Spotlight – Hotter Than the Caribbean

Tags

Building Love series, Hotter Than the Caribbean, Stacy Hoff

Y’all, I’m so happy to have Stacy Hoff here to answer a few questions and share her newest book.  The first book has gotten some great reviews and I’m sure that the second book (releasing today) is goin got be just as good!

*****

*What do you like best about writing romances?

I’ve been practicing law for over twenty years. Notwithstanding my hard-boiled profession, I’ve always been drawn to stories that have a “happy ever after.”  In romance novels (unlike the legal world) everyone gets a satisfying resolution to their problems. The characters I write emerge stronger, and emotionally richer. Their emotionally satisfying journey becomes my own.

*What is your favorite romantic story (movie/book, fact/fiction, whatever you love most)?

I have a loooong list of favorite romantic stories. My list began back in college. I was assigned to read Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I finished these stories knowing that romance books were going to be a life long addiction for me. My passion for the classics hasn’t faded, but I’ve added a boat load of modern books to the list. Kristen Higgins has written most of my contemporary romance favorites. Chloe Neill is my favorite paranormal author. Of course, not all great romances stories are books. My favorite romantic movie is Dirty Dancing. I was sixteen years old when the film came out. I spent the rest of my youth convinced my true love would sweep me off my feet – figuratively and literally. (I did marry a wonderful man who, ironically, does not like dancing.)

*If you weren’t a writer and could be anything you want, what would it be?

When I’m not busy being a full time attorney, wife, and mom, I draw and paint. A part of me has always wanted to become a professional artist. I attended the “Fame” high school in New York City. Today, I sketch in a local art gallery.

*Which of your characters/books was the most fun to write? 

My off-beat characters are the most fun to write. Melanie “Mel” Merritt, the heroine in HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN, is one of my most off-beat characters yet. Mel struggles like I do with a secret ambition to be a professional artist. Like Mel, I had wisps of my hair tinted blue. (It was temporary hair dye back in high school, but still!) The more creative the character’s personality, the more I can have fun delving into who they really are.

*****

Hotter Than the Caribbean

Building Love #2

by Stacy Hoff

Blurb:

In the Caribbean, the secrets, sex, and scandals are hotter.

Luis Serrano, the unwanted love child of a hotel construction magnate, is determined to reach his father’s level of success. When Luis finds himself pitted against his half-brother for control over their ailing father’s company, sibling rivalry comes to a head. The stakes are high. The brother who best completes their portion of the Caribbean construction project will gain control over the entire company. To win, Luis hires an interior design firm. But the firm will have to perform difficult work under serious time constraints.

Melanie Merritt is used to sibling rivalry. She’s always been second best to her older sister, the “golden child” of their parents’ interior design firm. Melanie’s desire is to be an artist. She works for her family to appease them. Her newest task is to implement a complex project for Luis Serrano under an impossibly short deadline. If she fails, her family’s company may go bankrupt. But Melanie can’t keep her too-creative ideas away from her family, and the client.

Completing work on time won’t be easy. Especially when dual sibling rivalries threaten to destroy the project, and a passion hotter than the Caribbean.

HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN (Building Love #2) can be read as a stand-alone novel. The other books in the Building Love series are BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS (Building Love #1) and MAD FOR YOU IN MADRID (Building Love #3), which releases March, 2018.

Get your copy from Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Mel quickly keyed into her suite on the fifteenth floor of the Condado Beach Resort. She was in a hurry to get ready for her dinner meeting with Luis. Afterwards, she’d call her sister to let her know his handsome appearance was the least intimidating thing about him. The man was confident to the point of cocky, and as determined as a Caribbean hurricane.

Despite his cool response, however, his eyes had been warm as they appraised her. There was something sexual about the man, putting her senses on high alert. Making her skin super-aware. Had he been appraising her body as well as her competence? Or perhaps she was just imagining his reaction.

Her own reaction, however, was harder to figure out. Why did she feel extremely turned on when she should feel put off? What the heck is wrong with me? The minute she finished her phone call to Denny she would take a frigid shower to chill her libido.

Working for unapproachable authority figures was a pattern that had to be broken. Like her parents, Luis was clearly someone who was hard to please. The tension he exuded when he spoke about the project was so apparent on his face it was practically palpable. Worse, his work pressure would surely be passed on to her. As if she didn’t have enough stress to deal with already. Ugh! Please fly the hell down here already, Denny!

This design project would no doubt eat her alive. Not only would she have to quash her libido, she’d have to design the lobby in the way her ultra-stuffy sister envisioned. Denny didn’t think anywhere near similar. The whole assignment would probably end up being a disaster.

Worse, her family would never let her live failure down. They had publicly touted this project as the firm’s showcase assignment. News of a failure would be widespread.

Her phone vibrated next to her with enough force to almost bounce off the bed. Her sister’s name flashed across the screen. Guess Denny beat me to it. “We Are family” by Sister Sledge played loudly, a song Denny had suggested as a way to try to bring them closer together. Delving into her bag just in time to swipe the bar, Mel accepted the call.

“How are you doing so far?” Denny asked without preamble.

“The flight was . . . challenging. At least I made it here in one piece.”

“What company did you rent your car from?”

“None. The client sent a limo.”

“Ooooh, I like a man with class and style. One who spends lavishly on his team of designers.” Denny chuckled. “I swear, Mellie, Luis Serrano is bachelor of the year. But not for long, because I can already tell you I’m going to marry him. He’s hot, owns a very successful company, and comes from a rich family. There’s no way I can go wrong with a man like that.”

“Optimist,” Mel quipped.

“Sure, I’m an optimist. Why not? I believe in happy endings. Fairy tales. Prince Charming. Heck, I’ll even shop around for a castle and pair of glass slippers.”

Although Denny was obviously kidding, Mel bristled. “Um, which one of us is going to be Cinderella in your fairy tale? I’m always the one stuck sweeping out the cinders.”

“Mellie, I was joking,” Denny answered in a soft voice. “I know Mom and Dad are tough on you. I hope you don’t think I am, too.”

Not since last week when you asked me why I was wasting time with art. You might as well be Mom and Dad’s echo chamber.

“Hello? Mellie? Are you still there?” Denny prompted.

“Yes. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I know you’ll do your best to keep the client happy until I arrive.”

“What about Mom and Dad? Do they think so, too?”

Denny hesitated before speaking. “They’ll come around.”

“Right.” Mel knew her voice sounded strained. Sometimes the hurt was hard to filter out.

Silence lingered in the air a full minute. Fighting with her sister, especially over their parents’ favoritism, would only drive more wedges into the family tree. At this point, a light wind would blow the fragile, old oak over. Splintering as it landed from the years of heavy blows.

