Friday, January 31, 2020

#Excerpt: DEFYING THE RELIC HUNTER by Gail Koger


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Koger will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


Kizzy sees dead people, but she’s a thief and talking to dead folks is about as useful as a three-legged horse. The Dragos clan booted her out when her year’s take was a lousy five hundred and sixty credits. The only way back in is to pull off a million-credit heist. Alone.

When Kizzy’s jobs as a roadkill collector and medical test subject goes south, she decides taking Montezuma’s gold away from an Indiana Jones wannabe is the ultimate heist.

The snag? The Indiana Jones wannabe is Ethan Jones, a dangerous Coletti Warlord. Now that she’s caught his attention, he’s determined to capture her as his prize.

Can the ghost whisperer defeat the big, bad Warlord? Defying the Relic Hunter!!

Excerpt:

My com-link abruptly came online, and Ethan’s deep voice growled, “I’m now charging you with assault, terrorist acts and aiding a fugitive. You’re going to spend the next twenty years in prison.”

“Do you really have tentacles on your man part?”

There was a long silence. “What?”

“Tentacles. You know those little squiggly things.”

“And if I do?”

“Ewww.” I disconnected. Ok, aggravating an enraged Coletti probably wasn’t a good idea, but he was starting to piss me off.

Thirty seconds later, Ethan was back. “I know you’re in Glendale and it’s only a matter of time before I find you.”

“So, you keep saying. Don’t you have a planet to conquer. Some women to steal. Isn’t chasing me over some friggin’ cookies a little demeaning?”

“Demeaning?” He roared. “You tried to frame me for armed robbery!”

“True, and I did zap you with a stun gun. I thought warlords were tough dudes and could handle a little pain. Guess, I was wrong. I’m sorry I gave you a boo-boo.”

“Woman, when I find you, I’m putting you over my knee and paddling your behind.”

“Wow, how kinky.”

“Coletti warlords never, ever stop hunting their prey. It might be tomorrow or next week, but I will capture you.”

“Okey-dokey. It’s your time to waste. Bye-bye.” I terminated the link. Ha! Try calling me now. What Ethan didn’t know was Uncle Aldo had put a gizmo in my wrist communications bracelet that screwed with Central Command’s sensors. Right now, they were searching the wrong part of town for me.

About the Author

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. 

Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

Author links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1598719.Gail_Koger
https://twitter.com/Askole
https://www.facebook.com/Colettiwarlordbooks/
https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Koger/e/B001K838BY
https://www.gailkoger.com

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

#Excerpt: THE LAST ATLANTIAN by Mikki Noble


The Last Atlantian
Mikki Noble
Publication date: December 13th 2019
Genres: Mythology, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Spencer did not plan to work on her birthday. She didn’t plan a lot of things, but they happened anyway. Like, when she touched a guy and he turned into a gold statue, or when some stranger appeared to tell her she was in danger. She didn’t plan to see her life forever changed by one simple act, and it still happened anyway.
What Spencer doesn’t know is why. Why is all this happening to her? Why does she have the power to turn people into gold all of a sudden.
Who is she really?
And why is this cute guy calling her the last Atlantian?


EXCERPT:

Spencer opened her eyes and looked around the busy coffee shop. Almost every table was full, and Cia had a very frantic look on her face. There was a line-up to the front door and almost all the tables were full of chatty people.
“Cia?” Spencer shouted, running over to her friend. “You’re here. And you’re okay.”
“You’re late,” Cia answered as she handed a customer their change.
“Um…” What? Cia knew very well that Spencer wasn’t late and why was she acting like that? Normal? After everything that had happened, why wasn’t she just as freaked out as Spencer was?
Cia walked over to the fridge and pulled out the soy milk. “Don’t just stand there. Get to work. I need your help.”
“But—”
“But nothing. I’ve been slammed for over an hour. I know it’s your birthday but you need to help me.”  
Spencer sighed and decided not to argue with her friend. It would be utterly pointless anyway. Maybe she could use a little normal after her morning, although she had a hard time letting it all go. Who was to say those evil, gold robed people wouldn’t come back again, or that creepy guy?
No, the shop was full of people. And… Spencer realized that the gold statue was gone.
Yes, a normal day of work might actually get her mind of the crazy of the day. 
This location was home to a local writer, who came in for her morning coffee and would write for a couple hours. She was seated at her usual table in the corner, not looking up once at the crowd. She was here every day, so it didn’t get more normal than that. Spencer figured she would just take the rest of the day one moment at a time and pray that nothing else weird happened. “Where do you want me, boss?”
“Take the next order. I’ve got this one,” Cia answered in a clipped tone. 
Even though she didn’t want to, Spencer went around the counter to help with coffee orders. Just because it was her birthday and a bunch of weird things had been happening, didn’t mean that she would leave her best friend alone with a crowd and a line-up. More normal for Spencer to concentrate on.   
Cia glared at her as Spencer grabbed a mug—noticing right away that the burnt spot, the one where that guy had thrown a fire ball, only narrowly missing her head, was gone. “Hurry up. What’s wrong with you today?”
It was Spencer’s turn to glare. “I’m going.”
Maybe she could convince herself that it was all some strange, elaborate dream and make it through the day that way. That’s what Spencer decided to do. Apparently, that was how Cia had decided to cope. So why not?
Over the next few hours, Spencer had finally been able to convince herself that it was a dream. It had to be. Although it wasn’t like her to have crazy dreams like that, she liked that idea better and just tried to forget it. It only took a couple cappuccino’s, a lot of repetitive thought, and a busy coffee shop to convince her.
Jeremy never came in, though; that was strange. He came into the coffee house every single day, rain or shine, but she didn’t worry too much about it. She didn’t want to freak out. Maybe he was just away or got stuck at work. Whatever. She didn’t care to see him anyway. 
“Wow. That was one heck of a day,” Cia said several hours later, while turning off the open sign.
Spencer looked up at her from the dishwasher and said, “Yeah. Maybe they shouldn’t have left us alone on Friday the 13th. Apparently, people need their coffee today of all days.”
Cia laughed. “Yeah, that must be it.”
“At least it went by fast, right?” After all, she’d only been there a few hours when it was time to close the shop. At least, it felt that way.
Spencer pulled the garbage bag that smelled of coffee grounds and stale milk from the trash can and tied it closed, then tossed it in front of the back door before putting her jacket on and heading outside. It was cooler now that the sun was lowering, but not too bad. As she tossed the garbage bag into the bin, Spencer got a terrible chill along her spine and the hairs on her neck stood up. She was overcome with a need to run for the coffee shop. The moment she was inside, Spencer locked the door behind her and rushed to check on Cia.
Cia was standing at the till, counting money. Spencer let out a huge breath and pressed a palm to her heart, as if that would ease the beat. “I’m almost done here,” Cia said. “Why don’t you head home and try to salvage the rest of your birthday? Maybe you can do something fun.” 
That was all Spencer had wanted all day, was to go home, but for some reason, she didn’t feel like leaving Cia alone. “Aren’t you coming over anyway?”
“Yeah, I was planning on it, but it might be a while and I have to pick up my little brother from his friend’s and drop him off at home. I don’t want you stuck here for another hour.”
“I wouldn’t feel right. Maybe there’s something I can help with.”
“Go,” Cia demanded. “You’ve worked hard enough. Everything will be great. I’ll see you around six, I think.”
Spencer almost protested but her phone rang. Since it was so quiet in the coffee shop, she could hear it all the way from the locker. It had been in there all day, which was unlike her. She normally carried her phone around, but it had been so busy, she’d forgotten to grab it earlier. She walked through the kitchen area and continued down the back hallway where a set of lockers were bolted to the wall. The phone continued to ring the entire time. Spencer grabbed the lock, spun the combo and opened the door just as the ringing stopped.
She pulled it from her purse, noticed it was her mother, and decided to call her back on the way home. She untied her apron and tossed it inside, grabbed her purse and her sweater before slamming the door.
Her phone started to ring again.
Mom.
This time she answered it on the second ring. If she didn’t, her mom would just keep calling. “Hello?”
“How’s my birthday girl? How was your shift?”
“It was fine, Mom. What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Spencer rolled her eyes. Her mother never called for ‘nothing.’ “Right. Now, what’s the real reason?”
“I really hate to ask you this, but can you pick up some milk on the way home? I’m sorry. I need it for dinner. Otherwise, I wouldn’t ask. Oh, and some parmesan, and some oregano, while you’re there.”
Spencer groaned. Luckily, her mom didn’t ask for much, so she just said yes and hung up the phone. She made her way back to the front where Cia was still standing at the till counting. She was a quick counter, but she was so noisy with the coins. Spencer didn’t know how she did it, but she slammed those coins down like a sledgehammer on a gong.
When Cia finished with the dollar coins, Spencer stepped in. “My mom called. I have to pick up some groceries on the way home.”
“I see. Go get the milk and I’ll meet you at your place a little bit after.”
“You sure?”
Cia nodded. Already ignoring Spencer, she moved on to the quarters. Spencer left, not saying anything else, except, “Make sure to lock this door behind me.”
It would be dark in about an hour and it would take her almost half that to get milk and walk home. She wished her parents weren’t so busy and they could at least pick her up.
So far, if she was being honest, it was a sucky birthday.
Oh, well. Spencer made a vow then. Next year will be great. Next year, she’d be surrounded by her friends, she wouldn’t have to work, and hopefully she’d have her car by then. How much could a car cost? A year’s coffee money, plus tips should get her something at least.
She hoped.
She’d been working at the coffee shop for almost three months and she’d saved every penny so far, except for what it cost to rent the uniform. Spencer was just happy her best friend’s parents owned the coffee shop and hired her, no questions asked. If Spencer had to go out and get a job, go for interviews and make a resume, she wasn’t sure she’d have gotten hired.
The streets were quiet for a Friday. It could have been peoples’ superstitions keeping them inside. Spencer had never cared about those things. Not that she didn’t believe. She just didn’t concentrate on them very much.
Did she have exceptionally bad luck on Friday the 13th? She didn’t think so.
Although, with the way today was going, maybe she did.
Her birthday didn’t land on Friday very often anyway. She shouldn’t read too much into it. Today was just not her day.
It took her ten minutes to reach the store. Spencer reached for the cool metal handle of the cooler and yanked the door open. She grabbed the jug and the other items on the list and made it all the way to the counter before realizing she had no money on her. She’d forgotten to grab her tip money off the counter. She checked every pocket in her jacket and found nothing. Then she reached into her jeans pocket and found a set of keys that weren’t hers.
She gasped and swore as an icy cool feeling sunk in and reached straight to her core.
Creepy guy’s keys. The ones he’d dropped on the floor. 
It had definitely not been a dream.



Author Bio:
As far back as she can remember, Mikki was creating characters and stories in her head. It wasn’t until fate brushed the tip of its wings over her eyes that she began to see that writing was what she was born to do.
She loves animals, reading, everything supernatural related, and enjoys spending her free time on social media whenever she can.


GIVEAWAY!
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Interview with Majanka Verstraete, THE WOLF OF THE BASKERVILLES


Wolf of Baskervilles
Majanka Verstraete
(Adventures of Marisol Holmes, #3)
Published by: Firefly Hill Press
Publication date: January 21st 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Who is Marisol Holmes?
She’s a teenager.
Detective.
Jaguar shifter.
And don’t forget, she’s also the descendant of the great Sherlock Holmes.
Our heroine had been in some pretty tight spots before, but now? She’s about to face her biggest challenge yet: a powerful shifter with a taste for blood. No one has faced down the deadly wolf of the Baskervilles and lived to tell the tale.
Even so, Marisol Holmes plans to do just that.

Author Bio:
Author Majanka Verstraete has written more than twenty unique works of fiction. A native of Belgium, Majanka’s novels explore the true nature of monsters: the good, the bad, and just about every species in between. Her young adult books include the acclaimed Mirrorland (YA Dark Fantasy) and Angel of Death (YA Paranormal) series of novels.
At MHB, Majanka is currently developing a new YA shifter series with a fresh take on fierce female detectives called THE ADVENTURES OF MARISOL HOLMES.
When she’s not writing, Majanka is probably playing World of Warcraft or catching up with the dozens of TV series she’s addicted to.
Want the latest news about Majanka Verstraete? Sign up for our newsletter!


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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

#Review: NEVER KISS A DUKE by Megan Frampton



  3 of 5 stars

Mr. Sebastian de Silva has his life turned upside down with a letter from his mother after her death. Turns out her marriage wasn't legal and now Sebastian is a plain Mr. instead of a duke. He is out of his element as he has no idea how to live like a "commoner." When he meets Miss Ivy Holton, the owner of a gaming establishment, his life takes an unexpected turn. Can Ivy help Sebastian adjust to his new life and open his heart to love?

This book started off great. It was a storyline I've not read before and I was looking forward to a great read. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to its potential for me. I wasn't a fan of Ivy's flip-flops concerning Sebastian. Did she want him as a lover, an employee, a partner? However, there was no denying their chemistry. I was also confused about how old everyone was especially Sebastian's sister, Ana. She's supposed to be Sebastian's older sister, but she acted much younger. While I was not a fan of this book, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.


Monday, January 27, 2020

#Review: ABOUT AN EARL by Diana Lloyd


  4 of 5 stars

Oliver, the Earl of Winchcombe, has been a recluse for years doing estate business by strictly by post. Bearing a horrific scar across his face from his tyrannical father, has left Oliver weary of socializing with people. His nickname of Lord Scar has only reinforced his belief that it's not worth it to socialize with the ton. For the first time in over ten years, Oliver and his twin Penry attend a masquerade party and Oliver is surprised when he receives a mysterious note to meet in the garden. There he meets Miss Jewel Latham who warns him of a plot to trap him or his brother into a marriage by her horrible cousin. Oliver reaches his brother in time, but is caught kissing Jewel. When he attends Jewel's uncle to offer for her, he's shocked to be told that Jewel has been sent to Scotland. There's more going on than a slight scandal and when Oliver rescues Jewel, they try to figure out who's trying to destroy Oliver while making Jewel disappear.

There was a lot going on in this book with the mystery surrounding who is trying to discredit Oliver. Could Jewel's cruel uncle be at the center of the mystery? I enjoyed the mystery as it unraveled throughout the book, but I wish a bit more time had been spent on Oliver and Jewel's love story. I can understand Oliver falling for Jewel quickly especially since he thought of himself as a beast, but it would have elevated the book to 5 stars in my opinion if more time had been spent on the relationship especially Jewel falling for Oliver. Ms. Lloyd has written another intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable story. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.




Friday, January 24, 2020

Are you looking for more exposure for your book without having to pay through the nose?


Every author knows to get your book in front of as many eyes as possible is time consuming and in many cases very costly. However, ads can be one of the best way to garner sales and future fans of their work. Many authors do not have the means to pay for some of the top ad sites and here is a viable alternative. I’ve also used a number of various ad sites and I recently came across one site that is easy to use and submits your book to a number of sites on your behalf all for LESS than the price of a cup of coffee!

It’s ANNIE’S BOOK SUBMISSION SERVICES and I’ve used her services for 2 upcoming ad campaigns. Annie is a delight to work with and responded to my requests in a timely manner. There was no waiting days or weeks to find out if she would submit your book. So, if you’re looking for a different ad site, be sure to check out Annie’s Book Submission Services.

Link:



Here’s the info and submission prices:

Authors, are you tired of spending hours looking up sites where you could promote your books and then filling out tedious forms to submit your books for their consideration? Time is money, and those are hours you could be spending writing! Wouldn't you rather pay one (very low) fee to have someone do it for you?

The Short Version:
For $2.99, tell me the next set of dates in which your book will temporarily be free, and I will submit it to 28 book promotion sites (a set list). They may or may not all decide to feature the book, but it will be submitted to them.

Or, for $1.99, tell me the next set of dates in which your book will temporarily be 99 cents (if it's permanently 99 cents, that's fine too; just pick some dates when you want it featured) and I will submit it to 15 sites that accept 99 cent books. They may or may not all decide to feature the book, but it will be submitted to them.

Or, for $1.99, tell me the next set of dates in which you would like your permafree book to be featured, and I will submit it to 13 sites that accept permafree books. They may or may not all decide to feature the book, but it will be submitted to them.

Another option: instead of paying the fees mentioned above through PayPal, you could buy one of my ebooks instead. :-) (Click on the covers in the sidebar to the right to find out more about each one.) Most of them are $2.99 or less; feel free to pick any one of them at any price (as long as it's not free at the time) and either download it for yourself or "gift" it to a friend. (I emailed Amazon to make sure this doesn't violate their terms of service, and they assured me it's okay.) If you choose this option, simply take a screenshot or forward me the confirmation email from Amazon that shows what book you bought (you can send it to AnnieDouglassLima (at) gmail (dot) com), and indicate on my form that you've done so.
The Long Version:
Want to know more about how it works? Don't understand how/why I can offer a service like this so cheaply? Click here for the full details, complete with screenshots and explanations of each step.

*Sorry, but I won't submit erotica or books promoting religions other than Christianity. Don't take it personally if that's what you write. We can still be friends! :-) But I can't in good conscience help to promote those books.
Fill out the form below and let me submit your book to up to 31 promo sites for you for about the cost of a cup of coffee! (There's a link to pay through PayPal at the end.


http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com/p/book-submission-services.html


#Excerpt: CONVINCING YOU by J.M. Adele


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. J.M. Adele will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


We were connected in more ways than one—I knew it when we met.
What I didn’t know was how close he would bring me to death.
And that death would be a blessing.

Andrea has always been able to tap into messages from somewhere beyond. When she meets Ben, an unrelenting force draws them together. But it’s going to take some convincing to help Ben realise their potential. Ben never thought his friend’s little sister would be anything more than a nuisance. He was wrong. She’d always been so much more. And now, their bond could be severed and her pulse silenced forever.

*Recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.*

Buy Links:

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49457085-convincing-you
Universal Link - https://books2read.com/u/b6k6K0
Amazon - (Preorder) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082WFS6KJ/ 
 
Excerpt:


A cracker loaded with brie and quince paste was passed in front of my face as Lee handed it to Ronnie.

Brie. Sweet, sweet, unpasteurised, soft, bacteria-ridden cheese. Oh, how I’ve missed you.

I licked my lips, sucking in the smell as my nose followed the delicacy.

“Are you sniffing my food?” Wrinkles carved grooves into Ronnie’s cheeks.

“It has been nine months. Nine. Months. Yes, I’m sniffing the brie. I miss it.” My statement came out as a whimper.

Ronnie took a small bite before asking, “Can you still have soft cheese if you’re breastfeeding?”

“I don’t think so,” Lee answered, scrubbing the back of his freckled neck.

I arched my sore back. “What? Of course I can. Don’t tell me that.”

Ben wrapped his fingers around my ponytail and stroked its length. “I dunno. I think it might be too risky for the baby.”

I twisted to look at him. “Bullshit. You’re wrong.” I searched his serious expression for any hint of a joke. A twitch in the corner of his mouth. A change in his eyes. Nothing. He was stone-cold sober. “Don’t tell me I can’t eat the cheese. I want the cheese. Babe, you know I can’t do without the cheese.”

Ronnie rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward, her gaze glued to mine. “I read an article last week about this woman who did all the right things during the pregnancy and as soon as the baby was born, she gorged on all the cheese. Brie, camembert, blue vein—she went to town. She fed the baby a couple of hours later. The poor thing ended up in hospital with a nasty infection.”

“Are you shitting me?” I dropped my chin, mouth agape. If this was a joke, she was no longer my friend.

“Yes. Yes, Andy, we’re shitting you.” She leaned back with a huge grin on her face as Lee and Ben sniggered. “It’s way too easy.”

“I hate you.”

“Not true.”

Ben tried to tuck me under his arm. I pouted and inched away. “You’re so mean to me in my vulnerable state. You know it’s my due date and I’m still fecking preggers.”

“He’ll be here soon. He’s just way too comfortable inside there.” Ben nuzzled my neck, whispering in my ear, “I don’t blame him. I wanna be inside you right now.”

I wriggled in my seat as a choking noise came from across the table. “Jesus, I heard that.” Ronnie scrubbed her hands over her ears, masses of dark curls bouncing as she did.

I didn’t give a shit that she’d heard what Ben said. I loved that he still found me desirable despite the fact that I’d swelled to twice my normal size and couldn’t see my toes, let alone touch them.

The loud clap of Lee’s hands made me jump. “Who wants prawns? Not you, Andy. I did a rolled turkey roast for you. Sorry.”

Prawns. Another thing I couldn’t eat. Yet. After this kid was out, I was going to fill myself with all the pre-prepped salad, shellfish, soft cheese, and wine I could get my hands on.

Lee dragged his chair back as Ronnie jumped to help him.

I rested a hand on Ben’s thigh. The delicious smell of our early Christmas dinner wafted from the kitchen. “Do you mind if we exchange gifts first? I can’t wait. We might have to run off to hospital at any moment.”

“You can’t hold off for another half an hour?”

“Nope.”

Ben pushed his chair back.

“Babe, can you grab the presents for me please?”

“Already on it.”

He was the best.

Lee stood behind Ronnie with his arms around her teeny tiny waist, one palm spread over her stomach. They presented such a contrast. Her with sultry, dark features and caramel skin, and Lee with freckles and auburn locks. He was only just taller than her. She and Ben were eye to eye, but he was twice her girth, although they were both solid muscle. All three of my dinner companions could’ve done a Nike ad, while I was the Oompa Loompa in the background.

Not for much longer hey, baby boy?

Our hosts watched me from the kitchen. Something silently passed between them, evident from the way they held each other.

“Are you coming over here, or are you going to make me get up?” I raised a brow.

They returned to their seats with matching smirks.

Ben slid in beside me, placing down an envelope and a box wrapped with multi-coloured braided ribbons and topped with a pretty bow.

“Thanks.” I handed the envelope to Ronnie. “Merry Christmas!”

Lee had given Ronnie tickets to Sydney for her birthday two weeks ago. They were going before uni started back in March. As soon as I found out what he’d planned, I’d known what I wanted to give her for Christmas.

A smile tilted her mouth at one corner as her eyes flitted around the table. She ducked her chin and used her knife to open the present. Slipping out a piece of paper, her eyebrows scrunched before popping high. “A private ghost tour of Sydney.” Her shoulders kissed her earlobes. “I’m shitting myself. Thanks.”

“All the oldest buildings are haunted, but you already know that. I figured you could kill two birds with one stone. Face down your fear of spirits and get an inside view of some beautiful old buildings.”

“You’ll be with me. I’ll protect you, babe.” Lee kissed her cheek and she responded with a roll of her eyes.

He knew damn well she didn’t need protection. They were cute together. It was nice to see them both happy after the fucked-up shit that had gone down earlier in the year. She’d nearly died trying to save her friend from an underground sex cult. Nothing would ever clear those images from their heads, but they could create new memories—happy Polaroid moments, shining light into the darkest corners of their minds. Not that ghosts would provide particularly happy snaps necessarily, but Ronnie could handle anything that was thrown at her now. She was a badass.

“Your turn.” Ben pushed the box across the table to his mate.

“Did you wrap this?” Lee tried to hide a smirk.

“That’s all my handiwork, mofo. You know I’m good with plaits.”

My eye twitched as Lee fiddled with the ribbons, trying to delicately untie the bow. “Just rip it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes! Jesus.” I almost dragged my hands down my face.

He yanked at the paper, tossing bits on the table. “Do you know what you’re gonna call Benny junior?”

“Sebastian.” I answered without thinking.

“Hell, no.” Ben frowned.

“Why not?” I thought we’d discussed this already, but maybe that had all been in my head.

His blue eyes pierced mine. “Sebastians don’t play rugby.”

I wracked my brain trying to remember if there’d been any players named Sebastian. Surely there were. I shook my head. “What if he doesn’t wanna play?”

Ben paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he blinked at me.

“Are you going to make him?” I asked.

“No?” It sounded like a question.

I took it as a definitive answer, rubbing my belly. “I’m relieved to hear it.”

“Is Stewart gonna make him play league?” Ben narrowed his eyes.

“Not if he knows what’s good for him.” My brother wouldn’t dare. I’d slap him if he tried to influence my child in any way.

He scoffed. “He has never known what’s good for him. I still can’t believe they let him into the police force.”

I couldn’t get over that one myself.

“Why Sebastian?” Ben frowned.

“I don’t know. I just have a feeling.” The moniker had been rolling around in my thoughts more and more lately. There was something attached to it, tangled strings that needed unknotting. Unfinished business. I’d never known anyone with that name, but it wouldn’t leave me alone. Our son had to be called Sebastian—I knew that much. I just didn’t know why. “It’ll grow on you. Trust me on this one, okay?”

Ben pushed a breath through flared nostrils. “Do I get to pick the middle name?”

“Absolutely ... as long as it’s Ben.” I smiled with all my pearly whites on show.

About the Author:

Author of smart, sexy characters, J.M. Adele loves to flit between the dark and light sides of romance. Somewhere along the way an almost constant procession of imaginary characters settled into her thoughts and she picked up a pen to share their stories.

She lives in Queensland with her three greatest loves, her children. When she’s not writing or being a mum, you might find her hiking up a mountain, singing in the car when nobody is looking, or curled up with a good book.

 


Author Links:

Website - https://www.jmadele.org/
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Reader Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/JMsGemsters/
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Wednesday, January 22, 2020

#Excerpt: LACE & LIES by Melanie Munton


Lace and Lies
Melanie Munton
(Brooklyn Brothers #1)
Publication date: January 21st 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

We are the Rossetti’s.
The exiled “sixth family” of the New York mafia. We’re the good guys.
People don’t fear us…much. They respect us.
The five of us? We’re the Brooklyn Brothers.
And we protect what’s ours.
Jasmine Kingston should run from me. I mean, she should literally pick up her dress, toss away her heels, and haul ass in the complete opposite direction. Because for the last few months that she’s been in New York and taking the fashion world by storm, I’ve been watching her. From my ivory tower, from the shadows. Wherever she’s been, I’ve been only feet away, and she hasn’t even realized it.
Until now.
I can’t stay away and watch one more man take his shot with her. She needs to know what she’s doing to me. Especially since things are heating up with my family’s enemies. I just pray those enemies don’t discover my only weakness.
Maybe it was the wrong way to go. Maybe I should never have touched her. Never treated myself to her addictive taste. But I can’t alleviate this obsession I have with her any more than I can put a bullet between my own eyes.
She’s mine to protect now.
I’ll burn my entire fortune to the ground and take ten of those bullets before I let anything happen to her.
I just hope she doesn’t find out what I’ve done.
EXCERPT:

Cris
I took a step toward Jasmine, noting the worry line on her forehead. That would be gone by the end of the night. I’d make damn sure of it.
“I would have killed that man tonight if he’d touched you,” I bit out. “I almost did for even talking to you. For threatening to take you away from me. For pointing a deadly weapon anywhere near you. That would have been illegal because I wouldn’t have been able to claim self-defense in the end. Not with the way I beat him. But I’d still have done it if he’d laid his filthy hands on you. Does that make me a vicious criminal?”
I watched her swallow as I took another step forward. She retreated until her back hit the fireplace. I crowded against her, caging her in by placing my hands on the mantle beside her head.
“And if you’re concerned about me being a violent person, I think you got your answer tonight,” I continued. “But I’m not violent toward innocent people. I reserve violence for those who deserve it. Specifically, those who threaten people I care about.”
I let those words sink in for a moment. She could take that comment however she wanted, though the implication was anything but subtle.
“Is that something you think you can handle?” I whispered against her parted lips. “Because that’s who I am. That’s what you get when you’re involved with me. So, now I have a question for you.”
She licked her lips.
With that one small movement, I was hard as steel.
“What’s that?” she breathed.
I know that voice, sweetheart.
She was ready to get fucked.
I angled my head, acting like I was going in for a kiss. With maybe a millimeter separating our lips, I stopped. Our hot breaths mingled together, no doubt driving her as mad as it was me.
But I had to make a point here.
She had to be sure of her decision before we went any further. I didn’t want her doubting herself at the critical times or thinking I’d coerced her into anything.
“Do you still want me?”
I didn’t have to wait for an answer.
The second the last word left my lips, hers crashed against them.

Author Bio:
Traveler. Reader. Beach-goer. St. Louis Cardinals fan. Pasta-obsessed. North Carolina resident. Sarcastic. Bit of a nerd.
Author of the Cruz Brothers, Possession and Politics, and Timid Souls series, Melanie loves all things romance, comedies and suspense in particular because it’s boring to only stick to one sub-genre! From light-hearted comedies to sexy thrillers, she likes to mix it up, but loves her some strong alpha males and sassy heroines.
Go visit Melanie’s website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!


GIVEAWAY!
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#Excerpt: NO EASY CATCH by Jaqueline Snowe



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jaqueline Snowe will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.


A jock and a party girl teaming up—makes total sense, right? Actually, maybe…

Ambar Hernandez is a senior communications major who has no idea what she wants to do in life. She spends most of her time working on her blog after gaining a lot of readers with a story she wrote junior year and…never followed up on. The last thing she expects is an angry jock accusing her of involvement in a scam that could shake the college to its foundations.

Jeff Maddow should be focused on his senior season of baseball and not the suspicious activity happening on the team. It’s his time to shine and get drafted, but after seeing incriminating evidence, he can’t not investigate. And his first lead is the campus blogger…who’s related to a name in the document he saw.

Ambar’s been coasting, writing about campus fashion and hook-ups rather than politics and economics, but when Jeff shows up at her place spouting wild accusations, she agrees to help him just to prove the stubborn athlete wrong.

Long nights, impassioned arguments, close quarters…both Jeff and Ambar find opposites more than attract when things heat up.

Buy links: 
https://books2read.com/u/bw2JMO
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/No-Easy-Catch-Romance-Chasers-ebook/dp/B08231BHSD/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-easy-catch-jaqueline-snowe/1135212198



Excerpt:

He rolled over and slowly opened his sleepy eyes. His voice was all husky and gruff when he asked, “You watching me sleep?”

Busted. “Maybe?”

“Join me.” He moved to the back of the bed and painted a perfect image with his messy hair, clear gray eyes and playful smirk. The smile was new and I shut the laptop to move into his inviting arms. His body heat comforted me when he wrapped his large arms around me, snuggling his nose into my neck. “Mm, you smell good.”

“Thank you,” I said, hating how the longer the lie went on, the more it physically affected my insides. “I didn’t wake you, did I? You were sleeping so peacefully.”

“You didn’t, but I wouldn’t have minded you waking me up.” He began kissing along my neck and bit down on my earlobe. Goosebumps broke out all over my arms and he giggled, all low and deep. “I love your body’s reaction to me.”

“She betrays any resolve I have.” I squirmed when he moved his hands up my shirt and caressed my bare skin. It felt so damn good. “Are-are you sure you shouldn’t be sleeping?”

“Ambar,” he said in a very serious tone. “You’re about the only thing in my life right now that is good. I want to enjoy you and forget about the shitstorm we started.”

Pain began in the back of my throat at the tender way he looked at me. He meant those words and I forced myself to close my eyes to prevent tears leaking out. I’m protecting him. That’s why I’m not telling him. His lips parted and he looked like he was about to say something and I couldn’t handle hearing anything else. I gripped the back of his neck and brought his face down to mine, capturing his lips in the most passionate kiss I could. It was hard to try and apologize and show him I would do anything to protect him without words, but I gave it my all.

About the Author:

Jaqueline Snowe lives in Arizona where the "dry heat" really isn't that bad. She identifies as a full-blown Gryffindor and prefers drinking coffee all hours of the day. 

She is the mother to two fur-babies who don’t realize they aren’t humans and a new mom to her adorable son. Her life revolves around balancing her day job in education and her incessant need to write and explore the world with her wonderful baseball-loving husband.

 


Blog: http://www.jaquelinesnowe.com/blog
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