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Hi! My name is Kendall, I'm 28, a Media Graduate and I'm from Scotland. I'm a Reader, Reviewer, and Blogger.

Saturday 31 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway: One Hundred Dreams [An Aspen Cove Romance 22] by Kelly Collins!


Excerpt!

   He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. “These are my rules.”
   She seemed to sink in front of him, but it was a momentary muscle lapse before that invisible string pulled her back up. Only this time, it seemed to drag her forward to stand in front of him. She swiped the envelope from his hand and tore open the flap. Once she drew out the single page with his rules, she let the envelope fall to the floor.
   He watched as her eyes moved across the page. Second by second, they grew until he was sure they’d pop from her skull.
   She raised her head and stared at him. “Are you serious?”
   “Why would I give you that if I wasn’t serious?”
   “It’s a page with one rule. You said rules.”
   He smiled. “I don’t need more than one.”
   She glanced at the paper and lifted her head. “You make all the rules?” She stared at him like he’d sprouted a horn in the center of his forehead.
   “That’s my one rule. Take it or leave it.”
   Her jaw dropped, and she took a step back. “What are you going to do? Leave?” She tore the page in half and let the pieces fall to the marble floor next to the envelope. “You’re not the boss, and you don’t make the rules.”
   “Wrong.” He turned around, walked back to the elevator, pushed the button, and waited.
   “You’re seriously leaving? How am I supposed to get to Colorado?”
   He took several cleansing breaths before he spun around to face her. “Nothing has changed. You have a flight waiting at Los Angeles International Airport. It will take you to Denver, where you’ll have to get a ride to Aspen Cove. Rent a car. It’s only a few hours’ drive from there to your destination.”
   She seemed to wobble on her heels. “You’re abandoning me?”
   He shook his head. “I’m not. I gave you my rules, and you dismissed them. You don’t get to be the top private security firm in the country if you break your own rules, and my only rule is I make the rules.” The elevator door opened, and he stepped inside. “I’ll give you ten minutes to decide. If you’re not down in the lobby by then, I’ll leave. It’s that simple.”
   She opened her mouth to speak, but the doors closed before she could get a word out.

He’s a man trying to keep things under control.
She’s a woman yearning to break free.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen or a love story in the making?

Actress Cameron Madden is sick and tired of being tired. With her last movie failing at the box office and her career in question, she heads to Aspen Cove to lick her wounds. The small mountain town is the perfect place to escape the prying eyes of a critical public, the demands of her career, and the rules set by her team. Expecting a female bodyguard named Valery, she’s shocked to find the script has been flipped and Valery is a tall, dark, and annoying man who goes by Val. The first thing he does is hand her a set of rules—his rules. And she plans to break every one of them.

The last thing bodyguard Valery Armstrong wants to do is babysit an actress, but when the job comes in, he is the only one available. Saving the day and picking up the pieces is what he’s been doing since his father passed away. That single event ten years ago taught him one thing—prepare for every possibility. Before agreeing to take on Cameron, he asks himself how difficult could one woman be? When he arrives, he hands her the list, then watches as she gifts him with a heart-stopping smile—right before tearing the page to pieces. How difficult could one woman be? Cameron Madden is about to show him.

Aspen Cove, where rules are made to be broken…


Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy from Amazon


Author bio:

Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at http://bit.ly/KellyCollinsFreeBook for members-only exclusives!

~ Tip: Just hit "FOLLOW" for notifications about deals & new releases! ~

International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers' Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.

You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.

Friday 30 December 2022

My Top Books of 2022!


 Hey, guys! It's that time of year again where I share my favourite books of the year! So, here is my list with my top books of 2022! I loved all of these books a lot! 

*All books are in no particular order!*

12. The Dinner Guests by Kiersten Modglin!

Six friends.
A lifetime of secrets.
One terrifying game.

When a group of friends receives unexpected invitations to a dinner party, they see it as a chance to finally meet the bizarre and reclusive new neighbor whose home is enshrouded in layers of security.

As the drinks are poured and dinner is served, the group begins to realize things are not what they seem. What starts out as an innocent night of fun soon becomes a seemingly calculated game filled with cryptic messages and chilling revelations.

With no way out, the guests are forced to play along in hopes of escape. Friendships fray, loyalties are tested, and the secrets they've kept from each other are revealed one by one.

Six friends walk into the house that night.
Will six friends make it out?


Check it out on Goodreads!

11. Winter of the Shadow Fae [Land of the Fae 01] by L.P. Dover!
(This book releases in January 2023, but I read it this year!)

Twenty-five years have passed since the darkness was defeated in the Land of the Fae. Since then, the realm has flourished under four courts.

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

However, nothing is as it seems. An evil lurks close by, known as… the Shadow Fae. Years ago a plan was set in motion to keep the darkness alive. But there is one who’s destined to defeat it.

Ella, the future queen of the Frost Court, has trained to embrace her destiny and save her people.

When Kai, the Shadow Fae leader, crosses paths with Ella, he knows it’s his time to strike. Yet things take a shocking turn when he begins to long for the one woman he’s supposed to kill. While passion ignites between the enemies, there is no escaping their fates. Ella is meant to save her people, and Kai has no choice but to end them. A decision must be made… and it could cost them everything.


Check it out on Goodreads!

10. Wingspan [Westbrook Elite 02] by Cambria Hebert!

Ever feel like you’re being watched?
It’s an awareness so familiar I adapted to it long ago.
Then I enrolled at Westbrook University to chase my dream
and make up for someone else’s lost one.
The prying eyes I’d known almost since birth…
They closed.
Even still, I never got too close.
I made friends with everyone but confided in no one.
My dates were carefully chosen,
meaning I went out with guys I didn’t really like.
And then I was attacked.
I slept in Jamie’s bed while he stayed near me on the floor.
He gave me his number, told me to call.
Oh, I wanted to call. But I didn’t.
Now those invisible, observant eyes that always seemed familiar have returned.
But this time? They chill me to the bone.
Someone is watching. Lurking.
And it’s only a matter of time until whoever is out there does more than stare.
The only place I feel truly safe is wrapped in the massive wingspan of an Elite swimmer.
The very man I know I need to avoid.
But as shit goes down, it becomes clear I’m going to have to surrender something…
My heart or my life.


Check it out on Goodreads!

9. What Was Meant To Be [Blurred Lines] by Q.B. Tyler!

Three years ago, Jacob Price walked away.
After a whirlwind steamy affair, my father's best friend broke my heart.
He told me things were too complicated. Messy. Wrong.
That we could never be together.
I knew he loved me but the fear of ruining our family was too great.
With too much at stake, he sacrificed our hearts and ended it.

Now, he's back and he still wants me.
He still loves me.

But now, I'm engaged to another man.


Check it out on Goodreads!

8.  Finding Layla [McIntyre Security Protectors 01] by April Wilson!

She survived an abduction. Now she's trying to get on with her life. But it's not easy being a university student with a challenging mental health condition. The "mean girl" voice in her head just won't leave her alone. To complicate matters, she's an heiress worth a not-so-small fortune. Enter her sexy new bodyguard, a former paramedic trained to deal with medically fragile clients. He's determined to help her live a normal life and do all the things she yearns to do. He just never counted on falling in love with her. He's honor-bound to keep things strictly professional between them, but that's hard to do when one look from her is enough to send him to his knees.


Check it out on Goodreads!

7. When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata!

Of all the things that could have landed in her yard… it had to be him.

For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.

Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.

Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.

But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.

Even if it compromises everything you know.

And totally changes your life.


Check it out on Goodreads!

6. Difference Trilogy by Aly Martinez!

Synopsis for book one, The Difference Between Somebody and Someone:

The world owes you nothing.

It took losing the woman I loved and facing the paralyzing task of moving on without her for me to truly understand that.

Consumed by regret and razor-sharp memories, I’d resigned myself to a life of loneliness until a survivor from the same plane crash that took my fiancée stormed into my life.

Remi Grey was chaos and sunshine, fire and freedom. With her in my arms, I began to believe that fate had other plans for me.

But as secrets of the past exploded around us, it seemed the only thing fated about our relationship was that I had been destined to lose her from the start.

The world owes you nothing. But for Remi, I would risk it all. No matter the cost.


Check it out on Goodreads!

5. Things We Never Got Over [Knockemout 01] by Lucy Score!

Escaping her seemingly perfect wedding, Naomi Witt arrives in rough-around-the-edges Knockemout, Virginia, running to the rescue of her estranged twin, Tina.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn't changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi's car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected: the 11-year-old niece she didn't know she had. Now she's stuck in town with no job, no plan, no home and a whole lot of extra responsibility.

