Emelia Sullivan and Andy Dalton have been friends since they were five years old—the day his family moved in to the house next door. Connected by bedroom windows that faced each other and a treehouse they shared in the backyard, the two became lifelong best friends. Emelia loved Andy with all her heart.
But not like she loved his older brother, Samuel.
Tall, handsome, and the absolute best at everything he ever did, Samuel Dalton captured Emelia’s heart without even trying. He was her first, and longest-lasting, crush.
Children grow up and move away from home. With effort, some ties are strengthened by time. Some are frayed, on the verge of breaking.
For Emelia, coming home to see Andy over summer break is easy. Finding out Samuel is home for the summer too, however, provides a challenge she is determined to overcome. Will a friendly competition for the title of “Best Man” help Samuel see Emelia is not the same little girl he left behind years ago?
No matter how long she’s been away, home is the place Emelia can count on, where everything always stays the same.
Until it all changes.
The Best Man is a roller coaster of emotions, and one of those stories that stayed on my mind even after I’d finished reading it. While Emmy is in love with both brothers Andy and Samuel, this story wasn’t a love triangle; Andy is clearly her best friend and Samuel the guy she’s loved for as long as she can remember. When Andy gets engaged, a friendly competition is enacted to see who is “the best man.”
When Emmy finally gets her moment with Samuel, that happiness is shattered by a tragic turn of events. I didn’t want that to be the one and only time for them! There is a lot that goes on in both of their lives before they are able to get to that happy place once again, but the ending is perfectly perfect and for all the tears I shed, I finished The Best Man with a smile on my face.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Kat Tammen lives with her husband and son in a small town in Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri. A true blue Cancerian, she enjoys writing stories which take readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride. From laughing to crying, and everything in between, she writes authentic and relatable characters readers care about.
A firm believer that life is too short to not have fun, she tries not to take herself too seriously. She’s been known to break into song mid-sentence, and frequently recites random movie quotes. She wishes sarcasm had its own font and thinks wine should be considered its own food group. She’s also very proud of the fact that she can solve a Rubik’s Cube. Most of all- she truly believes all you need is love.
Today we are taking part in the blog tour for DILF DIARIES: OH BABY by Stephanie St. Klaire! This book kicks off a brand new series that you cannot miss! Enter the giveaway below to win a surprise book box, including a Kindle!
Women are setting their lawns on fire and sticking cats in trees all so they can dial 911 and get a glimpse of Jack Decker’s…hose. When a firefighter looks like he does, it’s no wonder panties are melting, and hearts are ablaze all over the city because he is H-O-T…hot! Jack might put out fires like a regular hero, but it doesn’t stop him from heating up the sheets and letting them smolder.
In a burning twist of fate, Jack finds himself up all night long for an entirely new reason, a reason that’s anything but smoldering. That is until the feisty firecracker next door threatens to ignite a fire he doesn’t know how to battle…Oh Baby!
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
DILF Diaries: Oh Baby is a shorter story, but it is full of fun and sexy and laugh out loud moments. Jack is a playboy firefighter whose world gets upended when baby Ramsey is deposited at his doorstep.
With no one else to turn to, Jack asks his upright neighbor, Juliet — who pretty much loathes him — for an assist.
Watching Jack struggle with parenthood and make so many rookie mistakes (we have all been there!) was hysterical. And the banter between Jack and Juliet is romcom enemy gold. She is witty and razor-sharp, and definitely keeps him on his toes!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review
For a few more days only, enter the RELEASE GIVEAWAY for a chance to win a surprise book box filled with goodies — including a Kindle!
Stephanie St. Klaire is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Portland, Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs that are used to the finer things in life like sleeping all day. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found with a plate full of taco’s, a side of bean dip, and probably some gummy bears while being a little bit hippy and a lot bit busy mom’ing and wife’ing.
When she’s not tossing around gritty crime show inspired serial killers and diabolical bad guys, she likes to make people pee their pants a little with a good romcom. Sometimes, her worlds collide, and she writes really funny stuff right before she kills people off on the pages! She loves murder and mayhem as much as a good laugh and HEA! That’s why she’s a die-hard Hallmark junky but loves her gritty crime shows – balance!
Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.
Follow Stephanie St. Klaire on Social media to learn more about her, how often she really eats taco’s, and to keep up with her work.
Kass, never in a million years, would have pictured herself as someone’s groupie, but when Eli and his band score a spot on the hot new reality TV show, Hold That Note, she decides to surprise him in L.A… and hopefully win back his heart.
Denise Jaden’s novels have been shortlisted or received awards through the Romance Writers of America, Inspy, and SCBWI. The first draft of her debut novel, Losing Faith, was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo 2007 and she loves talking with writers and students alike about her Just-Get-To-The-End fast-drafting process. Jaden’s other young adult novels include Never Enough, Foreign Exchange, A Christmas Kerril, and Avalanche. Her non-fiction books for writers include, Writing with a Heavy Heart, Fast Fiction, and Story Sparks. In her spare time, she homeschools her son, acts with the Vancouver film industry, and dances with a Polynesian dance troupe. Find out more at denisejaden.com.
R.S. Grey’s next romantic comedy, NOT SO NICE GUY, releases August 9th! Check out the cover and find out more about NOT SO NICE GUY below!
About NOT SO NICE GUY (available August 9th)
“Oh my god. Who is that?”
I get asked this question a lot.
“Oh him?” I reply. “That’s just Ian.”
Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century. Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol’ washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile.
Just Ian is…just my best friend.
We’re extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at work assumes we’re a couple—that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher’s lounge that he’s single. Fair game. Suddenly, it’s open season on Ian.
He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine.
He’s turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into X-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge.
I want to assume he’s playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always—but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn’t leave a lot of room for confusion.
I’m a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can’t keep my hands to myself. So, I’m just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss—oh who am I kidding?!
R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com
The Redemption Duet, an Emotional Second Chance Romance by T.K. Leigh is releasing on July 29th and September 23rd!!
She’s my sister’s best friend.
She thinks I’ve never noticed her.
She couldn’t be more wrong.
Now I just needs to prove it to her…before she walks down the aisle.
Brooklyn Tanner and Andrew Brinks have a long history…one she wants nothing more than to forget. Considering he’s her best friend’s brother and single father to two amazing girls who mean the world to her, it’s almost impossible.
When the man she’s been dating proposes, she thinks it’s exactly what she needs to finally close this chapter of her life. After all, over sixteen years have passed since she gave Andrew Brinks her heart, only for him to destroy it. Why should that matter now?
But it matters to Drew.
When he learns of her engagement, he realizes he has a decision to make. Does he finally tell Brooklyn the truth of what happened all those years ago? Or does he watch her marry another man to protect her from enduring any more pain?
T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a USA Today Best Selling author of the Beautiful Mess series, in addition to several other works. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog, and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). In late 2015, she gave birth to her first (and only) baby. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall) or keeping her daughter entertained.
Love, Cutter Michelle Jester
Publication date: August 28th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
After an attempted suicide Carter finds himself in a coma. He is able to hear the world around him, yet he can’t move. What he hears propels Carter to begin to see life in a new way, especially when one of his nurses, Kinley, shares parts of her tragic past with him. Soon, Carter realizes he is falling in love with her.
Months after being transferred from the hospital, to a rehabilitation facility, he suddenly wakes up with a passion to live that he never had before and a determination to find the one person he feels may be able to help him put the pieces of his life together again. However, when he returns to the hospital, Kinley is gone and Carter must try to find her based solely on the things she shared with him while he was in a coma.
Only, nothing is as it seems and Carter learns the biggest lesson of them all… the differences between expectation, perception, and reality.
Michelle Jester lives in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. Together they have a son and daughter. She is a hopeless romantic and has been writing poems and stories for as long as she can remember.
One of her prize possessions is a bracelet with only a yellow, Rubber Duckie charm on it; which she wears every day to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!
Today we are celebrating the release of OFFICE MATE by Katie Ashley. This is a standalone, contemporary romance title. Check out the blurb and buy links below!
From the first time I played army as a kid, the military has been my life. As an Airborne Major, I’d led my men through two tours in Afghanistan. But when my father was elected president, I became an even greater target for the enemy—a prize for someone to take out. To ensure not only the safety of myself, but of my men, I got stripped of my cammies, shoved into an Armani suit, and placed into a management position at my father’s company. After years of trekking through the desert with an assault rifle, I was way out of my area of expertise, which my transition coordinator was more than happy to let me know on a daily, if not hourly basis. The brunette bombshell would be the death of me in more ways than one, especially since I hadn’t been with a woman since my last deployment. She’s turning out to be one of the greatest foes I’ve ever done battle with.
Isabel
In the backwoods Georgia town I was born in, you either married right out of high school or got the hell out of town. I chose the second and never looked back. After graduating top in my class, I started working for The Callahan Corporation. Fast forward five years and I was about to become the youngest female manager in the history of my department. And then all the blood, sweat, and tears I’d put into my career were for nothing when the boss’s billionaire son was handed my position on a silver platter. Not only that, I was expected to help transition him into the job that was supposed to be mine. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes with his chiseled good-looks and impossibly built physique, but I’m not going to let that distract me. I hope soldier boy is good at military strategy because sabotage is the name of the game I’ll be playing.
STEAMY! Thorn and Isabel definitely have the enemies-to-lovers thing down! From the moment they meet, he is a major “thorn” in her side, and the push/pull between these two is epic. Their antagonism, scheming and bickering all leads to sexual tension that jumps off the page And when these two finally give in, it is explosive! But will their hatred of one another make them crash and burn, or lead them to that fine line that borders love?
OfficeMate is a steamy office romance with an incredible payoff that is worth a late-night binge read! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her spoiled mutt, Duke. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Scooby-Doo.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she hung up her red pen and expo markers to become a full-time writer. Each and every day she counts her blessings to be able to do her dream job.
Although her roots are firmly planted in the red Georgia clay, she loves traveling the country and world to meet readers and hang out with fellow authors. When she’s not writing or chasing down her toddler, you might find her watching reruns of The Golden Girls, reading historical biographies, along with romance novels, or spending way too much time on Facebook.
Julie Prescott is the life of every party.
She’s loud, witty, and uses her body and pretty face to get whatever she wants.
She’s never had a problem hooking up with guys, or ditching them when they
don’t live up to her standards. Julie has a list of exes a mile long and a
reputation to match, but she’s looking for more than just a degree in college.
She’s looking for Mr. Perfect.
Ben Sutherland is the enigmatic bassist of a
popular local band. Born blind, Ben depends on his other senses to help him
understand the world around him on a deeper level. His sultry voice and musical
talent might make it impossible for him to go unnoticed on campus, but Ben
isn’t looking for fame or groupies. He’s looking to perfect his music.
Julie’s been lusting after Ben for months and
when she finally meets him at a party, her confidence is shaken when she
discovers she can’t use her physical beauty to charm him. Even though she’s
always relied on her looks, it’s her personality that wins Ben
over and he’s determined to show her that she’s more than just a pretty
face.
But falling in love is the easy part. Family
lies, a questionable reputation, and the chance of a lifetime threaten to tear
Ben and Julie apart. Can they trust the futures they’ve chosen or will they
take the biggest risk of all and listen to the sound of their own hearts?
He kissed
the corner of my mouth and up the edge of my jaw. As his mouth made its way
along my profile, his hand—the one that had pulled mine away—was slipping under
the edge of my shirt to drag the fabric up my body. “You’ve seen me. Let me see
you.”
“How?” I
asked, breathless from his touch.
“With my
hands.” Kiss. “My lips.” Kiss.“My
tongue.”’
My breath
hitched as his tongue traced the shape of my lips.
“Be my
guest,” I said, arching my body into his, trying to touch as much of him as I
could.
His mouth
curved into a smile and his brown eyes focused on me with that strange gaze of
his. I wondered what went through his mind when he looked at me. He couldn’t
see me, yet he held me in that deep gaze like he could see everything. Like he
knew me better than anyone else ever had.
Let me see you.
His
request, as much as the rest of him, set my heart racing. I wasn’t sure anyone
had truly seen me. My mom saw only what she wanted to see—a project to improve
upon, or a sidekick in her search for the man of her dreams. Everyone else, my
friends included, saw what I wanted them to see—a confident girl who knew how
to have fun and who never let the world get to her.
I had no
idea what Ben would see.
Let me see you.
I
understood what he meant. Ben only knew me from my voice, the shape of my
hands, and a few small touches and kisses. Now he was asking to see me in a
completely different way. I wasn’t worried about him touching me, I was wholly
confident in the way I looked. But something told me that if he touched me
intimately, Ben would notice more than the swell of my breasts or the dip of my
waist. His fingertips would discover the way to my heart and what made it beat.
And as much as I told myself that’s exactly what I wanted—to fall in love—it
wasn’t something I’d allowed myself to do before.
Ben’s mouth
had finished its progress up to my ear and his voice dropped low when he asked
again, “Can I see you?”
I nodded
and realizing my action was invisible to him, I pushed the word “yes” through
the apprehension that was thick in my throat.
He propped
himself up on an elbow and placed his other hand on the side of my face. His
touch was light, like the brush of feathers, as his fingers skimmed the ridge
my cheekbone, across my lips, and along the arch of my eyebrows. When his thumb
circled under my eyes, my lids dropped close and then he was caressing the tips
of my eyelashes. His touch was gentle and made me feel delicate.
He was
seeing me through touch. And that was so freaking hot.
USA Today bestselling
author, Laura Ward, writes sweet and sexy stories that will hopefully make you
look at the world in a different way. Her books include the Not Yet series: Not
Yet, Until Now, Someday Soon, and Because
of You. Her Contemporary Romance standalone is titled, Past Heaven.
She is also the co-author of the College Bound series: The Pledge, The
Color of Us, and The Sound of Your Heart. Laura lives in Maryland
with her loud and very loving three children and husband. She married her
college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her
through all their years together, and especially toward her dream of writing
books. When not picking up toy trucks, driving to lacrosse practice, or
checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels.
The first thing Christine Manzari does when
she’s getting ready to read a book is to crack the spine in at least five
places. She wholeheartedly believes there is no place as comfy as the pages of
a well-worn book. She’s addicted to buying books, reading books, and writing
books. Books, books, books. She also has a weakness for adventure,
inappropriate humor, and coke (the caffeinated bubbly kind). Christine is from
Forest Hill, Maryland where she lives with her husband, three kids, and her
library of ugly spine books. Her first series is the Young Adult Dystopian
series called The Sophisticates which includes: Deviation, Conviction,
and Redemption. Her New Adult Romcom series, Hearts of Stone,
includes: Hooked, Hitched, Hated. She is also the
co-author of the College Bound Series: The Pledge, The Color of Us,
and The Sound of Your Heart.
A writer. A blogger. United by our love of stories and all things romance. There was definitely some insta-love. Hello? Books involved. A little courting. A lot of writing. The result…Grahame Claire. Soulmates. Unashamed of our multiple book boyfriends. Especially the ones that rooted in our heads and wouldn’t leave us alone. Don’t worry. We’ll share. Pleased to meet you.
Today we have the cover for Tracey Jerald’s Free to Dream! We are so excited about this fantastic release—be sure to pre-order today!
Title: FREE TO DREAM
Author: Tracey Jerald
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Day: August 9th
About Free To Dream:
Cassidy Freeman doesn’t believe dreams come true because every night her dreams trap her in a nightmare she barely escaped as a child. She maintains rigid control over all aspects of her life, giving the illusion she’s strong and confident. Allowing very few close enough to see the brave heart buried beneath, she’s convinced she’ll carry her burdens alone.
From the minute they met, Caleb Lockwood disrupted everything by destroying her sense of order. His patience, compassion and sensuality obliterated her defenses. It’s as if he knew her from the inside out.
Helping his younger brother hire a wedding planner shouldn’t have led to this. In just a few short days, Caleb’s learned untold secrets about his family – and about the Freemans. When he demands to meet them, he doesn’t expect the pull he feels towards the petite dynamo in front of him whom life has dealt an unspeakable hand.
With Caleb, Cassidy’s lost her semblance of control. Now, she’s not sure she wants it back. Not if giving it up means having a chance at something she never imagined.
“So, about that first appointment,” Phil starts. I slowly uncross my legs and sit forward.
“Yes?”
“There’s something you should know.”
I’m going to throttle my brother. After all our years of working together, if he left out telling me any minute detail about this appointment, I’m going to lose it.
Knowing Phil, this could be anything from the appointment was supposed to be at the Lockwood company headquarters in Manhattan or their family compound in Greenwich. If Phil suddenly springs on me that he forgot to tell me the client’s expecting to have a champagne catered breakfast ready, I’m going to give up on keeping my legendary control, take my scissors and straddle him while I cut off all his hair in massive chunks. He won’t be able to stop me because he’ll be too busy choking on the extra-skinny, watered down latte he just made me pick up.
In my calmest voice, I ask, “What about it?”
Ali whispers “Uh-oh” under her breath.
Phil looks at his hands, then at the clock. Another minute ticks by. Sixteen minutes until this appointment. He looks at Ali, who just stares back at him with a mean look. He looks back down at his hands. Silence. Fifteen minutes.
From the doorway, Holly pipes in with “Did you fuck the groom or something?”
Ali starts to laugh as I gasp. Standing in the door, Corinna, Em and Holly are standing in varying states of arms crossed, waiting for Phil’s answer. Em just mean mugs Phil. I check the clock again. Fourteen minutes.
Phil sighs and looks at me with guilt on his face. That was my only warning.
“No, but Jason was engaged to him about ten years ago and broke it off to be with me. Or so the story goes.”
Chaos erupts in my office. In my disbelief, I make a few mental notes. First, Phil is prohibited from doing any further client event profile forms. I also give myself a mental reminder to review all his other forms for new clients for the rest of the week. How could he not think this information was important for me to know, especially now, having more than mere minutes before the Lockwoods come through my door?
As I sit back, listening to my siblings yell among each other, I try to regroup. I have no time to call Jason to discreetly find out what occurred.
I now have five minutes to get this under control.
Forget who fucked who or who fucked whom over. This is not how we built this business.
Phil. Might. Die.
Slowly.
Blunt force trauma caused by my planner. That’s a delicious thought.
But later.
I’ll enjoy planning it in detail, after I deal with damage control.
“All of you, get out of my office. RIGHT NOW!” I yell at my siblings. “I have exactly four minutes to figure this out. I think you all might be depraved lunatics, and how I know this and continue to work with you all on a daily basis is eluding me. This is not the impression this company will give under any circumstances, short of the building catching fire. Find your offices and have your meltdowns in there.”
Then I hear it. That fucking bitch Fate. Three goddamn minutes early. Of course.
“I happen to agree with Ms. Freeman. She and I have an appointment on behalf of my family.”
I find myself staring briefly into a set of the most gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes I have ever seen.
Check out the trailer:
About Tracey:
Tracey Jerald knew she was meant to be a writer when she would re-write the ending of books in her head on her bike when she was a young girl growing up in southern Connecticut. It wasn’t long before she was typing alternate endings and extended epilogues “just for fun”.
After college in Florida, where she obtained a degree in Criminal Justice swearing she saw things she’ll never quite believe and never quite forget, Tracey traded the world of law and order for IT. Her work for a world-wide internet startup transferred her to Northern Virginia where she met her husband in what many call their own happily ever after. They have one son.
When she’s not busy with her family or writing, Tracey can be found in her home in north Florida drinking coffee, reading, training for a runDisney event, or feeding her addiction to HGTV. Friend her on Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tracey.jerald.71) or on Instagram (TraceyJerald) to see what antics she’s up to on a regular basis.
Emelia Sullivan and Andy Dalton have been friends since they were five years old—the day his family moved in to the house next door. Connected by bedroom windows that faced each other and a treehouse they shared in the backyard, the two became lifelong best friends. Emelia loved Andy with all her heart.
Kat Tammen lives with her husband and son in a small town in Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri. A true blue Cancerian, she enjoys writing stories which take readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride. From laughing to crying, and everything in between, she writes authentic and relatable characters readers care about.
Stephanie St. Klaire is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Portland, Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs that are used to the finer things in life like sleeping all day. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found with a plate full of taco’s, a side of bean dip, and probably some gummy bears while being a little bit hippy and a lot bit busy mom’ing and wife’ing.
Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her spoiled mutt, Duke. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Scooby-Doo.
Today we have the cover for Tracey Jerald’s Free to Dream! We are so excited about this fantastic release—be sure to pre-order today! 