Mel coughed to clear her tight throat. “I don’t know about a prince, but I bet Luis Serrano will be taken with your good looks, and your design proposal.”

“Thanks, Mellie.”

“Give him two days to eat of your hands, just like your many other admirers.”

Her sister paused for a moment. “Men are attracted to you, too, Mellie. Try breaking out of your shell. Live a little. Put yourself out there. No one woos a recluse. You’ve got plenty going for you. I know you think I’m better looking than you, but if we were any closer in appearance, we’d be twins. Everybody says so. You know that.”

Mel mustered a lighthearted voice. “Sure, sure. You’re right.” At least some of her sister’s compliments weren’t left-handed. Little did Denny know that Mel was already trying to “live a little” and “put herself out there.” Although not in the way Denny suggested.

*****

Author Info:

Stacy Hoff is a contemporary romance author, as well as an attorney. She has practiced law for over two decades, primarily handling contracts. Romance novels have always been her secret passion. She writes her romantic stories until the wee hours of the night. Stacy lives in New England with her husband and two boys. Stacy’s other full-length contemporary romance novels are: JOCKEYING FOR YOU, LAWFULLY YOURS, DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES (Desire #1), and DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC (Desire #2).

Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Hoff/e/B00NN0HCW8

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorStacyHoff

Author website: http://www.stacyhoff.com

*****

And while your shopping on Amazon make sure you get a copy of Betting on Love in Vegas (Building Love #1) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WD1J7LW/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

Catherine(Cat)Warner has problems. The profits from her inns are down. The pressure from her parents is up. Her love life is non-existent. But Cat did manage to get the attention of tough, powerful, gorgeous hotel magnate Ty Orland. Unfortunately, his interest in her is for all the wrong reasons. Instead of wanting Cat, this debonair CEO only wants her land—a parcel he desperately needs for his next big development deal. Too bad, it’s not for sale. A people pleaser by nature, Cat knows to stand strong. If she caves in to the demands of this sexy, alluring man, it will be her own neck on the line.

Ty Orland has a lot of things going for him. Success. Power. Respect. Unfortunately, he’s also got an old chip on his shoulder and a new financial nightmare. His development deal is going down in flames—and fast. His only way out is if Cat sells him her strategically located parcel. But romancing the land from her is not easy when love gets in the way. The woman is as beautiful as she is beguiling. And Ty no longer knows which prize is more valuable.

Advertisements

Spotlight – Fiancé for the Night

Tags

Fiance for the Night, Melissa McClone

*****

Fiancé for the Night

by Melissa McClone

Genre Adult; Contemporary Romance; Sweet/Clean Romance

Publisher Cardinal Press, LL

Publication Date October 17, 2017

Blurb:

She needs a fiancé—for only one night.

Cassandra Daniels’ parents refuse to accept that she doesn’t need a boyfriend to be happy. To stop their meddling and matchmaking, Cassandra creates a fictional fiancé, a man who sounds so unlike their carefree and unconventional daughter that her mom and dad want to meet him for dinner, immediately.

No problem. San Francisco is a big city. Finding a fiancé won’t be that hard.

All Troy McKnight wants is a beer after a long day at work. But when a pretty blonde asks him to dinner and wants him to pretend to be her fiancé, Troy agrees to help. Playing make-believe could be fun, especially since he gets a free meal, and he’ll have a great story to tell.

When one lie leads to another, however, the fake engagement spirals into real wedding plans. Cassandra and Troy must stop the madness and put an end to their charade. But what if her fiancé for the night is the perfect husband for life?

** This second edition has been rewritten and updated. 8000 words have also been added. **

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2yyfDIL  

BN: https://goo.gl/4uL86u  

iBooks: http://apple.co/2z7mO7K  

Kobo:  https://goo.gl/9T1nNx  

Google Play: https://goo.gl/TvzJ25

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over forty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn’t compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. Her first full-time writing endeavor was her first sale when she was pregnant with her first child! When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her driving her minivan to/from her children’s swim practices and other activities. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!

Website http://www.melissamcclone.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMcCloneBooks

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/melissamcclone

Goodreads https://goo.gl/YoEkSj

Amazon http://amzn.to/2rKG2vQ

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Spotlight – Make Me Yours

Tags

Make Me Yours, Men of Gold Mountain series, Rebecca Brooks

Let’s start our week off with something a little sexy, eh?

*****

Make Me Yours

Men of Gold Mountain series

by Rebecca Brooks

Genre: Sexy Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Release: October 9, 2017

Blurb:

“Intensely sexy and packs an emotional punch!” – #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely on Make Me Beg

Claire Collins has always been good—except when it comes to bad boys. Or one bad boy in particular: a tattooed musician as skilled with her body as he is with his guitar. But he wasn’t ready to be a father, so she left him to raise their daughter on her own. Only fate had other plans, and suddenly, Ryan is back in her life, disrupting everything. This time, though, she’s determined not to lose her heart…even if she still craves his touch.

Ryan Thomas never expects to see Claire again—especially not in a small mountain town in Washington on the last show of his comeback tour. But when the lights come on, there she is, more beautiful than ever. One incredible night with her won’t be enough… But he’ll have to prove he’s not the man he used to be, if he wants to keep her—and his family—for good.

Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/65v8tysg1pezekh676t9efa8m/playlist/597RJyVFBY4rLFDTv1m5iq

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36201995-make-me-yours

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2y0P9Op

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2xiGSqr

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2yqneJp

iTunes: http://apple.co/2kq0hj4

Entangled: http://bit.ly/2xWk1OL

*****

Excerpt:

Claire was grateful when the waitress came over and they had to pull away. They hadn’t even looked at the menu yet. Maybe that would buy her some time, stop her head from spinning. She needed a chance to collect herself before she lost her mind. Ryan wasn’t just a sexy guy who looked at her the way he always had, like she was the only woman in the world and he’d been waiting his whole life to find her. He was the man who’d broken her heart, and she’d better not forget it.

But as soon as she opened the dessert menu, it was harder to stay composed. First on the list was The Chocolate Orgasm, a sinful-sounding molten cake topped with homemade whipped cream. Right now, flushed and heated, she didn’t just want the chocolate. She wanted the orgasm, too.

To go, please, since sharing either of those with the man next to her was obviously a very, very bad idea.

Ryan must have known exactly what she was thinking, because he leaned even closer than they’d been before the waitress came. “I know what you want,” he said devilishly.

“Cheesecake?” Her voice practically squeaked.

“Nope.”

“Tiramisu?”

