Dangerous
Sara Cate
(Wicked Hearts, #2)
Publication date: February 25th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Welcome to Wicked Beach…

Murph

They call me dangerous.
Which is fine by me. It keeps everyone out.

Then some new girl walks into my shop and turns everything upside down. It started out physical until she becomes the one person standing between me and the future of my business.

Now this mysterious new girl has me right where she wants me—physically, mentally…and emotionally.

Savannah

I’ve been burned before.
Now I look out for myself.

The last thing I expect is to inherit a tattoo shop run by the world’s scariest—and sexiest—business owner. If I were smart, I would cut him out and use the money to start a new life for myself—one free from the demons in my past.
But Murph’s hard eyes and gentle touch do something to me. It’s like he can see something no one else can, and no matter how hard I try, he won’t let me walk away.
If I want to save myself, I have to ruin him.
And to ruin him feels far more dangerous than what I’m running from.

Dangerous is the second swoon-worthy installment in the Wicked Hearts series. These stories can be read as standalones or together. Warning: this fast-paced romance might leave you breathless and a touch corrupted.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Where do you want it?”

I have to keep my eyes on his face or else they threaten to drift over his shoulders, chest, and that obvious bulge in his jeans.

Where do I want it? I repeat in my mind, and I know I have to answer quickly or else the obvious innuendo of that phrase will fill the already-awkward space between us.

At this point, being in the presence of a man, for the first time in so long—a whispering reminder of the life I used to live, has my body shouting at me to remember what it was like. To feel a man’s touch, his hands on my skin, around my body. Goosebumps erupt along the flesh of my exposed thighs.

“Here,” I choke, my voice breaking. I point to the inside of my upper thigh, just above my knee. It’s a strange place for a tattoo, for sure, but there’s meaning there.

I notice his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. With one eyebrow cocked, his gaze drifts down from my face to the puckered skin just below the hem of my purple cotton sundress. A raised scar roughly the size of a dollar and shaped like a fish hook catches his attention. I can see the questions on his face as the room grows silent.

Operation scars look different from violent scars. Violent scars are not methodical or neat. They are erratic, loud, and almost weep with memory. This scar, from the broken window of a four-door sedan eight feet under water tells a story that I don’t want in my book anymore. I want it covered.

I break the silence, luring his eyes back to my face and not my open legs. “I know it’s difficult to tattoo scars—I’ve done my research, but I want this covered. Is that…possible?” My voice shakes, giving away my nerves.

He clears his throat. “I can do that.”

Then, he leans forward. With just the expression on his face, he asks to touch it. I nod in return. The fingers of his right hand reach forward, and methodically, as if he’s inspecting the spot, he grazes the raised bump between my knees.

Having gone so long without another person’s touch anywhere below my belly button, I jump from the contact. His eyes meet mine. Then, he goes back to rubbing his thumb over the scar, and I feel my pulse quicken, my breath coming out in short spurts as if someone has crushed my lungs and won’t let me breathe.

I know he’s touching it for the purpose of the tattoo, but I watch the way he bites his lip, and I can tell it’s just as unnerving for him as it is for me. He swallows again. The room is deliciously silent, and this chemistry between us has changed. It’s dangerously close to something more than just a tattoo artist and his client.

Author Bio:

Sara Cate writes contemporary romance about bikers, bad boys, hunks, and softies--all rolled into one. She has a soft spot for redemption stories and forbidden romance.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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We are so excited to celebrate the release of UNFORGIVEN by Jay Crownover with you today by participating in the blog tour! UNFORGIVEN is part of the Loveless, Texas series and you can grab your copy now. Join Jay's Group for details about all of her titles.

UNFORGIVEN by Jay Crownover

Loveless, Texas #2 | Available Now

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Grab your copy of UNFORGIVEN today!

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About UNFORGIVEN:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a tough Texas Ranger and his first love--a woman in danger who insists she doesn't need his protection.

Hill Gamble is a model lawman: cool and collected, with a confident swagger to boot. Too bad all that Texas charm hasn't gotten him anywhere in his personal life, especially since the only girl he ever loved has always been off-limits. But then Hill is assigned to investigate her father's mysterious death, and he's forced back to the town--and the woman--he left behind.

When Hill left Loveless, he broke Kody Lawton's already battered heart. And now that he's working on her father's case, avoiding him is impossible. She can handle Hill and her unwanted feelings--until he puts his life on the line to protect her. Suddenly, Kody realizes that Hill could be taken away from her...for good.

"Crownover delivers the goods."-Lori Wilde, New York Times bestselling author

"Crownover writes cowboys that make you want to pack your bags in search of a small-town ranch!" -Melissa Foster, New York Times bestselling author

Includes the bonus novella Cowboy to the Rescue by A.J. Pine!

Add UNFORGIVEN to your Goodreads TBR here!

Case reached out to clap Hill on the shoulder at the exact same time I reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt. My body was moving faster than my brain, and my emotions were all over the place, making it impossible to keep up.

“Can you come out to the farmhouse with us?” I wasn’t exactly sure why I needed him to come, but I suddenly knew I did.

My oldest brother gave me a questioning look, and I quickly dropped my hand. I cleared my throat and reached up to tuck some of my hair behind my ear.

“I mean, if you don’t have important investigative stuff to do. You’re practically family. I think you have as much reason as the rest of us to be there.” I felt like I might bolt out the door and not look back if he didn’t agree to come. I wasn’t supposed to rely on him anymore. He’d proved that was a bad idea in the past, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. As great as my brothers were, they didn’t make me feel like everything would eventually be okay again the way Hill did. Regardless of the past, Hill was the one I always believed would be able to fix whatever was broken. It was a lot to put on his shoulders, and totally unfair. No one could live up to those expectations, not even Hill, which was why his fall from the pedestal I’d had him on back in the day had been so heartbreaking.

Slowly Hill nodded, all while covering up another yawn. I felt terrible. The guy needed to sleep, not to hang around as my underappreciated security blanket. But putting Conrad into the ground and saying goodbye to my complicated past forever seemed much more manageable when I knew Hill was going to be there while I did it.

We all followed the hearse out of town in a long procession of pickup trucks. Once again my lime-green Jeep Wrangler stuck out like a sore thumb and defied convention. My father had hated the brightly colored vehicle, often referring to it as a death trap. His disdain made me love the thing even more.

The finality of things eventually hit me as I watched my brothers, my nephew, and Hill each take a corner of the casket and start to move my dad to his final resting place. Case had picked a spot under an old cottonwood tree at the back of the property. It was far enough away from the house that a person would have to make a special trip out to pay their respects. It would keep whoever ended up living in the farmhouse from having my father’s ghost lingering right over their shoulder.

It was a somber, serious walk to the location. I think all of us realized we no longer had to live in fear of Conrad or be oppressed by the secrets of our childhood. Our father’s transgressions were no longer our cross to bear, and maybe now we could finally grieve not only for him, but also for our mother.

When she passed away, Conrad did his best to eradicate every trace of her from our lives. She was never spoken of, never cried over, never outwardly missed. She was snatched away and became a hazy memory before any of us could do anything about it. So while we were coming to peace with Dad being gone, we also now had the space to mourn the loss of the woman who had done her best to counterbalance all his hate.

I didn’t realize I was crying until Aspen wrapped an arm around my waist and discreetly handed me a tissue. She also handed me a white rose and muttered, “Take your time.”

I didn’t want to get any closer to the grave. I didn’t want to admit I was sad and maybe a little lost. I wanted to pretend none of this was happening…the same way I had when Aaron died.

Thinking about my mom, then Aaron, as well as my father suddenly made the tight grip I had on my composure shatter. It felt like so much had been taken away from me, and it was hard to breathe through the agony of that loss.

My shoulders shook as silent sobs racked my body. Aspen tried to pull me closer, but I pulled away, covering my face as I struggled to rein my emotions in. Both the tissue and the rose hit the ground at my feet as the flood of tears blurred everything into a hazy kaleidoscope. The sobs were no longer silent as I gasped for air and wailed at the unfairness of it all. Sure my dad hadn’t been great, but he had been mine. Sure my mom had been sick and suffering, but she’d also been mine. And Aaron, God, I’d never wanted to let him go. He was the one person I’d honestly believed would never leave me, and he was gone as well.

Strong arms wrapped around me, and my forehead hit the center of a strong, broad chest. I knew immediately the man holding me wasn’t Case or Crew, but the man who had also lost Aaron. I liked to delude myself into thinking Hill and I had nothing in common, but the truth was, our grief was exactly the same. He was the only person who really knew what it was like to live with that gaping hole inside your heart.

I fisted handfuls of his shirt and cried until I was hoarse and could barely stand. I felt his hand cup the back of my head, but he didn’t say anything. He simply stood there, holding me, shielding me as my feelings were finally allowed to run free. I had no idea how long we stood like that, but my knees felt weak and my throat was completely raw by the time the tears dried up.

Wordlessly, I looked over at the now-covered grave and silently picked up the abandoned rose. I tossed it on top of the freshly dug dirt and rubbed my burning eyes with the palms of my hands. I wanted to apologize, to make up some excuse, but as always, Hill seemed to know I was at my breaking point. He didn’t question me, didn’t push.

Instead, he inclined his scruffy chin in the direction of the old farmhouse and softly stated, “You need a glass of water and a few minutes to sit down. Let’s head back to the house.”

All I could do was nod weakly and walk next to him. I stumbled slightly and didn’t protest when his arm shot out and wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me tightly to his side. I felt like a deflated balloon. I was always so full of hot air and bluster, but it took next to nothing to break that thin shell and show just how fragile I was.

I walked next to Hill in silence, wondering how he always had a knack of showing up just when I needed him. I really wanted to rest my head on his shoulder but held back. It was scary, really, how attuned he was to me, when all I’d ever done was push him away and throw up roadblock after roadblock when he tried to mend the wounds of our shared past. The hurt I had was comfortable. I wasn’t ready to let go of it yet, no matter how tempting unloading all my baggage was.

“It never gets any easier.” His voice was low and I could feel the vibration where I was pressed against him.

“What doesn’t?”

“Saying goodbye.” He sighed, and his hold on me tightened a fraction. “I still think about Aaron every single day. I can still hear his laugh and see his smile.” Hill cleared his throat. “All these years later, whenever my phone rings, I still think it might be him. Time does help, but I don’t think it’s enough to heal some wounds. Some we just have to accept as being part of us forever.”

I sucked in a breath and felt tears threaten once again. I swear I never cried, but lately I was like a damn faucet. I rarely talked about Aaron, and never brought him up when Hill was around. I always thought it would be too painful, too much to bear, but his words brought a flood of happy memories to the surface. Things with Aaron had been so bad at the end, I’d repressed almost everything about my time with him, including the good moments. He did have the world’s best smile, and I hadn’t thought of it in so long, and wouldn’t have if Hill hadn’t brought it up.

I put a hand to my chest and felt my heart pounding. “I don’t know if time has helped me, but it is nice to think of happier times.”

Hill nodded and I shut my mouth, not wanting to go any further down memory lane. I remained silent as we continued to walk. I should’ve told him he could let me go, but I didn’t.

It took about twenty minutes to wander back to my childhood home. Hill yawned and apologized for basically sleepwalking no less than five times. I was going to bully him into bed and order him to sleep for at least twelve hours when he came to an abrupt halt as soon as we rounded the side of the run-down house.

Coming down the long dirt road leading into the property was a flashy car, one that had no reason to be pulling up to my father’s home.

“Isn’t that a Tesla?” The question tumbled out as I instinctively put my hand on the muscled expanse of Hill’s broad back. I felt him tense at the touch.

“It is. Does the driver look familiar?” He kept the question low as I squinted into the setting sun to see if I remembered seeing the person behind the wheel before.

I gasped and practically pushed Hill as I exclaimed, “She does!”

The woman driving the Tesla was the same well-dressed redhead who’d been at the viewing.

I still had no clue what her connection to my father was, but it looked like I was about to find out.

Grab your copy of UNFORGIVEN today!

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About JAY CROWNOVER:

Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.

Connect with her:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Reader Group

BEDTIME QUICKIES: TAKE ME TO BED is LIVE! All proceeds will be donated to the International Network of Hearts. #OneClick today!

Got time for a Quickie?

Grab your ereader and snuggle up with your favorite authors as they come together to bring you a collection like no other.

From steamy to sweet, contemporary to paranormal, and everything in between, you won't want to miss hooking up with these exclusive new romance stories.

All proceeds will be donated to the International Network of Hearts, a non-profit organization brings communities and governments together to help rescue women and children from human trafficking and sexual violence.

Participating authors:

A.C. Williams, A.M. Wilson, AJ Alexander, Alex Grayson, Ali Dean, Amali Rose, Anna Bishop Barker, Anna Brooks, Aurora Rose Reynolds, Brittany Crowley, Cary Hart, Cassandra Robbins, Claire C. Riley, Danielle Norman, DM Earl, Erica Marselas, Esther E. Schmidt, Flora Burgos, Freya Barker, Gianna Gabriela, Heidi McLaughlin, HL Nighbor, JD Hollyfield, Jessica Marin, K.L. Clare, Kally Ash, KL Donn, Lauren Dawes, Lia Fairchild, Meagan Brandy, Melissa Toppen, Michelle Dare, Monica DeSimone, S.L. Sterling, S.R. Grey, Shari J. Ryan, Sienna Snow, Yolanda Olson

All proceeds will be donated to the International Network of Hearts, a non-profit organization brings communities and governments together to help rescue women and children from human trafficking and sexual violence.

http://inetworkofhearts.org/about-us/

I am a sucker for a good charity anthology. And when I saw the line up for the Take Me to Bed Collection...I was all in.

And this collection is exactly what it boasts...short, stories. Some sweet, some emotional and some super steamy.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Until James by Aurora Rose Reynolds

Le sigh...I love this couple. And to see them some years later still so vibrant and in love took me back to how it all began for them. The way Wes cared for July and put her happiness first was downright swoon worthy. But it was the way they communicated and worked through their problem, and hope and fear, together that proved just how strong their bond is.

Dickstagram by Brittany Crowley

If the title of this story isn't enough to make you want to read it, then Carly and her humor sure will. Oh and Vin. He's a big part of it too. I loved his boldness and how she threw caution to the wind and went for it. And that little twist at the end...to be a fly on the wall when that conversation happens.

Party For Three by Meagan Brandy

Meagan Brandy brought back one of my favorites in Party for Three. I liked seeing Royce in a way I hadn't before. Can you say steamy? And with all his alpha charisma I really can't wait to see what happens when he gets his own book.

Frayed Edges by Freya Barker

If there is one thing I like, its a biker that is soft only for his woman but can still throw down. And Ouary is that man. That's not to say Luna was a pushover, far from it. She was brave and didn't back down in the face of adversity. But getting things back on track at the club had Ouray neglecting some of his priorities, namely Luna. Thank goodness his son and Damian, Luna's boss, were there to help remind him.

Mine by Anna Brooks

To be fair, I hadn't read Bulletproof Butterfly, Jay and Liv's book, but that doesn't mean I didn't like getting this snippet of them. I liked Liv's tender heart and Jay's protectiveness. But secrets and assumptions between them spirals out of control. Mine was tender but still had an edge that made me want to go back and get their story from the start.

Bad Daddy by J.D. Hollyfield

Hot! Holy had to go fan myself. Heath and Violet were on fire. Throw in a touch of the forbidden and it only added to the decadence of what transpired. I loved how Violet went for what she wanted without reservation. Even though Heath resisted, it was futile. When he finally gave in to what they both wanted, it was deliciously dirty and wonderfully naughty.

There truly is something for everyone in this collection. I can't wait to go through and finish it.

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of Bedtime Quickies: Take Me to Bed, the authors have a sherpa blanket and a hardcover copy of the collection for one winner and a paperback for a second winner!

Enter here: http://bit.ly/TMTBRelGive

   

What She Didn’t See
Heather Wynter
Publication date: February 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Suspense, Thriller

An American tourist in Rome. A secret service agent on vacation. An international assassin… What could go wrong?

Gracie Colby and Lena Boyd are wrapping up the tour of Italy Lena has planned her whole life.

Luke Barnes, a Secret Service Agent, is on vacation in Rome.

Before she knows what happened to her, her friend is dead, and Gracie finds herself swept into a whirlwind of danger, intrigue, and international forces conspiring to destroy her. Teaming up with Luke to survive, Gracie is forced to question herself and decide if she is capable of outrunning the assassin before he can get to them.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

He set off across the street, and she followed, not wanting to be alone in this city of death. Her heel crunched in glass fragments. He held up the tape that designated this a crime scene, and she ducked under it. It was all pretend. She saw herself doing everything, looking like an actor on a cop show.

The car riddled with bullet holes belonged to the movie too. The prop crew had put that tire there for her to cower behind for safety from the gunfire. She peered down at the space where she’d taken shelter from the danger, the place where Lena had pushed her to protect her when the shooting started.

She gulped down the lump in her throat. The last thing Lena did in this life was save her. She didn’t save herself. She was too thoughtful for that. While Grace was thinking about dragging Lena back home to start their lives as adults, Lena was saving her from that … that …

She looked up to find Luke inspecting her. Could he see what a terrible friend she had been? Had Lena’s sacrifice left visible scars on her skin?

“What do you know about the shooter?” she asked to distract them both.

Author Bio:

Heather Wynter grew up in California, where she still lives with her two dogs and three cats which she lovingly refers to as her zoo. She's a sucker for any period drama and a good romance. When she isn't reading or writing out what is in her wild imagination, she's probably at Disneyland or traveling around the globe.

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“With witty banter, intense chemistry, and panty-melting sex scenes, Crowne of Lies is a total winner.”

--Siobhan Davis, USA Today bestselling author

Crowne of Lies, an all-new delicious and do-not-miss marriage of convenience romance by New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss, available now!

Logan Crowne needs one year from Ella.

Twelve months living in his house, holding his hand, wearing his ring on her finger, and in exchange, she’ll get her father’s company in the divorce settlement.

They have one year to convince his skeptical parents that they’re happily in love, and he’s settled enough to run Crowne Industries.

Ella wants the company badly enough to live with a man who will never love her. She’ll sleep in his room and kiss him for show.

Her heart may melt whenever he’s around, and his touch may ignite a fire inside her, but surrender will break her heart.

She’s sure she can last a year without giving him her body.

She’s wrong.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30ezM1i

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/CrowneLies

Add CROWNE OF LIES to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2NjSS0T

About CD Reiss

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Connect with Christine

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