Friday, November 29, 2019

A Woman's Persuasion by Jeanette Watts (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title









by
Jeanette Watts
ADULT title


What would you do for a second chance at a perfect love?

Anne's privileged family forced her to break off her romance with Freddie Wentworth, an Air Force pilot; they didn't approve. Almost eight years later, Freddie is back in her life. Can they rekindle an old flame? Or is there too much hurt and misunderstanding in the way?






 




Excerpt:

She looked in the mirror at the result of eight years of self-neglect and self-hatred, and she didn't like what she saw. She wished Freddie could have looked at her and seen that she had improved over the years. It didn't even need to be about her physical appearance. If she would have had three Master's Degrees and a PhD to her name, or a Pulitzer Prize, or an Oscar for Best Screenplay, or a byline in The New Yorker, that would have been something. But she had nothing to show for all the intervening years.

She wondered if Freddie had said the words out of spite, calculating that Henry and Louis would repeat them to her, or they were merely said honestly, not thinking that they might get repeated back to her. She could only assume that Freddie expected the hurtful words to reach her ears. Freddie had not forgiven her.

Well, could she blame her? Her feebleness of character, her inability to stand by her loved one in the face of adversity, wasn't something Freddie would respect. Being in a relationship with a soldier in military service took dedication and courage, not weakness and timidity. Anne couldn’t blame her for being hurt, even disgusted. She was not worthy of the love Freddie had offered her.

The eyes that looked back at her in the mirror confirmed what she already knew. She was going to have to change. It was too late with Freddie, but she needed to be a person she could respect. She wanted her self-respect back.



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About the Author:
Jeanette Watts was happily writing historical fiction when she got the idea for her first Jane Austen-inspired novel, Jane Austen Lied to Me. Going to a JASNA event to work on selling that book, she attended a lecture that asked, "Why does everyone rewrite Pride and Prejudice so much more than her other novels? Why doesn't anyone rewrite Persuasion?"

So she had to...









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GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here 





Thursday, November 28, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving!






Image by Graham Hobster from Pixabay


To all who are celebrating...may you have a peaceful and well-fed holiday!






I give thanks for all the blessings I have received this year, and hope that each of you has plenty to be thankful as well. I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to visit my blog and I thank you for your comments and support!




Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay





Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Love and Linguistics by Tara Lain (Spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) EDP ADULT title





(Movie Magic Series, Bk 2) 
by 
Tara Lain
ADULT title




Blurb:

In his neighborhood, El Martin stands out, and that can be life threatening. Against the odds, he’s managed to graduate high school and then master IT. Now he’s desperate to get a good job to free his drunken dad and himself from the control of gang leader M2 and the drugs he sells. But with his piercings and his slang-ridden speech, El looks and sounds like a Bronx gangbanger, and potential employers won’t give him a second look. So when El hears about Henry Fairhaven, PhD, linguistics researcher and wealthy New York socialite, El takes his life in his hands to escape from M2 and ends up sleeping in the stairwell at Henry’s building, hoping to learn how to speak.

To Henry, who wants to prove himself as a scholar and not merely a rich dilettante, El isn’t only the most beautiful man he’s ever seen—he’s also the key to getting a paper published on Henry’s ground-breaking linguistics methods before a competitor beats him to the punch. But Henry doesn’t tell El the truth, and El thinks Henry’s helping him because he cares.

El’s dreams collide with Henry’s ambitions at the elegant Met Gala, where El captivates a prince of Silicon Valley. But the real collision comes when M2 tracks El down and Henry has to choose between the validation he craves and a future with the man he’s come to love.









Available for Purchase at


About the Author


Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her best-selling stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes — the beautiful boys of romance —  and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers. She also loves to hear from you.   


You can find Tara at Lain


Presented by





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My review:




4.5 stars


“Love and Linguistics” by Tara Lain is a contemporary gay romance story that follows El Martin as he struggles to break free of the shackles of his background as a gangbanger. Being chosen by noted linguistic researcher Henry Fairhaven as his next project makes El dare to hope that he may be able to create a new life—if he can avoid betrayal and stay alive.

This second story in the ‘Movie Magic Romances’ series is a sweet and sexy retelling of the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story with a multicultural flavor. I love the twists on beloved scenes from MFL (and spent much of the story humming several songs from the original musical, lol). The author did her usual great job of creating characters who grab our hearts and make us root for their happy ending. Even though I knew what to expect, I was still disappointed by the heedless disregard of poor El after his triumph. The hint of danger added to the allure of this story and I was kept spellbound until the exciting end. A fun and entertaining tale!


A copy of this story was provided for review


Monday, November 25, 2019

When You Close Your Eyes by Roxanne D. Howard (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title



by
Roxanne D. Howard

ADULT title




Dreams are the perfect shelter for fantasies, safe havens to step inside without changing our daily lives. For Lark Braithwaite, all that is about to change. During the last six months, Lark has dreamt of a mysterious Irish lover who knows what she wants and gives her exactly what she needs. In her waking life in busy London, things aren't as ideal as her long-term relationship with her controlling fiancé Charles has hit a dry spell.

When Lark is called home to Oregon for her father's funeral, she comes face to face with the demons from her past, but she never expects to meet her dream lover in the flesh. Niall O'Hagan steps straight out of her fantasies and into her life, and the powerful connection they share rocks her foundation. Although she's dealing with the bitterness of her fiancé's betrayal and his jealousy, Niall soon stirs Lark's awareness of her superficial existence and reawakens her sexuality....and her soul.


From PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY:
"Howard (The Longer They Last) explores the concept of fated love in this skillfully woven contemporary erotic romance. Lark Braithwaite, an American in London, is living with her British fiancé, Charles Chase, when she starts dreaming of a sexy mystery man with an Irish brogue. After Lark gets word that her estranged father has died and she returns to her Oregon hometown for the funeral, she meets the dream man in the flesh: he's her parents' widowed lawyer, Niall O'Hagan. Lark quickly falls in love with Niall, struggling to decide whether she should follow her heart or the commitment she's made to her fiancé-a decision that gets easier when Charles shows his true and ugly colors... Explicit sex scenes crackle with heat, and Howard's characters invite readers to come in and get lost on the pages with them as the plot hurtles toward a shocking, but not unbelievable, climax involving Lark's father's past and her future. Erotic romance fans will devour Howard's suspenseful and heart-filled story."

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Excerpt

If the kiss had stayed careful and guarded, she might have continued to question it. But the blindfold disappeared. She’d fallen asleep. Her eyes flew open, and he was there. Oh, my God. He was there! Heated eyes watched her. Rakish dark hair fell over his forehead as he breathed hard, and the morning sun lit up the world behind him. She shuddered and took a deep breath to speak, but his hands moved to cup her face. He held still and closed his eyes as his lips took her mouth. Right then and there, she knew with crystal clarity this was real. This was the weight of a real man on top of her, clothed. He smelled citrusy and freshly laundered. What in the hell is this?

How did he get here? He was only her dream lover.

Or was he?

Confused beyond all comprehension, Lark didn’t have any time to contemplate a single thing. His lips delivered a breath-stealing, soul-shattering kiss, and then they were all over each other. This, ah, this she knew. Lark hooked her ankle over his, put a hand on his shoulder, and tried to rid him of his jacket as she drew him closer. She fisted his hair as he devoured her mouth. He tasted the same as her dream lover, and she put her tongue in his mouth to savor more of his tangy sweetness. They both made noises they never had in her dreams, breathy gasps and blasts of air as their mouths met and separated as they sought new angles and depths to their passion.

He made a disgruntled sound as he tried to get more comfortable in the cradle of her hips over the hindrance of clothes. This wasn’t a dream. He nibbled on her lower lip as she opened her mouth to tell him to stop, but then he carried her away in the undercurrent of his large, warm hands, which caressed the skin of her stomach beneath her hoodie and T-shirt. She continued to accept his kisses but pawed her zipped-up sweat jacket. Okay, so she was still clothed. He was rock hard against her, and he ground his hips into her. A disbelieving grunt escaped his lips. Lark shivered at the jolt that went through her.

“Wh— Mmm. Whoa. Stop,” She managed against his mouth. She furrowed her eyebrows and scrutinized him as he breathed in and out. He braced himself on the weight of his hands above her, his bright green eyes bearing into hers. His face was the face of her dreams—the sensual bowed lips and cleft chin, the built body, and the thick hair. His hair… She blinked. His hair was cut at the nape and styled for a day at work. She glanced at his clothes.

“Um, why are you wearing a suit and tie this time?” She squinted against the sunlight. Please, God, let this be a dream. He moved his head and put her in shade.

Amazon


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About the Author:
Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Also, she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek.

Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.








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GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here










Saturday, November 23, 2019

Roxy's Recovery by Kim Breyon (Spotlight, excerpt, and review) ANT




ROXY RECOV FB PAGE




Roxy's Recovery Ebook.jpg






by
Kim Breyon



Blurb:

As the newest veterinarian in the small town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Vaughn Winters doesn't have time for relationships. He is too busy healing injuries and establishing his reputation as a trustworthy vet. But when a strange man waves him down on a stormy night seeking help for his injured dog, Vaughn simply can't refuse.

Obviously homeless and with no means to pay for Roxy's medical care, Vaughn throws caution to the wind and strikes a deal with the hesitant stranger that would allow Roxy the time to heal and provide some much needed TLC to his property as well. As the days pass, Vaughn's curiosity grows. Alex's dedication to the job is as surprising as the sexy tats hidden beneath his rugged clothes. What could have pushed this kind, hardworking man to the streets, or cast such dark shadows in his otherwise bright blue eyes?


Will six weeks be enough time to earn Alex's trust? Or will asking questions cause him to tuck tail and run as soon as Roxy is able?

Roxy's Recovery is a 61k standalone contemporary romance involving two men, a meddling sister, and a seriously sassy pug.




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Excerpt:

I was quickly distracted by how the evening light coming in through the window cast a warm glow on Alex’s face. He had a light speckle of freckles across his nose and under his eyes that I hadn’t noticed before, and I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had ever kissed them before. I certainly would if ever I had the chance.

When I didn’t look away, he gave a soft laugh. “You know, that’s twice in one hour I’ve caught you staring. I’d say it’s a new record.”

I huffed. “Like you even notice how much I check you out.”

 The corner of his mouth turned up. “Oh, I notice, Vaughn. Like every time you peek out the window or slow your steps when you go outside for something? Believe me, I notice.”

 I turned a little crimson. “Whatever. I think you’re hot, so sue me.”

 “Oh, that’s not what I’m afraid of,” he said innocently.

 I blinked, trying to make sense of what he was saying. “What are you so afraid of, then?” I asked, suddenly dying to know. “Because frankly, I’ve been trying to figure you out for a while now. If you’re interested or not, I mean.”

 “I am,” he admitted without thinking before setting his sandwich down and looking out the window. “I just can’t, though.”

The finality in his voice caught me off guard; it sounded less like he was rejecting me and more like he was refusing himself something.

 “Why?” I asked again.

It was a long moment before he replied, his voice low and almost inaudible. “I’m here for Roxy, Vaughn. I don’t want to do anything that would ruin this for her.”

I furrowed my brows. “Ruin what? At making a full recovery? She’s going to be fine. I’ve told you that.”

He still didn’t look at me, idly playing with a piece of bread while he continued to stare out the window.

And then, like a punch to the gut, it hit me what he was truly afraid of.

“You think I’ll kick you out?” I asked, stunned. When he didn’t respond, I tried again. “I would never do that to you, whether or not something happened between us.”

He still didn’t look at me or even acknowledge that he’d heard me, so I reached for his hand. 

“Okay?” I insisted.

After a long pause, Alex shifted in his seat, causing his legs to accidentally squeeze mine under the table. He immediately jerked away, but to my relief, he didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he turned his over so he could link our fingers together and gave me a nervous smile.

 “I was starting to believe that,” he said, his attention on where our skin touched. “But… it helps to hear it.”



Book Links: 



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More from Kim Breyon:

Check out Kim's Against All Odds Series. 







 

Back to You

(Against All Odds, Book 1) 

by Kim Breyon









One of you, one of me…



 As a private investigator, I have a perfect record when it comes to closing cases…as long as you don’t count the only one that ever really mattered to me.

 Even after a decade, the memory of the foster boy I once shared a room with continues to haunt my dreams. For five years, Riley helped me laugh when there was so little in our lives to laugh about. His gentle touch and stormy gray eyes were the only thing that could calm the swirling and turbulent thoughts and emotions within me.

 But in the blink of an eye, the safe harbor my best friend provided was ripped from my life without warning or reason. His unexplained disappearance set sail to a lonely and hopeless journey. Now, I am no more willing to let the memory of my best friend go than I am ready to give up the search for him, as hopeless as it may seem to those around me.

 And then a client asks me to locate a stolen treasure box. Clues have me heading from the city of Atlanta to a small, picturesque town in South Carolina called Reedsport. There, I hope to find the missing box; what I never expected was to find something else that I’d been missing for far too long. Could I have finally found a beacon of hope that would lead Riley Tanager back to me?

Book Links: 

And Then You 

Against All Odds, Book 2

by Kim Breyon

 

 

Love is a risk... but a risk worth taking.

JAKE

I knew my life would change when I followed my best friend across state lines and transferred to the Reedsport Police Department. I just wasn’t prepared for how much.

 From the moment I meet him, CJ Reyes isn’t what I expect, and neither is our chemistry. The fire with him is like nothing I’ve felt before, both in and out of the bedroom. His sexy sapphire eyes are cracking the walls around my heart, and for the first time in my life, I’m not rushing to repair them. But can I trust him with the heaviest burden of all: the dangers of my career?

REYES

After being cut from the national team in Mexico, I’d hoped to get away from it all when I accepted a temporary coaching position in a small town in South Carolina. The reprieve doesn't come, though, thanks to my family constantly breathing down my neck and the uncertainty of my future looming over me.

 Then I meet Jake, whose humor and understanding feel like my only way out of the darkness. Our fiery nights and growing friendship make my loss feel a little less devastating and my future less bleak. But when I'm forced to make a decision that could change my life forever, will Jake see reason? Or will I end up losing something far more valuable than the world championship?

Book Links:

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Dread Pirate Arcanist by Shami Stovall (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT




by 
Shami Stovall


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GENRE: YA Fantasy

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BLURB:

Continue the Frith Chronicles with the second book, Dread Pirate Arcanist!


While protecting the newborn griffins on the Isle of Landin, Volke Savan and his adopted sister, Illia, run afoul of the Dread Pirate Calisto, the same cutthroat who carved out Illia’s right eye. As a master manticore arcanist, Calisto’s strength and brutality are unrivaled, so when Illia suggests they bring him to justice, Volke wonders if they’ll have what it takes to fight the corsairs on the high seas.

