Spotlight – More Than Enough

Tags

A Fling to Love Romance, Blue Collar romance series, Moni Boyce, More Than Enough

When recently divorced Lexi Campbell walks into Ezra Benedict’s life, all bets are off. Lexi might be out of his league, but when she hires Ezra for a job, he can’t fight the pull between them. Fall for this hard-working hottie in More Than Enough by Moni Boyce, a Fling into Romance, the final book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

More Than Enough

A Fling to Love Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Moni Boyce

Blurb:

From Moni Boyce comes a fling to forever romance packed with redemption, heat and happily ever after.

Her whole life, Lexie Campbell has played by the rules and lived up to everyone else’s expectations, never once stepping out of her comfort zone or putting her needs or wants first.

Divorced and ready for a little excitement in her life, she makes a playful bet to kiss the next guy who walks into the bar where she’s out on the town with her girlfriends. She wasn’t expecting that guy to be bad boy Erza Benedict himself.

Ezra has a reputation. Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, he’s never been able to outrun his troublesome past no matter how hard he works to redeem himself.

As far as relationships go? Lexie is so far out of his league, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting more than one kiss or a one-night stand.

When Lexie comes back into his life by grand design and hires him to landscape the homes she has listed on the market, Ezra knows this is his shot. Unlike their one night together before, Ezra won’t settle for hiding their relationship for long.

Together they’ll have to learn to forget everyone else’s expectations and live (and love) for themselves.

Welcome to Oak Bend, where these blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

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*****

Excerpt:

I called Ox. “Change of plans. Bender’s isn’t going to work…” I floundered on an alternative. Ox was really hoping to celebrate. It took a second, but I remembered The Rox. A little upscale for my taste, but it would have to do for tonight. “Meet me at The Rox.”

I was already heading towards my truck. “And don’t laugh. I already know what you’re thinking. You’re the one who wants to celebrate, so beggars can’t be choosy.” I ended the call.

It was a short drive to reach the nightclub. The parking lot was packed, but I managed to find a space. As I walked towards the entrance, I hoped the place didn’t have a dress code. I’d cleaned up from earlier, but I was still rockin’ just jeans and a t-shirt.

When I stepped through the door, I was about to look around for a spot to hole up and wait for Ox, when some woman grabbed my face and crushed her lips against mine. I was about to pull away, but shit, if those weren’t the softest, sweetest lips I’d ever tasted. I shut my eyes and went with it. Whoever she was, she was hard and soft in all the right places, and the woman could kiss. She may have started things, but it wasn’t too long before I mastered her. My tongue swept in to explore the sweetness of her mouth. She tasted of lime and salt.

Catcalls and whistles broke us apart. She pulled away before I did. When I laid eyes on who my kisser was, I was stunned. Lexie fucking Campbell? What had gotten into her? Miss Goodie Two Shoes herself. In high school, we hadn’t run in the same circles. She’d been unattainable: respected and well-to-do parents, head cheerleader, student body president, girlfriend to Daniel the Dickwad, captain of the football team. Every guy wanted to fuck her, including me.

For a moment she seemed to sober when she looked at me. Realization shown in her eyes. Just as quickly, she doused the flicker of sobriety, and licked her lips in a sexy, suggestive manner. I was sure she knew who I was, but she didn’t acknowledge it.

Lexie looked over her shoulder at the bar, still a bit unsure, despite the kiss she’d laid on me.

Over her shoulder, I glanced in that direction. Two women stared at us, and I remembered the girls they used to be. Lexie’s girlfriends. In high school you rarely saw one without the others. The one with the short hair glared at me.

“Your friends?” Needing something to say, I asked the question, even though I already knew the answer.

Lexie whipped back around to face me. It was clear the alcohol was her liquid courage. Nice girls like her didn’t pull stunts like that.

Suspicion clawed its way into my brain. I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering if this was part of some prank, joke or dare. Well, if it was, I was calling her bluff. I wasn’t gonna let her back down. Stepping closer, I put my arm around her waist and pulled her into my body. Her swift intake of breath was followed by her tilting her head back to look up at me.

My gaze roamed over her face, taking in those beautiful, luscious brown eyes, her warm brown skin, and the beauty mark that sat at the curve of her top lip. The mess of curls that framed her face made me ache to feel the texture, but I knew better than to put my hands in her hair. 

For a second, I lingered over her plump lips, remembering how they’d felt pressed against mine.

I wanted more of her.

My gaze snapped back up to meet hers, daring her to chicken out. This was a dangerous game she’d started, and I intended to finish it.

Her body trembled slightly. I half expected her to flee back to her friends. Lexie swallowed and licked her bottom lip. “Let’s grab a drink.”

Copyright 2021 Moni Boyce

*****

Author Info:

Moni Boyce is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, a filmmaker and a poet. After working in the film industry for fifteen years, helping others bring their visions to life, she now creates characters and worlds of her own. She considers herself a bookworm, film buff, foodie, music lover and an avid world traveler having visited 34 countries and counting. She currently lives in Virginia but considers Los Angeles her hometown.

 Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Website | Newsletter | TikTok

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Spotlight – Speeding Hearts

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Claire Wilder, Friends to Lovers Romance, Speeding Hearts

Upon returning to his hometown, Dean Hughes makes a deal with his best friend Stella Archer. However the more time they spend together the more the lines between friendship and romance blur, will they risk their friendship to take a chance on love? Fall for this hard-working hottie in Speeding Hearts by Claire Wilder, a Friends to Lovers Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Speeding Hearts

a Friends to Lovers Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Claire Wilder

Blurb:

STELLA

Stella Archer has never been afraid of a challenge.

She was the first woman mechanic in her hometown. She runs her own garage.

And when her best friend and fellow mechanic Dean announces he’s moving back to his hometown, instead of being devastated, she jumps at the chance to work part-time at his uncle’s dirt track—and finally fulfill her dream of racing cars.

But with plenty of time to train with her best friend, for the first time in my life, Stella’s scared. Scared that racing isn’t really what she wants. 

Scared that Dean is.

DEAN

Dean Hughes knows he can handle moving back to his hometown to care for his sick—and surly—father. He can even deal with returning to the scene of all his past mistakes.

The only thing he can’t take is the idea of losing his best friend Stella.

Now that she’s here in Oak Bend, she’s going to see what a screw-up he really is.

Worse, he might see the truth he’s been hiding from himself: he wants more from Stella than just friendship. 

And when Stella finds out?

There’ll be no putting the brakes on what comes next. 

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*****

Excerpt:

As it turned out, work kept me busy enough all day that I didn’t have time to think much about Dean at all.

Or at least, not much. I still felt the littlest fluttering in my stomach when I thought about tonight—he was going to come by the motel at seven-thirty and take me on a little tour of his hometown.

It almost felt like a date.

Except that it was my buddy, Dean.

But those thoughts only happened a few times that day. Most of the time, I concentrated on working my ass off.

By the time the closing time rolled around, I was shocked at where the day had gone. John gave me a begrudging nod as he left. He’d nitpicked my work all day, but before clocking out, he actually said, “You’re better than the last kid by a mile,” which I took to be the highest compliment.

Freddie showed me how to lock up, which I’d be doing on my own a couple days a week, and then, mercifully, I was on my own. Throughout the day, a couple of drivers had come by to practice on the oval, and each time, I’d looked up longingly at the sound of them but turned quickly back to whatever engine I was working on. It was imperative I showed Colin what I could do.

Now, with the track silent, I stood next to one of the nicer cars parked outside in the lot. I looked around. The place was completely deserted, and I happened to have the keys Freddie had handed me.

The keyring in my hand, I knew, contained the key for this particular car. I’d seen Freddie drive it around front earlier.

Colin had said I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere near the oval.

But he didn’t say anything about not test driving any of the cars.

I knew I was interpreting his words more liberally than his intention, but I was a grown adult, damn it. And what harm would there be in taking it in a circle around the lot?

Just slipping behind the wheel made adrenaline shoot through my stomach. When I turned it on, I was nearly sick. For a moment, the adrenaline running through me went cold and slick. What the hell was I doing? I’d never actually gotten this close to my dream of racing cars before. I’d driven nice cars in my career, sure. I’d topped the speed limit on the highway a hundred times over. But actually sitting in a street stock car with my hands wrapped around the wheel, my foot on the gas, the stick in neutral… I wondered for the first time if this dream of mine was really mine or something I’d cooked up to show everyone how tough I was.

No. This was mine. It had to be. Checking to make sure the car was in neutral, I revved the engine.

It roared under me, making me laugh with the thrill of it. I did it again.

Man, this felt better than sex.

Not quite, but in the moment, it felt close.

Then I chickened out. I cut the engine and got out, slamming the car door behind me. Then I raised my fists in mock triumph, imagining the crowd screaming around me. I even made the sound I used to make as a kid playing with my brothers. Then someone clapped behind me.

I couldn’t help it, I yelped.

Whirling around, my ponytail hit me in the eye just like it had the last time I was caught out here.

“Shit!” I swore, both at the sting in my eye and the mortification at getting caught by the boss playing make-believe.

But when I blinked, I saw it wasn’t Colin. The figure before me was tall. Broad across the shoulders. Covered in tattoos.

Looking at me with a grin that made my insides melt into taffy.

Dean.

Copyright 2021 Claire Wilder

*****

Author Info:

I write steamy lakeside romance novels (and the occasional sweet & sexy short story). When I’m not writing I’m either reading, taking long walks by the ocean (which I consider a giant lake!), or frolicking in the trees with my husband and three kids.

Follow:  Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Website | Newsletter | Reader Group | Linktr.ee

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Spotlight – When You Were Mine

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Reunited Lovers romance, Second Chance romance, When You Were Mine

Six years ago, Dylan Turner walked out of Penelope Spark’s life and she never thought she’d see him again, but now he’s back. Could a secret from the past destroy their second chance at love? Fall for this hard-working hottie in When You Mine by Mila Nicks, a Reunited Lovers Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

When You Were Mine

a Reunited Lovers Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Mila Nicks

Blurb:

From Mila Nicks comes a second chance romance packed with charm, heart, and a swoon worthy happily ever after.

When bad boy Dylan Turner walked out of Penelope Spark’s life six years ago, she was convinced she’d never see him again. Now a single mom to her daughter, Tabitha, and the owner of a small candle shop, Penelope looks forward to a stable life without heartbreak.

That was before Dylan Turner showed up in Oak Bend like a relic from the past. Even worse? He’s rented the apartment next-door. A few years older and more mature but still with a bad boy edge, Dylan is a firefighter just trying to figure out what he wants in life. Could that be a second chance with Penelope?

But there is one minor problem. Penelope has a secret that’s six years in the making. One that might destroy their relationship for good. If they’re meant to be together, they’ll need to come to terms with the past and learn to trust each other again. Is it possible their first love is their forever love?

Welcome to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

Add to Goodreads!

Read Now!

*****

Excerpt:

“Just like old times,” he said, plopping a baseball hat over my head. He led the way onto the field with the diamond marking, dugout, and bleachers in the distance. None of it had changed; it was exactly like it was when we were in high school.

I didn’t object as he put on a catcher’s mitt and offered me a baseball bat. He tossed the baseball up into the air and caught it without his eyes on it. I gave a disbelieving laugh and shook my head side to side. He was so utterly hopeless.

“Still the cockiest player on the field,” I muttered.

“Isn’t that why you liked me so much?”

My eyes narrowed. “You realize you just proved my point, right? Didn’t they use to call you Heavy Hitter for a reason?”

He laughed, moving closer. So close he could’ve kissed me if he wanted. “Remember your nickname? Think it started with Ball and ended with Buster?”

“Someone has to keep your huge ego in check.”

“You were always good at the job,” he said with another husky laugh. He backed away and motioned for me to get in position. “Go on. You’re up to bat, Spark. Time to hit a home run.”

“We both know I’m the worst baseball player known to man.”

“But you look so dang cute in the hat and wiggling your booty like you do when you go to swing.” He was being bold flirting like that, but then again, I liked it. “Only wish you could be in my jersey again. I liked when you used to wear it.”

I stood still for a second, the bat limp in my grasp as nostalgia hit me. “Me too.”

We let the confession hang in the air for another second before moving on. He cleared his throat and winded up. I shook out my shoulders and bent my knees, booty out just the way that distracted him. Our eyes met in an intense stare off, his stormy grays connecting with my deep browns.

“Ready?”

“Been ready.”

He held in a laugh as he pitched the ball in my direction. I swung and missed—and swore under my breath. For as crap a player as I was, I was also competitive as hell. I hated to lose. Something Dylan knew and loved about me. My grip tightened on the bat and I demanded he pitch again.

The second time I swung harder and sent the ball hurtling into foul territory. No beats were missed as I told him to pitch a third time. He followed instruction and threw the ball at me. A tenacious growl left me when I swung, prompting a laugh out of him, making my heart beat in pride.

The ball soared across the field. I kicked off my wedge sandals and split into a fast sprint, moving faster than even I expected. I’d always been a runner, on the girls’ track team during our high school days, faster than a gazelle they used to say.

Dylan was fast after me. As I dashed barefoot across the wet grass of the baseball field, he tracked me down like a lion on the hunt. We were both laughing, the melodic carefree sound ringing in the otherwise quiet night air.

Inches before he could tag me, I jumped onto home plate with triumphant arms in the air. He caught up a split second after, plucking me off my feet. I squealed as he swept me up into his arms and he spun us around in dizzying circles. My arms slid around his neck into what felt like the most natural position in the world, eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back in laughter.

Copyright 2021 Mila Nicks

*****

Author Info:

Mila Nicks is a romance author on a mission to pen entertaining love stories featuring women of color. 

From the time she was a small girl with crayons and an overactive imagination, she’s had a passion for storytelling. In addition to serving ten years in the United States Air Force, she has received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing.

When she isn’t busy tapping away at her keyboard, you can find her binge-watching her favorite TV shows, daydreaming about her next vacation across the globe, or spending quality time with her spunky pet Chihuahua, Zayden. 

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*****

Spotlight – Hold Onto the Stars

Tags

A Blind Date Romance, Blue Collar romance series, Hold Onto the Stars, Tracy Broemmer

Nothing about CJ Everhart is traditional, from her blue collar job to her thoughts on relationships but now that she’s thirty, she wonders if there is more for her than the life she’s living.  Enter big-city transplant, Peyton Quinn, and CJ can’t deny the chemistry between them, but can Peyton convince her to take a chance on love? Fall for this hard-working hottie in Hold Onto the Stars by Tracy Broemmer, a Blind Date Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Hold Onto the Stars

A Blind Date Romance

Blue Collar Romance series

by Tracy Broemmer

Blurb:

From author Tracy Broemmer comes a blue collar, blind date romance with a fun twist, a sassy heroine, and a happily ever after.

CJ Everhart—small town girl, licensed electrician, professional sports fan. With her thirtieth birthday in the rearview mirror, CJ can’t help but wonder if there’s more to life than what small-town Oak Bend, Michigan has to offer. Nothing about CJ is what the people of Oak Bend would call traditional from her blue-collar roots and reputation as one of the town’s best electricians, to her thoughts on what she really needs in a relationship. She’s not the kind of girl who needs flowers or other silly romantic gestures, and her ideal future bucks the small-town script of marriage, babies, and soccer-mom minivans.

Peyton Quinn—big city guy, elementary school teacher, new to small-town living. Transplanted from a Chicago suburb, Peyton moves to Oak Bend for a change of pace—oh, and to hide from his well-meaning family. Enter a well-meaning friend who sets him up with the perfect blind date. Too bad she doesn’t hold a candle to the mysterious Tigers fan that he ran into in a local sports bar.

When their paths cross, sparks fly between CJ and Peyton. CJ doesn’t deny the attraction, though she insists she’s not the kind of woman Peyton needs. But the more they’re around each other, the more Peyton believes fate brought them together.

Can Peyton convince CJ they were made for each other and the sky is the limit for their love if they can hold onto the stars?

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*****

Excerpt:

CJ tried to keep her eyes off him. After all, he was Violet’s date. Never mind the fact that he was the best-looking guy in the bar, the most interesting thing to happen in Oak Bend since Sherry brought in the Fifty Shades of Grey series to their little local library, and currently leaning over the pool table, putting some prime all-American male on display. CJ let her eyes roam over his arms, the way his shirt bunched up a bit over his biceps.  One of his hands rested on the green felt, propping the pool cue, while the other held the cue loosely as he eyed his shot.

Cheeks hot, she dragged her eyes over his backside—she liked a man who filled out his jeans the way he did—and glanced at Violet, ready to beg for forgiveness. But Violet had her back to the table, talking to a few guys they had gone to school with. CJ looked back at Peyton when she heard the clack of the cue ball. She watched two solids drop into the corner pocket, totally unprepared when he looked up and hit her with that intense gaze.

“Lucky shot,” he said around a sheepish grin.

CJ simply smiled and watched him study the table for his next shot. When he did finally step closer to the table and lean, she let out a quiet groan. Embarrassed, she bit her lip when he straightened and looked at her in askance.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head.

“C’mon.” He turned to her and tipped his head. “What’re you thinking?”

“That’s not your best shot,” she mumbled.

“No?” He looked back at the table with a frown.

“You’re not at a good angle.”

Uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny when he shifted his gaze back to her, CJ grabbed her beer and drained it.

“The two ball is less than an inch off the corner pocket,” he told her.

And that less than an inch would mean he would miss the shot, but she simply shrugged and nodded to the table. With her beer gone, Violet still engaged in conversation, and nothing to do with her hands, CJ folded her arms over her chest and watched Peyton take the shot. It wasn’t pretty, but after a second of bumping around, it dropped into the pocket.

“What shot would you have taken?” he asked her as he eyed the table again.

“The five at the side,” she answered without hesitation. He swung his gaze to the five and shrugged, but he nodded. The last shot had left him with nothing good this time, so CJ’s eyes wandered over his backside again.

“You’re dry.”

CJ stared at him blankly when he joined her at the high-top table. Watching the fluid motion of his body moving around the table had been entertaining, and while her panties hadn’t melted, she was aroused enough to feel flustered by his comment.

Copyright 2021 Tracy Broemmer

*****

Author Info:

An only child, Tracy Broemmer grew up with a wild imagination. An avid reader from a young age, she spent a lot of time with her nose buried in books and a lot of time making up her own stories. She penned her first book in grade school and hasn’t stopped writing since then.

​When she’s not writing, you might find her with a book in hand, or maybe a glass of wine, or maybe a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Tracy enjoys spending time with her family, traveling with her husband of twenty-eight years, music, NFL, and MLB. Tracy is the author of the Lorelei Bluffs women’s fiction series, the Williams Legacy, and several stand-alone women’s fiction novels. She has recently dabbled in contemporary romance, as well.

​Tracy’s books have been called gripping, emotional, and timely, and readers describe her characters as real and relatable.

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Website

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Spotlight – Just For A Moment

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Just For A Moment, Kate Carley, Return to Hometown Romance

Returning home stirs up all of the old memories and heartache Grace Holland would rather forget, but now that she’s back, she finally has a chance to put her demons to rest. Sparks fly when Aarron Beckett agrees to work on her granddad’s old plane.  Fall for this hard-working hottie in Just For A Moment by Kate Carley, a Return to Hometown Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Just For A Moment

A Return to Hometown Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Kate Carley

Blurb:

From author Kate Carley comes a blue collar, return to hometown romance with heat, heart and a happily ever after.

For Grace Holland, coming home to Oak Bend isn’t easy. The journey stirs up old memories, including the heartbreaking reason her family left town. But now that she’s inherited both her granddad’s old Victorian home and a World War II aircraft that he’d been working desperately to restore, Grace is ready to face down the demons of her past—if the people in Oak Bend will let her.

Aaron Beckett’s life is a balancing act. His aircraft mechanic business is booming and being a single parent of a young daughter keeps him on his toes. But when Gracie Jane Holland, granddaughter of his late friend, steps into his aircraft hangar, Aaron’s well-managed life soars out of control, and every free thought begins and ends with that beautiful blonde.

Even with plenty of excuses to avoid each other, sparks fly while they work together to restore an old fighter plane. And just for a moment, it feels as if they’ve found a deeper, more sustainable connection—until well-meaning half-truths threaten to tear them apart.

When her past and present collide, nothing can prepare Grace for the storm of hatred that pours down on her. Ruthless words leave her questioning whether staying in Oak Bend and putting her heart on the line is worth the pain. Can this small town ever be home again?

Escape to Oak Bend, where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

Add to Goodreads!

Read Now!

*****

Excerpt:

“Beck, I’ve heard so many great things about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“People been talking?” Beck chuckled again, but he was studying her face, assessing her with those stunning eyes.

“My grandfather, Win Ross. I’m Grace Holland, and he left instructions that I should reach out to you. That you would have something for me.”

Beck tilted his head a bit to the left, a tender expression passing over his face. “Gracie Jane. I figured you’d be stopping by here at some point. I was sorry to hear about Win’s passing. Everyone in town loved him. And I felt blessed to call him my friend. God, I miss him every day.” 

“Thanks for saying that, Beck. I miss him, too. And it’s just Grace now. I think my granddad was the only one still calling me Gracie Jane.”

“He did.” Beck nodded. “He talked about his granddaughter all the time. He was so proud of you and how you started that company of your own.” 

As he spoke about her granddad, Beck’s eyes softened and his voice warmed. Talking about the most important man in her life with someone she’d just met felt bittersweet. But according to her granddad, Beck was one of his dearest friends.

“I remember how proud he was when I told him about my new business venture.”

“A website design business. What’s it called again?”

“Holland Designs.”

“Right.” He bobbed his head. “Win said you had more work than you could do in a lifetime.”

“That sounds about right.” 

“I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the memorial. I searched for information but never found anything.” 

Grace bit her lower lip and then shook her head. The memorial had been a point of contention between her and her mother. “There wasn’t one.”

“Yeah, he always said he didn’t want anything like that, but I wondered if his family would have one anyway.”

“No. My mom and I…We just wanted to do exactly what he wanted.” Grace’s mother had an entirely different interpretation of what Edwin Ross had wanted. “And his wish was to not have people standing around, staring at him.”

Beck chuckled softly. “I remember Win saying that.”

Several unpleasant tasks still remained to be accomplished today, and they dampened the joy Grace generally experienced reminiscing about her granddad. “My granddad left something here for me. Do you have that?”

“Right.” Beck pointed toward the corner of the enormous hangar. “It’s in my office.”

With quickened steps, Grace kept pace beside Beck. “This place wasn’t here before. I mean, when I used to live here, there was the airstrip, but there weren’t many hangars. Maybe two or three.” 

“It’s become a thing. Owning a plane. Faster than the ferry if you’re crossing Lake Michigan. Lots of people around the county can afford it. And none of the other towns in the area have an airstrip.” 

Stopping at the door to his office, Grace watched while Aaron walked to his desk and lifted a heavy-looking silver paperweight shaped like an airplane. He plucked a key from underneath and went to a tall wooden cabinet in the corner. With a twist of his wrist, he unlocked the door. From her position outside his office, she could see the small black safe. He entered a code, and the door swung opened. Shifting the contents around, he produced a manilla envelope. Then, Beck reversed his steps until he was standing in front of her again, presenting her with the envelope. 

The strained expression on his face was exactly how Grace’s heart felt in the moment. A deep ache—one of loneliness and sorrow—created by the loss of a precious soul. Slowly, she reached for the envelope.

“Thank you, Beck. Thank you for keeping my granddad’s wishes safe for him. For me.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Beck pinched his lips together and glanced around before meeting her eyes again. “So, are you ready for your tour?”

“Tour? Now? No.” Grace shook her head, fighting a choking feeling at the back of her throat. A tour—wasting time, wandering around—wasn’t part of her plans for today. Not even for a few minutes. “No. I don’t need a tour. But thanks for this.” She lifted the envelope to indicated she had all she needed at the moment.

Again, he tilted his head the slightest bit to the left and then gave a gruff grunt. 

“Suit yourself,” he said. Like a switch had been flipped, his tone turned dark and sarcastic, and Grace had no idea why. “See ya around, Gracie Jane.”

Copyright 2021 Kate Carley

*****

Author Info:

Kate Carley broke onto the indie publishing scene in 2016 with her debut novel, Challenged, a 2017 RONE award winner. Since then, she has released ten additional titles that explore small town, family sagas in both the romantic suspense and contemporary romance genres.

Kate took a meandering path to get to the point of published author, including a short stint as a computer systems designer and an extraordinary journey as a home-schooling mom. After more than a dozen years of teaching her kids, Kate opened the front door, pointed the youngest in the direction of the local high school, and focused her attention on writing romance novels.

Now that her four children are off writing their own adventures, Kate is free to drift along in her fictional world, plotting the rise and fall of her characters. She has a passion for black coffee, dark chocolate, and red wine. Not necessarily in that order. Kate lives in the Midwest with her family.  

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*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Spotlight – Make Me

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Evelyn Sola, Make Me

Falling in love is the last thing single mom Laci Hogan is looking for. Too bad her new neighbor didn’t get the memo. Cooper Stevens isn’t a stranger to hard work and when he wants something, he won’t stop until he gets it. Fall for this hard-working hottie in Make Me by Evelyn Sola, a Widow Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Make Me

A Widow / Single Mom Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Evelyn Sola

Blurb:

Laci Hogan isn’t looking for love when she moves back to Oak Bend. Coming home is all about Laci gaining her independence she once lost. Besides, getting over a rocky past and losing her husband is more than enough for her to juggle while raising her two-year-old daughter but old acquaintance – Cooper Stevens can be persistent when it comes to getting what he wants.

No stranger to hard work, he’s willing to do all it takes to prove to his new neighbor Laci that she doesn’t have to do life alone and that with the right person, a relationship makes life better – oh so much better.

Will Cooper make her see that this could be all the happiness she never knew she was looking for?

Add to Goodreads!

Read Now! 

*****

Excerpt:

Just as I approach the corner, I’m hit on the shoulder by another body. I’m pushed to the wall, and the mountain of books in my hands crashes to the floor. The red folder holding my English term paper lands on top of the heap.

“Watch where you’re going!” the person who bumped says.

She doesn’t have the decency to stop, but by the sound of her giggles, I know who it is. And there’s no way the school’s most popular senior would give me the time of day. I sigh and drop to the floor to pick up my things. My heart starts to beat erratically because if there’s one thing I know—wherever Candace is, he’s never too far behind.

I’m proven right. A pair of black boots enters my line of vision. Cooper Stevens. Those are his boots. He was wearing them the very first time I saw him, and I remember wanting to be swallowed up by the ground. The only thing that saved me from total embarrassment was the fact that I know someone like him would never notice someone like me.

I hold my breath while he approaches and quickly turn to my books. Please leave. Please leave. Please leave. I busy myself arranging my books. I won’t stand up until he walks past me. Only he doesn’t. He drops down to my level and grabs my red folder. Instead of handing it to me, he opens it and starts to look through the pages.

I finally find the courage to look at him, and our eyes lock. For the first time ever, I notice the hazel flecks around his brown eyes. I look away and drop my head, and because this is the day from hell, my glasses slide off my face and land on the floor.

We reach for them at the same time, and his large hand ends up covering mine. I let out a small sound, and I say a silent prayer that he didn’t hear it. I note the contrast of our skin tones, his white hand covering my brown one before I pull mine away. He lifts my glasses and brings them to my face. I’m as still as a statue while I look down at the linoleum floor. He moves closer and slides the glasses back onto my face. I take a deep breath and bask in the smell of his leather jacket mixed with his fruity shampoo.

When he gets the glasses on my face, he moves his hands behind my ears to make sure they are secure.

“You okay?” he asks. He lifts my chin and forces me to look at him.

Like a deer in headlights, all I can do is stare.

“Be careful next time, Laces,” he whispers.

I lick my dry lips. “Um, my name is—” The words get locked in my throat. I grab my books and finally stand up. He stands right along with me. When we’re both upright, he takes a step closer.

“Your name is what?” he asks. He hands me my folder, and when I take it from him, his fingers touch mine.

“Um, my name is—” I clear my throat and try again. The entire time he stares at me with an expression I can’t interpret. “My name isn’t, um—” I never get a chance to finish my sentence.

“Cooper!” Candace yells in the hallway. She runs over to us and grabs the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Come on! What are you still doing here with her?” She points at me without bothering to look in my direction. “Let’s go. You did your good deed of the day. Maybe you should tell her to run a flat iron through that hair.” The entire time he was being dragged away, his head was turned in my direction, until they turned the corner and he disappeared.

Copyright 2021 Evelyn Sola

*****

Author Info:

A Boston native, wife, mother, and wine enthusiast. If she’s not writing, thinking about writing, you will find Evelyn with a book in her hands. While a new publisher, she’s been writing for years, and she will continue to write for many years to come.  

Evelyn is obsessed with assertive and confident men who will stop at nothing to get their woman. Her stories are filled with love, passion and humor. 

She currently lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and two daughters.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Amazon

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Spotlight – A Place to Belong

Tags

A Place to Belong, Alexa Rivers, An Opposites Attract Romance, Blue Collar romance series

When Felicity Bell walks into her new rental, the last thing she expected was to find Wyatt Dawson, her hot new neighbor, half-naked in her kitchen. Despite their misunderstanding and rough start, things heat up quickly for this unlikely pair. Fall for this hard-working hottie in A Place to Belong by Alexa Rivers, an Opposites Attract Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

A Place to Belong

An Opposites Attract Romance

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Alexa Rivers

Blurb:

From Alexa Rivers comes an opposites attract romance packed with humor, emotion and a sizzling happily ever after.

Horror author Felicity Bell moves to the charming town of Oak Bend after being shunned from the last place she called home. When she walks in the door of her new rental, she doesn’t expect to find a half-naked man standing in her kitchen. There’s just one problem: Wyatt Dawson seems to think it’s his kitchen. Misunderstandings aside, her new neighbor is lumberjack hot, and his grumpiness only makes her more determined to bring a little joy to his life, even if he’d rather be left alone.

Burned by his past, Wyatt isn’t about to let the cheerful free spirit next door into his heart only for her to crush him when she flits out of town again. But with his well-meaning, matchmaking, mother on the case, these two end up spending far too much time together and things between the unlikely pair quickly heat up. It may be true what they say—opposites do attract, but only if their relationship can survive Wyatt’s interfering ex-girlfriend and Felicity’s fear of history repeating itself.

Welcome to Oak Bend, where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

Add to Goodreads!

Read Now!

*****

Excerpt:

I should have known the moment I saw her that this was no coincidence. A hot crazy lady randomly appears in my house? Not fucking likely. This has Mom’s fingerprints all over it, and the keys clutched in the blonde’s hand are the nail in her coffin. I sigh. The woman is eyeing me like I’m a rabid dog about to strike. Or at least, that’s how she’s looking at me now. I caught the flash of heat in her gaze when my towel dropped a moment ago.

Groaning again, I lean against the doorframe and wonder what I did to deserve this. I’ve spent a long day completing work on a brick fence. My back aches, and all I want is to crack open a beer and watch hockey.

“So?” The blonde clasps her hands together, fidgeting. She’s pretty, if a bit skittish. Her moss-green eyes dart around the kitchen, returning to me every few seconds as though she’s wary of taking her attention off me for too long. “What’s going on?”

I nod toward the keys in her hand. “Those belong to my mother. She owns the house next door, which is the one you actually rented.”

“Oh.” Her slim shoulders slump in relief, and her curls bounce. “Thank goodness for that. It’s all a big misunderstanding.”

I laugh dryly. “It’s no such thing.”

A furrow forms between her brows. “What do you mean? Surely she just gave me the wrong set of keys.”

“If only.”

She seems baffled by my cryptic comment, and I sigh, already able to tell that she’s the type who’s curious enough to stick around until I explain everything.

“Mom intentionally sent you here,” I say, figuring I may as well get the awkwardness out of the way. I’m sure it’s not the only time she’ll be subject to Mom’s match-making machinations if she plans to live next door. She has a wholesome, sweet vibe that Mom will just eat up.

Yeah, I’m going to be dodging this woman for the foreseeable future.

“She hoped we’d run into each other, and that I’d be smitten with you. She set us up.”

“Oh.” This time, there’s a whole other level of meaning to the word. But then she cocks her head, and the furrow deepens. “I wouldn’t have thought you needed to be set up.” Her gaze rakes over me once again, and I can’t help but puff out my chest. It’s been a long time since anyone looked at me with such blatant appreciation, and I can tell she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it, or else she’d be mortified.

“I don’t,” I reply firmly, and her eyes snap up to mine. A delicate, pink flush journeys down her neck. Damn, I need to get rid of her before I actually do start to find her charming. “Here. I’ll get you my key for the place next door, and you can give me that one.” I nod at the key in her hand. She drops it on the counter.

“I’m so sorry about this.” She wrings her hands, looking awkward as fuck. “I didn’t mean to just walk into your house and make myself at home.”

“I know you didn’t,” I assure her. “I’m going to come closer now, is that okay?”

She nods, but her eyes remain on me as I enter the kitchen and head for the key hook by the fridge. I remove the one for the rental and replace it with the key she left on the counter, then offer her the one she actually needs. Our fingers brush as she takes it, and something jolts in my chest. Shaking it off, I snatch my hand away and check that the towel is still secure. The last thing I need is to give her another peep show.

“That key will open the front door of the house next door. Hold onto it for now, and I’ll get Mom to drop by with the proper key tomorrow.”

“I can do that.” She smiles, and I resist the urge to fall back a step, because it lights up her entire face, elevating her from pretty to gut-wrenchingly beautiful. “I don’t want to put you out any more than you already are.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Despite my frustration, I find my lips curving. “It’s not you I’m angry at.”

Her expression softens. “Please don’t be too mad with Nadine. She seems like such a nice person, and I’m sure she only wants to make you happy.”

Damn, she has a point. But whether her intentions are good or not, it’s going to stop me from giving Mom a piece of my mind. She needs to know it’s not all right to hand out my house key to total strangers just because she wants grandbabies.

Copyright 2021 Alexa Rivers

*****

Author Info:

Alexa Rivers is the author of steamy and heartfelt small town romances.

She lives in a small town herself, complete with nosy neighbors and quirky traditions.

She shares a house with a neurotic dog and a husband who thinks he’s hilarious.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys travelling, baking and decorating cakes, eating those cakes, cuddling fluffy animals, drinking excessive amounts of tea, and absorbing herself in fictional worlds.

Follow: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Blog Tour – Chasing Down the Dream

Tags

Blue Collar romance series, Chasing Down the Dream, Jaymee Jacobs

Asher Wallace has always had a crush on Kasey Ruggieri, but as his best friend’s older sister, not only was she off-limits, but completely out of his league. Now that Kasey’s returned home after her fashion design business imploded, the heat between them is undeniable. Can Asher prove to Kasey that Oak Bend has all that she’s looking for? Fall for this hard-working hottie in Chasing Down the Dream by Jaymee Jacobs, a Best Friend’s Sibling Romance, the first book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

Chasing Down the Dream

Blue Collar Romance Series

by Jaymee Jacobs

Blurb:

From USA Today best-selling author Jaymee Jacobs comes a best friend’s sibling romance packed with heat, heart, and happily ever after.

When Kasey Ruggieri returns to her hometown after her fashion design business implodes, she barely recognizes the handsome guy with a smokin’ body who comes to fix the HVAC as her brother’s best friend. The skinny teenager she once knew is gone, and when Asher strips off his shirt to work in the boiling heat, Kasey can’t take her eyes off his glistening, muscular chest. Now she needs more than air conditioning to cool her desires.

Asher Wallace has had a crush on Kasey ever since he realized girls don’t have cooties. She’s beautiful, talented, and fun. But as his best friend’s older sister, she’s completely out of his league. Once Kasey left Oak Bend to pursue a fashion career in New York City, Asher shelved his boyhood crush and moved on from his college hockey days and into the family’s heating and cooling business.

When Kasey and Asher finally connect, there’s enough heat to melt a Michigan winter. But when Kasey stumbles onto a new, profitable fashion venture, will she leave Asher behind for the bright lights of the big city once more? Or can Asher prove to Kasey that love and success can be found close to home?

Welcome to Oak Bend, where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

Add to Goodreads!
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Read Now! 
Amazon → https://amzn.to/3i2Gu5i

*****

Excerpt:

If I had thought the temperature in this house was hot before Asher showed up, it was absolutely tropical after he arrived. Asher was just a kid the last time I’d seen him, before I’d gone off to college. His voice hadn’t even changed by then. And now, well, now he was all man.

I leaned against the boxes of my stuff stacked in the hallway, watching the way his biceps bunched under the tight sleeves of his T-shirt as he did whatever the hell he was doing to the thermostat. Asher used to be so scrawny.

Of course, I’d seen the way he’d looked at me back then. He was always over at our house, hanging out with Owen, staying for dinner. I knew his parents both worked, but I always wondered if he came to my house so much because of me. As a teenager, that had been a very conceited thought, and I’d forgotten all about it—and Asher—when I’d moved away.

Watching him now was a pleasant distraction from everything. From the fact that I’d had to pack up my life in New York City and move back home to Oak Bend, Michigan, because I couldn’t hack it in the big city. Because I’d made the leap and tried to break out on my own, but I had failed. Now I was back in my hometown with nothing to show for myself except for credit card debt and boxes of stuff.

In fact, watching him do his thing was the first time in a month that I hadn’t been overwhelmed by the heavy feeling of despair in the pit of my stomach weighing me down. I felt relieved to get a break from that sense of despondency, but it was more than that. It wasn’t just a lack of sadness but actual happiness at watching Asher do his thing. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he wiped the beads away with his forearm. I figured it was time to do something more than just watch.

“Can I get you some water?”

“Uh, yeah,” he said, turning to look at me with eyes that I’d never realized were so damn blue. How had I never noticed that before? “That’d be great.”

“One sec,” I said, heading into the kitchen. Owen always kept the place stocked up for when he came back into town. He was hardly home, but he liked to be prepared and well-hydrated.

I grabbed two bottles from the fridge and went back into the living room, and oh my God—Asher had peeled off his shirt and was using it as a towel. He had a well-defined six pack and a dusting of dark hair between his pecs. His broad shoulders met up with the bulging muscles of his arms.

Was this real life? Or was I dreaming?

“Here you go.” I reached out to pass him his water. The smooth sheen on his skin caught a glint of sunlight, and I thought maybe I was in the presence of a Greek god. Damn.

Copyright 2021 Jaymee Jacobs

*****

Author Info:

Jaymee Jacobs is a USA Today best-selling author and author of the Dallas Comets series. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English literature and a psychology minor.

Her books have the same two themes: hockey and the “millennial” experience. The first is because she’s a die-hard fan (particularly of the Pittsburgh Penguins). The second is because she felt that there weren’t any books to which she could personally relate. So she began to write the stories she wanted to read. Her books spotlight those in the up-and-coming generation as they navigate this new era of ubiquitous technology, online dating etiquette, and what it means to “adult.”

When she’s not writing, you’ll find Jaymee curating her cats’ Instagram account, listening to true crime podcasts, scrolling through Pinterest for fructose-free recipes, or yelling at the TV during Penguins games.

Follow: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon

*****

About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR