Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely Release Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

 

 

One fiery American woman and one hot British guy? The language of love knows no boundaries…

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the hot, new romance guaranteed to sweep you away while scorching the sheets, WANDERLUST! A brand new, sinfully sexy romance, WANDERLUST is now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

 

 

✮✮✮WANDERLUST is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

From #1 NYT bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a sexy new standalone romance!

The first time I met him, his sexy British accent almost talked me into giving him my number on the spot. The second time, he nearly charmed the panties off me with his wit. Then I learned he’s the key to success in my new job in Paris. The man who tempts me into fling-worthy dirty daydreams has turned out to be my personal translator, and his accent is the hottest thing I’ve ever heard.

My mantra is simple — Don’t mix business with pleasure.

I do my best to resist him as he teaches me how to converse with my co-workers, navigate the metro and order the perfect bottle of wine at dinner. But I also figure out how to tell the charming and clever man what I most want to say — that I want him to take me back to his flat — tonight.

Except there’s a catch…

***

One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure…

And it involves the toughest work ever — resisting the fetching American woman I spend all my days with. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon, we’re spending our nights tangled together, and I don’t want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it I’ll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing…unless one of you is leaving.

 

ORDER YOUR COPIES HERE!

iBooks Kobo Nook Google Play Amazon PB  Kindle

 

 

Click HERE for our 5 SMOOCHES review!

“A radiant love story. Passionate, playful, poignant . . .This is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come and will absolutely be on my top favorites list this year.” – Danielle for Red Cheeks Reads

 

 

✦The audiobook is narrated by Richard Armitage and Grace Grant! ✦

✦Audible ➜ http://adbl.co/Wanderlust

✦Amazon Audio ➜ http://amzn.to/2G8hyXW

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

~JOY~

Forget oysters. Screw candlelight and champagne. A sexy accent is the truest aphrodisiac. I’m talking a weak-in-the-knees, flutters-all-over, fast-track to euphoria.

I’ve tried to analyze precisely why the sound of a man’s words can elicit this reaction in, frankly, millions of women. But when I break down an accent and study it like a chemical reaction, it’s nearly impossible to draw a logical conclusion. The ingredients in and of themselves don’t seem swoontastic enough.

And yet, accents have been known to induce major swooning.

That’s why, in my professional opinion, the sounds aren’t the rocket fuel for the tingles. Instead, it’s the associations evoked. Italian is food, wine, and days drenched in the pleasures of the senses. Australian is the laid-back twang of a surfer. A Southern drawl says a man will take his sweet time. Oh, yes, darlin’, will he ever.

But British? Dear God. A delicious British accent to my oh-so-American ears triggers wave after wave of goose bumps across my skin. My knees wobble. My stomach swoops. My skin heats. All the turned-on centers in my body are cranked to high.

A British accent is James Bond in a bottle. It’s sex, it’s style, it’s sophistication, and it’s the man who’ll find his way out of any jam, save the damsel, and do it all with silver cuff links on.

Wait. Make that platinum.

Charmed, indeed.

That’s why I say it’s a damn good thing I’m moving to a country that won’t be chock full of my personal vocal kryptonite, since I don’t have the time or inclination for distractions in my life right now. Look, I don’t have a single problem with the French accent whatsoever. A hot French man can voulez-vouscoucher avecmoi, if you know what I mean.

But it’s a British accent that turns me to Silly Putty, so in Paris I’ll be mighty fine.

Then, I meet him.

ADD WANDERLUST TO YOUR GOODREADS TODAY!

 

“Wanderlust is the love story to end all! I laughed, cried, dreamed, and hoped. To say I was transfixed by this story is to underrate its power. I am a romantic at heart and this book spoke to me like no other.”
-Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews

 

 

 

 

“Packed with flirty banter, a slow-building, yet scorching hot romance, and characters that are enchanting, voracious, and delightfully unreserved, Wanderlust is a hopelessly romantic, heart-meltingly sweet love story from Lauren Blakely.”
-Yvette for Nose Stuck in a Book

 

 

“Loved this! Wanderlust is a delightful and utterly romantic read.”
-ShawnaLovesRomance

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY!

