Aloha to Laura Trentham and SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE

From award winning author Laura Trentham comes SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE, a novel about starting over, finding your way back home—and falling head over heels. . .

Ella Boudreaux has a lot to prove to her family, friends, and foes—and to herself. So when her marriage ends she decides to invest her energy and money into a place that brings back some of Ella’s happiest memories: the Abbott brothers’ garage. Maybe, if she puts her mind to it, she can teach skeptical, stubborn Mack Abbott how to make the business a true success. Which would be a lot easier if the hunky mechanic didn’t make her motor run quite so fast…and hot.

Mack was furious when his brother, Ford, sold his share of the business. He’s in no rush to team up with a wealthy divorcée who shows up to the garage in stilettos—and the longest, sexiest legs he’s seen in forever. But Ella’s grit and determination won’t quit…and soon Mack can see that she’s been down a few rough roads herself. Neither Mack nor Ella can deny the fierce attraction that’s revving up between them. Could it be that true love has been in the backseat all along…and they’ve finally found the key?

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An award-winning author, Laura Trentham was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. Although, she loved English and reading in high school, she was convinced an English degree equated to starvation. She chose the next most logical major—Chemical Engineering—and worked in a hard hat and steel toed boots for several years.

When not lost in a cozy Southern town or Regency England, she's shuttling kids to soccer, helping with homework, and avoiding the Mt. Everest-sized pile of laundry that is almost as big as the to-be-read pile of books on her nightstand. 

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Laura is hosting a giveaway at this link .... and offers an excerpt from SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE:

“How the—” Mack caught the curse in his hand. “You’re not a mechanic, Ms. Boudreaux.”

“Call me Ella.” At his stony stare, she shrugged and continued. “You don’t need another mechanic. You have plenty of mechanics. What you need is someone to market you.”

“And you know enough about cars to do that?” His skepticism hit her like a kid pulling her pigtails behind the monkey bars. Annoying.

She shouldn’t rise to the bait. Unfortunately, her mouth was less mature than her mind, and she reeled off facts her brother had recited with pride.

“That Datsun 240Z you were under? It’s a seventy-three with a 2.4-liter straight-six and side-draft carburetors. It can hit sixty in 8.2 seconds with 151 horsepower. Top speed is a hundred twenty-five miles per hour. Not that anyone should be driving that fast on parish roads.”

He looked . . . stunned. She confined herself to a small self-satisfied smile. She had a feeling nothing much surprised Mack Abbott, or if it did, he made sure the world didn’t realize it.

“How did you . . . How do you know all that?”

“That’s not important. What is important is that I can help you.”

“We don’t need help.” He shook his head and re-chinked the breaks in his wall of grump.

“Yes, you do.”

“No, we don’t.” The playground-level annoyance continued with his childish denials.

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, probably not helping to diffuse the situation.

“Name your price.”

“That’s not how this is going to work, Mack.”

“I say how things are run and done in this garage. Not you, Ms. Boudreaux.”

“I have a quarter stake and an equal voice.”

“Except, we handle things democratically around here and my brothers will have my back. Every. Single. Time.”

Dangit. He had her there. Pushing against Mack was like trying to move a mountain. She glanced at the twins. If she couldn’t move Mack, then she’d have to go around him. She wanted to stalk out and slam the door, but forced herself to mosey as if she wasn’t bothered at all by the situation or the man. He followed her to the door. She stopped with one foot out and one in. The breeze caught her hair, and she tossed her head to get it out of her eyes.

“You might vote me down, but at least give me a chance to be heard.”

“Name your price,” he repeated in a growly, grizzly voice that was meant to grind down her dissension.

Where she found the gumption she didn’t know, but she gave his cheek two pats and said, “You can’t afford me, tough guy.”

Aloha to Diana Lloyd and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BARON - Blog Tour

When Elsinore Cosgrove escapes a ballroom in search of adventure, she has no idea it will lead to a hasty marriage. The youngest daughter of a duke, all she wants is to make her own choices. Now she's engaged to an infuriating, handsome Scottish baron who doesn't even know her name! Using all her feminine wiles, along with advice gleaned from a training guide for hunting hounds, Elsinore is determined to mold her baron into the husband she wants.

Quin Graham is a man with many secrets. If another scandal can be avoided with a sham marriage, so be it. Only his fiancée isn't at all what he's expecting, and the clumsy, curious, and clever Elsinore refuses to be set aside. For reasons he's unwilling to explain, the last thing Quin needs is to fall for his wife.

