COVER REVEAL: My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely

MY FAVORITE HOLIDATE, an all-new fake dating, single dad, billionaire holiday romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Lauren Blakely, is coming November 14th! Check out this cover!

 

 

Title:  MY FAVORITE HOLIDATE
Author:  LAUREN BLAKELY
Genre:  STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Cover Design:  QAMBER DESIGN MEDIA
Release Date:  NOVEMBER 14, 2024

 

 

Wanted: one hot billionaire to pose as my Christmas boyfriend. Must be willing to make my cheating ex jealous when you kiss me under the mistletoe at all the holiday parties. Bonus points if you make him cry. 

To my surprise my billionaire boss is more than up for the challenge of coming down the chimney as my holiday boyfriend. The sexy single dad desperately needs a plus one at a Christmas Eve wedding, where he’s the best man and I’m the maid of honor. 

And since my ex is in the wedding party too, my boss and I team up as a pair of insta-lovebirds for the holiday season, including during the annual week-long Christmas competition leading up to the snowy destination wedding.

But soon staying up late to string the best popcorn balls ever turns into a scorching night in his arms where the chestnuts aren’t the only thing roasting on the open fire. 

Can all these winter wonderland nights seeking revenge turn into the real thing when we return to the office? Or are we destined to go the way of a Christmas tree on New Year’s?

 

 

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About Lauren Blakely:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s cute but spicy. Lauren likes dogs, cake, and show tunes and is the vegetarian at your dinner party.

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RELEASE BLITZ WITH EXCERPT: All Too Well by Corinne Michaels

ALL TOO WELL, a brand new single dad, brother’s best friend, small-town romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, Corinne Michaels, is available now!

Scroll down for an excerpt!

 

 

He holds me like I matter, touches me like I’m cherished and kisses me like he loves me…

 

 

For as long as I can remember, Lachlan West has been my brother’s best friend and the love of my life. Trouble is, he kissed me four years ago and then never spoke to me again.

I was doing great pretending he doesn’t exist until I was assigned to write an article about former college athletes and I learn that the sexy single-dad is my first interview.

Determined to wow my editor with an amazing sportsball piece. (Have I mentioned I know nothing about sports?) I head to Ember Falls, ready to face my fears—and the man I love.

The grumpy quarterback turned fireman wants nothing to do with me or my article. Yet, somehow I persuade him to let me follow him around for a few weeks, and even if he said yes just to get rid of me, I’ll take it.

But the longer I stay in his small town, the more complicated our story gets. The boundaries we set fall to the ground—along with our clothes.

He holds me like I matter, touches me like I’m cherished and kisses me like he loves me.

We both know I have to leave Ember Falls, and he’ll never follow—I only wish I could write a different ending to our story.

 

 

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Narrated by Connor Crais & Vanessa Edwin

 

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“…an angsty, slow-burn romance packed with sizzling chemistry and emotional depth.” ~Danielle, Red Cheeks Reads

 

Check out Danielle’s 5 SMOOCHES review!

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

I walk up to the door and knock.

I can’t imagine anyone actually paying to stay in this place, especially driving a new car.

“Who’s there?” a vaguely familiar feminine voice calls from the other side.

“This is the fire department. Can you please open the door?”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

I jerk my head back. Well, okay. “Ma’am, I need to check on the safety of the electrical panel as well as any fire alarms installed.”

“I see them. We’re good.”

Is this woman for real? I knock again. “Please don’t make me call the police department and have them come.”

I hear a grunt, and then the door flies open only to have me rock back on my heels. It’s been four years since I’ve seen Ainsley MacKinley. The woman I’ve loved for far too long. The woman whose heart I broke, breaking my own at the same time.

For four years I’ve kept away from her, pretending she was still the girl next door who was much too young.

This girl—this woman—is nothing like that image, and it knocks me on my ass.

Instead, Ainsley is slender with curves in every place a woman should have them. Her hair is long, pulled to the side in a braid, and she’s wearing leggings and a crop top with glasses perched on her nose.

Only they don’t make her look dorky. She looks smart and fucking stunning.

“Hi, Lach. Good to see you. Sorry, I’m working and I didn’t know that you were stopping by. As you can see, the place is perfectly lovely and safe. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

Before the most beautiful pain in my ass can shut the door, I push my hand out to stop it from closing. “Why in the hell are you in Ember Falls, and what in God’s name are you doing staying in this shithole of a cabin, Ainsley?”

 

 

 


About Corinne Michaels:

Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.

Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed–reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.

Connect with Corinne:

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Text CMBOOKS to 77948   (*US only due to carrier restrictions*)

 

REVIEW: All Too Well by Corinne Michaels

5 SMOOCHES!

* * * * * * * * * *

SYNOPSIS:

For as long as I can remember, Lachlan West has been my brother’s best friend and the love of my life. Trouble is, he kissed me four years ago and then never spoke to me again.

I was doing great pretending he doesn’t exist until I was assigned to write an article about former college athletes and I learn that the sexy single-dad is my first interview.

Determined to wow my editor with an amazing sportsball piece. (Have I mentioned I know nothing about sports?) I head to Ember Falls, ready to face my fears—and the man I love.

The grumpy quarterback turned fireman wants nothing to do with me or my article. Yet, somehow I persuade him to let me follow him around for a few weeks, and even if he said yes just to get rid of me, I’ll take it.

But the longer I stay in his small town, the more complicated our story gets. The boundaries we set fall to the ground—along with our clothes.

He holds me like I matter, touches me like I’m cherished and kisses me like he loves me.

We both know I have to leave Ember Falls, and he’ll never follow—I only wish I could write a different ending to our story.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

REVIEW:

All Too Well by Corinne Michaels kicks off her new Ember Falls series by delivering an angsty, slow-burn romance packed with sizzling chemistry and emotional depth. The forced proximity between Ainsley, a sports reporter, and Lachlan, a single father, a firefighter and her brother’s best friend, sparks an undeniable attraction that has been simmering since their unforgettable kiss four years ago.

The steamy, heartfelt build-up of their relationship along with Michaels’ skilled storytelling kept me hooked from start to finish. Five smooches from me for All Too Well by Corinne Michaels!

~Danielle Palumbo

 


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RELEASE BLITZ: Pretty Relentless by Lacey Black

PRETTY RELENTLESS, a new slow-burn, single dad, secret relationship romance from USA Today Bestselling Author, Lacey Black, is out now!

 

 

She’s my daughter’s teacher, and that’s the one rule she’s not willing to budge on…

 

 

Ava

My life is content. Living and working in my small hometown of Pine Village is right where I want to be, especially with family and a few close friends nearby.

It’s taken me some time to dig my way out of the negative spotlight I found myself under a few years back, thanks to an old photo from college that resurfaced. That’s why I have rules: no social media, no drinking alcohol in public, and no dating the father of one of my students. Then, Gavin Pierson rescues me from the side of the road.

He’s not making it easy to say no, especially when he flashes that sexy boyish grin of his. The only problem is dating him would be a complication I’m not prepared to deal with, but he’s proving to be relentless.

Gavin

Something calls to me when I’m near my daughter’s shy fifth-grade teacher. I wanted Ava Rutledge when we were teenagers in high school, and now that seems to be the case once again.

However, she’s given herself strict guidelines, and despite the attraction I know she feels, convincing her to take a chance on us could be a challenge. It’s a good thing I’m a patient man. The biggest hurdle we face is the fact she’s my daughter’s teacher, and that’s the one rule she’s not willing to budge on.

I’m going to have to show her how much fun it can be when we break it.

 

 

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“…a completely charming, slowly-burning small-town romance…” ~Danielle, Red Cheeks Reads

 

Check out Danielle’s 5 SMOOCHES review!

 

 

 


About Lacey Black:

USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. 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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REVIEW: Pretty Relentless by Lacey Black

5 SMOOCHES!

* * * * * * * * * *

SYNOPSIS:

Ava

My life is content. Living and working in my small hometown of Pine Village is right where I want to be, especially with family and a few close friends nearby.

It’s taken me some time to dig my way out of the negative spotlight I found myself under a few years back, thanks to an old photo from college that resurfaced. That’s why I have rules: no social media, no drinking alcohol in public, and no dating the father of one of my students. Then, Gavin Pierson rescues me from the side of the road.

He’s not making it easy to say no, especially when he flashes that sexy boyish grin of his. The only problem is dating him would be a complication I’m not prepared to deal with, but he’s proving to be relentless.