A fast-paced flintlock fantasy for those who enjoy How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.

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EXCERPT
Today the griffins of West Landin would choose who to bond with. The city officials gathered before the dawn, prepping for the evening celebrations. I watched from afar on a rocky cliff that overlooked half the isle, the pre-morning winds disheveling my inky black hair. I had never visited the Isle of Landin before now, but I had heard amazing tales of their fearsome griffins since I was old enough to remember stories.
           
My pulse quickened with anticipation. For fifteen years, I had imagined bonding with a mystical creature and becoming an arcanist. Eight months ago it had become a reality, but it hadn’t yet sunk into my heart and gut. Giddiness twisted my insides with each new breath.

While the citizens of West Landin would have to prove themselves to the griffins in a Trial of Worth, I had already been tested and found worthy.
           
I turned to the shadows next to me, well aware that my mystical creature—my eldrin—lurked in the darkness.
           
“Luthair,” I said. “Do you know much about griffins?”
           
“They are stubborn beasts,” he replied from the void of my shadow, his voice more sinister than his true demeanor. “And griffin arcanists are strong, courageous, and skilled at combat.”
           
“Amazing.”
           
As a knightmare, Luthair lived within the darkness, merging with it like salt in water. He didn’t need to materialize to speak, and he could slink along next to me without anyone knowing. While some would consider that creepy or unsettling, I enjoyed his presence and trusted him in all things.
           
I returned my attention to the sprawling city. Unlike the Isle of Ruma, where I grew up, West Landin housed thousands of people, had a massive port, and had constructed a seaside fortress to deter pirates. Their cobblestone roads, twice as wide as home, snaked beyond the city limits to a valley filled with sheep, goats, and horses.
           
When the sun rose, the oranges and reds of dawn cascaded over the island, washing it in a familiar glow. The Isle of Ruma had wonderful dawns, just like this one. The nostalgia overwhelmed me for a moment, so powerful it almost hurt.
           
I missed my adoptive father, Gravekeeper William.







~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:



Shami Stovall grew up in California’s central valley with a single mother and little brother. Despite no one in her family earning a degree higher than a GED, she put herself through college (earning a BA in History), and then continued on to law school where she obtained her Juris Doctorate.

As a child, Stovall’s favorite novel was Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. The adventure on a deserted island opened her mind to ideas and realities she had never given thought before—and it was at that moment Stovall realized story telling (specifically fiction) became her passion. Anything that told a story, be it a movie, book, video game or comic, she had to experience. Now, as a professor and author, Stovall wants to add her voice to the myriad of stories in the world and she hopes you enjoy.

You can contact her at the following addresses.

Twitter: @GameOverStation



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GIVEAWAY




a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here 



************************



My review:




4.5 stars

Dread Pirate Arcanist by Shami Stovall is the second book in the ‘Firth Chronicles’ series and features the continuing adventures of a group of novice arcanists. Volke Savan has more trouble than his peers in learning how to utilize his new powers, especially because he is handicapped by being second-bonded with the knightmare Luthair. His relationship with his childhood companion Illia is tested when she embarks on a quest of vengeance that risks destroying them all.

This young adult fantasy series is fun and fresh and this book is a great addition to the series. Some of the angst that accompanies the interpersonal relationships is a little annoying to me, but definitely reminds me that these are young adults juggling multiple burdens. I love the imagination that ignites with this author’s take on various mythological creatures and the abilities they manifest and the powers their human partners are struggling to conquer. The smart-mouthed rizzel steals the show occasionally, and I am tempted to smack some of the characters but then they redeem themselves.

I think it would be difficult to join this series without having read the first book because there are so many complicated backstories that invest the decisions that are made. Just as in the first book, there are some dangling threads left to keep one anxious for further developments, but I was much less frustrated this time, lol. Do yourself a favor and get transported into a fantastical world and meet a cast of amazing characters who will take you on an adventure unlike any other.


A copy of this title was provided for review

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Invisibles by Rachel Dacus (VBT, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT





by
Rachel Dacus

Sisters Saffron and Elinor inherit a cottage on the Italian coast from their father, along with its resident ghost and a secret manuscript. Their rivalry explodes through a struggle for control of the inheritance.

Saffron has a genius for creative living, but ever since her judgmental older sister interfered in her love life, Saffron and Elinor haven’t spoken. When death brings them together at their father’s funeral in Rome, the battle re-ignites. It continues as they travel up the Italian coast to take possession of their cottage. Both secretly wish to mend fences, but they have opposite views about the best way to live.

Saffron has always sensed the “Invisibles”, people lingering after their demise. When the spirit who lives in the house predicts one sister might die, she takes it seriously, but can’t convince her practical-minded sister.

As they prepare the house for sale, Italy infuses its magic in food, festivals, and local love interests -- until a shocking night changes everything for the sisters and their friends.


A tale of sisterhood and the supernatural, perfect for fans of Mary Ellen Taylor and Barbara O'Neal.



