Blog Tour & Giveaway: ​A Family With the Cowboy [The Westons of Montana 01] by Elsa Winckler!

Excerpt!

   Getting tingles down her back because a cowboy was looking at her was so not something she had time for right now. Squaring her shoulders, she opened the bathroom door. As she stepped out, she bumped into a solid body. Earthy tones of man and musk swirled around her. Immediately, all her senses jumped to attention.

   “Sorry,” she muttered, and tried to escape, but the person in front of her wasn’t moving.

   “Excuse me,” she tried again and, irritated, she pushed against him. Big mistake. Her hands landed on a warm, muscled torso. They both froze. She looked up. It was the same cowboy she’d caught staring at her minutes earlier.

   Those whiskey-colored eyes didn’t blink. “You passing through town?” a deep voice rumbled.

   She shook her head.

   One side of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. “Pity.” His head dropped. “Something tells me you may not be so averse to sweaty cowboys as you think.”

   Before she could catch her breath, he’d turned away and was walking through the swinging doors into the night.

   Blinking, she steadied herself against the wall. Oh, my. If the first cowboy she met in town had this effect on her, it was a good thing she was living and working in town and would hopefully not run into any on a daily basis.

Widowed rancher Hayden Weston knows what it means to be responsible for his siblings, his eight-year-old son, and the running of the huge family cattle ranch. Some even call him a stern and grumpy taskmaster and they’re not exactly wrong. So when Hayden discovers his son reading a storybook instead of doing chores, he calls on Luke’s teacher to talk about priorities.

School teacher Laura Anderson is new to Marietta, Montana, and has never—until now—been reprimanded for encouraging a child to read. It doesn’t help that sweet Luke’s father is the handsome cowboy with the amber eyes that she met in Grey’s Saloon, or that she’s wildly attracted to him.

Sparks keep flying as their paths keep crossing, but Hayden is determined not to give in to his incomprehensible need to have, hold, and protect Laura from any type of harm. He’s the one who’ll hurt her if he lets her stray too close. He’s not ready to admit his feelings or commit to sharing his life with her.

Even if love comes tumbling in.

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Author bio:

I have been reading love stories for as long as I can remember and when I ‘met’ the classic authors like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Henry James The Brontë sisters, etc. during my Honours studies, I was hooked for life. I married my college boyfriend and soul mate and after 47 years, 3 interesting and wonderful children and 4 beautiful grandchildren, he still makes me weak in the knees. We are fortunate to live in the picturesque little seaside village of Betty's Bay, South Africa with the ocean a block away and a beautiful mountain right behind us. And although life so far has not always been an easy ride, it has always been an exciting and interesting one! I like the heroines in my stories to be beautiful, feisty, independent and headstrong. And the heroes must be strong but possess a generous amount of sensitivity. They are of course, also gorgeous! My stories typically incorporate the family background of the characters to better understand where they come from and who they are when we meet them in the story.

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Release Day Blitz: Imagine [La Sacra Corona Mafia 0.5] by Adina D. Grey & Alexis Suttonhale!

Hailey believed in three things: love, marriage, and Rose Publishing—her cherished publishing house. But when her husband drops his perfect mask, revealing his possessive and obsessive nature, Hailey finds herself trapped in a suffocating nightmare.

Isolated and desperate, Hailey finds a glimmer of hope through a blog post that connects her to Danny, her romance author idol. Their friendship blooms quickly, offering Hailey a lifeline amidst her torment. As her marriage spirals further into darkness, Hailey's bond with Danny deepens, leaving her torn between the hell she knows and the tantalizing possibilities of "what if."

With her husband's cruelty pushing her to the brink, and Danny's support becoming her only solace, Hailey must walk a dangerous path. As the tension escalates and boundaries are tested, a single question looms: Will Hailey find the courage to escape her nightmare, or will the shadows of her past consume her forever? The clock is ticking, and every choice could mean the difference between freedom and despair.

Imagine is considered as 0.5 book in the La Sacra Corona Mafia Series. It's not a mafia romance but just interconnected with it. It can be read as a standalone but for a better experience it's recommended to read Shadow too.

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Author bios:

 
Adina D. Grey is a USA Today and International Bestseller author. She was born and raised in Italy so it's no surprise she has a huge addiction to coffee, dogs, and books.
Her book addiction and passion for travelling led her into the creative world of words where she writes, blogs, and beta reads. Her writing covers various sub genres and tropes but she's a sucker for a HEA, this is a cliffhanger free zone.
When she's not writing or reading you can find her entertaining her toddler and husband and enjoying family life.

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Alexis Suttonhale possesses a dark soul and a dirty mind, fearlessly poised to delve into the realms of all that is smutty, dangerous, forbidden, and edgy. Raised in the dynamic whirl of a military family, Alexis traveled the globe, absorbing the intricate tapestry of diverse cultures.
For Alexis, writing is not just a craft; it is a daring expedition into the uncharted territories of the human psyche, a journey where the boundaries of conventionality blur, and the taboo beckons with irresistible allure.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: Stone Guardian [Masonry, Magic, and Love 01] by Gayle Katz!

Excerpt!

   It was the screams that woke Nancy.

   They were bloodcurdling, gut-wrenching howls filled with nothing but pain. It was unlike anything Nancy had ever heard before.

   Gasping for breath, Nancy’s eyes flew open. She pitched forward and peered around her with bleary eyes, trying to figure out which of her neighbors must have been shrieking … but instead of her ceiling and her warm blankets, she found herself lying in a heap on the side of a dirt road.

   Above her, gray clouds swirled through the frigid night. Snowflakes drifted down and clung to her lashes and her hair.

   Why was she outside? The last thing she remembered was diving into bed after Diana left.

   Panic filled her as she rolled clumsily onto her arms and knees, finding her legs twisted and tangled in endless yards of fabric. It was only when she managed to drag herself to her feet by gripping a lantern-lit street post that she realized she was no longer in her Wonder Woman pajamas. She was dressed in a long-sleeved frock that swirled around her ankles. She grabbed at the thick fabric, tugging and pulling at it, until she realized that she was wearing some sort of antiquated dress and a petticoat.

   “I must be dreaming,” Nancy whimpered, but she was hardly able to hear herself over the screams still echoing around her.

   Her chest heaving, Nancy stumbled down the dirt road. She had to find someone, anyone, to tell her where she was and what was going on. This place was unrecognizable to her. There were only ten houses on this small road, as well as a building Nancy assumed was some sort of general store. There was also something almost familiar about the budding town, though Nancy could not put her finger on what it was—especially when she realized that flames licked up toward the sky from most of the buildings. Heat emanated from them, battling with the wintry chill of the air.

   Nancy froze. She could only stare as the townspeople ran around wildly and begged for help. Suddenly, men on horses charged through the village, some swinging swords and guns while others aimed flaming arrows at people and homes.

   “The outsiders are attacking!” someone screamed before getting cut down before Nancy’s very eyes.

   “No … no!” shrieked Nancy. “Wake up, please! I don’t want to be here anymore!”

No Steam! No Spice! Gargoyles are immovable statues of stone. Lifeless, the librarian thought, until one of them takes flight to save her from an untimely demise.

A kindhearted but lonely librarian. Nancy is drowning under the weight of an abusive boyfriend, failing grades, and looming unemployment. While at work, she confides her deepest, darkest secrets to the gargoyle perched near her desk. But she’s unprepared when the strange stone statue comes to life.

A gentle gargoyle born under a curse. Treyton can’t believe it. In the past century that he’s been guarding the beloved Victorian library he calls home, the lonesome man never had anyone notice him until now. And he’s enchanted by the beautiful woman yearning for true love under his watchful gaze. But the witch who gave him life wants him back. And she’s willing to kill anyone who stands in her way.

As his vile witch plots against them, will Nancy and Treyton be torn apart forever, or can they overcome the evil threatening their love — and their lives?

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Author bio:

Daring Women. Dangerous Worlds.

Gayle is a fan of zombies, sci-fi fantasy romance, and psychological horror—though not necessarily in that order. She writes the kinds of books she wants to read but often can’t find. Hoping to scare you, make you swoon, and root for her characters, her love of kick-butt heroines and sassy snark shines through in her work.

Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gayle lives with her husband and they are currently working on their own happily ever after.

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Release Day Blitz: Deranged Ink #3: Jace by C.A. Harms!

Nothing comes easy.

Nothing is given but must always be earned.

The problem is I’m too tainted and broken to have anything good.

That was a lesson I was taught early.

A lesson I carried throughout my life, and into every relationship I had.

I did not trust.

Trusting meant I was vulnerable, and when you let your guard down, that’s when all the dark shit seeps in. That’s when the demons attack.

Nothing good happens in the dark.

But, Aurora, she was the sun, there was a goodness about her. I knew if I didn’t let her go, I would dim her light and chip away at the wonderful person she was. It's what I did, what I’ve always done. I take the good and break it.

But no one told me letting her go would be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face.

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Author bio:

C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She's always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes...thankfully.

She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better...that quietness changes, fast.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: ​Faeries Don’t Forgive [Heart of the Worlds 02] by TF Burke!

Excerpt!

Chapter Seventeen

Clurichauns

What makes a man something worth admiring and when will you doubt his worth? — Queen Didianne, in the reign of the mad queen

   A buzzing brushed Aunia’s skin like a hive of bees as she lurched in a mad attempt to keep her footing. The smell of woods, perfumes, and herbs had disappeared and in its place was the stench of waste, unfamiliar food, and burning metal.

   A village-full of voices swirled within the buzzing . . . one pulled at her plaintively, though she couldn’t make out the words. Dust skated over Aunia’s feet as she appeared in a long boxed-in area surrounded by bulging timber buildings covered in faded paint and smeared pitch. And pressed within this area were more people than she had seen in her entire life.

   “I said let the child go,” a gruff voice said from behind her.

   Aunia swiveled.

   An older man with a broken-nose, well-muscled and tall, like Oskan from her village, stood in front of two men in red cloaks.

   “We don’t take orders from you, Mason,” the shorter of the two red-cloaked men said. He yanked a small boy towards him by the arm and the child’s sandy-haired head bounced off his chest.

   “He’s hungry is all,” the broken-nose man said. “I’ll pay for him.”

   “Bugger off,” the red cloak said.

   Aunia stepped forward. “You can’t let a child go hungry.”

   Several of the people glared at her.

   “Shut your mouth, rover,” said a pillar-built woman with a messy bun, brown hair streaked in gray. She stood in front of a building with large windows and a swinging sign, which read ‘Forged Tankard.’ “Ain’t no food he stole.”

   “Brana,” the broken-nosed man growled.

   The woman rolled her eyes and pushed past him, holding up a small ring with two finger-length keys. “Missing these?”

   The larger of the two red-cloaked men reached under his cloak patted his side, and his face turned red. “It’s the stocks for ye, boy.”

   The boy dropped to the cobblestones and the shorter, red-cloaked man yanked him back one-handed. Held his other hand high to strike.

   “Stop it,” Aunia yelled.

   The larger of the red-cloaked men turned in her direction.

   “Not the stocks.” A bearded man in a long-sleeved patchwork tunic, white powder streaks along his sleeves, stepped forward. “You’ve the boy’s mother in custody already. She was an unbraceleted faeblood. He’d be the same. You know it. It’s prison he should go.”

   Faces pressed against the glass windows of the Forged Tankard’s tavern. Some folk stepped forward. Others melted back, including the broken-nosed man.

   Aunia shook. Taya was indeed right of cities being dangerous. If this was how they treated small children . . . but what could she do? She was only one in a crowd.

   “Stop,” she slid back, beseeching the broken-nose man. “You have to help. He’s just a boy.”

   But the man slid into a narrow alleyway between the tavern and another building, and past a pig rooting in a pile of broken barrels, jugs, food scraps, and rags.

   “She ain’t my mom,” the child screamed. “Not my real one. She picked me out of the garbage. I was just a slave to her.”

   The taller, red-cloaked man yanked the child’s sleeve up. “Unbraceleted. You. Run to the Yanna’s forge. Grab a cuff. Now.”

   “Don’t be thinking of calling on any magic,” the shorter, red-cloaked man said, bending to sneer those words in the child’s face.

   “I’m . . . not a faeblood.” The child stopped his struggling and with his wrist in the guard’s grip, pointed in Aunia’s direction. “That’s the one you want. A real faeblood. Didn’t you see? She just skipped out of nowhere.”

   The larger man straightened. “You. Rover.”

   Aunia backed away, nearly colliding with a press of people guarding her back. Rover? But of course, she was wearing their garb. And by their expression and harsh tone, they did not like rovers.

   “Don’t think you’re going anywhere,” one woman in a dark gray gown said.

   Faeblood . . . this is how the people saw Reina. “I’ve . . . I’m looking for flyers,” Aunia said. “I flew with them over the Grashbear. Mathias. Keston. Fallo. You’ve had to have seen them. This is Dalin, isn’t it?”

   The scowls of the people deepened. They shuffled closer. People in front of her and behind her, but the alleyway . . . could she flee with that pig in the way? Pig. She blinked. It had a quilted cloth saddle fastened around its girth with knotted cloth straps. And stitched cloth saddlebags hanging along the pig’s side. Who would be riding a pig?

Returning to Nonderu, the underworld court, to rescue her dad should have been simple after the malevolent soul-sucking Boggleman fell to his presumable demise. They just need to find a way in. And get past the Mockmen trolls.

Instead, Aunia is attacked by a fanatical soldier cult that seeks to kill or capture her. Plus, her unmanageable magic notifies deadly wererats of her location. It also hurls her into an evil sorceress’ study. If all this wasn’t enough, she’s fighting a different battle with Mathias, her pegasus-riding love. His insistence to keep her hidden is more infuriating than any of their enemies. It leaves her determined to kick anyone who says first love is easy.

Worst of all are the truths she’s uncovering. Truths that can’t be forgotten. Or forgiven.

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Author bio:

TF Burke currently works with NYT David Farland’s Apex-Writers as an admin and marketing specialist, where she schedules industry leaders for weekly multi-Zoom calls, provides content for social posts, and hosts several writer-focused Zooms.

Her published works includes hundreds of newspaper articles, blog posts across various platforms, anthologies, including MURDERBUGS, the second volume of the Unhelpful Encyclopediam a collection of short stories in WHIRL OF THE FAE, and the first book of the Heart of the Worlds Series, FAERIES DON’T LIE.

When not writing or wearing other hats, she can be found with a sword and a dagger in her hands for medieval-style fencing tournaments and melees, something she’s been doing since 2010.

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Stacking the Shelves [115]!

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 (Ebooks):

Irreversible by Jennifer Hartmann and Chelley St Clair (Read)

Starcrossed Colorado [Hart County 01] by Hannah Shield

Under an Endless Moon [Moonlit Ridge 02] by A.L. Jackson

Love Me Gently [Deer Creek 01] by Stacey Lynn

When We Burn [The Blackwells of Montana 01] by Kristen Proby

Between the Pines [Black Springs Ranch 01] by Amber Palmer

Obsession [Warriors of the Drexian Academy 04] by Tana Stone

Here and Now [Ember Falls 02] by Corinne Michaels

Into The Light [Three Rivers 01] by Jasinda Wilder

My Darling Mayhem by Ashley Munoz

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

On Loverose Lane [Return to Dublin Street 01] by Samantha Young

Purchased (Paperbacks/hardbacks):

The Enigma [Unlawful Men 02] by Jodi Ellen Malpas

The Ressurection [Unlawful Men 03] by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Divine Rivals [Letters of Enchantment 01] by Rebecca Ross

(This book was in the SheMadeIt December box)

Gifted from Authors/Publishers:

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

For Review from Author/Netgalley/Edelweiss:

I, unfortunately, didn't receive any review copies this month.

Currently Reading:

Broken & Torn [Emerald Falls 01] by C.N. Rudy

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Warrior’s Bride Alliance [Warrior Wolves 03] by Denise Lynn!

Excerpt!

Rockskill Keep, Scotland—spring 1146

   ‘I have need of a husband.’

   Rory of Roul shook his head to clear the thick fog muddling his mind and making his head pound. Where was he? He tried desperately to dredge up his last memory, but failed. Was it fog clouding his memory, or was it smoke from the fires set after the battle to lay waste to the land? Land now covered by dead bodies. Bodies not of men, but of smooth-faced boys who’d only recently sparred with wooden swords in mock battles. His stomach rolled at the horrors he’d committed.

   No. The battle was over. Without his liege’s permission or knowledge, he’d gathered his men and left. He was no longer in Normandy. He’d run like a traitorous dog with his tail between his legs back to King David begging for a mission—a wolf’s mission—any mission.

   He shook his head again. Slowly clearing the murkiness of his mind. He and two of his men had been heading for Rockskill Keep on the King’s orders. Rory jerked his head back, only to wince at the contact with the stone wall behind him. She needed a what?

   The bite of iron manacles securing his wrists and ankles to the cold wall at his naked back kept him from laughing at her statement. Why was there a woman on the battlefield? He blinked, then stared at the woman standing before him, not on a field of battle, but in a dimly lit cell, and asked, ‘Where are my men?’

   ‘They are secure.’

   ‘Secure?’

   ‘In a better state than you.’ She shrugged, adding, ‘For now.’

   She stepped closer. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder. ‘You worry about your men for naught. You should be concerned for your own well-being.’

   He snorted. His well-being had been forfeited the moment he’d deserted his post and walked off the battlefield. The penalty for desertion—treason—would be death. The best he could hope for was that his liege the Count of Roul—his brother Elrik—would use a sharp blade and make it a quick, clean end. ‘Where am I?’

   ‘Rockskill Keep.’

   At least he’d arrived at the location of his mission for King David. ‘I demand an audience with the Lord of this Keep.’

   ‘That would be impossible, as he is dead.’

   A piece of information King David either didn’t know or had forgot to mention when he sent him here to bring the shipwrecks, smuggling, murders and other happenings at Rockskill to heel. ‘Then who is in charge here?’

   ‘I am.’

   ‘And you are?’

   ‘The Lady of Rockskill.’

   Rory wrenched hard against the restraints, angry at the knowledge that he was at this vixen’s mercy. He pulled harder on the chains, his chest nearly hitting her nose.

   She didn’t move, didn’t as much as flinch, simply looked up at him, warning, ‘If you harm me, you will die. But if you hurt yourself, I will send in the midwife. Trust me when I say you will not like her attention. She enjoys making her charges cry.’

   He ignored her threat to send a woman’s healer instead of a surgeon to attend him. The slanted tilt of her lips and arching of her brows let him know she’d insulted him on purpose. And while he highly doubted a woman could make him cry, he was in no position to test that theory.

   She reached out, stopping just before her palm touched his chest. Her hand was so close that a breeze would not have passed between them. He looked down, wondering if her touch would burn, and suddenly was grateful that he only lacked clothing from the waist up.

   The woman paused, frowning. As if uncertain of her next move. Rory lifted a brow. If he didn’t know better, he would guess this woman had never been alone with a man before. Yet she had just claimed her husband had died.

   He watched the play of emotions cross her face as she stared at his chest, as if the sight was unfamiliar. Her curiosity while studying his shoulders, chest, then stomach blinked to hesitancy before she quickly flashed her gaze back up. But the raising of her finely arched brows and the slight widening of those blue eyes silently spoke of interest.

   She jerked her hand away, produced a dagger from behind her back and held the tip towards the tie of his braies. ‘It would be an easy thing to strip you completely. Perhaps I should see if the rest of you will suffice as husband material.’

   Was she that witless, or truly that bold?

   Rory doubted if she’d be bold enough to do so, but he had no desire to discover the answer, at least not while chained to a wall. ‘Do you know who I am?’

   She tucked the dagger back behind her. ‘You are Rory of Roul, the youngest of King David’s wolves.’

   She knew who he was and yet still saw fit to capture him? He frowned, unable to remember how this had happened.

She needs a husband…

So she captures one!

Lady Gillian of Rockskill desperately needs a husband—one strong and wealthy enough to protect her castle. So she has warrior Rory of Roul captured and blackmails him into marrying her!

Awaking in a dungeon to a marriage proposal, Rory stuns his beguiling captor with a counteroffer: to free his men and complete his mission for the king, he agrees to a temporary chaste marriage. One that can be annulled when his quest is over.

But despite their stormy beginning, their attraction grows, and so does the temptation to claim their wedding night!

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Author bio:

Denise Lynn lives in NW Ohio with her husband, son and slew of 4-legged "kids". She has been an avid reader of romance novels for many years, travelling to lands and times filled with brave knights, courageous ladies and never-ending love between the pages of those wonderful books. She writes medieval romances set in England, Ireland, Normandy, France and a few fictitious islands in the waters surrounding Great Britain. When Denise isn't writing, she can be found hiking, baking, sitting in front of a sewing machine, or snipping herbs for various edible and not-so-edible recipes.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Murder, The Baker, The Handsome Heartbreaker by Alex August!

When Catherine Greene moved back to her tiny home town, she never expected to meet a man like Derrick Walker. Then again, she didn't plan on opening her patisserie next to a dive bar, either. No matter Cat’s plans, there are fireworks the night they meet. Turns out those fireworks were gunshots, and when Derrick is arrested for murder, Cat takes it upon herself to do what the police and prosecutors haven’t done — find the real killer.

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Author bio:

Alex August is a romance writer extraordinaire! 

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Same Place Same Stars by Katey Taylor!

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia battles a rare parasomnia sleep disorder that propels her to act violently, experience night terrors, and put herself in dangerous situations—all while she’s unconscious.

After waking up covered in unexplained bruises, she lands herself back in a mental facility. Making friends has never been easy, but at Awana, she quickly bonds with her fun-loving roommate Lindsay and falls for Gabriel, a handsome yet severely depressed resident she secretly meets at night.

As Natalia wrestles with the harsh side effects of her medication, her reality unravels, exposing disturbing truths about those she trusts most. Though romantic relationships are strictly forbidden at Awana, Gabriel becomes her lifeline amidst the chaos. To be with him, Natalia must risk everything—including her sanity, and she learns some choices carry devastating consequences.

Filled with shocking twists, Same Place, Same Stars, is a psychological drama that unpacks the many layers of what happens when dark secrets refuse to be ignored.

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Author bio:

Katey Taylor is a San Francisco Bay Area-based author and published poet, with work featured in online magazines such as DarkWinter Lit, SWAAY, and Fauxmoir. She’s recognized for her ability to address complex topics with sensitivity and depth. To find out more about her previous and upcoming novels, visit www.kateytaylor.com

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Book Blitz & Giveaway: Can’t Help Falling In Love [Jackson Family Distillery 03] by Mariah Ankenman!

 

Excerpt!

   Luc Woolf sat at the table, a smart-ass grin ticking up the corner of his mouth. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

   The smooth, deep voice washed over her like silk. She would not laugh at his ridiculous attempt at humor. But damn it all, she felt the curve of her lips as a smile she couldn’t seem to stop, turned them up.

   “Damn small towns.”

   He chuckled. “I thought you owned a bar?”

   “I do.”

   “But you’re a server on the side?” He tilted his head. “There a large abolition following in Kismet I’m not aware of?”

   “No. The distillery does great. So great in fact that we expanded into a restaurant. One of the servers had an emergency and needed her shift covered.”

   Dark brows rose. “And the boss filled in?”

   “We’re a family run establishment.” She shrugged. “It’s what you do when your family needs help. You help.”

   Something passed through his eyes. Respect. She had no idea why, but it made a warm fuzzy feeling rise in her stomach. Luc seemed to understand and even applaud her actions of the evening. Stupid. She didn’t give a rat’s ass what he thought.

   Then why was her heart suddenly racing?

   “So,” he grabbed his menu again, breaking the moment. “What’s good here?”

   “Everything. And I don’t just say that because I co-own the joint. Our chef is amazing. What do you like?”

   “I’m not picky.”

   He said that, but they were half an hour away from Denver. Hipster central. Trends took off like wildfire in the city and spread like the plague to the small tourists’ towns like Kismet. Currently they’d had to accommodate for everything from Paleo to gluten free patrons. She had no problem catering to a customer who had a food allergy, but she really hated the bandwagon eaters who fussed and complained because they were strictly gluten free and then ordered a piece of cheesecake with graham cracker crust.

   “No allergies? No weird fad diets?”

   “Do I look like I do fad diets?” He arched one eyebrow.

   No, he did not. In fact, the man looked like he ate steel for breakfast and iron for dinner. A dark V-neck sweater clung tight to his chest revealing just a hint of chest hair. The sleeves were pushed up past his elbows, revealing tightly muscled forearms. Damn, had she ever found forearms sexy before? She did tonight.

   “A meat and potatoes kind of guy?” Her mouth felt too dry. She swallowed, trying for the life of her to find some saliva. “Our steak is amazing, but if you prefer fish, we have a great salmon with dill sauce.”

   He held the menu in his fingers, but his gaze focused on her. “It all sounds amazing.”

   Her breath caught in her throat, brain blanking. How did this guy render her speechless with just a look? It wasn’t fair. No one should be that sexy.

   “Um, yeah. It is.” Clever Charlie. “What can I bring you?”

   He placed the menu at the edge of the table, eyes never leaving hers. “You pick.”

   “What?”

   “You own the place. You know what’s best. You pick something for me.”

   Shaking herself out of whatever weird fog she’d been in, she laughed. “You want me to pick your meal.” He nodded. Licking her lips, she placed her hand on the table and leaned down. “How do you know I won’t poison you?”

   He wasn’t exactly her favorite person, and she’d made no bones about it. He leaned toward her until they were inches apart. She could smell the sharp mint of his breath, feel its warmth on her lips and cheeks. Her blood began to heat, heart racing in her chest. This was ridiculous! She should not react this way to a man who’d done nothing but annoy the crap out of her since the moment she ran into him.

   “You do need me to sign off on your anger management course. If I suddenly die after eating at an establishment you own it might look pretty sketchy to the judge,” he said the words in a teasing tone, the dimple in his cheek catching her eye at his wide grin.

   Laughter bubbled out of her. “True. Plus, it’d be a shame to poison all that sexy.”

   The moment the words left her mouth she wanted to shove them back in.

   Surprise lifted his brow. “You think I’m sexy?”

   Embarrassment flooded her, so she did what she always did when she felt insecure. She pushed away from the table, crossing her arms over her chest, and brought out her trademark sarcasm. “Don’t fish for compliments. You own a damn mirror.”

   He grinned, leaning back in his chair. “You’re not so bad yourself, Charlie.”

Growing up with three brothers, Charlie Jackson had to be tough. Some might call her the B word, but she simply defends those who need it. Unfortunately, not everyone sees her protection as defense. Like the judge who ordered her to take anger management classes after she messed up her jerk ex’s car. Not a problem, a few months pretending to listen to a bunch of people talk about accessing feelings should go down as smooth as the vodka her family makes at their distillery.

Luc Woolf knows all about harboring anger at the world. Growing up with a father who liked the bottle more than his family, he suffered his fair share of rage. But he gave up that emotion long ago when he realized anger did nothing but make a person miserable. These days, he keeps a cool head and helps others process their emotions as a therapist. However, when he volunteers to moderate an anger management course, he meets the one person who tests his careful control, Charlie Jackson.

The two couldn’t be more at odds, but they can’t deny the scorching heat between them. This bad girl wants to show this good boy how much fun breaking the rules can be. After all, opposites attract. But when the struggles of real life interrupt their fun times, will their differences pull them apart or bond them together?

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Author bio:

Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her.

Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books visit her website www.mariahankenman.com

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Harleigh Sinclair and the Kingdom of the Bristol Skull [Harleigh Sinclair 04] by Tamara Grantham!

An Egyptian ankh. An Inuit mask. A Skinwalker’s scythe.

Three Neotact artifacts have been found. Only the shield and sword remain.

My name is Harleigh Sinclair. I have a gift to find lost artifacts, though there are some who call it a curse...

When I discover a riddle etched inside a goldstone skull, it may be the clue I need to discover not only the Viking shield, but the famed sword of King Arthur, Excalibur.

After my father was attacked by a Blood Raider over a decade ago, and his sword stolen, my life’s mission has been to find his attacker and bring justice to our family. But before I can find the attacker, I must first discover the original four artifacts before the Blood Raiders obtain them first.

With the aid of the insufferable and dangerously handsome Jagg Ransom, plus my sister and a team of handpicked experts, we follow the riddle’s clues. Our search leads us from a Viking museum in Norway, to underground crypts in Bristol, England, and finally to a forest haunted by a legendary hellhound. But we’re not alone.

The Blood Raiders have gotten desperate. And they’ve been following us. If we don’t find the shield first, they’ll attain more power than we can comprehend, and not only will we fail, but we’ll be doomed to die at their hands.

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Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series, the Shine novellas, and the Twisted Ever After trilogy. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon with over 200 five-star reviews.

Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. She has been a featured speaker at multiple writing conferences, and she has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.

Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks--which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds--and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGrantham.com.

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