Gavin

Something calls to me when I’m near my daughter’s shy fifth-grade teacher. I wanted Ava Rutledge when we were teenagers in high school, and now that seems to be the case once again.

However, she’s given herself strict guidelines, and despite the attraction I know she feels, convincing her to take a chance on us could be a challenge. It’s a good thing I’m a patient man. The biggest hurdle we face is the fact she’s my daughter’s teacher, and that’s the one rule she’s not willing to budge on.

I’m going to have to show her how much fun it can be when we break it.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

REVIEW:

Lacey Black’s Pretty Relentless was a completely charming, slowly-burning small-town romance that captured the magic of a secret relationship. This story focused on Ava, the shy 5th grade teacher, and Gavin, the single dad of one of her students who also had a crush on her in high school. Their chemistry is undeniable, with sizzling tension that built naturally and kept me tapping my Kindle. Ava has rules, though, and she won’t date the fathers of her students, but Gavin is, well, relentless, and so begins their secret relationship.

As is always the case with Lacey Black, her storytelling was both heartfelt and compelling, which made this romance a satisfying and addictive reading escape. Five smooches from me for Pretty Relentless by Lacey Black!

~Danielle Palumbo

 


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REVIEW: The Rules of Dating A Younger Man by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

5 SMOOCHES!

* * * * * * * * * *

SYNOPSIS:

I was the last of my group of friends to find “the one.”

The guys would always tease me that I needed to hurry up and settle down.

But I was in no rush.

Until I met someone worth rushing for.

Alex was one of the weekend volunteers at Ryan’s House—a charity I founded to build housing near hospitals.

Little did I know she was the same person I’d been arguing with over email before the project started. At the time, I’d thought Alex was a dude.

In reality? She was a smoking hot blonde who captivated me from the moment we met in person.

Our chemistry was off the charts, and I fell hard pretty fast.

Unfortunately, Alex insisted I was too young for her. I hated that she felt that way. Because age was just a number.

Not only that, her words didn’t match the way she looked at me—like she was very interested.

I lived for the weekends we’d spend out of town volunteering.  Alex and I side-by-side hammering during the day, while sharing intimate dinners together at the hotel at night.

Eventually, the walls she’d put up to protect her heart began to crumble.

Until fate threw us a doozy that I wasn’t sure we could come back from.

If I’d thought our age gap was the biggest hurdle, I didn’t know anything yet.

Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?

Don’t fall in love.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

REVIEW:

Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s The Rules of Dating a Younger Man is a heartfelt and hard-fought romance that beautifully blends angsty emotion, sizzling sexual tension and the captivating build-up of a charming friends-to-lovers romance. This story follows Alex, the older businesswoman who lost her husband to cancer and in his memory joined with Brayden, the younger managing director of Ryan’s House, the cancer charity project he and his best friends founded in honor of their friend, Ryan, who they lost to cancer.

As they navigate their close friendship and shared mission, their undeniable chemistry crackles with witty banter, snappy bickering and flirty exchanges. This slow-burning romance was both sweet and sexy, and the storyline was plotted and paced perfectly. This reverse age-gap romance was an engaging mix of tender moments and palpable passion punctuated with a surprise twist that made this a very compelling and deeply satisfying read. The Rules of Dating a Younger Man by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward gets five smooches from me!

~Danielle Palumbo

 


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EXCERPT REVEAL: The Rules of Dating A Younger Man by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

THE RULES OF DATING A YOUNGER MAN, a new contemporary romance from New York Times Bestselling Authors, Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward, releases on September 15th!

Scroll down for an excerpt!

 

 

Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?

Don’t fall in love.

 

 

I was the last of my group of friends to find “the one.”

The guys would always tease me that I needed to hurry up and settle down.

But I was in no rush.

Until I met someone worth rushing for.

Alex was one of the weekend volunteers at Ryan’s House—a charity I founded to build housing near hospitals.

Little did I know she was the same person I’d been arguing with over email before the project started. At the time, I’d thought Alex was a dude.

In reality? She was a smoking hot blonde who captivated me from the moment we met in person.

Our chemistry was off the charts, and I fell hard pretty fast.

Unfortunately, Alex insisted I was too young for her. I hated that she felt that way. Because age was just a number.

Not only that, her words didn’t match the way she looked at me—like she was very interested.

I lived for the weekends we’d spend out of town volunteering.  Alex and I side-by-side hammering during the day, while sharing intimate dinners together at the hotel at night.

Eventually, the walls she’d put up to protect her heart began to crumble.

Until fate threw us a doozy that I wasn’t sure we could come back from.

If I’d thought our age gap was the biggest hurdle, I didn’t know anything yet.

Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?

Don’t fall in love.

 

 

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY OR READ FOR FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED!

Amazon US  |  Amazon AU  |  Amazon CA  |  Amazon UK  |  Paperback  |  Audio

 

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EXCERPT:

 

I looked down at my cell and shook my head.

“Why the long face?” My buddy Colby walked back into the kitchen and tossed me the keys to his car. “I didn’t think single guys with no kids and fat bank accounts had anything to stress over.”

I caught the keys. “Bite me.”

He chuckled. “No, really. Is everything alright? You were grumbling at your phone the other day when I walked into the elevator, too.”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Except one of the volunteers on the renovations team for the new Ryan’s House project is driving me nuts. You know how we pick two team leaders to help coordinate things on each job?”

Colby nodded. “One for the mechanics—electrical, plumbing, heating, and stuff, and one for interior design—paint, flooring, fixtures, and appliances, right?”

“Exactly. This dude Alex is the design team leader. He’s driving me nuts with his suggestions. He questions every fixture, appliance, and molding I’ve picked out. Today he wants to change the living room paint color by a shade—a freaking shade. I couldn’t even see the difference between the two paint samples online. Now he just asked if we could meet for dinner tonight to go over a few last-minute changes he’d like to make.” I shook my head. “No way am I doing that. It’s a good thing you clowns are coming up this weekend to help out, because I have a feeling this guy’s going to test my limits.”

Colby made a pouty face. “Awww… Brayden has trouble working with others.”

I shook my head, but smiled. “I don’t know why I tell you shit.”

“Probably because no one else wants to listen to you.”

“Ouch.”

He laughed. “What time you getting on the road today?”

“Probably about two. I need to stop by the office and pick up a project I’ve been working on for a kid. He’s in the hospital upstate again, so I’m going to drop by to visit over the weekend and surprise him with it.”

“What did you make this time?”

I grinned. “You know I don’t give hints about my masterpieces before the unveiling. I told his family I’d come by Sunday. If you knuckleheads are still around, you should join me.”

“Sounds good.”

I held up Colby’s car keys. “Thanks again for the car swap. Mine is too small to fit baseboard heating covers.”

“Anytime you want to swap my ten-year-old, beat-up SUV for your hot little six-month-old Porsche, I’m in.” He grinned. “I’m going to have a good-ass time driving that thing upstate Saturday morning.”

I opened the door. “Don’t get arrested for going a hundred and twenty.”

***

Later that night, I checked into the hotel up in Seneca Falls and decided to go down to the lobby bar for a drink. It was empty, except for a woman sitting alone. She had a drink in front of her, and a full glass of wine sat at the empty stool beside her, so I assumed she must be here with someone. I took a seat along the short side of the bar to give them some privacy.

But damn… Sitting here gave me an even better view of the woman, and she was a total knockout—sandy blond hair, big blue eyes, and high cheekbones that led down to a full set of lips. She might’ve been a few years older than me, but that didn’t stop a rush of adrenaline from giving my body a good jolt.

The bartender walked over and dropped a napkin in front of me. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll take a whiskey sour. Any chance you have Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year bourbon to make it with?”

The bartender’s brows pulled together, and he thumbed to the woman sitting alone. “You with her?”

“No, why?”

He shrugged. “She just ordered the same drink. That brand of bourbon and all.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

I glanced over again and lowered my voice. “She alone?”

“Is now. Some guy sidled up to her when she came in a few minutes ago, but he left pretty quickly with his tail between his legs.”

Alrighty then. “Any chance you guys serve food here?”

“Sure do. I’ll grab you a menu.”

Even though I now knew she was alone, I wasn’t too enthused about striking up a conversation with the pretty blonde. Not after she’d just chased another guy away. But when the bartender brought my drink and she looked over, I raised my glass.

“Apparently we ordered the same drink.”

“Whiskey sour?” she asked.

“With Russell’s Reserve Ten-Year.”

She smiled and held up her glass. “To good taste.”

I tipped my glass to her. A minute later, my phone buzzed with a call from Colby. I swiped to answer. “I hope you’re not calling to tell me you dented my car already.”

“No, but how the hell do you put the top back up?”

“You know the button you pushed to drop it?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s the same button to put it back up. You just need to hold it for ten seconds.”

“Crap. Okay, thanks.”

“Where the hell are you that you have the top down?”

“I got a sitter and took my wife for a drive. The wind in our hair is making us feel young and free, instead of like the parents of two little kids we are, usually in bed by eight.”

I chuckled. “Well, enjoy it.”

“I plan to. Why do you think I need the top up? I just pulled into a quiet rest stop, and I need a little privacy, if you know what I mean.”

“Ugh. Don’t tell me that, dude. I don’t want your bare ass all over my seat.”

“No promises, my friend.”

I shook my head. “God, I hate you. Goodbye.”

After I hung up, the knockout looked over. “I’m not usually rude, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation,” she began. “I once bought a new car. When I picked it up, I found an empty condom wrapper on the floor of the front seat. I made them give me another car.”

I smiled. “My buddy and I swapped vehicles for the weekend. I’m considering keeping his crappy ten-year-old hunk of junk and letting him keep my nice, new one after his ass cheeks have rubbed all over the leather.”

“I think that’s a good idea. Unless…”

“What?”

“What if your friend has a penchant for car sex? I’m afraid that would mean he’s already done it in the one you’re driving.”

I pointed. “Good observation. I’ll just get mine detailed.”

The beautiful woman smiled again, and I found myself wondering if she had lipstick on or if her lips were naturally that color. They were just a little more pink than the fleshy red I’d expect for someone with her skin tone. Or maybe she wore some sort of gloss, because they were also perfectly shiny.

After a much-too-long analysis, I realized I probably looked like a creeper staring at her mouth and diverted my eyes to the menu the bartender had dropped off. Though I still couldn’t stop myself from stealing glances in between reading about the appetizers. There was something compelling about her. It might’ve been that her face wasn’t painted to fake-perfection like most women these days.

A few minutes later, I looked over and noticed her glass was empty. So I took a chance. “Can I buy us another round?”

She bit her bottom lip. “Ummm…”

I held my hands up. “It’s just a drink. I won’t invite myself over to the empty seat next to you.”

She smiled. “Sure. Why not? Thank you.”

I held two fingers up to the bartender. “Another round for both of us. On me, please. And when you get a chance, I’ll take an order of the Mexican street corn chicken tacos.”

“Oh, gosh,” the woman said. “I love Mexican street corn. That sounds delicious.”

“Oh, so now you want me to buy you drinks and dinner?”

She waved her hands. “Oh, no, I wasn’t suggesting—”

I smiled. “I’m teasing.” I looked back at the bartender. “Make that two orders of the tacos, please.”

“You got it.”

“Well, now that you’re buying me food and a drink, I feel obligated to offer you the vacant seat next to me.”

“Oh, no. There’s no obligation, really.”

She grinned. “I’m teasing, too.”

I laughed, but I also got up and walked over to her. “Is this seat taken?”

“It’s not. But I can’t promise no bare butts have been on it.”

“I’ll risk it.” I sat and held out my hand. “Brayden.”

“Alexandria. Nice to meet you, Brayden.”

“You, too. Are you a guest at this hotel, or just came in to flirt with a guy and get him to buy you dinner and drinks?”

She smiled. I liked that she could take a joke. “I’m staying here. You?”

“Same. What are you in town for?”

“I’m volunteering for a charity that renovates houses near hospitals for patients who can’t afford a hotel while they’re getting cancer treatment.”

My jaw fell open. “Are you serious? You’re volunteering for Ryan’s House?”

“You know it?”

“I’m the founder. But once a year, I also volunteer to swing a hammer. This is my once.”

“Really?”

“Let me get this straight. We drink the same drink, both love street-corn tacos, both dislike ass imprints on our car seats, and we’re volunteering for the same project? Do I just propose now? Or should I wait and see if you love candy corn as much as I do?”

Her eyes sparkled. “I love candy corn.”

I covered my heart with my hand. “Alexandria Foster. It even has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

The bartender interrupted our love fest to deliver our drinks. When he walked away, we were both still smiling.

“So you really founded Ryan’s House?” Alexandria asked. “How did that come about?”

“Almost a decade ago, I lost one of my best friends to leukemia. Ryan and I were both engineering students in college when he started treatments. He spent a lot of time in the hospital and became interested in designing prosthetics with more flexibility. We started working on ideas together to pass the time during my visits. After he passed away, I continued with some of the concepts we’d come up with. Long story short, a couple of years later, I got a patent on a new type of prosthetic joint simulator. It’s licensed to most major artificial-limb manufacturers now. I tried to split the profit with Ryan’s parents, but they wouldn’t take anything. So his half goes toward buying the houses we renovate each year for Ryan’s House.”

“That’s incredible.”

I sipped my drink. “How about you? Are you just volunteering, or is there a story behind why you picked Ryan’s House to donate your time?”

Alexandria smiled sadly. “I lost my husband a few years ago to leukemia.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. He was older than me, but still way too young.”

“Is this your first time volunteering, or did you work on another of the houses?”

“It’s my first time. To be honest, I’m kind of nervous about it.”

“What’s there to be nervous about?” I asked.

“I don’t have too much construction experience.”

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll make sure you’re on the good team then.”

“I didn’t realize there was a good team and a bad team.”

“Usually there isn’t. But we split the volunteers into two crews, each with a team leader who coordinates who does what and makes sure we have the supplies and stuff. One of the team leaders is a real pain in the ass, a know it all. He wants to change everything that’s been planned before we even start. He’s definitely going to micromanage his crew.”

“Oh, wow. Okay. Thank you.”

“We usually just count off the volunteers who show up to give each team an equal number. But I’ll make sure you’re in Jason’s group and not Alex’s.”

“Oh. So Alex is the pain in the ass?”

Giant pain in the ass.”

The bartender walked over with our food. It looked as delicious as it had sounded on the menu. Conversation slowed as we dug in, but I enjoyed the quiet with the company sitting next to me. After we finished eating, I turned to ask Alexandria something, but I lost track of what I was saying three words in. Her eyes were that mesmerizing.
“What?” She wiped at her cheek. “Do I have sauce on my face?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, no. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but you are absolutely beautiful. I’m relieved I got to sit next to you because I couldn’t stop myself from staring when I was sitting over there.”

Her cheeks pinked. “Thank you.”

Both our drinks were almost empty again, so I motioned to the glasses. “You want another one?

“I think I’m going to call it a night.”

Disappointment flooded through me. I hoped I hadn’t upset her with my compliment.

Alexandria motioned to the bartender. “Could I close out my tab, please?”

“Sure thing.”

He walked away and came back a minute later. I was still trying to decide if I should apologize. Maybe I’d been too forward?

She signed the check and hopped down from the stool.

“Listen, Alexandria. I didn’t mean to upset you by saying how beautiful I think you are. I apologize if that came off creepy.”

“No, that wasn’t what insulted me.”

That wasn’t? So something else I said insulted you?”

She looked at me a moment. “Such a shame. Because I find you attractive, too.”

“I’m confused. Why is that a shame?”

She shook her head. “Goodnight, Brayden. I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about which team I’m on. I’m happy on Alexandria’s team.”

“Alexandria’s team?”

“Oh. Did I say Alexandria’s team? I meant Alex’s team. I go by both names. Alexandria is my given name, after my grandmother. Alex for short.”

Copyright © 2024 by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

 

 


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Vi Keeland:

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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

 

Find Vi here:
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Sign up for Vi’s mailing list now and be the first to be updated on news and new releases!

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:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Facebook Fan Group  | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Goodreads  |  BookBub  |  Amazon
Stay up-to-date with Penelope by signing up for her mailing list!

 

RELEASE BLITZ WITH EXCERPT: Rent Free by Lani Lynn Vale

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

Scroll down for an excerpt!

 

 

Fuck me for choosing the wrong sister…

 

 

Fuck me for choosing the wrong sister.

Atlas Carter was a protector. He was a police officer, had spent years in the Air Force, spent his entire teen years as a volunteer firefighter.

Being a protector was in his blood.

It was his dream.

So when a woman was in a dangerous situation, it was his every instinct to protect her. To shield her. To watch over her.

Only, that woman had played him.

She’d set him up.

She’d made sure that he only saw her.

Then, when the real woman who should hold his heart, the sister, comes into his life, he doesn’t see past the hatred of her to know that she’s only trying to protect him in return.

He spends the next year terrorizing the woman who’s supposed to be his. When the dust finally settles, and he can see clearly once again, she’s no longer there waiting for him.

 

 

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

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EXCERPT:

At first, I wasn’t too sure what I was looking at when the woman ran toward me.

And the only reason I could tell it was a woman was because of the female curves, and the dress she was wearing.

Her face was battered to the point of appearing like raw meat, and there was so much blood on her blue sundress that I wondered if there was any left in her body.

She ran straight for me, her eyes only open to slits due to swelling.

I got out of my cruiser and reached for the mic at my shoulder. “Victim located.”

I ran toward her in time to catch her right as she fell.

“I’ve got you,” I told her breathlessly.

“He had me,” she said. “That serial killer. He had me.”

Those were the first and last words she said about the serial killer in my presence.

After staying with her for hours at the hospital and having to nearly force her to let me go, I was well and truly worn out. Mentally and physically.

***

I was exhausted by the time I got home that night.

The woman I’d been seeing—who my family would give me so much shit for if they knew—had called me four times over the last hour to find out where I was.

I’d sent multiple texts to her saying that I was caught up with work stuff, but that had apparently fallen on deaf ears.

When I pulled up to my place, I found her standing outside the door with her arms crossed and an angry look plastered across her usually beautiful face.

I didn’t have the energy to deal with her bullshit today.

I truly didn’t.

Emory Cline was a beautiful woman.

Tall, model like, and wispy thin, she had this ethereal appearance that usually hit all my buttons.

Today, though?

I wanted to see the inside of my door as it closed on her face.

“Emory,” I said tiredly. “I’m sorry I missed you today.”

She snorted. “I highly doubt that since you didn’t rush home after you got done at the hospital.”

I felt my eyelid twitch. “I had to go to work and finish the report on the victim.”

She rolled her eyes. “And you didn’t go and talk to multiple female officers, laugh with them, while you did that?”

Was she stalking me or something?

“I try to be nice to everyone I see,” I said stiffly.

And I did.

I wasn’t a mean person like my twin brother, Auden.

See, I had faults.

I had OCD—obsessive compulsive disorder.

In my younger years, I’d had a really hard time making friends because of my OCD tendencies.

As a result, I tried to be nice to everyone, even when they weren’t nice to me.

That niceness had extended to my adult life, and at this point, it was just the way I was.

In addition to the OCD, I also had a sleeping disorder where I liked to sleepwalk to fuck knew where.

That was why I always tried so hard with girlfriends—like Emory—that I should’ve let go a long time ago. I liked to ignore red flags.

That was just the man I was—the man I would always be.

“You are too nice,” she snapped. “That woman didn’t need you there the entire day.”

No, Sage Solomon probably didn’t.

But she’d had no family come to see her, and I’d felt guilty leaving her there all by herself.

After learning that Sage not only had parents who were alive, but three siblings who also refused to come check on her after the hell she’d suffered, I’d promised her I would stay.

I’d also spent a lot of that time googling her family and wondering what kind of monsters they were that they didn’t care what Sage had gone through.

“I’m me, Emory,” I told her. “I’m not going to change.”

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze searching, and nodded her head. “You’re right. You’re not.”

Then she walked out of my life and didn’t look back.

 

 

 


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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Sign up for Lani’s newsletter!

 

RELEASE BLITZ WITH EXCERPT: Embracing the Change by Kristen Ashley

EMBRACING THE CHANGE, a slow-burn, forced proximity, second-chance, friends-to-lovers billionaire romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, Kristen Ashley, is out now!

Scroll down for an excerpt!

 

 

He can’t go there.

She can’t go on without it…

 

 

That Kiss…

Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after.

So long, she’s given up on it and has decided, even though she’s the plus-one friend without benefits to a man she’s head over heels in love with, an HEA will forever be out of her reach.

Handsome billionaire Jamie Oakley thought he’d had two happily ever afters in his life. However, neither lasted long, and both ended in tragedy. He’s not about to try it again or put his children through the trauma Jamie has learned from experience undoubtedly will come their way.

And he’s made this decision even if the woman who’s become his constant companion is a woman he loves straight to his soul….and wants with everything that is him.

But then, one night, Jamie loses control and kisses Nora.

He can’t go there.

She can’t go on without it.

They’ll never be the same.

Or will they?

 

 

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Add to Goodreads

 

 

“A tender yet intense journey from friends-to-lovers…thick with steamy tension and heart-tugging emotion…” ~Danielle, Red Cheeks Reads

 

Check out Danielle’s 5 SMOOCHES review!

 

 

EXCERPT:

His fork clattered on his plate, the sudden sound surprising me so much, I gave a slight jump as Jamie turned fully to me.

“Right, we’re here.”

Oh dear.

I wasn’t sure what “here” meant.

But I was sure I didn’t want to be there.

He carried on. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, and I’ll give you more time, but I do want to talk about it. However, for now I’ll just say, I can have you as I’ll allow myself to have you.”

As he’ll allow himself to have me?

What on earth did that mean?

“And in so doing, I have you,” Jamie continued. “You mean something to me. You’re mine. You’re a part of my life. You’re a member of my family. And I think you know I take care of those I love, Nora. That being the man I am, I cannot countenance this jackass annoying you or taking your time or infiltrating your life in any way that does not involve the children you share. Am I being clear?”

You’re mine.

I take care of those I love.

You’re…

Mine.

Those…

I…

Love.

“Nora,” he called. “Am I being clear?”

 

 

 


About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over eighty romance novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold millions of books.

Kristen, born in Gary and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana and was a fourth-generation graduate of Purdue University. Since, she has lived in Denver, the West Country of England, and she now resides in Phoenix. She worked as a charity executive for eighteen years prior to beginning her independent publishing career. She now writes full-time.

Although romance is her genre, the prevailing themes running through all of Kristen’s novels are friendship, family and a strong sisterhood. To this end, and as a way to thank her readers for their support, Kristen has created the Rock Chick Nation, a series of programs that are designed to give back to her readers and promote a strong female community. You can learn more about Kristen and the Rock Chick Nation on her website.

Connect with Kristen:

Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  Bookbub  |  Goodreads

Sign up for Kristen’s newsletter!

 

REVIEW: Embracing the Change by Kristen Ashley

5 SMOOCHES!

* * * * * * * * * *

SYNOPSIS:

That Kiss…

Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after.

So long, she’s given up on it and has decided, even though she’s the plus-one friend without benefits to a man she’s head over heels in love with, an HEA will forever be out of her reach.

Handsome billionaire Jamie Oakley thought he’d had two happily ever afters in his life. However, neither lasted long, and both ended in tragedy. He’s not about to try it again or put his children through the trauma Jamie has learned from experience undoubtedly will come their way.

And he’s made this decision even if the woman who’s become his constant companion is a woman he loves straight to his soul….and wants with everything that is him.

But then, one night, Jamie loses control and kisses Nora.

He can’t go there.

She can’t go on without it.

They’ll never be the same.

Or will they?

 

* * * * * * * * * *

REVIEW:

Kristen Ashley’s Embracing the Change, an engrossing and emotional new romance, beautifully explores the complexities of a second chance at love. The novel follows Jamie Oakley, a powerful billionaire business mogul, who’s had two great marriages end in tragedy, and Nora Ellington, a NY socialite, living her best divorcee life. They’re part of the same friend group, and as the two remaining unattached people in that group, their friendship has essentially forced them into a close proximity, dating-without-benefits scenario that reignites their long-buried feelings.

Ashley’s natural storytelling is effervescent, with a dramatic storyline and engaging prose. She peels back the layers of Jamie and Nora’s deep friendship and brings their electric chemistry to life with naturally witty banter and a slowly-burning romance that kept me hooked from cover-to-cover.

A tender yet intense journey from friends-to-lovers, Embracing the Change was thick with steamy tension and heart-tugging emotion that made this a completely addictive, deeply satisfying read. Five smooches from me for Embracing the Change by Kristen Ashley!

~Danielle Palumbo

 


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