Friday, December 30, 2022

Between Takes by Morgana Bevan

Between Takes
Kings of Screen, #1
Morgana Bevan

Publication date: August 17th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“So I’m clear: you want me to babysit an off-the-rails actor for six months?”
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.
Or, at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
My family moved, my ex took my friends when he left, and my job is suddenly uninspiring. There’s a silver lining in here somewhere, I’m sure…
It comes, eventually, in a strange package; a last-minute job that’s slightly outside my comfort zone, a long way away. Dealing with a movie star can’t be that hard, can it?
He’s hot, of course. And a mess, no doubt. Hates me and wants to be left to self-destruct alone, apparently. But it’s my job to turn it around, turn him around and when I find myself falling for more than just the job, it gets tricky.
The lights are better here, more magical, and I’m not sure if it’s his lack of charm or the prospects for the future but I can almost taste that lemonade… or can I?

Between Takes is a slow burn steamy enemies-to-lovers, boss-assistant romance. It is the first book in the Kings of Screen series. If you enjoy irresistible damaged heroes and take no-nonsense heroines caught in a workplace romance, you’ll love Between Takes.

Only 99c for a limited time!

EXCERPT:
“I don’t need a babysitter. I’m handling it.” He dragged his hands through his thick brown hair, tugging at the ends a little too hard.
Someone is stressed.
“That’s ridiculous,” Shaun muttered. “I’m the star! They wouldn’t.”
They so would – or so Sherry said.
Apparently, he wasn’t the easiest person to handle on set. Just two weeks into a gruelling six-month schedule and Shaun had already alienated half the crew. The producers had been amicable to start, but now they’d started to see that their chosen star was driving them into the sun.
The fight drained from Shaun’s shoulders and the tension bled out of him. Moments later, he slumped against the doorframe. His eyes scanned slowly up my body, and something about his unfocused but softening gaze made goose bumps break out along my arms.
My boss was checking me out.
It lasted for all of five seconds, and then my spine stiffened and I folded my arms across my chest. With a leisurely pace, his eyes rose to my hard face. He smirked before focusing his attention back on Sherry.
“Fine. But it’s a trial and when I say it’s done, it’s done.”
I was fairly certain Sherry wouldn’t agree with his estimations. He tensed and I barely stopped myself from smiling in triumph.
Take that, Hotshot!
“Are you fucking serious?” His eyes fixed on me, eying me like whatever threat Sherry had issued was entirely my fault. Given her desperation to get me here, I was fairly certain it was a threat. I glared right back at him. “Pretty sure I employ you, Sherry. Are you enjoying the beach house my fee earned you?”
Oh yeah, entitled asshole alert. Somebody had forgotten his roots.
My research said Shaun Martin didn’t come from an acting dynasty. He grew up in a small working-class South Wales town, went to a secondary school. If the critics were to be believed, he was a natural talent. He’d never had acting lessons, no Sunday drama clubs or drama classes in school. With all that, you’d think he’d be a bit more humble.
“I’m telling you this won’t work, but whatever.” His lip curled like a sullen child’s. All he needed to do was stomp his foot and the image would be complete. He grumbled one more time then hung up.
Shaun clattered down the steps and sauntered towards me. I tensed and eyed him like the shark he was. He took the coffee from my rigid hands. I was rather proud of myself for keeping the damn thing intact all this time.
“What did you say your name was?”
This close, I had to tip my head back to meet his eyes. I wasn’t short by any stretch of the imagination, but he made me feel tiny and vulnerable. Not a thing I’d ever wanted from a man. And I wouldn’t start wanting it now.
“Mona.”
“Fine, Mona. It looks like you’re my PA.” He sipped the coffee, pulling a face when it hit his tongue. I hated lukewarm coffee too.
He lowered the cup and fixed me with a glower meant to make me sink into the dirt, I’m sure.
“Ground rules: Stay out of my way and we’ll be fine. Take my calls. Your number one job is to keep the producers and my agent away from me. Clear?”
Not bothering to wait for a reply, he turned around and walked back to his trailer. I followed him, disbelief and outrage warring for control of my mouth. Outrage won.
“No dice. I’ll do my job.” My firm tone caused him to spin around, a quirked eyebrow raised. “I’ll keep you on track and that includes keeping you out of a bottle and attending creative meetings with the producers who took a massive gamble on your falling star. My job is to get you through this show in one piece and make sure you’re still hireable.”
“Now, wait—” he started, but I raised my hand, cutting him off. His mouth hung open in shock.
“You may not like me. Or the situation,” I continued, raising my voice to discourage any more interruptions. “But I’m what you’ve got. It’s me or a huge fee when you fail to complete this show and maybe the end of your career as you know it. You have no choices left.”
His lips flatlined as my meaning sank in. If he didn’t get his act together soon, he could kiss his A-list status, and all the perks that came with it, goodbye. If he fucked up this show, he’d be too much of a liability for any of the big studios or production companies to take the risk.
With my speech done and my position clear, I waited. And waited some more. He observed me. His hard gaze bore into me, searching for a crack. I didn’t so much as flinch.
“Fine. It’s you. Now do your job and leave me the fuck alone.” Shaun spun on his heels and bounced up the steps.
The door swung shut behind him again.
Oh no, he didn’t. I stomped up to his door and slammed my fists against it. Not looking for a repeat of the last time, I backed away fast. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and put on my best “don’t fuck with me” mask and waited.
The door flew open, slamming back against the trailer.
“What!”
“You’re in make-up in five minutes.” I was rather proud of my cool, calm tone.
“Then I’ll go in five.”
“No. It’ll take you five to walk there. You leave now.”
His eyes skimmed my body before returning to my firmly set face.
“You’re a hard-ass. Anyone ever tell you that?”
With a grim smile, I crossed my arms and waited.
At that, Shaun Martin sighed and clattered down the steps before following me to make-up like an obedient dog.
But I wasn’t fooled.


Author Bio:
Morgana Bevan is a sucker for a rock star romance, particularly if it involves a soul-destroying breakup or strangers waking up in Vegas. She’s a contemporary romance author based in Wales. When Morgana’s not writing steamy rock star and movie star romances, she’s working in TV production in the UK.
When not writing, she enjoys travelling, attending gigs, and trying out the extreme activities she forces on her characters.
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | FB Group | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Pinterest

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His Rejection by Angel Rayne


His Rejection by Angel Rayne releases on January 5th!

HERE - FREE with Kindle Unlimited


I’m not a hero. I’ll never be that guy. No matter how much she makes me wish I could…
My life isn’t truly mine.
Working for the mafia means my loyalty is to the family. Love and marriage aren’t for me.
I can’t be what Serafina needs. What she deserves.
But that doesn’t stop me from wanting her. From taking her.
From possessing her.
She’s the only comfort I’ve known for years. My light in the dark.
And it doesn’t matter.
Because keeping her would mean rejecting everything else. I can’t do that.
So, I’ll rescue her from the walking dead man who thought he could take her from me.
But there’s nothing I can do to protect her from the monster that’s about to destroy her.
Me…

His Rejection, book 2 in the His Possession trilogy, is a sexy, emotional, angsty, dark contemporary mafia / organized crime romance thriller. If you ever watched Beauty and the Beast and wished Beast stayed a beast at the end, or ever watched The Sopranos and wished there was way more hot romance in it, then download today and get ready to fall for Enzo.


About the Author:
Hi! My name is Angel Rayne and I write dark, delicious romance with antiheroes who would burn down the world to save the woman they love. I never understood why the villains never win the girl, and so I decided to write them their own love stories where they do. Thank you for reading my stories, and I always love to hear from you! You can check out my books on my Website and you can reach me at: angel@angelrayne.com

One Hundred Dreams by Kelly Collins

One Hundred Dreams
An Aspen Cove Romance, #22
Kelly Collins

Publication date: December 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’s a man trying to keep things under control.
She’s a woman yearning to break free.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen or a love story in the making?
Actress Cameron Madden is sick and tired of being tired. With her last movie failing at the box office and her career in question, she heads to Aspen Cove to lick her wounds. The small mountain town is the perfect place to escape the prying eyes of a critical public, the demands of her career, and the rules set by her team. Expecting a female bodyguard named Valery, she’s shocked to find the script has been flipped and Valery is a tall, dark, and annoying man who goes by Val. The first thing he does is hand her a set of rules—his rules. And she plans to break every one of them.
The last thing bodyguard Valery Armstrong wants to do is babysit an actress, but when the job comes in, he is the only one available. Saving the day and picking up the pieces is what he’s been doing since his father passed away. That single event ten years ago taught him one thing—prepare for every possibility. Before agreeing to take on Cameron, he asks himself how difficult could one woman be? When he arrives, he hands her the list, then watches as she gifts him with a heart-stopping smile—right before tearing the page to pieces. How difficult could one woman be? Cameron Madden is about to show him.
Aspen Cove, where rules are made to be broken…


EXCERPT:
He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. “These are my rules.”
She seemed to sink in front of him, but it was a momentary muscle lapse before that invisible string pulled her back up. Only this time, it seemed to drag her forward to stand in front of him. She swiped the envelope from his hand and tore open the flap. Once she drew out the single page with his rules, she let the envelope fall to the floor.
He watched as her eyes moved across the page. Second by second, they grew until he was sure they’d pop from her skull.
She raised her head and stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“Why would I give you that if I wasn’t serious?”
“It’s a page with one rule. You said rules.”
He smiled. “I don’t need more than one.”
She glanced at the paper and lifted her head. “You make all the rules?” She stared at him like he’d sprouted a horn in the center of his forehead.
“That’s my one rule. Take it or leave it.”
Her jaw dropped, and she took a step back. “What are you going to do? Leave?” She tore the page in half and let the pieces fall to the marble floor next to the envelope. “You’re not the boss, and you don’t make the rules.”
“Wrong.” He turned around, walked back to the elevator, pushed the button, and waited.
“You’re seriously leaving? How am I supposed to get to Colorado?”
He took several cleansing breaths before he spun around to face her. “Nothing has changed. You have a flight waiting at Los Angeles International Airport. It will take you to Denver, where you’ll have to get a ride to Aspen Cove. Rent a car. It’s only a few hours’ drive from there to your destination.”
She seemed to wobble on her heels. “You’re abandoning me?”
He shook his head. “I’m not. I gave you my rules, and you dismissed them. You don’t get to be the top private security firm in the country if you break your own rules, and my only rule is I make the rules.” The elevator door opened, and he stepped inside. “I’ll give you ten minutes to decide. If you’re not down in the lobby by then, I’ll leave. It’s that simple.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but the doors closed before she could get a word out.


Author Bio:
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International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.
Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers' Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.
Website | GoodreadsFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookbub

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Thursday, December 29, 2022

Christmas Music by Quinn Marlowe


FREE HOLIDAY ROMANCE DOWNLOAD!
Merry Christmas! Celebrate the season with a #free small town romance download and grab a copy of Christmas Music by Quinn Marlowe now!!

It's also #free every day with #KindleUnlimited.

A girl with a broken heart. A guy with a broken family. And a Christmas dream that will bring them together.
Olivia Johns has tried the real world, and failed. She had the record contract… and a boyfriend who stole that contract, along with her music.
Now she’s heading home for Christmas, escaping the real world and trying to get her feet under her.
Connor Wheating knows a thing or two about having his feet knocked out from under him. He was on the verge of getting signed to his first record contract when his dad was diagnosed with cancer.
Now he finds himself home for the holidays… and missing the future he was polishing for himself.
But Christmas doesn’t only bring snow and holly. In Arberry, North Carolina, it also brings the Annual Music Festival. The competition: fierce. The reward: a shiny new record contract with one of the biggest labels in the industry.
When Olivia and Connor find themselves in an unwilling partnership, working together—and against each other—for the same prize, the chemistry between them growing by the minute…
Christmas wishes might actually come true.
Two lost souls looking for a way out. A Christmas music contest. And an unwilling partnership that leaves them both longing for something more.

Christmas Music is a sweet small-town Christmas novella that features cowboys, hopeless romance, and a heroine willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and is the prequel to the Southern Heroes series.

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Gail & Larry Martin's New In '22 Spotlight


Round off 2022 with a new book from Gail & Larry Martin!
***Cozy up with a new release today!***


C.H.A.R.O.N.
A Night Vigil Novel Book 2

Your best hope to make it through the hour of the wolf.
Ex-priest Travis Dominick and former FBI agent Brent Lawson hunt demons, monsters, and supernatural troublemakers. When Brent gets a call for help from an old army buddy, he and Travis head to a small central Pennsylvania town beset by a series of unexplainable deaths and escalating paranormal activity.
C.H.A.R.O.N. is a dark urban fantasy thrill ride filled with Old World spirits, legends and lore, vengeful ghosts, magic, secret government agencies, Vatican ninja-priests, found family, small-town secrets, badass bartenders, psychics, mediums, witches, small-town heroes, and an unshakable bond of friendship.


Spells Salt and Steel Season 2
Spells, Salt and Steel Box Set

Monster hunter and mechanic Mark Wojcik has his hands full protecting innocent monsters from horrible people and innocent people from horrible monsters.
Spells, Salt, and Steel Season 2 is a high-energy, horror-comedy action-packed adventure filled with creepy cryptids, spooky magic, supernatural secrets, paranormal plots, found family, loyal friends, haunted houses, helpful ghosts, sneaky secret agents, and lots of explosions!


House of Cards
Spells, Salt and Steel Book 8

Gotta know when to fake ‘em, know when to stake them, know when to burn it down—and know when to let all hell break loose.
Some days, mechanic and monster hunter Mark Wojcik thinks that if it weren’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. Necromancer narcos, a monster trafficking ring, and mafia witches would give anyone heartburn. It’s just Mark’s luck they all converge in his territory, along with an underground cryptid fight club and a secret casino catering to witches, werewolves, and the unwary.
They say the house always wins. Mark’s betting the farm that he and his friends can save the day. He’s got a couple of cards up his sleeve—but unless luck and magic go his way, they might turn out to be aces and eights.



Dark Haven
Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 3

King. Necromancer. Warrior.
Martris Drayke fought the Usurper and defeated both the blood mage Arontala and the spirit of the Obsidian King. As the newly-crowned King of Margolan, Tris must rebuild a kingdom shattered by betrayal and bloodshed. Some of the Usurper’s loyalists evaded capture and remain a danger. Famine and hardship threaten to bring more chaos and divisions. And in his Court of Spirits, the necromancer-king is overwhelmed by the ghosts seeking retribution and release.

Dark Haven is an action-packed epic fantasy adventure filled with magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, vampire politics, loyal friends, found family, bloody battles, immortal creatures, secrets, treachery, and star-crossed love!


Dark Lady's Chosen
Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 4

Loyalty. Honor. Magic. Sacrifice.
Treachery & blood magic threaten King Martris Drayke’s hold on the throne he risked everything to win. As the battle against a traitor lord comes to its final days, war, plague & betrayal bring Margolan to the brink of destruction. In Dark Haven, Lord Jonmarc Vahanian has bargained his soul for vengeance, plunging into a conflict among ancient immortals based on grudges centuries in the making. If he succeeds, Jonmarc preserves the truce, stops the bloodshed, and saves what matters most. Failure brings destruction—and dooms his soul for eternity.

Dark Lady’s Chosen is an action-packed epic fantasy adventure filled with magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, vampire politics, loyal friends, found family, bloody battles, immortal creatures, secrets, hard choices, and star-crossed love!


Exile's Quest
Assassins of Landria Book 4

A vacant throne. A dark mystic intent on the crown. Two fugitive assassins risking everything to save the kingdom that exiled them. Can a desperate gamble by outlaws and exiles avenge the king and save the crown?

Exile’s Quest is an action-packed epic adventure filled with loyal friends, honorable fugitives, secret sanctuaries, hidden magic, and unexpected explosions.



Wasteland Marshals
Wasteland Marshals Volume 1

The Wasteland Marshals series is an action-packed near-future post-apocalyptic thriller full of grim ghosts, legendary creatures, shifters, and elemental spirits, brave survivors, loyal friends, and found family.


**Read an Excerpt here!**

Trifles and Folly 3
A Deadly Curiosities Collection

The ghost of a jilted lover, an accidental hell-mouth, a soul-eating monster, cursed needlework, and a rogue’s gallery of sullied spirits—all this and more awaits!
Wander the shadowed paths through this spooktacular collection of short stories and novellas that take place around and between the novels in the Deadly Curiosities series. An extension of the Deadly Curiosities urban fantasy novel series, this collection can be read as a standalone. It contains two novellas and five short stories: The Adventure of the Melted Saint, Keepsakes, Catspaw, The Piper’s Song, Innocence Lost, Crewel Fate, and Heap of Trouble.
Cassidy Kincaide owns Trifles and Folly, an antique shop with a secret history. Cassidy can read the history of objects by touching them. She and her allies use magic and paranormal abilities to keep Charleston and the world safe from supernatural threats.

Trifles and Folly 3 is a wickedly wonderful set of dark urban fantasy tales full of cursed curios, stolen relics, haunted heirlooms, creepy castles, menacing monsters, magic, and mayhem.


Legacy
Deadly Curiosities Book 5

A dark witch dynasty. A malicious, immortal undersea place-spirit. Eternal guardians who wagered their souls to protect Charleston.
Omens of impending disaster have the city on edge. Tremors warn of earthquake risk, while a potentially catastrophic storm gathers strength over the ocean and heads for land. A last-man-standing promise among elderly veterans creates a dangerous inheritance involving an imprisoned, wish-granting goblin. A sea captain and a swashbuckler worked blood magic to protect Charleston from an ancient evil with a spell that bound their souls and their descendants to the task, but danger looms as its power fades. The head of a witch family wants artifacts and secrets—and he’ll do anything to get them.

Legacy is an action-packed urban fantasy paranormal thrill ride full of dark magic, infernal creatures, goblins and demigods, haunted places, pirate ghosts, found family, witch dynasties, loyal friends, Voudon spirits, secret history and plenty of adventure.



Spellbound
Joe Mack Shadow Council Files Book 4
Werewolves, Vamps, and Thieves!

Joe Mack and his friends head to Pittsburgh to deal with a surge of disappearances, all people with psychic abilities going missing under highly questionable supernatural circumstances. That’s enough to keep anyone hopping, but Joe can’t ignore the feeling that there’s something even bigger going on behind the scenes.
Spellbound is full of paranormal adventure, murdering mediums, creepy circuses, a theater full of vampires, malicious mesmerists, found family, secret supernatural agencies, dark magic, and loyal friends.


Christmas at Caynham Castle
A Collection of 7 Holiday-Themed Novellas

with stories by Gail Z Martin plus Jeanne Adams, Caren Crane, Seressia Glass, Donna MacMeans, Nancy Northcott, Anna Sugden
A seasonal ball,
A charming town on the Welsh border,
And an ancient castle with adventure, mystery, ghosts and romance in every corner.
Celebrate the Christmas season with seven authors, each telling the story of the holiday at Caynham Castle in her own spectacular style.
Featuring;
Crewel Fate ~ by Gail Z. Martin
When Teag Logan and his fiancé Anthony Benton travel to England to celebrate their engagement, Teag’s magic and supernatural experience hone in on restless spirits, an old scandal and century-old secrets that could turn deadly. Can Teag and Anthony solve the mystery and settle the spooks before the Ball, or will more people join the ranks of the castle ghosts?


Ring in the New at Caynham Castle
with stories by Morgan Brice, Caren Crane, Donna Mac Means, Anna Sugden
What better way to celebrate the new year than by partying in an ancient castle, now a hotel, in a small English town? Join us in lifting a glass to the holiday with these four festive novellas:
A Dream of Her Own - Contemporary Romance by Anna Sugden
Memory and Malice - A Badlands MM Psychic Detective Romance by Morgan Brice
Blessing or Curse - Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Caren Crane
Dancing With Gargoyles -Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Donna MacMeans


Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wrote at age five was about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer. She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites.
Larry N. Martin is the author of the new sci-fi adventure novel Salvage Rat. He is the co-author (with Gail Z. Martin) of the Spells, Salt, and Steel/New Templars series; the Steampunk series Iron & Blood; and a collection of short stories and novellas: The Storm & Fury Adventures set in the Iron & Blood universe. He is also the co-author of the upcoming Wasteland Marshals series and the Joe Mack Cauldron/Secret Council series.
The Martins have three children, a Maltese, and a Golden Retriever.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads | Goodreads

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$20 Amazon

MADE FOR ME by Natasha Madison


Release Date: December 27

From Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Madison comes a brand new stand-alone friends to lovers sports romance. A spin-off from the Only One series

Chase
Everyone expected me to play hockey.
I was good at it, but I was better at being a doctor.
So I hung up the skates and joined Doctors without Borders
But there is no place like home, so now I’m back.
And instead of being on the ice, I’m behind the bench as the team physician.
After years of playing cat and mouse, it’s time to admit it.
She’s mine.

Julia
Working as a social worker was a dream come true.
It wasn’t easy, and it has made me shut off my heart to love.
No commitment. No strings. No promises.
Until one fateful night changed everything.
He was there for me like no other one.
The biggest thing is I let him.
Maybe he was just made for me!


Grab Your Copy Here!

 

Meet Natasha Madison
When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...
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Illicit Affairs by Savannah Sloan


𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗢𝗡
Illicit Affairs (Appeal of Attraction) by Savannah Sloan is releasing in TWO WEEKS!

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 → Amazon
𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗕𝗥 → Goodreads
𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 → Spotify

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞
I’m not the man you’re hoping I am.
The first time I saw her, she wore her youth like a designer gown. Tailor made to fit her like a second skin. Her innocence obvious even as her body screamed sin.
Two things that spoke to the bastard lingering inside me.
Young and eager, she served herself up to me, a delectable dessert on a gilded tray. I took from her what only one man would ever get to have, and then when it was time, I walked away.
I tried to tell you, I’m the villain of her story.
But now she’s here, broken by a past I had nothing to do with and damned to a future with a man she doesn’t love. Her family sees her as nothing more than a pawn.
She wants more. And I’m the only one that can give it to her.
Don’t waste your sympathy on him. He’ll get over it. As my brother he should have known, I don’t share well with others.
What? I warned you—I’m not the hero here.
But I am the man she needs.

#IllicitAffairsTeaserBlast #TeaserThursday #ComingSoon #IllicitAffairsSavannahSloan #SavannahSloanAuthor #JanuaryRelease #ContemporaryRomance #AgeGap #ArrangedMarriage #Cheating #Forbidden #PoliticalScandal #MustRead #PreOrderNow #Amazon #EnticingJourney

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Deep Waters by Thom Collins


Book Title: Deep Waters
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Kelly Martin
Release Date: December 27, 2022
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, thriller and suspense
Tropes: Murder mystery, small town, coastal romance
Themes: Secret lives, seeking justice, danger at sea
Heat Rating: 3 - 4 flames
Length: 61 740 words/ 262 pages
It is a standalone story. The third book in a linked Jagged Shores series but can be read alone.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.


Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited


In search of a story, he found murder and romance.

Blurb
Author Christian Costner is researching material for one of his dark thrillers and Nyemouth seems like the perfect setting for his next book. The small seaside town has witnessed plenty of trouble over the years, and Christian thinks it will provide him with the inspiration he needs.
He hires local tour guide and fisherman Harry Renner to help him explore the coastline for a couple of days. Harry is knowledgeable and mature beyond his twenty-eight years. Handsome too, though Christian thinks Harry is far too young for him..
As the weather worsens, Harry cuts short their first sight-seeing trip. Heading back to shore they spot a figure in distress in the water. A difficult rescue is made far worse when they discover the casualty has a knife wound to his abdomen and dies before they reach the safety of the harbour.
United by the trauma, Christian and Harry find comfort in each other, but when another murder comes to light, they find themselves at the heart of a dangerous mystery and the target of a killer more ruthless than they could ever imagine.

Excerpt
Harry went to the bar. He didn’t know the bartender so didn’t have to face another barrage of questions about Niko’s death. “Two of whatever these were,” he said, holding up the empty tumblers. “Make them doubles.”
He glanced over his shoulder as he waited. Christian gazed into the fire, looking lost in his thoughts. What was it about him? Just this morning Harry had dismissed him as being far too old, but the more time he spent with him and talked to him, Christian’s appeal grew stronger. He can’t be that old, anyway, he reasoned. Ten, maybe eleven years older than he was. It wasn’t like fancying someone his dad’s age.
Of course, Harry knew what really drove this new attraction to Christian.
Death.
He’d learned from his time in the lifeboat how sex and death went hand in hand. He had taken part in three failed rescues when he was a member of the crew and afterwards he had always wanted sex. It wasn’t unusual. He’d even read an article about it—how sex helped people to feel alive after a clash with mortality.
Is that what this is? Do I only fancy him because we didn’t save Niko?
As he carried the drinks back to the fire, Harry realised just how much he did want Christian. They had been through a gruelling experience. What better comfort could there be than each other’s bodies? He didn’t want to go back to his flat on his own and wondered whether Christian felt the same about his lonely hotel room.
Fuck it. One more drink and I’ll ask him. The worst he can say is no.
Christian lifted his gaze from the flames when he returned. Their eyes connected and, just for a second, a hint of a smile. “Thanks,” he said, accepting the drink.
“Is this your favourite tipple? Whisky?” he asked, sitting down.
“Sometimes. It depends on my mood. But at the end of the night, when I want to unwind, it’s the best. I always bring a bottle with me when I’m working away—for a nightcap.”
Their eyes locked again, and Harry wondered if there had been a hint of an invitation in the last remark. Or is it just wishful thinking?
He had never been good at reading signals.
“What’s your hotel like?” he asked in a rush. “I’ve had a drink at the bar in Quay House, but I’ve never been upstairs.”
Christian’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Oh shit. I’ve judged this all wrong.
Then he smiled. “It’s nice. I’ve got a good-sized room that overlooks the harbour. Actually, it’s pretty great.” He sipped. “You’re welcome to come up, if you’d like to look around. I could also give you that nightcap.”
Harry’s pulse quickened, and a stiffness developed in his groin. “I’d love to.”
This morning he’d been so dismissive about Christian because of his age, and now there was nothing he wanted more than to spend the night in his protective embrace.


About the Author 
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.
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Star of the Game (Stick Side #6) by Amy Aislin


Book Title: Star of the Game (Stick Side #6)
Author and Publisher: Amy Aislin
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Release Date: December 27, 2022
Genre: Contemporary M/M sports romance
Tropes: Best friends to lovers, roommates, hockey
Themes: using your voice/platform for good, mental health, friendship, taking risks
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 94 000 words / 360 pages

It is book 6 in the Stick Side series, but can be read as a standalone. It's not necessary to have read the previous books in the series.


Buy Links

The previous book in this series, Two-Man Team (Stick Side 5), is on sale for $0.99 on all platforms from December 20-January 3


Blurb

Felix only wants two things:
1. To make music.
2. His best friend, Emery.
But he’s not willing to risk two decades of friendship for something more. Besides, a bout of writer’s block is preventing him from creating new material, and he’s got deadlines to meet. He doesn’t need any distractions—and Emery is the biggest distraction of all.
Emery only wants two things:
1. To play hockey.
2. His best friend, Felix.
He’s ready to risk it all for a shot at being together. While he should be concentrating on playing his best hockey so his team will grant him a contract extension, there’s no reason he can’t multitask.
With their careers at a crossroads, the timing for romance couldn’t be worse—but when Felix is forced to move in with Emery, will Emery finally convince him to take a chance at becoming the stars of their own game?

Excerpt
Music was his heart and soul. It would never not be a part of his life. But he was ready for something different, whatever that “something” looked like. It was a vague, nameless something that poked at the back of his brain like a child lazily poking at a drum set.
He had tour dates and venues for this summer to firm up with his tour manager, and although he loved performing, the thought of touring made him slump back against the wall.
Twisting open the bottle cap, Felix chugged half his water, mopping up a drop that spilled onto his chin with the back of his hand. Fuck, he couldn’t wait to get home, even though Vancouver in January was as dreary as Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3. He had a house in LA too, in Playa del Rey, but Vancouver was home. He wanted to sleep in his own bed, visit with his parents and younger sister, help out at his mentor’s after-school musical theater program, and spend time with Emery.
His phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Well, speak of the devil. Emery Stanton read his caller ID next to a photo of his childhood best friend’s face, and Felix’s heart skipped a beat, an automatic smile pulling his lips upward despite his exhaustion. Felix remembered snapping that picture. “Smile,” he’d said one day when they—along with their other best friend, Kris—had been strolling along Vancouver’s Seawall a couple of summers ago, and instead Emery had made a kissy face.
“I was going for pouty and sexy,” Emery had explained, but the result was that he looked like he’d eaten a lemon.
Felix swiped to answer the video call. “Hey, Em.”
“Oh, hey.” Dark eyes flared in what Felix wanted to believe was pleasure but was probably surprise. “I thought you were still doing the show. I was going to leave you a message.”
See? Surprise.
“We just wrapped up,” Felix said. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
Felix waited out a whole ten seconds of silence where they did nothing but stare at each other. Emery scratched his bristly jaw. Felix sipped more water. Amusement tickling the back of his throat, he finally said, “What was your message going to be about, then?”
“Oh, nothing. I was going to ramble on about the latest movie I saw with the guys just so you didn’t forget the sound of my voice.”
The guys being his friends on his NHL team.
Felix rolled his eyes. “I haven’t been gone that long.”
“It’s been two weeks, Fe. You disappeared right after New Year’s. I miss your face.”
Felix did not let that go to his head—or his heart. This was just Emery being Emery. “You were in Winnipeg playing a New Year’s game, and then in New York, then Colorado. If I’d have been home, we wouldn’t have seen each other anyway.”
Emery scowled. “That’s not the point.”
“What is the point?”
“The point is that it’s the middle of January and I haven’t even said ‘Happy New Year’ to you in person yet.”
“Oh, the horror.”
“Sarcasm is unbecoming,” Emery quipped, quite primly.

About the Author
Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.
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Alpha Mike Foxtrot by Giulia Lagomarsino

Title: Alpha Mike Foxtrot
Series: OPS Protector Romance Book 5
Author: Giulia Lagomarsino
Genre: Alpha/Protector Romance
Release Date: December 26, 2022
Cover Design: T.E. Black Designs
Photographer: Reggie Deanching - R+M Photo
Cover Model: Vince



They call me crazy, lethal—psychotic.
I’m all those things and more.
The darkness calls to me, sending me spiraling out of control.
But one woman calms me, bringing me back from the edge when I’m about to lose it.
She’s my savior in every way possible.
But she doesn’t even know I exist. Yet.
I see the way she struggles, trying to maintain her sanity.
I won’t let her go down the same path as my mother.
She won’t be another statistic.
There’s only one thing for me to do—take her.
It’s not kidnapping if you know the person.
She didn’t believe me when I said that.
But I’m not worried about it. She’ll soon find out there are worse things than being hitched to my wagon.
I’ll cherish the ground she walks on for the rest of my life, whether she’s in it or not.
She is my priority, the only reason I continue to live when the darkness takes over.
I’m not naive. Just because I want Anna doesn’t mean I can have her.
I am not a good man, but I am the man for her. I will protect her with my life, slaughter anyone that tries to take her from me.
And when an enemy threat looms, I’ll remove them just like any other baddie.
There is no surviving when The Phantom is calling to me.


Cash ignored me and continued. “Right now, he’s injured and needs rest and a doctor’s supervision. He’s still considered in critical condition. I need a team that can go to him since he can’t be moved.”
“I’m all over that, boss,” I said enthusiastically. “Who’s with me?”
No one responded and Cash looked pleadingly at all of them. “Really, anyone that’s willing will get overtime.”
“Boss, we all know what we signed up for when we took this job,” IRIS said, “but this is just insanity.”
“You blow shit up for a living,” Lock snorted.
“Yeah, but on my terms. This guy is an assassin. I don’t need to wake up with a knife in my back, or worse, have him bring heat down on us from past jobs.”
I stood this time, thinking someone would join me. “Again, I’m all over this.”
“He’s psychotic,” Cash sighed.
“I’m psychotic.”
“He doesn’t play well with others.”
I slapped my hands against my chest and grinned. “Neither do I!”
“It’s a long job. Keeping him alive is only phase one of the job.”
“Phase me in,” I smirked.
Cash looked around. “I really need a three man team on this. Three people that can work well together,” he emphasized.
“Boss,” I chuckled, glancing around the room at the others. “I’m sort of getting the feeling you don’t want me on this job.”
“What about you, Jack? This is the sort of job your team takes.”
I stood there a little pissed that he was talking around me as if I wasn’t here, like I wasn’t volunteering to take a job that everyone else clearly wasn’t on board with.
“Ya know, we do black ops,” Jack answered. “This is babysitting.”
I rushed around the table, getting right in Cash’s face. I’d make him send me if it was the last thing I did. “Boss, you know I’m the man for the job. I’m great under pressure and with annoying assholes.”
“Yes, but we’re trying to keep this one alive. If you kill him, that sort of defeats the purpose of the job.”
“Hey, I’m a very likable guy,” I said defensively.
“Yes,” he nodded slowly. “To people that know you.”
“So, send me with…” I glanced around the room, trying to figure out who would best work with me. “Rae and IRIS.”
“No,” Rae stood up. “I’m not going on a long mission with Fox. Not gonna happen.”
“IRIS, you can set explosives all around the house,” I said excitedly. “It’ll be just like old times.”
“Yeah, as fun as it sounds to blow someone up, I’d rather shoot myself than go on a long assignment with an assassin.”
“Seriously?” I asked the whole room incredulously. “Am I the only one that sees the benefit of this? To get inside the mind of a killer and pick his brain apart?”
“We sort of already have that with you,” Slider answered. “I think that’s enough to last a lifetime.”




I'm a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, "No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book." I didn't think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn't already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven't been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.



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