There's a reason local barber Knox doesn't do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi's life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into trouble, he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least that's the plan, until their lives begin to entwine in ways they never imagined . . .


Check it out on Goodreads!

4. Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann!

When Cora attends her sister’s birthday party, she expects at most a hangover or a walk of shame. She doesn’t anticipate a stolen wallet, leaving her stranded and dependent on Dean—her arch nemesis and ultimate thorn in her side.

And she really doesn’t anticipate waking up in shackles in a madman’s basement.

To make matters worse, Dean shares the space in his own set of chains.

After fifteen years of teasing, insults, and practical jokes, the ultimate joke seems to be on them. The two people who always thought they’d end up killing each other must now work together if they want to survive.

But Cora and Dean have no idea their abductor has a plan for them. A plan that will alter the course of their relationship, blur the line between hate and love, and shackle them together with far more than just chains.


Check it out on Goodreads!

3. Twisted Games [Twisted 02] by Ana Huang!

She can never be his...but he's taking her anyway.

Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules: 1) Protect his clients at all costs 2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

He has never once been tempted to break those rules…until her.

Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She’s nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed.

Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defenses until he’s faced with a truth he can no longer deny: he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her.

Because she’s his.

His princess.
His forbidden fruit.
His every depraved fantasy.

***

Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses.

But when her brother abdicates, she’s suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted.

And as she navigates the intricacies—and treacheries—of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can’t have.

Her bodyguard.
Her protector.
Her ultimate ruin.

Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom…and doom them both.


Check it out on Goodreads!

2. If We Disappear Here by M Hayes!

They are marionettes under a concrete sky.

Pain shoots through Maeve Campbell’s body when she wakes cold and disoriented, locked in a neglected cement room.

Her drowsy eyes sweep the cell and land on a masculine, limp body across the room. Gripping his shoulder, she rolls him to his back, face angling toward her. Only it’s not who she thinks.

It’s not her husband.

And they aren’t alone. A stranger taunts them from within an old rusted speaker. A stranger who wants them to suffer.

With each passing day, and only each other to lean on, their determination becomes a fight not only for survival but for each other.


Check it out on Goodreads!

1. Wildflowers Duet by Micalea Smeltzer!

Synopsis for book one, The Confidence of Wildflowers:

My future is a big ‘what if’ at the moment and I’m fine with that.
For the most part.
When Thayer Holmes moves in next door, the grumpy landscaper both fascinates and amuses me.
When he asks me to nanny his kid, it’s a great way to make some extra money.
It’s impossible not to fall in love with Thayer and his adorable son.
There’s a big problem though.
I’m eighteen. He’s thirty-one.
Falling for someone almost fifteen years older than me wasn’t part of my plans, but sometimes things happen when you least expect them.


Check it out on Goodreads!

So there you have it! My top books of 2022! I hope you enjoyed reading some of these books as well! :)

Thursday 29 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Cut From Stone [Crafting Humanity 01] by Brendan O’Meara!


Excerpt!

   The screen was broken into multiple squares focused on Northern Africa. Instead of the differentiated plains of grass, earth, and water with settlements sprinkled throughout, there was a sprawling web of interconnected buildings, roads, and a brand-new infrastructure spanning the width of the continent and trailing off the screen to the south.
   They completely took over.
   They weren’t practice. They were their base, James thought in terror of the army that required an entire continent to operate.
   As the images filtered in, the web of settlements grew throughout the landmass. There were entire squares filled with what looked like long, lean barracks neighboring full towns of armories, each covering the same square mileage as a major city.
   Harbors along the coasts were filled with ships and docks, while airfields were strewn throughout the flatlands displaying gleaming rows of chrome weaponry perfectly arrayed, wing to wing.
   “How the hell did they pull this off?” asked Stacie. “It’s just... wham, an entire continent disappeared and in its place... this.”
   “We have no clue. We’re having trouble determining exactly when all of this happened, but it must have been months ago.” Months?! James’s mind was spinning, thinking of the physical demands and resources it would take to build infrastructure of this magnitude. They were looking at a decades long project at the least. If whoever ran the BlankZone accomplished all of this in a matter of months, what else were they capable of?
   He kept scanning the area when he noticed clouds were blocking some of the images. He moved closer and realized they were moving in an odd pattern, flowing over the land, and petering out along the southwest coast. He looked around trying to find where they started, but the originator was offscreen.
   Is that smoke? He wondered what source of fire could be so widespread it caused clouds on such a grand scale. His mind drifted to pictures of volcanos he studied in high school.
   “How did we get these?” James asked, trying to wrap his mind around the enormous scale of the base.
   “Same as before. A break in their satellite protection and constant attempts to hack through,” Croyton replied. “Different this time though.”
   “How so?” asked Stacie from the other end of the line.
   “They meant us to see these shots.”
   “A warning,” James said quietly.
   “A threat,” Croyton replied stonily. “They want us to know what they’re capable of, how easily they can assert control without blinking an eye. The ships were a warning. This...” He shook his head, unblinking. “This tells us how ready they are.”

The world is fresh from humanity splitting in half – the BlankZone in the East and the Federation in the West. As an inevitable attack from the BlankZone looms, the Federation makes swift, mysterious, and unexpected moves to prepare.

James, a 17-year-old living in the Federation, is drafted by the military. He learns he has been selected to join a group of skilled teens who will be transformed into elite human weapons. Follow James and his friends as they mature from teenagers to lethal warriors. Together, they will face life altering events as they navigate a new existence dedicated to protecting their friends, families, and humanity at all costs.


Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy from Amazon


Author bio:

Raised in White Plains, New York, Brendan O’Meara formed a love of stories and books from a young age. He has spent his free time over the last decade crafting his debut novel, Cut From Stone, book one in the Crafting Humanity series.

It began in Philadelphia where he attended college daydreaming about a dystopian reality. With a vivid imagination (as described by his middle school teachers) and a passion for adventure, Brendan’s novels will transport you to a different life and capture you from cover to cover.

Brendan lives in Washington, DC with his daughter, wife, and two dogs. You will find him on the weekends drinking a beer watching the Packers and Notre Dame football games. He is an avid reader with a specific interest in sci-fi, anything dystopian, fantasy, history, and all levels of fiction.

Brendan would love to hear from you, feel free to contact him any time at brendan.omeara@craftinghumanity.com.

Finally, visit craftinghumanity.com and sign up for our email lists for news, updates, and information on the rest of the Crafting Humanity series. We will not spam you!

Wednesday 28 December 2022

Stacking The Shelves [89]!


Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality where we show what books we got recently. I do this post once a month.

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you’re adding to your shelves, be it buying or borrowing. From ‘real’ books you’ve purchased, a book you’ve borrowed, a book you’ve been given or an e-book, they can all be shared!


Purchased (Paperbacks/hardbacks):


(These books were in the Winter 2022 Romance Readers Book Box UK!)

Gifted from Authors/Publishers:

I, unfortunately, didn't receive any paperbacks or hardbacks this month.

Tuesday 27 December 2022

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Her Best Friend’s Brother [Six Gems 01] by Yahrah St. John!


Excerpt!

   Riley brought Wynter to his bed. He wanted to make love to her properly. That first time in his living room had been a feverish coupling because of the intense attraction they felt. But now, he wanted to take his time. If tonight was all he had, he wanted to show Wynter how much pleasure they could have together.
   Wynter wasn’t some naive virgin. She returned his touches and kisses and showed him she knew exactly how to make him moan. And when she wanted to be on top, Riley let her without hesitation. She was skilled and brought them both to a culmination that had Riley seeing stars.
   Eventually, they took a shower together, but even that turned into a sensuous glide of naked bodies that kept them up until the wee hours of the morning. Afterward, Riley fell into a deep sleep, which was unusual for him. For years, he’d never been able to get more than four or five hours of sleep because, when he was a teenager, he’d been on high alert. He had to make sure his mother was okay and wouldn’t harm herself. The pattern stuck when he went to college and then, later, law school. The long nights of studying to stay on top and be the best took their toll until Riley didn’t need much sleep to operate.
   But last night, he’d slept like a baby because he’d had Wynter’s lush body wrapped around him. However, awakening this morning, something was very clear.
   He was in bed alone.
   Sometime in the early morning, after they’d just had the best sex of his life, Wynter had slipped away from his bed. Riley sat upright. That had never happened before. He was used to being the one who left, not the other way around.
   Riley didn’t know whether he should be offended or not. Or perhaps Wynter hadn’t been as satisfied as he thought last night? No, he shook his head. Women could fake it, but Wynter hadn’t faked a moment of their intimacy. He could tell. She was responsive and very vocal about what she wanted. She hadn’t been afraid to take charge of her pleasure or his.
   Riley groaned when he thought about the way she’d wriggled down the bed last night to position her head close to his groin. The way she’d run her fingertips over his erect shaft. Her touch had been featherlight, as if she’d reveled in the sensation of having him at her mercy. He’d been enthralled, and rather than fight it, he’d given in. She’d bent her head, taken him in her mouth and sucked him.
   Afterward, she’d raised her head and given him a triumphant smile, all the while licking her lips as she caught a drop she must have missed.
   It was one of the most erotic experiences of his life. Wynter had moved to the top of the list as the best lover he’d ever had. Although he wished they could have a repeat of the night before, Riley appreciated that Wynter understood the parameters. As a result, she’d left of her own accord, without him having to show her the door like some of his ex-lovers.
   At least he would always have the memory of their one hot night. But, in the back of his mind, Riley would always wonder what might have happened if she had stayed.

Childhood friends become forbidden lovers in this sexy start to the Six Gems series from Yahrah St. John.

Their fiery affair fulfills her fantasies…
And puts everything at risk.

When travel blogger Wynter Barrington’s wealthy, disapproving family cuts her off, she finds comfort in a passionate chance encounter with Riley Davis, her best friend’s brother. He’s hot as hell…and totally off-limits.

And when they meet again months later, they begin a sizzling affair. Wynter knows Riley doesn’t do love and marriage, but her youthful crush is feeling more and more like a real relationship. If she’s not careful, Wynter may put more than her relationship with her best friend on the line. Can she survive falling in love with the one man she was never supposed to touch?


Check it out on Goodreads!



Author bio:

Yahrah St. John is the International author of forty books. She became a writer at the age of twelve when she wrote her first novella after secretly reading a Harlequin romance. Throughout her teens, she penned a total of twenty novellas. Her love of the craft continued into adulthood. She’s the proud author of thirty-nine books with Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Harlequin Desire as well as her own indie works.

When she’s not at home crafting one of her spicy romances with compelling heroes and feisty heroines with a dash of family drama, she is gourmet cooking or traveling the globe seeking out her next adventure. For more info:www.yahrahstjohn.com or find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub or Goodreads.

Monday 26 December 2022

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Ireland Finds Gold by Reneé Nicole!


Author Interview!

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?

D.B. Reynolds EVERYTHING she writes, especially Vampires in America.
Stephenie Meyer
Dianne Duval
Nicole Edwards
Roxie Riveria
Silvia Day
E.L. James
Christina Lauren, Beautiful Bastard Series
Kristen Proby, With Me in Seattle Series
Mel Robbins
Julia Quinn, I love the Bridgerton Series
Gary John Bishop
Susannah Sandlin
Tina Folsom
Kathi S Barton
Maya Banks
I can keep going but I won't.

What book do you think everyone should read?

Vampires in America Series by D.B. Reynolds. That book series needs to be a TV or Movie ASAP.

How long have you been writing?

Since 2015

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

The main character comes to me in full view at once. The other characters come to me as I write.

Do you see writing as a career?

Yes. I am striving, manifesting and praying to be able to become a full time writer.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?

Yes. I love reading. I am all about Vampire Romance and/or Sci-fi romance. But I also love contemporary romance, sports romance, enemies to lovers, mob romance. Romance is my jam. I would read them all if I had the time in the day. I also enjoy reading personal growth books and books about financial investment.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

No more than 2 books at a time. But I will outline or write down new ideas I have that I can develop later.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

Game of Thrones Series. That book series and TV series is beyond epic.

Pen or type writer or computer?

Computer.

Do you have any advice to offer for new authors?

Keep Going. You got this. It is hard, but keep going.

Describe your writing style.

Drama, funny, dirty, lots of cuss words and lots of sarcasm.

What are you currently reading?

Book 15 in Vampires in America Series, Vampires in Europe, by D.B. Reynolds

What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

I just sit down and write. I put it all on the page. Then I go back, read and add to the scenes written to fill them out more until they are completely developed.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Start writing sooner. You love it. It will be your future.

Ireland Deckland may be a feisty probation officer with a tough exterior, but regularly putting handcuffs on perps has her view of people trending down. She’s been single for so long that she’s starting to think it’s a permanent status.

Xavier Gold may be the city’s most eligible CEO bachelor with a sexy as sin face, but the wannabe models who vie for his attention don’t have him looking to settle down. He’s played the game so many years, he’s starting to think no one will ever catch his eye.

When an unexpected meeting brings these two together, tough exteriors crack and sparks fly. But danger is never far from probation officers nor billionaires. After a bad business deal brings the Russian mob to the door, they have to fight to save their heads…or lose their hearts.


Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy from Amazon


Author bio:

Reneé Nicole grew up just north of Raleigh, North Carolina, in the very small town of Franklinton. Nicole, as her family and friends call her, is a middle child and the best aunt ever (there’s even a mug that says so). She has lived in a few different cities throughout the United States, but for now calls Richmond, Virginia her home. Nicole graduated from college with a degree in Criminal Justice, and received her master’s degree in Justice Studies. Since then, she has worked for over a decade in the criminal justice field. Specifically, community corrections: first as a state probation and parole officer, and now as a federal probation officer. Since no one calls her mom or wife, she holds her ‘auntie’ title with pride. Nicole spends her nights in front of a computer screen writing about fictional men who do naughty things that would make anyone blush, and badass women who both want it and love it.

Nicole’s love of books developed later in life, after she was dragged into reading one of the best trilogies of all time. This led her to fall in love with writing. In particular, the process of using the power of words and imagination to entertain. She decided to write what she knows – but with lots and lots of steam. Nicole is excited to change her career path and provide entertainment to every person who picks up her book. Criminal Justice degree and author: sounds about right.

These days you can find Nicole working as a federal probation officer. A day job, as some may call it. But it’s not her only day job: she’s also a certified florist and small business owner of a flower shop, Petals of Color, with her sister and business partner. Nicole loves traveling, good rum, good wine, and spending time with her parents, siblings, and family.

Check out Nicole’s author pages on Instagram and Facebook, where you can like and follow to receive updates about her upcoming writing projects.

Saturday 24 December 2022

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Farm to Fabre by Dahlia Donovan!


Excerpt!

Andie

January

   It is time to wake up.
   Feel yourself slowly floating to consciousness.
   It is time to wake up.
   “No.” Andie slapped her hand absently against the nightstand, knocking over her bottle of water while hunting for her phone. She jabbed at it before holding it above her face and then frowned. “What do you mean, you don’t recognise my face? It’s my face. The faceiest of faces. It’s the only one I have.”
   Dropping back onto the pillow, Andie scowled in the darkness. Her nonna had forced her to download the calming wake-up app. Unfortunately, it mostly made her feel like she’d joined a cult.
   “Fine.” Andie stretched her arm out to flip on a light. “Oh, that’s unnecessarily bright. There. Now can you recognise my face? Thank you.”
   She managed to get the app turned off. How was it supposed to help her wake up in a good mood? All it had done was make her want to smash her phone with a hammer.
   “Hello, Rups.” Andie rolled over to scratch her farm dog, a four-year-old Airedale Terrier. She’d named him Rupert because he reminded her of a scruffy, grumpy old man. “Are we ready for the morning? No, neither am I.”
   Andriana Milne-Marchetti ran the M & M Farm outside a little village in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. She’d taken over when her parents decided to retire and move to Sicily to spend time with her nonna and nonno. Her mother had wanted to be with her parents, as they were both getting older.
   Andie’s father came from old Scottish farming stock, and the farm had been in the Milne family for ages. They no longer had cows and sheep. Her parents had turned it into a fruit orchard when Andie was a little girl.
   She adored the farm. It had been her childhood dream to have the run of the place. She had so many ideas, including running a pop-up supper for her friends in the village.
   Farm to table, as it were.
   Yes, it was lonely on the farm with just Rupert, but she loved it nonetheless.
   “All right, you furry fiend, why don’t we see what we can scrounge up for breakfast?” Andie checked the date on her phone and cursed. “Is it already the fourteenth? Doc’s going to be here today.”
   Docherty Fabre was a family friend. He’d lived in the village for a while before deciding to travel. Something had happened to him, though.
   Her father had called her a few weeks back, asking if she minded if Doc stayed at the farm. They had a small shed that had been converted into a living space. Nothing fancy. Just a bedroom and a bathroom. Andie had immediately invited him to stay for as long as he needed.
   And I’m going to regret it when I can’t handle my embarrassing crush.
   Nope. Don’t think about it. Hopefully, the more you ignore it, the easier it’ll become to pretend nothing’s there.
   If I don’t mention the awkward kiss under the apple trees, maybe he won’t either.
   Probably won’t, since he ran off like a bloody coward.

When Andriana Milne-Marchetti kisses an old family friend under an apple tree, she never imagines he’ll run halfway around the world and stay gone for three years.

Thirty-five-year-old asexual Andie runs a small remote family farm in Scotland. She’s happy with her fruit trees and berries. Her Airedale terrier, Rupert, provides all the companionship she needs.

But her heart longs for one man, who probably never felt more than friendship for her.

Silver fox Docherty Fabre returns home to Scotland, hoping to break through a year-long battle with writer’s block. He’s taking up residence in a tiny cottage on the Milne-Marchetti farm. Now, if he can avoid embarrassing himself for a second time in front of Andie, everything will be fine.

Their second chance at romance comes from a year-long lockdown that prevents them from running away from their feelings.

With no one else around, can they find love in the orchard one more time?


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Author bio:

Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

Friday 23 December 2022

Blog Tour & Giveaway: His Perfect Bodyguard by Dahlia Rose!


Mina Jolliet and her team of Charlie Company have seen the worst of the wars fought overseas. Yet together, they managed to help the helpless back in the United States, when no one else could. After a—let’s call it an ‘incident’ with her commander when botched ops went wrong. Mina was put on leave, which made it easier for Senator Jolliet to offer Mina a job. Senator Anita Jolliet just happened to be her mother, but the job could get Mina back in the running with her team much sooner than a year.

Dr. Arin Bane saw something he shouldn’t, in a place people rarely went unless they had a death wish or too much empathy. He was the latter, now he and his son were in danger, this was supposed to be an easy protection gig, clean cut, and done in a few weeks. Mina didn’t expect they’d be running for their lives, or that passionate sparks would fly between her and Arin. Being in the crosshairs of someone who wanted her dead, was something Mina was accustomed to. Falling in love with the two souls she was to protect was hella new, and Mina would have to literally walk through fire to protect them both.


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In the mood for something Seasonal? PreOrder Trapper's Christmas Now!

Lucas Trapper didn’t think about the holidays, gift-giving, trees, or people in general. He liked the silence of Alaska, the snow so deep you could get lost in it, and the pristine wilderness that went on for miles. Lucas left the lower forty-eight states to escape the city, the noise, and the people. Thinking it would be another quiet day was proven wrong when he saw a plane fall from the sky and knew it was up to him to go look for survivors. He didn’t expect to find anyone alive, but there she was, a headful of thick hair, dressed in a business suit and definitely not meant for the frigid cold of winter. Taking her back to his cabin was the only option.

When she woke up, he found out her name was Jasmine Bashir, and she wasn’t pleased to hear she was stuck till well after Christmas… how close was Christmas anyway? Lucas didn’t even track holidays anymore. Jasmine did, and from the paper decorations she made to the paltry Christmas tree, she cut down from the forest and dragged back to the cabin. Lucas could tell she meant to make his life miserable with the bleeping holiday nonsense. But from the first kiss, they found solace in each other, two people the world didn’t understand, but somehow they fit. Jasmine made him laugh more often than not, but reality would filter in soon, and she would go home. Could Lucas go back to being just Trapper and his life of solitude, or would falling in love with Jasmine change it all?


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Author bio:

Dahlia Rose is the USA Today best-selling multi genre author from Urban fantasy to Romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Barbados and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her life revolves around her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn and her husband and longtime love who is also a honorable retired Army veteran. She has a love of dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. With over seven dozen books published Dahlia has become a reader favorite. Not only because of her writing but her vivacious attitude in talking to her fans online and at various events. Her books feature strong heroines with a Caribbean or African American culture, that is showcased in the vibrancy of her words. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books.


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