“I’ve always thought of that as such a tease. Sure, it’s got chocolate. But barely. Why waste time with all that foreplay?”

Oh, please. Claire leveled her head at him. “You don’t believe in foreplay?”

He reached over and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She could guess it was all over the place, no matter how hard Abbi had tried to tame it. She never should have given Ryan a chance to talk to her more. She never should have come. Now here they were, so close to each other as though no time at all had passed.

“On the contrary,” he said, and then his voice dropped. “But that doesn’t mean every taste shouldn’t be the real deal.”  

His eyes locked with hers, the gray darkened to the deep blue of a midnight ocean in the corner where they sat. Was he always like this, so impossible to resist?

She looked away, scanning the rest of the menu frantically, trying to come up with something other than what she obviously wanted. What he knew she wanted. What under any other circumstances, with any other person, she might even have let herself have.   

“I think I’ll get the carrot cake,” she said lamely.

That grin again. His lips moved only a little, but his eyes shifted, the gray lightening. A flicker. A tease.

“Now why are you so hell-bent on denying yourself? The Claire I knew was fed up with being good.”

*****

Author Info:

Rebecca Brooks lives in New York City in an apartment filled with books. She received a PhD in English but decided it was more fun to write books than write about them. She has backpacked alone through India and Brazil, traveled by cargo boat down the Amazon River, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, explored ice caves in Peru, trekked to the source of the Ganges, and sunbathed in Burma, but she always likes coming home to a cold beer and her hot husband in the Bronx. Rebecca writes sexy contemporary romance about dirty-talking, rugged outdoorsmen and adventurous women ready to try something new. Find out more at rebeccabrooksromance.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccabrooksromance

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/beccabooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccabrooks

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Brooks/e/B00ML3LWWY

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/539219.Rebecca_Brooks

Website: http://rebeccabrooksromance.com

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/81aa78941522

*****

Spotlight – This Time Is Different

Tags

Mae Wood, This Time Is Different

I absolutely LOVE the idea of a silver fox hero!  So looking forward to getting my hands on this one 🙂

*****

This Time Is Different

by Mae Wood

Release Date: October 12. 2017

Blurb:

Life can change in a flash. 

Marriage and a baby wasn’t Amy Forsythe’s college plan. After a shotgun marriage glued together by her son, she’s convinced that love isn’t meant for her. Now nearing forty and single for the first time since her senior prom, her friends are pushing her to date. Her teenager isn’t thrilled by the idea and neither is Amy.

Silver fox Thomas Popov isn’t looking for The One. He found her decades ago. And fell apart when she died. At fifty-three with a new job, a new city, and an empty nest, he’s focused on climbing the corporate ladder.

When a softball accident lands Thomas in Amy’s dental chair, sparks fly.

Lightning doesn’t strike twice. But love might. 

This time is different.

Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35711116-this-time-is-different

Purchase Links:

Free with Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON US → http://amzn.to/2xrRIFS

AMAZON UK → http://amzn.to/2hUM90D

AMAZON CA → http://amzn.to/2fVDqXS

AMAZON AU → http://amzn.to/2xrWwuK

AMAZON UNIVERSAL → http://myBook.to/ThisTimeIsDifferent

*****

Excerpt:

“Mr. Popov! I thought the appointment was for five,” I said, closing the door to my SUV after spotting him in the parking lot. He was leaning against his car and tapping on a phone, and his face was still a wreck.

“Yeah, it is. I wanted to beat traffic, so I’ve been taking some calls from your parking lot,” he replied, sliding the phone into his suit pants pocket. Silver hair, light blue dress shirt, rolled up at the sleeves, showcasing his muscular forearms. Someone plays a lot of softball.

“Okay, well, Jana should be here soon and then I can take a quick peek and you’ll be on your way.”

“No rush. And please, call me Thomas,” he said.

“Only if you’ll call me Amy.”

“Nice to meet you, Amy.”

He extended his hand, a friendly smile lighting up his face. The bruise was healing nicely, but the impact point was still purple with a large halo of yellow. It was mainly obscured by his salt and pepper scruff. I didn’t blame him for not shaving. Except for his lip, the skin hadn’t broken. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t any less tender from the trauma. In fact, I was impressed that he was able to smile through the ache.

“And you, Thomas,” I replied, hoisting my purse up my shoulder and clasping his hand. I expected a couple of quick businesslike pumps. What I got was different. His hand was big and warm and soft, making me feel delicate, but before I could process what was different, before I could categorize it into neat little bullet points—

“I’m here already. Just noticed you. Y’all are early,” called Jana from the office’s bright red front door.

As I pulled my head out of the clouds, where I’d just begun to wonder how soft the rest of his skin was, I started to withdraw my hand. But not before he gave a little squeeze. Was that a wink?

“Amy, real quick.”

“Yeah?”

“Will you have dinner with me? I’ve got a table at Brooklyn Bridge at six thirty. And I hear good things about the lobster ravioli and tiramisu.”

The heat that had been building in me quickly cooled. I hated pity dates. I hated when my friends shoved men into my path and hoped for the best. The only one ever truly happy was the friend doing the shoving. And I’d had enough pity from men to last my lifetime. Being alone was better than being pitied.

“Did Diana ask you to do this?” I inquired, narrowing my eyes at him, trying to discern his true intention behind his offer of my favorite meal.

“No. Though she told me what restaurant. So, that’s a yes?”

She didn’t con him into asking me out? It just didn’t make sense. Men didn’t ask me out because they wanted to. Men asked me out because they were obligated to. “That’s a—”

“Yes. Let that be a yes,” he said, another gentle squeeze on my hand that I thought I’d pulled away. Maybe he honestly did want to go on a date with me.

“And tiramisu?” I asked, testing the waters with my toe.

“Of course. And whatever else you want.”

A smile tickled at the corners of my mouth. Was he propositioning me? God, really? Me, mother of a seventeen-year-old being propositioned?

“They have a nice wine selection,” I said, wading further into the waters to see whether his eyes fell—a clear sign that Diana had pushed him into taking me out—or whether they lit up because he wanted to have dinner with me. In the three years since I’d started going on occasional dates, I hadn’t seen much light.

“There you go. We’ll have wine.” And there was light in his gray blue eyes. “Thank you.”

“Thank you?” My head spun. He was asking me on a date because he wanted to. Not because someone had pressured him into it. Or that he felt like he had to take me out. I honestly wasn’t sure if that had ever happened to me before. And I meant ever.

“Thanks for taking pity on an old man.”

“Oh, hush your mouth,” I said, letting go of his hand, resettling my purse on my shoulder and turning toward the office. “Let’s see if you’re ready to eat that lobster ravioli.”

As I checked his teeth and gums and lips for healing, I got caught up in his eyes. Thick dark lashes rimmed the soft gray blue.

“Whaaa?” he asked, around my fingers, and I remembered where I was—paused with my hands in my patient-turned-date’s mouth. Blue gloves, yoga pants, a lightweight hoodie over a blue tank top, and whatever random pile I swept my hair up into for my post-Pilates shower at the gym. Yeah, no fairy godmothers here. But at least I’d taken that shower.

“Looks good, Mr. Popov. I mean, Thomas,” I said, swiveling on the stool, stripping off the blue gloves and tossing them in the bin. “The lip looks good. Your gums are healing nicely and the teeth have firmed up. No discoloration or signs of stress. You got lucky.”

He pushed up from the exam chair, swinging his legs to the floor. “I did,” he said, looking at me square in the face.

Am I blushing? My cheeks felt warm. Is it warm in here? Is this perimenopause? Is this a hot flash?  Because I hadn’t had a period in nearly two decades and was sneaking up on forty, every time I unexpectedly got warm, I wondered if I was entering menopause.

But I quickly realized that it wasn’t a life change. It was the big, handsome, and very forward man in my office. I didn’t know what to do because he clearly wasn’t talking about his softball accident. I spun around and typed a few notes into his record so that Diana could pull them up on Monday. I logged out of the computer, but not before taking a quick peek at the birthdate at the header of his profile. He was fourteen years and two months older than me to the day. May eleventh. He’d just turned fifty-three.

“Okay, you guys, let’s hit it. Thanks for coming in, Jana. I really appreciate it,” I said.

“Happy to, Dr. Forsythe. I’m going to go lock up,” said Jana, leaving the two of us alone.

“Am I cleared to eat?” he asked, standing up and offering his hand to me.

“Absolutely. As long as there’s no pain. Pasta would be a good starting food on the injured side.”

I placed my hand in his and it happened again. The warmth. The electricity. The parking lot wasn’t a fluke.

*****

Also available Plus One

Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33954234-plus-one

Free with Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON US → http://amzn.to/2vzNkqx

AMAZON UK → http://amzn.to/2vAhzhm

AMAZON CA → http://amzn.to/2uXTz3R

AMAZON AU → http://amzn.to/2w6BaXR

AMAZON UNIVERSAL → http://mybook.to/Plus-One

*****

Author Info:

Mae Wood is a mommy, bookworm, and lawyer (in that order).

A while ago Mae decided that she needed to give up the fear that she couldn’t write “great literature” and write what she wants to read.

And she wants romance. And laughter.

She wants heroines who are brave. Brave enough to be themselves and brave enough to fall in love.

She wants men who are strong and kind.

Mae lives in the Southeastern United States.

 

FACEBOOK → https://www.facebook.com/authormaewood/

TWITTER → https://twitter.com/maewoodwrites

INSTAGRAM → https://www.instagram.com/maewoodwrites/

WEBSITE → http://www.maewood.com/

READER’S GROUP → https://www.facebook.com/groups/pigandbarley/

*****

Giveaway:

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e916c9aa3/

*****

Spotlight – Immortally Yours

Tags

Argeneau series, Immortally Yours, Lynsay Sands

Yet another fabulous story for the awesomely popular Argeneau Vampire series … and I think the perfect book to have for Friday the 13th!

*****

Immortally Yours

Argeneau, Book 26

by Lynsay Sands

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Avon Books

Date of Publication: 9/26/2017

ISBN: 9780062468956

ASIN: 0062468952

Number of pages: 400

Blurb:

Irresistible chemistry and thrilling suspense combine in this electrifying new installment in New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands’ Argeneau series.

One hundred and twenty-five years is a long time to nurse a crush. That’s how long it’s been since Beth Argenis first met Cullen “Scotty” MacDonald, and he instantly became the star of her most X-rated dreams. Back then, he was rescuing her from a Rogue Immortal. Now Beth’s a Rogue Hunter—a damn good one. She doesn’t need saving anymore, despite what Scotty thinks. What she does need is the fierce, wild desire that finally erupts between them.

Scotty has hesitated to claim Beth as his own. But one explosive kiss confirms what he’s long suspected: She’s his life mate. But Beth is tough, fearless, beautiful…and in immortal danger. Unless he wants to lose her forever, he’ll have to rethink everything he once believed about love and destiny as well as confront an enemy who’s terrifyingly close.

Amazon      BN     IndieBound

*****

Excerpt:

“Tybo, it’s time to move,” Beth said into her headset as she watched the garage door drop closed.

“And thank God for that. We’ve been camping out here all night in the cold and mud. I’m done in,” came the complaint over the headset.

“We all are,” Beth said grimly. “So quit your bitchin’ and move into position or I’ll come find you and kick your arse.”

“God, Beth, I love how your accent comes out when you’re annoyed. It’s so Eliza Doolittle.” Tybo’s voice was smooth and full of laughter this time. It made her suspect he’d complained just to get a reaction out of her, especially when he added, “I like it best when you talk dirty. It just revs my engine.”

“Dirty?” she asked with surprise.

“Ummm hmmm,” Tybo crooned. “You said arse.”

Beth covered the mouthpiece of her headset as a bark of laughter slipped from her lips. She hadn’t worked with Tybo long, but was quickly learning the man was a character. Shaking her head, she removed her hand from her mouthpiece and said, “Stop flirting with me, you cheeky bastard, and move into posit—”

A choked sound and the rustle of cloth from her earpiece made her stop talking and listen instead before she said, “Tybo? Tybo?”

Beth paused a heartbeat to wait for a response, and then said, “Valerian? Do you see Tybo?” Silence was her only answer.

“Ah hell,” she muttered. Slipping out from behind the tree she’d been using for cover, Beth started moving quickly in Tybo’s direction. She had the dart gun she’d been issued in one hand, but her sword in the other. It was the sword that saved her. Before Beth reached the spot where she’d ordered Tybo to take cover, the dart gun was abruptly kicked from her grip. She never saw it coming, but reacted instinctively, sword hand coming up and swinging hard even as she turned toward her assailant. She caught him at the base of the throat where it met his shoulder. The blade went deep, slicing better than halfway through his neck.

Beth yanked it out, grimacing at the sucking sound it made. She watched the man topple sideways to the ground, and then quickly wiped the blade off on her attacker’s coat before grabbing up the dart gun she’d dropped. Shooting him with it to ensure he didn’t heal and rise too quickly, she then turned and continued forward. Beth found Tybo on his back in the mud some twelve feet from where she’d been attacked. There was a knife in his chest.

“You should have moved when I told you to,” Beth muttered as she bent to tug the ivory-handled knife from his heart. He didn’t open his eyes and sit up at once, but she hadn’t expected him to. He’d need some time to heal. Beth reached into the satchel hanging at her side, pulled out a bag of blood and then opened his mouth. She had to massage his upper gums briefly to get his fangs to slide out, but then she slapped the bag to them.

Leaving Tybo where he lay, Beth straightened and glanced around before continuing along the path. Valerian had been positioned another thirty feet ahead in the woods surrounding the house. She found the hunter exactly where she expected, also with a knife to the heart. As she removed it, Beth noted that it was a duplicate of the knife that had been in Tybo’s chest.

Tossing the blade aside, Beth slapped a bag of blood onto Valerian’s fangs as well before turning to peer through the bushes at the house they’d been watching since just after sunset. It had been empty by the time they’d got their orders from Mortimer at the Enforcer house and made their way here. The inhabitants, a rogue immortal and his minions, had already been gone by then, probably to hunt up new victims. Beth, Tybo, and Valerian had sat here awaiting their return for most of the night and now it was almost dawn, but a few minutes ago a van had pulled into the driveway. The garage door had opened, the van had pulled in, and the door had closed without them ever seeing how many people were in the vehicle. Which was why Beth had ordered Tybo to approach the house. They needed to know how many rogues they were dealing with and what the situation was. It was vital to their approach. If there were innocent mortals who needed saving, for instance, it would affect how they handled everything.

It seemed, however, that their presence hadn’t gone unnoticed, and one of the returning rogues had managed to slip out unseen and sneak up on them. Her question now was whether that was the only one. Had the newly turned rogue just been sent out to check around and happened upon them? Or had they been spotted and he was sent out to take care of them? And if so, how many others, if any, were out scouring the trees surrounding the house, looking for them? Aside from whether there were innocents around, Beth also needed to know many rogues were inside besides Walter Simpson, the master rogue of this group. Unfortunately, getting those answers and doing anything with them would be hard since her entire, and very tiny, team was now incapacitated except for herself.

Cursing under her breath, Beth took a quick glance around and then moved to the nearest tree and swiftly climbed up into the branches. She settled on a large, sturdy branch fifteen feet up, took a moment to be sure that she had a good view of the surrounding area and that no one could sneak up on her, and then slid her cell phone from her pocket.

Mortimer answered on the first ring. “Problem?”

*****

Author Info:

Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33889462-immortally-yours

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynsay-Sands/125138040836322

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lynsay_sands

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lynsaysands

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lynsaysands/

Website:  http://www.lynsaysands.net/news.html

Newsletter: http://www.lynsaysands.net/joinmailinglist.html

*****

Giveaway:

5 print copies of A QUICK BITE (Argeneau #1) for US ONLY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1673/

*****

Spotlight – Sweet Time

Tags

Nina Lane, Sweet Time

This one is H-O-T-HAWT so if that isn’t your thing you should probably stop now 😉

*****

Sweet Time

by Nina Lane

Release Day: Oct 10

Blurb:

Stuck in a boring insurance job, vivacious Mia Donovan has spent the last few years searching for her life’s true path. She fills her time helping plan the wedding of her best friend to the CEO of the Sugar Rush Candy Company.

Mia has also been trying to attract the impossibly rigid Sugar Rush security chief Gavin Knight. But for well over a year, the unyielding Mr. Knight has ignored her, despite her short skirts, tight sweaters, and patently obvious flirting. And when he finally approaches her, it’s only to assess the wedding plans for potential security risks.

A former soldier, Gavin has intercepted hostile anonymous letters threatening the high-profile wedding. Determined to keep everyone safe, he’s forced to work with the maddeningly sexy Miss Donovan of the thousand-watt charm and irresistible body.

Irked by Gavin’s many months of disregard, Mia takes her teasing flirtations to a whole new level. But her coquettish ways are no match for the edgy, lust-fueled dominant he conceals behind his impassive exterior. And when Gavin exerts his full control, Mia discovers he can protect everything except her heart.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36212685-sweet-time

Amazon: http://a.co/8cENofE

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-time/id1279826260?mt=11

*****

Excerpt:

A smile curved her mouth. She stretched one leg over him and straddled his waist. With her nipples poking out of her bra, her skin flushed and her hair a waterfall of gold, he could have stared at her for hours if he weren’t about to implode with lust. He pinched her rosy nipples and twisted the strap of her bra.

“Take this off,” he ordered. “I want you naked.”

She shed her bra, revealing her perfect round breasts. She braced her hands on the mattress and leaned in to kiss him deeply, her tongue tracing the line of his lips. He slid his hands down to grasp her ass, working one finger between her cheeks. She inhaled sharply, but didn’t protest, arching her back like she wanted more.

He’d give her more. And despite her willingness, it might be more than she could handle. More than she could take.

“Wait,” she whispered, wiggling back so she was straddling his thighs. “Where are the condoms?”

“Drawer in the nightstand.”

She reached over to retrieve one and took her sweet time sheathing his dick. By the time she was done, his teeth were clenched from the light, tickling touch of her fingers.

He grasped her hips. “Ride me.”

Mia bit her lip, a flush rising to her cheekbones. For a second he thought she’d decline, but she lifted herself up, her hand circling the base of his cock as she positioned herself.

Then she sank onto him, and the world exploded into the hot, tight clench of her pussy, the sound of her low groan, the clench of her knees around his hips. A flash of pain crossed her face before it was replaced with heavy lust. Heat sizzled through the air. She curled her fingers into his chest and started to move.

“Oh my God.” Her breath grew fast, her astonished gaze still holding his. “I feel you so deep, all the way up here.”

She pressed one hand to her belly and shifted again, working her gorgeous body up and down on his cock. He dug his fingers into her hips. His jaw clenched to the point of pain. He fought the urge to thrust, to

drive them both to the edge. She was a fucking goddess, her tits bouncing, her body flexing and writhing, sweat glistening on her skin.

“Faster.” He bit out the order, his blood on fire.

She leaned forward, her hair falling in curtains on either side of her face, her little panting breaths puffing against his neck. Her eyes darkened with hunger and urgency.

“I need it, Gavin,” she whispered, her teeth capturing her lower lip again. “I need to come with you inside me, hard and deep and… oh God…”

“That’s right.” He grabbed her waist and thrust upward, needing to be inside her as far as he could. “Get yourself off… Christ, you’re incredible, all soft tight heat… you’re going to jerk me off, cover your little pussy with my come…”

A shudder rocked through her. She braced her hands on his chest and moved faster. Breathy cries came from her parted lips.

“I want you to do it first,” she gasped, sliding up and down his cock like a well-oiled piston. “Mark me.”

She moved off him before he could stop her, her chest heaving as she slid back to sit on his thighs. She rolled the condom off his erection and stroked, her tapered fingers moving up and down his aching shaft, her thumb caressing the swollen crown.

“Do it, Gavin.” Her voice was husky and threaded with anticipation. “Come on my pussy. Give me everything you have.”

“Ah, shit.” Every part of him tensed. Fiery pressure built. He gripped her smooth thighs and thrust into her fist. “So goddamned close… harder… now… .fuck.”

Heat exploded through him, jets of come splashing over her belly. She gasped, her fist still working his dick until the sensations ebbed. He groaned, sinking against the pillows.

“That’s so fucking sexy,” she whispered, releasing him only to slide her fingers through the mess coating her skin. “I love how you feel on me.”

“Get yourself off for me.” He stroked his hands up and down her smooth, damp thighs. “I want to watch you.”

Shivering, she slipped one hand between her legs and brought the other to her breasts. She twisted her pink nipple and worked her fingers on her clit. Much as he wanted to delve his fingers into her slippery heat again, he restrained himself from reaching for her.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the sight of her touching herself, her body sleek and soft. She threw her head back, her hair spilling over her shoulders. Moaning, she moved her fingers more frantically, her body tensing with need.

“Gavin,” she gasped. “I feel it… I still feel you… oh God, I’m going to… ah!”

A high, keening cry broke from her throat as her body shook, her hand still rubbing her clit. Fucking gorgeous sight, spearing him with fresh lust.

“Oh fuck.” She groaned, collapsing on top of him in a hot, sweet bundle of softness. “That was amazing. My ass is still sore from your hand, and I swear that made me come even harder.”

He gave a short laugh. Yeah, he’d lost the battle all right. He was about to lose the whole fucking war. And never before had he wanted to surrender.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.

Website: http://ninalane.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NinaLaneAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ninalaneauthor

Newsletter: http://ninalane.com/newsletter

*****

Spotlight – The Past Comes Home

Tags

Ames Bridge series, Silvia Violet, The Past Comes Home

For those of us who always wanted a second chance with the one that got away …

*****

The Past Comes Home

Ames Bridge series

by Silvia Violet

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Blurb:

Twenty years ago, Paxton Marshall realized he liked boys, in particular his brother’s best friend, Brad. Pax now runs a successful art gallery, but he’s never found anyone who stirs his heart the way Brad did.

Brad Watson is back in town for his twentieth high school reunion. However, the celebration of long-ago days is the last thing on his mind. He’s there for one reason: to finally tell Pax how he feels.

Pax is shocked to learn Brad is not only gay but also interested in him. Dating a man in Ames Bridge isn’t as simple as it sound, though. In order to make a relationship work, both men will have to bolster their courage and alter their expectations.

*This book is an expansion of a previously published short story titled Open to the Past. Over 35,000 words have been added.*

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Down On The Farm (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK

*****

Excerpt:

A knock on the shop door drew Pax’s his attention; probably his assistant, Cindy. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d forgotten her key, and no one else would be dropping by this early. Microfiber duster in hand, he twirled his way past the worktables and unpainted pottery pieces.

He sang along with Madonna as he reached for the doorknob, and froze—Brad was grinning at him through the front window.

Heat rushed to Pax’s face. For a moment he contemplated racing over to turn the music off, then walking calmly back to the door as if the last few seconds had never happened. Could he convince Brad his earlier appearance was a hallucination?

Brad placed his hand against the window and peered in. “Is this a bad time? I know I’m really early.”

“Um…no. Just a sec.”

He would open the damn door, talk to Brad, and generally behave like a respectable adult. That’s what would happen.

With a deep breath, he turned the knob and stared, openmouthed, unable to form a single word. Was Brad even more gorgeous than he’d been two years ago? At eighteen he’d been the hottest boy in school, but now with his dirty-blond hair showing hints of gray, he was even better. His T-shirt stretched taut over his biceps, and his jeans fit like they were tailor-made for his muscular thighs. But the thing that made Brad even more desirable now was how relaxed and happy he seemed. In high school he’d always been restless, as though he were uncomfortable in his gorgeous body, despite having it made as far as anyone else could tell. Pax wondered what had changed.

Pax looked up at Brad and realized he’d been caught giving him a blatant once-over while he stood in the doorway. “Um… Where are my manners?” Fled in the face of his insanity? “Come in. That is, if you’d like to.”

“I would.” He smiled, showing off the dimple in his left cheek.

Pax wanted to run his tongue across it. Instead, he made a dramatic show of bowing and sweeping his hand toward the interior. “Enter, sir.”

Brad laughed and stepped inside. Pax shut the door behind him and locked it, hoping Cindy would be late so he’d have time to show Brad the gallery without anyone else there.

“Is it ’80s day?” Brad asked.

Pax needed to accept that he would be blushing the whole time Brad was there. “No, I was just cleaning, and this music motivates me.”

“Let me know if I’m keeping you from something. I woke up early, and I was anxious to see you.”

Anxious to see him? Him? Pax’s knees threatened to give. Was it possible…? No. Just because Pax had spent far too many hours fantasizing about Brad saying he was gay or bi, that didn’t mean it was going to happen.

*****

Author Info:

Silvia Violet writes fun, sexy stories that will leave you smiling and satisfied. She has a thing for characters who are in need of comfort and enjoys helping them surrender to love even when they doubt it exists. Silvia’s stories include sizzling contemporaries, paranormals, and historicals. When she needs a break from listening to the voices in her head, she spends time baking, taking long walks, curling up with her favorite books, and spending time with her family.

Newsletter: http://silviaviolet.com/newsletter

Website: http://silviaviolet.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/silvia.violet

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Silvia_Violet

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/silvia.violet/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/silviaviolet/

*****

Giveaway:

Ebook of Down On The Farm (Ames Bridge #1)

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43246/

*****

Spotlight – Game On

Tags

Game On, Hometown Players series, Victoria Denault

This one is in my TBR pile.  We saw the second one in this series, Making a Play, and I’m not sure how I missed the first one (or any of the rest of them) but I’m definitely looking forward to reading another Hometown players book!

*****

Game On

Hometown Players, Book 6

by Victoria Denault

October 10, 2017

Forever Yours eBook

$3.99

Blurb:

 

“I don’t break hearts. I break headboards…”

When it comes to scoring in the pro hockey league, Alex Larue is crushing it—with the hot puck bunnies.  He’s the life of the party, the guy with all the jokes… and the one whose Party Guy mast keeps the real him well hidden.  The last thing he needs is anyone finding out about his troubled past, or the nightmares that haunt him still.

Brie Bennett is less than impressed by Alex from the moment she meets him.  And even though he insists on volunteering at the charity she runs, she doesn’t trust him.  He’s hiding something…but so is she.  She’s not just the rich privileged New York princess he thinks she is.  The animosity between them is undeniably addictive and as their worlds keep colliding it becomes supercharges with something else—attraction.  But if they stop playing games and let each other in, they both might lose.

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2u5lwas

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2v1aq9j

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2v1cVIK

iBooks: http://apple.co/2v3m4Pk

Google: http://bit.ly/2vu7C5k

*****

 

Excerpt:

I look around at Alex’s sparse apartment. There’s a sectional, an ottoman, but no chairs, bookcases or pictures. The nook for his bedroom only contains one three-drawer dresser. His bedside lamp is on the floor beside the bed because it doesn’t have night tables. “You don’t seem to like things.”

He shrugs, and those deep blue eyes find mine. “I don’t have a lot of things from my past worth holding on to.”

Oh, this man… I reach up and gently cup the side of his face. He grasps my hand and I think he’s going to pull it away, but he doesn’t. He holds it to his face and pushes into it. He’s like a puppy looking for love, and I want desperately to give it to him. But he won’t let me.

“And you seem to want to throw away things now that are worth holding on to.” I force myself to step back and start walking toward the front door because if I don’t leave now I’ll let things happen that are going to mean more to me than they should. Than he wants them to. But his words stop me in my tracks.

“I don’t know how to be a boyfriend, Brie.” The look of pure confusion on his face would be comical if we were still talking about his inability to run a dishwasher. But we’re talking about feelings here. “The only thing I’ve ever committed to was hockey and even it tried to reject me. Hell, in a way every time I get traded, I feel like it still is. But it’s a thing, not a person. Hockey doesn’t have a choice, but you do.”

I start to walk back into the kitchen as he turns away from me to look out the window. “People who have had the choice to keep me in their lives never have.”

Thank God he’s turned away because I actually press my palm to my heart to keep it from cracking. Holy shit. I have no idea how anyone would walk away from him – the man and his big, broken heart –because what I want to do is run to him. “Give me that choice and I’ll change your track record.”

He grunts and turns back to face me. “You’re this amazing, stubborn, gorgeous woman who wants more than the one thing I know I can give. And as much as I suddenly, for the first time in my life, want to try and give more, I’m so fucking clueless as to how.”

I walk right up to him so we’re toe to toe. “You want to know how? You just do it. You let me in. You take the chance, like you do every time you step onto the ice. You don’t know if you’ll win or lose, but you play the game anyway and you take the shots on net even if you don’t know if you’re going to score. So tell me you want this. Take the shot.”

He nuzzles my hand and but then turns his face and kisses my palm. When he turns back to me he looks so serious it’s startling. “I want this.”

I smile. It’s not big, but I feel it inside me from my toes to the roots of my hair. “Game on?”

He smiles back, raw but darkly playful. “Game on.”

*****

Author Info:

Victoria Denault loves long walks on the beach, cinnamon dolce lattes and writing angst-filed romance.  She lives in LA but grew up in Montreal, which is why she is fluent in English, French, and hockey.

www.victoriadenault.com

www.twitter.com/booksbyvictoria

www.facebook.com/authorvitoriadenault

Add Game On to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2v1ac28

Follow Victoria Denault on BookBub: http://bit.ly/2fbVn7r

Follow Victoria Denault on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fcwA2T

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win 1 of 15 free ebook downloads of Game On!

http://bit.ly/2u8w4K5

*****

Spotlight – Can’t Walk Away

Tags

Can't Walk Away, Nashville Dreams series, Sandy James

We’ve got a couple of great books to look at today – I’m actually about halfway through this one and it is fabulous!

*****

Can’t Walk Away

Nashville Dreams, Book 1

by Sandy James

October 10, 2017

Forever Yours eBook

$3.99

Blurb:

In Nashville the stars shine a little brighter, songs sound a little sweeter, and love lasts a lifetime.

Young, rich, and better looking than a man has a right to be, successful songwriter Brad “Hitman” Maxwell was once Nashville’s biggest celebrity.  Then a heartbreaking loss and a shocking betrayal caused his light to go out.  Now, instead of pouring his soul into song, he pours beers at Words & Music.  His bar is the perfect escape—a place to forget his past—until the night she takes the stage…

Savannah Wolf used to dream of becoming Nashville’s hottest star.  Now, as a young single mom, she dreams of a steady income and being home to tuck her daughter into bed.  So when Brad Maxwell offers her the gig of a lifetime—playing as the headliner at Words & Music—Savannah discovers the best of both worlds.  And she refuses to ruin this opportunity by falling for her sexy boss.  Except that Brad suddenly starts writing music again…music inspired by her.

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2u5osnC

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2v128y5

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2vtMXyb

iBooks: http://apple.co/2v3CqHJ

Google: http://bit.ly/2wpKSjW

*****

Excerpt:

By the fifth take, Brad was losing his patience.

Had he been wrong in thinking Savannah was something special, something new? He sure as hell didn’t think so.

Then why couldn’t he get her to sing with the passion she’d shown back at Words & Music?

Maybe it was the song. “That Smile” was his first attempt at writing in a long time. Perhaps it wasn’t up to snuff?

No. When Brad had heard Savannah sing it earlier, he’d known he’d written a strong song with a good melody and a catchy beat.

Something was clearly blocking her talent.

“I’m sorry, Brad.” She dropped the headphones from her ears to let them rest around her neck. Then, head bowed, she started shuffling through the sheet music.

He’d never seen her look defeated before, and he didn’t like it. This wasn’t the Savannah who’d been his muse. This wasn’t the woman who brought back his music.

This was…a disaster.

But why?

He watched her closely, trying to find some telltale clue as to what was going on today that had robbed Savannah of the passion and talent he’d counted on. Her hair was braided, the braid an eclectic mixture of blond and blue. A blush tinted her cheeks, and he could hear her nervousness through the quaver in her voice, especially in the last notes of her fifth recording.

Something was definitely wrong, and he was going to have to find a way to fix it. But he couldn’t do that from another room. Even though he could see her, something told him she needed something more personal. Unsure of whether being closer to her would make a difference, he figured it was worth a shot.

Brad started a new recording so he could capture the song if he was able to help her, pushed himself away from the console, and headed to the recording booth with his remote control in his pocket. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.

