Hollywood Lighting J.V. Speyer Publication date: April 23rd 2020 Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
A rowdy superstar in danger. His resentful new guardian. It’s hate at first sight until love takes an unexpected encore.
Closeted actor Owen fears failure and betrayal. So after he’s stabbed by a crazy fan, the movie studio offers a hunky bodyguard for protection. Suspicious that the ripped security man is just a gossip-seeking plant, he pushes back at his bulging biceps, ignoring the chemistry.
Newly retired SEAL Jamal is having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. Reluctantly taking a Hollywood job for a bad boy with tight abs, he’s sure the star is simply paranoid. But when he discovers the sexy celebrity is in serious jeopardy, he doesn’t hesitate to jump into action mode.
As the peril hits closer to home, Owen finds himself falling for the handsome hero fighting for his life. And as the threats intensify, Jamal fears he might lose the man he has come to love.
Will Owen and Jamal go down in a catastrophic climax, or will they star in their own happy ending?
Hollywood Lighting is the red-hot first book in the Bodyguards M/M contemporary romance series. If you like tortured heroes, intense predicaments, and steamy affairs, then you’ll adore J. V. Speyer’s tale of LGBT passion.
Buy Hollywood Lighting to let desire take centerstage today!
Owen sat back in his chair and tried not to fidget. He didn’t want to come off as bored, even if he didn’t actually see the point of being where he was. He had two other projects going on right now, both of which could have moved faster through production if he were on set. Instead he was here, cooling his heels and waiting for Ryan to finish a scene that should have been done three hours ago.
“Cut!” Drew threw his megaphone into Jamal’s arms. Jamal wasn’t expecting it, but he was a SEAL or had been, anyway. He caught the thing easily. Owen tried not to moon about it.
“Ryan, we’ve been over this fifteen times. For fifteen takes. Owen’s been hanging out here for three hours he could have spent working on his other projects, because we were supposed to have been working on his scenes by now. The only way we can make all of this work is by sticking to the schedule. That means we can’t run a scene fifteen times because you don’t know your right from your left.”
Ryan didn’t look like a robot up on the set. He looked like a collection of parts made from children’s modeling clay, badly stuck together and then half-baked. If parts started falling off, Owen wouldn’t be surprised in the least.
“‘Scuse me if I don’t prioritize Pretty Boy’s fucking side gigs.” Ryan staggered over to his chair, on Jamal’s other side, and grabbed for his water bottle. He chugged half of it down, threw it toward the wall, and turned to a pretty little blonde PA who’d been lurking nearby. “Sandra, darlin’, why don’t you nip into my trailer and grab me another one of these?”
The PA, who might or might not have been named Sandra, winked at Ryan and sauntered off toward the trailers. Owen turned back to his phone and made his best effort not to seem at all interested in Ryan’s going on. Ryan’s drunkenness was not news.
Drew took a deep breath. “What Owen is or is not doing with his time isn’t the issue. The fact is, the entire crew is here longer than they need to be because you can’t remember your lines. You can blame Owen’s side projects, you can blame Mercury retrograde, you can blame the writing, but at the end of the day everyone else manages to get the job done. You’re the only one consistently holding up production. You need to get your shit together, Ryan. You’ve been in the business long enough to be more professional than this. You should have more respect for the crew if not your cast mates.”
Ryan staggered, and then he lurched. “Like anyone could have any respect for that prima donna. Look at him, sitting there on his phone. Probably coordinating some kind of drug deal right now.”
Owen glanced at his texts. He’d turned off notifications simply because he didn’t have anyone to text him anything important. Silvia didn’t contact him often, thinking he was a drug-addled degenerate thanks to the gossip sites and their shared parent. Izzy couldn’t contact him, and Dan would call or email. Chris was usually on site with him.
No one else would bother. He might hope Jamal would contact him someday, especially after that amazing night before production started on Hamlet. He wasn’t going to count on it, though.
As he scrolled through the usual crap – mostly automated junk – one message caught his eye. His stepmother’s parents, Linda and George, lived up in Colorado. Silvia had managed to get away from their dad and gone to live with them maybe a year ago. Owen got along a little bit better with all three of them now that they understood what was going on with their son in law better, but he still wouldn’t call their relationship one of trust and affection. They didn’t reach out, as a general rule.
When he saw their number in his incoming texts, he froze. Were they looking for money? Was something wrong with Silvia?
The only way to find out was to click on the text.
On set, Drew’s face had gone bright red. “I don’t care if he’s personally taking over for El Chapo, he knows his lines and he’s where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. It’s more than I can say for you.”
Owen opened the text. There wasn’t a lot to read, but the Carsons hadn’t ever been the most verbose people. Not with Owen, anyway. Your father challenged us for custody of Silvia. He won, effective immediately. He took her back to Orange County today. There were no further messages.
Owen’s stomach sank. Silvia hadn’t confided in him. They hadn’t been close, but Owen knew what kind of man his father was. If Silvia had fled to Colorado, he’d already started pushing her to start a “show biz” career. And his contacts weren’t on the lighter side of Hollywood – not anymore.
He typed out a response. Thanks for letting me know. You may hear from the LAPD. Please cooperate with them. There’s not a lot I can do because of the restraining order, but I’m going to do everything I can.
On set, Ryan spun around to try to get a good look at Drew. His balance wasn’t able to keep up with his intentions, and he pitched forward off the sound stage and onto the ground.
Author Bio:
J J. V. Speyer writes LGBTQ+ romance novels heavily flavored with suspense, mystery, and adventure. She has lived in upstate New York and rural Catalonia before making the greater Boston, Massachusetts area her permanent home. She currently lives just south of Boston in a house old enough to remember when her town was a tavern community with a farming problem.
J. V. finds most of her inspiration from music. Her tastes run the gamut from traditional to industrial and back again. When not writing is a baseball fan, a hockey mom, and a devotee of all things weird and creepy about New England.
Advanced Healing Spells L.C. Mawson (Ember Academy for Young Witches, #3) Publication date: April 15th 2020 Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Keeping my head down shouldn’t be too hard… Right?
Unhappy with how everything with the Amazons went down, the Slayers are now investigating Ember Academy.
But not me. Not as long as I keep my head down.
Which would have been a hell of a lot easier if students hadn’t started dropping unconscious.
No one knows how to wake them, but I have ways to find answers that they don’t
The question is if I risk it with the Slayers watching me so closely…
Especially when it would mean reaching out to the very criminal the Slayers are trying to find.
ADVANCED HEALING SPELLS is the third book in the Ember Academy for Young Witches YA Urban Fantasy Academy series. If you love kick-ass heroines, Sapphic slow-burn romances, and magical boarding schools, you’ll love this latest fast-paced series in L.C. Mawson’s Snowverse.
There are lots of things that I’d gotten disturbingly used to since finding out that I was a Witch.
First and foremost probably being the fact that I’m a Witch.
But spending my dream-time psychically linked to an ancient Witch who almost killed me was definitely up there.
But it’s okay, we got past that.
Mostly.
It was an accident, and she was trying to help lift the curse she left on me.
And I was helping, given that there wasn’t much else to do when I arrived at her tower at night.
“Wait, hang on, stop,” I said as I realised what she was doing.
“What?” she said, huffing as she placed one hand on her hip, the other holding marigold flowers.
“You have to dry them first. You never use fresh marigold in a dermal solution.”
Maria ground her teeth a little, but she did pull out her wand.
“How are you considered one of the greatest Witches of history and you’re this bad at potion-making?”
“Because it takes too long,” Maria admitted as she waited for her drying spell to work.
I grimaced. That would work, but not as well as letting them dry naturally.
“I take shortcuts because I don’t have the patience for the long way, and then my potions are never that strong.”
I took some more marigold flowers from her supplies and removed them from the preservation spell, putting them out to dry.
This potion wasn’t going to be strong enough the way she was making it, so I might as well set up the next one now.
“At least you’re aware of your pitfalls.”
“Being one of the greatest Witches of history demands it. Especially if you’re neurodivergent. You can’t succeed when you don’t understand your limits, Amelia. Pushing past them will only harm you in the long-run.”
I folded my arms tight across my chest. “What if you don’t like thinking about the fact that you’re not good at something?”
She turned and gave me a reassuring smile. “Then that is understandable. But that’s one of those pitfalls that you really do need to acknowledge.”
I leaned back against the table I was standing next to. “Yeah, I guess…”
“For example, if you hadn’t acknowledged that you struggle with Light magic enough to have difficulty casting healing spells, you would have kept pushing yourself to succeed in using traditional healing spells, rather than focusing on your connection to Nature.”
“I don’t struggle with Light magic.”
Maria raised an eyebrow.
“I stopped you from freeing your coven by focusing on Light magic.”
“I didn’t say that you can’t access it at all, I’m just saying that you seem to be favouring Dark magic. And why are you arguing? I thought you wanted to be a Dark Witch so that you could go to the Underworld and get your sister’s protection.”
“I just don’t want to end up like you.”
“I’m not a Dark Witch.”
I frowned. “Wait, you’re not?”
“No, I’m not Dark or Light. It’s not a binary, Amelia. You can draw from both. Or the odd Witch like you can draw from Nature.
“I’ve never been a fan of thinking of it in the binary anyway. ‘Dark’ and ‘Light’ were just terms that Witches made up because the Demons and Council of Light demanded that we be one or the other to work with them.”
Author Bio:
Some say she’s an ancient creature of nightmare that was unleashed from beneath the ocean, come to devour the souls of men. Others say that she’s a cosmic being from the beyond the stars that has taken corporeal form to learn our ways for some unknown end…
In truth, L.C. Mawson lives in a tower in the middle of a haunted forest, far from civilisation and is definitely (probably?) not a witch who curses those who trespass upon her land. And she definitely cannot turn into a dragon that flies over cities in the dead of night and whose cries are often mistaken for an approaching storm. Where did you hear that? That’s absurd…
The only contact she has with humanity is publishing a book once a month, which is definitely just for fun and not part of an ancient contract with a trickster god.
Book details: Love on the Line by Kirsten Fullmer (Women at Work #1) Publication date: June 14th 2017 Genres: Coming of Age, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult Synopsis:
Andrea is an ordinary girl in an extraordinary situation.
She left her comfortable home and family to take a job building a pipeline with her estranged grandpa, Buck. She’s curious about his job, and why her mother dislikes the man. She didn’t expect to uncover buried family secrets, or for the job to be so difficult.
Rooster isn’t a bad guy. He respects women; he was raised by one of the best. But that new girl on the job is too small and feminine. She’s a distraction, plain and simple, and she doesn’t belong on a pipeline. This job is his chance to impress Buck Brennan, a pipeline legend, and no girly greenhorn is going to ruin it for him.
Will Andrea prove herself to her grandfather and forge a relationship with the old man, or will continuous disagreements and unexpected sexual tension between Andrea and Rooster derail their hard work?
My Review
Love on the Line is a story about Andy, who has recently graduated college and decides to work with her grandpa laying pipe in West Virginia. This is a great story about someone finding out who they are and what they want to be. Andy loves the work she does and finds that this kind of work suits her. Along the way Andy must deal with sever sexism of working in such a masculine environment where woman are not appreciated. During her months working with these men she ultimately earns most of their respect for being such a hard worker and with the new knowledge of how things should be done! I loved how the author really took you on Andy’s journey by going into so much detail about the workings of pipe laying. There is a romance that was sweet to watch unfold but I loved how the main focus was the maturing of Andy. I highly recommend if you are looking for a run new adult romance.
AUTHOR BIO:Kirsten is a dreamer with an eye for art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40′ travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their three grandchildren.
As a writer, Kirsten’s goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle, is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.
Happy April Book Friends!! I managed to read 4 books in my first round up and I am ok with that. I know that my reading is slower now because of school with my kids during the day. I did one blog tour, one ARC and 2 audio books. I am finding that audio books are helping me get more reading done right now!
Sensational by Jodie Lynn Zdrok – 3.5 Stars This is the second book in a duology that follows our main character Nathalie. Nathalie inherited her power from her father and it manifests itself when she touches a body or glass infant of one so she can determine if they were murdered or not. Her power works as a vision from the killers perspective right before the victim dies. This book follows Nathalie and her friends as she tries to find the killer who is beheading his victims in the fashion of the French Revolution including using a guillotine. The victims were all found around The World’s Fair that was taking place in Paris in 1889 and introduced the Eiffel Tower.
I really enjoyed the story of Nathalie and her friends. I also thought the premise of how the blood magic worked. I found it unique and interesting. I also loved the setting, Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world and I loved following around these characters. I think it would have been so cool to experience the world exposition in Paris at that time. The Eiffel Tower was completed for this exposition and I enjoyed reading more about it. Every time the author mentioned something interesting I found myself going to down the rabbit hole of google to learn more about them. I never knew that the morgue was a tour destination at this time and that people would line up all day just to see the bodies they had on display. I also learned that vin de coca was wine laced with cocain and this led to the making of coke-a-cola. I love when a book can teach me things I didn’t already know.
What I didn’t like about the book was that the author would intermix French terms and phrases and at times I found this to be distracting. A lot of them were common phrases but a few I had never heard before and had to look them up. I was also disappointed by the ending of this book, I felt that it rushed the ending of the characters after figuring out the mystery. I wanted a little more for the characters that I had come to know while reading their story. Overall this was still a fun read and if you like your history with a little bit of magic then this is a great pick!
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle – 4 Stars This story follows Naomi and Nicholas as they play a game of chicken to see who can cancel their wedding first. When I first started this book I was not sure if I was not sure if I was going to like it. I found Naomi to be very mean towards her fiance, she would talk about how she only loved him 20% or 10%. However, as we get deeper into their relationship things start to make more sense as to why they are having troubles. The things these two characters did to each other was hilarious. I love when a romance book takes a couple who is already together and the story is about them working on their relationship. As I am someone who has been in a relationship for so long, I like to see these stories of how couples work to stay together. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun and easy romance! This one comes out on Tuesday April 7, 2020. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Books.
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle – 4 Stars I listened to this book in one day while I was driving around for work. I was really surprised with where it went. I thought this would be a love story and in a way it was. It was about the bond between 2 friends who have been through everything together and when tragedy happens how they deal with it together. Danny I really enjoyed this book!! But be prepared to cry!
Follow Me by Kathleen Barber – 3 Stars This was another audio book for me and I really enjoyed the narrators. We have three points of view for this book, the first is only referred to as Him and he is the one of Audrey’s Instagram Followers. The second narrator is Audrey who is an influencer and just recently moved to DC. The third pov is from Audrey’s roommate and friend, Cat. We follow Audrey as she chronicles her new job in life in DC and what happens when someone becomes obsessed with you due to your online presence. I enjoyed this story and thought the pacing was well done. I didn’t see the twist coming at the end and I liked being surprised. My only complaint was that EVERY single person who met Audrey instantly liked her and was in love with her. She was described as nothing special and yet attracted everyone! Over all a fun read and I liked all 3 narrators.
The Crystal War Tracy Auerbach (Fragments #2) Published by: Parliament House Publication date: April 14th 2020 Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
The line between human and monster is not as clear cut as they once thought.
In the weeks since her escape from the hell of the Eastern Fortress, things have grown more complicated for Kai. She cast her lot with her brother’s self-absorbed boyfriend, who controls the Western Army, but she’s been separated from Finn, the soldier who found a place in her heart.
Finn has defaulted to his signature move: he’s run away; afraid of himself, his new feelings for Kai, and all the terrible truths he’s learned.
Tessa is free in the world for the first time, a force to be reckoned with. She’s gone to the far west and the Dome of Artifacts to seek revenge on the system that ruined her life.
The type ‘A’ soldier who was once a friendly boy named Charlie has been restored to factory settings, a weapon for Aric to use.
The Science Council has unleashed new crystal compounds, more toxic and destructive than anything the world has seen. As Kai and her friends struggle with everything that’s been done to them, they will have to find a way to unite and prepare for the fight of their lives.
Bill’s boots gouged through the sand as he was dragged from the vehicle that had stolen him from the safety of his camp; the hands gripping his biceps were huge and rough. A black scarf had been wrapped over his head, covering his eyes, and a gag stuffed in his mouth.
The toes of his leather boots bumped up then down as the sand’s softness was replaced by cement underfoot. The footsteps of those who dragged him echoed and it registered; he’d been taken indoors.
Hands repositioned themselves on his arms as he was slammed backward onto a cold metal table. Struggling, he tried to yell, but no sound got past the gag. Restraints, large and cold, closed over his wrists and ankles. He bucked and kicked before feather-gentle fingers touched his temples, a sensation vastly different from the rough grip that had previously held him.
The scarf over his eyes was lifted away to reveal slender fingers. He blinked in the harsh light, waiting for his blurry vision to focus. When it did, his heart sunk, and he froze. Struggling had been futile. The woman above him was the rumored head of the New Resistance.
Bill stared into the strange, amber eyes of the woman he had heard about. Over the past few months, whispers had traveled throughout the west; rumors of her beauty and cruelty, and above all, her power: his small army of Resistance fighters had been preparing for her imminent attack.
Everything he had heard about her magnificence was true; golden eyes that sat in a perfectly structured face; tan and well-defined, but not too sharp to be feminine. White-blonde hair stood in spikes over her arched brows. Gunmetal-gray hoops in her ears reflected the light of a small crystal fragment set into a dome lamp over the table. She was dressed head to toe in utilitarian black tactical clothing, but he could still tell that her body was a work of art. He couldn’t guess her height; she seemed tall, with beautifully defined curves and a tiny waist.
“Stop staring, prisoner,” she whispered in a melodic voice. “Looking upon me can’t save you.”
Bill was in a lab, but he couldn’t see much. The halo of light from the single crystal above was dim and focused, but beyond the table he where he lay, details quickly melted into shadows. He could barely make out the hulking shapes of the men who had dragged him from his guard post; only the beautiful, terrible woman was clear. He tried to speak, but his lips fought uselessly against the fabric still in his mouth.
“Do you wish to say something?” asked the woman.
He nodded, and she removed the binding from between his dry lips—he licked them before speaking. “I’ve heard of you,” said Bill, awed. “These past couple of months, everything’s changed.”
“It has. I am changing things. And this is just the beginning.”
“Are you going to make me into one of your slaves?”
“I must have your absolute loyalty. I’ll accept nothing less.”
Bill swallowed, feeling ill with the certainty that he wasn’t going to get out of this, and he saw her smile, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.
“Why me?”
“Why not?” She blinked momentarily releasing him from the power behind her eyes. “You’re a good soldier; I’ve done my research. You’re exactly what I’m looking for right now. You will come and work for me, just as they have.” She made a sweeping gesture toward the men around them.
“Forgive me, Miss…”
“Raven.”
“Forgive me, Miss Raven, but what makes you think you can you ensure my loyalty?”
“It’s just Raven,” she corrected, her expression unchanging. “And the answer is simple. It’s all about consumption.”
“Consumption?”
“Yes. Everyone is a consumer. Press the right button, and anyone’s loyalty can be controlled. Even yours, soldier.”
“My name is…”
“Not important,” she cut him off.
Bill sighed. He’d had more than enough of being controlled; given over from his foster home to the Eastern Forces, trained to mine for crystals, months of being a type ‘B’ soldier on blue compound, only to be stolen in a raid by the Resistance, and retrained as a guard, led to believe that he was at last working for a higher cause. And now this.
Raven gestured to the soldiers standing in shadow, and Bill craned his neck to try and see what was happening, only to close his eyes, feeling his stomach drop when one of the men approached, holding up a faintly glowing blue syringe.
So, more of the same, then.
“What’s his poison?” asked the man with the syringe.
“Primarily stimulants,” instructed Raven. “Food as a secondary, pre-established reinforcer.”
The man leaned closer, and Bill saw by the light of the glowing crystal fragment that he was young, with a healing but grisly-looking scab that ran the length of his left cheek, ending near his eye.
Bill jerked in his restraints, even though he knew it was futile, and gritted his teeth as the needle pierced the skin of his upper arm. The fire of the compound made its way through his blood, causing him to sigh in relief. It still felt good, every time, even after being off it for months now. It had only taken him a few weeks back at the Eastern Fortress to become addicted to the compound itself, and months for the Resistance to detox him.
Heart racing, his stimulant craving spiked. He refused to beg until the Raven girl held a small vial of pungent-smelling coffee under his nose—then he screamed with want. The compound created an itch that the right thing could scratch, and it felt so good.
“Would you like this?” she asked in a silky, taunting voice.
“Yes,” he whimpered.
“Open up, then.”
Bill opened his mouth, sick with anticipation of the bitter cordial that would bring relief to his burning blood. Every pump of his heart demanded it. He greedily swallowed the wetness on his tongue, but it didn’t taste like coffee.
He opened his eyes and saw that the Raven girl held a vial that was empty but for a glowing residue.
She’s given me Shine.
Bill stared at his tormentor. It was too late to spit out the horribly addictive drug. Gulping with a heedless greed he usually reserved for coffee, he’d swallowed a good mouthful of it.
Too much. She had him.
Knowing that Shine would quickly supersede his moral compass, he tried to hold onto his terror, his ideals; he tried to retain any part of himself. But as he looked into her expressionless eyes, he began to feel the drug taking hold. Soon, the fear faded, along with all thoughts of fleeing. The world shrunk, leaving room for her alone in his mind. His senses sharpened, overwhelmed by the power of her presence and the Shine’s euphoria.
The rest of the world faded away, and nothing else mattered but his new queen.
I will serve this woman forever.
Author Bio:
Tracy Auerbach is an author of science fiction and fantasy for teens and adults. As an avid reader with a vivid imagination, she chose to study film, English, and education, and went on to teach and write STEM curriculum for the New York Department of Education. This helped to polish her writing skills and ignite her passion for science fiction and fantasy.
Her first scholarly article, published in Language Magazine, was about the value of active, creative learning in science.
On the fiction side, Tracy’s work has been featured in the online literary journal Micro-horror, The Writing Disorder fiction anthology, and the “(Dis)ability” short story anthology, in addition to her novels.
When she is not teaching or writing, Tracy is usually reading or spending time with her family. She lives in New York with her husband and sons.
I Would Never…But If I Did Maria Ann Green Publication date: April 10th 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Taryn Sams doesn’t believe in love. Period. Every time she’s gotten close, her happiness has been ripped from her, proving once again the only thing worth believing in is the inevitability of her own – and others – screw ups.
For Austin Wright, Taryn is the one who got away. But really, if he’s honest with himself, he pushed her away, with one hard shove. He did the one thing he told her he never would do, and shattered both of their hearts. But it’s been years since then, and somehow Austin and Taryn found a way to be friends, albeit dysfunctional ones.
Theo Evans is the other man in Taryn’s life. He’s also Austin’s best friend. But, to be fair, he’s been in love with Taryn longer. He accepts Taryn as she is, broken, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to be the one she chooses in the end.
Taryn isn’t the only one with someone else in her life. Austin has a girlfriend he’s trying to see a future with even though she can’t live up to those that came before. Yet they keep coming back together like magnets, unable to resist the pull to each other. Taryn continues her relationship with Theo while starting up again with Austin, willing to give him one more shot though not willing to let go of Theo just yet. While juggling the two men, she’s hoping that her once-bitter heart will eventually open up and tell her who to choose, hoping that she isn’t deluding herself yet again about what’s real and what’s possible.
Can love win Taryn over, or will she screw up her own life yet again, and the lives of at least three others in the process?
“I would never cheat on her, but if I did, it would only be with you.”
His stupid, insensitive words, from who-the-fuck-knows how long ago, a lifetime—from a couple girlfriends ago—feel more and more like I imagined them. And still, I can’t let go; they rattle and clank but just won’t leave. So I tip the bottle of booze back, taking another long pull. And I shouldn’t be surprised when I have to bite back both the gag and mouthful of saliva that follow way too quickly. At this point, it’s almost instant. But I am. Though, after some quick swallowing and a violent shudder, I’m pretty sure it’s not coming back up.
Yet.
I don’t even know why I’m thinking about him, about that, I forget what brought it up this time. But something always does, and, every time, those memories lead to nights like this.
Whatever.
Looking between the bottle in my hand and Maicy eyeing me like I’m a glass on the edge of a shelf, too close to falling, to shattering, I can’t take it. I just can’t. No thank you.
So I take another drink, intending to get drunk.
Author Bio:
Maria lives in Minnesota despite the frozen winters. Actually, she prefers snow drifts and icicles over summer and all that sweat running everywhere. She lives with her husband and little family, which includes a couple lazy cats who make great lap warmers. You can usually find her whishing that she lived in a secret cabin in the woods where she could be a hermit reading and writing all of the time. Instead she lives the suburban life where she pretends to her neighbors and the other moms around that she doesn’t swear like a sailor, have hidden tattoos, and love a good glass bottle of wine. She absolutely believes in unicorns and ghosts and hopes vampires and monsters are real too. She’s a coffee-in-the-morning and wine-in-the-evening kind of person, preferably with a nap in between. Maria prefers cats over dogs, books over people, and late nights over early mornings. She probably shouldn’t talk to anyone until she’s had her first cup of coffee. And if you ever want to hang out with her, you’ll have to be game for a horror movie or just a quick run to target for two (hundred) little things. Also, you couldn’t pay her to be in her twenties again; Thirties is where it’s at. She’s a creative, mouthy, introverted, proud bisexual, highly-sensitive INFJ, Slytherpuff, dork with a sweet-tooth.
Maria devours books, reading mostly in bed or listening to audio books in the car. Writing has been one of her passions for pretty much her whole life. So creativity is a necessity for her, always. After working in the mental health field for almost a decade, she’s now living her dream as a stay-at-home writer, kiddo wrangler, professional snuggler, and constantly-tired-person. When it comes to her writing, she specializes in dark and twisted thrillers or gritty, angsty contemporary romances. But no matter the genre, she always prefers writing deeply flawed characters with dysfunctional relationships. She’s pretty sure the whole “unlikable character” thing is a conspiracy because every character she loves have been labeled this way. Ridiculous. And because of this, she’s pretty much found it impossible to write anything without at least a little mayhem.
Maria was once told she painted with her words, and that phrase stuck with her – because writing really is an art, and good stories are true masterpieces. She’s always trying to grow and improve in her craft, shooting for a masterpiece of her own someday. And she plans to write forever because writing gives Maria the ability to disappear into new worlds and create people within twisting plots, all from the comfort of her couch. She will always believe that though not every story is for her, and her stories aren’t for everyone, every story has a reader.
Capturing the Bride Samantha Holt Publication date: April 7th 2020 Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
If one is very, extremely desperate, then one may call on the services of a clandestine group of men.
The Kidnap Club—known to few—specialize in helping women out of difficult situations.
Arranged marriages to awful men, for example.
Miss Grace Beaumont is at her mercy of her uncle who is determined she marry the depraved Mr. Worthington. Desperate times call for…well, the Kidnap Club.
It seems insane. Perhaps it is. But anything is better than being married to that man.
Lord Nash Fitzroy has looked after many a kidnapee over the past few years, but none make him want to break the cardinal rules as much as Grace. Her determined spirit, quick wit, and, let’s be honest, her pretty looks have him struggling to remember his role in this.
Protector, defender, and occasional shoulder to cry on.
His way with women and the almost derelict offerings of his ancestral home as a hideaway make him a perfect pretend kidnapper. He doesn’t much mind the money involved either, seeing as his father cut him off.
Which means, he cannot afford to get this wrong. No matter how tempted he is to show Grace that Worthington is not a prime example of how a man should be and burn the damned rule book.
She huffed and unfolded her arms. “I cannot help that I am boring, Nash. I am sorry I do not have a crumbling mansion and a mysterious past.” She lifted her hands. “This is me. I have little ambition and I like animals. That is it. I am boring.”
Nash rose to his feet before he had quite fathomed what he was doing. He strode over and took her elbows in his hands, drawing her up to meet him. Her lips parted and her eyes widened.
“What are you—?”
“Do not ever say that again,” he said firmly.
“But—”
“You are far, far, far from boring.”
He curled a hand around her neck and kissed her. Hard. It took all of two seconds. Two mere seconds and they were pressed together, her lips beneath his. Two seconds to break all of his silent promises to himself, to Grace, and all those very real promises he had made to Guy.
She tasted so damned good, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.
After a little squeak of surprise, she settled against him, and he wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her closer. Her fingers dug into his upper arms while he explored her lips with his—only briefly, long enough to gain entrance.
She made another sound, one that tugged deep inside him and made him harder than a stone statue. Her body softened further, and he gripped her to him tight, pushing the kiss hard and deep, sweeping his tongue into her mouth with a groan.
It was no good. He was lost to her.
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…
Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.
You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.
Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.
Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.
To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.
Alien Minds Alien Minds (Dimension Drift #1) Published by: Monster House Books Publication date: June 5th 2019 Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
DIVERGENT meets OCEAN’S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist!
On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy but terrible accident. My parents stand by my bedside—both are beautiful, wealthy, and super-nice. They tell me that once I leave the hospital, I’ll attend the prestigious ECHO Academy, where I’ll churn out equations for the government along with my mega-smart peers.
So, I’m living the perfect life.
Then why does everything feel all wrong?
My parents, my house and even ECHO Academy…none of it fits. Plus, what’s up with Thorne, my brooding yet yummy classmate who keeps telling me I need to remember my true past, which seems to have included a lot of us kissing? That’s one thing I’d really like to remember, except for the fact that I’m pretty sure Thorne is hiding a ton of nasty secrets of his own, including the fact that he may not be from this world. But considering how my own past seems alien to me, it’s not like I can judge. Plus, Thorne has dimples. That’s a problem.
And worst of all, why does it feel so yucky to work on these calculations for the government? It’s all supposed to be part of ECHO, but my heart tells me that I’m helping something truly terrible come to pass. Thorne seems to think that kissing him again will release my real memories.
Maybe it’s time to pucker up.
“Appealing and engaging. Love the strong female character!” – Arlene’s Book Reviews
This new series is perfect for: fans of urban fantasy, action & adventure, cool science, evil corporations, forbidden romance and hot new classmates who may or may not be aliens.
“Intoxication with technology is the hallmark of an underdeveloped society.” – Beauregard the Great, Instructions for Visiting Parallel Worlds
After spending hours on guard duty, I can finally leave Mass General. Soon I’m tooling my hoverbike toward the outskirts of the Boston Dome. Overhead, a cloud-free sky is projected onto the plasma. Tall buildings loom around me in a maze of chrome and concrete.
An image appears in my mind. Meimi—I never even think the false name Wisteria—lies curled on her hospital bed, drugged up and asleep. Every instinct in my soul says I should’ve stayed behind and guarded her while she rested. Not an option. An important appointment is coming up, and I can’t miss it.
For Meimi.
Of course, Godwin—my boss and Meimi’s doctor—doesn’t know I’m leaving the city. Then again, the doctor doesn’t know a lot of things about me.
Like the fact that I’m not from this planet.
Plus, I’m not just any alien. My father’s the Emperor of the Omniverse, the universe of universes.
So what Godwin doesn’t know about me is quite a lot, actually.
Meimi doesn’t know much, either. To begin with, she doesn’t remember that I’m her transcendent. Even worse, she thinks I’m in league with someone as evil as Godwin. Not to mention that I’m part of a government creating an apocalypse for anyone who isn’t perfect.
Bands of sorrow tighten around my chest. There’s no avoiding the truth. Meimi sees me as her enemy. I straighten my spine. But being her enemy? That keeps my girl safe. So that’s what I’ll no do, no matter how much it tears at my soul.
Author Bio:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates
Finding Edward Suzanne McKenna Link (Save Me, #3) Publication date: March 31st 2020 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
When Edward’s beloved grandmother dies, she doesn’t just leave behind money. His inheritance includes a father in Italy he never knew he had.
Now he’s forced to navigate a country he doesn’t know, using a language he doesn’t speak, in search of a man who has no clue Edward even exists.
He’s expecting disappointment. He’s expecting anger. He’s expecting pain. But what Edward isn’t expecting is to stumble across the one woman to ever steal his heart … the one woman he can never have.
Edward’s past and future collide, leaving him more lost — and more alive than he’s ever felt before.
My mother came out with two shot glasses and a bottle of bourbon. She poured some liquor in each glass and put one in front of me on the coffee table. She downed hers before taking a seat on the couch next to me.
My stomach curled at the thought of mixing bourbon with my upset stomach.
“For some strange reason, Grams wants me to go to Italy. She said you had a secret to share, something that could explain why.”
My mother fidgeted silently, hands in her lap. I braced myself.
“Tom Rudack is not your father.”
I stared at the boring beige rug under my feet. I didn’t know what I expected her to say, but it wasn’t that.
I wrangled my bottom lip between my teeth and winced from the bruising I’d given it earlier.
“Stop biting your lip,” she said.
“Are you saying the man you were married to is not Ray’s and my father?” I raised my eyes to her face.
Chin lifted with an air of defiance I didn’t quite understand, she watched me, her brown eyes partially hidden behind long bangs, unnaturally dark for her age.
“He’s Ray’s father. Not yours.”
I let out a noisy breath and shook my head. “Then who… who is my father?”
“He’s a man from the garden center where I used to work. An Italian who came here on a work visa. He worked a year and went back to Italy.”
My real father was Italian?
Author Bio:
Suzanne McKenna Link works for a family of newspapers that cover events in and around the South Shore of Long Island, New York. She lives in the town of Sayville with her husband and two children.
SAVING TOBY is her debut novel. The literary love story follows the moving journey of a damaged young man and his love for a girl who might just save him. An avid interest in psychology has Suzanne digging deep into the reasons for her characters’ behaviors. The native Long Islander is fascinated by the how and why of people’s actions. As a result, her characters come to life on the pages.
Jane’s Team: A High School Reverse Harem Romance Janie Marie (Bizarro Universe Books, #1) Publication date: April 2nd 2020 Genres: Romance, Sports, Young Adult
When you’re in love with your best friend, life is complicated.
When he’s also your stepbrother, it’s a nightmare.
Jane’s apparently a magnet for chaos.
Because now she’s agreed to tutor her stepbrother’s enemy, and that sexy bad boy might have a thing for her. She might also love that a tingle surrounds her soul whenever he’s close.
Throw his two brothers into the mix, dangerous rivals looking to destroy every one of them, and parents controlling her love life. It’s safe to say she’s wandered into the apocalypse.
At least being torn between four hot guys isn’t the end of the world.
Just kidding. It totally is.
But they’ll all realize something.
Jane’s the ruler of her life. No one else.
Long live the queen . . . and her kings.
JANE’S TEAM 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗺 High School Romance and Alternate reality for the Gods & Monsters trilogy.
*strong language, sexual assault, sex, stepbrother romance, reverse harem romance. Guaranteed HEA. No Cliffhanger*
“I’ll destroy him if he takes one step away with her.” Ryder grinned confidently. “Don’t worry about him anyway—she can’t live without me. She’s just figuring that out.”
David straightened as fear and anger shot down his spine. “I’ll make everything up to her.”
“Then do it, fucker.” Ryder quieted when noises from the other players and coaches coming filled the locker room.
Before David could switch his focus to the upcoming game, his phone vibrated. His pulse hummed in his ears because it was a text from Tercero, and the way Ryder was staring at his phone, he’d gotten a message as well.
They both looked at each other and then opened the picture.
“Hot damn.” Ryder yanked David’s phone before he could fully take it in. “Just seeing if he sent the same photo.”
David snatched it back, and he smiled. It was like the universe had forgiven him. All his hopes and dreams with her didn’t seem impossible anymore, because his beautiful girl was right there—on his bed, wearing his jersey in just a pair of her favorite knee-high socks and nothing else.
It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, but she’d made it tasteful. Or, he guessed Tercero had made sure she wasn’t totally exposed. Her legs were together and tilted to the side, showing off the side of her bare ass.
“I’m actually glad we had him take the photo.” Ryder rearranged himself. “He took a photography class last year, and he’s all artistic. She listened to him about me—no panties. That means I’m in with you.”
David noticed, and he knew it meant Jane was choosing all of them right now. It hurt, but he hadn’t expected her to drop Ryder.
“Fuck, she’s a goddess,” Ryder whispered.
She really was, and David couldn’t take his eyes off her. Tercero had arranged her hair, spread out in a way that made her look like a fallen angel, and her eyes—she made sure he knew this was for him and Ryder. “He’s standing on my bed. He better be dressed.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” Ryder said, texting something back. “He said they didn’t fuck, but she’s satisfied. Lucky bastard probably ate her out.”
All sorts of violent thoughts rose, but David tried to control himself. He’d told Tercero to take care of her, and he should be proud, focusing on the fact that she knew he’d been the one to make this happen, to make sure she was satisfied. David wanted to talk to her alone, but he knew he’d have no privacy with players filling in now. “I’m fucking surprised she’d let him do that. I think about that all the time with her, but she’s always so sweet—I can’t—”
“You think she doesn’t have dirty wishes?” Ryder chuckled. “She’s always reading naughty books. She definitely fantasizes about it, and we let her have it.”
David sighed, realizing Ryder was right again. Jane wasn’t a prude, but she’d been something almost sacred to him, and so he’d told himself it was wrong to think about the things he wanted to do to her, that she became even more untouchable and pure. She became something no one should taint, even though he wanted to do everything with her. “What are you telling him?” he asked instead of blurting out more personal stuff.
“Told him to ask her if she’s ready for all of us.” Ryder dodged the punch David threw. “Careful, you’re already hurt. Coach is gonna baby your ass if he sees it.”
David didn’t give a damn about his hand or the coach. He sent Jane a text, well aware Ryder’s focus was now him doing the same. There were so many things he wanted to say, but it didn’t feel right to do it in a text: Beautiful, baby. I promise we’ll talk tonight.
Ryder leaned closer, peeking at his phone. “Say something better than that. She wants dirty talk right now. Show her you’re not a scared bitch, and you want her just like this—all sexy. Or she’s gonna be embarrassed for trying.”
“I want every version of her, but I want to talk to her in person.”
“No, you’re afraid she’s not going to handle the dirty shit you want.” Ryder smirked, and David knew it was because Ryder had had a taste of Jane’s wild side. “Trust me, she wants all of it.”
David was still unsure, but he didn’t have time to discuss it more. He lowered his voice and locked his screen as Lance walked toward him. “Don’t you dare show her to anyone else.”
Instead of joking, Ryder gave him a serious nod. “She’s ours.”
– ch 10, Jane’s Team
Author Bio:
Janie Marie is a native Texan and resides in her hometown north of Austin, Texas, where she devotes her time to family, pets, and her writing.
Much of her life experiences–good and a lot of bad–are where she has chosen to draw inspiration from to create her characters and stories. It’s important to her to create the kind of characters she needs or needed at one point in time because she wanted to create something only the saddest souls would recognize as brave and strong.
Be ready for raw, emotional tales, as Janie never holds back. With her darkest thoughts she found light is still possible, that the sad girl can sometimes glow the brightest. Because she is beauty surrounded by darkness.
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