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Blog Tour: Sunny Shelly Reviews Closer, by Carmen Jenner

Closer_Blog_Tour

Closer, the stunning conclusion to the Taint Duet from USA Today bestselling author Carmen Jenner is LIVE!

Closer_Carmen_Jenner_AMAZON

Levi Quinn has it all—money, groupies, a panty-melting smile, and a really big d*ck.

At least, he had it all. Until an angry redhead joined the Taint world tour and turned his life upside-down. Levi fell in love with her. His bandmate did too. It did not end well.

Brielle Kagawa doesn’t keep company with rock stars, but when this gifted cellist finds herself kicked out of the Orchestre de Parisan all-expenses-paid gig in the south of France seems too good to be true.

Because it is.

The man footing the bill might be a disorderly drunk, but he has an offer she can’t refuse—stay in his chateau and play for the month. No strings attached.

Yeah right.

The truth about rock stars is that they’re awfully good players, but Levi isn’t the only one who knows how to master a set of strings.

He’s broken-hearted.

She doesn’t have a heart to break.

Taint_Duet

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Closer was not an easy book to get through. It’s kind of dark, and Levi has some major issues. He’s absolutely broken-hearted, and makes some pretty awful decisions in the wake of the girl he’s in love with marrying his bandmate.

But one of those impulsive decisions leads to Brielle entering his life. They did not get off on the right foot at all — he broke the cello that her ill father had given her — and she comes back into his life because Levi is an egomaniac with money to spend. So their relationship is definitely and enemies-to-lovers one, but once they cross that line to romance, Levi is actually rather tender and sweet. A completely different man.

There was a lot about Closer that I felt kind of lost about, and that is my own fault for not realizing that this was the second book in a duet. I’m sure all of the questions I had about Levi’s past would have been answered had I read Revelry first. However, putting that aside, Closer is a great tale of a heartbroken man learning how to pick himself up by the bootstraps, face his demons and learn to love again.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2v8CTtx

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/CloserCJ

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2lLE7Wx

Cello_Tease_Closer_Carmen_Jenner

Start the duet today!

Revelry

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NYPfvq

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/RevelryCJ

Audible: https://amzn.to/2v7jzN5

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2v7473B

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2v8AGOL

Excerpt:

She lets out a soft cry, but it isn’t one of pain, it’s another kind of anguish. It’s need. “Please let me go,” she begs.

I study her face. “I don’t think you want me to let you go.”

“You’re wrong.”

I let her wrist slip free of my grasp and search her gaze. “Prove it.”

“I do not have to prove anything to you.”

“Then quit looking at me like you want me to fuck you, because it’s torture,” I snap. A week worth of pent-up frustration, of wanting this woman who refuses to give in, and never backs down. “It’s fucking torture the way you look at me.”

“Torture?” A crease forms between her brow. Fuck, she’s hot when she’s angry. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Just what I said. You can’t keep looking at me like that.” I take another step closer and she backs up against the door. “Or walk around in these skimpy little outfits, and you can’t be this close to me.”

“The robe was your idea, and you cornered me!”

“You’re right.” I sigh, and step back but she catches my collar in her fist and draws me closer.

About Carmen:

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

To stay up to date with news, new releases, and giveaways sign up to Carmen’s newsletter https://www.subscribepage.com/carmenjenner
Author_Photo

Connect with Carmen:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Jenner/e/B00GEUI8VI/

Website  https://www.carmenjenner.com/

Reader Group Carmen Jenner’s Sugar Junkieshttp://bit.ly/2x3K4pP

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Jenner/274005066033305

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carmen-jenner

Books + Main→https://bookandmainbites.com/users/2266

Instagram→https://www.instagram.com/carmenjennerauthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6547659.Carmen_Jenner

Pinterest→https://www.pinterest.com.au/carmenjenner/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CarmenJAuthor

 

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Cover Reveal: Austin by Jeannine Colette & Lauren Runow

Check out this gorgeous cover for AUSTIN: A Sexton Brothers Novel by Jeannine Colette and Lauren Runow! AUSTIN will hit your kindle on September 20, 2018! Don’t forget to add it to your TBR and pre-order your copy now!
Title: Austin: A Sexton Brothers Novel
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 20, 2018

Book Description
Jalynn
I’m the girl who’s always picking up the pieces of other people’s mistakes.
Until tonight.
I accidently cause one false start, and now I’m being pulled into a guy’s car—who everyone only knows as Falcon—before an illegal street race.
He may not want anyone to truly know who he is, but he’s met his match.
Game on, Falcon.
Austin
People know I run these races.
They know not to mess with me, or my car.
When the identity of the girl who causes a false start is revealed, I have to make an example of her.
Letting her see who I am was never the plan.
Neither was running into her the next day as my brother’s new assistant.
She said she wanted nothing to do with me, but when I yank her into a janitor’s closet, making sure she keeps my secret is the last thing on my mind.
She may want more than my secrets, but my racing may be the last thing I try to hide.

 

 

 About the Author:

Lauren Runow is the author of multiple Adult Contemporary Romance novels, some more dirty than others. When Lauren isn’t writing, you’ll find her listening to music, at her local CrossFit, reading, or at the baseball field with her boys. Her only vice is coffee, and she swears it makes her a better mom!

Lauren is a graduate from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is the founder and co-owner of the community magazine she and her husband publish. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.

You can also stay in touch through the social media links below.

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurenjrunow

Instagram at https://instagram.com/Lauren_Runow/

BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laure…

Twitter at https://twitter.com/LaurenRunow

Join her reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/16285…

or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/btD6j9

Jeannine Colette is the author of the Abandon Collection – a series of stand-alone novels featuring dynamic heroines who have to abandon their reality in order to discover themselves . . . and love along the way. Each book features a new couple, exciting new city and a rose of a different color.

A graduate of Wagner College and the New York Film Academy, Jeannine went on to become a Segment Producer for television shows on CBS and NBC. She left the television industry to focus on her children and pursue a full-time writing career. She lives in New York with her husband, the three tiny people she adores more than life itself, and a rescue pup named Wrigley.

Jeannine and her family are active supporters of The March of Dimes and Strivright The Auditory-Oral School of New York.

http://jeanninecolette.com/

 

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Now Live! Sunny Shelly Reviews Crossroads Of The Heart, by Savannah Maris

Release Date: August 22, 2018

Cover Design: MadHat Books

Model: Daniel Rengering

Photo Credit: Chris Redd Photography

 

Synopsis

 

Trust is hard won but easily lost.
Doubt can easily creep in, but it’s hard to crush.
And every heart comes to a crossroad. 

Which path would you choose?

Noah Carmichael was a small-town country boy who became one of the top entertainment lawyers in Atlanta, while Tamryn’s small-town charm helped her become one of the most sought-after models in the world. High school sweethearts turned power couple, their careers had them jetting around the globe. 

They had it all.

But they were rarely in the same country much less the same bedroom, and one shred of doubt led to another…
and another…
and another.

Until leaving was the only choice that made sense.

Will their hearts choose the right path back to each other? Or push them further apart?

 

Goodreads

Amazon US ~ https://amzn.to/2PsQapb

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

This story is a great reminder of how miscommunication and misconception can destroy a marriage.

Tamryn is on top of the game as a sought-after model, and her husband, Noah, is a top entertainment attorney. But when they each focus too much on heir careers, their relationship suffers, to the point where they rarely are even in the same city. So when Tamryn has reason to believe Noah has been unfaithful, she hightails it out of town.

As much as I enjoyed the story of Tamryn finding herself again, and the couple recalling how they fell in love as small-town teenage sweethearts, I had a huge issue with Tamryn just running away. She didn’t even know for sure! I get that her doing so is the reason for them finding their way back to one another, but it irked me to no end that she files for divorce on a hunch.

Still, Noah sets out to fight for his wife, and he does. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how they worked out all of their issues and focused on fixing their marriage. This was a really easy read, and an enjoyable one.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d350/?

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I’m Savannah Maris, a southern girl and hopeless romantic. I’m passionate about writing stories that incorporate southern charm with a little spice. Unwelcomed Greeting is my first book and the first book in the Riverton Crossing Series. 

I grew up on a farm in a small town with a love of sports, dance, and music which will show up somewhere in my books. I’m a mother to two grown kids. When I’m not writing, my husband and I are attending a sporting event, traveling, or working.

 

Connect with Savannah

 

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2L6hdDG

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2xRCURz

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2wPMzsA

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2vL3NpM

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2AGMtHV

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2tmISfY

 

 

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Restored Dreams, by L.B. Dunbar

 

unnamed.jpg
Title: Restored Dreams

Series: #sexysilverfoxes

Author: L.B. Dunbar
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2018
Blurb
More
romance for the over forty.
Brut Paige needs a life break.

As caretaker to his brother, his business, and his son, he’s used to being the
man to get things done.

Yet, along the way, he’s forgotten how to have fun.

Lily Warren deserves a vacation.

She’s worked hard to establish her bakery, a lifelong dream. She’s proud of her
accomplishments.

But, she knows there’s something missing.

A broken heart tore them apart.

A little matchmaking forces them together…

Twenty-two years later.

Funny thing about being over forty—forgiveness and frosting can lead to all
kinds of trouble…or restored dreams.

+ + +

If you loved Hank Paige in Midlife Crisis, you’ll want to learn more about his
brother, Brut, a sexy silver fox mechanic, and the lost woman of his dreams.

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Cupcake Stars

I really enjoyed this over-40 romance. The characters were totally relatable and completely likable. Brut and Lily were torn apart 22 years ago when he made a stupid mistake, one that had life-altering consequences. They are forced to spend time together by a pair of matchmakers (his brother, Hank, and her friend, Midge, from the previous book). A week alone at a beautiful beach house forces Lily and Brut to face the demons of their past… but is that enough for them to embark on a future together?

Once they leave the bubble of their beach vacation, there are a few outside forces working against them, and quite a bit of time passes before Lily and Brut have a conversation about where things stand between them. Complicating matters is the relationship that Lily has with Brut’s son, Chopper. And I think that’s what bugged me, as much as I loved them together and was hoping they’d make it official. She never told Brut when she had the chance, and Brut assumed Lily knew about his feelings for her, when it was all kind of murky. I didn’t want to see them playing games with one another when it came to their feelings; they are both too old for that. And I felt like they did a bit. Especially Brut. I wanted to smack him for being such an idiot!

Still, I enjoyed Restored Dreams very much. It is a charming second-chance romance that sets out to “restore” this couple’s dreams (not just the cars that Brut works on at his autobody shop!) and proves that it’s never too late to get your fairytale ending.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Purchase Links
$2.99 for a limited time
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited 

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

Author Bio

 

L.B. Dunbar loves the sweeter things in life: cookies,
Coca-Cola, and romance. Her reading journey began with a deep love of fairy
tales, medieval knights, Regency debauchery, and alpha males. She loves a deep
belly laugh and a strong hug. Occasionally, she has the energy of a Jack
Russell terrier. Accused—yes, that’s the correct word—of having an overactive
imagination, to her benefit, such an imagination works well. Author of over two
dozen novels, she’s created sweet, small town worlds; rock star mayhem; MMA
chaos; sexy rom-coms for the over 40; and intrigue on an island of redemption.
In addition, she is earning a title as the “myth and legend lady” for her
modernizations of mythology as elda lore. Her other duties in life include
mother to four children and wife to the one and only.

 

Author Links

 

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Available Now! Private D*ck, by Kat Savano

Private D*ck
Kat Savano
Publication date: August 22nd 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

It was supposed to be fun times in Vegas with the girls.

Drinks, shows, maybe losing a little money, and okay…maybe a little action too.

I’m down for it all when I’m shocked to spot the hottest hotshot lawyer from my firm. Benjamin Barker.

In Vegas. At the same time.

As me.

My mind whirled with possibilities, none of them good.

All of them leading to trouble.

He’s not here for long. He’s got a big case – and that’s not the only thing that’s big about the man.

He’s got some investigating to do to make his case in court.

And I’ve got a crush on the man.

A crush on the man that ends with us in a suite called the Kingpin suite. This cannot be good.

But what woman would deny something that feels so very, very good?

I’ll tell you one thing.

Not me.

I may cry later. I may regret it in the morning. I may want some “kingpin” to kill the bastard tomorrow. But right now, we’re in a suite. In Vegas. Together. In private.

And I’m all in.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Sienna

GirlsGone Wild. Well,that was how I thought of it as we landed in dazzling Las Vegas. I was a little nervous though, because it was one of the first times I’d traveledoutside of the Big Apple. By plane at least. Most other trips had taken place in cars, motorhomes, oh, and once on a motorcycle. That was a day to remember, andat the same time,it was a day I wanted to forget in equal measure. As we waited to get to our destination, Michaela and Donna chatted away like two raving lunatics. Drinking on the plane wasn’t the best thing to do, in my opinion. Going to the bathroom every couple of minutes was bad enough, especially when you got there with your legs crossed and the sign said, “Engaged.”

I was busy thinking of the motorcycle trip. Travis said to hold on tight. That was never something he needed to doubt… because I was absolutely, fully, desperately petrified. He wrongly mistook this as affection, rather than me hanging on from the fear of falling off, and I had quite-literally been terrified about rolling down the street like a tumbleweed in a gale. Even now, I get shivers down my spine when I think about how scary it was.

I looked up and came back into reality. The smiling hostess said we were free to leave the plane. I put my hand on Donna’s shoulder as we exited the busy sea of people. “Have a nice trip and enjoy your stay,” the hostess said as I reached the front door and the tunnel.

How polite and well-dressed they were in their flashy, yellow, safety jackets. I was actually impressed. We walked through the terminal and made our way toward the security desks. There was a bit of a line. However,they couldn’t be too careful with all the terrible things going on in the world. Terrorism had made life hard for every traveler in the sky.

As we walked through the terminal,I looked aboveme. They’ddone a magnificent job of advertising Las Vegas, while not making the airport appear trashy. Above where we walked there was a mural of all things associated with the tinsel town. It looked glorious, fabulous even. I guessed it was based on a nineteen-sixties design and had all the big casino names and stars of that incredibleera. Frank Sinatra, Elvis —I’m all shookup, and the piano god himself, Liberace.

I stood with my toes on the exactedge of the yellow line as the instruction said to do. I always liked rules. You couldn’t go wrong if you knew what was expected of you. I waited patiently as Donna slid her passport to the friendlysecurity man who sat in his small cubicle. Donna leaned on her elbow and twirled her gum around her finger.

My turn. I skipped excitedly to the guard and handed him my identification. I clamped my hands together and smiled. I hoped that traveling nerves didn’traise their suspicion, or they might’ve thought I’d smuggled something.

“Business or pleasure?” he asked as he scanned my face.

“All pleasure. It’s my first big trip out of New York, unless you count the time on a motorcycle, and…” I said, cutting myself short. I realized there was still a line of people also waiting behind the yellow line.

“Come on will you!” Donna yelled.

I smiled at the security guard. “BFF, you know what they’re like. Overexcitedand keen to hit the Strip, as I suppose you call it around here.”

“Have a nice trip.” He looked at my ID. “Sienna,” he replied, sliding my ID back under the glass.

I jogged as quickly as I could with my travel luggage wobbling from one wheel to the next. We stepped on the travellator and made our way to get our luggage.

“What number of roundthing are we at?” Michaela asked.

Donna laughed. “Carousel.”

A flash of color appeared before us as we reached the top of the escalator that led to the baggage claim. It wasn’t understated by a long chalky line. Gold, backlit stars sat on grey metallic paneling that were situated to the sides of a broadyellow Welcome To,and underneath were massivered and yellow letters that only spelled one thing. Allin caps… LAS VEGAS. As if anyone wouldn’t know where they were at this point of their holiday.

Michaela looked at me in a playful, but stern manner. “Okay,Miss Smarty Pants, just cause youse heducatedan’ all that,” she replied, in the worst, possible, fake accent I’d ever heard.

I stood leaning on the handle of the cart. MichaelaandDonna sat waiting for our cases to pop from the big hole in the wall. Donna threw her arms into the air like a soccer player who’d missed an important goal. She hated waiting for anything, even coffee.

As we waited,I looked around and up. The enormousconcrete columns reached high to the roof and must have been (approximately)forty or fifty feet. It was at that point that I stood in awe, with my head craned upward and looking at each of the bluey-white lights that shone around each column. The color scheme all had a tint of blue or gray. Shiny gray tiles (two-tone) with a mottled effect, polished stainless steel, and all the signage which mostly looked like blue neon. One thing stood out from the blue and silver theme. I turned my head and noticed a flash of red and white. Wow!

“Hey girls. Look up!” Donna and Michaela ignored meentirely.

I stood underneath a plane that hung from the ceiling. Typical, it was to advertise. “The Hacienda Hotel.”

“Yes! Here we go,” Donna squealed as our cases magically came one after the other. That was very surprising. I thought we might have had to wait until near the end. That must be so painful, the thought your case might be left back in the city.

As we ambled closer to the luggage desk, I noticed other things that increased in numbers. The airport was home to a seriousamount of slot machines. I wonder how many people have lost big time, without even leaving the airport?

We walked to the Nothing to Declare,green light. I had nothing in my case to actually declare, butI still had that feeling of apprehension. What if someone had tampered and slipped something inside? One of those harmfuldrugs… or something desperately illegal.

“Excuse me, Ma’am,” the luggage checker said as I started walking through the gate.

“Yes!” I squealed ina mouse-likevoice.

“Can I check your bags please?” he said. I gave a nod to signal my permission.

He walked from behind the counter and lifted my case onto the countertop. He asked me for the combination, soI gave it to himwithout attempting to open it myself. I stood watching with clammy hands. He openedthe case and folded back the top half. I watched nervously as he rummaged through my clothes. I closed my eyes.

No! Not my underwear, please.

The guard gave a cough. I sensed that was a signal of some kind, and then he pushed his hand inside my panties pile. Oh boy,that’s a first. Airport security hadtheir hands inside your panties before you left the airport. Weird.

Donna and Michaela stood inside the sliding doors and waited there. Donna looked annoyed, as per usual. I guessed it was rather hot outside. The sun streamed through the doors, and as I got there after my weird search by the bag guy, we all slipped our sunglasses over our eyes.

The doors parted, andit was hot, sweltering hot. “My word, it’s warm,” I said.

Donna huffed as she fought to stand her case on its end. She sat and slumped her shoulders in half-defeat. “You mean it’s freakin’ hot! Just say it, Sienna. Christ, sometimes you can be so naïve.”

“Donna… Donna… Donna. You know we shouldn’t use a wordlike that.”

Donna stood and spread her arms. “Fuck it, woman, we’re in Vegas.”

I looked over my shoulder and bowed my head a little. I was slightly embarrassed at her gung-hoattitude. I’d hoped this trip wasn’t going to be a mistake. First real vacation and my friends ruin it for me. I hoped not. They could be selfish, sometimes. I didn’t really understand why.

Michaela waved a cabbie who pulled up. The cabbie opened the trunk and squeezed our cases into the back. “Where you going?” he asked. I turned to Donna and Michaela. I saw they had no idea what the name of the place was.

I shook my head and tutted under my breath. “The Queen’s Hand.”

“Nice place. It’s not the largest place in the world, but it’s got everything you girls will need,” the cab driver explained, politely.

Donna leaned on the front seat. “Mister, you know if it’s got a pool?” He gave no answer as he sang to a Jamaican-inspired song on the radio. I don’t think he heard her, to be honest.

The cab pulled out from the airport and headed down the Strip. Hechatted with Donna as her lips smacked while she lovingly chewed on her gum. I heard him say the motel had a rooftoppool, which was convenient. One elevator ride from the second floor to the roof, and all that sunbathing. I imagined us all sipping on exotic cocktails while tanning and relaxing.

I leaned my head against the window and looked at all the obscure motels and casinos we passed as we made our way to Fremont Street. I’d done some research, andThe Queen’s Hand was the top end of motelsthat wasn’t on the Las Vegas Strip. If it hadn’t been for the fact we gained a significantdiscount,we might’ve ended up nowhere near the hub of activity at all.

“No more Tanby and Tanby for a while. I can forget all that number crunching,” I said to Michaela.

“Why did you go into accounting in the first place? You gotta admit, it’s not very girly, isit?Look at Donna. She’s the epitome of femininity, and she has the perfect job to show it off.”

I sat with a really puzzled expression on my face when I turned to look at Michaela and answer. “Donna works in a shoe store.”

“What was that?” Donna said, turning her head from chatting with the cabbie.

I smiled at her. “Nothing, we were just commenting on how feminine you are.”

Donna smacked her lips in response and finished by blowing me a kiss. “Yeah-right! I come from the Bronx, you think I’m gonna be ladylike?”

Michaela turned to me and smiled. “What did I tell you? What an absolute lady.”

The cab pulled to the front of The Queen’s Hand. A valet opened the trunk and pulled out the cases and loaded them onto a cart. With a wide smile, he wheeled them through the front door of the motel.

We stood and looked at the frontage. It was very-much understated because it was right onthe corner. The entrance sat under a golden-litcanopy with the words emblazoned like sequins. It looked amazing as each letter twinkled with silver, sparkling lights.

“I have to say. The service is excellent. How helpful theyall are,” I said as we walked toward the foyer.

Immediately, I saw that the inside was a little more glamorous, a blast from the past, in a way. White marble floors that were in layedwith smaller ebony colors at the corner of the floor tiles. The counter appeared to be real cream marble, and it had decorative circles embellished down the full length of it. I then looked up. The ceiling was covered in mirrors and lights.

We checked in and found out that we were, in fact, booked in on the second floor. The valet wheeled the cart to the elevator and smiled politely as he walked us to the room. He slid the key in the lock and pushed open the door.

Donna entered first, as usual, and it made sense because she’d always been the assertive one.Andthen, Michaela and I walked in after her. I was pleasantly surprised how clean and inviting it felt. The room looked lovely. Two, large, double beds (two of us were to share) and funky-colored, striped drapes. Apart from that, the furnishings looked top quality and were dark oak, mostly. Atop the drawers sat a large flat screen for the times when we weren’t lounging around by the pool.

The valet politely coughed. I sensed he was waiting for a tip. I reached intomy bag and pulled out ten dollars and slid it into the palm of his hand. He left.

“You tipped him?” Michaela asked.

“Of course. Statistics say that people in this line of work rely on…” I attempted to say.

“Of course they do,” Donna butted in, as she focused on looking out of the window.

Michaela started to strip. “I’m not sure about you two, but I’m going up to the roof pool to do a little evening swimming.”

Donna yelled with excitement. “I’m coming with you. Sienna, you gonna come, or what?”

“I’ll give it a miss. I’m going to have a walk around downstairs and check out the amenities.”

“Suit yourself, you know where we are.”

The door slammed as the two girls headed upstairs, nearly immediately. I changed into something a little more casual. I shoved twenty dollars into my pocket with the room keys, and then I headed back down to the ground floor.

I looked at the large notice board and read what was on offer. It was easy to see that for the hustle and bustleand free music, we’d definitely chosen the right place. Fremont Street staged the free Downtown Hoedownthis week, which might be fun.

I tilted my head back as I heard screams billowing in shrieks from the gaming room. It sounded as if someone just won a jackpot on one of the slot machines. I was tempted. My pocket had a twenty that itched to be changed and join in the fun. I liked gambling… in moderation.

I left the cashier window with a paper cup full of coins and strolled around the slots. By the time I’d reached halfway down the container,I thoughtI wouldn’t win.

And then…

Not the jackpot, although coins streamed out from the machine. I happily filled the cup, and then some. I headed back to the cashier’swindow and converted them all to chips. My twenty had now become fifty.

I walked around the tables. Poker —too hard. Craps —I really had no idea how to play. So, as if by magic, I found myself at the roulette table. I knew this was pretty simple. Pick a number and place your bets as the croupier called out each time he spun the wheel. I stuck to red and black —being an accountant I hedged my bets against losses, and slowly increased my pile of wonderful chips.

Suddenly, I felt that someone was watching me. I looked up and saw a familiar face. I kept my head bowed as I glanced from the corner of my eye. A little older than me, with short, dark hair. Piercing brown eyes. Where did I recognize himfrom?

Think, think. Oh… Shit. He’s coming this way.

The apartment building?

Oh boy! He’s coming to me.

I felt a warmth pursue my face. I kept my head tilted as the croupier slid another few chips in my direction.

Elevator. He’sthe guy who goes past floor two. It’s…it’s…floor four.

I recognized the guy. He lived in the same apartment building as me in New York. I noticed his face in the polished stainless steel of the elevator. He leaned on the rear wall and looked cool, calm and collected.

Tanby and Tanby. He worked at the same firm as me. The guy with the smoldering good looks and rugged, handsome features.

It’s…it’s… that hotshotlawyer. It’s Benjamin Barker. In my motel, in Vegas. At myroulette table. Walking toward me. Oh God!

He sidled up at the side of me.

He must’ve seen that I’d recognized him. Who wouldn’t recognizethe one and only Benjamin Barker? All the girls swooned in the office when he was around.I wondered why he was here. In Vegas, at the same time.

“Benj…” he started to say with a smile. I impolitely butted in. More from nerves than being ignorant.

“Sienna. We live in the same apartment, I’m floor two, and you’re… um,” I said.

“Four.”

I then mentioned we worked at the same firm (Tanby and Tanby) and he asked if I was a guest at the motel. He smelled divine. A mix of peppermint and strawberry that made my nose feel tickly.

“Second floor.”

He smiled. “Well! Isn’t that a coincidence?” he chortled.

Isn’t it just.

 

 

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Cover Reveal: Off The Ice, by L.P. Dover

 

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Title: Off the Ice
A Breakaway Novel
Author: L.P. Dover
Genre: Sports Romance

Cover Design: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs

Photo: Golden Czermac, FuriousFotog

Model: Jack Storer

Release Date: October 16, 2018

 

Blurb

He’s always made the scoring plays, both on and off the
ice, but this time he has a new goal … the one for Meghan’s heart.

I’m Justin Davis, all-star center for the Charlotte
Strikers. For years, I chased the spotlight, not only with hockey, but through
television as well. That’s why I decided to play the bachelor on Rich
and Single. 
Unfortunately, I was stuck with a fake fiancée from hell
who I couldn’t stand to be around. Now that our contract is up, I’m allowed to
do whatever I want, with whoever I want. I plan to take full advantage of my
newfound freedom.
After being on the show, people don’t recognize me for
hockey anymore, even with just winning the Stanley Cup for my team. That’s why
I’m spending the off season in a remote cabin in Wyoming where the chances of
people knowing me are slim. Space is what I need, but when a down to earth
beauty needs help on her ranch, I can’t resist. Meghan Taylor is exactly what
I’ve been looking for, even though I’m not the kind of man she wants.
Getting her to see the real me has its challenges, but the
more time I spend with her, the easier it is for her to see that I’m not the
same guy she knows from TV. Being away from the media is one thing, but as soon
as I’m back in the spotlight, I’m afraid it’ll change what we have. I don’t
want to lose her, but I also can’t hide away in Wyoming forever. It’s a choice
I’m not ready to make.

 

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Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author L. P. Dover
 is a
southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful
girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics,
enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
She loves to write,
but she also loves to play golf, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting,
and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and
every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written
countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series,
the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters
series, the Society X series, the Circle of Justice series, and her standalone
novels It Must’ve Been the Mistletoe and Love, Lies,
and Deception. 
Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic
suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with
her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
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Available Now: 120 Days by M. Stratton

Title: 120 Days…
Author: M. Stratton
Genre: Women’s Fiction
 
Blurb:
There is more to cancer than death.
120 days… The average number of days someone stays at Last Resort.
17 weeks… Surrounded by love, laughter and support.
4 months… More time than they had before they walked through the door.
Real estate developer Ethan McGregor’s life was changed forever when his younger brother told him he was dying of cancer. Ethan was ready to do whatever it took to save Evan, but Evan had other plans.
Say goodbye…
Samantha Truman runs the privately-funded Last Resort. Watching her parent’s drive and determination to live longer than the doctors gave them was the inspiration for the resort. It is her heart and soul–she lives to make sure that each day is precious, and one more sunrise or sunset can make all the difference the guests at Last Resort need.
After finding his brother’s journal, and discovering more about Last Resort, Ethan is determined to find out if this place is one of those “too good to be true” places that turn out to be a scam. But he was not ready for Samantha Truman, he was not ready for everything to change, for his point of view in life to be so incredibly altered, for the world to turn its axis. There are, after all, some things Ethan can’t control, who to fall in love with is one of them.
How much can change in 120 days?
M. Stratton is an International Amazon bestselling author in the romantic suspense and mystery suspense categories for her Storm Series and Bender. She lives with her husband and son in Arizona, which is a big difference from where she grew up north of Chicago, Illinois. As an only child she learned to tell herself stories to make the long winters go by quicker while dreaming of summer vacations. Now as an adult she still makes up stories to pass the time, but now she writes them down to share with other people.
Stratton is a self-proclaimed dork who loves to make people laugh. Her inner rock star is always on stage performing to a sold out crowd, but she quiet and shy on the outside. She spends her days plotting new ways to surprise her readers.
Author Links:
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Release Blitz: Closer, by Carmen Jenner

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Closer, the stunning conclusion to the Taint Duet from USA Today bestselling author Carmen Jenner is LIVE!

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Levi Quinn has it all—money, groupies, a panty-melting smile, and a really big d*ck.

At least, he had it all. Until an angry redhead joined the Taint world tour and turned his life upside-down. Levi fell in love with her. His bandmate did too. It did not end well.

Brielle Kagawa doesn’t keep company with rock stars, but when this gifted cellist finds herself kicked out of the Orchestre de Parisan all-expenses-paid gig in the south of France seems too good to be true.

Because it is.

The man footing the bill might be a disorderly drunk, but he has an offer she can’t refuse—stay in his chateau and play for the month. No strings attached.

Yeah right.

The truth about rock stars is that they’re awfully good players, but Levi isn’t the only one who knows how to master a set of strings.

He’s broken-hearted.

She doesn’t have a heart to break.

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Start the duet today!

Revelry

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About Carmen:

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?
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Connect with Carmen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmenJennerAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarmenJAuthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carmenjenner/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenjennerauthor/

SnapChat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/TheCarmenJenner

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Stay up to date with Carmen by joining her mailing list here:

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http://www.carmenjenner.com

 

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Release Blitz: Truth Or Dare, by Anne Conley

 

It’s release day for Anne Conley’s Truth or Dare. Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Truth or Dare

Author: Anne Conley

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Truth or Dare:

When a child’s game goes delightfully wrong, Jude finds himself rethinking his current status quo. Jude finds himself strangely looking to Annette to make sense of his own life.

Annette is trying not to get distracted by the sexy firefighter, but when her artistic retreat begins in disaster, Jude’s playing the hero she can’t ignore. Suddenly, her artwork is completely changed with Jude’s exquisite lines transforming her landscapes.

Up until now, their life was like a notebook full of doodles, but it’s turning into a full-fledged art showing, and neither of them know how to deal with the embers of desire when they ignite into flames.

 

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Exclusive Excerpt:

He hadn’t been subtle. Drake wanted her in his bed. She’d reiterated once more when he’d picked her up that this was not a date and she wasn’t getting romantic with him, but he’d acted so affronted she’d let it go.

His hands were like little tentacles roaming over her backside, just barely keeping his touches PG.

Annette almost welcomed the prickle she felt at her shoulder blades. Even though his manicured hand was on her lower back, it was cold and dry. The heat she felt at the base of her neck was blazing, spreading out on her exposed shoulder blades.

It was like someone was setting her body on fire with just one look, and she couldn’t stop herself from craning her neck to see who it was.

Amber eyes just behind her. Amber eyes she had drawn more than she forgot, even though after that kiss, she knew she had to forget. That kiss which spoke of nothing but possibilities. Possibilities of sleepless nights, sweaty sheets, and breakfast in bed.