✮✮✮ Enter to win the ultimate gift for anyone who has a little WANDERLUST! ✮✮✮

This prize pack includes a Kate Spade Travel Bag ($500 value), along with a $50 gift card to Bath and
Body Works where you can pick out your favorite scented lotion, bubblebath or candles.

https://laurenblakely.com/wanderlustgiveaway/

 

 

About Lauren Blakely:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 90 times, and she’s sold more than 2.5 million books. In March she’ll release WANDERLUST, a sexy new standalone romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

 

Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely Review

5 SMOOCHES!

SYNOPSIS:

From #1 NYT bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a sexy new standalone romance!

The first time I met him, his sexy British accent almost talked me into giving him my number on the spot. The second time, he nearly charmed the panties off me with his wit. Then I learned he’s the key to success in my new job in Paris. The man who tempts me into fling-worthy dirty daydreams has turned out to be my personal translator, and his accent is the hottest thing I’ve ever heard.
My mantra is simple — Don’t mix business with pleasure. I do my best to resist him as he teaches me how to converse with my co-workers, navigate the metro and order the perfect bottle of wine at dinner. But I also figure out how to tell the charming and clever man what I most want to say — that I want him to take me back to his flat — tonight.
Except there’s a catch…

***
One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure…

And it involves the toughest work ever — resisting the fetching American woman I spend all my days with. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon, we’re spending our nights tangled together, and I don’t want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it I’ll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing…unless one of you is leaving.

 

REVIEW:

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Lauren Blakely. She has an unmistakable gift for storytelling, and it’s not only limited to the romantic comedies I tend to favor. Her contemporary romances are just as special, and Wanderlust is a shining example of Blakely’s versatility as a romance author.  So while her romcoms have largely topped the list of my favorite books, Wanderlust is, in my opinion, Blakely’s finest written contemporary romance.

This story was magical both in the way words came together so vividly on the page and in the visceral reaction they evoked in me. Blakely’s vibrant descriptions of Paris were so detailed and thorough, she created a captivating backdrop that I easily visualized and effortlessly got lost in it. Through the architecture, the art, the scents and the people, Blakely took me on a trip to Paris, she made me fall in love, and the only thing I was missing was the pain au chocolat. The emotion in this book was brilliantly created and meticulously communicated, and as dazzling as the City of Light was to experience in this way, it was Griffin and Joy’s epic, all-consuming and gorgeous love story that kept me tapping my Kindle screen furiously.

As a romance reader, I am always looking for a story with all the feels, and in this genre, that typically entails a gut-wrenching, angst-filled, heartbreaking tale. Wanderlust stands out from the crowd in that the emotions this story brought forth in me were pleasant, hopeful and happy. Yes, at times those feelings were bittersweet and a bit wistful, and I deeply felt the characters longing and melancholy, but overwhelmingly I was reminded of what it felt like to fall in love. Blakely was able to capture the essence of that feeling spectacularly, and the results were astonishingly accurate making this a truly unique and refreshing reading experience for me.

Quaint, charming, sexy and très romantique, Lauren Blakely’s Wanderlust was an exceptionally well written, radiant love story. It is stories like this that are the reason why I exclusively read romance. Wanderlust was passionate, playful, poignant and three-hundred-plus pages of pure pleasure to read. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come and will absolutely be on my top favorites list this year. If I could, I’d give it more, but five smooches from me for Lauren Blakely’s Wanderlust will have to do!

~Danielle Palumbo

 

BUY NOW:

Hit Girl by Tia Louise Review

5 Smooches

Synopsis

My finest trick?
Making you think I’ve forgotten…

Names on a list.
Faces in a crowd.
One little girl.

He told me to get over it, let it go.
I can’t do that.
I want them to pay.

Every.
Last.
One.

(A STAND-ALONE, second-chance romance.)

Review

WOW! Tia Louise has delivered an intensely amazing book with Hit Girl.  I am a big fan of a strong heroine and Molly was that and so much more. This I believe is a spin-off from The Bright Lights duet but since I have not read those yet (but plan on going back asap) I read Hit GIrl as a complete standalone.

