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Hi! My name is Kendall, I'm 29, a Media Graduate and I'm from Scotland. I'm a Reader, Reviewer, and Blogger.

Saturday, 21 December 2024

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Brian and Mina’s Holiday Hits by Kitty Thomas


Excerpt!

   It’s after dark when we arrive at the Windsor Estate. The heavily guarded iron gate extends around Drake Windsor’s massive property which seems to go on for miles. I grip Brian’s arm and lean in to whisper in his ear as we walk along the well-lit path up to the front door.
   “What about weapons?” I whisper.
   “No weapons,” he says. “They’ll pat us down and send us all through a metal detector inside.”
   “Then how in the f**k are we going to do this? Are you planning to kill him with your bare hands?”
   Brian shrugs. “I could. He’s too refined to get his own hands dirty. He’s old money.”
   “What does he do? Besides hiring assassins to kill all his enemies.” You’d think Brian would have listed this man’s profession on the murder wall.
   “Oil magnate.”
   “Is that even still a thing?”
   “Apparently,” he says.
   “I thought you’d tell me he was in the tech industry.”
   Brian laughs. “I said old money.”
   “Fossil fuel. Checks out.” Dinosaurs are for sure old.
   I stop talking as we get closer to the house. It’s so big, even the word mansion doesn’t quite cover it. The security detail are all big burly guys wearing suits and electronic ear pieces. They give us both a once over, their eyes staying on me a bit longer than is actually necessary.
   The first one pats Brian down, and then goes for me, but Brian closes a tight grip over the man’s wrist.
   His voice is low and calm when he speaks. “Elvin, I swear to every power living and dead that if you touch her, you will not survive to see your daughter’s first Christmas.”
   The guard swallows hard. “I have orders…”
   “You have metal detectors. You and I both know that’s the real security. This pat down business is just security theater—a display of Windsor’s power and nothing more. You think about whether it’s worth your life to participate in this charade.”
   He nods. “Go on in, Mr. Sloan.” Then he nods at me, “Ma’am.”

“Be honest with me, Brian. Are we going on a cross-country killing spree?”

“I’d hardly call it a spree.”

Brian Sloane is a pure psychopathic monster… to everyone but Mina.

She was looking for a good man to scratch a particular itch but instead ended up bought by the violent enforcer of a submissive training house.

Against all odds, the villain became her hero. She was the light to his dark until the lights went out, and the darkness inside her came out to play.

Now they’re both killers, chasing the blood lust, running toward their demons, each hit job more dangerous than the last. From a twisted Easter hunt, to an explosive Fourth of July, from a deadly masquerade ball, to an even deadlier Krampus run, culminating in the Do or Die Valentine’s Day Kill that will either seal their doom or their happily ever after.

Do killers even deserve a happy ending?


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Author bio:

KITTY THOMAS writes dark stories that play with power and have unconventional HEAs. She began publishing in early 2010 with her bestselling COMFORT FOOD and is considered one of the original authors of the dark romance subgenre.

To find out FIRST when a new book comes out, subscribe to Kitty's New Release List: KITTYTHOMAS.COM

Friday, 20 December 2024

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Candle in the Wind by Kim Baccellia!



What if you discovered everything you’ve been taught is a lie?

For most of her life, seventeen-year-old Espie Hernandez’s world revolved around the Branch of Thomas, a cult-like haven in what’s left of a war-ravaged America. Their ruler, Reverent Father, keeps them safe from the Others, those outside the compound who wish to harm them.

Espie questions what she’s been taught and finds herself banished from the compound. She's thrust into the harsh world beyond their walls with the mission to prove the Others actually have a plot against them. When tensions escalate, Espie must figure out who to trust before everything she loves is torn apart.

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Author bio:

Award-winning author Kim Baccellia grew up in Sacramento, California, the oldest of seven. She has a business associate degree from Sacramento City College, a BS degree in elementary education from Brigham Young University, and studied post grad bilingual/bicultural education at CSUF.

She’s been a telemarketer, library helper at the Harold B. Lee library at BYU, assistant manager, sales clerk, tutor, bilingual teacher, and homeschool mother. Currently the author of four YA novels with another one coming out soon!

Author of YA paranormal CROSSED OUT and CROSSED FIRE. YA dystopia CANDLE IN THE WIND. Also the author of the urban diverse fantasy EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA. Short Christmas Magic in the Holiday analogy MISTLETOE AND MAGIC. Re-releasing YA fantasy series under new titles in 2026! Currently working on a historical romance set in Tuscany.

Thursday, 19 December 2024

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Portals of Science and Magic Series by Liz Cain!


​A Kingdom of Air and Duty [Portals of Science and Magic 01]

A scientist’s assistant. A portal to a new world. A strange male she never should have met.

Venture into the unknown with Rebecca, the brilliant assistant to renowned physicist Howard Bristol, as they open a portal to the fae realm. When the portal explodes and leaves behind a mystery creature, Rebecca must shelter this unusual being, known as Kaval.

In a race against time, Kaval and Rebecca desperately seek a way to send him back before he attracts dangerous attention. As a malevolent presence hunts the newcomer, threatening their every move, Rebecca finds herself entangled in a battle not only against their adversaries but also against the irresistible pull of this enigmatic stranger. Journey through a spellbinding urban fantasy where the lines between science and magic blur, and the power of friendship and love become the ultimate weapons against the encroaching darkness.

Prepare to be swept away by an epic tale of two beings who should never have met.


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A Kingdom of Earth and Devotion [Portals of Science and Magic 02]

Forgotten on Earth . A chance to return home. A love she never expected.

Abandoned on Earth for over a century, Alexy has yearned for a chance to return home. However, her duty to safeguard the fae world's secrets kept her tethered to Earth. Everything changes when she unexpectedly befriends Rebecca, the co-worker of a brilliant physicist who is on the verge of unraveling the secrets of interdimensional portals.

An accident transports a fae from Alexy's homeland to Earth, endangering his kingdom's very existence. Alexy must help her friends return him before his kingdom falls. As unimaginable powers surge through her, Alexy grapples with the truth she has concealed from her friends. With betrayal and peril lurking in every shadow, she finds herself standing at a crossroads.

To preserve everything she holds dear and expose her true self, or doom the two realms. She must decide.


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A Kingdom of Fire and Delight [Portals of Science and Magic 03]

A lost fae princess. A family united. A world on the brink of war.

Rebecca works with her colleague to fix the equipment that can send all the fae home. While Alexy searches for the lost princess, the two worlds are soon to be torn apart, and something doesn't feel right. Will Kaval have to leave behind the love he's found?

When the dark fae finally break into the lab, all chances of escape to the fae realm hangs on the brink of collapse. Rebecca and Kaval must fight to survive, there is little hope they will make it out alive.

Rebecca must dig deeper than ever before to find the strength to save herself, and the fae she loves. Even if she is only human.


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​A Kingdom of Water and Destiny [Portals of Science and Magic 04]

Destinies combined. A goddess freed. The possible end of two worlds lies at their feet.

war that began thousands of years ago is brewing once more. Sacrifices made by the ancients, and millennia of planning, all comes down to a group of 'outcasts' amongst the fae. The fate of the worlds lies with a lower fae treated as less than simply for being born, twins raised by humans, and a prince. If the fae refuse to follow them, then their world will perish. A life of a seer is in the shadows, not interfering with those you love. But Silene has spent decades preparing for a war that could destroy the world she loves. Her power has taken a toll, and with the end in sight, she musters her remaining strength to help her friends and family survive.

Silene will give up everything to ensure the fae world is saved. Even if in the end it costs her everything.


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Author bio:

Liz Cain is an urban fantasy writer and NHS frontline staff. She was born in East Yorkshire in the UK and grew up near the sea with her parents and two sisters. She moved to the midlands, which was much too far south for her, graduating from Leicester University with a degree in Physics and going on to complete an MSc in Medical and Radiation Physics. She has worked in the NHS since 2008 as a Nuclear Medicine Clinical Scientist, helping with cancer treatment and diagnosis.

She has traveled at every opportunity from Thailand and Australia to touring national parks in North America. Liz has done lots of crazy things for charity, including skydiving, running, swimming, and even cutting off her hair. While out on adventures she finds herself weaving intricate tales in her head which one day she had to write down.

Liz has loved reading her whole life, growing up with Anne McCaffrey, Mary Stewart, and Terry Goodkind. Becoming an author happened by chance when she jumped at the opportunity to help a friend tell a story that deserved to be told. It inspired her to follow her lifelong dream and now she has published books with her coauthor Anne K. Whelan in the fantasy romance and paranormal romance genre, finally taking that last step and publishing by herself in 2023.

Wednesday, 18 December 2024

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Waiting For a Girl Like You By Katie Delahanty!


Rule 1: No flirting.
Rule 2: No one can know your real identity.
Rule 3: Nothing can get in the way of the bride’s perfect wedding.

Being a bridesmaid-for-hire doesn’t exactly pay off law school loans, though the job gives Gwendoline Watson time to indulge in her passion: writing for her music platform Shut Up & Sway.

But thirteen subscribers don’t add up to a lucrative career, so Gwen agrees to work overtime at a destination wedding to pay for her cat’s emergency surgery. There could be worse ways to make money—or so Gwen thinks until she lands on the dreamy Italian coast and learns the groom is the first love who broke her heart.

Duncan Avila is a wedding singer with a modern yacht-rock vibe whose voice can make any bridesmaid fall at his feet. Except the one he really wants.

Between hilarious day trips to matchmake the mismatched bride and groom and swoony late-night schemes to help Duncan’s dreams come true, is Gwen destined to always be the bridesmaid in life and love? Or is everything she ever wanted right there in front of her, just waiting for a girl like her?

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Author bio:

Katie never knew she was a writer. As a child, she loved old movies, costumes, fashion, playing dress up, and books. Lots of books. On her quest to play make believe for a living, she decided she wanted to be a fashion designer. After satisfying her practical parents by graduating from UCLA with a BA in Communication Studies, she went on to pursue her design dreams with a Professional Designation in Fashion Design from FIDM. She spent five years helping to design romantic dresses that were sold everywhere from Anthropologie to Nordstrom before an economic downturn led to a career shift and that practical degree came in handy. Now in charge of the ecommerce business for In Bloom Lingerie, she was asked to start the company blog. Not knowing what to write about lingerie, but needing to use bridal keywords, she decided to start a fictional serial about how a girl named Olivia Bloom, who worked for In Bloom Lingerie, became engaged. And that’s when Katie fell in love with storytelling and the path to make believe became clear. She hasn’t looked back since. She is the author of the Brightside Series and the Keystone Series and would love to connect with you at www.KatieDelahanty.com

Monday, 16 December 2024

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: Coerced Queen [New York Underworld 03] by Charmaine Pauls!


My husband will never love me, but I’m in this now until death do us part.

The man who threatened to carry me over his shoulder down the aisle and marry me at knifepoint is both my captor and my liberator. He makes me weak and strong at the same time.
Before, he didn’t give me an option. Now, there’s a choice. But he’s determined to push me away.
If I’m wise, I’ll take that freedom and run for my life. Because the heart of the man who captured and saved me will always belong to the woman who broke it. The man who calls himself my husband will never be mine.
Only, there is no choice for me any longer. It’s way too late to walk away.

I’m in this war now … until death do us part.


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Buy your copy here


Author bio:

Charmaine loves to write dark and edgy romance that will melt both your e-reader and your heart. She's a mom of two teenagers, an adorable dog, and a dominant cat. Her country of birth is South Africa where many of her stories play off. Her French husband kidnapped her to the south of France where she currently lives with her family. When she's not writing, you'll find her in the kitchen baking cakes or in the gym lifting weights (because ... all those cakes!).

Giveaway!

Sunday, 15 December 2024

Blog Tour & Giveaway: ​Chasing Love [Clumsy Little Hearts Trilogy 03] by Julie Navickas!


Excerpt!

   “I’ve always liked watching you cook.” He smiled and willed her gaze to meet his, but her stare didn’t break from the potato in her hand.
   “I’m not really cooking,” she grumbled and scratched her nose.
   “You know what I mean.” Reaching across the counter, he selected a few pieces of onion and tossed them in his mouth.
   A scowl consumed her face. “You did not just eat raw onions.”
   Cole chomped on the veggies and grinned. “What’s it to you if I did?”
   Rose feigned a gag and shuddered.
   The potential of the moment spoke to him. Like a child, Cole seized the opportunity to play and circled the island. He leaned into her and pressed a kiss on her cheek.
   She recoiled and swatted him away. “Ew, Cole! Stop it!” With a giggle, she pinched her nose.
   “What?” He grinned and popped another piece in his mouth. “Are you saying you don’t like my kisses?” Cole leaned in and again she darted away with laughter on her lips. “Ring around the rosie?” He chased her around the counter. Her sweet snickers settled in his heart, beat for beat, seeping into his soul.
   “Ugh, your breath!” she whined as he caught her around the middle and squeezed, holding her prisoner in her own kitchen. “And you’re all sweaty!”
   He pressed another exaggerated kiss on her cheek and gripped her arms, pinning her in place.
   “Cole!” she roared through laughter.
   “I’ll make a deal with you,” he offered and guided her body back to where she stood peeling potatoes. “I’ll shower and brush my teeth if we can have sex right here.” He tapped the granite and pinched her bottom.

Sometimes when the right man finds the right woman, things still aren’t quite right. Can a piece of paper fix it, or ruin it?

When Cole Johnson was eight-years-old, he married Rose Prescott. Never mind that the aisle was made of holiday table runners, she wore an old lace curtain, and her brother performed the ceremony in a musty basement.

Twenty-four years later, Cole is more in love than ever and ready to wed Rose for real. This time, it’ll be at an exquisite wedding venue and the minister will know how to read. But that’s not all. He wants to give Rose the life he’s always dreamed of: a big house with a picket fence, twin boys, a family dog, and a rock-solid 401K.

But Rose doesn’t seem to want any of it—not even a little. Because it’s not at all the future she covets. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. The thought of a hefty mortgage payment and a minivan full of children isn’t just suffocating… it’s insufferable.

As the wedding approaches, Cole grows uneasy and can’t help but feel like Rose is hiding something. Despite his suspicions, the day of their wedding arrives without a hitch. The question is, how will the day end?


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Buy your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo or Apple Books


Author bio:

Julie Navickas is a best-selling and award-winning, nationally recognized contemporary romance novelist, known for her keen ability to tell heart-wrenching, second-chance love stories through relatable characters with humility, humor, and heroism. She is also an award-winning university instructor in the School of Communication at Illinois State University. Julie earned master’s degrees in both organizational communication and English studies with an emphasis in book history, as well as a bachelor’s degree in public relations, graduating cum laude from Illinois State University. She is a mom of three and has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for twelve years.

Saturday, 14 December 2024

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Take Me Home for Christmas [Chances Inlet Contemporary Romance 05] by Tracy Solheim"


Excerpt!

   “Are you ready to kick everyone’s ass, Blade Runner?” Miles clapped Hayden on the back.
   “Blade Runner?” West asked.
   Miles pointed at Hayden’s left leg. The prosthetic blade he wore when he ran was partially obscured by Xander’s beefy calf. “Even as a wounded warrior, he smokes the field.”
   West’s face paled. “You lost your leg? In Afghanistan?”
   Gavin McAlister wrapped an arm over Hayden’s shoulders. “He gave that leg to save two other soldiers. And don’t think we let this guy win this thing every year. He kicks our asses fair and square.”
   The bullhorn squeaked when Bernice turned it on, causing the crowd to grimace. “Okay, we are almost ready to start,” she shouted into it. “Everyone be safe and have fun.”
   West shot Hayden a pained look as the others jostled for position along the starting line. Hayden swore. He hated the pitying looks he got when people found out about his injury. And it especially stung coming from this man.
   “Show me what you got,” Hayden challenged.
   A slow grin formed on the reporter’s face. The horn went off, and the sea of bodies surged forward. West had the smooth stride of a man who ran for the joy of it. He easily kept pace with Hayden and Elle’s brothers.
   The high school runners sprinted to the front. A rookie move. They’d tire out before the halfway point.
   Livi wasn’t lying when she said she was in a running club. She kept an easy pace beside him without breaking a sweat. He glanced over his shoulder at Elle who was huffing and puffing several yards back. When their eyes met, she gave him a pathetic thumbs-up before waving her hand as if telling him to shoo.
   At the halfway point, West had settled in with the high schoolers. The McAlister brothers peeled off Miles for a photo-op with his constituents, and Ryan and Gavin for an iced coffee Lois was handing out. Livi lengthened her stride.
   “Come on, Hayden. You don’t want to let that old man beat you,” she said, gesturing to West.
   No way was that old man beating Hayden. Neither was anyone else, for that matter. Time to make his move. He let Livi have the front for a few strides before taking one last look back at Elle.
   Just in time to see her go down in a heap.

In the quaint coastal town of Chances Inlet, Christmas is a time for rekindling lost connections . . .

Elinor “Elle” McAlister is on the brink of a big-time promotion that will finally put her on equal footing with her overachieving siblings. The catch? She has to babysit a notoriously prickly war reporter who’s late delivering his memoir. As if that weren’t enough, her editor banishes them both to Elle’s hometown on the Carolina coast to get the job done. Spending the holidays in Chances Inlet might have been fine—if only she hadn’t wrecked the most important relationship in her life during her visit last Christmas.

Deputy Sheriff Hayden Lovell has known Elle was his person ever since she swiped his purple crayon back in kindergarten. Through every twist and setback, her steady friendship has been his anchor, especially after he returned from combat with wounds that run deep. But everything changed last New Year’s Eve when Elle surprised him with a kiss, stirring feelings he didn’t realize he had. Now that she’s back in town and keeping her distance, Hayden wonders if that moment meant as much to her as it did to him.

Chances Inlet has a knack for bringing people together. With Christmas around the corner, can Elle and Hayden rewrite their story before the holiday spirit fades? Join them in a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and the magic of second chances in a town that knows how to celebrate Christmas like no other.


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Author bio:

USA Today bestselling author Tracy Solheim writes books with shirtless men on the cover. Some of them are actually best-sellers. The books, not the men. When she's not writing, she's practicing her curling. . . bottles of wine, that is. She's been known to cook dinner but no more than two nights in a row. Most days, she'd rather be reading, which to her is just necessary research. She lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her husband and a neurotic Labrador retriever. Her two adult children visit but not often enough. (See the note above about cooking.) Check out her romantic suspense series featuring the Men of the Secret Service--shirtless, of course! See what she’s up to at www.tracysolheim.com

Friday, 13 December 2024

Book Blitz & Giveaway: It’s Mother-Pucking Christmas! by Alina Jacobs!



Excerpt!

   Contrary to popular belief, I can admit when I’m wrong.
   I was not the only girl who wanted the handsome hockey captain’s attention. Half of the eligible and not-so-eligible women in Maplewood Falls had turned out. And they were dressed way better than me.
   “You can’t go in there. The team’s practicing,” one of the security guards barked when I tried to open the rink door by the locker rooms.
   “I left my purse in there last night,” I lied.
   “Get it after practice.”
   Dammit. The things I do for my brother.
  Maybe I should go home and change though.
   The other girls were wearing skimpy outfits with platform stilettoes like it wasn’t a million degrees below zero outside. Their hair and makeup were Instagram-model perfect. Meanwhile I was bundled in multiple sweaters and snow pants and was wearing yesterday’s mascara. There was no way Ryder was going to compromise his morals or whatever for me.
   The puck bunnies all snickered when I turned to leave.
   “Hey!” a man yelled.
   The puck bunnies went wild.
   “Ryder!”
   “I want to have your baby!”
   The security guard shooed them away from the huge hockey player.
   “Did you take over the stalking from your grandmother, Dakota?” a deep voice demanded.
   Rolling my eyes, I turned back to him. “You disappointed that it was an eighty-year-old woman writing you notes about sticking things up your butt?”
   “Are you always this foulmouthed?” The blue eyes narrowed.
   Some of the girls had phones out, live streaming my terrible decision-making skills. Ryder noticed and grabbed my arm. My breath caught as he practically carried me inside the stadium.
   The doors slammed behind us, and we stood in the foyer, which was newly decorated with Ryder’s face and Icebreakers colors.
   “Wow.” I whistled. “So you’re not only a prude, you’re a narcissist too.”
   “Did you just roll out of bed and decide to insult me on your day off?”
   “I remote work, buddy.” I tried not to be intimidated being this close to him in the foyer that the architect really should have designed to be a lot bigger if all these men were going to be hanging around.
   Ryder had just finished a hockey workout. His T-shirt was plastered against rippling muscles, his hair damp from a shower. Also why did he smell… not bad? Like, good. He smelled good, okay? He should smell like feet and gym socks not… like a winter forest.
   “I’d hit that.”
   “What?” He recoiled.
   “I said I’d hit that,” I enunciated. “Yesterday I was like ‘No way,’ but I think I could put aside my absolute hatred of your team and fuck you.”
   “Don’t use that word.”
   “Fuck,” I said slowly. “I want to fuck you. Well, I want you to fuck me. But I will stick stuff up your butt if you really want me to.”
   His eyes widened in horror.
   “Don’t make that face. We should hook up.”
   “Get in line,” he muttered then seemed shocked that he’d said it.
   “Asshole,” I said just to needle him.
   He looked guilty, then he rallied. “You’re the one who wants casual sex.”
   “Now you’re slut-shaming me?” I shot at him, just to throw him off-balance.
   “No!” He raised his hands defensively. “That not what I meant. That’s—I’m not—women have a right to use their bodies how they want.”
   “And I want you to use mine how you want.” I waggled my eyebrows at him.
   “No, thank you! I’m not shaming you,” he sputtered. “I just believe in being in a committed relationship before engaging in… before doing…”
   “Fucking. You want to wait to fuck until you’re married? What kind of hockey captain are you?” I demanded. “Where’s the binge drinking, the blackout-drunk sex, the bar fights over women? Half those girls out there should be preggo by now.”
   “I am not like that.” He turned on me, blue eyes going dark. “I don’t treat people like objects. Lots of players use hockey as an excuse to behave badly, to put aside their morals. I don’t, and I’m offended that you’re insinuating that I do.”
   “I’m not calling you immoral. I’m just calling you an uptight fucking Boy Scout.”
   “I’m not that uptight. I just think people should be exclusive and at least know each other’s names. Maybe go on a date first? Old-fashioned, I know.”
   “Barf.”
   “Better than not being marriage material,” he shot back.
   “Go to hell.” I flipped off Ryder O’Connell for the second time in twenty-four hours.
   I’d have to find a different way to save my brother.

When your grandmother stalks the star hockey player on the rival team because “You need a husband, Dakota—you’re not getting any younger!” it’s Christmas crazy on ice.

It is not, however, the start of our great love story.
I don’t date guys on that team.
He doesn’t do casual, drunken hookups, which is all the captain of the Icebreakers is getting from moi.

I give him the finger and tell him I hope he loses his teeth out there.
He smirks and wins the game because both this Christmas season and this hockey season are a fucking scam.

Then my younger, much dumber brother informs me that he owes his bookie a bunch of money and really needs the Icebreakers to lose their next game, and could I pretty please be an amazing big sis and date their captain then break his heart so he’ll suck and lose the game—otherwise little bro will get killed, or worse, our mom will find out.

As much as I eye roll my overly large, overly loud family, I’d do anything for them.
Including date the captain of the Icebreakers.

Barf.
Ryder is a Boy Scout. He doesn’t swear. He uses words like ma’am and sir. On our date, he opens my door, pulls out my chair, and helps me with my coat. He even volunteers at the local animal shelter and loves handmade sweaters.
No, it is not cute! Three warm, gooey cinnamon rolls dressed up as a six-five, hot AF hockey player are not my type.
At all.
Nope.

Santa better bring me something nice this Christmas for all my pain and suffering!

In bed though?
Let’s just say sleeping with the captain of the Icebreakers… is not going to be a problem.


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Author bio:

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!

http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

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Thursday, 12 December 2024

Book Blitz & Giveaway: A Christmas Dream [Hudson House Holiday 01] by Shanna Hatfield!


Excerpt!

   Another thirty minutes passed, during which time Brant envisioned thick slices of smoky ham encased between fluffy biscuits hot from the oven as he worked. He was just about to suggest to Remington they take a break for the noon meal when a woman as pretty as any Brant had ever encountered breezed into the room carrying a large basket covered with a blue-checkered cloth.
   “Denver! I thought I’d never find you in this colossus of a house. I saw Colin outside, and he said you were in the library, but so much has changed since the last time I was in here, I thought I might wander around lost until you starved to death.” The woman’s gaze shifted from the carpenter on the second floor, taking in Brant and Remington as they hastily stood. “Oh, hello.”
   Denver scrambled down the ladder where he’d been working on the trim at the top of a bookcase. Brant was surprised he didn’t fall and break his neck the way he skipped the last four rungs, using just his hands on the sides of the ladder to slide to the floor. It was a trick Brant intended to have Denver teach him another day.
   “Holland, I didn’t know you were coming today. I would have met you outside.” Denver glanced nervously from the young woman to Brant, and then back to the fetching female as he raced down the spiral staircase.
   The woman shrugged. “We wanted to surprise you.”
   Did Denver have a wife and children awaiting him at home in Silver Bluff? In the three years of Hudson House’s construction, Brant had gotten to know the names of every worker and thought he had a thorough mental list of those who were married and those who were not. How had he overlooked Denver’s family? Especially when the man had such an attractive wife?
   Shiny brown hair she wore pulled back from her face, fastened with a ribbon at the nape of her graceful neck, fell in glorious waves to her waist. Freckles splattered a narrow, upturned nose. Her bottom lip, fuller than the top, rested in a natural pout that was most alluring. Her brown eyes snapped with intelligence and interest when they landed on Brant again. Her features were delicate and decidedly feminine, and she owned such a happy countenance, it made Brant want to smile just being in the same room with her.
   Denver Drake was a most fortunate man if the woman holding a basket from which delicious aromas emanated was, indeed, his wife.
   “Who might this be, Denver?” Brant asked, taking a step closer to the couple, curious and oddly interested in the answer.
   “Holland Drake,” Denver said, taking the basket from the woman and giving her a slight nudge forward.
   A wave of disappointment washed over Brant. So, she was married to Denver.
   “My sister,” Denver continued.
   The desire to raise his fist and cheer was almost more than Brant could contain, but he managed to tamp down his victorious feeling and school his features into what he hoped was a welcoming expression. The lovely woman was not married, at least not to Denver.
   “Miss Drake,” Brant said, closing the distance between them and taking her hand in his. He raised her slender fingers to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand while holding her gaze.
   Her eyes widened slightly, though he could see curiosity lingering there, and she quickly pulled her hand away. “I haven’t seen you working around the house before. Are you new?”
   It was on the tip of Brant’s tongue to tell her the truth. To say he was the one who would eventually live in the house that had once been a dream scattered across multiple sheets of paper. Instead, he decided he wanted to get to know this woman, not as the owner of a fancy home, but as one of the many men helping to build it.
   “I’m not new, but help was needed in the library today.” That wasn’t a lie, but the stark truth. He and Remington would likely contribute countless hours of physical labor if the house was to get finished by his own self-imposed deadline prior to his sister’s holiday arrival.
   “Mister …” Denver started to speak up, but Brant gave him a brief shake of his head along with a warning look. The young man swallowed hard and nodded once in understanding. “Mr. Hudson is hoping to be able to use the library soon. It will also serve as his office, and he’d like it to be the first room completely finished. That’s why we’re all working so hard to make that happen.”

He came to build the house of his dreams, but found a home for his heart.

After an extensive search for the ideal location to build a house he’s spent years designing, Brant Hudson knows he’s found the perfect site the moment he sets foot on the land near Silver Bluff, Oregon. However, frustrating delays leave him laboring alongside the very crew he hired to finish the house in time for Christmas. His work leads the woman who catches his eye to believe he’s a carpenter rather than the owner of the grand manor.

Holland Drake grew up on a farm, but she aspires to secure a position as a housemaid at Hudson House. While delivering lunch to her brother at the worksite, the door opens to a job when Holland encounters a strikingly handsome carpenter whose charm captivates her. Soon, Holland discovers the enchanting man is none other than the owner of the house and her new employer.

As the holiday season arrives amid a flurry of excitement and possibilities, Holland and Brant face choices that could change their lives forever. Will fear hold them back from stepping into the future together, or will their Christmas dreams of love come true?


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Author bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Release Day Blitz: Merry Little Mix-Up [Snowflake Falls 01] by Lacey Black!


Eve

Christmas in Snowflake Falls is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, sounds, and smells are pure magic. Living here is like being wrapped up in a warm holiday hug. There’s nothing better.

My cozy little world gets shaken like a snow globe when the house next door sells. Worse yet, the new neighbor’s tomcat sneaks over and makes himself at home on my Christmas quilt with my sweet feline. Furious, I storm next door to give the owner a piece of my mind, only to find John Mitchell—my first love—standing there.

It would be so easy to fall back into a rhythm with him, one where only he and I exist. As the holidays pull us closer, I have to wonder, are we just wrapped up in the season…or could this time be different?


John

Returning to Snowflake Falls is exactly what I needed in my life—especially right before Christmas. I’d forgotten how much I missed the holidays in my hometown.

What I didn’t expect was my new next-door neighbor to be the one who got away. The moment she stomps over to my house, bangs on my door, and demands cat-support in the likelihood of a feline pregnancy, I know I’m done for. Eve is every bit as feisty and beautiful as I remember.

Being around her rekindles feelings I thought had faded, and the spark between us makes me think we could pick up right where we left off. First, I have to convince her this isn’t about holiday nostalgia. It’s about forever.


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Author bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.