Category Archives: xpresso tours

Book Blitz: Something Wicked by Emery Nicolson #UrbanFantasy @EmmyNicolson

Posted on by



Something Wicked
Emery Nicolson
(Lockhart Legacy, #1)
Publication date: March 1st 2021
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Something wicked this way comes…

You’d think being the descendant of powerful witches would grant me the power to sort out my life, right? But you’d be wrong. I’m stuck in a rut, disdained by my family, and my romantic life is a disaster. Oh, and did I forget to mention that I have no magic?

When a cursed heirloom is stolen, I should stay out of it and leave the retrieval to those better equipped but everything seems to lead back to me…

With the help of an enigmatic bounty hunter, I may be able to clear my name and retrieve the artefact before death and chaos are unleashed upon my beloved city but doing so could cost me everything — including my life.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

It feels like I have just fallen asleep when I’m awoken by someone obnoxiously ringing my doorbell, over and over and over again.

Blinking sticky eyes open, I roll over and check the time on my phone screen. Seven o clock! Who in their right bloody mind goes knocking on someone’s door at that time on a Saturday? It is cruel! It is unnatural! But whomever it is they are not buggering off like I hoped they would, leaving me no choice but to get out of bed and answer the door.

“Alright, alright! I’m coming!” I yell, stomping down the hall. I flick on a light switch and peek through the peephole. “Bitch!” I shout through the door as I start releasing the locks.

There are quite a few, so it’s a bit of a slow process, but when you live in a basement apartment, I feel you can’t be too careful.

“Stop your whining Lockhart! I’ve got to be at work in an hour and details can’t wait!”

Pulling the door open, I am faced with the happy smiling face of my BFF Sarah. I have a strong dislike for morning people but at least this pre-dawn menace has the decency to come bearing gifts.

“Do I smell bacon?” I ask, as she marches past me with a brown bag of goodness and a cup holder with two coffees.

“Hell yes, it’s bacon. You think I’d be stupid enough to wake the bear without bringing a sacrifice?” She calls as she makes her way to the front room. “Bring plates in won’t you!”

“Yes dear,” I mumble, more to myself than to her as I yawn and do exactly as I’m told.

Author Bio:

Emery Nicolson is a wife, mother and mad cat-lady living in the South West of England. When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading, baking or out walking through a forest.

Emmy (or Nics, as she’s more often referred to) loves hearing from readers and you can find her online via Twitter (@EmmyNicolson), Facebook (@EmeryNicolsonAuthor) or her website (emerynicolson.co.uk).

Website / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Cover Reveal: Sold to a Wolf Pack by Mia Meade #ParanormalRomance #YoungAdult @XpressoTours

Posted on by



Sold to a Wolf Pack: A Lunaverse Novel
Mia Meade
(Saffron, #1)
Publication date: September 30th 2021
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

My dad sold me to a pack of werewolves to settle his gambling debt.

Sold to a Wolf Pack is a young adult werewolf romance by Mia Harlan, writing as Mia Meade. It is the first of three books in in Saffron’s Lunaverse series. Blurb coming soon.

* * *

“I’m going to count to three,” he growls. He doesn’t have to say the rest. If I haven’t come to him by then, he’ll come to me… and I’ll regret it.

I know this game, and I know there is only one way it can end: with broken bones. If I don’t come to him, his wolf will take over and he’ll make me pay. If I obey, his wolf will still take over, and I’ll still be the one suffering the consequences.

“One,” Logan snaps.

A tear slowly rolls down my cheek and I dig my nails into my palm until they draw blood. More tears join the first and my lower lip trembles. I want Logan to see how much he’s hurting me.

“Two,” Logan counts, gesturing for me to come to him. I know that he’s filled with anticipation. He’s hoping for ‘three,’ craving it.

* * *

Disclaimer: This is NOT a dark romance. All relationships are consensual.

Goodreads / Amazon


Author Bio:

Mia Harlan lives in Canada with her husband (who’s definitely Not a Vampire) and their adorably fluffy cat. They recently welcomed a Mini Mortal (a baby girl) into the world and are happy to report she doesn’t have fangs. Mia is a librarian by day and an author by night. She’s been reading romance since she turned thirteen and published her first one in mid-2019. She writes humorous, quirky (and mostly paranormal) reverse harem romance.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon


Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Dead and Gone by Annie Anderson #UrbanFantasy @annieande

Posted on by



Dead and Gone
Annie Anderson
(Grave Talker #2)
Publication date: February 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

There are few things worse than being on the Arcane Bureau of Investigation’s naughty list.

To keep myself out of hot water, I’ve made a deal with the devil—using my skills as a grave talker to help the ABI solve some very cold cases.

But there is something mighty amiss in this task—especially when quite a few of these cases lead me right back to my home town of Haunted Peak and the secrets buried there.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Out less than a minute and already talking to spirits and punching ghosts. Way to go, Adler.”

That smooth voice did not belong to my best friend, J. Oh, no. I wasn’t that lucky. The big hunk of man-meat Siobhan had been talking about was not my partner, but the death mage ABI agent who’d simultaneously saved my bacon and torched it.

I swung my head to face Bishop La Roux, straightening my shoulders like I was going to have to punch him, too.

Dressed in a criminally hot pair of jeans and a T-shirt that should be illegal in at least five states, Bishop held out a bag with a very familiar logo on it like he was warding off a lion. Ignoring his messy hair and scruffy beard, I met his coal-dark eyes with suspicion. But instead of punching him like I had Hildy, I snatched the Si Señor bag from his hands, opened it, and dug in. The prison fare was a step above cat food, in my opinion, and just the thought of that yummy bit of heaven made my mouth water.

“Good to see tacos still work,” he said, chuckling. “You need a ride home?”

The last time he’d needed to bribe me, he’d done it with these tacos. Good god in heaven, I was a pushover. I ignored the ridiculously hot man in favor of unwrapping a taco one-handed and shoving an end in my mouth. My teeth crunched into the blissfully crispy half-steak, half-pork taco, and my eyes rolled back in my head.

“Maybe,” I said around a mouthful of food. If he were any other man, I might have felt weird about my rudeness, but just like Hildy, Bishop was on thin ice. Though, tacos were an excellent way to strengthen his footing.

That taco was gone in another two bites, and I swallowed the yumminess before continuing, “How’d you hear about me getting out? Even I didn’t know until today.”

Bishop gave me a sly smile. “A little birdy told me.”

“I suppose you could give me a ride if you don’t have anything better to do,” I conceded, my tone only mildly petulant.

“No, Adler,” Bishop said, his voice a hell of a lot closer than it had been a few seconds ago. I whipped my head back to find him solidly in my space. “I don’t have anywhere else I want to be.”

Well, okay then.

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest

GIVEAWAY!

https://kingsumo.com/js/embed.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: The Wise One by K.T. Anglehart #YoungAdult #Fantasy @kt_anglehart

Posted on by



The Wise One
K.T. Anglehart
(The Scottish Scrolls, #1)
Publication date: October 28th 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Mckenna’s never thought much of her nightmares, but on her seventeenth birthday, a vivid dream of burning at the stake awakens her dormant abilities, thrusting her into a world where faeries are real, spirits hold a grudge, and a High Priestess obsessed with a 16th-century prophecy is tracking her every move.

Now, her overprotective dads, Seán and Andre, are forced to tell her the truth—they know who her birth mother is, and her life is not the surrogate story she’s always been told. Abigail, Mckenna’s mom, is some sort of mystic, and Mckenna a Wise One.

Whatever the hell that means.

With the help of a persistent little wren and company of a newfound friend, Mckenna journeys to Ireland in search of her mother and real answers. Along the way, she learns to harness her innate magic and trust her intuition, as best she can anyway—Cillian, a kind and passionate delegate who crosses her path, is proving much harder to read.

Only her mother could truly help her halt her ill fate and prepare her for what’s to come . . . before she gives in to the darkness she knows is buried deep within.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Bruised and battered, the young woman was dragged through the screaming, unruly mob. Her wrists were bound behind her by a rope as thick as the noose she now faced.

“Buidseach! Buidseach!” Witch. Witch.

“Bàsachadh!”

Die.

She halted in front of the noose, unperturbed, for she knew her death would end swiftly. The man who held the end of her rope looked from her calm expression to the noose, and let out a shrill laugh.

“A quick snap of the neck, aye, Bessie girl? You don’t think you’re getting off that easy, do you? Nah, that there isn’t for your kind.”

The ugly man, towering and troll-like, hauled her further on like a rag doll, finally leading her to a pit loaded with broken wood fragments, branches, and logs.

She was going to be burned alive.

In that instant, her body trembled with the fear she had been trying so desperately to conceal. Of dying, no—she knew this life would not be her last, and she was ready to part ways with this physical body. But she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t been hoping for a less painful demise.

He tightened the rope from her wrists around the wood banister that stood erect in the centre of the pit, then secured more rope round her ankles. “Spill your guts, now or never, buidseach,” he spat.

The woman scanned the crowd. Foolish, blind, she thought. They had no idea what would become of their Earth. No, she did not regret her actions. And if she had to burn for them, then so be it.

She held her chin up and addressed the spectators. Her voice was steady, knowing. “There will come a day when your fate shall depend upon a witch such as me—and you will beg for mercy.” The crowd cackled and spat back, simultaneously enraged and amused. But no one laughed louder than the troll-man. “Devil-worshipping hag.”

He lowered his torch to the base of the pit, and the flames caught quickly. She watched them crawl towards her boots, but her eyes were forced shut by the rising smoke. In an instant, beads of sweat leaked like rain on her forehead, and her lungs swelled to twice their size.

Just when she hoped she might pass out from the heat, the flames grew larger, now licking the base of her legs. What followed was an acute, unfathomable pain. The flames travelled higher, higher, until they enveloped the lower half of her body—and she could no longer bear the sheer agony of her skin melting away.

 

Author Bio:

Katrina Tortorici Anglehart is a born and bred Italian-Canadian from Montreal. A devoted academic, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism; a graduate certificate in Scriptwriting; and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. After dabbling in TV writing and working as a digital marketing content manager, she left the nine to five to launch her freelance editing and coaching career. Today, she relishes in helping aspiring authors to develop and refine their stories.

Besides English, Katrina speaks French, Italian, and Spanglish. When she’s not writing, diving into magical reads, or Netflixing, she’s travelling with her favourite human–her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband, Andy–and obsessing over her pet bunny, Magic, and newly rescued pup, Nessie. Katrina currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Broken Beginnings by J.L. Beck and C. Hallman #darkromance @AuthorJLBeck @CassyHallman

Posted on by



Broken Beginnings
C. Hallman & J.L. Beck
(The Moretti Crime Family, #2)
Publication date: February 19th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance

The night I saved her eight years ago I knew a choice had been made.

Years later and I can’t manage to let her go.

She’s barely eighteen, virginal, and kind.

Touching her would be a sin, but letting another man have her would destroy me.

Every time I close my eyes I see her, standing there, afraid, scared out of her mind because of that one fateful night.

She doesn’t know the lengths I’ve gone to protect her.

The blood spilled, the words said.

Nothing deters my obsession… it’s wrong, immoral, to follow her, and watch her at every turn but I can’t help myself.

Her safety, her life. It’s the only thing of importance to me.

When an enemy lurking in the shadows challenges that I’ll do whatever I can to protect her, even make a deal with a devil, knowing the only way out is death.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Lucca tosses the broken plate into the sink. The sound makes me jump but doesn’t scare me as much as when I look away from the sink and find Lucca advancing toward me. I take a hesitant step back.

Instantly, I’m the prey, and he’s the hunter.

Lucca’s chest brushes against mine, and sparks of desire form low in my belly. I lick my bottom lip, wondering what it would be like to kiss him or if he would kiss me back? I’m so caught up in him, in his scent, his body, what I want him to do to me, that I lose focus for a moment. I can’t let the lust drive me alone.

Dark blue eyes pierce my own, and I break the connection taking a step back, putting a breath of space between us. It’s hard to show him my anger when he’s this close.

“I will not be your prisoner here. I will not be trapped in that bedroom. I’m an adult, but more than that, I’m a human being, not an animal you can keep in a cage.”

“I don’t care how old you are and what you think is best for you…” His voice is deep and soft, causing me to look up from his chest and directly into his eyes. His gaze has softened to a dull knife, and for once, in all the time I’ve known him, I feel like I’m seeing him, the real him, for the first time. His thumb brushes against the apple of my cheek, his touch making my skin heat. “Your age doesn’t stop me from protecting you, nor does it stop me from locking you up in that bedroom and keeping you there until you learn to listen to me.”

Author Bio:

J.L. Beck is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, she has written over fifty different romance novels. She started her journey of writing back in 2014 and hasn’t slowed down a second since then.

She’s captivated by real romance, and loves reading about strong “ALPHA” males, as well as sassy heroines that know or may not know what they want. She is best known for delivering a happily ever after but has ended things on a cliffhanger a time or two.

When she’s not typing away at her next book you can find her being a mom to her two adorable kiddos and wife to her high school sweetheart.

She’s obsessed with Starbucks, social media, and is definitely more of a dog person than cat.

Author links:
Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Born and raised in Germany, Cassandra moved to the United States when she was eighteen. She always had a love for reading, that love slowly transpired into writing. She put fingers to the keyboard and started writing about the dark side of romance.

Cassandra is one half of the international bestselling author duo Beck & Hallman, who are most knows for the writing the Northwood University series.
The pair also write under the pen name Jenna Reed.

Author links:
Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Decide to Live by Shirley Anne Edwards #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance @ShirlAwriter

Posted on by



Decide to Live
Shirley Anne Edwards
(Finding the Strength, #3)
Publication date: February 14th 2021
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

When it hurts too much to live, how does one find the strength to stay alive and find hope again?

Reiko Nakano has a charmed life. Not only does the twenty-three-old come from a life of luxury because of her celebrity parents and supermodel sister, she’s best friends with the biggest brother and sister pop duo in the world- Gio and Gem Grove. But what the public assumes is wrong different because of what Reiko suffers in private. She feels she’s an outcast in her own family because of her ptosis and her social anxiety. She then makes the biggest mistake of her life and tries to turn her lifelong crush on Gio into something more. His cruel rejection after she lets him take her virginity leaves her heartbroken.

Reiko hides in the least likely of places- the small town of Albee, Pennsylvania. There she enjoys her anonymity and enrolls in summer classes at Maison University. She hopes she can fit in as a student, but life continues to play tricks on her when she’s hit in the face by a football from one of the most popular boys on campus, Will Forest. But this accidental but memorial meeting will help heal her fragile emotions because Will shows her how special she is to those she meets, including him.

She isn’t sure what to make of Will. He’s too nice and sweet, and treats her like gold. She accepts his attempts at romance even though it’s only temporary. But as the summer flies by, she doesn’t want to give Will up, who doesn’t know the truth about her “vacation”. And when Gio arrives in town, and threatens to out Reiko, she has some hard choices to make. Does she come clean to Will so she can decide to finally live on her own terms and embrace the amazing woman Will thinks her to be?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

It had been a long time since I’d felt like I belonged somewhere or with someone. I had found that at Maison. I felt the same with Dad when he let me tag along to one of his classes or read chapters of a new book he was in the middle of writing. He was the only one I wanted to call to tell him about my summer plans. Aya would be happy for me, but she didn’t share our love for books and learning, not that my older sister was uneducated by any means. She had different pursuits and hobbies, like Mom. She had a bond with Mom, whereas mine was with Dad.

A small black dog ran by me, chased by a woman. The sight made me snicker. I checked around to see if there were any other dogs, an odd thing to see at a college. The only interesting interaction was a few guys playing football a few feet away. I wanted to soak in the atmosphere a little longer. Then I would call Dad and tell him my news. Trying to figure out the time difference in Paris, I walked forward, realizing too late I was in the path of the football game. Someone shouted— “Look out!” As I turned, a football hit the side of my neck, near my shoulder. I fell and landed on the ground.

The sun above blinded me as I tried to bring the world into focus. Soon, a group of men surrounded me, blocking out the light. One knelt next to me and boosted me up, keeping his arm on my back.

“My glasses?” I searched the area even though everything was blurry.

“I found them.” He pressed them into my hand. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor? Should we call 911?”

I slid my glasses on and shook my head. “I was just startled.”

When I was able to see again, the guy who still supported me helped me stand. I should have noticed he wasn’t wearing a T-shirt. It was stuck in the back of his shorts, leaving his chest bare. What I did notice first was his chunky black-framed glasses and short yet spikey blond hair. He also had too many freckles across his nose and cheeks.

“You’re wearing glasses also.” I blinked, amazed by how cute he was wearing horn-rimmed glasses, and because of the deep lines around his mouth because of his smile.

“A few other guys on campus wear glasses, but they don’t look as good as I do.” He scooped up the football and tossed it to someone. “I’m going to take a break to make sure the young lady here is okay.”

Young lady? I kicked the grass. Shoot! My paperwork had scattered.

“I’m fine, I think, but my papers aren’t.” I bent to retrieve the wrinkled documents.

By the time I’d found most of them, he had put on his T-shirt. He held the brochure, and, as I rose, he flipped through it. “You’re a new student here?”

“Just for the summer.” I held my hand out for the booklet.

He paused as if he wanted to say something but instead gave me the booklet.

“Thanks.” I took my time putting the book and papers in my tote bag, expecting him to leave. But he still stood there.

For some reason, I wasn’t as uncomfortable as I usually was when I met new people. Our awkward introduction resulting from the football to my face should have made me look in the other direction. But he acted…considerate? Or maybe compassionate was a better word?

A female voice called out, “Will,” and he waved but stayed with me. “Now you know my name. I’m Will, short for William.”

“I’m Reiko, and it’s not short for anything.” I glanced at the girl who‘d said his name. She was with two other girls, and they all looked identical—white girls with highlighted blonde hair and tight shirts and shorts. They were the type I would stay away from because they reminded me of Gem.

“I never heard that name before. It’s pretty.” He gave me another friendly smile.

“It has a few meanings.” The main meaning of my name meant beautiful, but I preferred wise. I left it unsaid because he would probably say I was beautiful in his flirty way, just to be nice.

“I’d love to know what your name means.” He tapped his fingers on his hips.

If I had better social skills, I would have teased him, extending our conversation. But with those girls waiting for him, one of whom might be his girlfriend, it was best I let him go.

“If we meet again, I might tell you.” I turned and walked away. It was better to cut him off and leave. The odds I would see him again were small since he was ending his semester and would return to wherever he lived for the summer.

As expected, he didn’t run after me or tell me to stay. I kept walking without turning around to check like the small voice in my head wanted me to do.

Author Bio:

Shirley Anne Edwards is a Northeast girl who first found her love for books when she read Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock Tower at thirteen. Shirley found her love for writing at a very young age, and since then has let her imagination run wild by creating quirky characters and vast worlds in her head.

Shirley lives in New Jersey and works in the entertainment industry in New York City.

In the immortal words of Mark Twain: “Life is short, Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, Kiss SLOWLY. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably and never regret ANYTHING that makes you smile.”

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt #YoungAdult @youngadultish

Posted on by



A Shot at Normal
Marisa Reichardt
Published by: Farrar Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication date: February 16th 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Marisa Reichardt’s A Shot at Normal is a powerful and timely novel about justice, agency, family, and taking your shot, even when it seems impossible.

Dr. Villapando told me to get a good attorney. He wasn’t serious. But I am. I’m going to sue my parents.

Juniper Jade’s parents are hippies. They didn’t attend the first Woodstock, but they were there for the second one. The Jade family lives an all-organic homeschool lifestyle that means no plastics, no cell phones, and no vaccines. It isn’t exactly normal, but it’s the only thing Juniper has ever known. She doesn’t agree with her parents on everything, but she knows that to be in this family, you’ve got to stick to the rules. That is, until the unthinkable happens.

Juniper contracts the measles and unknowingly passes the disease along, with tragic consequences. She is shell-shocked. Juniper knows she is responsible and feels simultaneously helpless and furious at her parents, and herself.

Now, with the help of Nico, the boy who works at the library and loves movies and may just be more than a friend, Juniper comes to a decision: she is going to get vaccinated. Her parents refuse so Juniper arms herself with a lawyer and prepares for battle. But is waging war for her autonomy worth losing her family? How much is Juniper willing to risk for a shot at normal?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Now that the new school year has started and my parents have reached out to other local homeschoolers to plan field trips, I’m hoping I’ll make some new friends.

Until then, I’ll remain on the outside looking in.

Like this morning, in my room, where I spent from seven forty-fi ve to eight a.m. watching through the window as bright yellow buses pulled up to the curb in front of Playa Bonita High School. The bus doors opened and students spilled onto the sidewalk. Others rode up on bikes and skateboards. The older ones, the juniors and seniors, arrived in cars crammed with passengers, two in the front seat and three in the back. Everyone wore shorts or sundresses, because it’s still the last week of August and the heat of summer hasn’t let go of this town yet.

I could feel that heat in my armpits and the sweat marks collecting along the edges of my tank top when I woke up. I slathered on deodorant from the half- empty mason jar on my dresser like I do every morning. It’s sticky and lumpy and leaves behind a white, oily residue that stains my shirts. I’ve asked my mom for real deodorant. Or at least something from the natural health section at Whole Foods.

“Tapioca starch and coconut oil take care of things fine,” she says. I’m sure that’s not true, because if I notice the stink of my mom’s BO, then surely I have it, too.

The girls at PBHS probably smell like strawberries and freedom. I bet they spent all morning soaking themselves in those scented body washes from that store at the mall that always smells like a fruit stand. I also bet my mom can recite the exact paraben levels in each bottle. Because that store, like the mall itself, is not a place my parents would ever let me spend money.

That’s why those girls across the street are there and I’m here. The chemicals and the toxins and the mercury levels and the melting ozone layer made my parents take a big step back from the real world. Everything from our deodorant to our food to our cleaning products to our furniture is organic. Important things, I know. But there’s such a thing as too much. My parents are rabid in their beliefs.

“Organic isn’t what’s new. It’s what’s old,” my mom says proudly. “We’re original.”

She operates in a rose- colored version of history, which is also why my sister, my brother, and I don’t get vaccinated. This makes us ineligible to enroll in schools in California. Not that I haven’t tried. When we moved, I thought maybe this was finally it. The public high school was right across the street. I’d practically still be at home. I begged to go. But couple the strict California vaccination requirements with the fact that my parents think homeschooling creates lifelong learners as opposed to kids who simply regurgitate multiple- choice information for state tests, and it was easy for them to say no. “We decide what goes into our children’s bodies and minds,” they said. So here I sit at the kitchen table, digging into my putrid pancakes, trying to figure out if selling baled herbs and essential oils this summer made me a better person.

My guess is no.

Author Bio:

Marisa Reichardt is the critically acclaimed author of the YA novels UNDERWATER, AFTERSHOCKS (2020), and A SHOT AT NORMAL (2021). She has a Master of Professional Writing degree from the University of Southern California and dual degrees in English & American Literature and Creative Writing from UC San Diego. Before becoming a published author, Marisa worked in academic publications, tutored high school students in writing, and shucked oysters. These days, you can probably find her huddled over her laptop in a coffeehouse or swimming in the ocean.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Tough Love by Melanie A. Smith #ContemporaryRomance @MelASmithAuthor

Posted on by



Tough Love
Melanie A. Smith
Publication date: February 8th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From award-winning and international best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes a standalone steamy contemporary romance about life choices, love, and finding yourself in between.

Sometimes you need a bit of tough love to get where you’re supposed to be …

Mia Anderson has been living a life that was chosen for her. But her impending thirtieth birthday is the wake-up call she needed to stop wasting time on all the wrong pursuits. Just as she’s figuring out what she wants to do about it, her beloved grandmother falls ill and Mia drops everything to be with her. What she didn’t expect to find in her grandmother’s tiny mountain town is the courage to quit working for her father, supplied by a little tough love from her Gran. Now faced with an uncertain future, the last thing on her mind is finding love.

Nate Edwards is living a solitary life deep in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. He’s content, or at least he thinks he is — until the granddaughter of a good friend shows up and he starts having feelings he thought he’d never have again. But Mia’s future isn’t in Alpine Ridge, so acting on it would lead to nothing but heartbreak. Still, their connection is undeniable and circumstances continue to push them together, despite their resistance. Will Mia stick to her decision to carve her own path? And if she does, will it be with Nate? Or is he doomed to an isolated life?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“I need to know what it’s like to kiss you,” she whispers.

My chest tightens with longing, but I press her away far enough to look into her eyes. “Mia, you’ve had a lot to drink, and —”

“No, I think I’ve had just enough,” she interrupts, and then she breaks free of my hold and kisses me.

I’m so startled I don’t react until her arms are around the back of my neck and she slides into my lap.

Her lips are hot and supple, and she definitely tastes like the wine. But I can only fight it so much when she’s warm and willing and sitting on top of me, and I wrap my arms around her. I open my mouth and slide my tongue over her bottom lip to allow myself a real taste.

It nearly undoes me as she accepts it, as our tongues tangle while her hands wind into my hair. I slide my hands to her face, tilting her head to give me better access to her delicious mouth.

It’s heaven and hell at the same time, as all the fantasies I didn’t even let myself have come to life. Fantasies I knew I shouldn’t want. Couldn’t want. But right now, I don’t care.

I’ve kissed a lot of women in my day, but it’s never been so good. I’m burning with desire on every possible level. The fire I’ve seen in her eyes has become a raging passion between us that continues to build to an inferno as she grinds into me, as I slip a hand under her shirt, the soft skin under my fingertips causing me to moan into her mouth.

She inhales sharply and tilts her head up, and my lips finds the soft skin of her neck, licking, sucking, and biting as she makes the most erotic noises. It makes me want to strip her bare, slip inside of her, and see what other noises I can get her to make. My cock swells at the thought and she clearly feels it, grinding harder toward the spot where it meets her thigh.

It’s been too long since I’ve let myself go, and as she tugs at my shirt, my good sense rallies a cry from underneath the mind-numbing need Mia just drew out of me.

“Stop,” I breathe out, gathering myself and pressing her back. “We can’t do this.”

She looks at me, clearly bewildered. “I think your erection disagrees with you,” she sasses me.

Author Bio:

Melanie A. Smith is an award-winning and international best-selling author of steamy contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family.

A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie’s writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years.

After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.

Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Stop Me by Michelle Jester #ContemporaryRomance @michelle_jester

Posted on by



Stop Me
Michelle Jester
(Rue the Day Series, #1)
Publication date: February 1st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary

After moving to a new city with her parents, Jeselle Parsons quickly found friends and a life full of money, power, and privilege. Even though her parents weren’t wealthy like the other kids’ parents, Jeselle felt lucky to be welcomed into the circle of friends, until she learned how costly that type of life could be. A life that would cost her everything.

For fifteen years, Jeselle, with the help of her friend Dennis, worked to ensure nothing would stand in the way of her revenge on the people who played a part in ruining her life.

All the years of planning, all the years of working, have all come down to this.

Her enemies will learn that revenge has never been so cold.

Goodreads / Amazon / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

“What the hell is she wearing?” Dennis said with horror. Jeselle looked up to see Rose and Karli approaching the table. Rose had on a flouncy, overly stated, hot pink dress. The sleeves stood much taller than her shoulders in a fog of pink netting and the material jumped as she walked, which delighted Jeselle immensely.

Camilla openly choked on her gulp of wine, “That is awful.”

Dennis patted Camilla on her back, “Sister dear, if you are going to die, please go sit by someone else.”

“This is incredible,” Rose hurried the rest of the way to the table and took a seat.

“I love coming to them, too,” Karli said, leaning toward Rose as she seated herself. “I remember my first time, I thought it was a dream. But Jeselle actually has a purpose for it. They know she wouldn’t invite you if you weren’t important.”

“That’s true,” an older woman sitting next to Jeselle agreed, “but it does make me feel important too.” The woman giggled.

“I am really nervous, like what if I put my fork back in the wrong place or something?” Rose said as she lightly touched the fork on the table in front of her, and it made Jeselle smile.

“Here is a quick lesson for you,” Jeselle said, “My mother–”

“God rest her soul,” the woman sitting next to Jeselle said.

Jeselle looked at the woman and smiled again. Then she lifted a fork and shifted her attention back to Rose, “My mother told me something growing up that I have never forgotten. You won’t either.”

“Dear heavens, couldn’t you have given her this lesson at the office?” Dennis said condescendingly which, Jeselle noticed, caused Rose’s head to fall in embarrassment.

“Pick your head up, Rose,” Jeselle barked. Rose lifted her head. “Do not listen to him,” Jeselle used her calm voice, “He doesn’t know about real people, he’s been spoon fed his entire life. Don’t let people like Dennis, here,” she put a hand on his leg under the table and squeezed, “make you feel any less important than they are. Matter of fact, I’d say you are more important than those people.” Jeselle squeezed harder.

Rose’s eyes widened and she looked from Jeselle to Dennis and back again.

The lady sitting next to Jeselle laughed under her breath. Rose looked over at Karli, who wore a big smile on her face.

“Now, as I was saying, here is a basic lesson you’ll never forget. How many letters in the word left?”

“Fo- four,” Rose replied hesitantly.

“How many letters in fork?” Jeselle lifted the hand that held the fork slightly higher in the air.

“Four,” Rose replied more confidently.

“So, your fork goes to the left of the plate.” Jeselle placed the fork back to the left of her plate. “Now, how many letters in the word right?” Again, she lifted her hand, this time her right one.

“Five.”

“And how many in the word knife?” she lifted the spoon and knife together.

“Five.”

“And how many in spoon?”

“Five.”

Then your knife and spoon go to the right side of the plate. Jeselle set them back down. “In alphabetical order. Fork, knife, spoon.” Jeselle touched each one slightly as she named it. She perceived the moment that Rose grasped the information and she relaxed.

“That’s it? It’s that easy?”

“Well, for the basics, but before long I’ll have you able to set an eighteen-course dinner with ease.” Jeselle looked pointedly at Rose, “Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, or feel like you don’t fit in, is simply information and that you can learn. The more information you learn, the more you will be tempted to be like Dennis here. Don’t, it’s a trap. If someone is deliberately trying to make you feel like you don’t fit in,” she looked over at Dennis, “Well, that is simply arrogance.” Jeselle turned to Rose again, “And arrogance can be taken down, with only one piece of information. Do you understand, Rose?”

“I do. Thank you.”

The best part of the evening, Jeselle thought, was detecting that Rose really did understand.

Author Bio:

Michelle Jester lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. Together they have a son and daughter. She is a hopeless romantic and has been writing poems and stories for as long as she can remember.
One of her prize possessions is a bracelet with only a yellow, Rubber Duckie charm on it; which she wears every day to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:

Book Blitz: Secrets That We Keep by Linda Kage #ContemporaryRomance @lindakage

Posted on by



Secrets That We Keep
Linda Kage
Publication date: January 28th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Gracen Lowe has a new life theory:
What you don’t know can’t hurt you.

Which is exactly why he decides not to tell his twin sister, Bella, that he’s accidentally falling for the woman she hates most, the very woman who allegedly cheated with Bella’s last boyfriend and broke them apart.

Bella might be his best friend and ultimate confidante, but she’d legit cut off his favorite body part if she knew which woman he’d been craving. So even if his theory’s totally whack, staying quiet will definitely keep him safer.

Except he feels so guilty about it all.

Meanwhile, Bella’s heating up the sheets with one of Gracen’s best friends, and she can’t seem to reveal that little detail to her brother either, due to—you know—reasons.

When the truth is exposed, all bets are off. Shattered secrets will either set everyone free or wreck their relationships forever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Pointing, I growled, “You…” and I stepped into her house, slamming the door behind me. “Liar.”

Eyebrows lifting, she set her hands on her hips and glared back. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” I charged. “I called you a liar.”

“I –”

“You said you wouldn’t freak out and start avoiding me. Well, where were you tonight?”

“I didn’t feel like—”

“Bullahit!”

“Oh my God. Will you stop interrupting me.”

“Sure. When you stop avoiding me.”

“I’m not—” This time, she cut herself off to glance skyward for assistance as she mumbled curses about me. Once she was calmer, she looked me in the eye. “I’m not avoiding you. The reason I didn’t go tonight had nothing to do with you whatsoever.”

I stepped closer to her, my eyes flaring. “Oh yeah? Prove it.”

She gulped unsteadily—totally freaked out by my proximity—and then she jerked a step back.

I think that broke something inside me. She should never be too scared of getting close to me. It felt like the beginning of the end. I was going to lose her.

But once she had her space, she shot fire at me with her eyes, totally not intimidated at all. “Prove what?” she cried with a disbelieving snort. “That I didn’t go tonight because of—”

“Prove that you aren’t avoiding me,” I clarified.

She gurgled out an incredulous laugh. “How the hell does someone prove something like that?”

I shrugged. “Not my problem. Just get it done. Right now.”

Her eyes widened. “Right—”
“Now. Yes.”

“Right now?” she repeated, blinking at me as if I’d lost my mind.

I put my hand to my ear. “Is there an echo in here?” Then I glanced at the face of my watch. “Time’s ticking, baby doll.”

“Oh my God,” she exploded. She gave another dubious laugh. I couldn’t tell if she was getting a kick out of my stubbornness or if she was seriously annoyed by it. “You are such a pain in the ass.”

“Yeah,” I countered. “A pain in the ass that you’re avoiding.”

Her eyes narrowed. “This is getting ridiculous.” Darting her gaze around the room, probably looking for something heavy to hit me with, she groused, “I can’t believe you’re really making me do this.”

I yawned and reported, “Not convinced yet.”

“Oh, that’s it,” she snarled, fed up with my antics. Stepping close, she grabbed the front of my shirt. “You want to be convinced that I liked being with you, fine! I’ll convince you.”

I opened my mouth to tell her, no, I hadn’t mentioned anything about needing performance feedback. I just didn’t want her to hate me now. But she pulled me into her before I could say anything, and she plastered her mouth to mine.

Author Bio:

Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelors in Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.

Now she lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.

Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor…or Hulk (can’t decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.

Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Readers Group

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by: