinned aware he was caught ogling her. “You got the best of me, going on attack at the crack of dawn, no less. Very unsporting of you.”

“It was well past dawn,” she corrected. “But do go on. This is quite interesting.”

Her chin rested in her hand. She was close enough he could count the freckles on her nose. Miss Turner was pretty but not in the conventional sense. Her jaw was too square, her eyes too dark, and her stature tall for most men, but her body housed a soul older than her years and he wanted to lose himself in her.

Fighting for clarity, he tapped the folded papers. “I have here something to even things out. A negotiation piece.”

“In our game of Fox and Geese.” Her voice dipped with humor. “And here I thought we were all about cleaning up your unsightly cottage.”

“A minor detail. Life is about the dance between men and women.”

“A vicar’s wisdom, I’m sure.”

Firelight illuminated Miss Turner’s hair, the effect like honeyed threads. Desire shocked his system again, the jolt reaching between his legs. A medieval device could be slowly crushing him for all the sweet torture. He was ten times a fool for conversing with her while in his bath.

His vision glazed over all because messy hair and freckles entranced him. The current circumstances defined purgatory—him naked with a desirable woman he could never, should never touch.

“About that negotiation piece.” She nodded at the broadsheet.

He blinked, willing the intense wave between his legs to subside.

“I have a prime item, but it will come at a price.”

Miss Turner stilled and her eyes narrowed. “Go on.”

“I’ve something inside for you, but I think it’s worth having my chamber pot cleaned all winter.”

“What?” She balked. “You want…chamber pots cleaned. Not a service of another kind?”

Meet the Earl at Midnight

It’s going to take a Beast to tame this Beauty

Enigma Earl. The Phantom of London. That’s what the gossip pages call Lord Edward Greenwich, a mysterious nobleman who doesn’t show his face in London Society. With a reputation like that, no wonder Lydia Montgomery is horrified to be dragged from bed and packed off to live with him to save her mother from penury.

While Lydia has received all of the training a lady should endure, she’s decidedly un-ladylike. She despises her corset and isn’t interested in marriage. She’d prefer to remain unmarried and spend her time improving her art. But if she wants a chance at happiness, she’ll have to set aside her fear of the earl and discover the man hiding behind the beast.

Will Edward and Lydia’s greatest discovery be each other before time runs out?

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

The Lady Meets Her Match

Locating Her Is Only Half The Battle…

Cyrus Ryland didn’t become England’s wealthiest bachelor by being a pushover, but the mysterious beauty he discovers sneaking around at his grand ball enflames his curiosity. When the clock chimes midnight, and she’s nowhere to be found, Cyrus vows to scour all of London to uncover who she is. Little does he know that not only does Claire Mayhew not want to be found, but she wants nothing to do with him at all…

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

Meet the Rogue at Midnight

A Saved Scoundrel…

Jonas Bacon Braithwaite wants to make peace with his grandfather before departing England. Once Nottinghamshire’s favorite trouble-maker, he’s since become an upstanding man of honor. But, the lushly curved thief hiding in his bedchamber makes him think twice about one last conquest.

A Stubborn Siren…

Livvy Halsey bristles at life’s rules. Always has. Sneaking into the Braithwaite house to reclaim a treasured family heirloom is one way she upends the conventional life that awaits her. Duty demands she marry. But what harm is there in having a little fun with her childhood friend before the Twelfth Night ends?

And Twilight Temptation…

Stolen kisses fan hot flames. Surprising passion intertwines with friendship…but will it be enough to last forever?

Available at: Amazon

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Gina Conkle writes lush Viking romance and sensual Georgian romance. Her books always offer a fresh, addictive spin on the genre with the witty banter and sexual tension that readers crave. She grew up in southern California and despite all that sunshine, Gina loves books over beaches and stone castles over sand castles. Now she lives in Michigan with her favorite alpha male, Brian, and their two sons where she’s known to occasionally garden and cook.

First Look ~ A Cruel Kind of Beautiful ~ by ~ Michelle Hazen

Title: A Cruel Kind of Beautiful

Author: Michelle Hazen

Release Date: December 4, 2017

Series: Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll

Genres: Contemporary Romance

“Sweet and sexy, with a storyline that sucks you in deep, A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL is everything I adore in a romance.” —Heather Van Fleet, author of the Reckless Hearts series

“Smart and fun, with a rocking voice, A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL will keep your heart racing until the end.” —Katie Golding, author of Order Up

Here’s your FIRST LOOK at Michelle Hazen’s Rockstar Romance, A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL! Join us as we get our first peek at this first installment in the Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll series. Check out the excerpt and enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

If you can’t get to the Big O, can you get to the happily ever after?

Jera McKnight loves music, swoons for hot guys, but sucks at sex. Jacob Tate is her perfect storm: a pun-loving nude model with a heart as big as his record collection.

When a newspaper-delivery accident lands him in her living room, he’s almost tempting enough to make her forget she’s never been able to please a man—in bed or out of it. Sure, he laughs at her obscure jokes, and he’ll even accept a PG-rating if it means he gets time with her, but he’s also hiding something. And it has everything to do with the off-limits room in his apartment.

Jera pours all her confusion and longing into her drum kit, which pays off when her band lands the record deal of their dreams. Except just like Jacob, it might be too good to come without a catch.

She doesn’t know if her music is good enough to attract a better contract, or if she’s enough to tempt a man like Jacob to give up his secrets, even if they could fix her problems between the sheets. But if this rocker girl is too afraid to bet on herself, she might just end up playing to an empty house.

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A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL Excerpt

When the newspaper broke my window at four in the morning, I didn’t stop to think about the fact that I was wearing sweats. Not thin, make-your-butt-look-cute yoga pants but old school sweats: cuffs cinched tight around my wrists and ankles like rib-knit shackles, plus deflated airbags of material sagging at my crotch and knees.

This is definitely something I would have considered if I’d known I was going to open the door to biceps like his.

Turns out my renegade paperboy isn’t a boy at all; more like six feet two inches of pure man-candy. With his fist raised to knock, all his muscles stand out in exquisitely stark lines, and I’m definitely not staring. Or maybe I am, because he takes a step back and drops his hand, brow furrowing.

“Shit,” he says. “Shit.”

I quirk a brow. I’m five foot flat on a good posture day, so it must be the atrociousness of my sweats that’s putting the fear into him.

“Don’t tell me this was a revenge window-breaking and you got the wrong house.” I nod toward my neighbor’s place. “Did Mr. Schmelzly steal your girl or something?”

His eyes dip below my collarbone for a second, but I’m not exactly worried about my lack of a bra. This sweatshirt is so baggy I could be packing the curves of Santa Claus or Kim Kardashian under here and he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

“I wish I could claim it was revenge. More like a total failure of motor skills.” He grimaces. “I’m so sorry about your window. They give us a half day of training, which felt like four hours more than anybody should need, but right now, it’s looking like I could have used five.” His shoulders hunch as he gives me a sheepish look.

My annoyance melts, and I offer, “In your defense, it was the Thrifty Tuesdays paper. Tuesday has some serious heft in tampon coupons.”

“Plus the supplemental entertainment section.” His face relaxes into a smile. “If it’d been a Wednesday, you might have been safe. Here, can I at least help you clean up the glass?” He steps forward.

“Uh…” I hesitate, surprised that he’s offering to do housework. Not to mention he probably has another twenty miles to pedal to finish his route, because who the hell gets newspapers delivered these days?

“I’m sorry, you probably don’t want a strange guy in your house who just broke your window. Trust me, I’m not a serial killer or anything. If I were going to kidnap you, I’d like to think I’d be a lot smoother about the whole thing.”

“Good to know. There’s nothing I hate more than an inept kidnapper.”

His eyes lighten at my response. “That doesn’t seem fair. Shouldn’t you hate successful kidnappers more? There’s the ride in the trunk and the whole ransom debate…it’s probably a real pain.”

“Nah, people love successful kidnappers. Because Stockholm Syndrome.” A smirk tugs at the edge of my mouth. “Shouldn’t you be convincing me to trust you, not defending kidnapping fails?”

“Right. I’m batting a thousand this morning, aren’t I? Sorry again.” He blushes, actually blushes.

He’s like a walking sex dream with close-shaved hair and a cologne-commercial jawline, and I have no idea how a guy can be this hot without a trace of cocky to go along with it.

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Michelle Hazen is a nomad with a writing problem. Years ago, she and her husband ducked out of the 9 to 5 world and moved into their truck. As a result, she wrote most of her books with solar power in odd places, including a bus in Thailand, a golf cart in a sandstorm, and a beach in Honduras. Currently, she’s addicted to The Walking Dead, hiking, and Tillamook cheese.

First Look ~ Shining Through ~ by ~ Elizabeth Harmon

The Biggest Season of her Career…

America’s sweetheart Tabitha Turner is on track to win figure-skating gold in the Winter Games. Her family has sacrificed everything for her career, but the pressure is taking its toll. Burned out and living a lie, can Tabitha let off a little steam without melting the ice?

The Last Chance of His…

Russia’s bad boy of skating Daniil Andreev is determined to prove the toughest thing about him is his competitive fight. When Tabitha tempts him to help her take a secret walk on the wild side, he gives her a taste of the freedom she craves, never expecting that one unforgettable night could turn into something more.

Two Hearts on Thin Ice…

Chicago, Vancouver, Paris… the international figure skating season unfolds. Tabitha and Daniil compete and fall in love, but as the pressure mounts in a make-or-break season, can they set aside their painful pasts and spiral into a shining future together… or will their dreams shatter like thin ice?

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Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different.

A graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in advertising, community journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels incredibly blessed to have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining “what if?” and a loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world. Her debut novel, Pairing Off is a 2016 RITA Award Finalist.

An adventurous cook, vintage home enthusiast, occasional actress, and entry-level figure skater, Elizabeth makes her home in the Midwest, where life is good, but the sports teams aren’t. She loves to hang out on her front porch, or at her favorite local establishments, enjoy good food and wine, and talk writing with anyone who will listen.

First Look ~ Inked Memories ~ by ~ Carrie Ann Ryan

Today we’re excited to give you a look at the SUPER swoonworthy cover of Carrie Ann Ryan’s INKED MEMORIES with you! INKED MEMORIES releases October 31st – check out the cover below and preorder your copy now!

About INKED MEMORIES – available October 31st!

The Montgomery Ink series by NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues when the final Denver Montgomery sibling refuses to fall for his brother’s former flame—the company’s new plumber.

Wes Montgomery watched his entire family fall in love, and now finds himself ready to settle down. Except the one person he seems to find chemistry with is not only his twin’s ex, she also works for Montgomery Inc. But when the two find themselves in one compromising situation after another, Wes realizes he’s having second thoughts about the dynamic woman who’s burst her way into his life. Sure she sets off his temper, but she also makes him hot in every other way possible.

Jillian Reid never loved her best friend like everyone thought she should, so she pushed him away so he could have his future. Now, despite fighting it, she finds herself attracted to the one man she shouldn’t. When her father’s health takes a turn for the worse, and a danger no one saw coming show its face, she’s forced to turn to Wes for help. The two of them have fought off their attraction long enough, and each cave to the desire. But this enemies-to-lovers tale might have an ending no one ever dreamed of.

INKED MEMORIES releases October 31st, 2017 – preorder your copy now!

✦Amazon http://amzn.to/2p0UqOU
✦iBooks http://apple.co/2foEDcy
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✦Google Play http://bit.ly/2pqze65
✦Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/2kz640M

Want a signed INKED MEMORIES postcard? Sign up here!

About Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.

First Look ~ Penthouse Player ~ by ~ Tara Leigh

Title: Penthouse Player

Author: Tara Leigh

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, SWERVE

Series: Billionaire Bosses #1

Genres: Romance

Abandoned by her mother and spurned by her father, Reina St. James is tired of being treated like a dirty little secret. It wasn’t easy making her way into the high-risk, high-reward Wall Street world ruled by financial kings and trust fund tyrants. But now that she’s got a stiletto-clad toe into one of the swankiest firms in Manhattan, Reina is determined to prove she’s more than just a pretty face hiding an ugly past.

For Tristan Xavier Bettencourt IV, escaping the shadow cast by generations of family fortune has been difficult, and success hasn’t come without sacrifice. Tristan has always put business before pleasure… Until Reina’s curved lips prove an invitation he can’t resist.

Walking away from their explosive night together won’t be easy, even if the heat between them might consume both of their careers. Will Reina and Tristan risk everything by betting on each other?

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Tara Leigh attended Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Business School in New York, and worked on Wall Street and Main Street before “retiring” to become a wife and mother. When the people in her head became just as real as the people in her life, she decided to put their stories on paper. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children and fur-baby, Pixie.

Connect with Tara: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

First Look ~ Love Restored ~ by ~ Carrie Ann Ryan

The first book in a Montgomery Ink spin-off series, LOVE RESTORED by Carrie Ann Ryan, was announced on USA Today HEA yesterday, and we’re so thrilled to bring you a first look at LOVE RESTORED today!

About LOVE RESTORED

In the first of a Montgomery Ink spin-off series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan, a broken man uncovers the truth of what it means to take a second chance with the most unexpected woman…

Graham Gallagher has seen it all. And when tragedy struck, lost it all. He’s been the backbone of his brothers, the one they all rely on in their lives and business. And when it comes to falling in love and creating a life, he knows what it’s like to have it all and watch it crumble. He’s done with looking for another person to warm his bed, but apparently he didn’t learn his lesson because the new piercer at Montgomery Ink tempts him like no other.

Blake Brennen may have been born a trust fund baby, but she’s created a whole new life for herself in the world of ink, piercings, and freedom. Only the ties she’d thought she’d cut long ago aren’t as severed as she’d believed. When she finds Graham constantly in her path, she knows from first glance that he’s the wrong kind of guy for her. Except that Blake excels at making the wrong choice and Graham might be the ultimate temptation for the bad girl she’d thought long buried.

Add it to your Goodreads list here!

LOVE RESTORED releases September 13th – preorder now!

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play

Get a sneak peek at LOVE RESTORED:

Graham Gallagher had never craved a cigarette as much as he did just then. It didn’t matter that he’d quit smoking over fifteen years ago cold turkey and hadn’t picked one up since then. He just wanted a damn smoke.

Scratch that.

He wanted a fucking cigarette, a beer, and a willing woman underneath him as he fucked her until they were both spent.

And not necessarily in that order.

Not that he’d get any of that any time soon. Between this new job, the old one they hadn’t fully completed yet, and the rest of the crap in his life, he wasn’t sure he’d even have time for a beer.

And considering it had been a long six months since he’d had a woman under him, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be getting laid any time soon. Him and his right hand had a perfectly nice relationship for now and when he got downright dangerous, he got to know his left.

Jesus, he needed coffee or something at this point if he was thinking about how his left hand would be something different in his life.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and grimaced as he caught some tangles as he pulled it out of the rubber band. He wasn’t sure he’d brushed it that morning, instead just throwing it up in a tie at the back of his head as soon as he’d gotten out of the shower. At least he’d showered, he thought. Considering he’d slept for shit the night before, a shower after sweat-slick dreams had been the only recourse. He quickly ran his hand through it a few more times, getting out most of the rat’s nest and pulled it back up before the owner of their new project showed up and called him a heathen.

Graham sighed, sliding his hand over his beard to straighten it out. Since it had grown past his chin and almost touched his chest if he lowered his head just right, he already looked the part of a heathen to some. Add in the ink covering his body and the piercings only those in his bed could see, he didn’t fit the ideal image of a business man that someone of this caliber would want to work with.

And that was just find with him.

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About Carrie Ann Ryan

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.

Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.