Diana Lloyd, mother of gingers, first of her name, is a stay-at-home wife, a hockey mom, and writer of stories with kissing in them. Diana defends her writing time like a rabid goalie while simultaneously volunteering for things she doesn’t really have time for. Diana is a member of Hearts Through History chapter of Romance Writers of America and was a 2017 RWA Golden Heart Finalist. Her Regency romp, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BARON, the first book in the “What Happens In the Ballroom” series, is scheduled for publication in July 2018. Connect with Diana on Twitter at @DianaLloydBooks, or give her a shout-out on Facebook at facebook.com/DianaLloydBooks.

Learn more about Diana and her books at diana-lloyd.com.  

Check out links for book reviews and the blog tour giveaway at this link.

Aloha to Heidi Betts and ONE WEDDING, TWO BRIDES - Blog Tour

Jilted bride Monica Blair can’t believe it when she wakes up next to a blue-eyed, smooth-talking cowboy in the middle of nowhere and with a ring on her finger. It had sounded like a great plan at the time. Get married, get revenge, and get her money back. So why is she cleaning out stables and trying to keep her hands off the hot cowboy helping her?

Ryder Nash would have bet his best Stetson that you’d never see him walk down the aisle. But when the city girl with pink-streaked hair and a frog tattoo hatches a plan to expose the conman who married his sister, no idea is too crazy. And even though Monica might be the worst rancher’s wife he’s ever seen, he can’t stop thinking about the wedding night they never had.

What was supposed to be a temporary marriage for revenge is starting to feel a little too real...

An avid romance reader since junior high, USA Todaybestselling author Heidi Betts knew very early on that she wanted to write these wonderful stories of love and adventure. It wasn’t until her freshman year of college, however, when she spent the entire night reading a romance novel instead of studying for finals, that she decided to take the road less traveled and follow her dream.

Soon after joining Romance Writers of America, Heidi’s writing began to garner attention, including placing in the esteemed Golden Heart competition three years in a row. The recipient of numerous awards and stellar reviews, Heidi’s books combine believable characters with compelling plotlines, and are consistently described as “delightful,” “sizzling,” and “wonderfully witty.”

Learn more about Heidi and her books at heidibetts.com.

Check out links to book review and blog tour giveaway at this link. 

Aloha to Sofie Darling and TEMPTED BY THE VISCOUNT - Blog Tour with Giveaway!

Let's travel back to London, April 1825 ....

Lord Jakob Radclyffe left his past behind in the Far East. Or so he thinks until a ruthless thief surfaces in London, threatening to ruin his daughter’s reputation. With the clock ticking, Jake needs the scandalous Lady Olivia Montfort’s connections in the art world to protect his daughter’s future.

Olivia, too, has a past she’d like to escape. By purchasing her very own Mayfair townhouse, she’ll be able to start a new life independent from all men. There’s one problem: she needs a powerful man’s name to do so. The Viscount St. Alban is the perfect name.

A bargain is struck.

What Olivia doesn’t anticipate is the temptation of the viscount. The undeniable spark of awareness that races between them undermines her vow to leave love behind. Soon, she has no choice but to rid her system of Jake by surrendering to her craving for a single scorching encounter.

But is once enough? Sometimes once only stokes the flame of desire higher and hotter. And sometimes once is all the heart needs to risk all and follow a mad passion wherever it may lead. 

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Sofie Darling is an award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, THREE LESSONS IN SEDUCTION, won the Writers’ League of Texas’ Manuscript Contest in the Romance Category in 2016.

She spent much of her twenties raising two boys and reading every book she could get her hands on. Once she realized she simply had to write the books she loved, she finished her English degree and embarked on her writing career. Mr. Darling and the boys gave her their wholehearted blessing.

When she’s not writing heroes who make her swoon, she runs a marathon in a different state every year, visits crumbling medieval castles whenever she gets a chance, and enjoys a slightly codependent relationship with her beagle, Bosco.

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Aloha to Eve Pendle and SIX WEEKS WITH A LORD - Blog Tour with Giveaway

Grace Alnott is out of time. To save her younger brother from an abusive guardian, her merchant father’s will demands she must marry a peer. Handsome but destitute Everett Hetherington, Earl of Westbury agrees to her offer of a marriage of convenience but stipulates she must live with him for six weeks. No matter how honorable he seems she can’t allow him to get too close, because the aristocracy cannot be trusted.

Six weeks. Major Everett Hetherington, new Earl of Westbury, has exactly six weeks to convince the very independent Grace Alnott to spend the rest of her life with him. Despite her belief she doesn't belong in his world, he must tempt the alluring Grace into staying, because he has fallen for her. Hard. He just has to ensure she never discovers his secret. 

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Eve lives in England and writes angsty, snarky and passionate Victorian era romance. She has National Trust membership, a big-boned cat, and a crazy dog. She loves wearing dresses and eating chocolate.

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What's not to love about cats, chocolate, and the National Trust?!?!  

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Aloha to Tee O'Fallon and LOCK 'N' LOAD - Federal K-9 Book 1

 

Crack CIA analyst Trista Gold is a whiz with the computer, but not so much with people. She hides behind her job, analyzing Top Secret code and making recommendations on national security. She doesn’t need a man in her life. But she will, very soon...

CIA K-9 officer Sgt. Matt Connors suspects that beneath Trista’s uptight appearance, there’s a sexy woman itching to cut loose. But he doesn’t dare act on his attraction. He’s a loner and always will be. Keeping away from Trista is a must-do directive. Until he doesn’t have a choice...

During a routine assignment, Trista stumbles across a cryptic exchange. She doesn’t think much of it...until someone tries to murder her—twice. Both times, Matt had been there to save her. But now she has to hide. And her new bodyguard, Matt, and his K-9 are the only hope she has against the powerful forces that want her dead.

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Tee O'Fallon has been a federal agent for twenty-two years, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. Tee's job affords her the unique opportunity to work with the heroic and sexy men in law enforcement on a daily basis. For Tee, research is the easy part!

Besides reading and writing, Tee loves cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and her Belgian sheepdog.

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Tee offers an except from LOCK 'N' LOAD:

She shut her eyes, squeezing them tightly, willing the flood of fury shooting through her to calm. Somehow, she knew he was right, but he’d just sent her entire world tilting on its axis and she couldn’t handle it.

Letting out a soft breath, she covered her mouth with her hand. The rage and fury seething within her fled like air from a popped balloon. Then, to her horror, tears pricked her eyes. Before she could stop it, she was gulping down air, but it didn’t help.

“Are you—” Matt halted in mid-sentence. “Oh, no.” He began shaking his head. “Hell, no. Don’t you dare cry on me.”

She couldn’t help it. The tears began to fall and she couldn’t stop them. The next thing she knew, Matt uttered a groan and his arms were around her, pulling her against his chest.

Intending to shove him away from her, she clenched her fists, but then his hands were on her back, making gentle, soothing motions and it felt too good to move. She clutched at his damp shirt, digging her fingers into his flesh through the soft fabric.

“Shh,” he whispered, his lips grazing the top of her head, then her temples. “Everything will work out okay. I’m sure of it.”

Still holding fast to his shirt, she took a series of short breaths, trying to rein in her meltdown. She hoped he was right, but at the moment, it didn’t matter. Until further notice, the one thing that meant more in the world to her than anything else had been cruelly taken from her.

“I’m sorry, Tris. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

He pulled away enough that she could look up at his face. It was only then that she noticed the tiny gold flecks floating in the midst of his deep brown eyes.

When her mouth opened, his gaze dipped and he bent his head. His lips brushed hers, softly at first, then with more pressure. Without realizing she was doing it at first, she kissed him back.

With a groan, he sifted his fingers through her hair, covering her mouth with his. His lips were warm and soft, his touch gentle. Using light pressure, he urged her lips open with his tongue.

Biting back a soft cry, she opened her mouth. The instant his tongue tangled with hers, her body trembled with need and she clutched at him tighter. Cupping her nape, he deepened the kiss, angling her head, massaging her neck with long, strong fingers. His taste on her tongue was so new, she couldn’t find the words to describe it. It was hot and wonderful, stirring up a fiery, passion-fueled craving she’d never experienced before.

His hand skated across her back, leaving a trail of delicious tingles on her skin, and still, his tongue sought hers again and again. An unfamiliar ache started low in her belly, uncurling, blooming into something she did understand. Desire.

The hunger in her belly spread lower, hotter, until something inside her snapped, unleashed like a wild animal sensing freedom for the first time.

Aloha to Tammy L. Bailey and A MISTRESS FOR PENNDRAKE - Blog Tour

 

The Marquess of Wesley is out for blood. For a year, Lord Wesley has tried to undo the devastation his father left to Penndrake, their ancestral home, only to discover the man gambled it away right before his death. Now Wesley is being blackmailed by the new owner into marrying a woman he’s never met in order to get it back. But his intentions are less than honorable…

At one and twenty, Miss Kate Holden intends to become a governess, having sworn off all men years ago. However, her plans are halted when she receives a daunting letter from her cousin about a Lord Wesley. Ignorant of the name, and the devilish marquess that wears it all too well, she nearly ends up compromised. Refusing to fall prey to Wesley’s skillful seduction, Kate decides to turn things around on the rake. But the high-stakes game between them soon leads to her losing the last thing she expected…her heart.

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A wife, mother, and Army/USAF veteran, Tammy began writing when the shows and movies she watched didn't end the way she wanted them to end. Whether it's historical or contemporary, for her, there must always be a happy ending.

When she's not writing, she's spending time with her husband and two boys near Cleveland, Ohio. Without their sacrifice and understanding, she believes she would have never been able to pursue her passion of writing or her accomplishment of becoming a published author.

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Tammy offers an excerpt from A MISTRESS FOR PENNDRAKE ...


Time had barely passed before she was torn awake by another dream. She screamed and then felt a masculine hand pressed hard over her mouth. Panic knotted her stomach and caused her heart to slam into her chest. She grasped the man’s fingers and writhed her body against a half-naked form when the familiar voice of Lord Wesley caused her to freeze in place.

“Be still, Miss Holden,” he warned. “I’m fairly certain you do not wish to wake up as my wife.”

Unsure how he came to be in her room or why, she clamped her teeth into his calloused flesh. He yanked his hand away and swallowed a few curse words, squinting into the dimness to examine the damage.

“By God, woman!” he hissed.

“Kate, are you all right in there? I heard a scream.”

Kate opened her mouth to answer when Lord Wesley clasped her bare arms to bring her close enough to hear him. “Tell your young cousin you’re fine. That…you just saw a mouse.”

Despite the dizzying circumstances, Kate leaned forward and whispered against his throat, “But I’m not afraid of mice.”

The door handle rattled, and she drew up against him. Did she think her petite form could block his muscular one?

“I’m fine, Lilly. I just…saw a mouse,” Kate croaked.

“But you aren’t afraid of mice.”

Kate clicked her tongue and then sent him a sidelong glance. “It was a very…large mouse.”

“Oh,” came the quiet voice on the other side of the door. “Well, as long as you’re all right.”

They waited a moment before hearing soft footfalls move away from the door.

“Now, you will tell me, Miss Holden, why you felt compelled to scream my name?”

Kate straightened, balking at his words. “I did no such thing,” she said. Inches away, his gaze, molten and reflective, slid across her barely clad form. Fire swirled from her belly to her face as a chilled wisp of air rubbed against her veiled breast.

“Why are you here?” she asked, reaching for a blanket to cover herself.

He sat up and bent his head toward the floor, using the quiet moment to rake the hand she’d injured down the length of his face. He exhaled and then turned back to her, his features chiseled into impatient lines.

She let out a quick breath at his nearness and the way the light from a nearby candle licked over the corded muscles of his chest and abdomen.

“Do you deny calling my name, Miss Holden?”

She shook her head. “What? Why on earth would I do such a thing?”

“Exactly, and yet I was thrust awake to my name on your lips. Not once, but twice.”

Kate started to deny his words when the vivid images of her dream broke through her memory. She saw Arthur laughing and Lord Wesley watching as she tried to save herself from two fire-breathing dragons. In the middle of the battle she knew she couldn’t win, she tried to yell, only to hear nothing but silence. She waited for someone to help her, waiting until she propelled herself up and awake.

“Miss Holden?”

Kate winced, more so from the episode she’d caused than his emphatic tone. “I had…a bad dream, that is all.”

“I thought you were hurt…or dying,” he said, his tone angry and void of empathy, as if the whole reason she was at Penndrake was her fault.

Kate didn’t know what to think. He’d shown himself to her room to save her from an unknown death and appeared out of sorts that he’d found her well.

“If it makes you feel any better, I was crushed by two fierce creatures, much like the ones on the crest in your study. I suppose out of desperation, I may have attempted to call your name.”

He cocked one dark eyebrow at her. “At last, a confession,” he murmured. “So, did I rescue you again, Miss Holden, this time from fire instead of rain?”

She shrugged. “No. While I awaited my death, you stood there, devouring some piece of forbidden fruit like a ravished street urchin.”

He chuckled. “How brave you must have been.”

She didn’t answer him for a long moment, contented to have them affable toward each other.

“I suppose, then, I am more gallant in real life than in

your dreams?” he teased her.

She shook her head. “How is it that you have found a way to wreak havoc when I’m both asleep and awake?” she asked.

He smiled and tugged the blanket higher to her chin. He leaned closer, and she held her breath, waiting for him to kiss her, to pull the blanket away and caress every place the air touched.

Instead, he bent his mouth to her ear. “Miss Holden,” he said, his voice deep and husky, “you do not realize what truth you speak, for the both of us.” But before she could ask him to explain what he meant, he stood and glanced down at her.

“You can’t possibly know the restraint I have shown regarding you,” he breathed, ragged and hoarse. “Soon,” he added and turned toward the door.

Aloha to Nancy Lee Badger and WITH EVERY KISS (An Opportunity Falls Novel)

Nancy Lee Badger joins us today for a sneak peak to WITH EVERY KISS ...

My newly released contemporary romance novel is about an artist bored with city life and a Manhattan lawyer itching to escape his father’s control. They meet briefly, then meet up again in a New Hampshire campground. Creating the story was easy; I grew up in the shadow of New York City, enjoying high school trips to art galleries in Manhattan.

I fell in love with the rural life of New England while attending art school. The mountains and waterfalls were lovely and romantic.

Several visits, later in life, to campgrounds alongside New England rivers and lakes helped me visualize the settings found in With Every Kiss; an Opportunity Falls novel.

A recent trip from my current home in North Carolina took me through New England. I gazed at the mountains, rivers, wildlife, and autumn leaves that reminded me why I had written this book. A trip across the Long Island Sound on a Ferry, a visit with family, and a couple of cemeteries, was a blast from the past. We visited the home I left to head off to college in New Hampshire when I was 17 (many years ago!).

A quick Wikipedia factoid – The city of Manhattan currently has a population of 1.6 million, whereas the entire state of New Hampshire has only 1.3 million. Talk about culture shock!

Heading back to North Carolina, our drive took us through traffic near Kennedy Airport, busy Brooklyn neighborhoods, then over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island. New Jersey looked as congested as ever, and we stopped for the night near Baltimore. I miss both New Hampshire and Manhattan already!

*a personal note- With Every Kiss: an Opportunity Falls novel was released November 3rd. Since this is also my birthday month, I am giving away an Artist’s Assortment of Goodies. No purchase necessary, and it ends November 18th.

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Learn more about Nancy Lee Badger, all her books, and buy links by visiting her blog at nancyleebadger.blogspot.com.

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Aloha to Darcy Burke and THE DUKE OF DANGER (The Untouchables Book 6) - Giveaway and Excerpt

After killing his opponent in a duel, Lionel Maitland, Marquess of Axbridge, is known as the Duke of Danger. Tortured by guilt, he shields himself with a devil-may-care attitude. However, when he kills another man in another duel, he’s beyond redemption, even though it wasn’t his fault. He refuses to smear a dead man’s name, especially when he’s left behind a blameless widow who doesn’t deserve an even bigger scandal.

Widowed and destitute, Lady Emmaline Townsend must marry the man of her parents’ choosing or beg unsympathetic relatives for support. The only way out is to ask for help from the one man she’s sworn to hate, the man who owes her anything she asks, the man who killed her husband. They strike a devil’s bargain in which passion simmers just beneath the surface. But her dead husband’s transgressions come back to haunt them and threaten their chance at love.

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Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and three Bengal cats. Visit Darcy online at darcyburke.com and sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans.

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Darcy offers an excerpt from THE DUKE OF DANGER ...

He still looked disheveled, but seductively so. His hair was mussed, as if he’d run his hand through it. His cravat was loose, hanging from his neck and leaving his shirt gaping open. He’d stripped his coat away upon entering the room. His state of undress would mean nothing in the context of a real marriage. But this wasn’t a real marriage.

She sipped the whiskey, taking a smaller amount than the first time. The fiery liquid had burned her throat, but she hadn’t flinched. Not in front of him.

Yes, suddenly he looked a bit dangerous. She angled toward the door. “I should go.”

“Don’t.” His eyes were dark and tormented. Barely controlled emotion radiated from him in ominous waves. “Who was the man you met at the park today?”

His appearance and his mood put her on edge, but that question pushed her over it. “I don’t have to answer to you.”

“Wives answer to their husbands.”

She glowered at him. “Except we don’t do that. Otherwise you would tell me why you challenged my husband.”

He seemed to grow a bit taller. “I am your husband.”

“In name only.”

He smirked, but the storms in his eyes raged. “How could I forget? Especially now that everyone is talking about it.”

She clutched the glass in her hand, hating that their marriage was a continual source of gossip, while also realizing it was unavoidable. She’d done the inconceivable by marrying her husband’s murderer. “Everyone?”

“Sir Duncan approached me at the club tonight. He knew our marriage was fake and wondered why you’d choose me over a perfectly fine offer from him. He concluded that I had to have pressed you into the union with less than savory methods.”

She began to see why he was so upset. “But you didn’t.”

“I know that, of course; however, I can’t tell anyone the truth now, can I? Or maybe I can. If it’s common knowledge our marriage isn’t real, why bother with the pretense? So I suppose it doesn’t matter if you’re meeting men in the park or shagging them, even.”