PRAISE FOR THE INVISIBLES

Author Dacus does a superb job bringing the village of Lerici to life, from the smells of the sea to the pungency of the local olive oil, and showing how the Italian way of life changes both women. An enjoyable, romantic read. -- Suanne Schafer, author of HUNTING THE DEVIL


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Excerpt

Michael pulled her down the street. They turned right at the bottom of the hill and onto the beach promenade. Walking alongside the water, today full of white curlicues, Saffron looked up at the green hills. In the clear light, they looked fresh-minted.

The pressure of his hand intensified. “The hidden beach is wild and perfect, he said. “Like you."

Dazzled by this compliment, she walked along, more aware of Michael’s hand than of the wide swath of beach, dotted with beach chairs. The benches were nearly empty, the wind driving everyone indoors.

“Just a bit farther,” he said, tugging her along.

Their speed throbbed in Saffron’s pulse. The hidden cove, they both knew, was a pretext and a preamble—a pre-amble. Excitement tightened her throat, making her breath catch as she trotted beside him. He was so tall and his hand never loosened its grip.

She was going to have an adventure in Italy. His hand kept her locked into it, any doubt falling away.

They came to a sign: “Beach Behind Castle.” A few more signs directed them to a marble arch over a tunnel beneath the building. They darted into the darkness holding hands, the path level, though impossible to see under- foot. They came out at a small, brilliantly white beach. The surf seemed higher now, pounding the shore steadily with dark, frilled swells. “Do people swim here? I mean, when it’s not so windy?”

“They do. No one’s here yet, but by afternoon I bet the beach will be full. People who know the secret of this place love it.”

They took off their shoes and walked closer to the surf. Saffron scooped up a shell and put it in her pocket. “A souvenir.” Of more than the beach.

On the way back, Michael stopped at a corner and pointed up a steep cobblestone street. “My little castle’s up there. I bring home all the goddesses I meet. Would you care to visit?”

The rash compliment went to her head like a quickly quaffed glass of champagne. “Sure.” This was it. The real adventure, not the hidden beach.

“Come, my Artemis,” he said.

They climbed a short distance and turned down an even narrower alley. He stopped at a turquoise wooden door with a lintel low enough that he had to duck his head entering.

“The gate to my modest tower.”

Saffron paused long enough to wonder if she was stepping into another mess with someone she hardly knew. But if she stopped now, she’d never find out what it was like to be a goddess.

When they were inside the doorway, he hesitated, but didn’t kiss her. What would his lips feel like? Instead, he led her up narrow stairs that turned on a landing with a small window. She glimpsed the hills, and then they went up the last few steps.


Amazon


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About the Author:
Rachel Dacus is the author of The Invisibles, a novel of sisterhood with a touch of the supernatural. “An enjoyable, romantic read.” 

The Renaissance Club is a time travel love story featuring the great 17th century Italian sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini, who meets and falls for his superfan from future time. “Enchanting, rich and romantic.” 

Dacus has written four poetry collections: Arabesque, Gods of Water and Air (poetry, prose, and drama), Earth Lessons and Femme au Chapeau

She lives in Northern California with her husband and Silky Terrier. When not writing, she raises funds for good causes.






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**********************

 GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here
 




Friday, November 15, 2019

Restless Rancher by Jennifer Ryan (Spotlight, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) PTPR ADULT title


 




by
Jennifer Ryan

Wild Rose Ranch series
 ADULT title




If you like bad-boy heroes, western settings, and a sexy, sassy heroine you will love Jennifer Ryan's newest Wild Rose Ranch book! 

Perfect for fans of Diana Palmer, Linda Lael Miller, and Jodi Thomas.



One minute down-on-his-luck rancher Austin Hubbard slept soundly, the next, a sassy spitfire dumped a pitcher of water on his head and woke him up—in more ways than one. Hired to help him rebuild his ranch, Sonya Tucker ends up helping him put the tattered pieces of his life back together. The capable, all-business accountant is on a mission to get the ranch up and running, but can he convince the temptingly beautiful woman to take a chance on him?
Sonya was dismayed that Austin had lost it all: money, family, respectability. Things she—who’d been raised by her mother at Nevada’s notorious brothel Wild Rose Ranch—only dreamed about. But working with the long, lean cowboy shows her that Austin is honorable to his core. Together they slowly grow to see what the love between them might bring.
But then Austin’s powder keg of a family feud explodes, exposing long-buried secrets, and threatening their new-found love…



Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance

Publisher
Avon Books


Publication Date
November 12, 2019

*********************

Excerpt:

Copyright © 2019 by Jennifer Ryan



CHAPTER ONE

Austin stood in front of the small mirror he’d hung on the stable wall and drew the razor down his jaw, scraping away shaving cream and two days’ worth of whiskers. He rinsed the blade in a bowl of lukewarm water, ran it down the last section, then wiped his face clean with a damp towel. His hair could use a trim. A comb would do it a hell of a lot of good. Eyedrops would erase the red from his eyes. But not even the four ibuprofen he’d taken an hour ago could eradicate the headache raging through his skull.

Until two weeks ago, his sleepless nights occurred courtesy of a bottle of whiskey. But he’d put the bottle down and was on the cusp of piecing his shattered life back together.