Savannah glanced up from the music, offering him a wan smile that made his frustration evaporate. She knew something was wrong, too. Maybe if they put their heads together, they could get back the magic.

By the fifth take, Brad was losing his patience.

Had he been wrong in thinking Savannah was something special, something new? He sure as hell didn’t think so.

Then why couldn’t he get her to sing with the passion she’d shown back at Words & Music?

Maybe it was the song. “That Smile” was his first attempt at writing in a long time. Perhaps it wasn’t up to snuff?

No. When Brad had heard Savannah sing it earlier, he’d known he’d written a strong song with a good melody and a catchy beat.

Something was clearly blocking her talent.

“I’m sorry, Brad.” She dropped the headphones from her ears to let them rest around her neck. Then, head bowed, she started shuffling through the sheet music.

He’d never seen her look defeated before, and he didn’t like it. This wasn’t the Savannah who’d been his muse. This wasn’t the woman who brought back his music.

This was…a disaster.

But why?

He watched her closely, trying to find some telltale clue as to what was going on today that had robbed Savannah of the passion and talent he’d counted on. Her hair was braided, the braid an eclectic mixture of blond and blue. A blush tinted her cheeks, and he could hear her nervousness through the quaver in her voice, especially in the last notes of her fifth recording.

Something was definitely wrong, and he was going to have to find a way to fix it. But he couldn’t do that from another room. Even though he could see her, something told him she needed something more personal. Unsure of whether being closer to her would make a difference, he figured it was worth a shot.

Brad started a new recording so he could capture the song if he was able to help her, pushed himself away from the console, and headed to the recording booth with his remote control in his pocket. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.

Savannah glanced up from the music, offering him a wan smile that made his frustration evaporate. She knew something was wrong, too. Maybe if they put their heads together, they could get back the magic.

*****

Author Info:

Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis and is a high school psychology teacher.  She owns a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoys spending time at Hoosier Park racetrack.  She has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller multiple times and has won numerous awards including two HOLT Medallions.

www.sandyjames.com

www.twitter.com/sandyjamesbooks

www.facebook.com/sandyjamesbooks

Add Can’t Walk Away to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2u8qK9q

Follow Sandy James on BookBub: http://bit.ly/2vuaGOF

Follow Sandy James on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2u8HL3g

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win 1 of 15 free ebook downloads of Can’t Walk Away!

http://bit.ly/2yEbU8o

*****

Spotlight – A Christmas to Remember

Tags

Deck the Halls With Love, I Will, Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, No Groom at the Inn, The Duke's Christmas Wish, Vivienne Lorret

Romance stars Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret prove in this collection of stories that love is the most magical during Christmas…

*****

A Christmas to Remember Anthology

by Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret

Genre: Adult, Romance

Publisher: Avon Books

Publication Date: September 26, 2017

Blurb:

“I Will” by Lisa Kleypas

To be reinstated into his father’s will, Andrew, Lord Drake, must court a respectable woman-his friend’s spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. After he blackmails Caroline into helping him, the charade begins-but is it really a charade once love takes hold of their hearts…?

“Deck the Halls With Love” by Lorraine Heath

Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, devastated Lady Meredith Hargreaves when he proposed to another. But when he becomes free to pursue her, it’s too late for she’s on her way to the altar…. As Christmas approaches, Chetwyn vows to lure Lady Meredith back into his arms.

“No Groom at the Inn” by Megan Frampton

James Archer detests his mother’s matchmaking ways. When ordered to attend a Christmastime house party filled with simpering maidens, he produces a fiancée-Lady Sophronia Bettesford. James and Sophronia pretend to be in love for one month. But their pact soon turns into love.

“The Duke’s Christmas Wish” by Vivienne Lorret

To the Duke of Vale, science solves everything-even marriage. When the impulsive Ivy Sutherland makes him question all of his data, he realizes that he’s overlooked a vital component in his search for the perfect match: love.

Avon Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Walmart | iBooks

*****

Excerpt:

Excerpt from Lisa Kleypas’s “I Will”

 

London, 1833

IT WAS NOT easy to ask a favor of a woman who despised him. But Andrew, Lord Drake, had always been beyond shame, and today was no exception. He needed a favor from a morally upright woman, and Miss Caroline Hargreaves was the only decent female he knew. She was proper and straitlaced to a fault . . . and he wasn’t the only man to think so, judging by the fact that she was still unmarried at the age of twenty-six.

“Why are you here?” Caroline asked, her voice threaded with quiet hostility. She kept her gaze fastened on the large square frame propped by the settee, a wooden lace stretcher used to reshape curtains and tablecloths after they were washed. The task was a meticulous one, involving sticking a pin through each tiny loop of lace and affixing it to the edge of the frame until the cloth was drawn tight. Although Caroline’s face was expressionless, her inner tension was betrayed by the stiffness of her fingers as she fumbled with a paper of pins.

“I need something from you,” Andrew said, staring at her intently. It was probably the first time he had ever been completely sober around her, and now that he was free of his habitual alcoholic haze, he had noticed a few things about Miss Caroline Hargreaves that intrigued him.

She was far prettier than he had thought. Despite the little spectacles perched on her nose, and her frumpy manner of dressing, she possessed a subtle beauty that had escaped him before. Her figure was not at all spectacular—Caroline was small and slight, with practically no hips or breasts to speak of. Andrew preferred big, voluptuous women who were willing to engage in the vigorous bedroom romps he enjoyed. But Caroline had a lovely face, with velvety brown eyes and thick black lashes, surmounted by dark brows that arched with the precision of a hawk’s wing. Her hair was a neatly pinned mass of sable silk, and her complexion was as fine and clear as a child’s. And that mouth . . . why in God’s name had he never noticed her mouth before? Delicate, expressive, the upper lip small and bow shaped, the lower curved with generous fullness.

Right now those tempting lips were pulled tight with displeasure, and her brow was furrowed in a perplexed expression. “I can’t conceive of what you could possibly want from me, Lord Drake,” Caroline said crisply. “However, I can assure you that you won’t get it.”

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Lorraine Heath always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals, press releases, articles, and computer code, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s prestigious RITA. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists.

Megan Frampton writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction under the name Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and son. You can visit her website at http://www.meganframpton.com. She tweets as @meganf and is at Facebook.com/meganframptonbooks.

Vivienne Lorret loves romance novels, her pink laptop, her husband, and her two teenage sons (not necessarily in that order . . . but there are days). Transforming copious amounts of tea into words, she is the author of Avon Impulse’s “Tempting Mr. Weatherstone” and The Wallflower Wedding Series. For more on her upcoming novels, visit her at http://www.vivlorret.net.

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour