Aloha to Erin Nicholas and TWISTED UP (Taking Chances Book One)

 

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for August at this link.

Avery Sparks is a master at controlling chaos—and she gets plenty of opportunities as fire chief and head of emergency management in her hometown of Chance, Nebraska. The only thing she can’t seem to control are her feelings when she’s around Jake Mitchell, the man who was her first everything the night of their high school graduation. But Jake was so quick to leave Chance—and Avery—behind that she swore she’d move on.

While Avery’s job is to minimize drama, Jake embraces the chaos of an emergency. After enlisting in the Army National Guard, Jake became a nationally recognized leader in disaster recovery. Yet a life on the road has left him restless. So when a class-four tornado wreaks havoc on Chance, he’s eager to return home—and to the woman never far from his mind.

Now, Avery and Jake must team up to help their hometown weather a siege of violent storms. But it’s clear to them both that nature isn’t the only force they’ll have to reckon with. Will Avery and Jake’s whirlwind love affair be an all-new disaster—or can they recover from their stormy past to build a future together?

Erin Nicholas was fourteen when she first fell in love with love stories. Not long after that she started writing romances of her own, often spending family vacations in the backseat filling notebooks with stories. Now the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sapphire Falls series writes about women getting their happily ever after with humor, heart, and hope. From the fireworks of that first kiss to the thrill of passion, Nicholas strives to create novels that celebrate the magic of true love.

Learn more about Erin and her books at erinnicholas.com.

Nebraska State Capital

Public Domain (link)

Montlake Romance is hosting a special giveaway at this link .... and offers and excerpt from TWISTED UP:

“I’ve got stuff to do.” Avery didn’t stop walking. 

She also pulled her hand away when Jake tried to grab it.

Oh, really?

He glanced around and located an open door to an empty room. He reached out and grabbed Avery’s belt and pulled her to stop.

“Hey!”

He turned her and pushed her into the room, stepped in behind her, and kicked the door shut.

“Jake!”

It was an empty conference room from the looks of it. He still turned her so her back was against the door so no one would come barging in.

Then he braced a hand on the door beside her ear.

“We’re supposed to like each other and get along.”

“So?”

“So running away from me doesn’t really make it seem like you like me.”

Avery slumped against the door. “You put her up to this, didn’t you?” she asked. “You asked Shelby to help you come up with some way that I have to be around you all the time and put up with all your . . . stuff . . . so that you can see if I’ll keep reacting to you and your . . . kissing and . . . touching.”

She was cute when she was so worked up that she stumbled over her words.

Jake leaned in a little and dropped his voice. “Honey, you’ve been reacting to my kissing and touching for a long time now.”

He felt the corner of his mouth start to curl at the flash of fury in her eyes.

Yes, he pushed her buttons on purpose.

But it was so easy. And the results were awesome.

Avery was a gorgeous woman. When she was pissed, she became downright mesmerizing.

He would know.

“I thought I could do this. I thought it might be a good idea for everyone to see us working together. But I don’t know if it is, after all,” she finally said, shaking her head.

“This is absolutely going to work,” he told her. “All this requires is you acting like you love everything about being with me whenever we’re together. Oh, look, you already do. Piece of cake.”

“I do not act like I love everything about being with you whenever we’re together.”

“You sure about that? I could do a public-opinion poll—”

“I have too many other things to worry about,” she said. “I don’t have time to play around with you the whole time you’re here.”

The idea of her playing around with him was just too damned tempting.

“You heard Shelby and Frank—this is going to be good for the town to see us getting along and working together. Our relationship is as important—maybe more so—than all that other stuff you think you need to do.”

“The things I think I need to do?” she repeated, her eyebrows nearly at her hairline. “You mean my job? Keeping this town safe? Doing what they pay me to do?”

“No one’s asking you to shirk your duties,” he told her calmly.

Her pulse was drumming at the base of her throat, and her breathing was quick and shallow. Her cheeks were pink, too. She was worked up, but he knew it wasn’t about the idea of not getting all her work done.

It was because of him. Because he was standing so close now.

In fact, he’d maintained the theory for a while that she acted ticked off and frustrated with him in order to hide the physical reactions that came from something else entirely.

He knew how he could prove it.

Jake leaned in. “You still get to be the hot, in-charge fire chief,” he told her. “But now you get to hang out with me while you do it. Think of it as a job perk. Handed down from the mayor himself.”

Her eyes narrowed, but the pink staining her cheeks deepened, and her lips parted as she breathed in and out. It might look like anger on the surface, but then why did she let him move even closer, and put one hand on her hip, and dip his head, and touch her lips with his without a single protest?

In fact, she sighed as their lips met fully and she put her hand on his chest.

Jake angled his head, increasing the pressure of the kiss, but it wasn’t until Avery’s tongue licked out along his lower lip that he slid his hand into her hair, held her head in his palm, and really kissed her. 

Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska

Public Domain (link)

Aloha to Melody Anne and TURBULENT INTENTIONS (Billionaire Aviators Book 1)

 

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for August at this link.

The Armstrong brothers are wealthy, wild-at-heart bad boys—until their father’s will demands they prove themselves and marry in order to inherit their fortune.
Eldest brother Cooper channels his reckless spirit into becoming CEO of his own airline. The only thing better than the adrenaline rush of flying is his one-night stand with a stunning stranger. At first he doesn’t recognize the fiery barista he clashes with years later at an airport coffee shop. But when Stormy Halifax turns up as his new house sitter, Cooper knows she’s his Cinderella. And he doesn’t just want her in his mansion. He wants her back in his bed.

Stormy can’t believe she’s living under Cooper’s roof. Gorgeous and arrogant, he’s convinced she’ll surrender again—and he’s right. But just as Stormy is succumbing to a world of pleasure, her trust is shattered. And the biggest challenge Cooper has ever faced will be proving he wants Stormy, now and forever, for all the right reasons.

Melody Anne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Billionaire Bachelors, Surrender, and Baby for the Billionaire series, as well as the young adult Midnight series. She collaborated with J.S. Scott and Ruth Cardello for the anthology Taken by a Trillionaire.

Melody holds a bachelor’s degree in business but found her true calling when she was first published in 2011. When she isn’t writing, she cultivates strong bonds with her family and enjoys time spent with them, as well as with her friends and beloved pets. A country girl at heart, she loves her small town and is involved in many community projects.

Melody has earned a spot on multiple bestseller lists and is a three-time Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Best of all, she gets to do what makes her happiest—live in a fantasy world 95 percent of the time. Learn more about her at melodyanne.com.

Nothing beats flying a Navy jet ...

Melody is hosting a special giveaway at this link .... and offers an excerpt from TURBULENT INTENTIONS ...

“How about we have dinner together tonight?”

His invitation scared her. Stormy took her plate to the sink while she thought about her answer. Confusion filled her at how much this man’s presence affected her moods, her body, and her mind. She wanted to plaster herself against him and see if her memory of their one night together was nothing more than her vivid imagination or if it really had been as spectacular as she remembered.

She wanted to run screaming in the opposite direction, too. Because she had a feeling that six years had only improved Green Eyes.

Shaking her head, she tried to push away her erratic thinking. Nothing was helping.
This man was haunting her and now he was far too close on a daily basis for her to chase her ghosts away.

“Come on, Stormy. It’s just dinner.” There was something in his eyes that was different today, something she didn’t trust and was making her nervous. She shifted on her feet as she stepped away from him.

Say something, anything, she commanded herself. Why in the world was she so damn speechless? Silence had never been something she was known for.

“We’re living here together, so if we’re both here at the same time, I guess we could have dinner,” she finally said.

Cooper looked at her for several moments, his expression utterly unreadable. He didn’t seem upset or happy. She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

“Good, then it’s a date,” he told her before moving toward the front door.

“Well, it’s not a date,” she called out after him.

He stopped and turned back toward her, a smile on his lips.

“What is it then?” he asked, a sparkle in his eyes.

“It’s just . . . well, it’s just . . . um, two people living in the same house, sharing the appliances,” she finally said, wanting to kick herself once the words were out.

“Okay, Stormy, we’ll share the appliances tonight then,” Cooper said before turning back around and moving to the front door.

He walked out and Stormy let out a low growl as she cursed herself all the way up the stairs. She didn’t think it possible for this situation to get any more awkward if she put on a tutu and started dancing around topless.

Okay, that might make things just a tad crazier. But then at least she could be committed to a crazy house and not have to face Cooper ever again. The man had kissed her and still didn’t know who she was. It was pretty humiliating. Though he had paused and wondered for a moment if he knew her, at least.

She could have told him. But that would make it so much worse for her pride.

None of that mattered. For now, it was time to go to the store, get the paper, and start job searching.

Tailhook, here I come!

Aloha to Lauren Blakely and THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR (Jewel No. 1)

Reminder - I have a special giveaway for July at this link.

Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hire him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.

Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.

Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.

But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs…

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor. She is the author of eight New York Times bestsellers and sixteen USA Today bestsellers. Her series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire, as well as stand-alone romances like 21 Stolen Kisses and Big Rock. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. Lauren believes life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that romantic songs promise. She lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs.

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Montlake is hosting a giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR:

She’d had the piercing for years. So long she didn’t even think about it anymore. Steph was barely aware of the sky-blue starfish belly ring that dangled along her stomach.

She ran her thumb across the sparkly surface. “I practically forgot I had this. Got it when I was sixteen.”

“So a few years ago?”

“Ha ha ha,” she said drily. “More than a few years.”

“Well, you might have forgotten about it, but I could barely take my eyes off it,” Jake said, his deep voice going low and sexy. Then he feigned seriousness. “I meant, while I was being a perfect gentleman and not checking out your smoking-hot body when you bent down to pick up the dart—that’s when I noticed the starfish.”

She tingled all over from the compliment. There was something so enticing about this kind of praise from this kind of man. He was tall, built, strong, and with the kind of jawline that made a woman want to reach out and touch that face. That made this woman want to run her thumb along his sandpaper stubble, feel it brush against her chin, and mouth, and lips.

His brown hair boasted golden streaks, and his green eyes crinkled at the corners. Something about the whole package, sans the Tommy Bahama shirt, said strong and rugged. Which was an utterly delicious combination, one that made her skin warm up all over and her mind wander just a little further into let’s-picture-him-undressed land. Yup, she could see him clearly in her mind’s eye: hard planes across his chest, grooves in firm abs, arms so strong she couldn’t even wrap a hand around them.

She blinked, like she was a computer rebooting, as she tried to chase away the dirty thoughts landing in her head. But that body. Oh Lord, that body could cause some kind of sin.

His body should come with a warning. Gaze upon said hotness and arousal will be yours.

She needed to focus on why she was here on this island. Recon. Information. Getting the lay of the land before she connected with her stepdad. The thought that she’d find out he’d screwed over her mom in an even worse way made her shoulders tighten. Only the hope that she’d uncover something else, that it wasn’t what it seemed, could help them ease. She’d stopped in the Pink Pelican on a hunt for a sweet but flighty gal named Penny, who had tended bar last time Steph was here. Penny preferred to spend her days kiteboarding and rock climbing. Penny’s sister Marie was manning the taps now, and Steph hadn’t even had a chance to say a proper hello.

“Well, thank you for saying that.”

“My pleasure. And it is also a pleasure to meet you, Ariel,” he said, extending a hand to shake.

Don’t think about pulling him against you. Stop imagining what his body would feel like above you. No more staring at those full lips and wondering how they taste, and feel, and . . .

This man was hot and fun, and that was a mixture she liked a lot. After the extreme focus she’d placed on rehabbing her business in the last few years, a little bit of sexy flirting was a welcome relief. Maybe her mom was right. Maybe Steph did need to have a little fun.

“Is it really Jake?” she said, not letting go of his hand, enjoying the way his name sounded. “Or did you pick a fake name, too? Because Jake is the perfect name for a totally hot guy a woman meets in a bar.”

He smiled widely, and she loved that it seemed to light up his whole face, all the way to his green eyes. He was handsome and then some, but the reaction, so genuine, was lovely to see. So rare to compliment a man and to witness the evidence of his enjoyment of it. “Yes, the name is really Jake, and thank you. Seems we have a mutual admiration society at work here.”

“Yes,” she said with a small grin. “There is much admiration, and I’m glad it’s mutual.” As she let go of his grip, her eyes drifted to a white, raised mark on his forearm. “By the way, cool scar. Is it a new acquisition?”

He tapped his forearm. “Yes it is. Wish I could say the acquisition was intentional.”

“It wasn’t?”

He shook his head.

“What happened?” She flung her hand to her forehead, like a fortune-teller reading the cards. “Wait. Don’t tell me. You got in a knife fight in an alley, Jason Bourne style? You’ve gone rogue and the CIA is after you? Or better yet, you slipped while gutting a fish after one too many beers?”

He pointed at her. “That one.”

She mimed tossing a basketball. “She shoots. She scores.” She tilted her head. “But seriously?”

“What can I say? Fishing and beer go together, but not when knives are involved.”

She wagged a finger at him. “You gotta be careful there, Jake.”

“I know, I know. Maybe if I catch anything tomorrow, I could find a mermaid to help me.”

“Mermaids don’t like it when you catch fish. Or turtles.”

“That is true. Pretend I never said that. I would never catch a fish. I’m absolutely not here on a fishing trip. In fact, I’m here to admire the gorgeous scenery.” 

Aloha to Jamie Beck and SECRETLY HERS (Sterling Canyon Book 2)

Reminder: I have a special giveaway to celebrate June at this link.

Jamie Beck stops by for a cozy interview to celebrate SECRETLY HERS ...

But a creative writing career seemed like a pipedream, so I went to Tulane University assuming I'd figure out what to do with the rest of my life by graduation day. While attending school in the Big Easy, I fell in love with psychology. But psychiatrists go to medical school, and subjects such as biology and chemistry weren't my forte. Alas, another career eliminated.

Ultimately, I earned a joint law/M.B.A. degree and practiced commercial real estate and lending law for a decade in my hometown of Pittsburgh (Go Steelers!). I learned a ton and met great people, but was never passionate about the work. When my husband's career took us to Connecticut, I opted to stay at home to raise our two young children. That decision presented a second-chance to revisit the idea of writing romance novels.

Kim: Connecticut: What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of the Constitution State?

Jamie: One of my favorite things about Connecticut is the number of trees and stone fences you see everywhere. The state is densely forested, and some of the stone walls must date back a hundred years or more. It’s all very quaint and different from my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also, if you live near the coast, you can enjoy the gentle lapping of Long Island Sound as it meets the shore. Finally, the best smell (in my opinion) is the crisp scent of autumn leaves. It doesn’t hurt that they are also spectacularly colorful in October!

Kim: What did you learn from psychology and the law that you could apply to your writing career?

Jamie: I could probably write several pages about this one question, but I won’t bore you. Basically, the law taught me how to research, which comes in handy when trying to make my stories authentic to places or professions I don’t have personal experience with. Also, I’ve used legal concepts to create conflict in my stories. In fact, I’ll be giving a workshop on how to do that at the Connecticut Romance Writers or America’s Fiction Fest conference on September 10th.

As for psychology, that helps me with character development. Specifically, it ensures that my characters’ motivations are well-founded and logical, and spring from their backgrounds and the events occurring in the story. There is nothing I dislike more than reading a story and finding a main character to be inconsistent, clichéd, or simply unbelievable.

Kim: What inspired the Sterling Canyon series and SECRETLY HERS?

Jamie: I’m an avid skier and absolutely love the Rocky Mountains, so I wanted to write a series based on the fantasy of living in a small ski town surrounded by athletic men. Readers love sports heroes, but most popular series involve football, baseball, or hockey. There aren’t that many skiers in romantic fiction, so I thought it would be a fresh twist on an old favorite.

Sterling Canyon is loosely based on Telluride, Colorado. It’s such a quaint, “old West” kind of town, I couldn’t resist.

As for SECRETLY HERS specifically, Trip stole the show in ACCIDENTALLY HERS. He just jumped off the page (at least, for me he did). He basically wrote his own story. Honestly, this was the easiest book I’ve written, because I am so in love with him, I couldn’t get the words down fast enough!

Kim: What's next for Jamie Beck?

Jamie: A lot! Later this year, the final book of my St. James Novels comes out (Worth the Risk, November 1st). In early 2017, we’ll release the third Sterling Canyon book, and then I’ll be rolling out a new series (The Cabot Novels), which will be set in the Pacific Northwest and follow the lives of the Cabot family siblings. I’m working on the first book now, and so far, I’m really happy with the shape it’s taking. These will be highly emotional books with heavier women’s fiction notes.

Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride

Image by Terry Foote (link)

Mahalo, Jamie, for sharing Sterling Canyon with us! SECRETLY YOURS releases today!

On her thirty-first birthday, hopeless romantic Kelsey Callihan has all but given up on happily ever afters, which is why she agrees to a risqué proposition from Sterling Canyon’s notorious playboy, backcountry skier Trip Lexington. After all, every girl needs a little fun, and with Trip, there are no mixed signals or risks of a broken heart. And if his tips can help her land a husband in the process, all the better.

Trip couldn’t be happier with his secret, no-strings fling with sweet and sexy Kelsey until she calls it quits after meeting a man she believes could share her dream of marriage and family. His jealousy turns to outrage when he discovers that the man is his estranged half brother and lifelong rival.

Now Trip must decide whether the fire in his gut is due to sibling rivalry or something much more dangerous…like love.

jamiebeck.com
facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks

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Jamie is hosting a giveaway at this link.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Sterling Canyon Book 1

Aloha to Jamie Beck, WORTH THE WAIT, and WORTH THE TROUBLE

In author Jamie Beck's contemporary romance series, the St. James siblings—Catalina, David, and Jackson—have everything going for them: looks, successful careers, and status. Under that veneer of perfection, however, lurk secrets, guilt, self-doubt, and resentment. But luckily, they’re not alone. As they navigate the highs—and devastating lows—of their personal and professional lives, they discover the redemptive power of love and realize one universal truth: family matters. And all we really need is somebody to lean on.

WORTH THE WAIT, St. James Book 1

Thirteen years ago, Vivi LeBrun was sketching a rooster and eating Oreos when she first met—and fell for—her friend’s brother, David St. James. Since then, her love for David has only intensified thanks to years of friendship with his family, who rescued her from a lonely, tumultuous childhood. As she travels to Block Island to vacation with the St. James siblings, Vivi daydreams about reuniting with David, hoping he’ll finally see her as his soul mate.

After his mother’s death, David distanced himself from his siblings, determined to hide a devastating family secret. Now, he’s brought a new girlfriend along to his homecoming—one who’s pushing for a serious commitment. The last thing he needs on his growing list of problems is his budding attraction to Vivi.

With tensions running high, David’s behavior triggers a series of events that might cost him the love he’s always taken for granted and Vivi the only real family she’s ever known.

Buy Link

WORTH THE TROUBLE, St. James Book 2 

Cover girl Cat St. James’s picture-perfect life is anything but flawless. Luckily, she’s a master of hiding the truth from the camera. Relying on that skill, she conceals her latest secret from her family while attending her brother’s wedding. Her only trouble now is Hank Mitchell—the soft-spoken carpenter she’d once brushed aside. Seeing him at the reception underscores her private heartache and ignites unwelcome longing, which she promptly drowns in champagne.

Hank is no stranger to sacrifice, having set aside his own ambitions to take care of his family. One thing he won’t forsake is his pride, which Cat already wounded once. But when the maddening beauty’s reckless behavior forces him to rush to her rescue, he sets in motion a series of events that leads Cat to make a business proposal granting him his dream job.

When Cat and Hank mix business with pleasure, promises and secrets unravel, and each must decide if and what they’ll surrender for love.

Buy Link

Jamie Beck is a former attorney with a passion for inventing realistic and heartwarming stories about love and redemption, including her popular St. James and Sterling Canyon series. In addition to writing novels, she also enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking, and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.

jamiebeck.com
facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks
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Goodreads

Jamie is hosting a giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from WORTH THE TROUBLE:

As soon as Cat answered her door, Hank noticed her fidgety hands and caffeinated gaze.

“Sorry I’m late.” He stepped inside.

“That’s fine.” A tentative smile spread across her face.

“Mind if I grab some bottled water?”

She gestured toward the kitchen and then followed closely behind him, practically skipping. He unscrewed the cap and took a swig, squinting at her. “What’s up? You’re a bundle of energy today.”

Clasping her hands in front of her body, she swayed side to side. “I’ve been considering your conditions.”

“Have you?” His body flushed with prickly heat. He set the bottle on the counter. “Are you about to dazzle me with facts and figures already?”

“No.”

Deep disappointment pierced his heart, like a pin to a balloon. Foolishly, he’d dared to hope she’d agree—that like him, she’d been overcome with longing. “Well, it’s probably for the best. Maybe in a few years the timing will be better for this business idea.”

“Oh, you misunderstand.” She wet her lips and stepped closer. “I’m accepting your terms, but I’m not nearly done researching. I am, however, prepared to ‘dazzle you’ with that second condition.”

“You are?”

“I am.”

He blinked in disbelief, even as his heart galloped in anticipation. “But what if we can’t agree about the business risks? Maybe we should wait . . .”

Absolutely not what he wanted, yet he had to make sure she was ready to take this step.

“I don’t want to wait.” She boldly met his stunned gaze.

His feet wouldn’t move. In fact, his whole system seemed to be shutting down from shock.

“Hank?” She tilted her head, peering curiously at his frozen body. “Please don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind. I really can’t start my day with a serving of humiliation.”

Without speaking, he reached for her face with both hands and then claimed her mouth with his own. Her hands caressed his shoulders before her fingers threaded into his hair. Every inch of his skin tingled in response to her touch.

The room around them fell away as he became absorbed by the citrusy taste of her mouth. Euphoria spread through him like helium, lifting his heart, making him weightless.

This woman he fiercely desired wanted him, too. This moment—the truth of it—seemed as beautiful yet fragile as porcelain. Something his calloused hands could easily break if mishandled. But the scent of her hair and soft skin beneath his fingers made him anything but careful.

A groan rumbled in his chest. Without breaking contact, he kissed her harder, his tongue engaged in heated dance with hers, his arms squeezing her tighter against his body. He acted on pure instinct, couldn’t think, didn’t really know what he was touching, but needed to feel every gorgeous inch of her body.

“Cat,” he growled as he tore his mouth away and dragged it down the length of her neck. Appreciative little noises coming from deep in her throat heightened his arousal. He slid his hands down to her waist and then cupped her bottom, tugging her against his raging erection. “I want you so much. So much.”

She inched her leg up his, wrapping it around his thigh. “No one’s stopping you.” 

Block Island

Chamber of Commerce (link)

12 Days of Christmas with Cindy Kirk, Tracy Brogan, and Jamie Beck

On the twelfth day of Christmas SOS Aloha gave to me...three excerpts from holiday novels and an Amazon giftcard giveaway. Read on for some Christmas cheer with romantic snippets from authors Cindy Kirk, Tracy Brogan and Jamie Beck. Happy Holidays!

CHRISTMAS IN GOOD HOPE by Cindy Kirk

Amaryllis “Ami” Bloom’s cheerful smile greets everyone in Good Hope, Wisconsin. But her merry facade hides a dark secret she won’t ever forget. Still, she throws herself into celebrating Christmas—and convinces her handsome, and stubborn, new neighbor to join her.

Beckett Cross, however, is determined not to celebrate the holidays. He moved to Good Hope to leave behind reminders of how he’d had it all…and lost everything. But it’s hard to resist adorable Ami, the designated keeper of the small town’s holiday traditions, when she asks for help with the Twelve Nights celebrations. And Ami has a hard time resisting Beck’s soft Southern drawl and gentle eyes. Will a Christmas miracle give them a second chance at love and the hope to heal both of their hearts for good?

“You’re an amazing woman, Ami Bloom.”

“You’re right.” Her bright smile flashed. “I am.”

He laughed.

Her laughter soon mingled with his.

Then their eyes met. The laughter died in his throat and his heart became a swift, hard beat.

He reached out for her and felt her arms encircle his neck. She was so lovely. Did she have any idea the power she had over him?

The feel of her soft curves had Beck forgetting his resolve to keep it all business between them. Just this once he would stop thinking and open himself to the moment, to her. He shifted, gathered her closer still, and kissed her temple.

When she gave a pleasure-filled sigh and lifted her face, he lowered his mouth to hers and found it as soft and sweet as he’d imagined.

The kiss started out gentle and tender but quickly morphed into something more, something that felt … life altering. When her fingers slid into his hair and she began to kiss him back with equal enthusiasm, Beck knew he was in over his head. 

JINGLE BELL HARBOR by Tracy Brogan

As assistant buyer for the world’s second-largest Christmas store, Kelsey Parker feels like a holiday harlot. She’s contractually obligated to promote the yuletide season. All. Year. Long. And it’s taking a toll on her spirit. But when her clueless, self-absorbed boyfriend goes on their long-anticipated romantic vacation—without her!—Kelsey is beyond disappointed to find herself tromping through the Bell Harbor snow instead of lounging on a tropical beach.

Drew Hampton is considered quite a catch among the Bell Harbor bachelorettes, but when his high school dream girl, Kelsey Parker, shows up at his grandfather’s Christmas tree lot complaining about her love life, he decides it’s long past time to get her under the mistletoe himself.

As things heat up between the two, a surprise visitor arrives, making Kelsey an offer she can’t quite believe. Now she must decide what matters most, and she just may discover the key to her happiness.

He cupped my face with both hands and traced one thumb over my bottom lip, a soft, slow motion as he stared at my mouth for an eternity. And then, at last, he leaned in and kissed me. Warm, delicious perfection. Pressure and insistence in just the right measure. I’d told Drew he’d been my first real kiss at fourteen. Now I realized I hadn’t truly had my first real kiss, because this was it. I felt it from my lips all the way down to my toes and past every detour in between.

I wound my hand around the back of his neck, needing him closer, and closer still. I hadn’t underestimated just how soft that hair of his was, but I had, remarkably, underestimated my body’s instantaneous reaction to his touch. It was electric. I gave myself up to the moment. I’d earned it, this indulgence. Because I was on vacation, and Drew Hampton just might have superpowers after all.

Arms tangling, heads tilting, pressure building. The kiss ended far too soon, but we stayed close, forehead to forehead. Breathy. Sizzling. Anticipating.

“I’ve waited a very long time for a chance to do that again,” he said, his breath a caress against my cheek.

I tugged off my scarf in a hasty motion. “In that case, we should make up for lost time,” I said. And then I kissed him again. And again, and again.

ACCIDENTALLY HERS by Jamie Beck

When ruggedly sexy backcountry guide Grey Lowell moves to Sterling Canyon, Colorado, after buying the ski-expedition company Backtrax, his plans don’t include romance. Still, it’s fun to look—especially across a crowded restaurant at a beauty he dubs “Bambi.” But all his plans change later that night when he’s injured by a drunk driver.

Physical therapist Avery Randall is shocked to learn that Grey’s the man her brother struck with his car, and even more stunned when he arrives at the clinic expecting her help. Despite her reservations and Grey’s silly new nickname for her, Avery agrees to work with him, and passion begins to simmer. Yet with his livelihood at stake, Grey must make tough decisions that could hurt Avery and her family. Before long, Avery’s loyalties are tested, and the choices she and Grey each make may cost them their chance at lasting love.

“I like you. I like you a lot.”

Heat shot up her arm and spread throughout her chest as his thumb brushed against the backof her hand. When she panicked and tried to pull away, he gripped her hand tighter. “Grey?”

He was staring at her as his other hand brushed back her hair. His touch set off a spark ofenergy that pulsed throughout the room. They both held their breath for a second, eyes locked on each other.

“Screw it,” he muttered before pulling her into a powerful kiss—one she felt down to her toes the instant his hot mouth claimed hers. A low rumble resonated in his chest as he tried to get closer to her despite their awkward positions in the chairs.

For several exhilarating seconds, she allowed herself to be swept away by the taste and smellof him. By the commanding way his tongue tangoed with hers. By the rising temperature in the room and shivery sensations overwhelming her entire body as he buried his hands in her hair.

Kissing Grey was every bit as hot as she’d imagined, and that heat shot straight through her abdomen and in between her legs.

One of his hands ran down her neck and back, pulling her closer. His chest heaved. Low sounds rumbled deep in the back of his throat as he got carried away and took her right along for the ride, crushing her to him.

Weeks and weeks of pent-up desire burst forth, causing her resolve to falter. She dug her hands into his thick, wavy hair, kissing him as she’d done so many times in her dreams. Then danger signs flashed in her mind, causing her to exert gentle pressure against his chest. “Wait.”

He kept his forehead pressed to hers, allowing his breathing to slow down. He held her there, cupping her neck, his thumbs gently rubbing her jaw. “Sorry. That wasn’t planned . . . or particularly gentle.”

When ruggedly sexy backcountry guide Grey Lowell moves to Sterling Canyon, Colorado, after buying the ski-expedition company Backtrax, his plans don’t include romance. Still, it’s fun to look—especially across a crowded restaurant at a beauty he dubs “Bambi.” But all his plans change later that night when he’s injured by a drunk driver.

Physical therapist Avery Randall is shocked to learn that Grey’s the man her brother struck with his car, and even more stunned when he arrives at the clinic expecting her help. Despite her reservations and Grey’s silly new nickname for her, Avery agrees to work with him, and passion begins to simmer. Yet with his livelihood at stake, Grey must make tough decisions that could hurt Avery and her family. Before long, Avery’s loyalties are tested, and the choices she and Grey each make may cost them their chance at lasting love.

Cindy, Tracy, and Jamie are hosting a special giveaway at this link.

Waiting for snow!

Aloha to Carolyn Brown and THE WEDDING PEARLS

 

Bing Crosby is dreaming of a white Christmas ... while a bride is dreaming of white pearls.  Carolyn Brown is celebrating the release of THE WEDDING PEARLS from Montlake Romance ...

Tessa Wilson’s life is all over the map. She may be clumsy, but this time she’s stumbled into a pickle by choice, not by accident. She’s agreed to take a month-long trip around Texas jammed into a ’59 Cadillac with a drama-loving teenager, two elderly spitfires, and—oh, yes—her biological mama who gave her away at birth. And the ride gets even crazier when hot-as-sin cowboy Branch Thomas crosses into her lane. They don’t call him the sexiest man in the Lone Star State for nothin’.

As the miles pass and sparks fly between Tessa and Branch, her grandmother starts dropping hints about family wedding traditions. And as Tessa discovers the power of her budding friendships and the unbreakable strength of her newfound family of strong Texas women, she wonders if she’s also on the road to the biggest adventure of all: true love.

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, as well as a RITA finalist. She has written several beloved and popular romance titles, ranging from historical to contemporary to cowboy-themed. She and her husband live in Davis, Oklahoma. They have three grown children, and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

carolynlbrown.com
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Caryolyn is hosting a special giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from THE WEDDING PEARLS ... 

Tessa peeled off her shorts and knit shirt on her way to the bathroom, tossing them in the general direction of the sofa on the way to the shower. She dropped the soap three times, got shampoo in her eyes twice, but was happy her hair was dry when Branch rapped on the door. 

“You look beautiful, Miz Tess. But are you plannin’ on wearing shoes?” he asked.

“I was patting myself on the back for getting ready so quick and I forgot to put my sandals on,” she admitted.

“I think you are adorable in your bare feet. I could carry you to the car, but if you had to get out for the ladies’ room, you might get stickers since it’s an outdoor movie,” he said.

She sat down on the sofa and buckled her sandals. “Unless you carried me there, too.”

He leaned against the doorjamb and smiled down at her. “I could do it if you want.”

The scent of his shaving lotion wafted across the room when the air conditioner kicked on and stirred the air. Creased jeans, polished cowboy boots, and a plaid shirt that showed signs of an iron said he’d gone the extra mile to get ready that night. She stood up and waited a second before she took a step. With an empty bed that close and her roommate out for the evening, it would not be a good time to trip and fall into his arms.

“Are you sure you are a lawyer? I’d swear you were a sexy cowboy,” she asked.

He offered her his arm. “Thank you. I can clean up good when I have a reason.”

She slipped hers through it. “And this is a reason?”

“Of course it is. You are a beautiful woman and we’re going out to a drive-in movie in Mollybedamned. I feel like I’m taking a step back in time to the sixties,” he answered.

“And we’re sixteen again and this is . . .” She stopped.

“Our first date?” he finished for her.

She picked up her purse. “But it’s not a date. It’s two people going out to a movie.”

“Hey, I don’t offer my arm to my buddies when we go out for drinks or to the movies.” He chuckled.

“Then this is a date?” she asked.

“I think it might be.” He led her out into the parking lot. “Top up or down?”

“Up, at least until we get there.”

He opened the door for her and waited until she pulled the skirt of her sundress in before he closed it. Suddenly, she felt cramped and slightly claustrophobic. The old Caddy was big enough to haul eight people in a pinch and she’d ridden right up next to Branch for several days, so why did she have the jitters when there was at least three feet of space between them?

He started the engine and adjusted the air-conditioning. “I bet this hasn’t been used half a dozen times in all the years Mollybedamned has been going places. Does this feel strange to be just us in the car, or is it because the top is up?” he asked.

“A little, and I’m not sure which it is,” she admitted.

“I thought it was because I was alone in the car with you and your beauty filled the whole car,” he drawled.

Tessa wiggled down into the seat and wished that she was sitting right up next to Branch like always, but that would be presumptuous on a first date. “That, Branch Thomas, is a pickup line. Does it ever work?”

He found a radio station that played current music by Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, and several of her other favorite artists. “It is a pickup line, and it does work in a bar.”

They’d gone through two little towns when she looked up and saw a sign that said they weren’t far from Turkey, Texas, and the town after that was Quitaque, Texas.

“I wonder how that town is pronounced,” she said.

“Tur . . . keee.” He drew out the syllables.

She air slapped his arm. “Not that one, the other one. Are we going to Tur . . . keee or that weird name? Is it Quit-a-eeek?”

“No, we’re not going to Turkey. We’re going to the other one, and it’s pronounced Kit-a-key,” he answered. “I looked it up on the Internet before we left. Had to get directions. It’s a little place, kind of like Boomtown. Lots of teenagers frequent these places. We’ll be the old people there.”

Tessa liked the comfortable aura in the car. She’d been afraid things would be awkward between them but they weren’t. She enjoyed his company whether they were riding in silence or talking about anything and everything.

“I don’t mind, do you?”

He kept time to a Miranda Lambert tune with his thumbs on the steering wheel. “Not if once we are parked, you slide across this seat and let me put my arm around you."

The Wedding Chapel at Ko Olina, Oahu