She almost groaned aloud at his appearance. It wasn’t just the fact he was here, which shouldn’t have surprised her because it seemed the whole town was here. But he wore a firefighter’s dress uniform like he was born to wear it. The red stripe down the pants leg, the shield on the breast pocket, the silver buttons going down the double-breasted jacket that fit over his biceps like a second skin, the hat tucked under his arm.

It figured he was a firefighter. That gave him another layer of hotness—one she couldn’t deal with. If he was hard to resist before, just the fact he was someone who ran into danger willy-nilly to save lives detonated her panties.

She turned her head back to the dirty-joker, trying to ignore him, but as if Jude knew what she was up to, he spoke.

“Drake, my man, how’s things? You bid on the cabin yet?” Jude clapped Drake on the back as if they were old friends, which also figured.

This whole cabin thing had her flummoxed. Drake had made a huge deal out of making sure she didn’t have a job—a subtle reminder of what he perceived she owed him—and was bidding on this cabin on the mountain as a retreat for her so she could finish the pieces for the gallery show. On the surface, it was a generous offer, especially after she saw how much he bid on it, but she knew Drake’s type, and he was calculating. She had clarified that she would be alone at the cabin, and he’d acted insulted she would think otherwise.

But she wasn’t stupid.

“Jude, I’d like you to meet my latest discovery, Annette Young.” Drake pushed her with his hand at her back, yet he left it there possessively. He was staking his claim and flaunting her in another man’s face, and it was starting to piss her off.

Instead of shaking her hand, Jude leaned down and kissed her knuckles, his lips a reminder of their shared kiss. His warm lips were soft, slightly parted, and if she wasn’t mistaken, his tongue snaked out for a taste.

As Jude’s golden eyes glowed at her in the darkness, Annette felt her body’s reaction to him. She was panting, her knees were slightly weak, and the blazing, tickling feeling she’d felt between her shoulder blades earlier was now traveling through her bloodstream, pooling low in her belly.

Yep. Needed to steer clear of this guy.

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

Anne has written her entire life and has the boxes of angst-filled journals and poetry to prove it. She’s been writing for public consumption for the past several years. She lives in rural East Texas with her husband and children in her own private oasis, where she prides herself in her complete lack of social skills, choosing instead to live with the people inside her head.

Currently, she has five romance series. Playing with Fire explores the trials and tribulations of a small team of fire fighters in the fictional mountain town of Pamona Gulch. In Pierce Securities, she gives us Ryan, Evan, Miriam, Zack, Quinten, Jordan, Hollerman, and Simon. Her favorite series, Book B!tches, is all about a group of women in Mystic, Texas who get into all sorts of shenanigans. In Stories of Serendipity, she explores real people living real lives in small town Texas in a contemporary romance setting. In The Four Winds, she chronicles God’s four closest archangels, Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael, falling in love and becoming human.

 

 

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Blog Tour: Sunny Shelly Reviews Bring Down The Stars, by Emma Scott

 

 

 

I fell for Connor Drake. I didn’t want to; I fought against it, but I fell in love with him anyway. With his words. With his poetry. With him. The gentleness and beauty of his soul that speaks directly to mine. He writes as if he can feel my heart, hear its cadence and compose the exact right lyrics to accompany every beat and flow.

I’m in love with Connor…so why do I feel an inexplicable pull to his best friend, Weston? Grouchy, sullen, brooding Weston Turner, who could cut you down with a look. Fiercely intelligent with a razor sharp wit and acid tongue, he’s the exact opposite of Connor in every way, and yet there’s electricity in the air between us. The thorny barbs Weston wraps around himself can’t keep me away.

But the more time I spend with these men, the more tangled and confused my emotions become. When they both sign up for the Army Reserves during a time of increasing strife in the Middle East, I fear I’ll never unravel my own heart that sometimes feels as if it will tear straight down the middle…for both of them.

**********
Bring Down the Stars is an emotional, angst-filled novel of unrequited love by bestselling author, Emma Scott, and is inspired by the classic tale, Cyrano de Bergerac. (Roxanne) It is Book I in the Beautiful Hearts Duet, coming this summer. Book II, Long Live the Beautiful Hearts, to be released a few weeks later. #lovetriangle #confusedhearts #notamenage

 

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

A masterpiece! Inspired by Cyrano de Bergerac, Bring Down The Stars is a hauntingly beautiful love triangle tale of unrequited love. Emma Scott made me fall head over heels in love with tortured, broken, insecure Weston, determined and heartbroken Autumn, and happy-go-lucky playboy/family black sheep Connor.

Weston may have met Autumn first, but it is Conner who makes the first move, completely unaware of how his best friend feels. And because Wes feels that he owes such a huge debt to Connor, he goes above and beyond to help his buddy win the girl. Even when it is his own words and feelings that Autumn believes to be Connor’s.

The guys are both deceiving Autumn, but you know that going in since this book is clearly based on Cyrano. But then there is another level of how Wes is deceiving both Connor and Autumn, because he’s in love with his best friend’s girlfriend — and it is his true feelings, not just poetic words, that he’s saying. That’s making Autumn fall in love with Connor.

There is also an instance of cheating, but it is a necessary evil to propel this story forward. I cannot wait for the conclusion of this duet! I thought I had an inkling of how the story would progress in the next book, but after reading the preview prologue, I honestly have no idea how it’s going to play out!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

 

 

Excerpt

I took the cement stairs into the library and entered the cool, hushed confines of the main reading room. None of the long mahogany desks with green-shaded lamps were empty. One of the university clubs had taken over two-thirds of the space. The rest of the tables were filled with students like me, trying to get a head start their course load.

I finally found an empty seat at the end of a table, opposite a blond guy engrossed in reading. His open backpack spilled books and papers into what I hoped could be my table territory.

“Excuse me,” I whispered. “Can I…?”

He looked up, his expression vaguely hostile. Piercing blue-green eyes set in a stunningly handsome, if angular, face met mine. High cheekbones, sharp chin and long straight nose. He looked chiseled out of smooth stone at first glance, then his features softened for a moment as his gaze swept over me. Something like recognition lit up his eyes, and I could see the gears of his brain turning as he studied, analyzed, and then came to a conclusion. Not a good one, I guessed, because his expression hardened again.

“Yeah, sure,” he muttered. He stood up, leaning his tall, slender frame over the table to corral the books back into his pack.

“Thanks,” I said, thinking if he wasn’t a basketball player or a runner, he was a model.

All right, girl, get a grip.

I sat, cracked my textbook and settled in to read. I wasn’t through two pages when the words blurred to nonsensical gibberish and my skin prickled with the sensation of being watched.

I glanced up, straight into the ocean eyes of the guy across from me. A million thoughts swirled in their soft depths before they quickly glanced down. He slouched lower in his chair, disappearing behind his book—the collected poems of Walt Whitman. Part of me wanted to melt. Good lord, a hot guy reading poetry? I was only human.

And this is how you wound up with a broken heart in the first place.

I must’ve been frowning at the book because the guy held it up and said, “Not a fan?”

I blinked back to reality. “No,” I said. “I mean, yes. I love Whitman. And poetry in general. I just… Never mind.”

He regarded me a long moment, then slowly closed Whitman and picked up Atlas Shrugged from his short stack of books.

“Ugh, that’s even worse,” I muttered without thinking, and then shook my head. “God, sorry, I left my filter at home. Don’t listen to me.”

His lip curled. “Is there anything in my collection you approve of?”

A hot, smart asshole, I thought. Game on.

“Sorry,” I said. “I’m not in a good mood today and it’s making me forget my manners. I’ll leave you to read your capitalist propaganda in peace.”

The guy’s eyebrows shot up, disappearing under the blond hair that fell across his brow. “Not a fan of Rand either?” He smirked knowingly. “No, of course you aren’t.”

My blood heated at his flippant tone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The guy nodded at my textbook—Global Responsibility and the Third-World Hunger Epidemic—and shrugged, as if that answered everything.

“Oh.” I frowned. “Well… yes. I mean, Rand’s point of view is purely capitalist and mine isn’t. Not by a long shot.”

The student sitting to my right exchanged glances with the girl sitting across from him. Then both packed up their books and left.

“We’re being disruptive,” I said to my across-table neighbor. “We need to stop talking now.”

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes intent on me. “So what’s your point of view?”

“My what?”

“You said your point of view isn’t capitalist.” He raised a brow. “So what is it?”

“Humanist, I suppose. Since you asked. I think everyone, regardless of race, creed, income-level, or sex should be granted the same shot as anyone else.” I raised a brow at him. “But you don’t?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?” he said with a slight chuckle. “Since we’re tossing labels around, I’m a realist.” He held up his book. “And not a fan of Rand either.”

“You’re not?” I leaned back too, crossing my arms. “Are you just messing with me or what?”

“Maybe,” he said. “What do you care what I think anyway?”

My mouth fell slack. “I don’t. Thanks for reminding me.”

“No problem.”

“Wow, you’re rude.”

“That’s the word on the street.”

“I can see why.” I lifted my own book up to signal conversation over, but my eyes wouldn’t focus. I could feel the hum of his presence like a field of electrical wires, getting under my skin and infiltrating my thoughts. The buzz went beyond distraction. It felt like a challenge had been laid down.

And I never walked away from a challenge.

I lowered my book to see the guy’s glance hide behind his book again.

“Well?” I demanded.

“Well what?”

Why are you watching me?

“Why are you reading Ayn Rand if you don’t like her either?”

“Required reading for an English Lit minor.”

“And your major? Let me guess, pre-law.”

“God, no,” he said.

I raised my eyebrows but he offered nothing more. “Are you going to make me run through Amherst’s list of majors until I guess which one is yours?”

“Yes,” he said. “Alphabetically, please.”

A laugh burst out of me against my will, and the guy almost smiled. Every one of his hard angles softened.

“Economics,” he said. “But I don’t know what I’m doing with it.”

“That feels like the most honest thing you’ve said to me so far,” I said.

“And that’s important to you?”

“Yes,” I said, my laughter dying away as I remembered Mark and that girl, naked in the bed I’d slept in just the night before. “Honesty is very important.”

He lifted one shoulder.

“You don’t agree?” I asked.

“Being honest is sometimes mistaken for being rude.”

“You must be really honest,” I said.

Again, he almost smiled. “Must be.”

Satisfied that I’d held my own against this beautiful but hostile member of the opposite sex, I went back to my book…for eight entire seconds before my skin started prickling again. The electric hum of his attention was impossible to ignore.

When I looked up this time, he didn’t look away but cleared his throat.

“I’m Weston Turner.”

 

 

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Emma Scott is a bestselling author of emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy thoughtful, realistic stories with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy my novels.

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