THE ROCKER’S MUSE, a brand new slow-burn, forbidden, age gap rocker romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Ward, releases August 26th! Check out this cover!

Title:  THE ROCKER’S MUSE
Author:  PENELOPE WARD
Genre:  STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Cover Design:  LETITIA HASSER, RBA DESIGNS
Photo: BRENNEN MCMURRAY
Model:  LEVI STOCKE
Release Date:  AUGUST 26, 2024

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE novel…

No one but me knew why I was actually in the California desert that day.

Nestled deep within the desolate, rocky area was a recording studio.

When a door suddenly opened, a man mistook me for someone he was supposed to be interviewing for a job.

The next thing I knew, I was whisked inside.

The position? An assistant on the upcoming tour for one of America’s most famous rock bands.

Pretty exciting opportunity for a twenty-two-year-old, just out of college.

Not surprisingly, I bombed the interview.

When I ended up mistakenly walking into the men’s room on my way out, I struck up a conversation with a stranger—not realizing it was the lead singer, Tristan Daltrey.

He seemed to like the fact that I had no idea who he was, that I saw him as a normal person.

That night, I got a call offering me the job.

So began my complicated story with Tristan.

Millions of women loved him.

Yet for some reason, after the shows, he only wanted to hang out with me.

Late-night talks. Casual dinners in his hotel room.

I wasn’t supposed to be fraternizing with the band’s frontman.

Despite our fifteen-year age difference, Tristan and I had a connection.

But I had a secret.

One that would eventually lead to my leaving the tour.

And one that would lead Tristan and the band straight to the small town where I came from.

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About Penelope Ward:

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

Find Penelope here:

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Stay up-to-date with Penelope by signing up for her mailing list!

THIRST TRAP, an all-new suspenseful romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author, Lani Lynn Vale, is available now!

Scroll down for an exclusive excerpt!

He tried to stay away from her. But the heart wants what the heart wants…

Toxic: very harmful or unpleasant in an invasive or sinister way.

One word. Two consonants. Five letters. Two people.

Quinn James Carter met Solei Shayne Rodriguez his senior year of high school.

At first, he tried to stay away from her. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and if there were two people in this world who were meant to be together, it was Shayne and him.

Sadly, life doesn’t work out like you plan.

A single, brash, knee-jerk reaction has them both deciding that their relationship is never going to work. A cop and a notorious criminal’s sister can’t have a happily ever after, can they?

Consequently, they go their separate ways.

They live their lives.

And time after time, they come right back to each other, giving the term ‘toxic relationship’ a new meaning.

Anger, jealousy, hurt, and pain run hand in hand with their persistent need to stay in each other’s lives, no matter if it’s in a healthy way or not.

But eventually, time catches up to them.

Fate decides their path for them, and one of them has to wind up nearly dead for them to admit that they can make it work if they want to. They only have to try.

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EXCERPT:

I clocked her the moment she walked in the room.

“Who. Is. That?” I said to no one in particular.

The table holding my brothers collectively turned to look at who I was talking about, and a few of them drew in deep breaths upon the sight of her.

“That’s Shayne Rodriguez,” Quincy announced as he turned around.

“That’s the girl Ande’s been talking about for ages.”

It was second semester of my senior year.

Our sisters, Addison and Ande, were three years younger than us.

Though, technically, they were more like two-and-three-quarter years younger than us, but three was easier to say.

“That’s the gang leader’s sister?” I felt my stomach drop.

Out of all the people who could’ve walked into this place and caught my eye, I had to be intrigued by the gang leader’s sister?

My mom was going to kill me.

My mom and dad were both cops for Dallas Police Department.

My grandfathers were, too.

If there was a single person in this school I didn’t need to be hanging out with, it would be her.

My mom had already had a serious talk with Ande as she spoke to her about the dangers of being associated with Shayne but Ande hadn’t listened.

Apparently, they were soul mate best friends, and it didn’t matter what we said to her. They would remain best friends because that was just how it was going to be now. No matter who she had to piss off in the process.

“How do you know who she is?” my brother, Auden, asked.

Auden was younger, but didn’t look it.

We were all the same size and build, though that was likely due to our parents’ inability to allow us any free time. When we weren’t playing sports, we were outside working. When we weren’t doing chores, we were actually working.

Speaking of work…

“Hey, Quincy, can you take my shift today at the video store?” I asked.

“I have a paper due.”

“I’ll take it if you write mine, too.” Quincy shrugged.

“Deal,” I said as I gathered my trash and headed toward the exit.

After dropping the remnants of my lunch off into the trash can by the door, I left, only looking once over my shoulder as I did.

My eyes connected with those of the newcomer.

Momentarily, I was stunned by her light gray eyes.

They were something out of a magazine, or a freakin’ movie.

They looked almost unreal.

And her hair.

It was long, black, thick, and straight, coming to a stop somewhere right above her hips.

Hips that went on for days.

She gave the perfect example of pear-shaped.

Great breasts, curvy legs and ass.

She was the epitome of pin-up model perfection.

But she looked at me like I was a new and interesting bug that she hadn’t quite figured out yet.

I hesitated in the doorway, staring at her, temporarily forgetting my parents’ warnings. However, just as I had the thought of going back inside, she turned away from me and gave me her back.

Maybe I’d imagined everything…

About Lani Lynn Vale:

Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown, in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.

Connect with Lani:

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THE UNRAVELING, a chilling, sizzling and addictive thriller from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Vi Keeland, is available now!

Scroll down for an excerpt!

This isn’t a love story.

It’s a story about obsession…

This isn’t a love story.

It’s a story about obsession.

You’ll assume you know who the object of the obsession is.

The psychiatrist concealing the twisted connection she has to her patient.

Or maybe her patient isn’t as innocent as he seems.

But more than one person hides a secret.

To what lengths will desire and grief drive a person?

Stop guessing. Let the mystery unravel.

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Narrated by Courtney Patterson & Aiden Snow

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EXCERPT:

I pull off a glove to pick up the paper cup and let the warmth seep in through my skin as I scan the room for an open table. There’s only one, near the front of the shop, looking outside. It gives me something to focus on, at least. People swarm the sidewalks, tourists gaping up at the tall buildings with shopping bags in hands and locals grumbling as they’re forced to weave through them. Hundreds of people come and go in only minutes. It’s a sea of ambiguity, face after face after face, until they all start to blur.

But then . . . there’s a flash of familiarity. A face I know in the crowd.

I lean forward, ignoring the table digging into my ribs as I stare at the man. My hand comes to my chest when recognition turns to dismay. And my heart gallops off wildly.

It can’t be him.

Can it?

Olive skin, dark beard, lean build. He smiles—lips curled up as he talks into his phone. Then laughter, the sort that rocks his whole chest as he tilts his head up, smiling at the sky. This man wouldn’t laugh—couldn’t laugh. After all, he’s been through worse than I have.

I squeeze my cup too hard and coffee sloshes over the edges, scalding my hand. Pain radiates across my skin, and I look down at my pink flesh.

It feels good. The sting floods me with an odd sense of relief.

It’s not a normal response. I’ll probably spend hours overanalyzing it at some point. But right now . . . my attention is back to the window. He’s way more interesting.

I’m out of my chair, dumping my barely touched coffee into the nearest garbage, and through the jangling door in seconds. The man strides down the sidewalk, walking between gaps in pedestrians, making it easy to track him. Easy to—I jolt forward—follow him.

It’s akin to following a ghost.

Except he’s not the one who died.

They are.

We are stuck here. In limbo.

Me. And him.

Gabriel Wright. The last time I saw him, I felt almost exactly as I do now. Numb. Distant. Unbelieving. That night.

About Vi Keeland:

BENEATH THE DESERT SUN, a new adult romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, Kaylee Ryan, and USA Today Bestselling Author, Lacey Black, is coming July 30th! Check out this gorgeous cover!

Title:  BENEATH THE DESERT SUN
Series:  NEVER TOO FAR (#2)
Author:  KAYLEE RYAN & LACEY BLACK
Genre:  CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Cover Design:  THE BOOK COVER BOUTIQUE
Release Date:  JULY 30, 2024

Faith

Graduating from college is bittersweet. I’ve accomplished my dreams, obtained my teaching degree, and am ready to find my dream job. However, I never realized how difficult or stressful it would be to find a position.

That’s why I jump at the chance to visit Chad, one of my best friends, on base in California.

It was meant to be two weeks of catching up and putting all thoughts of job hunting out of my mind. Little did I know those two weeks would change my life and alter the course we were both on.

Chad

The day she agrees to join me in California is one of the happiest days of my life. Having her with me gives me the taste of home I’ve been craving, but deep down, it’s more than that. She’s important to me, more than just my friend, and my closest friend’s twin sister.

Spending my nights with her has done nothing but reinforce this feeling I get when I’m with her. I know we said we’d keep things light, but she’s making it so damn hard not to want more.

Then I get stationed overseas. Everything changes in the blink of an eye, and I’m not just talking about our jobs or the fact we’re suddenly thousands of miles apart. Call it fate or destiny or just pure luck, but it’s beneath the desert sun that finally our future becomes clear.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Kaylee Ryan:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.

Connect with Kaylee:

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Lacey Black:

Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading and writing. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.

Connect with Lacey:

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SO THIS IS WAR, a new age-gap, roomies-to-lovers, forbidden workplace/hockey romance from USA Today Bestselling Author, Meghan Quinn, is out now!

Scroll down for an excerpt!

I would give up anything to claim her as mine–too bad she’s my coach’s daughter…

Did I think I was going to fall for my coach’s daughter?

The answer would be no.

I’m still unclear on how I got into this predicament in the first place. A year ago, I was a man with one thought on his mind, the redhead I met at a hotel bar. Twelve months later, I found her.

Unfortunately for me, she not only happens to be my very off-limits coach’s daughter, but also . . . my new assistant and roommate.

I don’t even need an assistant, but Coach Wood doesn’t take no for an answer. Add in him writing up tasks for his daughter, Wylie, to complete for me? Well, it’s his own form of sweet torture. We are talking tasks that I would never ask her to do.

Tasks that make her despise me.

Hate me.

That make her utter four words that cause a shiver to crawl up my spine . . . Posey, this is war.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

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Full-cast narration featuring Teddy Hamilton, Emma Wilder, Jason Clarke, Connor Crais, Vanessa Edwin, JF Harding, Stella Hunter, Erin Mallon and Kelsey Navarro-Foster 

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“…an irresistible romance filled with heart, humor, and heat.” ~Danielle, Red Cheeks Reads

Check out Danielle’s 5 SMOOCHES review!

EXCERPT:

She crosses one beautiful leg over the other and casually says, “Well, I saw it in the cafeteria, and I thought it was up for grabs. I made myself a few sandwiches. I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was yours.”

The world stands still as I blink a few times, my brain catching up with her words, processing them, sitting deep in the wrinkles of my cranium, stirring and festering . . . and dipping me right into a frenzied tailspin as my ears boil and my pulse pounds through my veins.

She can’t be . . .

No.

There’s no way.

“Hold on . . .” I take a deep breath, trying to make sure my voice doesn’t come out shaky. “You . . . you like bologna sandwiches?”

“Love them,” she answers with a smile.

Holy.

Mother.

This is the worst-case scenario out of all scenarios.

This can’t be the world I’m living in.

No, this is a nightmare. Someone punch me. Poke me. Hit me across the face with my hockey stick.

Pull me away from this disaster I’m living because, holy crap, the girl of my absolute dreams, the one that’s been persistent in my mind for a year, the girl who could do no wrong, she likes bologna.

No, not like . . . loves.

LOVES!

Actual tears spring to my eyes as panic races through me.

I’m going to lose it. I have two choices, I can claim her as mine, right here, right now—possibly while she eats a bologna sandwich—or just run.

Run as far away as I can run.

I choose the latter.

“Excuse me,” I say as I bow my head in dismissal and sprint down the hallway straight to my bedroom, where I slam the door and fling myself onto the bed.

I grab my pillow, bury my head against it, and scream again, muffling myself better this time.

After a few kicks to the mattress, punches, and “why mes,” I snatch my phone from the nightstand and pull up a text thread.

Can’t do this alone. Nope.

Need help.

Now.

Because . . . she likes bologna.

She loves it.

I’ve never met another soul who likes bologna. And lo and behold, the woman of my dreams has been stealing my beloved deli meat right from under me.

About Meghan Quinn:

USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.

Connect with Meghan:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  TikTok  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  BookBub  |  Goodreads

Sign up for her mailing list to stay up-to-date with Meghan!

Text READ to 474747 and never miss a new release from Meghan!

SO THIS IS WAR, a new forbidden workplace sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author, Meghan Quinn, is out now!

I would give up anything to claim her as mine–too bad she’s my coach’s daughter…

Did I think I was going to fall for my coach’s daughter?

The answer would be no.

I’m still unclear on how I got into this predicament in the first place. A year ago, I was a man with one thought on his mind, the redhead I met at a hotel bar. Twelve months later, I found her.

Unfortunately for me, she not only happens to be my very off-limits coach’s daughter, but also . . . my new assistant and roommate.

I don’t even need an assistant, but Coach Wood doesn’t take no for an answer. Add in him writing up tasks for his daughter, Wylie, to complete for me? Well, it’s his own form of sweet torture. We are talking tasks that I would never ask her to do.

Tasks that make her despise me.

Hate me.

That make her utter four words that cause a shiver to crawl up my spine . . . Posey, this is war.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Amazon  |  Paperback  |  Audiobook

Full-cast narration featuring Teddy Hamilton, Emma Wilder, Jason Clarke, Connor Crais, Vanessa Edwin, JF Harding, Stella Hunter, Erin Mallon and Kelsey Navarro-Foster 

Add to Goodreads

THE UNRAVELING, a chilling, sizzling and addictive thriller from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Vi Keeland, is coming July 9th!

Scroll down for a sneak peek!

To what lengths will desire and grief drive a person?

This isn’t a love story.

It’s a story about obsession.

You’ll assume you know who the object of the obsession is.

The psychiatrist concealing the twisted connection she has to her patient.

Or maybe her patient isn’t as innocent as he seems.

But more than one person hides a secret.

To what lengths will desire and grief drive a person?

Stop guessing. Let the mystery unravel.

————————————————————-

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW!

Amazon  |  Apple Books  |  B&N  |  UK Links  |  Kobo  |  Hard Cover Edition  |  Audible

Narrated by Courtney Patterson & Aiden Snow

Add to Goodreads

EXCERPT:

CHAPTER 1

We used to look at each other like that. Before you went and messed everything up.

The man wraps a scarf around the smiling woman’s neck, then leans in and kisses the tip of her nose. I force my eyes from the store window and keep walking. Maybe another mile will do it—will clear my head so I can think properly. Figure out what to do with the rest of my day. The rest of my life.

Another block, then two. I stop behind a dozen people at the crosswalk. A woman checks the time on her phone, a child sways under the weight of his backpack full of books, a businessman in a five-thousand-dollar suit spews into his phone about some deal gone bad.

He’s angry. Probably needs therapy. Most of us do. Myself included.

Myself especially.

A teenage girl smokes a joint as she bops along to the buds in her ears. A twentysomething wearing baggy jeans and a T-shirt pretends he’s not freezing his ass off.

One thing stands out that makes them different from me—they all seem to have somewhere to go.

Then again, I probably look like I do, too. I’m good at pretending these days, aren’t I?

But soon they’ll be home with their families or their dog or their video game, and I’ll still be out here walking. Searching for something, though I don’t know what. I still have my wits enough to know that means I might never find it.

Maybe I should get a dog. That would at least give me a purpose for all this walking. Of course, I’d have to feed it. Drag myself out of bed early every morning to take it outside so it doesn’t ruin the carpets. Give it love and affection.

I swallow a lump in my throat. I’m not capable of committing to any of those things. Especially the last one.

Click HERE to finish reading Chapter 1!

About Vi Keeland:

SO THIS IS WAR, a new forbidden workplace sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author, Meghan Quinn, releases June 25th, and I’ve got a sneak peek!

I would give up anything to claim her as mine–too bad she’s my coach’s daughter…

Did I think I was going to fall for my coach’s daughter?

The answer would be no.

I’m still unclear on how I got into this predicament in the first place. A year ago, I was a man with one thought on his mind, the redhead I met at a hotel bar. Twelve months later, I found her.

Unfortunately for me, she not only happens to be my very off-limits coach’s daughter, but also . . . my new assistant and roommate.

I don’t even need an assistant, but Coach Wood doesn’t take no for an answer. Add in him writing up tasks for his daughter, Wylie, to complete for me? Well, it’s his own form of sweet torture. We are talking tasks that I would never ask her to do.

Tasks that make her despise me.

Hate me.

That make her utter four words that cause a shiver to crawl up my spine . . . Posey, this is war.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

Amazon  |  Audiobook

Add to Goodreads

EXCERPT:

**LEVI**

“I want him off my fucking team. Now!”

My testicles shrivel into dust as Coach Wood screams at Andie Lintour, the general manager for the Vancouver Agitators.

Spittle flies off his lip.

Eyebrows are slanted like knives, ready to strike.

And the veins in his neck protrude, making me question if it will be his hands that choke me or the scary, pulsing veins.

“Will, we can’t—”

“He was fucking my daughter! We can do whatever the hell I say.”

Did you wince? Because I did.

I know what you’re thinking. Posey, you’re about to lose your life at the hands of your fuming, spitting, hulking-out coach. And your assessment of the situation is a fair and accurate one.

Because yes, I’ve never felt closer to death than at this moment right now.

To bring you up to speed, yes, I was fucking his daughter.

Yes, it was in the locker room.

Yes, it was out in the open where anyone could walk in.

Was it stupid? Absolutely.

Have I lost my mind? One hundred percent.

Do I have any defense? Not one.

Nope, this was pure stupidity. This was a move by a desperate man brought to his knees.

A weak man.

A man with no morals.

A man infatuated with a woman he can’t control himself around.

“I understand the circumstances,” Andie says in her calming voice, “but we can’t get rid of a player because he was having relations with your daughter. Posey is one of the best defensemen in the entire league.” If I wasn’t so terrified, I’d puff my chest. “He’s under a no-trade clause. Even if we wanted to get rid of him, we couldn’t.”

I’m not sure if I should be grateful for that clause because, at the moment, it wouldn’t hurt to at least escape the darkness of death clouding Coach Wood’s expression.

“Then he’s benched,” Wood says as he looks me in the eyes, nostrils flaring. “Did you hear that, you bologna-loving motherfucker? You’re benched.”

I swallow deeply as I dig my fingertips into the armrests of my chair. Not sure why he had to drag the bologna into this, but I don’t bother asking as the vein in his bald head looks like it’s maxed out on stress. “I, uh, yes, I heard you the first time,” I say, causing him to grow angrier.

“Once again, Will, I don’t believe we can do that. We pay him a lot of money—”

“We do.” Will paces his office, and every time he goes near me, my ass clenches in anticipation of a ninja knife hand right to my trachea. “We pay him plenty of money, so why don’t we just put him on the injured list, say he has a sore toe, and then he can figure out with his agent what he’s doing for next year because he sure as fuck won’t be playing on my ice.”

Now, is Coach Wood being a touch extreme? Some might say yes without any context because who really wants to bench their starting defenseman? It’s not the smartest move as a coach, but the man has a good reason.

And sure, I shouldn’t be taking his side. I should be defending myself and the ability to have sexual relations with anyone I damn well please, but here’s the thing . . . the situation runs a little deeper than what you see on the surface.

It’s more complicated.

I didn’t just fuck some random girl on an arbitrary day in our locker room.

The coach’s daughter was riding me, completely naked, in the middle of the locker room after he struck a deal with me to hire his daughter as my assistant to teach her a lesson.

And before you even ask, no, the lesson was not on the science of how the penis meets the vagina.

It was a tough lesson about life.

So yeah, this really is on me.

**Raises hand** Yup, I take the blame.

Guilty.

The only question is, how the hell am I going to get around this? From the way he spoke so cruelly of my precious bologna, I don’t think offering him a daily sandwich—made by yours truly—is going to mend the severed ties we’ve created.

Nope, this will take a monumental, epic proposal of apologies, especially if I want to stay on this team. Which I do. My boys are here. My life is here.

She’s here . . .

Which means I need a plan.

But I swore I wouldn’t get them involved.

I said over and over again that I wouldn’t use their idiotic advice or poorly constructed ideas, but I think desperate times call for desperate measures.

It’s time to call on the Frozen Fellas.

About Meghan Quinn:

USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.

Connect with Meghan:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  TikTok  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  BookBub  |  Goodreads

Sign up for her mailing list to stay up-to-date with Meghan!

Text READ to 474747 and never miss a new release from Meghan!