She sucked in a breath, and her hands began to shake. She reached past him and set her glass on the desk, then resumed her position in front of him. “You dare to question me about an innocent meeting with Geoffrey’s tailor—which you knew about—when everyone thinks you’re carrying on with Lady Richland?”

He leaned back against the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, giving her a look of superiority. “I’ve said I’m not, but what if we were? Would you really care? You’ve made it clear this marriage will be devoid of sex. You can’t really expect me to spend my entire life celibate.”

Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she repeated Aquilla’s declaration from that afternoon. “You could at least be discreet!”

“I am not having an affair with Marianne or with anyone else.” His lip curled. “But clearly, I should.”

“Perhaps I should as well. An entire life of celibacy does sound rather bleak, particularly after I enjoyed sharing my husband’s bed so much.”

His nostrils flared, and he dropped his arms to his sides. “Then by all means, take a lover.” He pushed away from the desk and prowled toward her until they were barely a few inches apart. “I’ll even make it easy for you—if you’re interested. I’m here, and I’m ready and willing. I’m also your lawfully wedded husband, and dare I say, convenient.”

He was so close, she could feel his heat and inhale his scent. He smelled of pine and sandalwood, and she suddenly realized just how long it had been since Geoffrey had touched her.

“Are you asking me to change the rules?” She stared up at him, her body shifting from anger to something far more dangerous. She couldn’t deny what he said—he was convenient. And she wanted…something.

No, she wanted him.

More books in the series ... 

Aloha to Jennifer Snow and MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS (Colorado Ice Book 3)

All wrapped up . . .

One more game. That's all that stands between NHL star Asher Westmore and a major career milestone. But then his brother bashes him against the hockey boards, sidelining him for months. Over Christmas holidays, no less. If staying off the ice doesn't drive him crazy, staying with his family will. The only bright spot amidst the mistletoe and twinkle lights: His best friend, Emma, is a physical therapist. And working out with her improves his body and his spirit.

One last time. Emma Callaway was in trouble the minute she and Asher added benefits to their friendship. How is she supposed to resist a funny, caring guy who makes her toes curl? Her heart was safe while he lived in a different state. Now that he's back home recuperating, though, it's only a matter of time before she blurts out her feelings. Emma's only hope is that with a little holiday magic, she'll get the best Christmas gift of all.

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Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and son. She writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance stories set everywhere from small towns to big cities. After stating in her high school yearbook bio that she wanted to be an author, she set off on the winding, twisting road to make her dream a reality. She is a member of RWA, the Writers' Guild of Alberta, the Canadian Authors Association, and the Film and Visual Arts Association in Edmonton. She has published over ten novels and novellas with many more on the way.

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Forever Romance is hosting a giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS ...

Asher climbed out of the car. “Nah. I’ll hang out with Em tonight. I’m her last patient of the day,” he said, suddenly feeling a little better and eager to get this appointment finished so they could go back to her place for the evening. Without the meds, he was suffering a little more, and she was the only thing that eased his pain.

“All right, man. Take it easy,” Jackson said as he closed the door.

Entering the clinic, he tugged the big, heavy old door closed behind him.

“Hey, Asher,” Jane said, standing as she saw him.

“Hi, Jane. How are you?” he asked, approaching the desk and leaning over it. If he sat again, getting up would be a struggle.

“I’m great. Um, actually, I wanted to ask you…if maybe you wanted to grab a drink at the Grumpy Stump tonight?”

Caught slightly off guard, he laughed. “You don’t hang out there, do you? You’re far too pretty to be slobbered on by all the local single men.”

She blushed. “Thanks. Actually, I don’t hang out anywhere. Single-mom life doesn’t lend itself it to many dates. Not that this would be a date…”

Oh, damn. He felt like an ass saying no to the woman who was obviously putting herself out there…but he wasn’t interested in dating. In fact, since his last semi-permanent situation ended a while ago, he’d been enjoying how things were going with Emma. Right now, she was certainly the only one he wanted to be with. “I…uh…”

Emma appeared in the reception area, an unreadable expression on her face as she glanced back and forth between the two of them.

“Well, the thing is…I promised Emma I’d do that…thing with her tonight,” he said, looking at her to save him.

Her expression softened slightly as she slowly nodded. “Right, you did promise me you would do that…thing tonight.”

He smiled. Saved. Now he could resume getting excited about a full evening with her, naked, with no pressure of a flight out the next day or having to be anywhere at all. The idea excited him beyond the sexy thoughts coming to mind. He looked forward to just being with her, holding her, kissing her, and talking. He’d been so caught up in his own problems the last few weeks, he had no idea what was going on with her.

“Ok, yeah, no problem,” Jane said, busying herself with the papers on her desk.

He felt like a jerk. He turned to Emma for help.

“Um…maybe Asher could get you and Aiden tickets for a game in Denver,” she said.

Perfect. Right there—that’s why he loved her so much. The thought made him pause. Love? Of course, love. She was his best friend.

“Right, Ash?” she said when he’d yet to confirm her suggestion.

“Oh, yeah…no problem.”

Jane smiled. “Aiden would love that. Thank you,” she said, sitting back down at her desk as the phone rang.

Emma’s eyes held a hint of amusement as he followed her into her therapy room.

“What?” he asked.

She closed the door behind them and grinned. “You just turned down a hot date to suffer through dinner at my sister’s house tonight.”

Oh shit.

Excerpted from MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS by Jennifer Snow. Copyright © 2017 by Jennifer Snow. Reprinted with permission of Forever. All rights reserved.

Aloha to Mariah Stewart and THE CHESAPEAKE BRIDE

This weekend marks the end of summer.  For Marylanders, that means a trip to the Cheasapeak Bay.  Enter Mariah Stewart with a new chapter in her celebrated Chesapeake Diaries series .... 

Architect Cassidy Logan has sworn off good-looking adventurers. Newly divorced, she’s focused on building ecologically friendly, historically accurate homes on the Chesapeake Bay for her father’s construction company. Traveling to Cannonball Island—where there has been no new construction in nearly one hundred years—Cass is sensitive to the heritage of the island, and has come up with plans so perfect she’s determined to buy a home for herself. Even the fact that Owen Parker—a local who she dismisses as a lightweight and a player—seems to be everywhere isn’t enough to deter her from building her dream house.

Owen Parker is and always has been sinfully handsome and wickedly clever, a magnet for mischief as well as girls. He’s a rolling stone, going and doing whatever appeals to him, from flying a mail plane in Alaska, to working on a cattle ranch in Australia, a shrimp boat in Louisiana, and surfing and diving in Costa Rica. When an old friend offers him a job salvaging a sunken ship on the Chesapeake Bay, Owen gladly accepts. Something’s been telling him it was time to head home to Cannonball Island, and a job is as good an excuse as any. And he’s totally smitten by the pretty architect on the scene, but it seems he’s finally met a woman who’s immune to his charms. Sooner or later, Owen will have to face the reason why he always runs, because this time, leaving just might be harder than staying.

Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas and short stories. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and two rambunctious rescue dogs amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors country life and tends her gardens. Visit her website at mariahstewart.com, like her on Facebook at AuthorMariahStewart, and follow her on Instagram at mariah_stewart_books.

Chester County, Pennsylvania
pennsylvania-vacations-guide.com

I am giving away a swag pack from RWA17 to four randomly selected commenters from my posts published in the month of September.  To enter the giveaway,

1. What do you know about Pennsylvania - the Keystone State?

I recently drove up for the day to Philadelphia with college friends - we walked around the historic downtown, soaking up our democracy in action.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, September 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 1. 

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Tracey Livesay and LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER

Tracey Livesay is celebrating the release of LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER, Book 3 in her Shades of Love series ... 

An accident changed Leighton Clarke's life forever.

When she awakens from a coma, her childhood memories are intact but she possesses no memories of the past six years of her life. Terrified, anxious and disoriented, she's only calmed by the presence of the gorgeous celebrity chef with compassionate brown eyes, the man who turns out to be her fiancée, Jonathan.

Jonathan Moran is tormented over his part in the deception that he's Leighton's fiancé. In truth, she's engaged to his brother! Any day now, her memory is destined to return and she'll remember it's his fault she was injured. Meanwhile, the more time they spend together, the closer they become until Jonathan begins to wish the pretense of them being a couple was real.

And then Leighton's memories come flooding back…

A former criminal defense attorney, Tracey Livesay finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but she’s never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. She lives in Virginia with her husband—who she met on the very first day of law school—and their three children.

traceylivesay.com

facebook.com/TraceyLivesayAuthor

twitter.com/tlivesay 

Avon
Goodreads
Amazon 

Tracey is hosting a giveaway at this link and offers an excerpt from LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ...

“What can I get for you?”

An elegant brow lifted. “You’re going to serve me?”

“I do it all.” He reached beneath the bar for a towel and slung it over his shoulder.

“I bet you do,” she murmured.

He stiffened. Had she actually said that or had his fantasy life taken over for a brief moment? He glanced at her, but her cool expression gave nothing away.

“Special service from a James Beard Award–winning chef. I’ll try to contain myself.”

“I’m sure my brother didn’t waste his breath extolling my achievements, so you’ve been checking up on me?”

He braced his arms against the bar and her eyes followed the motion, lingering. He could barely breathe. He had to force the oxygen into his body. No other woman had ever affected him in this way. Why her? He didn’t understand it.

She averted her gaze. “I check on everyone who comes into my life.”

He frowned. “I was just joking.”

“I wasn’t.” She placed her purse on the bar stool next to her.

Interesting. That type of vigilance made for a very lonely existence. And it wasn’t natural. Something had happened to make her believe such action was necessary. However, he didn’t get the feeling she would be amenable to sharing that information with him.

He straightened. “Now, about that drink . . . a cosmo, apple-tini, strawberry daiquiri?”

She exhaled and her lips quirked. “I appreciate you offering me some of your personal favorites, but I’ll take a Macallan 21 on the rocks.”

He hesitated. “You drink whiskey?”

It was rare, but he did know a few women who enjoyed the smooth spirit. He suspected his disbelief would annoy her.

He was right.

“Sexist, much?”

“Maybe, but it’s borne out by my fifteen years in the restaurant business.”

“Isn’t it wonderful to still be able to discover something new after all that time? An old dog can still learn . . . something.” Her sweet smile had him struggling to contain his grin.

He grabbed a lowball glass off the stack, added a couple of ice cubes and poured the drink. “M’lady.”

She took a sip. Her lashes fluttered and her jaw moved laterally as she coated her tongue with the flavors. The blood rushed straight to his dick again—it must have an E-Z pass—leaving him momentarily light-headed. Thank God he was standing behind the bar.

She set the glass down on the black cocktail napkin he’d provided. “What do you drink besides your beloved apple-tinis?”

She had jokes. One corner of his mouth tipped upward. That’s all he’d allow her. “Macallan’s good, but I prefer bourbon. Jefferson’s Presidential Select.”

“I’ve heard good things about Jefferson but I’ve never had the opportunity to try some,” Leighton said. “The stock is limited, right?”

“Yes, but I tracked down a case of the Seventeen.” He smiled, recalling the night he’d shared a bottle with Adam and Mike last year. “I’d be willing to part with a little bit.”

Silence met his offer. Then— “Maybe I can get Thomas to try it. He tends to stick to craft beers.”

His brother.

Her fiancé.

Right.

Big guilt keep on churning . . .

He turned to put the bottle he’d used on the back bar shelf where it belonged. “Yeah, well, my brother’s taste has always left a lot to desired.”

Only after the words were out did he realize how they sounded. He turned back in time to see the hurt on her face morph to anger. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”

Her expression cut into him like an extremely sharp gyuto knife. She held up a hand as if to halt his words. “Then it’s a good thing your opinion makes no difference to our life at all.”

“No seriously. Leighton.” He rushed around the bar and reached for the hand that had fallen to her lap. He didn’t question his need for her to understand his words weren’t aimed at her. He dipped his head until he forced her to meet his eyes. “I swear, I wasn’t talking about you. My brother should be on his knees kissing someone’s ass every day, thanking his lucky stars that you’ve agreed to marry him.”

She stared at him, stone faced, and he feared he may have ruined whatever accord they’d managed to form.

Which was probably for the best.

But when her features began to soften and forgiveness seemed to follow, relief made him giddy and he couldn’t have stopped what he did next even if his very survival depended on it.

One taste. That’s all he needed.

He touched his lips to hers.

Time stopped.

He’d been wrong. He’d need much, much more.

He deepened the kiss, tasting, nibbling then moaning when her lips parted and she let him in. Her soft tongue glided against his and desire roared through him.

Her arms snaked around his waist and clutched his ass. She scooted forward on the stool, spreading her thighs and pulling him between them. His fingers skimmed along her jaw and slid through her hair, like air moving against silk.

His heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out any protests his rational mind tried to put forth. He didn’t care who she was, who he was, or why this could never be. He’d never experienced this kind of raw passion with anyone and in that moment, his only concern was giving her as much pleasure as she was giving him.

“Chef, do you want us to leave you—” Gib’s voice acted as fingers on a chalkboard, jarring and cringeworthy.

Leighton’s eyes flew open, and fear and disgust contorted her features. She pushed against his chest, catching him off guard, and he fell back into a neighboring bar stool.

Before he could process what was happening, she’d jumped from the stool and was running—quite a feat in her heels—to the front door.

He hurried after her. “Leighton!”

She pushed out into the night and paused looking left and right.

He saw the metal scaffolding falling and a roaring filled his ears.

Oh no! No! GODDAMMIT!!

He started to run. “Leighton, wait!”

He was too late.

More books in the series ...