  SHE’S A WOMAN WITH A SECRET Elizabeth Wainwright is on the run. Accused of a murder she didn’t commit, she has no choice but to cut ties with her old life and flee West. The last thing she wants is attention, but when her stagecoach is attacked, she suddenly finds herself under the fierce protection of one of Montana’s famed vigilantes…whether she likes it or not. HE’S A MAN WITH A CODE Lawman Mitch Brady is sworn to uphold justice in the wild lands of 1860’s Montana. He’s never met a man he’s feared, and he’s never met a woman more desperately in need of his help. Something’s shaken the secretive Elizabeth, but as he gets to know the beautiful city belle, he finds the only thing he wants more than her safety…is her trust. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Praise for Desperate Hearts She’s just eighteen and she’s already running from a man… Ms. Bittner writes a mean western. She is historically accurate (she must have had a gunslinger in her family!) and she believes in true love. Those combinations add up to a good read. I’m going to have to go find some more of her work. Read the entire review at Long & Short Reviews ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rosanne Bittner has written many novels and I have read quite a few of her works. In fact, I wonder that she can come up with new story lines. However in “Desperate Hearts” she has done just that. Although it’s a classic tale of a runaway heroine trying to escape the clutches of a depraved relative, there is enough action and adventure in this novel to keep you interested to the last page. Read the entire review at Night Owl Reviews ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  “I really don’t want to dance,” Elizabeth protested, half yelling above the whooping men and loud piano playing. “It hurts my shoulder.” “Just one little dance, lady?” her partner begged. “Really, I …” Suddenly a big fist rammed into her partner’s jaw, sending him flying across two tables. He landed against a bar stool and everyone backed away from Elizabeth. She turned to see Mitch Brady standing there with a dark look of rage in his eyes. “The lady said she didn’t want to dance!” He scanned the room. “Everybody here understand that?” The man Mitch had clobbered rolled to his knees, groaning. “Stu was only wantin’ a dance, Mitch,” another man spoke up. “Ain’t no harm in that.” “There is when the woman was dragged in here against her will and never agreed to the dance.” Everyone backed farther away, and Elizabeth could see no one in the room was about to give Mitch Brady any more trouble. … He took hold of Elizabeth’s arm and led her toward the swinging doors at the saloon entrance. “Let’s go,” he said. Elizabeth followed him out.
  I’ve been writing for over thirty years and to date have had 60 novels published, all about the American West of the 1800’s and Native Americans. I write romance, but not the typical bodice-ripping adventures. My stories are deep love stories, often family sagas told as a series. It is the hero and heroine’s love that holds them together through the trials and tribulations of settling America’s western frontiers. I absolutely love the Rockies, the Tetons, the Sierras, and the wide-open plains, prairies and desert land west of the Mississippi. In my books, I strive to tell the truth about the settling of the West and how it affected our American Indians, as well as the gritty depth of what our brave pioneers suffered in their search for free land and a better life.
I am a member of the Nebraska and Oklahoma Historical Societies, my local southwest Michigan historical society, Women Writing the West, Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America, the nationalRWA, National Rifle Association and a local charity group called the Coloma Lioness Club. I help run a family business and love doing things with my three young grandsons. If you visit my Website you’ll see all my titles listed as well as a page that lists all my many writing awards; or you can visit me on Facebook. At either site you will learn news of new books to come as well as reprints of many of my past titles soon to be published in trade paperback and as e-books! I also have an author site at Amazon.com.
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 Genre: New Adult Romance My student loans are due and I still haven’t found a job that pays more than minimum wage. So I decide to make an arrangement through The Club. I’ll get what I need…money to pay my loans. And he’ll get what he wants…access to my body…whenever and however he wants it. ROSE COLLINS is a recent art school graduate with overwhelming student loan debt and no way to pay it. JAE ROTHKO is a wealthy and renowned artist who doesn’t have the time or patience for a relationship. Jae joins The Club so he can have one woman when he wants and how he wants with no attachments and no expectations. He selects Rose to be that woman. BLACK DOG NIGHTS is a SERIAL NOVEL, which unfolds in THREE PARTS (approximately 75 pages each). EACH PART has a CLIFFHANGER and EACH PART is .99 cents. (That’s $2.97 for ALL THREE PARTS.) ~Excerpt~ By the time we get to The Rock Stop it’s already crowded with twenty-somethings, who all look eager to hook up with anyone who’s willing. I pass by two guys, who are already half-drunk and gawking at my breasts, before I hit the relative safety of the bar area. “What do you want to drink?” Cali yells over the loud Top Forty music. “Would I look too conspicuous just holding a glass of water?” Cali purses her lips at me. I tell her she looks like a duck when she does that but it doesn’t stop her. “I’ll get you a beer. You don’t have to drink it but I don’t want you to embarrass me or yourself.” “Yes, Daffy,” I tease. “I do not have duck lips,” she insists. “You do when you pucker them like that.” “I think you’re on crack.” “Just get the beer.” She waves in order to get the bartender’s attention but no such luck. He’s busy with a group of girls at the other end of the bar. “Hey, Babe.” An arm reaches over Cali’s shoulder. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight.” David nods in my direction. “What’s up?” He never addresses me by my name even though he’s been hooking up with Cali for over a year and I’ve seen him dozens of times. David is the kind of guy I always hated in high school. His family has money and he’s never had to work a day in his life for anything. Cars, clothes, expensive vacations, you name it, and his parents have handed it to him on a silver platter. As a result he has a sense of entitlement that knows no bounds. No doubt that’s why he feels like he can treat Cali any way he pleases and she just keeps coming back for more. He runs his fingers through his short brown hair. I’m not sure whether it’s a nervous habit or if he thinks that his fingers are like some kind of comb but he does it all the time. David is a good-looking guy in a frat-boy kind of way. Cali says he played baseball in high school and he looks like he probably still plays sports. He’s not huge but he’s definitely in good shape. Cali met David at a frat party. Even though she’s never set foot in a college class she’s spent a lot of time at college parties. David likes to brag about the fact that he’s a business major. I don’t see what the big deal is though. I feel like business is a degree for people who don’t really know what they want to do with their lives. Not that I have any room to talk. Apparently I earned a degree for people who don’t really want a job. Before I know it, Cali and David have disappeared somewhere and I’m alone at the bar. Great. I didn’t even want to come here in the first place. I have a choice. I can leave or I can order a drink. After the day I’ve had a drink is actually starting to sound appealing. Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes Smashwords ~About the Author~ Author Bio: REN MONTERREY lives in a small town outside Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their bloodhounds. She writes New Adult and Contemporary romance under a number of different pen names including Sierra Avalon, Savannah Young and Dakota Madison. Author Links Site Facebook Twitter ~Giveaway~ Ren is giving away a $5 Amazon GC to one lucky winner For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below  Private Internship: An Art of Love Novel By Kitsy Clare Sequel to Model Position Blurb: Sometimes sugar isn’t so sweet and secrets can be deadly...especially with matters of the heart. Sienna’s bestie, Harper warned her not to intern for famous bad boy artist, Casper Mason. After all, he just fired Harper who helped Sienna get the interview. But the moment Sienna sees Casper—or Caz—sweaty, practically shirtless and swinging from chains as he works on his sculpture, she’s hooked. He’s the richest, hottest artist in New York, and he lives in the fabulous Williamsburg Sugar Factory. But he’s also an incorrigible game-player, who seems to relish testing Sienna’s loyalty with a string of unsettling tests. She knows she should get away fast. But by the time Sienna sneaks into his locked storage room and begins to unearth his dark and terrifying secret, she’s fallen way too hard for the handsome, charismatic Caz. Buy Links: Amazon: All Romance Ebooks B&N Kobo Excerpt:
When I stop trembling, I look over at him. He’s balanced on the pipe, in a carefree, loose manner, as if it’s as easy as doing cartwheels on grass. A wicked grin is slowly spreading across his treacherously handsome face. In one hand—a big, hairy muscular hand, toughened with calluses—he’s gripping the drill. I can’t help but imagine where those hands might have been: Digging in piles of sugar, hammering nails to erect this studio, stroking a pretty girl’s thigh, inching upward to her softer, private places. What the hell? Do I want to be that girl? I can’t help imagining that the drill is his rock-hard member he’s inviting me to play with. Stop it, Sienna! Your mind is disintegrating into a smutty, infatuated muddle.  Genre: Paranormal Romance Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her. Can he face her without falling again? Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings--soft and silent like snow--and somebody trying to steal them. When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn't understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them--but not from any textbook. In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning. ~Excerpt~ Michael leaned against a nearby rock, still watching me. With the orange-cast light from the street lamp playing off his skin, shadowing the muscles of his shoulders and arms, and the flickering of golden light his halo cast around him, he looked positively heroic, like a statue of an ancient god. “Where to now?†I asked, approaching him. The wind had swept his hair into a tangle of curls splayed in every direction, forming a dark, shadowy crown of their own. I reached over to smooth it, as if doing so was the most natural thing in the world, and he brushed his hand up my spine. Even through my jacket, a burning heat coursed through me. Touching the back of my head, he found my braid and pulled it out. He twisted it between his fingers, examining it, then looked up at me, his gaze open, unguarded, his pupils as wide and black as the night sky. A flush warmed the back of my neck and I stood there mesmerized by him, unable to look away. Arcing his other arm around me, he pulled me toward him and whispered, “I shouldn’t,†against the side of my face, as though it were a confession. Then, his lips cool and salty from the sea air, he kissed me with such tenderness it made my chest ache. But I didn’t need tenderness. I needed him. Since the last time we’d kissed, I’d been so careful around him, trying not to cross the invisible line that would either damn him or scare him away. I couldn’t be careful anymore. Gripping the front of his shirt, I pulled him closer, and he locked his arms around me like I’d always wanted him to, like maybe he’d never let me go. Sitting on the rock, he gathered me into him, sliding me onto his lap. My thighs straddled his hips and he let out the softest of moans, his lips grazing my throat, the side of my neck, the line of my jaw, before returning to mine. With a sharp inhale, he tensed and stopped kissing me. His eyes flashed a warning look—full of fear, as though he’d gone somewhere fathomless inside himself that he’d sworn he’d never go. Standing, he guided me off his lap. When he spoke, his voice took on a deep timbre. “We’re not alone.†Buy Links: Amazon Amazon.CA Indie Bound Kobo Indigo ~Watch the Trailer~ ~About the Author~ A self-proclaimed coffee lover, Lisa can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine! Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.  Spanked by the Bad Boy Bad Boy Fever Series, Book 1 London Saint James ~ Decadent Publishing ~ Contemporary Erotic Romance (Spanking) Spanked by the Bad Boy Official Long Blurb  As the personal assistant to the owner of one of the top engineering firms in Denver, Tiffany Brooks has worked hard at maintaining a professional façade, intent on ridding herself of terrible habits—like her attraction to bad boys. But when the owner of DC Construction enters her world two years after their one-time anonymous sexual encounter, everything turns upside down. Declan Cage is the type of guy who makes a lasting impression, especially with women, yet the gorgeous assistant at Stoub Engineering never remembers his name—or does she? Intrigued by her game, her sexier than sin body, and an infuriating prissy attitude, Ms. Brooks is begging to be taken into hand, and he’s the man to do it. Armed with the knowledge Declan doesn’t recognize her, will Tiffany give in to her desire for him yet again, or will her past come back to haunt them both and ruin their chance at something real? Coming Soon From Decadent Publishing Spanked by the Bad Boy Excerpt Tiffany Brooks heard the familiar tocato-tocato-tocato sound of a purring motor. She swiveled in her office chair to look out the window and saw him park his custom chopper next to her car on the paved lot of Stoub Engineering. Straddling his chrome bike wearing chunky leather work boots, jeans, and a simple white T-shirt, Declan Cage set her heart to pitter-pat. She touched her chest and groused, “You’re not attracted to him, Tiffany.” Tucking a piece of sable brown hair behind her ear, she straightened her shoulders and put on her toothy-white smile. “Good morning,” she said when he entered the building. “Morning, Ms. Brooks.” She observed him coming toward her desk and willed her face to look pleasant, yet restrained. She needed to keep her gaze particularly uninterested in him although the smug politeness she plastered across her features was hard to accomplish. Declan had a swagger that made her want to gawk at him. “How are you today?” he asked. “I’m fine,” she said. “And you?” “Fabulous.” Her response was a blank-faced, “I’m sorry. I’m not good with names.” He crinkled his brow, and the muscle in his jaw flexed. Yeah. There it was. The look. She’d definitely gotten under his skin. “I’m Declan.” He turned slightly to show her his back and gestured over his shoulder toward the logo. The silver skull ring he wore on his thumb gleamed. “From DC Construction,” he said. She couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles bulged beneath the shirt. “Oh yes.” She waved her hand about. She knew who he was and had immediately recognized him the first time he sauntered into the office over a month ago. She’d played it cool then, and she’d play it cool now. Besides, revealing her little secret would be nothing but detrimental. Yet even if it were a dangerous game, she loved bugging the hell out of him with her “I’m bad with names” thing, especially since she imagined he wasn’t used to a woman forgetting him. Continuing with the “I’m a busy professional who’s not impressed by you” farce, she casually glanced at her laptop, flipped the lid closed, then looked back up at him. “How may I help you today?” “Matthew called me this morning. He said he left some plans here, and I should come by to pick them up.” “Plans for the Cherry Hills project, right?” Declan smiled, and his dimples made an appearance through the brownish stubble on his face. Tiffany shook her legs beneath her desk a couple of times then stopped the nervous movement, glad he couldn’t see them. “Yes,” he said. “For the parking garage.” She rolled her chair back and stood, sliding her hands down the sides of her hips, hoping to smooth out any wrinkles in her skirt and secretly wishing to bring attention to her curves. She removed her sweater so the silk and lace tank top hidden beneath could be seen. When she flopped the garment over the back of her chair, she straightened her spine and pressed her ample breasts out. “Follow me,” she said, tugging at the bottom hem of her shirt. Satisfied she’d given him a fairly good view of her hourglass figure, she glanced up. Declan stood beside her, and even though she wore four-inch heels, he towered above her. His height sort of intimidated her, but her body didn’t seem to impress him. Crap. He pulled a cell phone from the leather holder hooked to his jeans and stared at the screen. “Sorry,” he said in a bored tone. “I forgot to send a text.” His fingers tapped. He put the phone away in a lackadaisical manner. “Lead on.” Unwilling to let his lack of interest faze her, she gave Declan her back and walked. “The plans are in Mr. Stoub’s office.” “Super,” he said. She sashayed across the room with her chin held high, stopping at the marble counter across from the conference room and pointed toward the fancy coffee maker. “There’s fresh coffee. Can I get you some?” “No. I’m fine. But thanks for offering,” he said. “Mm.” She continued toward the office, Declan following behind her. “Well.…” After walking in, she eyed several elongated white tubes sitting on top of the oversized desk and gestured toward one wingback chair. “Have a seat. It will take me a second or two to find the right drawings.” She walked around the office furniture as Declan sat on the edge of the chair. Picking up one tube, she read the label. “Sawyer,” she said and set it down in too much of a rush. Her hand accidently hit the other containers. They jostled and started to roll. She tried to stop their momentum, but several of the cylinders went over the side and hit the ground. “Geez Louise.” Tiffany sidestepped and bent to get them. Declan had already jumped up to help her. “Here, let me,” he said, coming to her side and squatting next to her. When he reached for the mess, his right arm brushed against the top portion of her left shoulder. She sucked in a breath at the contact and thought her heart would stop from the frisson of energy snapping over her skin. Every part of her body became aware of him. He was potent. And virile. A rough, intoxicating man in his prime. Refusing to be reduced to a quivering weakling, she reminded herself he was only a man, akin to any other, and turned to see his face. “Thank you.” He met her gaze. “Anytime.” Those eyes. The color of the sea. Deep, blue-green, and fathomless. Who was she trying to kid? Declan Cage wasn’t just any man. She looked away and focused on something else. Tiffany fixed her attention on the clutter she’d created, but she was still watching him—staring at his large hands while he gathered up the blueprint holders. She licked her lips and pictured those hands on her body, fondling her. “I think this is what you’re here for,” she said and tugged one tube out of his grip. “Cherry Hills.” She turned the container around so the label faced him. He nodded. “I’ll trade you.” She switched her lone cylinder with his three, tucking one up against her side before she straightened and went to the desk. “I’ve tried to get Mr. Stoub to put these plans away and not keep them on his desk.” Carefully, Tiffany placed each blueprint tube alongside the others on the desktop and watched to make sure she wasn’t going to have any runaways. When she was satisfied they were going to stay in place, she glanced up. Declan had already taken the plans out and unrolled them, eyeing the specs where he stood. “This is exactly what I need,” he said. “Great.” He slightly turned the large parchment. The cords in his tanned forearms worked, jumping beneath the light smattering of crisp sun-bronzed hair. His biceps flexed. She focused on the tattoo. The tatt wandered up his right arm and kept going—the end hidden beneath the material of his T-shirt. She made a fist, trying to stop the itch to trace the colorful artwork imprinted on him, and studied the width of his shoulders and breadth of his chest instead. Compelled, her gaze lowered to his jeans. Oh, my. The denim was worn white in all the right places. Coming Soon From Decadent Publishing About the Author: London Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt “at home” until she met the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who thinks he owns them. As an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author, London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring characters running around in her head would pay off someday. London’s Links: Twitter: http://twitter.com/LSJRomance Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Saint-James/154331444626603 Facebook Personal Page: http://www.facebook.com/LSaintJamesRomance Bad Boy Fever FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/badboyfever Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LSJRomance   Seven men as tough as the west… Seven women who know how to... Cowboy Up A boxed set of seven romantic novellas by seven award-winning authors experienced with writing about the men of the West. Buy Links: All Romance Ebooks AMAZON B&N Kobo  Every author's dream is to make the big charts- New York Times or USA Today's with their book. We dream about it and see ourselves like the Oscars accepting the award and shouting "You like me, You really like me!" However, these charts are fickle creatures. Not only do they showcase the best of writing today but of all time. I recently was looking at the USA Today chart and saw the book The Count of Monte Cristo. While I do think the book is a best-seller, I would have thought that most people would have already have read it. All genres are represented in the charts but not equally. This makes for a tricky time getting on to the chart. In those cases it's like a popularity contest. Is erotica hot? Then you see more of those books on the list. Is dystopian stories selling? Then you see more of those on the list.  Even television and movies have a say in what goes on the list. With the recent hit of the Outlander television show, all of the books in that series are on the list. Recent books that movies were made from like Gone Girl and The Fault in Our Stars are on the list. Cowboy Up is climbing Amazon's best selling chart. Usually that indicates that your book will also be on the other lists. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Who knows, maybe the seven authors who are a part of the Cowboy Up bundle will be able to say "Best-Selling Author" after our names. At least for now, we can say that Cowboy Up was an All Romance Ebook best seller as we sit and watch Amazon. The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl? Angela French blames herself for her daughter’s lack of voice. Determined to do anything to correct the situation, she seeks out Jake Kyncade, the owner of The Heartsong Ranch. Jake Kyncade hides his own sorrows behind his no-nonsense demeanor. Helping children becomes one way to correct his past. Using equine therapy, he sets out to make a difference. Can Jake help Angela’s dreams come true or will Jake’s past bring more heartache? Will love save them all? Excerpt: With Taylor asleep on the couch, Angela snuck the magazine out of her daughter’s sleeping hands before carrying her to her bed. After making sure her baby was tucked in, she turned out the lights and went to the kitchen. She sat down at the table to study the article about the horse whisperer. The photos gave off a peaceful feeling—so much so, she longed to jump into the images. Along with the horses, there were shots of children laughing and petting the animals. The article mentioned a little boy with Down’s Syndrome whose language increased after a week of animal therapy. The Heartsong Ranch. Even the name sounds encouraging. Dare I get my hopes up? One photo in particular captured her attention. The owner, Jake Kyncade, wore jeans and a cowboy hat as he stood next to the ranch sign. She took a deep breath as butterflies circled in her abdomen. He’s sexy. Very different from Mike. Mr. Kyncade has this wounded look in his eyes. I wonder what his trauma was. I’ve gotten better at noticing it in others. Still, he’s good looking. Probably married with his own children. Genre: New Adult Romance My student loans are due and I still haven’t found a job that pays more than minimum wage. So I decide to make an arrangement through The Club. I’ll get what I need…money to pay my loans. And he’ll get what he wants…access to my body…whenever and however he wants it. ROSE COLLINS is a recent art school graduate with overwhelming student loan debt and no way to pay it. JAE ROTHKO is a wealthy and renowned artist who doesn’t have the time or patience for a relationship. Jae joins The Club so he can have one woman when he wants and how he wants with no attachments and no expectations. He selects Rose to be that woman. BLACK DOG NIGHTS is a SERIAL NOVEL, which unfolds in THREE PARTS (approximately 75 pages each). EACH PART has a CLIFFHANGER and EACH PART is .99 cents. (That’s $2.97 for ALL THREE PARTS.) ~Excerpt~ By the time we get to The Rock Stop it’s already crowded with twenty-somethings, who all look eager to hook up with anyone who’s willing. I pass by two guys, who are already half-drunk and gawking at my breasts, before I hit the relative safety of the bar area. “What do you want to drink?” Cali yells over the loud Top Forty music. “Would I look too conspicuous just holding a glass of water?” Cali purses her lips at me. I tell her she looks like a duck when she does that but it doesn’t stop her. “I’ll get you a beer. You don’t have to drink it but I don’t want you to embarrass me or yourself.” “Yes, Daffy,” I tease. “I do not have duck lips,” she insists. “You do when you pucker them like that.” “I think you’re on crack.” “Just get the beer.” She waves in order to get the bartender’s attention but no such luck. He’s busy with a group of girls at the other end of the bar. “Hey, Babe.” An arm reaches over Cali’s shoulder. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight.” David nods in my direction. “What’s up?” He never addresses me by my name even though he’s been hooking up with Cali for over a year and I’ve seen him dozens of times. David is the kind of guy I always hated in high school. His family has money and he’s never had to work a day in his life for anything. Cars, clothes, expensive vacations, you name it, and his parents have handed it to him on a silver platter. As a result he has a sense of entitlement that knows no bounds. No doubt that’s why he feels like he can treat Cali any way he pleases and she just keeps coming back for more. He runs his fingers through his short brown hair. I’m not sure whether it’s a nervous habit or if he thinks that his fingers are like some kind of comb but he does it all the time. David is a good-looking guy in a frat-boy kind of way. Cali says he played baseball in high school and he looks like he probably still plays sports. He’s not huge but he’s definitely in good shape. Cali met David at a frat party. Even though she’s never set foot in a college class she’s spent a lot of time at college parties. David likes to brag about the fact that he’s a business major. I don’t see what the big deal is though. I feel like business is a degree for people who don’t really know what they want to do with their lives. Not that I have any room to talk. Apparently I earned a degree for people who don’t really want a job. Before I know it, Cali and David have disappeared somewhere and I’m alone at the bar. Great. I didn’t even want to come here in the first place. I have a choice. I can leave or I can order a drink. After the day I’ve had a drink is actually starting to sound appealing. Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes Smashwords ~About the Author~ Author Bio: REN MONTERREY lives in a small town outside Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their bloodhounds. She writes New Adult and Contemporary romance under a number of different pen names including Sierra Avalon, Savannah Young and Dakota Madison. Author Links Site Facebook Twitter ~Giveaway~ Ren is giving away a $5 Amazon GC to one lucky winner For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below 
The Adventures of Xavier & Vic – Book 2 The Missing Partner By Liza O’Connor ∞ Cases to be Resolved: The ‘New Woman’ Who Lost Her Old Mind The Lost Servant of Dante’s Hell The Disappearance of a Very Important Man The Abduction of Sneaky Snake by a Grand Elephant The Cat Who Wore Too Much  Vic Hamilton takes the reins of the investigation office, while Xavier Thorn disappears on an assignment for the British government. Her caseload is entirely ‘lost and recovery’ cases. In the midst of solving all her client’s problems, she learns that the government has lost Xavier. With the help of the gypsy pirate Jacko, and her driver Davy, Vic rushes against time to rescue everyone. Most alarming, she befriends and hires a dangerous criminal as an employee of Xavier Thorn’s Private Inquiries--without Xavier’s permission. 
Proving the world truly did turn to her commands on this special day, the door opened and Inspector Stone entered, followed by a confident man carrying a black medical bag. She and Davy stood back and let the doctor tend Xavier. Inspector Stone grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Jacko told me how you knew where to look. You did your mentor proud. This is Dr. Connors, the finest doctor in England.” They both turned to the doctor as he undressed the wound and cursed beneath his breath. “Is it bad?” Stone asked. Dr. Connors sighed. “The lead shot remains in his body poisoning him. I’m going to have to extract the bullet and cleanse this wound. However, in his current state, the pain could kill him.” He looked up at Stone. “I cannot promise he’ll live through the operation, but I assure you he’ll die without it.” Vic stepped forward. “He’ll live. This is my special day. He’ll live.” She looked at Dr. Connors. “I cleaned his body with alcohol before you came, and have water boiling in case you need it.” “Thank you. If the water is ready, I’ll start now.” She ask Tubs to bring the water. He returned a minute later with a large cauldron that most people could not have lifted empty. The doctor removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. “We need to make this environment as clean as possible. Can you find some rags and a smaller pot? We will transfer some of the water for washing the bed, walls and floors around the patient. With so many able hands, by the time Dr. Connors was ready to begin, the room and bed were significantly cleaner. While they did not dare move Xavier to clean the bed, Victor saturated the sheets with alcohol. “I am hoping he remains unconscious during the cleansing of the wound. However, I’ve laid out a chloroformed cloth in case he wakes.” He looked at Victor. “If he comes to, apply it to his nose until I tell you to stop.” She nodded. He looked at Davy and Stone. “If you will secure both shoulders to ensure he does not move while I am cutting.” Once everyone was crowded in to do their job, Dr. Conner dipped his tools in a jar of fluid and laid them out on a tray. He lifted a pair of long armed tweezers and extracted the bullet. His action caused blood to bubble from the ugly, infected wound, and flow over the shoulder onto the alcohol soaked sheets. Vic felt a great rage at whoever had prodded the wound yet failed to remove the bullet. 
Book 1 The Troublesome Apprentice Amazon Want a free copy of The Troublesome Apprentice? Leave me a humorous comment with your email address below. Someone will win a free copy of book 1 Book 2 The Missing Partner Amazon  First, I got tired of telling my proper blog. Now, I’m tired of telling my improper bio. So what’s left? Liza O’Connor was born, raised badly, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast…and employment, there were no jobs in the Mid-west. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved normally. All those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous romances. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. And given her past, they will likely traumatize you. Mostly humorous books by Liza: Saving Casey – Old woman reincarnates into troubled teen’s body. (Half funny/half traumatizing) Ghost Lover--Two British brothers fall in love with the same young woman. Ancestral ghost is called in to fix the situation. There’s a ghost cat too. (Humorous Contemporary Romance) A Long Road to Love Series: (Humorous Contemporary odd Romance) Worst Week Ever — Laugh out loud week of disasters of Epic proportions. Oh Stupid Heart — The heart wants what it wants, even if it’s impossible. Coming to Reason — There is a breaking point when even a saint comes to reason. Climbing out of Hell — The reconstruction of a terrible man into a great one. The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman. 
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LIZA O'CONNOR, XAVIER & VIC: Investigate these sites: Liza's Blog and Website Facebook Twitter  Genre: Erotic Science Fiction Limited by status... Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship travelling between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her. Shunned because of his lineage... Banned from several planets across the universe, Nate struggles to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist. Both searching for the one... Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia. Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date be just another night on another planet? ~Audio Excerpt~ Buy Links: Amazon iTunes ~About the Author~ Jessica E. Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby. Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. Author Links: Site Newsletter Twitter Facebook Pinterest Goodreads ~Giveaway~ Jessica is giving away an eBook of her 1Night Stand Box Set and swag. For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.  Genre: Contemporary Romance Judith Bell is comfortable with her quiet, predictable life. After a failed relationship left her emotionally—and physically— scarred, she tries her hardest to ignore Carlos Moreno’s advances. But the sexy, dark-eyed security chief is proving very hard to ignore. When fear and blackmail drives her to compromise her new position at Royal Courts, Judith’s serene life is once again disrupted. Carlos is captivated by his boss’ assistant. Beyond her beauty is a sweet, gentle woman needing desperately to be loved. But when an internal investigation points to her, he realizes Judith may not be the innocent she appears. Left wondering if he’s been duped by a pretty face and bewitching smile, Carlos finds himself torn between his obligations to Royal Courts or protecting the woman who’s already stolen his heart. On the run from her past and forced into hiding, Judith is faced with two choices—either let fear define her future or allow love to heal her wounded heart. ~Excerpt~ “Are you okay, muñeca?” he asked slowly. She stared up at him, overwhelmed with despair. No, not really. The worry in his eyes was enough to have the lump return, but this time from profound guilt instead of panic. Could she trust him? It wasn’t worth the risk so instead she took a deep breath and simply nodded as she tried to formulate her thoughts and put them into coherent words this time. “Yes, I’m fine,” Judith assured him with a wide smile. “I just…I got so busy today, I missed lunch and now can’t seem to think straight.” At least that wasn’t a complete lie. There was no food in her stomach and no rational thought left in her brain—not enough anyway to have kept her fear at bay and stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life. “You need to take better care of yourself,” Carlos said, concern still clouding his eyes. “Don’t let Carrone work you to the ground.” Despite herself, she was warmed by the gentle reprimand. He cared. “I’m fine, really. I just need to grab a few things, then I’m heading out soon.” She turned the door knob of the supply room as she spoke and to her dismay, found it locked. Glancing over at Carlos, she let out a weak laugh. “I guess they’ve started locking these after hours,” she muttered, though it was something she wouldn’t know. In her three months at Royal Courts, she’d only been there once or twice. With a grin, Carlos pulled out a set of keys. “The perks of working in security,” he said, quickly unlocking the door. He pushed it open and she walked past him inside. Following her into the small, dim room, Carlos let the door closed behind him with a finality that was jarring. Judith ended her quick search for the light switch and resigned herself to using the downlighting to navigate through the room. Rows of tall shelves lined the small space and she walked through the nearest one, looking for something suitable to carry out of there. But being isolated in the dark room with Carlos Moreno wasn’t helping matters. “What are you looking for?” he asked, coming up behind her. “Maybe I can help.” Her eyes fell on a stack of notepads and she reached for them. “Uh, I think I found it,” she said quickly. Unfortunately, she missed the box of envelopes that were stacked right above them. When she jerked on the pack, they all threatened to come down on her head. “Careful,” Carlos said sharply, reaching over her to catch the items. He shoved the bundle of papers back into position and the action brought him firmly against her. His warm, well-muscled chest pressed solidly along her back. She wanted nothing more than to lean against him, to have him wrap his strong arms around her and hold her close. “Nothing got you, did it?” She shook her head, her face heating, grateful he’d saved her from that embarrassing mishap—and that he wasn’t a mind reader. “No, I’m fine.” She turned around, but he didn’t step back. They both stood there looking at each other. There was no way she could hide her attraction to him now. Not when he looked at her like that. Stark desire blazed in his deep, penetrating eyes, but there was also a tenderness and affection in them that made something in her belly flutter. He reached out and brushed his thumb slowly across her cheek. “What’s a good girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?” Judith glanced away from his intense gaze. He’d obviously intended for it to be a joke, but with what she’d just done not too long ago, coupled with the slow throbbing between her legs just from his light touch, he was far from the truth. She was no good girl. Buy Links: Amazon All Romance eBooks Kobo iTunes ~About the Author~ Lena Hart is a Florida native currently living in the Harlem edge of New York City. Though she enjoys reading a variety of romance genres, she mainly writes sensual interracial romances with a flare of suspense and mystery. When Lena is not busy writing, she’s reading, researching, or conferring with her muse. To learn more about Lena and her work, visit LenaHartSite.com. ~Giveaway~ Lena Hart is giving away one eBook copy of His Bedpost Queen to one lucky winner. For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below. Happy September Everyone! I’m Bobbi Romans and the amazing Melissa Keir allowed me to take over her blog for the day to share my two latest releases. I’ve got an easy contest at the bottom...so be sure and check for it. :) Without further ado... here you are. Dead Man Rising 
Blurb: The Society had come to hurt her. Planted a bomb They failed. He’d saved her and died doing so. Or so they thought. He’d been buried and mourned over. None knew ... he’d only been playing possum. *Coming Soon- Print Availability!* Amazon Buy Link 
*Come explore the creatures of the swamp...and discover a NEW breed of hero!* Also, recently released... IRON CLAD REDEMPTION! 
Blurb:
Deep in the Florida Panhandle lies the exclusive club, Iron Clad, run by ex-lawyer China Parker. Most folks strive to get in. Steel McQuade isn’t most folks. Happy in his home on wheels, he’s left a trail of broken hearts and pissed-off boyfriends along his moving trek across the states. Finally parking in Carrabelle Florida, he’s intent on a quiet stint in the small coastal town. He’s sworn off doing buddies’ or boss’s wives. Even if they were the ones to instigate. He’ll make a little money, enjoy the sites and move on. Then a tempting invitation pulls him into the middle of a mystery. One involving the owner of the elusive club he’s visiting. But more than wicked fantasies inhabit the club...someone evil lurks in the shadows, only question is, who? Buy Link: http://www.sharaazod.com/ebook/iron-clad-redemption.html (Coming Soon to Amazon, B & N, ARe & More) And Now for the Giveaway!!!! Two commenter’s who answer the below question will win their choice of above ebook. Simply tell me ... what’s your favorite, Paranormal or Contemporary? Happy Reading Bobbi Romans www.bobbiromans.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006862743829 Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobbiRomans YakPad: http://bobbiromans.wordpress.com/  Genre: Historical Erotic Romance Ruined and jilted, Mariah Harris, with her cousin, plots against the rogue who dared to insult her and her family. What she doesn’t expect is for their plan to lead them astray…on the wrong side of the law. Julian Kingsley is ready to give up working for the crown, only he’s given one last mission. He agrees, but gets more than he bargains for. When a dalliance with a mysterious woman suddenly reveals her connections to his case, he’s honor bound to turn her in, but his heart can’t seem to give her up. ~Excerpt~ May 15, 1816 London, England “Edwina Mosley, you are out of your ever-loving mind! We look like…You are dressed as a strumpet and well…I am in breeches. I look far too feminine to be a man!” Mariah Harris scowled and clenched her fists at her sides. This whole plot was idiotic, and if they were not thrown in Newgate, they would certainly end up in Bedlam. “Yes, of course, dear. I thought you understood our plan from the beginning. It is a sound one, cousin. Once I stop the messenger and beg his assistance, you will sneak out of those bushes and snatch his bag,” Edwina retorted with a drawl. “My sources have informed me that he passes through here every night at the same time. So, we shall not be waiting long.” How can she be so sure? Mariah gritted her teeth and curled her toes in irritation. “If there was ever a moment I regret, it was telling you about this mess with Crispin. I only meant to find out where he is staying in London and who with. My poor father is convinced he will come back, but if he does, it will only be for food and shelter.” Nothing more. He had successfully made Mariah the largest fool in all of Kent. That blasted scoundrel! “Mariah, I am positive this plan will work. Once the satchel is in our possession, we will rifle through for anything addressed to Crispin. From there, you will be free to humiliate the stupid sod and carry on with your life. Now, stop being a ninny and go hide. Hurry! I think I hear a horse.” Mariah wandered into the shrubbery, hoping she did not step on an adder, or even worse, walk through a spider’s web. Good heavens, if papa ever found out I dressed in a man’s riding outfit, he would send me away to a nunnery for certain. A few moments passed before the sound of a galloping horse approached. The beast slowed his gait by trotting as he grew closer, coming to a halt where Edwina stood next to a wagon. She pleaded in a tone befitting a damsel in distress, “Please, sir. I am in need of assistance. I implore you. I should have been home hours ago, but the cart…” “Say no more, miss. I will see what I can do.” the messenger stated plainly. “Should I dare ask how long you have been stranded for?” “Only for an hour, sir. I am on my way to London and thought to stop in Maidstone for the night.” When Mariah popped her head out, she spotted the young man climbing down from his mount. Off in the distance, a rickety cart approached, the driver swaying in his seat. Now, we are were done for. Before they had left her shop, Edwina had managed to convince her that this road was not much travelled on after dark. Only the gent delivering messages from the militia in the north would be expected. What were the odds—on this particular night—that another traveler would pass through? Sliding the sack off his shoulder, the messenger crouched down by the rear wheel of the pony wagon she and her cousin had sabotaged. Not long after, Mariah heard the trundling of the other cart squeal until it came to a stop. A middle-aged man stumbled out, falling flat on his face. Too foxed to drive successfully, he clearly would not pose a problem to the scenario. Now is my chance. Mariah leapt out of the bushes and, while everyone was too distracted in aiding the sotted fool, she grabbed the bag before running back to her hiding spot. Only this time, she did not stop. She ran like the devil until she found the meadow in which she had left her own clothing and horse. Heart racing, she dropped the cap her long hair had been tucked into, kicked off her shoes, and quickly stripped out of the breeches and loose-fitting shirt she wore. Then, she slipped on her cream-colored riding gown and strapped the satchel to the mare, covering it with the blanket she had used to conceal her dress while in disguise. She wasted no time taking her place in the saddle. Wrapping her cape around her shoulders, she shifted the side so that it hid the blanket as well before riding back to the inn where she planned on meeting with Edwina. It would be a miracle if they were not caught after this ludicrous theft. The only visual she retained during the trip was the gallows, and it was that image which kept her from slowing her pace. She had never committed a crime before, and this would take the bucket as far as mischief went. Never in all her twenty-one years had she stooped so low. It was unprecedented, outlandish, and completely unforgivable. Leave it to the man she had foolishly thought she was in love with. No one could drive her to the brink of madness like Crispen. His words meant nothing. In hindsight, his pledge of love and fidelity was meaningless. His ploy to get under her skirts had worked, and now she was ruined. In return, Mariah would ruin him. And I cannot wait to see his face when he is discovered. Buy Links: Secret Cravings Publishing Barnes & Noble All Romance eBooks Amazon ~About the Author~ Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. When she isn’t devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters. Layna is a member of the Romance Writers of America, creator of the Romance Author at Large blog, and is a monthly contributor at 69 Shades of Smut. For updates on her upcoming releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at: ~Giveaway~ Layna is giving away a historical erotic romance eBook from her backlist. For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.  My Summer Roommate By Bridie Hall YA Contemporary Romance @39k  Chloe needs a place to crash for the summer before college. When Chris offers, she moves in with him. It’s just for two months, no biggie. But soon she realizes she may have made a mistake. He's too perfect—a former snowboarder, laid-back and kind to boot. And he’s smitten with her. But she’s got trust issues and a relationship feels daunting. When he keeps trying to win her over, the temptation becomes overwhelming. Just as she gives in and decides it’s not worth fighting their emotions anymore, Chris reveals he’s made a stupid mistake which might ruin Chloe’s trust in him and tear them apart. Excerpt: “Remember Chris? He was in History with us this year,” I say over my shoulder to Isabelle, as I lead the way into the deli. Isabelle’s expression is confused, but I know she remembers Chris. We’ve talked about him before. A lot of girls from class were all ‘gaga’ over him because he was hot and a snowboarder––or a shredder, as he called himself. Except for Isabelle, who’s had love troubles with Harper and Jamie, two brothers from Atlanta. Harper won. I like him well enough. I even had a crush on him way back when. “That cute guy with iPod earphones practically glued to his ears?” she asks, recognition lighting up her face. “Yes. I’m going to crash with Chris for the next two months,” I say quickly, hoping that Isabelle won’t react too strongly to the news. “What do you mean?” I drop into a chair. “Aren’t you going to stay with me?” Isabelle said I should come live with her. But Harper hangs out at her place constantly, because their relationship is still in the head-over-heels stage, too. “I don’t want to be in the way. You and Harper need some alone time, Izzy.” The waitress takes our orders and then rushes back with a small bowl of peanuts. “My dad’s there, too, and he’s not in the way,” Isabelle says, taking a peanut and munching it absent-mindedly. “Because he’s holed up in his study all day long.” I smile and keep the tone light, but the thought of everyone around me starting their new lives, with their new, happy relationships, makes me feel lonely. Deserted. Even though I’m not looking for a relationship. “It’s just for the two months until I go to college.” “You wouldn’t be in the way, Chloe. You could never be in the way.” “Okay, okay, I admit it. Watching you two being all crazy about each other would just make me envious.” “Oh.” Izzy’s my best friend, which means I know her well enough to have predicted such a response. Fact is, I broke up with Adam a few weeks ago. For the second time, but this time it’s for real. Of course Isabelle thinks I’m broken-hearted about it. I am sad, but not too much. I’ve never really thought our relationship would last. He was just a pretty boy, selfish and immature. I wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, anyhow. I’m too young for that. Or maybe I’m too selfish and immature, too. “Yeah.” I sigh. I feel a bit guilty for not being entirely honest with Isabelle, but the waitress bringing our drinks distracts me so I forget it quickly enough. Besides, I’m doing it to give her some space. Well, her, and Harper. “So ... You’re just moving in with this Chris? I didn’t know you were tight.” “We’re not. I mean, I saw him at Adam’s birthday party. We started talking and he was sort of cool. We stayed in touch.” “And he just asked you to come live with him?” She looks incredulous, a bit worried, perhaps. “I told Mark—Jamie’s friend? The lacrosse team captain?—about my situation, and apparently he told Chris. He called me last week and said I could crash with him for the two months, no prob. He’s got enough space now that his roommate went back home for the summer.” “Hm.” Isabelle looks thoughtful as she sips her drink. “How are things with you and Harper?” I say to change the topic, because I don’t like her frowning. I grin when I see Izzy’s cheeks warm up. “That cozy, huh?” “We’re … great.” “Uh-huh.” I’m amused by Isabelle’s short answer. She has always been very private and reserved. I wonder how that works with Harper, but my thoughts quickly veer into the gutter territory. Good thing Izzy can’t read my mind. “Okay, okay,” Isabelle says, holding up her hands in surrender. “He’s wonderful. He’s so much fun, and experienced and …” I wiggle my eyebrows just to taunt her and it has an immediate effect. Isabelle turns scarlet and starts to protest. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant in a general sort of way, like … he can teach me about life and such.” “Sure.” I can’t help my lips stretching into a wide grin. This is better relaxation even than yoga. “Well, he’s experienced … like that, too.” Isabelle stumbles over the words, but it is obvious that she is more than happy about it. I snort in my tea, spilling it all over the table. “Good for you.” Isabelle’s face radiates with happiness, different than when she was with Jamie, Harper’s younger brother. I’ve always known Harper was the right one for her, but Isabelle didn’t believe me until she spent one long day with him on the way home from Atlanta. That road trip made her see that Harper wasn’t just an arrogant jerk that taunted her at every opportunity he got. I saw right through him the first time I saw him with Isabelle, long before they ended up together. I could tell he’d fallen for her and that he wasn’t the bad person everyone thought. I’m pretty good at that, reading people and their deepest secrets. I think that’s because I have experience guarding my own heart against selfish bastards, so I know all the tricks in existence. I’ve even invented some. “You sure you’re going to be okay with Chris?” Izzy asks. “It’s just two months. He’s a cool guy. Honestly. I wouldn’t accept his offer if I wasn’t sure I could handle it.” Author Bio: Bridie Hall sold her first story at fourteen. Since then, she has written dozens more, translated books, studied writing, and started writing novels. Her days revolve around stories and words, her sleepless nights involve plotting and inventing fascinating new characters. The only activity that takes up more of her time than writing, is reading. Website: http://bridiehallauthor.com Giveaway: $50 Amazon GC, $25 Evernight Teen GC, 5 ecopies of Letting Go Buy Links: Bookstrand Amazon  Genre: Erotic Romance When a feisty 21st century girl shakes hands with 400 years of history what happens next? In London on a buying spree, Jo Farrer, who runs a fashion shop from her cottage, wanders into an ancient churchyard and is hooked by an epitaph on a gravestone immortalizing a notorious seventeenth century French highwayman and womanizer. Pre-occupied by thoughts of him, her van skids in an unfamiliar residential area, demolishing the original cast iron railings of an upscale, Victorian town house. Dazed and shaken, she’s rescued from the wreckage by charismatic tycoon, Ed Amery who she recalls hounded Kim, her former fiancé, out of office. Further shock encounters with Ed occur at a seminar designed to provide advice to budding entrepreneurs and at the stables owned by her uncle Roger, where Ed’s filly is in training. Subsequently, Ed reveals that Kim was a computer hacker who’d defrauded Ed and transferred millions offshore where he’d bolted. Keen to open a conventional retail outlet, Jo rents a boutique within a luxury country house hotel complex only to learn later, to her dismay, that Ed’s her landlord and he, reluctant to accept her as a tenant, challenges her skills. She’s also jealous of Ed's apparent romantic involvement with Cait. An unlucky gemstone, a fancy dress ball, a fashion shoot, unsavory disclosures, equestrian sketches, a bloodstock auction and the enduring, Casanova legend of the mesmerizing highwayman, who plays Cupid, mingle to intrigue the reader in the highly charged erotic clashes between Ed and Jo. The setting is the idyllic English countryside of hawthorn hedges, bluebell woods and may blossom. ~Excerpt~ ‘Here lies Du Vall, Reader, if male thou art, Look to thy purse, if female, to thy heart. Much havoc did he make of both, for all Men he made stand and women fall. The second Conqueror of the Norman race, Knights to his arm did yield, and ladies to his face…’ Who were you? Jo nudged her white minivan through the press of traffic, her thoughts tantalized by the mildewed epitaph she’d glimpsed just an hour earlier on a ravaged headstone. The shade of the ancient London churchyard had been a welcome respite from the unseasonably hot May day and her haggling with veterans of the rag trade. She glanced in the rearview mirror, her cobalt-blue eyes dancing with pleasure at the pile behind her that semaphored contemporary and classic labels. And what would Du Vall have made of it, she mused. If she half closed her eyes, she could see him now, a virile bandit, and her lips curved in a wry smile that this man, long dead, long forgotten, could stir her blood. I’ll Google strip-search you, she resolved, running a hand through her ribbons of golden hair, as she itched to unlock him from the dusty pages of history. “Dammit—should’ve taken a left at the lights,” Jo muttered. Her ditzy preoccupation with lady-killer Du Vall had diverted her into unfamiliar territory, an upscale residential area where cream, stucco-fronted Victorian villas, edging a tree-filled garden square, soared behind gleaming black railings. The dusty road suddenly glistened with a treacherous oiliness. The van began a wild tango. Jo’s hands tightened over the steering wheel. Her heart pounded as she closed her eyes in the grim realization she was skidding. In a space of seconds, there was a crunch of metal as the van surged through cast iron railings, the windscreen raced to meet her as she was flung forward, shards of glass raining down. She slammed the brakes and the vehicle shuddered to a stop, straddling a steep drop across a basement well. This isn’t meant to happen. But the seat belt had saved her from a gory end. Slowly she opened her eyes, nausea creeping over her as she started to shake. “A woman driver—surprise, surprise.” It was a deep male voice tinged with sarcasm and, emerging from a kind of fog, it took Jo several moments to grasp what was happening. The nearside door was wrenched open—strong hands reached across, unbuckled the seatbelt, and slowly tugged her into the solid muscle of his chest. She could feel the heat of his body, smell his musky male scent mingled with the sharpness of aftershave. Desperately trying to keep a fragile hold on herself, Jo’s heartbeats almost sped off the radar as the Good Samaritan’s eyes, silver-gray in a lean, sun-bronzed face, collided with hers as he steadied her upright on the sidewalk. And although she was five foot seven, he was all height, broad shoulders, rock-hard body and sensual mouth. He hadn’t shaved and was simply gorgeous. Buy Links: Bookstrand ~About the Author~ Serena Fairfax spent her childhood in India, qualified as a lawyer in England and joined a London law firm. Romance is hardwired into her DNA so her novels include a strong romantic theme. However, she broke out of the romance bubble with IN THE PINK, a quirky departure in style and content. She’s also written several short stories that feature on her blog. Fast forward to a sabbatical from the day job when Serena traded in bricks and mortar for a houseboat which, for a hardened land lubber like her, turned out to be a big adventure. Apart from writing and reading (all kinds of books), a few of Serena’s favorite things are collecting old masks, singing (in the rain) and exploring off the beaten track. She’s a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, which is a very supportive organization. Serena and her golden retriever, Inspector Morse, who can't wait to unleash his own Facebook page, divide their time between London and rural Kent. (Charles Dickens said: Kent, sir. Everybody knows Kent. Apples, cherries, hops and women). ~Giveaway~ Serena is giving away a eBook copy of Loving That Feeling. For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.  Some rules are made to be broken… Rule number 1: No touching Rule number 2: No kissing Rule number 3: Never, ever, fall in love Holly Wilder finds some of those rules pretty difficult to follow during her boss's visits to present the Employee of the Month award. A relationship between them is prohibited, and even if it wasn't, Holly has no intention of ever falling in love again. But that doesn't stop her from craving Max's touch. Hotel owner Max Lazzari never expected to break his own rules, especially when they are so important to him. But sexy employee Holly is too hard to resist. Their no-strings, secret arrangement fits in perfectly with his no-commitment plan. A plan to ensure that no woman will ever again have the opportunity to hurt him. Sizzling nights together mean Holly and Max start looking forward to the monthly visits more and more. Until they are both brought down to earth with a bump—a pregnancy one! Will rule breaking lead to broken hearts? Content Warning: contains sensual sex and some strong language ~Excerpt~ Holly carried a tray holding freshly ground coffee. The plush carpeted corridor absorbed the tension in her legs as she headed to Max Lazzari's office. Dragging air deep into her lungs, she inhaled the aroma of coffee, allowing it to invigorate her senses. Must be professional, she reminded her lust-filled brain, though her body's reactions were refusing to comply. Balancing the tray on one of her not quite controlled arms, Holly sucked in a breath before knocking on the door. "Come in." His deep tone made her tray wobble. She watched with wide eyes as the coffee almost sloshed over the rim of the cup, then watched how the ripples of liquid aftershock mirrored the way her insides felt. Complete turmoil. She opened the door and looked at the man with his dark head dipped to the computer screen. "Your coffee, Mr. Lazzari." The door fell closed behind her. Her brow furrowed when she spotted the full coffee pot plugged into the machine behind him. His keen green eyes, hooded beneath long lashes, were lifted up at her. She carried the tray over to set it on the desk. "I believe you wanted to speak to me about an upcoming function. Which function would that be?" He rose, startling her. Her shaky fingers still gripped the tray, but now her hold whitened her knuckles. The cup rattled. "This one," his husky voice said. With a grin he took her chin in his hand and captured her mouth with his. He dropped his hand, bracing both of them on the desk to kiss her more thoroughly, more deeply. Holly allowed arousal to cascade through her, absorbing the softness and skill of his lips as he teased and swept, offering her the taste she'd been craving. She lifted her hand to thread her fingers through the dark hair at his nape. God, she'd been waiting for this. Arching closer, her thighs dug hard into the desk edge. She tilted her head, inviting him deeper. If her darned pencil skirt wasn't so tight she'd have crawled over the desk by now. She heard a soft groan. Hers. "Missed me?" Max chuckled as he gave her his now familiar lopsided grin. The one she held in her memory to help her through the weeks. "I did," she confirmed, frowning as she mourned the loss of his lips. "There was an extra day in this month." She rested her palms over his jaw, covering the dimples in his tanned cheeks. She liked the feel of his smooth, clean shaven skin, the warmth against her needy hands. "But you broke the rules, Mr. Lazzari. Absolutely no touching at work, remember?" Buy Links: Beachwalk Press ~About the Author~ A devourer of books from an early age, I spent much of my childhood stepping into wardrobes, searching for that magical snowy world where conversing with animals would be expected. When I wasn't searching for those worlds, I wrote about them instead. My first step into the world of romance was when I stole sneak peeks into my nana's books. I'm still in that world and refuse to leave. I live in Staffordshire, UK, with my husband and three wonderful children. An avid reader and writer of romance, I strongly believe that words make the world go around. Tracey is giving away a $10.00 Amazon GC during her tour. For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below. |
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