There was so much to love in this book. Tia Louise is a fantastic author and that shines through in the story. IT was incredibly well plotted, the characters had so many levels to them, and the pace of the story made it impossible to stop reading.  I loved Joshua. He was sexy and kind. It was impossible to dislike anything about him.

Overall, this was an excellent book that was equal parts sexy and exciting. Grab your copy now!

~miranda

OFF-LIMITS ROMANCE BOX SET by Ella James Release Blitz

OFF-LIMITS ROMANCE BOX SET by Ella James

Four sexy standalone bestsellers. 99 cents for ONE DAY ONLY!

Off-Limits never felt so good.

 

NOW AVAILABLE! FREE IN KU!

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2FEGRS6

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2IwHcny

AMAZON CA: http://amzn.to/2pfU1KY

AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2GxIQVn

 

 

 

 

☆ CROWN JEWELS ☆

After that close-up of his package on the sailboat in Morocco, TMZ started calling him Crown Jewels.

Not that I keep track of Prince Liam. Definitely don’t stalk him online like my friends do.

I’m out of that scene now. My family’s reality show might still be running, but I’ve been off-screen for a while. When people pass me on the sidewalk, they might squint, but most of them don’t scream “Lucy Rhodes” and ask about my love of Lucky Charms or how my broken toe healed.

Prince Liam—my stalking his Instagram—that’s just for fun. It’s my dirty little secret. Trust me, I’m the only woman in the world who doesn’t actually want him.

Except I’m back in the Hamptons for the first time in two years. I’m at a party, and Prince Manwhore is here as well. I tell myself that smile has no effect on me. That his ridiculous charisma is a parlor trick I see right through.

After our one night together, no one knows that I succumbed.

It doesn’t matter. It meant nothing.

Not until I see those two pink lines.

 

 

☆ THE BOY NEXT DOOR ☆

The boy next door. That’s what he was. Dash Frasier–my hero from the day we met, when I was six and he was nine. His sister was my best friend, the three of us one happy crew. Then one sweaty summer night changed everything.

No one understood me like Dash. No one made me feel so loved. That’s why, when he skipped town, it wrecked me.

Now I’m older. Wiser. I’ve just snagged my dream job, writing at a film studio. The lead animator on my project? You guessed it.

He’s not the boy next door. Not anymore.

I’m guarding my heart this time.

But Dash has secrets that could break us both.

 

 

☆ FRACTURED LOVE ☆

She was my foster sister, her luxurious house the only home I’d ever known. I fell in love with Evie before her doctor parents signed my adoption papers.

They threw me out the day they caught us.

Now I’m Dr. Jones, so far removed from who I used to be, it seems like a bad dream. I tell myself nothing can touch me. Until I see the residency roster at Alpine University Hospital.

There’s only two incoming neurosurgery residents each year. This year it’s Landon Jones–and Evie Rutherford.

 

 

☆ THE PLAN ☆

You’ve heard this story before. Woman feels her biological clock ticking and gets someone to knock her up.

Not for love, for baby.

Crazy, right?

That’s what I thought.

Then I found out my fiancé had a vasectomy. The life I thought I had? Nope. Suddenly I’m 33, and I don’t even have a kissing buddy.

When my mom’s health takes a turn and I wind up back in my hometown of Fate, Alabama, I tell myself to leave things up to…well, you know.

Then I see Gabriel McKellan. He’s Fate’s most famous son, a bestselling author who is beautiful, complicated, and living just below me. In addition to his plus-sized brain, Gabe’s well-endowed in other ways, and great in bed to boot. I would know. He’s my ex husband.

When I suggest The Plan, I don’t imagine that he’ll take the bait. It’s been ten years, and we don’t work. But Fate has other plans for both of us.

Back To The Start Box Set by Aly Martinez Blog Tour

Today we are celebrating the release of BACK TO THE START by Aly Martinez. Back to the Start is a collection of 5 of Aly’s previously released novels. You can get it for just 99 cents for a very limited time!

BACK TO THE START by Aly Martinez

Purchase the ebook on Amazon for .99 cents (Kindle Unlimited)

Synopsis:

BACK TO THE START is a collection of previously released novels by USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez. Each of the five full-length novels is a perfect starting point to dive into one of her sexy, emotional, and twisty worlds.

FIGHTING SILENCE: Sports Romance, Friends to lovers.
RETRIEVAL: Romantic Suspense, Second chance.
THE FALL UP: Contemporary Romance, Celebrity opposites attract.
CHANGING COURSE: Contemporary Romance, Broken hero.
SINGE: Romantic Suspense, Alpha bodyguard.

 

Sign up for Aly’s Newsletter to receive exclusive details!

 

—————————-

 

 EXCERPT

He didn’t budge, but my bare feet slipped, sending me toward the ground. Impossibly fast, Till’s hand snaked out and caught my arm. But I didn’t let his chivalrous gesture douse my fire. I had six months’ worth of words to say to the man I was irrevocably in love with.

“You took what you wanted. Then you left me.”

“Doodle,” he whispered.

I had been perilously close to the edge of insanity, and with one single word, he’d pushed me over.

I lost it completely.

Pounding my fists against his chest, I screamed at the top of my lungs, “It’s Eliza! My name is fucking Eliza! Not Doodle!” I spun to march away, but Till’s arms folded around me, lifting me off my feet to restrain me.

I was miniscule compared to him. There was no use in fighting, but I still kicked my legs, irrationally desperate to get away from him—but only because I knew I couldn’t keep him for forever.

“Stop it!” he growled into my ear. “I know your goddamned name—probably better than I know my own.”

While I was wrapped in Till’s strong arms, six months’ worth of tears fell from my eyes. He carried me to my apartment and guided me back through the window before following me inside. Then he stripped out of his blood-soaked shirt before dragging the blankets down and climbing into the bed behind me. I cried for a while in his arms, even turning to face him, only to cry against his chest. I had missed him so much.

I knew I’d loved Till years ago, but this was more. I needed him in order to function on a very basic level. Together, the world didn’t feel so big and overwhelming. He was my escape—the dream personified.

Till Page was comfortable.

His hands trailed up and down my back as he lulled me until the words fought their way out.

“I couldn’t stop going back,” I announced in a broken whisper. “I didn’t know where you had gone. And for the first time since I was thirteen, I was alone inside my own head. God. It was a scary place.” I tried to joke, but the tears streaming down my face told the truth.

“I’m sorry,” he responded on a sigh. “I couldn’t stay.”

“Why?” I whined, but I curled in closer against his chest, needing to feel him more than anything else.

“I don’t know, Doodle,” he lied.

God! It was such a fucking lie. He knew as well as I did. He just didn’t want to tell me.

“Where did you go?” I pressed further.

There was no way I ever could have expected his answer, but that wasn’t because it was a novel thought. No. His answer was surprising because it was the source of my anguish too.

“The real world.” He kissed my forehead.

———————

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: www.alymartinez.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlyMartinez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyMartinezAuth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoralymartinez/

Newsletter: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t3w3q3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AlyMartinez

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AlyMartinezAmazon

My Way Back To You by Claire Contreras Release Tour

MyWayBackToYou Blog Tour Banner
My Way Back to You by Claire Contreras
Book 2, Second Chances Duet
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: March 15th, 2018

The emotional conclusion of New York Times Bestselling Author Claire Contreras’s Second Chances Duet is NOW LIVE!

MWBTY AMAZON

Love isn’t always about timing.
Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and roll with it.

I admit I wasn’t ready.
I know you don’t want to look at me, let alone talk to me, but please, let me explain.
Let me tell you all the ways my heart broke when you walked away.
Let me show you what our years apart have done to me.

Give me a chance to find my way back to you . . .

MyWayBackToYou-AN.jpg

Read Today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FPVbD1
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2GqcITC

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Ebsb7V

Start the Duet Today!
Then There Was You, Book 1
FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FIhEpF
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2oyQx5X
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2F9urR3
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2BNsV5C

 

 

ClaireContreras

Meet Claire:

Claire Contreras is a New York Times Best Selling Author. Her books range from romantic suspense to contemporary romance and are currently translated in seven different languages.

She lives in Miami, Fl with her husband, two adorable boys, three bulldogs, and two stray cats that she refuses to admit are hers (even though they live on her porch, she named them, and continues to feed them). When she’s not writing, she’s usually lost in a book.

 

 

 

Connect with Claire:

Website: http://www.clairecontrerasbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CContrerasBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Claricon/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ClaireContreras/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ccontrerasbooks/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2BgzLQ0

Back To The Start by Aly Martinez Release Blitz

Today we are celebrating the release of BACK TO THE START by Aly Martinez. Back to the Start is a collection of 5 of Aly’s previously released novels. You can get it for just 99 cents for a very limited time!

BACK TO THE START by Aly Martinez

Purchase the ebook on Amazon for .99 cents (Kindle Unlimited)

Synopsis:

BACK TO THE START is a collection of previously released novels by USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez. Each of the five full-length novels is a perfect starting point to dive into one of her sexy, emotional, and twisty worlds.

FIGHTING SILENCE: Sports Romance, Friends to lovers.
RETRIEVAL: Romantic Suspense, Second chance.
THE FALL UP: Contemporary Romance, Celebrity opposites attract.
CHANGING COURSE: Contemporary Romance, Broken hero.
SINGE: Romantic Suspense, Alpha bodyguard.

 

Sign up for Aly’s Newsletter to receive exclusive details!

 

—————————-

 

———————

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza an

Lyric by Molly McAdams Cover Reveal with Giveaway

Lyric

A stand-alone romance novel in the Rebel series – a Redemption series spin-off

Coming April 30th

Photo: Regina Wamba
Cover: RBA Designs
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Molly McAdams delivers the first captivating, stand-alone novel in her REDEMPTION series spin-off—the REBEL series . . . 
I’m not the kind of girl you forget.
I wish I was.
I wish I was normal.
That I could blend into a crowd. Have a future with the man I’ve loved my entire life…
Maxon James understands me in a way others can’t.
For as long as I can remember, he’s vowed that one day he would claim my wild, rebel heart. God knows I wanted him to try. I wanted the life he promised me in his lyrics.
But his assurances couldn’t change the past, and the infamous mafia blood in my veins guarantees my heart can’t be claimed.
Somewhere along the way, I slipped. I let myself believe we could have it all. Now a dark, menacing shadow hovers between us, mocking us for daring to hope for a normal future.
And it’s come to collect on a blood oath.
My name’s Elizabeth Borello—Libby for short. Don’t worry about forgetting it… He hasn’t.

Giveaway

Win a $25 Gift Card

Molly grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. When she’s not diving into the world of her characters, some of her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and long walks on the beach … which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes. She has a weakness for crude-humored movies and fried pickles, and loves curling up in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm … or under one in a bathtub if there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.

 

Subscribe to Molly’s newsletter today!

Molly’s Website

Molly’s E-mail

Molly’s Facebook Page

Molly’s Amazon Page

 

Outcast by Jamie Schlosser Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

 

Title: OUTCAST
A Good Guys Novel
Author: Jamie Schlosser
Genre: New Adult/College Romance
Release Date: March 15, 2018
Blurb
KAYLA
My infatuation with Ezra Johnson started how all obsessions begin—with a simple
crush. Over the years I silently soaked up every shy smile and random act of
kindness, wrestling them away to a secret place in my heart meant for
unrequited love.
Because if it wasn’t for the fact that I tutor him once a week, I’m pretty sure
he wouldn’t even know I exist.
Then I find his sketchbook.
And it changes everything.

EZRA
There are two certainties in my life: I’ve been in love with Kayla Reynolds
since I was fourteen, and I can’t have her.
I’ve spent years settling for a two-dimensional fantasy world, capturing her
beauty with a pencil and paper. She’s kind, smart, gorgeous…
And she belongs to someone else.
Or so I thought.
An interesting turn of events makes me realize things aren’t always how they
appear on the outside, and now I’ve got my chance to be the man she deserves.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been called a loser. The cripple. An
outcast.
But maybe—just maybe—this time the good guy won’t finish last.

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
PROLOGUE
Four Years
Ago
EZRA
In all my
fourteen years, she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.
She was a
new student, and from the teacher’s brief announcement I learned she was
originally from Cleveland. When Mr. Marks asked her to stand in front of the
class and introduce herself, her hands anxiously twisted together as she
quietly let out the name I’d say in my head thousands of times over the next
several years.
Kayla Reynolds.
She was a
tiny thing in a gray T-shirt, skinny jeans, and Chucks. Skin the color of
coffee with a healthy dose of cream, light green eyes, full lips, and her hair
was red. Not fiery-red—a deep auburn that reminded me of my favorite kind of
sunset.
The color
of the wild ringlets seemed out of place with her caramel skin, and it was like
all her features had been put together with a bunch of mismatched pieces.
The unique
combination was stunning.
Gorgeous.
I couldn’t
stop staring.
Hushed
whispers filled the classroom. I wasn’t the only one studying the new girl.
Heyworth, Ohio wasn’t the most diverse town, and Kayla’s distinct
characteristics made her stand out like a candle in the dark.
Awkwardly
shifting from one foot to the other, she sent a pleading look to our teacher.
“You can
take a seat,” he told her, and she shuffled to the empty desk in the front row,
just diagonal from me.
Obviously
uncomfortable, she quickly glanced around before looking down at her clasped
hands.
I felt bad
for her.
It was hard
enough coming to a new town, but freshman year started two weeks ago. Everyone
had already gotten time to get acquainted and, truth be told, most of us had
been in the same grade since kindergarten.
And now
here she was, unfamiliar and different.
Painfully
pretty.
The kind of
pretty that made hearts hurt with longing or jealousy. Longing for those who
wanted to be with her, and jealousy
for the ones who wanted to be her.
Both could bring out a darkness we all had somewhere deep inside.
I was in
the former category but instead of letting it bring me down, I felt my heart
lift a little. Usually school was hell for me, but the thought of seeing her
every day made it a little more bearable.
The buzz
around us continued as our peers blatantly discussed the most interesting thing
to happen in our grade for a long time. I didn’t hear all of what they said,
but caught the words “Carrot Top” and “Chia Pet.”
Why did
people have to be such dicks? I should’ve known it wouldn’t take long for them
to pounce.
Suddenly, I
wanted to tell everyone to stop gawking and mind their own fucking business.
Anne’s
blond hair almost smacked me in the face as she whipped her head toward the new
girl.
“So, what
are you?” Leaning to the right, she giggled as she pulled at a strand of
Kayla’s hair. “Like, are you Hispanic or something?”
I narrowed
my eyes at the rude girl in front of me.
“Um, I
don’t know,” Kayla responded, squirming away from the hand petting her head. “I
was adopted.”
“I heard
she has two dads,” Abby, Anne’s best friend, whispered loudly from somewhere
behind me. “Gay dads.”
Snickering
broke out among the class. Kayla’s delicate hands balled into fists until her
knuckles turned white.
Fury
ignited in my chest.
I’d never
stood up for anyone before, not even myself. I wasn’t witty in the heat of the
moment. I always thought of the best comebacks hours after it would’ve been
useful. I didn’t know the first thing about defending someone.
But I
couldn’t do nothing.
Just as I
started to stand—with zero plan in place—a heavy hand landed on my left thigh
and my leg buckled. I dropped back in my seat with a grunt as pain shot through
my knee.
“What do
you think you’re doing, Slug?” AJ sneered.
I bristled
at the awful nickname. Not slug as in slugger,
a baseball champ. Slug like the fat, slimy, slow-moving lumps that came out
after too much rain.
“Uh—um—”
“Uh—uh—uh,”
he mocked with a laugh. Then his tone turned deceptively kind as his hand left
my throbbing leg. “Hey, you know what you should do?”
Instead of
a response, I gave him a skeptical glare.
There was
one word for AJ Nelson: bully. Okay, there were a lot of words for him, but
none of them were nice.
“Blush,” he
barked out the command, and my cheeks flared against my own will. I knew if I
looked in the mirror, I’d see a bright red flush all over my face.
The worst
part about being made fun of wasn’t the hit to my self-esteem. It wasn’t
feeling unloved or unpopular. It wasn’t even knowing so many of my peers stood
by and watched it happen, silent and unwilling to intervene.
It was the
humiliation of being put in my place. The degradation of being constantly
reminded that my body betrayed me. That I wasn’t in control; they were. And
people like AJ took every opportunity to let me know it.
Embarrassed,
I dipped my head so no one would see, but it was too late. The new girl had
rotated in her seat, looking over her shoulder at me with so much empathy, it
only made the heat in my face worse.
She offered
a timid, yet brave smile. “Hey, what’s your name?”
“You can
call him Slug,” AJ supplied, and she gave him a fierce scowl.
Before I
could form a response, a booming voice came from the back of the classroom.
“Yo, Kayla.
Come sit next to me.”
I turned to
see Gavin, the star linebacker for our football team. Dude was a beast.
Freshmen never got put on the varsity team, but the coach had made an exception
for the 6’4”, 210-pound giant. He was a nice guy, though. Soft-spoken and
polite. He mostly kept to himself, so it was unusual for him to make such an
outburst.
Mr. Marks
cleared his throat. “That’s not Kayla’s assigned seat, Gavin.”
He gave the
teacher a hard stare. “It is now.”
Kayla’s
wide eyes bounced back and forth between the two until Mr. Marks waved his hand
in permission.
After
gathering her books, she trudged to the back row. Gavin gave a gentlemanly bow
before pulling out her seat. The frown on her face was replaced with a grin,
and a bolt of jealousy shot through me because I couldn’t be the one to protect
her.
Even if AJ
hadn’t been in my way, I would’ve fumbled over my words. I wasn’t intimidating.
I wasn’t commanding.
I was Ezra
Johnson, the cripple.
And that
was why a girl like Kayla Reynolds would never be interested in a guy like me.
Her gaze
briefly met mine before Gavin snagged her attention away. Tipping his head
toward her, he whispered something I couldn’t hear, and she giggled.
“Guess we
know who’s getting some from the new girl,” AJ remarked crudely, earning a few
laughs.
And there
was nothing I could do about it. If I told him to shut up, he’d just remind me
how powerless I was.
My chest
burned with anger as I opened my brand-new sketchbook to the first page and
started to draw.
As Mr.
Marks droned on about American history, my pencil moved over the paper. I
didn’t need to look at my subject to get the details right; the image of her
was etched into my mind.
Her
heart-shaped face. The slight upturn of her nose. Plump lips. Corkscrew curls.
After I was
satisfied with the rough outline of her beautiful features, I wrote the first
of many letters she’d never see.
Dear Kayla,
Today is the best and worst day of my life. The
best, because I found out love at first sight really does exist. The worst,
because I had to watch someone else be your hero.
Author Bio

 

Jamie Schlosser grew up on a farm in Illinois surrounded by
cornfields. Although she no longer lives in the country, her dream is to return
to rural living someday. As a stay-at-home mom, she spends most of her days
running back and forth between her two wonderful kids and her laptop. She loves
her family, iced coffee, and happily-ever-afters.
Author Links

Sweet Little Thing by Abbi Glines Release Blitz

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Sweet Little Thing - About the Book

Sweet Little Thing IBOOKS The day her mother passed away, Beulah was left with one name. That was it. No other explanation.

Portia Van Allan was not someone Beulah could believe her mother had a friendship with. Wealthy, self-absorbed and other than the fact Portia was supplying special care for Beulah’s sister, Portia was cruel.

The day Portia’s son returns home for the summer, Beulah soon finds that Portia isn’t in charge. This isn’t her home at all. Her late husband left her with nothing. It was all left to their son who doesn’t seem to like his mother at all.

Jasper Van Allan doesn’t know why his mother has hired a young gorgeous blonde to take care of the house and he is almost ready to let her go when he finds out just why she’s working for his mother.

Realizing Beulah is more than a stunning face he gives her a chance then soon offers her a job at his office just to be near her all the time. It’s all falling into place. Making sense… when the real lies, the dark secrets, and the skeletons come tumbling out of the Van Allan closet. Twisted truths that will make Jasper loving Beulah impossible. And send her running…

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Portrait of a beautiful blonde girl lying on a white bed

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Sweet Little Thing - About the Author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.

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