Thursday 30 June 2022

Jason (Book #4 in the Counterpunch series) by K J Ellis

 ★.•°`☆ NEW RELEASE ☆`°•.★






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➜ Jason (Book #4 in the Counterpunch series) by K J Ellis
➜ Hosted by Phoenix Book Promo ➜ @kjellisauthor @phoenixbookpromo 

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╰☆☆ About the Book ☆☆╮

Jason is book #4 of the Counterpunch series.

When the nightmares that plague my dreams at night begin to affect my waking hours, too, I become exhausted. I try to hide my struggles, but I’m running out of options.

Jemma is pure—the light in my darkness. She brings out the best in me without even realising.

All I want is her.

But the feelings I harbour for her have the ability to ruin her: the closer I get to her, the more I’m likely to taint her innocence, even though I can’t seem to let go.

Can she be my saving grace as my demons grow bolder, helping me to heal old wounds, or will the monster I’m slowly becoming ruin any chance we have of happiness?

Only time will tell. 

#Jason #KJEllis #CounterpunchSeries #IGAuthor #hotnewseries #bookaddict #NowLive #PhoenixBookPromo #indieauthor #authorsofIG #2022read #givemethebooks #coverlove #tbr #teasergram #booklovers #readers #bookrelease #needthisnow #bookworm

Buck Up, Buttercup by Anna Alkire blitz

 

Buck Up, Buttercup
Anna Alkire
Publication date: June 30th 2022
Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

All’s fair in love and war.
With Randi and Buck, it’s hard to tell the two apart…

An uptight, self-contained college girl, Randi Becker just needed one thing: a room. Somewhere she could study, and keep away from the things that most confuse and frighten her: people.

Unfortunately, the “nice quiet place” she reserved turns out to be a room in the campus ’most raucous house. A place seemingly designed to make studying impossible, made even worse by the other girls ’non-stop drama.

But then Buck, a fun-loving cowboy whom all the ladies love, shows up…and everything gets much worse.

Buck seems to have it all: friends, fun, and a never-ending line of admirers. But what he most desires is a break. So when Buck spots Randi, he figures she’s a perfect decoy: he can play up a “crush” on her that will take him off the market; buy him some breathing room. And if he can tease her a bit, and get under the skin of the uptight busybody? Well, that’s just gravy.

But Buck is about to find more than he bargained for. Randi’s strong-willed, opinionated, difficult—and maybe just what he needs. And Buck isn’t alone. Soon Randi wonders as well…if the world she wanted is really the world she needs. If her future is nothing more than a diploma on the wall. And if the most important thing in her world isn’t a grade, but the cowboy who’s planted his boots firmly in her heart.

Fans of Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game will delight at this mix of romantic comedy, contemporary romance, and cultures colliding in a campus town with a western flair. Grab your copy today, and fall in love with Buck Up, Buttercup!

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

An old pickup, with new shiny green paint, slowed down beside her until it crawled along at her pace. A quick glance sideways revealed black-hat-cowboy-guy grinning down at her.

A jolt of awareness cleared some of the fog from her head. He was more good-looking than she’d remembered, and also incredibly large above her in the truck.

“Good morning, darlin’,” he called down.

“Drive on,” she called out.

“Headed into town? We’ve got room.”

“I’m going to walk.” She wouldn’t get into a car with a single person from that party. She walked forward, not looking at him.

“Hold up, you dropped something,” he said, stopping the truck.

Randi whirled around, scanning the empty ground behind her. Her fingers lost their grip and her bags crashed down, things spilling out onto the gravel road. Her eyes burned.

Buck turned off the truck engine and leaned out the window.

“That’s a lot of gear to haul all the way into town,” he said, cheerfully.

“That was a dirty trick.”

“I just want to talk to you for a minute.”

“Leave me alone please!”

“Listen. Hugh, in the passenger seat, and I are headed in for some breakfast. If you ride with me, this gas guzzler will have a full cab. Darlin’, that’s a load off my conscience.”

Randi’s belly shuddered and her lips quivered. The dam burst. Her hands flew up to cover her eyes and a hiccupped sob exploded out.

“I can’t jump in some stranger’s pickup,” she mumbled through her fingers.

“Hey now,” he said, the amused condescension in his voice aking her glare up at him. “You hold on to that pepper spray if it makes you feel better. Land’s sake, girl, we hauled around passed-out-Sarah last night. You’re practically part of the family. And Hugh here has about twenty sisters, so he’s well-trained.”

The door of the truck opened. She took a step back, pulling up the inside collar of her dress to dab at her face.

Buck’s eyes crinkled at her, a lopsided half-grin on his face. It was probably the way he looked at cows right before he lassoed a rope around their necks, or whatever. But he had helped Sarah. And her.

Her shoulders slumped. Defeated, she was beyond resistance. If they murdered her, at least she might be sitting down.

“All right?” he asked.

She exhaled. “All right, I’ll take a ride to the closest bus stop. Thanks.”

Buck picked up her bags and put them in the back of the truck. She hauled her heavy backpack off her aching shoulders and turned to sling it up, but Buck was already gripping the top and lifting it out of her hands.

“Hi,” said a burly man sitting on the passenger side of the bench seat, a gentle smile on his face. Like she was a crazy person. Which she was. With a deep breath, she hoisted herself up into the cab next to him.

“Sorry about Buck,” the big guy said, glaring at the culprit with one eye squinted. “He’s devious about getting what he wants.”

Buck landed on the seat beside her. “Hugh keeps the standards up. Probably why he’s so grumpy all the time.”

Hugh crossed his arms, leaning into the passenger door. His buzzed blond head and muscular frame brought to mind a late-twenties version of Mr. Clean, minus the jewelry.

“I ain’t grumpy. Just tired of your ugly face.”

Buck chuckled. Randi caught herself staring at him. She wouldn’t call his face ugly, not even anything related to unattractive. More like relentlessly cheerful. And way too confident that he could boss everyone around. She sniffed, annoyed with him enough to stop crying.

The truck rolled forward, bumping on the gravel road. They sat on an old-fashioned bucket-style bench, comfortable for two people, and a squeeze for three. The middle seat offered no belt. A death trap. Because that was the logical conclusion to her week from hell. She braced a hand on the dash to keep from bouncing into the bodies next to her.

Not touching either man, holding her body tense and straight, made her neck ache. And still she knocked knees with Hugh and almost leaned on Buck’s shoulder. Buck’s hand on the manual gear shifter was an inch from her thigh, his fingers brushing the edge of her skirt when he shifted. Short of sitting on Hugh’s lap, there was nowhere for her to go to keep from touching him.

She felt shaky, barely keeping herself together. Every time Buck changed position she noticed it, his muscular arms flexing as he drove. It was like sitting next to a tiger: electrifying, an experience you never forgot, and total madness.

“So,” said Buck, flashing a grin at her. “What’s your rush this morning? You just moved in last night.”

Randi dug a tissue out of her bag. “I can’t live in a party house,” she said, dabbing at her running nose.

“A Waffle House?” said Hugh.

“She said party house, Einstein.” Buck glanced at her. “How’d you end up with a room out there?”

“I was teaching in Argentina and found it online. Paid everything…” She paused, choking up, not sure why she was telling them. “They lied to me.” And she dissolved again, covering her face with the tissue.

What was wrong with her? It was beyond humiliating to be crying like a child in front of these strangers. At least she’d never have to see them again.

“Huh,” said Buck, tapping the steering wheel. “Well, I know Trish isn’t happy about the parties.”

“They got an ugly ticket last June,” said Hugh. “She’s on probation.”

Randi sat up straighter, taking in this information. She managed to stop crying, and dabbed her cheeks clean with the tissue.

Buck rubbed the side of his face. “Is that right?”

“I can’t believe you didn’t know that, Buck. Jesus.”

“I just look like I know everything.”

“Yeah, well, one more ticket and they’re facing jail time. And, of course, there were minors everywhere last night. I turned my back and they slurped down my keg.”

Randi pushed up her glasses. No wonder Trish hadn’t been there during the party. It revealed, even more, how shamelessly Trish had lied to her in the emails they’d exchanged about the house.

The farmland was transforming into residential housing when Buck turned onto a major road.

“That bus stop coming up will be fine,” said Randi, her voice annoyingly shaky.

“No way, darlin’,” said Buck. “You cry in my truck, and I buy you a coffee. Then, I drop you off wherever you want.”

“No, really—”

“Hey,” he said, “I put up with all the tears. So now we’re going to go to this coffee drive-through and get sugary drinks to make ourselves feel better. Otherwise, Hugh over there might start his period.”

“You’re such a jackass,” Hugh said, shaking his head.


Author Bio:

Anna Alkire has been a long-term college student, a business owner, and a world traveler. Now “settled”—with a sigh and a cup of decaf—Anna lives in Washington state, where she splits her time between a husband who thinks the North Pole would be a great place to live, chasing her hurricane of a son, learning new handicrafts, and creating worlds full of the kind of romance and fun she most wants to read. Find more about her (and grab a freebie or two) at her website, annaalkire.com.

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Bratva Darling by Sabine Barclay blitz

 

Bratva Darling
Sabine Barclay
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #1)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

I wasn’t prepared for her…
She just got me to pay three times as much as I wanted for a company I’ll buy and destroy.

She knows who I am. The bratva doesn’t scare her.

Intelligent, brave, and unstoppable.

I’ll make her mine.

She doesn’t know it yet, but we’re soulmates.

I’ll take her to her limits. Then give her all her heart desires.

The Bratva Darling is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book one in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Laura

As I sit across from the four Kutsenko brothers, I press my lips together to keep from drooling. No four men should be so strikingly handsome. Not all from the same family, anyway. I fight a valiant battle against letting my gaze drift toward the eldest, Maksim, whose ice-blue eyes bore into me. After years of negotiating billion-dollar investment contracts while facing countless ruthless businessmen, I’ve learned to keep my expression studiously blank. But it’s a true struggle today. Instead, I focus my attention on the squirrelly lawyer sitting across the conference table. While he’s disingenuous with each comment, he’s a good negotiator. But I’m better. How cliché am I?

While I feel Maksim watching me, I focus on Dmitry Yakovitch as he continues to argue the merits of the venture capitalist company I represent, RK Capital Group, merging with Kutsenko Partners. What he means is the merits of Kutsenko Partners acquiring RK Capital Group, then stripping it and making it another money-laundering shell corporation. While most people in New York have little awareness of the Russian mafia, I do. The Kutsenko brothers ’names appear on no titles or deeds anywhere in New York City, but it wasn’t difficult to determine which shell companies likely belong to them. Their assumption that I’m unfamiliar with them is proving beneficial to me as they continue to whisper amongst themselves in Russian. I think they may even believe they’re convincing me that they don’t speak much English.