One of those broken pieces from his past walked in through the barn door that hung off-kilter on one hinge like a drunk propped against a bar.

He’d been that guy. But not anymore.

“Lookin’ good, Austin honey.” Kelly’s voice evoked a lot of memories. Not all of them good.

Her gaze swept over his chest, down his abs, and landed on the button on his jeans. “You are a sight to behold.” Her tongue swept over her red painted lips. For a split second he remembered how those lips used to wrap around his cock.

But not anymore.

Lust turned to resentment and set his back teeth to grinding.

Wearing a pair of worn jeans barely hanging on his skinny hips and nothing else, he felt naked under her lascivious gaze. He’d lost some weight these last many months drinking and living hand to mouth, hoping he came up with enough money to pay for groceries.

Yes, he’d been humbled, going from living large with money overflowing his bank account to scraping by. He’d taken any odd job he could find without his father finding out and retaliating against the person who’d graciously hired him. Most everyone in these parts wouldn’t dare cross Walter Hubbard. Not when most of them did business with Hubbard Ranch or worked for Blue Mining. Those few brave souls who hired him did so because they wanted to take Austin down a peg or two.

After his grandfather died and left Austin this ranch, his father fired him from the family business and kicked him out of his home. His father wanted the ranch with a passion and vengeance Austin never saw coming.

But he held on. The ranch was the one thing that was still his, though the money ran out and so did Kelly. This dump wasn’t the home Kelly imagined they’d live in after getting married. She expected the same kind of life he’d lived at his father’s place, Hubbard Ranch, where the good life and their future seemed so easy to imagine.

Here at his grandfather’s dilapidated place, you needed a fantastical imagination to see its potential.

He also needed an investor willing to take a chance on someone who’d hit rock bottom but dreamed big.

He still had a few people who believed in him, like his best friend Noah’s girlfriend, Roxy, who thought he could make this place great again. She was an amazing woman with a huge heart and an even bigger bank account. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it, but Roxy wanted to partner with him and turn this pile of dirt and rotten wood back into a modern working ranch.

Kelly had walked away because she didn’t believe in the dream or him.

She never gave him a chance to turn this place into what she wanted. What he’d promised her. Abandoned by his girlfriend and disowned by his father in a matter of weeks, beaten down by his father sabotaging his chances for work, yeah, he’d given up and slowly drowned in a bottle and his going-nowhere life.

“What are you doing here? Last time we spoke, you said you’d never step foot on this shit pile again.”

Kelly pasted on a pretty pout, not an ounce of regret in her eyes about what she’d said to him. “I wanted to see how you’re doing. Can’t I come by to check on a friend?”

“You think we’re friends?” When he lost everything, he found out just how many friends he truly had, and she wasn’t one of the few who stuck by him.

“Don’t be like that. How can you still be angry at me? I wanted you. I wanted a ranch and family of our own. You refused to see that this place wasn’t going to be our place. All I wanted you to do was sell it and give your father what he wanted. Put a stop to your feud. We could have bought a new home, got married, and had the life we wanted. It was stupid to hold on to this place out of spite and nostalgia. It’s just a piece of land.”

That last part struck him like a gut punch. “To you. Not to me.” They’d had this same argument dozens upon dozens of times. “My father took away everything from me because he wanted to take the one thing that actually belongs to me. This land belonged to my mother’s father, and his father before him. I won’t sell it.”

“Everyone knows you don’t have the money to save it.” The pity look pissed him off.

“He’s made sure of that.” Bitterness filled his words and every fiber of his being.

“So you lose it to him anyway. It’s useless and stubborn to keep holding on to something when it’s already lost.”

He didn’t want her or his father to know about his new partnership with Roxy. Let them find out when the work finally began and he had his operation up and running. He’d show Kelly, his father, everyone that he could rise from the ashes and rebuild this place. He had the skill, the drive, and the money if Roxy came through the way she’d promised.

“Did you get dressed up and come all the way out here just to call me names and tell me how stupid I am again?”

He appreciated her sexy legs sticking out the bottom of that flouncy white skirt and the way her breasts rose above the low-cut dark blue top. He’d bought her the brown boots with the embossed roses on the sides when he’d had money to burn. Her blond hair was curled into thick rings and was tousled to look like she’d just been tumbled good in bed.

He’d messed up her perfectly styled hair and wrinkled her clothes in all sorts of ways when they were together. He wondered if she’d come here to rekindle the old fire. Before his brain had time to process what a bad idea that was, she stepped up close, wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her soft breasts against his bare chest, and kissed him with a slow sexy sweep of her tongue along his bottom lip.

She knew how to tempt him. He’d been living in a sexual drought for a good long while now. So he didn’t move and enjoyed the brief moment of feeling desirable and wanted.

She’d burned him in the past, so had many others, and a subtle alert went off in his mind.

She kept her body plastered to his and leaned back to look at him. “What’s wrong, honey? You never used to hesitate to take what you wanted.” She nudged her belly against his neglected, but eagerly growing dick.

He was always ready to bed a beautiful woman, but something didn’t feel right.

Kelly had never been this . . . calculated.

Why come back now?

Nothing had changed in his life or with his circumstances.

Unless she’d found out about Roxy partnering with him. But he hadn’t told anyone, and Roxy wanted to keep things quiet. She didn’t need everyone else in town gossiping about how she used the money she earned from the notorious Wild Rose Ranch brothel she owned outside of Vegas.

“Why are you here now? I’m still broke and you still don’t want to live here.”

She leaned in and kissed him again. He tried not to get sucked in by her familiar scent and lush curves pressed against him.

“This hasn’t changed. I want you. You want me.”

His body wanted the release and relief, but the passion and need he once felt for her didn’t rise up and drive him to fill his hands with her soft breasts and thrust his aching cock into her welcoming heat.

Her hand slid over his hard stomach, dipped into his jeans, and ran down the length of him. She gripped him in her hand and stroked up and down, her mouth planting hot, wet, openmouthed kisses down his neck and over his chest. “You know you want more.”

She hooked her leg around his hip and used her free hand to take his and slide it up her thigh and under her skirt to her bare bottom. All that silky skin at his fingertips made him grab a handful of ass and press her closer.

She undid his jeans and freed him. “That’s it. Give it to me.”

His body wanted to give her a good hard fucking right here, standing up in the dusty barn. But his mind started adding things up. One and one still equaled two, but her and him doing this right here, right now didn’t add up to anything good happening after the deed was done.

She never showed up to any of their dates with no panties and I-can-paint-your-dick-red lips. She flirted but never took an aggressive lead with him for sex. He’d had to talk her into making love on a picnic blanket under a tree on a secluded spot on the ranch. She’d been afraid someone would see them.

All this shot through his mind and his hands went to her hips as one final thought blared in his brain. She always, always insisted on a condom because she didn’t want to have children until they were good and married. So a split second before she encased him in her slick core, he set her away and zipped his jeans.

“What the hell is going on here?” His mind identified the clues, but he didn’t see the whole picture.

“Why did you stop?” Her cheeks flushed pink. She took a step toward him, her hand reaching for his neck.

He sidestepped before she backed him into the wall and faced her, standing just out of her reach.

Her gaze dropped to his thick erection, then back up to his face. “You still want me.”

“My dick’s not broke the way I am. I don’t have a dime to my name. Seems to me, you cared more about that than fucking me anymore, so why don’t you tell me why you’re all of a sudden all hot and bothered over me to the point you haven’t insisted I wear a condom.”

“I’m on the pill.”

“Bullshit. We had this talk a long time ago. You can’t use the pill because it messes up your system so bad. Try again.”

She huffed out a breath and flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder with a careless flick of her hand. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“Important talks like that kind of stick with you, especially when you made it clear no kids before marriage.”

She pressed her lips together and eyed him before the stiffness left her shoulders and they slumped. “I want to get pregnant.” Her lips tilted into a lopsided frown. “We want a baby.”

We.” For the first time, he saw the diamond ring on her finger. How he’d missed the dime-sized rock, he didn’t know. He’d been too stunned to see her and distracted by her attempted seduction to take in the details that had helped set off that alarm in his mind.

“I’ve been seeing someone. He’s good to me. He loves me and wants to give me everything I ever wanted.” Her eyes pleaded with him to understand. Like it wasn’t personal she loved someone else now.

Despite what happened between them, he wanted her to be happy. “If that’s the case, why the hell are you here cheating on your fiancé?” His stomach soured with the thought of touching someone else’s woman. He didn’t do those kinds of things. He believed in being faithful and telling the truth, even when it hurt and meant the end if you wanted out.

“He wants another child but he had a vasectomy years ago. He had it reversed but the doctors told him his low sperm count would make it difficult to conceive a baby. We talked about alternative ways to get pregnant and he encouraged me to see you.”

IVF. Surrogacy. Sperm donor. Adoption. Take your pick of available options. But send your fiancée to another man?

No man who truly loved his woman would share her with another man.

That alert he got earlier turned into a full-on alarm in his head. His chest tightened with a weight he didn’t want to carry because he suspected where this was going and he didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t be true.

“Why me?”

We have a history. I always thought we’d make beautiful babies. We’re not together, and things for you haven’t exactly worked out the way you wanted. I’m ovulating. I thought we’d have one last good time.”

“And what? You’d never tell me about the baby?” Every breath made him ache more.

“With the way your life is now, you can’t take on that responsibility or financial burden.”

He didn’t know this callous, calculating woman.

“My fiancé and I would love and care for the baby. He’d want for nothing.” She moved closer and put her hand on his chest. “Please, Austin. You know how much I want this.”

He slapped her hand away. His heart thrashed in his chest and his mind screamed, No. This could not be happening. It couldn’t be as bad as it appeared. But he had to know the full truth and what she’d planned to keep from him as long as she could before it all came out. Because secrets like this always came out.

“Who put that ring on your finger?” His mind screamed, You don’t want to know.

Her gaze dropped to his boots. “We’ve kept our relationship quiet.”

He pointed to her hand. “Astronauts can see that ring from space. You really think you’re being discreet?”

“Austin, who I’m with doesn’t change the fact this is what I want. You don’t have to take responsibility for the child. Ten minutes and your work is done.” A plea filled her eyes. “I know that sounds insensitive, but men get women pregnant all the time and don’t have anything to do with the child.”

She sounded like a lunatic.

“And you think I’m that kind of man.” It hurt that someone would believe that about him.

“I want a baby, Austin. This is the most expedient way to get one. You and I care about each other, which makes this easier. You’re a good guy. You want me to be happy. So please, help me have a baby.”

Despite what she thought of him and the hurtful words, though she really had no idea how much they stung, he did want her to have everything. Maybe some guys would see the upside of having sex with a beautiful woman and walking away. But he would never turn his back on a child the way his father had turned his back on him. That she didn’t see that hurt more.

“No.”

Surprise filled her eyes, but his rejection didn’t squash her determination. “I’ll pay you.”

The desperate words slammed into him with the force of a knife plunging into his chest. “Not only no, but fuck you. I’m not some stud for hire.” The thought sickened him.

For the first time, he understood how Roxy felt when people accused her of being a prostitute.

“Ten thousand dollars.” She clasped her hands in front of her like she prayed he’d accept. But her desperation spoke of more than her desire to have a child.

She needed him to say yes.

He wouldn’t play Kelly’s whore for any amount of money. And he wondered, like the ring, where she got that kind of cash. “Who is your fiancé?”

She shook her head and backed up a step, too afraid to tell him.

And that’s when the rage exploded inside him as fast as the truth lit up his mind.

He shot forward, tilted her chin up with the tip of his finger, and made her look at him. “Who is it? Say it,” he dared her.

Tears filled her eyes. Her gaze strayed over his shoulder and she whispered, “Your father.” Those two words blasted through his mind and constricted his chest. He couldn’t breathe for trying to contain the fury burning inside him.

Before he lost his head, he released Kelly and turned his back on her.

His own father had taken up with his ex-girlfriend and wanted Austin to sire a child that he’d raise. The thought turned his stomach and sent bile to the back of his throat.

Over my dead body.

“He wants my child.” He spit out the vile words.

“You two are so stubborn. You won’t sell. He refuses to leave his estate or the companies to anyone but family.”

“So long as that family isn’t me.”

“Do you blame him?”

Austin spun around to face her. “Yes! Why do I have to bend and give up what’s mine? Why do I have to do what he says because he demands it? Why can’t I have what’s mine and make something of it? I busted my ass working for him. I did everything he wanted from the time I was a child to running the operations. But this one thing he can’t let go of. Why?”

Kelly held her hands out and let them drop to the sides of her thighs. “I don’t know. I tried to change his mind, but he won’t let it go.”

“Instead, he doubles down on humiliating me by seducing my ex-girlfriend, then sends her here to fuck me for my baby. He hasn’t taken enough, he wants my child, too!” Anger stung his throat as those ridiculous words burst out his mouth.

“The child would be his grandson. He’d get everything.”

“And that’s all that matters. You get what you want. He gets what he wants. What about what I fucking want?” He yelled so loudly he was sure the rickety rafters overhead vibrated with his rage the way his whole body shook with it. “I would never—EVER!—give up my child. Anyone who thinks that of me doesn’t know the real me. And that includes you.” He took a menacing step toward her, his body rigid and begging for a fight it wouldn’t get. “How could you come here with his ring on your finger and think I’d ever want to touch you, let alone have a baby with you? I don’t even want to look at you. Get out.”

She reached for him again, but he stepped back. The thought of her ever touching him again sent a shiver of revulsion through him.

“Get out!”

This time he was sure his fury would bring down the roof.

She spun on the heels of the boots he’d bought her, her skirt flaring out, showing off a lot of thigh. She’d come here hoping he’d knock her up without a second thought and she’d walk out with his child and raise it with his father.

He didn’t think Kelly or his father could hurt him more than they had when they abandoned him, but this twisted deception they’d tried to pull over on him hit hard and cut deep.

He waited for the sound of her car to fade before he walked out of the barn and headed for his pathetic bed on the porch of the hoarder house he couldn’t stand to go in and the bottle he’d left under the cot and hadn’t touched in two weeks.

He needed a drink.

Or ten.

There might not be enough whiskey in Montana to make him forget what just happened.

His life couldn’t get any worse than this. Right?


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About Jennifer Ryan



JENNIFER RYAN is the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted, McBride, and Montana Men series. She writes suspenseful contemporary romances with outrageous plot twists, deeply emotional love stories, high stakes and higher drama. Her stories are filled with love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever- after we all hope to find. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.


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Tour Wide Giveaway

 

To celebrate the release of RESTLESS RANCHER by Jennifer Ryan, we’re giving away one paperback copy of Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback copy of Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Ryan. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  Giveaway ends 11/30/2019 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copy out to the winner directly.  

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