Title: Chasing Clouds
Author: Kathryn Andrews
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 19, 2018
Cover Image: Perrywinkle Photography
Cover Designer: Heart to Cover
Reid Jackson
I’m a simple guy. There are only two things I love: my family and playing professional football.
I may not understand why people get married, but I’d go anywhere for my brother, even his friend Camille’s wedding. Once I’m there, I realize our Bronx upbringing has left me unprepared for the world of old Southern money. Over twenty-four hours, I see scandal, threats, and lies. It’s a life I don’t relate to, a place I never want to belong. Even so, when the minister asks if anyone objects, I shock not only myself but also the beautiful bride when I stand up and say, “I do.” I don’t know her, she doesn’t know me—but deep down, I knew I had to make that move.
Camille Whitley
As a political socialite in the South, nothing about my life is simple.
For years I’ve known I’d one day be standing at the altar, about to marry a man I don’t love. In Savannah, family expectations and appearances are everything, but none of it’s real. I hate what I’ve become, and I dream of being free. So, when an opportunity suddenly presents itself in the form of a stranger with captivating green eyes, I find myself asking what’s best for me: the plan or the unknown? I don’t know him, he doesn’t know me—but if I’m going to make a move, it’s now or never.
“This has officially become my favorite first date ever.” He pauses, and I feel the side of his mouth tip up as the day-old stubble on his cheek brushes against my skin. “Kissing at the beginning instead of the end, mmm.” The sound rumbles from his chest and into mine. I like the way it feels more than I should, and deciding I don’t want to wait anymore, I push up on my toes to seal my mouth to his. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Reid today, it’s that he doesn’t do anything halfway. He’s either all in or all out, and with this kiss, he’s all in. When he licks across my bottom lip, I gladly open to him and allow his warmth to sink into me. Part of me thinks I should feel bad about wanting this kiss so much—after all, I’m supposed to be married to someone else—but I don’t. I want this kiss. No, I need this kiss, and I can tell he does too as his hand on my lower back moves to cradle the other side of my face. He holds my head, angling and moving me to just where he wants me, and I’m more than happy to comply. Over and over his tongue twists with mine as his mouth, lips, and breath take what they want. Every part of me is tingling, and I’m in complete euphoria as I surrender to this moment and just feel . . . feel him, his fingers, his heart beating against his chest, and how he’s wordlessly promising me he’s got this and everything is going to be okay.
Kathryn Andrews loves stories that end with a happily ever after. She started writing at age seven and never stopped. Kathryn is an Amazon Bestseller for her much loved Hale Brothers Series and is a chi-lit, contemporary romance, and new adult writer.
Kathryn graduated from the University of South Florida with degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and currently lives in Tampa, Florida. She spends her days as a sales director for a medical device company and her nights lost in her love of fictional characters.
When Kathryn is not crafting beautiful worlds that incorporate some of her most favorite real life places, she can be found hanging out with her husband and two young sons, while drinking iced coffee and enjoying the sun. To find out more about Kathryn and her novels, visit: www.kandrewsauthor.com
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Title: Disrupt
Author: Ella Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: July 2, 2018
Blurb
Donovan Beckett is a recluse who wants no commitments or entanglements of any kind. He works hard to ensure no one can penetrate the wall heâs carefully constructed around himselfâuntil the day his new neighbor stumbles into him. It isnât anything like instant love. Far from it. Eden Avery doesnât want to be curious about her neighbor. Heâs the most infuriating and closed-off person sheâs ever metânot to mention the rudest. She doesnât want to find the uptight bastard irresistible and she shouldnât be able to sense the minute heâs within spitting distance, but does. She really shouldnât fantasize about his hands on her body, but thatâs happening too. They can fight it all they want, but nothing can stop the mutual attraction thatâs about to disrupt both of their lives. Purchase Links $2.99 for a limited time AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU Excerpt
I collide with and immediately bounce off something huge and hard. My arms flail as I start to topple backward. I'm saved by a pair of strong hands that halt me before I land on my butt. Iâm barely able to process that Iâm upright before the hands are gone.
Blinking in confusion, I slowly look up and take in a man who is easily a foot taller than my five foot one frame. Heâs like an angel in blackâtall and broad shouldered with large hands and rugged arms. His black t-shirt does nothing to hide his six-pack abs, and the black jeans and black work boots heâs got on only make him more roguishly appealing. Everything about him is sexy including his sporty, masculine scent. Iâve never come across someone so mesmerizing in all of my life. His longish dark hair, closely trimmed beard and sensual lips are straight up panty-melters, so I bet women throw themselves at him on the regular. The very thought of this bothers me far more than is reasonable or appropriate.
My heart slams against my chest as my eyes meet his. Something strange passes between us, something I canât put name to. Iâm at a loss because I havenât experienced anything remotely similar before. I feel my cheeks flush with color as I stare up at him. Biting my lip nervously, I blink up at him like an idiot as I try to force words out of my mouth. Questions are zinging through my head at high speedâthings like who are youor where did you come from and finally, holy shit, has this kind of thing ever happened to you before?
Before I can articulate even one of those things he blinks and the moment is over. I cringe when I realize whatever was in his eyes is gone, almost as if it never happened at all. Now, heâs pinning me with a look that could permanently freeze the tropics. Even still, his eyes make me weak in the knees, regardless of the fact that theyâre now subarctic. Jet black lashes frame the most beautiful deep blue eyes Iâve ever seen, and right now theyâre transmitting one message loud and clearâstay the hell back. Iâve never come across anyone less inviting in all my life.
âIâIâm sorry,â I sputter. âI didnât meanââ
His sensual lips form a flat line as he sidesteps me. âPay attention to where youâre going,â he snaps.
Author Bio
Ella Fox is the USA Today Bestselling Author of The Hart Family Series, Consequences of Deception, The Catch Series and The Renegade Series. When sheâs not writing, Ella indulges the gypsy in her blood and travels the country. Ella loves reading, movies, music, buying make-up, reading Tmz, Twitter and pedicures⦠not necessarily in that order. She has a wild sense of humor and loves to laugh. Her favorite thing in the world is hanging out with her family and watching comedy movies.
Moonlight Seduction: A de Vincent Novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is available NOW!
The de Vincent brothers are back—and so is the intrigue that surrounds them—in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s sizzling new novel . . . Nicolette Bresson never thought she’d return to the de Vincents’ bayou compound. It’s where her parents work, where Nikki grew up . . . and where she got her heart broken by Gabriel de Vincent himself. Yet here she is, filling in for her sick mother. Avoiding Gabe should be easy, especially when so much of Nikki’s time is spent trying not to be stabbed in the back by the malicious hangers-on who frequent the mansion. But escaping memories of Gabe, much less his smoking-hot presence, is harder than expected—especially since he seems determined to be in Nikki’s space as much as possible. Gabriel spent years beating himself up over his last encounter with Nikki. He’d wanted her then, but for reasons that were bad for both of them. Things have now changed. Gabe sees more than a girl he’s known forever; he sees a smart, talented, and heartbreakingly beautiful woman . . . one who’s being stalked from the shadows. Now, Gabe will do anything to keep Nikki safe—and to stop the de Vincent curse from striking again. Download your copy today! Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GiWCeo Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MoonlightSeduction iBooks: https://apple.co/2p38gCM Nook: http://bit.ly/2Dn6v7B Kobo: http://bit.ly/2p4hHlm Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2FBrHIW Excerpt: He moved forward, maybe a foot or two, but stopped like one would if they were approaching a rabid dog. A heartbeat passed. “Your hair . . .” He tilted his head to the side. “It’s different.”“Yeah, it is.” Her hair used to be a rather dull medium brown, but then she found this amazing hair stylist in Tuscaloosa and turned her brown hair into this array of blondes and browns, using some weird technique called balayage. “It’s basically just highlights and stuff.” “Stuff.” His gaze flickered over the bun. Uncomfortable, she scanned the kitchen. “And my hair is longer. A lot longer.” His brows lifted. Was she really telling him the length of her hair? This was the most strained conversation she’d ever had in her life. And that was, well, it was sad. She peeked at him. It used to not be this way. Back before . . . well, before she ruined everything, he’d be teasing her and asking about her college. He’d be talking to her like he could actually stand being in the same room with her. She needed this conversation to be over like it was yesterday and she also needed to figure out how she could work here and not run into Gabe. The house was big enough that it should be possible. “I need to get back to—” “Planting your face against the over door?” Her shoulders slumped. “Actually, I need to finish the potatoes. So, if you’ll excuse me.” She started to turn away, praying that he’d just leave. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me? Because I have a lot I need to say to you,” he said. “Never in a million years did I think I’d see you here again.” Nikki’s spine stiffened like steel had been poured into it. Oh God. Her throat spasmed. “We need to talk.” “No we don’t,” she said quickly. “We do not need to talk about anything.” “Bullshit,” he snapped, and his voice was so much closer that she turned to him on instinct. Gabe was now at the edge of the massive island, only two or three feet from her. She stepped back into the counter. Her heart thundered in her chest as her gaze flicked to the kitchen door. “No one is coming near here,” he said as if reading her mind. Her gaze flew back to his. “Dev is in his office on the second floor, in a meeting and your father is out with the landscaper. No one is going to hear us.” A weird mixture of sensations assaulted her. One was a chill that skated down her spine. The other was a tight, hot shiver that danced over her skin. Gabe kept coming at her, not stopping until he was right in front of her, separated by a few inches. She sucked in air, catching the crisp, clean scent of his cologne. It reminded her of storms, of that night. That was the last thing she wanted to be reminded of. Like his brother, he was a good head and then some taller than her, so right now, her eyes were fastened to his chest. Thank God he was wearing a shirt. “I . . . I don’t want to talk,” she managed to say. “I do.” “Gabe—” “You owe me this.” Her body jerked as she pressed her lips together. He was right. She owed him a conversation. “Okay.” There was another beat of silence and then he asked in a voice so low she almost didn’t believe she heard him right. “Did I hurt you that night?”
Start the Series Today! Moonlight Sins (de Vincent series, book 1) Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2v8VLen Amazon Universal: https://mybook.to/moonlightsins Nook: http://bit.ly/MoonlightSins-Nook iBooks: http://bit.ly/MoonlightSins-iBooks Kobo: http://bit.ly/2EHHQLQ Audible: http://amzn.to/2DJB1JZ About Jennifer L. Armentrout # 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. She is also the creator and sole financier of the annual Write Your Way To RT Book Convention, a contest that gives aspiring authors a chance to win a fully paid trip to RT Book Reviews.
Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_l_armentrout/ GoodReads: http://bit.ly/1DiIjRa Stay up to date with Jennifer by joining her mailing list today: https://bit.ly/2qBce5m
Book: Mister Boss Man
Author: Ryleigh York
Genre: Erotic Romance
**LIVE NOW**
#MISTERBOSSMANRELEASE
Synopsis
My dick has a certain appetite. Curvy, sassy, and gone the next morning. When my new paralegal walks in, I take one look at her, and immediately know I'm f*cked. Because the curvy little sexpot standing in my office was once the hottest one night stand of my life. What I wouldn't give for a repeat. I'm ready to break all my rules, and show her exactly what I fantasize about during our meetings. When things heat up between us, I think I've finally met my match, but what I never counted on was the woman I’ve fallen for being the one poised for the ultimate betrayal.
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Meet The Author
Ryleigh York is a romance author and a hopeless romantic. She's also a normal suburban housewife with two little kids, and loves to escape into romance novels in her spare time.
The Regret Series Re-Release Sale
Celebrate the New Covers with the First in Series FREENow Available on ALL PlatformsThe Beloved NYT Bestselling Series from A.L. JacksonAn epic love story spanning the years.Betrayal, love and devotion...Follow Christian and Elizabeth on their journey to happily ever after in this sexy, second-chance romance series.Lost to YouDownload FREETake This RegretIf Forever Comes
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Grab A.L. Jackson’s latest novel, LEAD ME HOME, the third stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson - Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.
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Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub Twitter: @aljacksonauthor Instagram: @aljacksonauthor Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor
Title: Just Like This
Series: Just Like This Series #1
Author: Rebecca Gallo
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 28, 2018
Cover Design: Amy Queau/Q Design
“Wow! This story pulls at your heart strings! What an amazing read!” ~Goodreads Review (Sarah) “This book had me from the start. I stayed up way past my bed time to sneak in a few more chapters, I just could not put it down!” ~ Goodreads Review (Zoe)When I saw him I knew - I had been waiting for something just like this.
And then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
After giving up a lucrative career in Seattle, I was content with my life in Gig Harbor, taking care of my father during his battle with cancer. Until I met Garrett and he showed me what my life was missing.
Passion. Desire. Love.
Two weeks was nothing but to us it was everything. We scrambled to make the most of our short time together but bitter jealousy, painful truths and devastating grief forced Garrett and I to prove to one another that love can grow almost instantly.
The memories we created were supposed to last, were supposed to carry us through our darkest moments. But what if Garrett doesn’t return? What if I never feel something just like this again?
“I have something kind of awkward to ask,” Garrett said quietly once we left the bar and were in the car headed back to my house. I was itching to ask him about his text messages, to have him say the words he had typed aloud, but I couldn’t help but wonder how much influence the liquid courage provided by alcohol had on his bold declaration. When he finally said them to me, he needed to be stone-cold sober.
“Okay,” I replied.
“Can I stay in your guest house until I deploy? Palmer kind of kicked me out.”
Under my breath, I muttered, “Asshole.” Palmer seriously needed to grow up and get a clue. There was never going to come a day when I was going to change my mind. He needed to accept that and move on. Otherwise, we couldn’t be friends.
“Yes, of course,” I told him. “I kind of have a favor of my own to ask.”
“Whatever it is, the answer is yes.”
I winced. “You should probably wait until you know what it is first.”
“Fine. What can I help you with?”
“I’d like you to meet my father,” I said timidly.
The car became uncomfortably silent, and I didn’t have to look at Garrett to know he wasn’t expecting me to ask that.
“He asked about you today,” I elaborated. “He wanted to know if you’re handy around the house.”
Garrett chuckled softly. “I know enough to get by. Why did he ask?”
I explained to him how Valerie embarrassed me when we went to visit my dad. “I didn’t really want to tell him,” I admitted. “But I think he wants to know that I’ll be taken care of after he’s gone.”
Garrett reached across the console and plucked one of my hands from the steering wheel. He brought it up to his lips and kissed it gently. “Then yes, of course, I’ll meet him.”
When we arrived at my house, I unlocked the guest house for Garrett and left him to get settled before walking across the driveway to the main house. I told him to meet me out back when he was ready. While I waited, I prepared dinner for us. Soon, Garrett’s shadowed figure appeared outside, and I watched him through the windows, enthralled by his handsomeness and the way his body moved as he lit a fire in the backyard.
It was so easy to deny that what I felt for him was love because he scared me. In a matter of days, he would be halfway around the world, risking his life on a daily basis. My hands trembled as I chopped vegetables; my mind raced as I thought about the worst possibility. If he died, no one would tell me. I’d be completely alone in my grief. My thoughts distracted me, and when I felt the blade of the knife slice across my hand, I yelped in pain and surprise.
“Shit!” I hurried over to the sink and ran my bleeding hand under the water. Garrett noticed my panic and rushed inside.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice thick with concern. He was quick, grabbing my hand and wrapping it in a paper towel.
“I wasn’t paying attention,” I explained. “I was thinking about…” I let my voice trail off for a moment before I said, “I just wasn’t paying attention.”
Gently, Garrett unfolded the paper towel that covered my hand and ran it back under the water. He dabbed it gently with a clean towel before inspecting it carefully. “I don’t think it’s deep enough for stitches. Do you have a first-aid kit?”
I nodded. “In the bathroom.” I showed him the way as he walked with my hand still cradled in his. He directed me to sit down on the toilet seat and, when he found the kit, started carefully cleaning and bandaging my cut.
“What were you thinking about?” Garrett asked softly.
“You,” I confessed. “I’m scared.”
“I know. You told me.”
I shook my head. “No. What if you die, Garrett?” My question was unexpected, and he looked up at me, his eyes large and dark. “I love you, and who’s going to tell me if you die? Who’s going to know that I love you? That you’re mine just as much as I’m yours? That scares me, Garrett, so much. I’m already losing one man I love. I can’t lose another.”
My voice was on the verge of hysterical, and my words came out too quickly, almost incoherent, but Garrett knew; he understood. The next words that bubbled up were immediately swallowed by Garrett’s crushing kiss. His large hands slid under my jaw, cupping it as he devoured every fear that threatened to surface. My uninjured hand twisted in the front of his shirt, and I pulled him closer, returning his kiss with my own ferocity.
“You might just be the death of me,” Garrett said breathlessly, breaking our kiss.
I grinned in reply, but it quickly faded when I noticed Garrett’s grim expression.
“I’m scared too, Cami. But you can walk away. I won’t ask you to make this kind of commitment.”
I slipped my uninjured hand into his and squeezed. “I’m not leaving. I’ve wanted something just like this for a long time, and now that I have it, I won’t just give it up.”
Rebecca Gallo was first indoctrinated into the romance genre by her babysitter who watched hours upon hours of daytime soap operas. She harbored many inappropriate crushes on fictional characters such as John Black from “Days of Our Lives,” Orry Main from the mini-series “North & South,” and Edward Fairfax Rochester from Jane Eyre. She is still in love with Davy Jones from The Monkees.
Rebecca currently lives in the Southwest with her husband, tiny four-year-old terror, and a tuxedo cat with a limp. When she isn’t swooning over book boyfriends or dreaming up romances, she can be found educating the youth of America. Or eating tacos.
Today we have the excerpt reveal for Alexa Padgett’s A PILGRIMAGE TO DEATH! We’re so excited to share this upcoming thriller with you! Check it out and be sure to preorder today!
Title: A Pilgrimage to DeathAuthor: Alexa PadgettGenre: ThrillerRelease Date: August 14thAbout A Pilgrimage to Death:They murdered her sister. They threatened her church. Their day of reckoning is at hand. Cici Gurule is a freewheeling, progressive reverend who’ll stop at nothing to protect her flock. When she finds the dead body of a parishioner in the nearby Santa Fe National Forest, she’s horrified to realize the victim bears the same stab wounds that ended her twin sister’s life one year earlier. Together with her detective friend and loyal pair of Great Pyrenees, she vows to hunt down the killer before she’s forced to officiate another funeral. Soon, however, Cici discovers her sister was on the trail of a deep-rooted criminal operation… and her death was no random act of violence. Now that the criminals are out for Cici’s blood, the pastor must catch the wolf by the tail before it goes in for the kill. A Pilgrimage to Death is a high-octane mystery thriller. If you like motorcycling sleuths, fast-paced action, and a dash of humor, then you’ll love Alexa Padgett’s edge-of-your-seat novel.
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Exclusive Excerpt:Cecilia Gurule was a reverend for God’s sake. She dealt in souls—the broken, empty, seeking, and, yes, the dead. Bodies? Not her wheelhouse. At least they weren’t until that Tuesday afternoon when Domine Deusdecided to test both her faith and her life. She came within a bullet of losing both. *** Cecilia, who much preferred Cici, met Sam in the parking lot of the Aspen Vista Trail. She was late. Not really her fault, but typical, thanks to her parishioners’ unwillingness to accept Tuesdays as her one day per week away from the church. Wide and rocky, the trail snaked over eleven miles up the side of the mountain following an old forest service road. While the incline was never scramble steep, it rose at a consistent pace, switching back with views toward the city or up to the ski basin. A few narrow runnels of water—not big enough to be considered creeks—dribbled from the remaining snowpack. Cici suggested it last week because both she and Sam had the weekday off, meaning fewer hikers on the bottom part of the trail, and they could spend the three-plus hours needed to reach the summit. Unfortunately, Cici suggested the trail before she made plans to breakfast with the widowed Mrs. Sanchez, whose son worked out at the state penitentiary on NM-14. “I don’t understand these kids.” Mrs. Sanchez wiped her mouth with her napkin, leaving a smear of bright red on the paper. Her lips were the same light bronze as her craggy skin, hints of the crimson lipstick settled into the faint lines bisecting her lower lip. “Juanito has one more year at that fancy private school. He has a pretty girlfriend. Yet he cannot be happy? He causes his father such heartache, Reverend.” She picked up her coffee mug and shoved it toward Cici. “You talk to the boy for his father. Set him straight.” “I’ll do what I can, Mrs. Sanchez.” “Humph.” The woman set her mug down with a crack, her dark, deep-set eyes glaring from between folds of skin. Without the bright lipstick, her mouth seemed hidden under the wrinkles. “I’m old, Reverend. I cannot control the boy. His father, Miguel, spent most of the last year picking up extra shifts for the tuition at St. Michaels. Juanito needs to respect the rules we set for him.” “Which are?” Cici asked. Mrs. Sanchez tossed her napkin onto her plate with the half-finished breakfast burrito. Cici picked up her own warm tortilla and bit into the wrap, enjoying the spicy flavors of green chile and sausage. One thing about Mrs. Sanchez: she was a fine cook. “No seeing that girl past ten p.m. Good grades—all A’s so that he’s ready to go to Tech in a year. That’s what he needs—a good education, more choices. Not this . . . this mess with girls.” “He did receive all A’s last year, and it’s summer break now. Shouldn’t Juan have the chance to focus on his job or maybe even spend time with Jaycee?” “No more time with the girlfriend,” Mrs. Sanchez said with a sharp motion of her hand. “That’s how I’ll end up a great-grandmother. The boy needs more school. He is not yet eighteen.” Her face crumpled. “He is the age we lost his brother, Marco, Reverend. You know this. Juan is all the family has left.” *** “Who was it this time?” Sam Chastain, Cici’s friend and hiking partner, asked. He pulled on a tattered ball cap—probably the one Cici’s twin sister, Anna Carmen, gave him years ago—and pulled on his backpack, settling it comfortably over his gray Red River T-shirt. His short, dark ponytail stuck through the hole in the back like a bristle-brush. He slid on a pair of Ray-Bans to protect his gunmetal-blue eyes. “Mrs. Sanchez. I got a great breakfast out of the deal.” “She want you to have the talk with Juan?” Sam asked. Sam was a detective with the Santa Fe Police department and fellow search-and-rescue teammate. The two had known each other for decades. Cici grabbed her water bottle and checked her sneakers. “Got a hat?” Sam asked. “You know you’re going to burn if you don’t wear one.” Sam studied her features, his gaze resting on her high cheekbones that always burned thanks to the pale skin Cici and her sister inherited from their mother, along with the oval shape of her face and the long-lashed hazel eyes. “Yep,” Cici said, settling the cap on her head and pulling her long, jet-black pony tail through the hole in the back. Sam offered her a radio, which she took, clipping it to her thick, brown leather belt. “Why are we carrying these?” Sam shrugged. “Boss man wants everyone on the trails wearing ’em. Maybe because of the helicopter extraction earlier this year?” They started up the trail, moving in tandem as if they’d been hiking together for years. “She’s recovered,” Cici said. “I called the woman who fell off Big Tesuque and talked to her. Her ankle’s out of the cast.” “Lot of ruckus for a broken ankle and some bruises,” Sam replied. “She slid four hundred feet into that ravine, Sam. Cut the woman some slack.” “Stupid to hike alone, and you know it. We wouldn’t have had to waste so many resources on her if she’d been smarter.” Cici did, but her job was to see others’ points of view, to help them grow, both in their humanity and spirituality. Refusing to get pulled further into an argument with Sam, she continued to hike. They matched pace for a while in companionable silence. Cici began to feel . . . not sad. She hadn’t been happy since Anna Carmen’s death. But in this moment, with the sun shining and the aspens whispering overhead, Cici’s lips lifted at the corners. The call came over the radio clipped to her belt. The same message squawked from Sam’s radio. He stopped, his chest expanding with each hard breath. They’d hiked the steepest part of the Aspen Trail. Sam wiped the sweat off his brow and pulled in a deep breath. He unlatched his walkie-talkie and pressed the button on the side. “Repeat that, please.” “Missing hiker. Wife called it in when she got off the mountain.” “She left him out here by himself?” Cici asked, already wrinkling her nose in disgust. People continued to disappoint her. Sam shook his head. “Not now, Cici. What’s the trail?” “Aspen Vista,” the voice said over the bits of static. “We’re on it. Name, age, any other stats?” “I know.” The voice crackled but the exasperation was clear even through the bad connection. “Donald . . . fifty . . . complain . . . heart.” “Uh oh,” Cici murmured. “Last known whereabouts?” Sam asked. “The summit.” “Why’d the wife leave him there?” Cici muttered. “If he was in distress when she left him, he might not have survived while she strolled down the mountain.” “Later,” Sam replied. He pressed the “Talk” button. “We’re a quarter mile from that location. Cici and I will start the sweep.” “Roger . . . full crew coming in.” “Great. From what you said, we’ll probably need it. Over and out.” Sam clipped the thick black radio to his belt again. He turned back to look at Cici, who’d crossed her arms and scowled down into the valley below. “None of that, Cee. Not all people are your parents.” “No, shit, detective,” she grunted. “Hey,” Sam said, bumping her shoulder with his in a gentle gesture she’d come to expect from him over the last few years. While they’d spent time together before her twin’s death, Cici made a point to seek him out more often after Anna Carmen’s funeral—especially once she’d made the decision to quit as the associate reverend from the large, wealthy church outside Boston—and move back home. He’d reciprocated by always being available, even during the difficult transition when he left the promising position on a joint task force in Denver. He’d been so excited to participate in that work because only the best people from the region were chosen, and Sam was one of the youngest. But, after explaining the situation to his boss, Agent Klein helped Sam move back in the detective bureau in Santa Fe. “Priests aren’t supposed to use that kind of language,” he said. Cici bumped him back, harder. Five male cousins within three years of her own age taught her a few important details—like how to fight dirty. “I’m not a priest. And not just because of my reproductive organs. I’m a reverend.” “With a predilection for curse words and a willingness to abuse your fellow man,” Sam said over his shoulder as he moved back into point position on the trail. He made a tsking sound. “C’mon, Rev. Let’s go rescue our guy. Maybe you’ll make the front page of the paper. Again.” He turned to wink, his lips lifting when Cici rolled his eyes. “Ugh. One time, Sam.” “That’s all it took for me to be able to tease you about it for the rest of your life.” He started to chuckle. “Whatever happened to the chicken?” Cici glared while Sam struggled to keep a straight face. “I don’t know.” She huffed. “Hopefully, it’s living a long, chicken-y life.” She rolled her eyes again and began to climb; Sam fell into step to the left and a half-foot in front of her. Sam’s foot shifted as loose slag slid out from under his thick-soled hiking boot. He slowed his pace, taking more care with where he stepped. No point in getting hurt on the way up—that would just make more work for the SAR crew already on its way. “I can’t believe that little girl asked you to bless a chicken at the Pet Parade.” “This is Santa Fe. Home of animal lovers and weirdness.” And murder. Even though the sun beat down in thick, hot rays, Cici shivered. Something about this entire situation felt . . . well, off. She picked up the thread of their conversation to give herself something to do besides watch where she placed her feet and worry about what they’d find. “Anyway, Yale wasn’t big on the cussing. Manhattan and Boston are where I picked up some choice words.” “You were supposed to show those sinners how to rise above coarse language, sin, and all that shit.” Cici shrugged. Not new ground here. She and Sam had bickered for years. That wasn’t saying much, really. She’d known most of the people in Santa Fe for years. The aspen leaves rippled in the wind—a soft, fluttering roll of vegetation that sounded like a gentle, low tide—a strange phenomenon common here, high up in the Santa Fe National Forest where blue sky and slender white tree trunks seemed to merge. Typically, the sound soothed her. Not now that she’d thought about her sister. The ache left by Anna Carmen’s death seemed to grow and weep, just as it always did when thoughts of her twin blindsided her. Cici lifted her leg high to take her up to the next rock as sweat trickled down the middle of her back and her thighs began to ache with the deliciousness of hard use. Cici cleared her head and organized her thoughts on these weekly hikes. Spending time outdoors with Sam became a weekly ritual more than six months ago. She looked forward to these hours-long jaunts because they helped her prepare a better sermon. They turned the last sharp curve and Sam’s feet planted firmly into the path, blocking her view. He cursed—worse than her words. Cici’s heart hammered and the dread in her stomach shifted, heaving, as Cici edged around him.v “Wait, Cee. You don’t want to see this.” Too late—and not as if she would have listened. Her throat tightened as she stared into the sightless eyes of Donald Johnson, one of the founding members of the church she’d taken over earlier this year. A gust of wind slammed against her overheated skin and the soft rustling of the aspens built into the crash of waves. Or maybe it was her ears, thrumming with the rush of blood to her head. She barely heard Sam call in their location. Rigor mortis had already come and left his body before she and Sam found him, toppled off the large boulder, his stainless-steel canteen overturned and empty at his feet. The water stained the ground and his right hiking boot, making the leather darker, near black. Near as black as the blood on the rock and stuck to his Lobos T-shirt, trailing down onto his designer jeans. Sam’s hand came down on her shoulder and she flinched, hard, but she didn’t look away from Donald. Two narrow gashes showed pink and a trickle of blood. His hands—large and hairy—nicked from the blade. A longer, deeper gash split open the meaty part of his hand almost as if he’d grappled with the blade. But Cici focused on the large wolf logo. The UNM mascot seemed to have opened its mouth right above a wound in his back, ready to devour him. Or maybe Cici, with memories of another murder. That wound . . .
About Alexa Padgett:
With a degree in international marketing and a varied career path that includes content management for a web firm, marketing direction for a high-profile sports agency, and a two-year stint with a renowned literary agency, award-winning author Alexa Padgett has returned to her first love: writing fiction. Alexa spent a good part of her youth traveling. From Budapest to Belize, Calgary to Coober Pedy, she soaked in the myriad smells, sounds, and feels of these gorgeous places, wishing she could live in them all—at least for a while. And she does in her books. She lives in New Mexico with her husband, children, and Great Pyrenees pup, Ash. When not writing, schlepping, or volunteering, she can be found in her tiny kitchen, channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa.
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Enter Alexa’s Giveaway!This isn’t a story about a love triangle. There is no triangle involved. This isn’t a story about an accidental pregnancy. Although having a baby with her . . . I would. This isn’t a story about lies and deception, even though at times I’ve lied to myself. No, this is my story. A story about sacrifice. A story about a man who fell in love with the wrong girl. A story I wish I never had to tell. This is a story about the true meaning of the downside of love.
AVAILABLE NOW
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Tucked away at the base of the Rocky Mountains lived a little boy with one singular dream: leave this broken and battered home and become someone. Be somebody’s hero. That boy was me—Colby Brooks. Except I’m not that same little boy anymore. My dreams might still be the same, but my reality isn’t. I’m smarter. Stronger. A man. And I learned a long damn time ago, the only way to achieve my dreams was to avoid distractions—at any cost. Focus. Resolve. Determination. But all it took was one single night. One night and my entire life…changed. One night had me colliding head first with the biggest distraction of my life; Rory Oaks. Smart. Charming. Beautiful. Rory changed everything. Quickly, my one-track mind started to bend. Each kiss faded decade-long dreams. And with one single incident, I fly off course.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if “It’s Raining Men” starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped. Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing… enter her first novel, Caught Looking. Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!
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Title: One Week
Author: Roya Carmen
Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance (standalone)
Publication Date: June 21, 2018
Cover Design: Calico Images
A troubled marriage. A one week hall pass.
Gabriella Moore has it all; a beautiful husband, two adorable children, and a dream home. Yet, when, by chance, she befriends Eli online, she falls fast. And hard. She knows she must let him go, and saying goodbye is one of the hardest things sheâs ever done, but she resolves to move on and forget about her beautiful stranger.
But then⦠she makes an unexpected discovery, and it shakes her perfect world to its core. Rules donât apply anymore. An arrangement is made, and her husband gives her just one week with Eli. The rules are clear: One week. Sex only. No contact thereafter. Seems simple enough, but itâs never simple when it comes to love.
âRoya Carmen's storytelling captures you and makes you want to be part of that world. This book hooked me from the beginning; I couldn't put it down and got to the end thinking "but I want more!" - A Book Lover's Emporium âAs soon as I saw the blurb I knew I needed to read thisbook. It's not an easy read, it might shake you a little, but it's worth it.â - The Bookery Review "You are the Queen of theforbidden. I loved this story. It captivated me from the beginning..." - Geneva (reader)
5 Star Review by Lorena
This was one great story that will have you in complete shambles. I found myself completely glued to my device from beginning to end! What do you do when you have the perfect marriage, beautiful children and a spouse you are madly and truly in love with, or at least you think you still are! Gabriella has a great marriage, she loves her husband he loves her too. But she's starting to realize that he doesn't have time for his family anymore. When he's not away at book signings, he's locked up in his home office working on his next book. Gabriella feels neglected, she feels like her husband has disconnected himself from her. Gabriella now makes a friend through Instagram. At first she thinks it's a woman, but quickly comes to realize that it's a man, but they have so much in common through their virtual friendship. When Gabriella discovers that her husband has been having an affair, she compromises with him and suggests that she go to see Eli for a week. Nothing is set in stone and she doesn't know what will happen between them. She had already cut all ties with Eli before she discovered her husband's infidelity. Gabriella's idea is just to go and see him and spend one glorious week with him, hoping to find herself and see if she truly does love her husband and if they should work things out once she returns from her trip. But to be honest, all sparks have fizzled between her and her husband, it's just a matter of finding that out for sure. Gabriella has a wonderful time with Eli that week, they explore the city and they are getting to know each other. She's experiencing things with Eli that she hasn't had with her husband in a long time. She is actually feeling loved by a man and even though it's not by her husband, she can't help herself. Will Gabriella be able to leave Eli behind after falling in love with him this one week or will she be able to let him go and start fresh with her husband. This book was everything I wanted it to be. Sometimes it's easy to just say "yeah, good for him that she cheated or that he cheated" because the other person was a real jerk. But in this case, I actually felt bad that their marriage was falling apart without either one knowing it. They both fell out of love for each other but felt like they needed to stay together especially because of the kids. But one should never stay in a relationship just because of kids because that makes it harder and it can turn sour between the couple. Gabriella and her husband would be great friends if they decided to go their separate ways. But it took Gabriella that One Week away to realize what she really wanted and what she needed to do with her marriage and with Eli. Absolutely a stunning story with an epic ending!
Prologue
Dear Eli,
First, I just want to tell you how much you mean to me. And thatâs the problem⦠you mean more to me than you should. I keep telling myself that weâre just friends, but I think we both know weâre more than that. Iâm not exactly sure what I am to you, but you are everything to me. I think about you all the time, every hour of every day. Itâs a little ridiculous, to be honest. I am a happily married mother of two, and I should start acting like it.
Iâve really enjoyed our conversations about art and life, but itâs time for me to end this. For a bachelor like you, this is just a fun distraction Iâm sure. But for me, itâs so much more, and it really shouldnât be. What Iâm doing with you is not right. I love my husband and my children, so itâs because of them that I need to say goodbye.
Iâll always remember you. : ) And Iâll smile every time I do.
Your friend,
Gabriella
Itâs just one or two paragraphs, but Iâve second-guessed every word, have pored over every single sentence, debating whether the right sentiments were expressed. Iâve spent over an hour going over it. Over and over. Iâve read the message more times than I can count. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. He just doesnât fit into the picture. My picture; John and me, and the kids, and the white picket fence, the perfect life. He should have never been in it. Some days, I wish Iâd never met him. Others, Iâm so glad I did. For the brief time that I knew him, he truly was one of the best things in my life.
My heart is hammering, threatening to burst as I swallow hard, and finally press on the âSendâ arrow. As soon as I do, I feel sick. A heavy weight presses down at the center of my chest, threatening to crush me. Iâve never felt so horrible, so lost.
But it had to be done. I tell myself Iâve done the right thing. For my family. For me. For him.
Our relationship flashes before my eyes â the laughs, the jokes, every single conversation, every wink, every little skip of my heart, his beautiful eyes, and his sweet smile. Damn⦠his smile.
It all started innocently enough, as these things often doâ¦
Titles: Seeking Solace: Angelina's Resortation AND Reclaiming Me: Fallyn's Revenge
Series: Love in the Dark Series
Author: Chelsea Camaron
Genre: Dark Romance
Seeking Solace Release Date: July 26, 2018
Reclaiming Me Release Date: September 26, 2018
Cover Model: Lindsay Michelle
Cover Photographer: FuriousFotog
Cover Designer: Pink Ink Designs
The fork in the road in front of me screamed go right.
Giano gave me life.
I gave him death.
The path to peace inside of me was paved in his blood. Can I ever believe in love again?
Instead of going right, I veered left into the depths of a world unknown.
My name was tainted at birth.
Giano was my second chance.
Freedom from my destiny had its allure.
Except revenge was a temptation I couldn't resist.
My father's world was mine to claim. I would do whatever was necessary to be me again - love and life be damned.
Chelsea Camaron is a small town Carolina girl with a big imagination. She is a wife and mom chasing her dreams. She writes contemporary romance, erotic suspense, and psychological thrillers. She loves to write blue-collar men who have real problems with a fictional twist. From mechanics to bikers to oil riggers to smokejumpers, bar owners, and beyond, she loves a strong hero who works hard and plays harder.
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