The senior partners of RK Capital Group know who I’m negotiating with, though they may not know I’m aware of these Russians ’more nefarious operations. They’ve given me the go-ahead to agree to a merger with an eventual acquisition, but only for the right price. A price to the tune of twenty billion dollars. Considering an investment firm like Goldman Sachs is worth nearly one-hundred-and-twenty billion dollars, my clients ’asking price appears reasonable.

“Mr. Yakovitch, I shall stop you now.” I raise my left hand, pen caught between my index and middle fingers. When I have his attention, I lean back in my chair and casually twirl the pen over my index finger and thumb. “Fifty billion is my clients ’asking price. You know that. Your clients know that. RK doesn’t oppose the merger. What they oppose is the insulting offer you’ve made. It’s nearly noon, and I’m hungry, Mr. Yakovitch. I have a delicious ham sandwich waiting for me. I even have three chocolate chip cookies waiting for me. If we aren’t going to make any progress, I shall let you go, so I can move onto my eagerly anticipated lunch.”

I cant my head just enough for me to appear as though my gaze rests solely on the opposing attorney’s face, but I can see each Kutsenko brothers ’reaction. My face battles yet again against showing my emotions as I fight not to smirk. Their muted but surprised expressions confirm what I already know.

“Please tell your clients to make a reasonable counteroffer, or I will conclude this meeting and enjoy my ham sandwich and cookies.”

Dmitry glares at me before turning to Maksim and his three brothers. In rapid Russian, he doesn’t interpret my suggestion. Oh no. There’s no need for that. I can’t catch every word because his voice is too low. But I catch something along the lines of “The bitch refuses to budge. What now? A f*cking ham sandwich. More like a stick up her *ss.”

Maksim swivels his chair to look at his brothers. In Russian, he says, “Fifty billion is ridiculous. She’s not so stupid or naïve not to know that. My guess is they’ll settle for twenty billion. We offer fifteen.”

“That’s barely better than what we already offered,” Aleksei, the second-oldest brother, argues. “She’ll be eating the f*cking sandwich and dipping her cookies in milk before we walk out the door. We need the buildings.”

“We offer twenty, Maks,” Bogdan, the youngest, insists.

As I watch the brothers discuss, their voices barely lowered, I pull my lunch sack from the black leather satchel by my feet and set it beside my laptop. It’s a ridiculously pink floral bag with an embroidered monogram, the L and D overlapping. It’s an empty prop, but they don’t know that. I watch as five sets of eyes narrow. I offer a smile that would appear innocent in any setting other than this meeting. It’s patronizing, and I know it.


Author Bio:

Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

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Wednesday 29 June 2022

Unexpected by Felice Stevens blitz

 

Unexpected
Felice Stevens
Publication date: June 23rd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Sports

Party planner Colin Brightman doesn’t drink or dance, preferring to go to bed early with his spreadsheets and lists. All he wants is to forget the singles weekend his friends sent him on, but he’s stuck with a suitcase filled with condoms and skimpy Speedos that don’t belong to him.

He doesn’t expect his luggage thief to be ex-baseball superstar Walker “Walk-Off” Scanlon. Or that Walker has hired his firm to put on a charity event at his bar. Colin can’t deny the mixed emotions the annoyingly flirty man stirs in him, but he refuses to fall for someone who racks up lovers as easily as he once hit home runs.
No matter how much he might want to.

Walker Scanlon likes his men easygoing with no complications. He’s had enough of those in his life. So why is he drawn to tense and straitlaced Colin and his frosty scowl?When even his corny one-liners and jokes don’t get him a smile? Because the sparks between them are undeniable. And that unexpected kiss? Amazin’.

Now if only Colin would stop running away.

When Colin and Walker come face to face with past hurts and betrayals, they’ll need to trust themselves and each other to learn that heartbreak and love don’t go hand in hand. It’s the bottom of the ninth and if they swing for the stars, they just might hit the grand slam of a lifetime.

Unexpected is a low-angst, high-heat romance between a corny joke-telling ex-baseball player who doesn’t believe in striking out on or off the field and a divorced, tea-drinking homebody who isn’t willing to get played…again.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Damn, Colin Brightman was cute when flustered. Walker wasn’t sure what the hell he was doing flirting with him. It wasn’t smart to screw around with people who worked for you, but there was a haunted look in the man’s eyes that those long, dark lashes couldn’t hide. He sensed Colin kept quite a bit about himself secret, and Walker had always been a sucker for a good mystery.

“I’m surprised you noticed me,” Colin said, “since you seemed to be so into your dance partners.” As if realizing that his statement revealed his awareness of Walker, Colin fumbled a bit. “I mean, when I saw you on the dance floor, you were always surrounded.”

Too late, Colin Brightman. So you’re not made of stone. Good to know.

“Well, I saw you. Especially that last night. You were at a table, drinking something with an umbrella.”

“Like I said, I don’t drink much.” He picked up his more than half-full drink as if to prove his point. “See?”

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time. Stock up on my little umbrellas.” He winked, and a flush crept up Colin’s neck to his face.

Aren’t you adorable? Are you pink all over?


Author Bio:

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice's Breakfast Club.

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Unconditional: A Love Story by Shon blitz

 

Unconditional: A Love Story
Shon
Publication date: May 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Charli is everything Damian ever wanted.

Captivated from the moment they met, he allowed her to set the tone for their summer fling.

But when the summer was over and he wanted more, he soon found out that maybe his feelings were one-sided.

That was two years ago and he’s still stuck on Charli. He needs to move on.

A lot has changed since they last saw each other, but Damian can’t shake the what-ifs. And the moment they cross paths again he knows his heart still belongs to the elusive woman who stole it the first time he laid eyes on her.

Who’s to say they won’t get it right this time around?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

prologue.
summer2019

“We need to talk.”

Well, shit. That’s not good, Charli thought to herself as she continued pulling on her shorts.

She couldn’t decide if it was worse to hear those four fateful words from a boyfriend or a fuck buddy.

I guess I’m about to find out, was her wry thought as she finished zipping up the distressed jean shorts that barely covered her ass. With her eyes darting around the room to avoid eye contact with the man who claimed they needed to talk, she located one of her gold hoops on the rug.

Following her avoidant eyes, the other occupant of the room bent to pick it up before she had the chance.

“Thanks,” Charli spoke lowly as their fingers brushed during the exchange.

The warmth of his fingers led to a sharp inhale that she couldn’t even hide.

“Did you hear me?” the beautiful man in front of her wanted to know. “I said we need to talk,” he reiterated. Just in case.

But she’d heard him loud and clear the first time.

Sighing, Charli took a step back and shoved the earring into her pocket instead of trying to put it on right now.

“I heard you,” she said, trying to veil the worry in her voice.

What could Damian possibly want to talk about? And why couldn’t his timing be better? They’d just finished…making each other very happy. His scent still surrounded her and captivated her senses.

But now, the knots in her stomach quickly pushed her to forget the pleasure she’d just experienced.

“What do we need to talk about?” she finally asked meeting his green eyes. They were usually enchanting and full of lust when they were together, but now he looked…panicked?

No, it couldn’t be. Not cool, calm Damian.

Unless…

Had he found a girlfriend? Was he about to end their arrangement and politely tell her to get on with her life?

The thought wasn’t a pleasant one, but Charli couldn’t really blame him.

As an Ivy League dropout and ex-socialite, she didn’t really feel like she had much to offer aside from a good time.

She winced inwardly and vowed to deal with the origins of that problematic thought later. Much later. Not now when she was standing face to face with the man she’d been trading orgasms with all summer.

Damian regarded her from his towering height of six-two and even though she was five-eight she felt miniscule under his unwavering gaze.

“It’s about us,” he revealed, “I need to talk to you about what we’re doing.”

Charli gulped but didn’t break eye contact. She could do this. She could have a civilized, adult conversation with someone she shared every inch of her body with on an almost daily basis at this point.

“What about us? I like what we’re doing.” Charli pushed her hair away from her face. She hated the sensation of stray strands tickling her cheeks.

Damian exhaled sharply and gave a faint nod. “Yea, I did too. Until recently.”

Ouch.

Charli straightened her shoulders and prepared for the next words, somehow knowing they would pack a devastating blow.

But nothing could have prepared her for what he said next.

Author Bio:

Shon is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She used her degree in English Literature for eight years to teach English all around the world. She has recently returned home to the States and now she spends all her time reading or writing down her wildest daydreams.


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Catching Quinn by Jennifer Bonds blitz

 

Catching Quinn
Jennifer Bonds
(Waverly Wildcats, #2)
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports

What’s a girl have to do to lose her virginity around here?

When I decided to ditch my V-card, I figured Greek Row was a sure thing.

I didn’t count on Cooper-the-cockblocking-jockhole-DeLaurentis or his misguided sense of bro code putting an embarrassing end to my hookup. After all, Waverly’s star wide receiver is the most notorious player on campus.

He’s arrogant. Infuriating. Sexy as hell.

Just ask him.

Worse? He’s made it his personal mission to scare off every guy who shows an interest in me. But I’m not about to be outwitted by a hypocritical baller with more ego than sense. I may be a hot mess, but I’m no pushover.

Two can play this game, and I’m playing to win.

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

EXCERPT:

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Quinn demands, pulling herself up to her full height. Maybe that shit works on her brother, but I spent the afternoon staring down guys three times her size. “Are you drunk?”

“No.” I point to her half-empty cup. “But if you finish that drink, you will be.”

Her brows furrow in confusion. “What’s wrong with my drink?”

Is she for real?

“Other than the fact that it’s got five kinds of liquor in it?”

“Five? Really?” She lifts the cup up and stares at it like she’s seeing it for the first time. “Huh. Who’d have guessed?”

“Why do you think it’s called Adiós, Motherfucker? It’s meant to get you shitfaced.” She giggles, probably at the name, and I scrub a hand over my face. “If you don’t know what’s in it, why are you drinking it?”

She cocks a hip. “Mike bought it for me.”

Of course he did. “The asshole was probably trying to get you drunk and take advantage of you.”

“Maybe I was trying to get him drunk and take advantage of him,” she says, poking me in the chest. Heat radiates from the spot where her finger landed, which is ridiculous because it wasn’t even skin-to-skin contact. Probably just leftover energy from the game. She pokes me again. “Did you ever think of that?”

“No.” It’s bullshit, but I’m not trying to picture Quinn seducing some random creeper at a bar. “It did, however, occur to me he might’ve slipped something in your drink.”

Quinn rolls those big green eyes. “I’m a virgin, not a moron. I took the drink directly from the bartender.”

Thank Christ.

Relief surges through my veins. How the fuck does Noah deal with having his little sister on campus? On Greek Row?

For the first time in my life, I’m glad to be an only child. If I saw some dude playing grab-ass with my sister, I’d break his fucking hands.

Quinn’s not your sister, so what do you care?

I don’t.

Okay, fine. I care. But only because I’m not a trash human being.

“I can’t believe you chased Mike off.” Quinn’s bottom lip juts out, forming a sexy little pout. “It was rude.”

“Serves the fucker right.” I plant my hands on my hips. If she thinks she can guilt me over Doctor Octopus, she’s got another thing coming. “Thirty seconds ago, he was dry humping you like a dog in heat.”

“Eww.” She squeals, doing that cute nose scrunching thing again. “Gross.”

I flash her a wicked grin. “Tell me about it.”

“Did you just—” She tilts her head and looks up at me from under her lashes. “Did you just call me gross?

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing gross about you.” That’s half the problem. If she’s really going through with this whole losing her virginity to a stranger thing, she’ll have no trouble finding dudes to volunteer as tribute. “From the looks of it, I arrived just in time.”

“If by just in time, you mean just in time to cockblock me again, then yes.” She lifts the blue drink to her lips and takes a hearty gulp. “You can move along now.” She makes a shooing motion with her other hand. “Go wreck some other virgin’s night.”

“Are you sure I didn’t save your night?” I cross my arms over my chest, and damn if her attention doesn’t lock on my biceps. Not gonna lie, I’m flattered. I figured her type was more studious. “That guy probably doesn’t even know what a G-spot is, let alone how to find it.”

Her gaze shifts to my face, a challenge burning in her eyes. “I suppose you think you could do better?”


Author Bio:

Jennifer Bonds is the USA Today bestselling author of sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy alphas, and a whole lot of mischief. She’s a sucker for enemies-to-lovers stories, laugh-out-loud banter, and over-the-top grand gestures. Jennifer lives in Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She's lucky enough to live with her own real-life hero, two adorable (and sometimes crazy) children, and one rambunctious K9. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, a solid Netflix binge, the Winchester brothers, cupcakes, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.

To connect with Jen—and get a FREE book—visit www.jenniferbonds.com!

You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram @jbondswrites.

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Tuesday 28 June 2022

Heroes with Heat and Heart blitz

 

Hearts with Heat and Heart Volume 2: A Charity Anthology
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The hint of smoke. The flash of flames. When the wildfires burn through our towns, THEY step up to the fireline and risk their lives. Help us honor their bravery and sacrifice in this charity romance anthology.

All proceeds benefit Grassroots Wildland Firefighters organization.

Fall in love with the heroes of this steamy contemporary romance anthology, including stories by

Grassroots Wildland Firefighters Charity is a USA 503c organization advocating for the health and safety of wildland firefighters.

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SPECIAL NOTICE: Buy Heroes with Heat and Heart Vol. 2 for #99cents before before 7/3 and get a free adult coloring book and a sexy cocktail recipe book! After Sunday, the price will go up to $9.99, and the bonuses come down.

The password is the first word in Chapter 10 of Lolo Paige’s Alaska Flame. Click here to claim your prizes!

https://www.behindthebadgepress.com/prizes/



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Kite by N.R. Walker blitz

 

The Kite
N.R. Walker
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance, Suspense

Ex-Australian Specialist Response Group, Tim “Harry” Harrigan, has been running covert ops for almost a decade. A lone wolf, he’s single-handedly taken down terrorists and national security threats, or so he thinks. He’s been in the game far too long, and when he sees a familiar threat, he knows his time is up.

Asher Garin is a dangerous man. A man without loyalty, a man without a nationality, without a country, or a home. He’s also a mercenary for hire to the highest bidder. His next job is a face he recognises, and after a tip-off, he learns he too is a marked man.

It’s a different game now, and Harry and Asher have a better chance at surviving if they stick together. But it’s not just the game or the rules that have changed. The stakes have too.

Because on their own, they had nothing to lose. Together, they do.

~

#EnemiesToLovers #GayAssassins #UsAgainstThem

Caution: on-page physical and gun violence. Reader discretion advised.

Goodreads / Purchase

EXCERPT:

Harry crossed the street. No one crossed after him, but whoever was after him was closer now.

He could feel it.

That cold stab of dread, sixth sense, gut feeling. Like icy fingers down his skin.

And if someone was after Harry, it wasn’t good. He was the hunter, never the hunted. If he was the mark . . .

Christ. He was the mark.

Harry ducked past two women, slipping through a narrow utility alley, and he ran. He was being chased now, silent and fast. At the end of the alley, he turned left and went through an open door, up a set of stairs to the roof, his heart hammering.

He ran along the roofline, exposed but faster than on the street. He heard footsteps chasing behind him but didn’t dare turn around, and as the muted whirr of a bullet pinged past his head, he jumped.

He knew the sound of that gun. It was a SIG Pro 9mm with a suppressor.

French special forces, standard issue.

He landed on a first-floor balcony, using his momentum to leap again, this time to the ground. Pain shot through his ankle but he kept moving, down another alley, and through an open door and into a darkened hall.

Hands grabbed him, spun him and pinned his back against the wall as the door closed behind him. In half a disorienting second, Harry pulled his gun to his assailant’s head at the same time he realised he had a pistol pressed against his.

Eyes flashed in the dark, familiar and close. A man’s body pressed him hard to the wall, their chests heaving. A hand covered his mouth.

“Shh.”

Harry didn’t dare breathe, his finger on the trigger, still aimed at the man’s head. The cold press of metal against Harry’s temple told him to wait.

The sound of feet outside came running. The crackle of a radio, a French voice just outside the door. “I’ve lost him.” The footsteps faded, and only after a long moment did the man move his hand from Harry’s mouth.

Harry could see then who it was.

Asher Garin.

Asher fucking Garin.

Adrenaline exploded through Harry’s veins and he started, pushing his pistol harder into Asher’s temple. Asher gnashed his teeth. Anger and defiance flashed in his eyes. “Keep quiet or you’ll kill us both,” Asher hissed, barely a whisper.

His words didn’t make sense.

Asher had saved him?

If there was anyone on the planet sent to kill Harry, it would be Asher. He was the only other man good enough. They were the top two government assassins in the world. Yet Asher had just saved him from the French?

Keep quiet or you’ll kill us both.

Both?

After an eternity, Asher released him, though he kept his pistol aimed at Harry’s head. “We need to get out of here,” he murmured.

Harry’s heart was thundering. His finger itched to pull the trigger. Itched. “The fuck?”

Asher held up his phone to show Harry the screen. “Sent to all agencies.” An assignment, just like any other. Just like any of the thousand he’d received in the last decade. Locations, dates, names, and photographs.

Two photographs.

Harry’s blood ran cold, and his eyes met Asher’s.

Asher nodded, his stare intense. “You and me; double hit. They want us dead. You’re a kite, and your government just cut you loose.”

Harry grappled with his fight or flight instinct, his heart hammering, his ankle throbbing. But given two men had just tried to kill him and the fact Asher hadn’t killed him—and the assignment on his phone screen—Harry could assume what Asher said was true.

Asher must have seen the realisation in Harry’s eyes because he slowly lowered his gun. Just an inch. “We need to trust each other,” he whispered. “The only chance we have is if we stick together. Can you do that?”

Trusting any other person went against every cell in Harry’s body, but what choice did he have? If he said no, one or both of them died right here. If the assignment was sent to all agencies, there wasn’t a country or government anywhere in the world that could protect them.

Harry had no choice.

Answering without a word, he took his finger off the trigger.


Author Bio:

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub


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Monday 27 June 2022

Lead Me Here RELEASE BLITZ

 


RELEASE BLITZ

Title: Lead Me Here

Series: A Drunk Love Romantic Comedy #3

Author: Aria Bliss

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release Date: June 28, 2022

BLURB

Secrets are a recipe for disaster, even for relationships that only last four days. ♥ ♥ ♥ They say time heals all wounds, but what if unintentional secrets are involved? Or more accurately, unintentional secret babies.

I tried to find him—I really did—but what was I to do with nothing more than a first name?

After we spent four amazing days together, he left me a note with what I can only assume was his full name and phone number, but his handwriting is like chicken scratch. It also didn’t help that my roommate decided to do me a solid and washed all my clothes before I had a chance to clean out my pockets.

Needless to say, the note didn’t survive.

Now, four and a half years later, I find myself standing in front of the same grumpy stranger that changed my life forever.

Now, I’m about to change his because he has no idea, he has a three-year-old daughter. ♥ ♥ ♥ Agreeing to keep our identities a secret may have been the dumbest idea ever, especially considering the consequences of four wild and perfectly wonderful nights together. When our time together came to an end, we went our separate ways, and I never saw him again. Fast forward four and a half years and imagine my surprise to discover he’s my new landlord. Lead Me Here is a dual POV steamy full-length STANDALONE romance filled with lots of sexy times in the bedroom, profanity, and love with a HEA ending!

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60737882-lead-me-here BOOKBUB LINK: https://www.bookbub.com/books/lead-me-here-a-grumpy-sunshine-romantic-comedy-a-drunk-love-romantic-comedy-book-3-by-aria-bliss

PURCHASE LINKS

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WM28S75 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09WM28S75 CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09WM28S75 AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09WM28S75

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

#1 Not For Me

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FJ3GSWS UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FJ3GSWS CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09FJ3GSWS AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09FJ3GSWS Free in Kindle Unlimited

#2 Let Me Stay

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGW1T93 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09SGW1T93 CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09SGW1T93 AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09SGW1T93

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

Sexy & Fun Romance with a healthy dose of Real Life

Aria Bliss writes steamy, emotionally charged contemporary romance with humor, drama, and big feels. She has a soft spot for single dads, second chances, forbidden romance, and grumpy bad boys with sweet centers that are impossible not to love.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://ariabliss.com Newsletter: https://ariabliss.com/sign-up Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/ariabliss.author TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ariabliss_author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ariablissauthor Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ariabliss.author 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blissandmakeupfans Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ariablissauthor Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ariabliss_author 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aria-bliss

EXCERPT

Without hesitation, he drops to the floor. He struggles for a moment to open the cabinet door. I installed a child safety lock since I store cleaning products under the sink. I tense as I wait for him to say something, but he remains silent. He doesn’t even look up at me in confusion.

Once he has the door open, he moves the cleaning products aside and rotates until he’s lying on his back.

An involuntary gasp escapes me. I curl my lips around my teeth and struggle to slow my breathing. Seeing his firm body spread out in my kitchen floor with his head under my sink just might be one of the hottest images I’ve ever seen.

His shirt pulls tight against his body, highlighting the curves and ridges of his chest. A chest I once explored for hours on end. Like an idiot, I let my eyes shift down. His dress pants do nothing to hide the bulge between his legs.

I take a deep breath and turn my gaze away. Nothing good can come from fantasizing about his package. His very generous and talented package.

“Can you hand me the small screwdriver from my bag?” His voice echoes from beneath the cabinet, dragging me out of my lust-filled stupor.

“I’m sorry, what?” My mind fixates on a single word he said and everything else fades into the background. Screw. Yes, please. I’d very much like to screw again.

He shifts his head slightly so he can look at me. “My bag. I can’t reach it. There’s a screwdriver just inside the zipper. Can you get it for me?”

“Oh, yes.” I step over him and kneel next to his bag. From this angle I can see his handsome face and strong arms. He looks serious and deep in thought, similarly to how he looked that first day I built up the courage to talk to him.

“Chelsea?”

I shake my head and when my eyes come back into focus, he’s watching me watch him. I’d been so lost in my thoughts; I didn’t notice when his eyes met mine.

“Yeah, sorry. Screwdriver.” I unzip his bag—doing everything in my power to not think about unzipping his pants instead—and find the screwdriver right away. I hand it to him, quickly stand, and move away before I do something stupid like pounce him and rip all of his clothes off.

The War Girls Blitz

 


Historical Fiction, WW1

Date Published: June 28, 2022

 

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During the Great War, in a German-occupied Red Cross hospital in Brussels, Belgium, there are three British nurses who will risk everything to save the lives of those in their care. These are the stories of The War Girls.

Saving the Rifleman - British Red Cross nurse Maria Hunt lives in daily fear that the German soldiers who regularly inspect her hospital will uncover her secret: she helps wounded British soldiers escape German hands.

Enticing the Spymaster - Judith Goddard is hiding in plain sight. A dual citizen with family ties to Belgian royalty and the British military, she works as a Red Cross nurse in a German hospital, learning what she can, ever fearful her true allegiance will be discovered.

Aiding the Enemy - Rose Culver is in grave danger. For months the Red Cross hospital head nurse has been aiding Allied soldiers caught behind enemy lines, helping them flee into neutral Netherlands. It's only a matter of time until she's caught.


The War Girls is composed of three previously published novellas. This is the first time they have been published in one volume.



Excerpt

Chapter One


Brussels, Belgium

November, 1914



“Maria.”

Alarm rippled across Maria’s nerves, jerking her attention from the supply record book she was writing in.

Her teacher, mentor, and matron of the hospital on Rue de la Culture stood at the window, staring out at the street, her back straight and stiff.

“Rose?” Maria took a step toward her, but Rose’s voice stopped her before she could take another.

“Please take an inventory of the bandages in the closet on the second floor.” Her words were spoken with a deliberateness that should have been reassuring. It wasn’t. The other woman held herself too still, too rigid. “We’re about to have another friendly visit.”

“Germans?” Maria whispered, dread tightening its coils until she could barely breathe. “Again?”

Regular soldiers didn’t make her too uncomfortable; they appreciated the nurses who looked after their wounded countrymen, and they knew they could end up at this hospital and in her care. But the officers were another thing altogether. They looked at Maria and Rose as if the two of them were convicted criminals of the worst sort.

As if they were dirty.

Rose nodded.

“Lord preserve us.” The words slipped out before Maria could stop them. “When will this madness stop?”

Rose turned then, a rueful smile on her face. “I wish I knew. Go now and stay out of sight if you can.”

“But—”

“I’ll be fine. Dr. Geoff is still here. He’s as irritated with all these inspections as we are. They’re a constant interruption, and we have little enough time for our work as it is.”

Herman Geoff was a German doctor, but he treated Rose and even Maria with the utmost respect. His uncle was a high-ranking officer. Very high. As long as Dr. Geoff supported them, they would most likely remain safe.

If they did nothing to irritate or anger the local German troops. Something Maria feared she’d already done.

She rushed to the back stairs and climbed them quickly. Rose would be safe. The second daughter of minor gentry, she had demonstrated time and again her diplomatic skills were more than up to the task of dealing with arrogant, suspicious German officers.

Maria had none of those skills or family background.

The second floor was filled with bedrooms, now used as wards for their patients. There was also a room where the nurses slept—Rose, herself, two Belgian nurses and one German nurse who worked with them. A closet near the back stairs had been converted into a storage area for bandages and other medical supplies.

Perfect for a woman to hide in while waiting for their German visitors to leave.

She opened the door, prepared to enter…

But the closet was already occupied—by a soldier complete with pack, sidearm and rifle. The weapon wasn’t what snared Maria’s gaze and held it.

His eyes were green. A brilliant emerald green.

Her breathing stalled as she stood in the doorway and stared into those wide, pale eyes and at the blood spattered across his face and uniform.

His British uniform. In a Belgian hospital full of enemy German soldiers.

Good God.

Voices floated up the back stairs a few feet away and she opened her mouth to caution him.

Before she could utter a warning, before she could blink, his hands reached out, grabbed her, and yanked her into the closet, pulling the door closed behind her.

Fear and shock crushed her throat as she found herself pressed against the soldier’s body, one of his hands over her mouth, the other a steel band behind her back.

She couldn’t move and the closet was so dark it might as well have been a tomb. Blind and restrained, the unfamiliar scents filling her nostrils took over her senses.

Mud, blood, and man.

***

Lieutenant John Bennet held the woman in his arms tightly enough to keep her from crying out, but not enough to harm her.

He’d hoped to find someone to help him, preferably a nurse, but this wasn’t how he’d anticipated meeting such a woman—staring into her frightened face then pulling her into a dark closet. He couldn’t even tell her she was in no danger from him. Any noise would likely be overheard by the men now standing on the other side of the door.

He held himself still despite the pain from his wound and the unfamiliar weight of the woman in his arms. How long had it been since he’d held anything so soft? Weeks? Months?

He sucked in a breath and the scent of evening flowers filled his head, driving out all others. His cock stirred in response to the feel of her curves along his flank. Her chest rose and fell erratically under his arm as she tried to breathe through what must be a terrifying situation.

Yet there were no tears, no sobs, or cries.

He tore his focus from the delights of her body to consider her movements for a moment. She’d stopped struggling for the most part and now stood relatively docile in his arms.

Maybe she realized how dangerous his predicament was. If she was a nurse, she might feel some sympathy toward him, some care.

Energy surfaced from some unknown well inside him, heating his muscles. He couldn’t give up hope, not now. He had to find a way out of Belgium, a way to report what he’d seen. There were more lives at risk than his, thousands more. Including the nurse in his arms.

A man was giving orders in German in the hallway, from the sound of it, only a few paces from the closet door. Orders to search the hospital for the British soldier. Orders to find and detain for questioning the second British nurse. The woman John no doubt held in his arms.

The woman now in as much danger as he.

Poor girl. It was one thing to tend wounded men in no shape to offer offensive behavior, but quite another to be taken captive in a dark closet. He was lucky she hadn’t screamed herself hoarse or fainted.

Somehow, he needed to communicate his lack of intent to harm her. He’d been told this hospital was a place of safety for British soldiers caught behind German lines. The last farmer who’d sheltered him just outside of Brussels told him the matron of this hospital could help him, had already helped many others like him. She might even be able to supply fake identity papers and an escape route out of the country.

Warm, soft, and sweet-smelling, the woman in his arms could be the key to his survival. And what he knew was the key to Britain’s defense.

His spine solidified, transforming into steel.

She didn’t know it, but he was prepared to kill to protect her.

 

About the Author

Retired medical lab technologist, Julie Rowe writes stories that plunge you directly into chaos and adrenaline from the first page & don’t let up until the end.


Praise for Julie Rowe

“Read Julie and you get it all, the suspense, steaming chemistry and a story that doesn't let you put it down." - Ayekah, Goodreads

“I love this authors writing style. She writes balls to wall, edge of your seat, page turning thrillers." - Cindy, Goodreads

"This is one of the best books I've read this year because of the complex and dramatic life and death storyline and the sizzling sexual chemistry." -Diane, Goodreads


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The Time We Met Blitz

 

 

 Timing is Everything Series, Book Three

 

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: June 28, 2022

 Publisher: Sealed With a Swoon Books LLC


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Will love be worth taking a huge risk?

 

Campbell Grey is getting her life back on track after escaping a difficult past. She has a job she loves, friends who have become family, and has returned to the college classroom—where she unexpectedly connects with handsome Scott, her literature professor.

 

Scott Mayhew has been alone for far too long. Though devoted to his daughter, family, and career, he’s ready to meet his match. But he never imagined a student would capture his attention—that’s not allowed. Still, the sparks he and passionate, beautiful Campbell share can’t be ignored.



Other books in the Timing is Everything Series:





Last Time We Loved

Timing is Everything Series, Book 1


Can they free the past to have a future together?


First Time We Laughed

Timing is Everything Series, Book Two


Will timing be on their side for a real chance at love?


Amazon

 


About the Author

Christine Miles loves writing and reading so much she has two degrees—one in English and one in Creative Writing.

She now calls Albuquerque, New Mexico, home.

When not writing, she enjoys reading romances with sassy heroines and swoony heroes, as well as the occasional mystery and thriller, listening to music, and binge-watching guilty-pleasure shows on Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max.

You can find her on Facebook and Instagram.


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Sunday 26 June 2022

Time in Between Blitz

 


Liberty Valley Love, Book 6


A Time-Travel, Paranormal Western Romance

Date Published: June 14, 2022

 Publisher: Satin Romance


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The oldest of the Jamison triplets, hereditary witch and criminal defense attorney, Astra Jamison knows more about the laws of magick than her two sisters. She serves the Goddess but believes those who hurt and harm people who can’t defend themselves should be punished, abhorring it when innocents suffer. She is always willing to dole out her kind of justice to anyone who offends her, often sending them to gruesome deaths. When she and her sisters open a time portal to 1888 Liberty Valley to save two people from a serial killer, the last thing she expects is to have the wizard she views as an age-old enemy return, seeking retribution for sins she committed in the past.

Wizard and healer in more than one life, Rowdy Tall-Deer struggled to survive when his soul-matched mate arranged his murder time and again, having rogue shape-shifters attack and eat him alive. Discovering a time portal that leads to the 21st century and the witch who betrayed him means making new plans. Does he opt for vengeance or attempt to learn the truth behind her machinations? Nothing is as it seems when her demon father becomes involved, determined to continue a war that began eons ago.

Will love finally conquer evil or is history doomed to repeat itself for their next life?



Other Books in the Liberty Valley Love series:

 


Liberty Valley Love – “Where no matter what, soulmates find each other.”


A Man’s World

Liberty Valley Love, Book 1

 

Cowboy Spell

Liberty Valley Love, Book 2


The Marshal’s Lady

Liberty Valley Love, Book 3

 

Hero Spell

Liberty Valley Love, Book 4


Trail Through Time

Liberty Valley Love, Book 5


Amazon

 


About the Author

Josie Malone lives on the family farm, a riding stable in the Cascade foothills where she organizes most of the riding programs, teaches horsemanship, nurses sick horses, holds for the shoer, trains whoever needs it – four-legged and two-legged. And writes books in her spare time, Liberty Valley Love, a paranormal western romance series, “where no matter what, soulmates find each other” and the Baker City Hearts and Haunts, a paranormal military romance series – “where love is real and so are the ghosts!”


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