Baggage Claim Book Blitz

 

Baggage Claim
Juliana Smith
Publication date: November 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. But a phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend. That is until she meets a handsome—albeit annoying—stranger on the plane who makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

Finn Beckett has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he’s seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an offer: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever.

Olive and Finn spend the next two weeks going on spirit-filled Christmas dates with her family. Their ruse is working perfectly, but Finn can’t help but notice Olive is holding something back. Something that could ruin everything.

Their relationship may have taken off smoothly, but with all this turbulence, will they ever make it to baggage claim?

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EXCERPT:

“Olive,” I said, her name like a prayer. I didn’t have anything else to say; I only wanted her to see me.

Her bright green eyes lifted to mine, and I melted. My hand reached under her chin and rubbed my thumb across it. So beautiful. She took a step closer, her chest brushing my midsection, and I nearly groaned from the simple contact. She leaned into me like she was on autopilot, and I was her only destination. I cautiously slid my hand from her chin to the back of her neck. She swallowed, and the movement of her throat pulled me in like runway lights calling me home. I moved closer, hesitantly, our faces only inches away. She would have stopped me, right? She would have given me that sassy attitude and pushed me away if she didn’t want this. The Olive I knew wouldn’t let me get this far. I paused, unsure.

“Tell me to stop.”

I needed to hear it. To hear her yell at me. To have her say, “I told you no kissing,” and give me a shove. If she didn’t, I would take her on this bed right now, without a care of who else was in the house.

She grabbed my white button-down and pulled me impossibly closer. “No.”

It was quiet, barely a whisper. I tightened my grip on her neck and leaned forward.

This was it. Everything you have thought of nonstop since that flight. I was going to kiss the hell out of her. I was going to leave her lips swollen and numb until she was dizzy and floating.

I tilted her head up with my spare hand and inched my lips toward hers slowly,

ready to throw all caution to the wind.

“Finn.” She moaned my name before my lips were even on her, and I forced my heart not to explode. We were a dyad, two halves of the same whole. She was the best I ever had, and I hadn’t even had her yet. My lips were a centimeter from hers. Finally. Finally.

Author Bio:

Juliana Smith is an author in a small town in Alabama. She is a full-time realtor, and part-time author, but she spends a lot of her time with her husband and daughter. Juliana writes heartfelt romance filled with laughter and warm fuzzies. She can usually be found in a Chic-fil-a drive-thru or listening to Star Wars theory podcasts, often at the same time.

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Cusp of Darkness Book One Cover Reveal

 

Cusp of Darkness
Olivia Preya
(The Cusp Series, #1)
Publication date: January 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Romance

Valerius Cafarelli
In my world, we live and die for our family. We brand our skin with symbols of loyalty and rank that bind us together. It’s time to step from behind the scenes and claim my birthright, leader of the Cafarelli family. But the mafia is nothing if not set in tradition. Marriage is the only way to claim what’s rightfully mine.
When the angel I’ve protected from a distance suddenly needs me as much as I need her, I make an offer she can’t refuse.

She is a candle in the night.
She is a prayer to the gods.
She is the knife that brings me to my knees.

—

Adaliya Solarin
I took an oath to save lives, trying to redeem myself from a bloody night where I played judge, jury, and executioner. I worked hard to erase all traces of the night I claimed revenge, but my mind can’t forget the man who ensured I’d never be put away for my crime.

Now I need someone to help me save my father from himself. When I’m left desperate and defeated, the man who saved me once offers one last chance at survival. What can I do but make a deal with the devil?

He is the bump in the night.
He is my darkest temptations come to life.
He is my salvation.

Cusp of Darkness is book one of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+. Please check the author’s website for the full list of content warnings on the author’s website.

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Irish Rebel Book Blitz

 

Irish Rebel
L.K. Shaw
(Brooklyn Kings, #7)
Publication date: November 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

Caitlín

After finally convincing my over-protective family to let me visit my uncle in Dublin, I know this may be my only chance to experience everything I’ve always wanted: Adventure. Excitement. Freedom.

Until I’m introduced to the man assigned to be my bodyguard. With his silver-flecked hair and wicked scar, Roarke radiates power and danger. Everything I’m drawn to. Except, he’s also the one standing in my way. I push all of his buttons, until one night I push too far.

Roarke

They call me a killer. And with each death I cause, my soul turns a little blacker. As an enforcer for the Irish mafia, I’ve always done what’s been asked of me. Including becoming the reluctant bodyguard for a woman who shines so bright, I’m afraid of tainting her with my darkness.

Caitlín tests my patience at every turn, determined to make my life hell. Even worse, she tempts me with her smart mouth and lush curves. In a moment of madness, I forget she’s off-limits and cross a line I can never come back from.

Now I’m torn between loyalty to the family I owe everything to—including my life—and the woman who just might be my salvation.

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SNEAK PEEK:

“So,” Caitlín says, interrupting my musings. “How long have you worked for Uncle Carrick? I don’t remember seeing you the last time I was here.”

Not sure what she hopes to gain, I answer her question. “A little over ten years.”

“How come I never met you until yesterday?”

I cast a quick glance in her direction. “Have you met every person that works for your uncle, then?”

“All the ones he trusts enough to babysit,” Caitlín retorts.

“Obviously not,” I say drily.

“What do you do for him, exactly?”

My fingers tighten their grip around the steering wheel. I’ve never hidden what I do. Then why am I so hesitant to tell her? I keep my mouth shut.

She pivots in her seat to face me. “You must be the one who tortures and kills people for him, then. You remind me of my best friend’s brother-in-law, Pierce. He’s got the same ice-cold demeanor as you and that’s what he does.”

I force myself not to flinch at her description. Ice-cold. I’ve certainly been called worse, I suppose. Still, I’m not sure I like Caitlín having that impression of me. It’s for the best, though. She should understand the type of man I am. A killer. Maybe that will keep her from pushing me too far. Not that I’d ever hurt her. But a bit of fear never hurt anyone.

“How many men have you killed?”

As if that’s a question I’m going to answer.

“I almost killed someone once,” she says with extreme nonchalance after the silence continues.

My head snaps in Caitlín’s direction. She laughs the same glorious laugh from five years ago. The one that held me riveted. That drew me in. It’s the one that makes her whole being light up.

“You should see the expression on your face.” She cackles and then mimics bugged eyes and open mouth.

My lips flatten and I turn back to the road. I didn’t look like that.

“Seriously, though, I kind of sort of almost did.”

I assume this is another one of her games. To say something this outrageous so I’m forced to feed my curiosity. Because, damn it, I am curious. Fine, I’ll bite. “Who did you almost, kind of sort of, kill?”

Caitlín waves her hand around. “Some Polish guy. I would have got him, too, if Jack hadn’t screeched like a girl and thrown off my aim.”

If I remember correctly, he’s her eldest brother. “Where and when did this happen?”

“About four years ago, on a raid.”

Who the hell lets a twenty-year-old girl put herself in that kind of danger? “Your family let you go on a raid?”

She snorts. “Of course they didn’t. I snuck in.”

That makes more sense. No wonder I’ve been assigned this job and what Carrick meant when he says Caitlín is reckless and needs protection from herself. It does put her in a new light though. Maybe she’s not as innocent as I’ve assumed all this time.

She swivels again in her seat and her attention turns to our surroundings. A desire to get to know her rises up, but I squash that idea. It’s best to keep my distance. I can’t help but sneak a few glances in her direction though. At the way her dress rides up to mid-thigh exposing creamy porcelain skin. The barest hint of cleavage that’s just enough to make a man wish for more.

Author Bio:

LK Shaw is the bestselling author of the sexy, sinful suspense. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. She now reads, and loves, all romance sub-genres, with dark romance and romantic suspense being her favorite. LK enjoys traveling and chocolate. Her books feature hot alpha heroes and the strong women they love.

Want a FREE short story? Be sure to sign up for her newsletter and download your copy of A Birthday Spanking, a short story set in the Doms of Club Eden world! http://bit.ly/LKShawNewsletter

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Christmas Spirits Book Blitz

Christmas Spirits
Dakota Star
Publication date: November 15th 2022
Genres: Adult, Holiday, Romance, Thriller

Ash has always felt at home in the small town of Humble, Connecticut, especially for the holidays. After her husband’s death, she never thought she’d love again, but then Cole Whelan arrived. His good looks and haunted hazel eyes were impossible to ignore, and their passion put an end to her simple, ordered life. This year, she can’t wait to celebrate with hot chocolate, a tree to decorate, and presents, lots of presents.

But when Ash stumbles into a cave and a corpse during a run, Christmas turns into crisis. There’s a killer on the hunt, and she’s his next target. With the snow falling, Ash hosting for the holidays, and another mysterious murder, will all hope of holiday cheer be trashed like old wrapping paper?

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SNEAK PEEK:

She jogged, warming up along the start of the trail, and then increased the tempo. Maple, beech, and birch lined the singletrack, the rough texture and bark color the only indication of the different species of deciduous trees.

Ash sped up, tightening her ponytail in the elastic; a few long, wayward curls drooped down her back. She felt the heat build under her thermal top and vest as her arms and legs pumped. Rambo kept pace.

I need this run. Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. In and out. Repeat.

The exercise opened her lungs and stretched lean, athletic limbs until the energy flowing became liquid fire. Invigorated, she picked up the pace again.

Ash saw the cave, her two-mile marker and turnabout point. Surveying the rocky landscape, she gulped air before the return trip. She wiped the sweat from her brow and then ran her damp hands along her black spandex leggings.

Turning back, Rambo refused to follow. He barked and pulled on the leash. His small body was stiff, the fur on his back straight up. He pulled her toward the cave.

“Come on Rambo, let’s go home.” Ash shivered and pulled on the leash.

The dog refused to yield.
“Fine.” She stumbled, realizing her shoe hated her and even with a double knot had come untied again. She bent to retie the laces, double knotting the strings, pulling them tight with vengeance. Standing, Ash hiked the rocky precipice, the dog pulling ahead. The final steps to the cave coalesced along a dirt and twig laden path. The cliff adjacent to her was a high point on the trail, but she had no plans to scale it.

Large rock outcrops created a dark cave entrance shaped like a mouth mid scream. Rambo barked and lunged.

Ash had heard stories of people living in or visiting these caves, from historic figures to modern day squatters. She found it easy to envision a camper coming to one before dark, starting a small fire with kindling, preparing a meal, and enjoying the quiet of nature. At least it was possible to imagine during the warmer months. No one would want to be out here in winter, even if the daytime temperature had topped forty degrees.

Rambo pulled her inside the cave. Instantly claustrophobic, the interior narrowed to a pinpoint at the end. Ash ducked as she made her way under the formation’s schist and gneiss slabs. Cold engulfed her. Rich, dark rock mosaics greeted her from the recesses. Crouching slightly, she scurried forward. “What the heck?” A horrid stench stung her nose A lump rose from the ground and in her throat. Something had died here. Ash pulled out her phone, turned on the flashlight, aimed toward the misshapen entity, and gasped. In the far corner—a body.

Author Bio:

Dakota Star lives in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters. Both her daughters have finished college and moved away so her dogs, cats, and retired horse now keep her busy. When not outside hiking or horseback riding, she loves to read and travel.

She has worked as an editor, a freelance writer for local newspapers, and an educator at local environmental non-profits like aquariums and The National Audubon Society.

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Stripes Book Blitz

 

Stripes
Harley Wylde
(Devil’s Boneyard MC, #12)
Published by: Changeling Press
Publication date: November 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Melina — Men have never given me a reason to trust them. The Bratva taught me men are brutal. Selfish. And take what they want. Death would be better than tying myself to one ever again. Then a Russian biker swoops in to save me. As much as I want to believe everything he says, how can I? I’ve only known pain at the hands of men. I want him to be different… but any hope I had died long ago.

Stripes — She thinks she’s broken. I see a survivor. A strong woman who’s still standing despite what’s been done to her. It will take time, but I’ll help her heal. Prove not all men are evil. I’ll give her a reason to keep living. Never again will someone cause her pain. If they do, they’ll answer to me. My hands are already stained with blood. What’s a little more?

WARNING: Recommended for readers 18+ due to language, violence, and adult situations. Stripes is part of the Devil’s Boneyard MC series and contains darker content some readers may find objectionable. Stripes can be read as a stand-alone story, even though it’s part of a series

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SNEAK PEEK:

Melina

Marriage to Ruslan had been nothing but pure hell since day one. He’d given me two beautiful daughters, and I wouldn’t wish them away for anything, but every other moment of our lives had been only pain and humiliation. I’d learned early never to speak back, and to never ask questions. If he told me to do something, I did it, regardless of whether I should.

Which was how I found myself in trouble.

I bowed my head, refusing to make eye contact with Feliks Sobol. The higher ups had left him in charge for some reason, not that it mattered. When Ruslan forced me to aid him in his thirst for power, I’d known it wouldn’t end well for me. But I’d done it, because the alternative would mean letting him kill me, and leaving my girls vulnerable. I’d have done anything to keep Yulia and Oksana safe. Although, I had a feeling Ruslan had embellished my involvement. One last chance for him to make my life hell.

“Melina Romanov, do you know why you’re here?” Feliks asked.

“Nyet, Mr. Sobol.” No one had told me outright why I’d been brought in. The fact my husband hadn’t returned home had left me uneasy. They had to have caught him, and now I’d pay the price as well. Ruslan wouldn’t go down without a fight, and nothing would delight him more than knowing the Bratva would destroy me.

“Your husband is guilty of breaking multiple laws. He tried to cheat the Bratva, and he’s failed. At this very moment, he’s being tortured to gain more information on those who aided him.” He tapped his fingers on the desk. “Your name came up.”

I clenched my hands. It didn’t surprise me. Anything Ruslan had asked me to do could possibly have tied into his human trafficking ring. I wouldn’t have known since he told me very little. Although, I did know what he’d been up to. He hadn’t kept it a secret from me. In fact, I thought he got off on letting me know about the women and children who would suffer at his hands. If I’d gone to anyone without proof, they wouldn’t have believed me.

“Nothing to say?” Feliks asked.

“Will it matter?” I doubted it. If my husband hadn’t cared what I had to say, why would this man? In the Bratva, women were to be seen and not heard. We were merely a decoration, or a means to gain power through political marriages. Nothing more. Except in my husband’s case, we were meant for twisted forms of entertainment. The louder we screamed, the more he got off on the pain he inflicted.

“For your crimes, you’ll spend the rest of your days in one of our brothels. Seems fitting, doesn’t it? You’re guilty of helping Ruslan Romanov steal women and children and selling them into sexual slavery. Now you’ll be in the same predicament. Just so we’re clear, it won’t be one of our upscale places.”

I swallowed the knot of fear lodged in my throat and gave a short nod. Pleading for my life wouldn’t do me any good. Telling him I was innocent would only fall on deaf ears, or perhaps anger him. The thought of being used by countless men made me sick. I’d been a dutiful wife, and I’d been a virgin when Ruslan married me. I’d never been with anyone other than him. Of course, being in his bed had been far from pleasant, but I had a feeling my life would be much worse now.

“This is rather disappointing,” Feliks murmured. “I’d hoped for some sort of reaction. Do you enjoy being a whore? Is that why you aren’t crying and begging for me to spare you?”

Bile rose in my throat when I contemplated what my life would be like moving forward. I hadn’t liked my husband touching me. The thought of strangers paying to use me made me want to throw up. All my choices had been taken from me. I hadn’t had many to begin with. As long as they could pay, they’d be permitted to do whatever they wanted with me.

“Still nothing?” Feliks asked, pursing his lips.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I admitted. “Begging won’t do me any good. Saying I’m innocent won’t either. Whether I speak up or remain silent, my fate will remain the same.”

“Smart woman.” Feliks smiled, but the sight chilled me to the bone.

Author Bio:

Harley Wylde is the International Bestselling Author of the Dixie Reapers MC, Devil's Boneyard MC, and Hades Abyss MC series.
When Harley's writing, her motto is the hotter the better -- off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can't deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you've come to the right place. She doesn't shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

The times Harley isn't writing, she's thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more. She's also fond of TV shows and movies from the 1980's, as well as paranormal shows from the 1990's to today, even though she'd much rather be reading or writing.

You can find out more about Harley or enter her monthly giveaway on her website. Be sure to join her newsletter while you're there to learn more about discounts, signing events, and other goodies!

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Fighting for King Book Blitz

 

Fighting for King
Gillian Archer
(Star Studded, #2)
Publication date: November 17th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Nanny Factor! Is there something more going on between Actor Kingston Grier and his new nanny? Stay tuned…

Kingston: Who knew it would be such a challenge finding a nanny who could focus on my daughter without getting sidetracked by trying to get into my bed? I can’t even make eye contact without them thinking I’m flirting. I’m not.

Until Briar arrives, and finally we have a nanny who’s there for Zoe. But why does this Mary Poppins have to be so damn hot?

Briar: My divorce left me with more than my share of trust issues. Not that I’m looking at my new boss that way. Kingston might be a Hollywood hunk, but the guy has the personality of a potato. His daughter couldn’t be more different. One look into her doe eyes, and I am in love.

Somehow Kingston and I go from barely speaking to talking all night long. And our attraction becomes impossible to deny. Just when everything’s finally going right, intimate pictures of us are leaked and the fallout is insane. When I signed up for this job, I knew I’d do anything to protect Zoe—I just never expected how much I’d want to fight for King.

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SNEAK PEEK:

I almost stepped on Briar before I saw her.

Curled up on the floor next to Zoe’s bed, Briar was fast asleep, her hand curled around the bed frame next to Zoe’s head. The two of them snored softly in rhythm. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Zoe was a handful at bedtime. She never wanted to sleep. I think she was afraid she’d miss something big.

But I knew from experience just how uncomfortable the floor in Zoe’s room was. I couldn’t let Briar sleep all night there.

I leaned down and gently shook her shoulder.

Briar groaned and curled into herself.

Damn, that was cute.

And not something I should be thinking.

Annoyed at myself, I shook her shoulder a little harder.

She curled away from me again.

I was debating between leaving her or picking her up when she opened her eyes and gasped. She sat up and moved to put herself between me and Zoe before I could reassure her.

“Briar, it’s me,” I whispered. “I didn’t think you wanted to sleep all night on the floor.”

“Oh. King.” Her hand came up and pressed against the center of her chest. “You scared me.”

I tried not to notice how the movement pulled her shirt to outline her tits or the fact that she clearly wasn’t wearing a bra. Damn. Shaking my head, I muttered, “Sorry.”

I didn’t know if I was apologizing for scaring her or for my un-boss-like thoughts.

“Zoe wouldn’t fall asleep tonight.” Briar lurched to her feet and blearily brushed at her tiny sleep shorts that I definitely wasn’t looking at. “I guess I fell asleep waiting for her to fall asleep.”

I smiled and pivoted from Briar to Zoe’s softly snoring little body. “Yeah, I’ve been there. Some nights it’s just easier to let her sleep in my bed. I know she’s supposed to sleep on her own, but I just can’t do the back and forth all night long. I need to sleep too.”

“You’re a good dad.”

My eyes snapped back to Briar and I shrugged. “Some days it doesn’t feel like that. My publicist was just telling me a good dad would… Never mind. Anyway, you don’t have to sleep on the floor tonight if you don’t want to. You should get to bed.”

I took one last look at my sleeping daughter then headed for the door. I’d gotten a few feet down the hall when Briar’s quiet, “Wait,” stopped me.

I turned and found her standing behind me with her arms crossed over her chest. She bit her lip, then shook her head. “Please don’t let anyone ever let you think you’re not a good dad. You do everything you can for your daughter, and I’m not talking about monetarily. You put in the time. She knows you and loves you—wants to be with you. And that’s what makes you a great dad. Anyone who says otherwise has ulterior motives. Or they don’t know you.” Her cheeks turned pink as she looked away. “I’m not saying that I know you. Because I don’t. But I’ve seen all kinds of parents. And you’re definitely one of the good ones.”

“Thanks, Briar. That means a lot.”

And it did. Being a parent was so hard, especially since I was doing this on my own. I didn’t even have the best example from my parents—past or present. They’d divorced when we were in elementary school and then used us as weapons against each other. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw, or even spoke to, either of them.

“Right. Well. I should be getting to bed. Zoe gets up early.”

“Me too. Although I should’ve told you, I have a later call time tomorrow, so I get to have breakfast with you guys in the morning.”

Briar beamed. “Great.” She flushed and shook her head. “I mean, Zoe will be so happy to see you. She’ll be thrilled.”

I hitched a shoulder. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“’Night.”

“’Night,” I repeated, taking a step back in the direction of my bedroom.

And yet I lingered and watched Briar walk away in the opposite direction toward her room at the other end of the hall.

Not that I noticed how her tiny sleep shorts clung to her heart shaped ass.

Because that wasn’t something I would do.

Author Bio:

GILLIAN ARCHER has a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering but prefers to spend her time on happily ever after. She writes the kind of stories she loves to read—the hotter the better! When she’s not pounding away on the keyboard, she can be found chasing her preschooler, or surfing the couch while indulging in her latest reality TV fixation, or reading awesome romance ebooks by her favorite authors.

Gillian Archer lives in the wilds of Nevada with her amazing husband, ridiculously smart little girl, and goofy dog.

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Hunter Book Blitz

 

Hunted
V.M. Nelson
(The Dhampyr Series, #1)
Publication date: October 25th 2022
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Tasi, an eighteen-year-old, head-strong, blood-drinking, dhampyr, has been hidden away in a small town in Maine since the death of her parents. Though she had trained to fight and kill vampires, she never believed those skills would be useful in her mundane life. That’s where she’s wrong.

In one moment, her life changes forever, and her aunt’s final words ring in her head.

They want your blood.

Now orphaned and charged with protecting her sister, Emily—a sister who doesn’t know what they are or that she’s about to endure a life-threatening change—Tasi has no other choice but to follow directions left for her. She is to find an ally who lives in New York City. This is the only way Tasi will figure out why she and Emily are being hunted before they end up drained of their blood.

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SNEAK PEEK:

What started out as a routine task to find blood turned into an onslaught of pain. I rubbed my eyes, allowing the darkness that filled my head to fizzle away. My hands, tender from scraping against the gravel, grasped at the cold metal fence. I flinched as my cuts burned against the steel. I’d done this to myself. The thumping under my skin and my lack of balance were all a result of ignoring my need to feed.

Now here I sat, watching my blood as it dripped down my leg and pooled onto the sidewalk. A tingling sensation ran through me as I flicked out the tiny shards that had embedded themselves in my skin. My body helped to push them out in an effort to heal itself. This was not part of tonight’s plan. I stared back up at the fence—my nemesis. Razor-sharp wire wrapped itself around the top of the rusty, twelve-foot-high chain-link barricade.

Take the shortcut, Tasi. It’ll be quicker and safer, Tasi. What a stupid idea.

Under normal circumstances, I could dart up the fence, hop over the barbed wire, and gracefully land on my feet. My overall dexterity might have won me a gold medal in gymnastics, but that was so not happening in my current condition.

An ache thundered through my body as I reached for the fence again. I hoisted myself up for the first time since tumbling off. With one last labored breath, I ran my hands down my pants, dislodging the remaining rocks from my newly healed skin. Nearby, a rustling sound echoed through the alley. My breath caught. The metal garbage cans clanked together as if they were being tossed around. If I were human, I wouldn’t think twice about the commotion. Lucky for me, I knew better. It was probably setting up to kill its next victim. There were a few shady-looking dive bars and run-down nightclubs in this area. The repetitive pounding of music stemming from different directions would drown out all screams. This was a perfect feeding ground.

Over the past few months, these creatures had become my reality. Since I was thirteen, I’d known of their existence, but only recently had I been in the same vicinity as them. And when they were around, you didn’t want to be, so it was time to go.

With a quick pivot in the opposite direction, I ran. I didn’t get farther than a few feet before my shoelace caught in the grate and my chin scraped against the ground. More blood dripped from my body.

Tasi, seriously—what else can go wrong?

Wrapping the shoelace around my fingers, I yanked until it released itself. By the time I tucked it into my shoe, it was too late. It had heard me. The pounding in my ears was no longer from the nightclubs but the pavement, and it was getting louder. I’d piqued its interest. Rather, my blood had piqued its interest.

Author Bio:

V. M. Nelson is the author of The Dhampyr Series. She writes upper young adult paranormal, urban fantasy with a touch of romance thrown in. When she isn’t writing, you can find her playing video games.

Virginia resides in Minnesota with her partner and three children. She has always had an obsession for myths, legends, and fairytales. If asked, she would prefer to live in an alternate universe with vampires and fairies.

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Bratva Angel Cover Reveal

 

Bratva Angel
Sabine Barclay
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #5)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: December 13th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

Our worlds couldn’t be further apart…

She’s light. I’m dark. She’s an angel. I’m a devil.

I’ll never walk away from my life with the bratva.

My only choice is to bring her in.

She’s mine and always will be.

Maybe she doesn’t know we’re soulmates yet, but I have since we met.

I’ll do anything to protect her. No one’s foolish enough to stop me.

And if they are…

I’ll take her to the limits of what she thinks she can handle, then I’ll please her any way she wants.

Bratva Angel is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book five in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

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Author Bio:

Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

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Exposed Book Blitz

 

Exposed
Anna J. Stewart
(Circle of the Red Lily, #1)
Publication date: November 15th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Hollywood Secrets. Deadly Reveals.

Working as a Hollywood photographer means Riley Temple has seen it all, but that theory is put to the test when she finds herself staring at the chilling image of a dead woman. When her questions about the film’s origin results in violence, she finds herself reluctantly turning to the only person who assures her he can help: Detective Quinn Burton. Her history with the LAPD is complicated, her trust in authority, tenuous. But to find those responsible and to protect those closest to her, she’s willing to do anything. Even trust a cop.

After more than a decade on the job, Quinn knows a dangerous situation when he sees it and Riley Temple is up to her ears in trouble. But not for the reason she thinks. The pictures she’s stumbled on calls into question a notorious murder conviction; a conviction partially secured by Quinn’s own police commissioner father. A conviction powerful people have a vested interest in keeping in place. Quinn prides himself on being loyal but seeing this case through means betraying someone: his job, his family, or the woman he’s falling in love with.

As their investigation begins and old secrets are revealed, Quinn and Riley find themselves targeted by members of a secret society that for decades has maintained influence and violent control over Los Angeles and Hollywood’s powerful elite. A society that, until now, has remained hidden in the shadows.

A society that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

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SNEAK PEEK:

“What’s wrong?” She wasn’t entirely sure why her stomach clutched at the sight of Quinn using a magnifying glass on one of the photos, but it could have to do with the somewhat dazed and shocked expression on his face.

But that expression vanished when he lifted his gaze to hers. “Sorry. Just thinking.” He set the glass down. “These pictures are … disturbing. I’m trying to imagine someone playing dead for the camera.”

“You think she’s acting?” Of all the reactions she’d imagined the good detective having, that hadn’t cracked the top one hundred.

“Quinn, that woman isn’t playing at anything. You can see the progression. She’s dying. On film. And here? After she’s been in the water?”

She stepped forward, tapped a finger on the final image. “She’s dead.”

“Maybe.”

The distance in his voice pushed her deeper into resolve and incredulity. How could he not see what she did? And why did it bother her so much that he didn’t?

“Did Merle tell you where he got the negatives?” She didn’t hear Quinn in his voice now. All she heard was cop. The hair on the back of her neck bristled even as the little voice in her head sang “told you so.”

“Merle didn’t get the negatives, he got the film,” Riley explained carefully. “There’s a difference. I can walk you through the process—”

“Where did he get them?” The urgency in his voice churned up new bubbles of doubt. “Where did the box they were in come from?”

“A customer.” It was all he was going to get out of her as long as he refused to share what he obviously knew. There was no denying that guarded, suspicious glint in his eyes. A glint that removed any lingering doubt the pictures represented far more than just a macabre photo shoot. He did believe they were real—he was just downplaying his reaction. She was trying to decide what would piss her off more: him not believing her, or him pretending he didn’t. The later won out. She bristled.

He set that last picture on top of the others, closed the folder, and picked it up.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking these with me.” It wasn’t a question or a request, but a flat out statement.

“Fine.” She shrugged. “I’ll just develop another set.”

“No.” He didn’t flinch. He didn’t hesitate. He ordered. “No, I want the negatives, too.”

So he was going back on their deal after all. Disappointment crashed through her. She should have known. “Why?” she challenged. “If you’re saying they’re not what I thought they were—”

“The negatives, Riley.” Every word sounded like an expertly aimed shot from his gun. “Give them to me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and planted her feet as if standing in front of a linebacker. “No.”

“What do you mean no?”

Her fists clenched so hard her nails bit into her palms. It should have come as a relief, the offer to take all of this out of her hands. Heck, wasn’t she just thinking it wasn’t worth the emotional exhaustion to keep dwelling on them? But she didn’t feel any sense of relief by his command. Instead, she felt only a stomach-churning sense of dread and heartbreaking disappointment. She’d probably just broken the world record for almost-hook-up to bust up.

“There’s not really anywhere to go with the word, detective.” The title tasted more than a little bitter on her tongue now. “No, you can’t have the negatives.”

Author Bio:

Award-winning, USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart writes sweet to sexy romances for Harlequin and ARC Manor’s CAEZIK (Kay-Zehk) Romance. Her sweet Harlequin Heartwarming books include the Butterfly Harbor series as well as the ongoing Blackwell continuity series. She also writes the Honor Bound series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and has contributed to the bestselling Coltons. Her Circle of the Red Lily romantic suspense series, published by CAEZIK, will launch with EXPOSED in November of 2022.

A Holt Medallion winner (BRIDE ON THE RUN), as well as a Golden Heart, Daphne DuMaurier, and National Reader’s Choice finalist, Anna loves writing big community stories where family found is always the theme. Since her first published novella with Harlequin in 2014, Anna has released more than fifty novels and novellas and hopes to branch out even more (horror romance, anyone?). Anna lives in Northern California where (at the best times) she loves going to the movies, attending fan conventions, and heading to Disneyland, her favorite place on earth. When she’s not writing, she is usually binge-watching her newest TV addiction, re-watching her all-time favorite show, Supernatural, and wrangling two monstrous cats named Rosie and Sherlock. Visit Anna online at www.AuthorAnnaStewart.com and sign up for her newsletter (giveaways in every issue!).

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Mistle Text Sale Blitz

 

Mistle Text
Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers
(An Accidentally in Love Story, #5)
Publication date: September 25th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

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SNEAK PEEK:

“My boss needs a personal shopper for Christmas, and I’ve already told him I know the very best one in Manhattan.” Toni gives me an open-mouthed smile, clearly expecting me to jump up and down.

“Your boss. As in Archibald Snooty Pants the Forty-Second?” I ask, pursing my lips.

She opens her mouth, but I cut her off with one finger in the air. “You complain about the man all the time.”

“It’s not like he’s a horrible person, he’s just a one trick pony—all work and no play. Plus, it’s not like you’ll have to work side-by-side with him or anything. You probably won’t even have to see him.”

“I’m not a personal shopper,” I tell her. “Unless his family and friends want ramen noodles or discount t-shirts from the guy who sells them out of his trunk in front of my apartment building, I would have no idea what to buy.”

“Yeah, well, Archie doesn’t know that.” She pumps her eyebrows up and down like a comedian.

“Toni, you told me the guy was a rich stuck-up preppy from the Hamptons. While I would love nothing more than to make some extra money, I don’t have the foggiest notion how to shop for rich people.”

“So watch some holiday episodes of Real Housewives and see what they buy each other. He’ll tell you how much to spend on each person. Come on, Holl, it’s not brain surgery. It’s shopping. You know how to shop. And you need the money.”

“What if he hates me?” I despise feeling so pathetic, but I’m totally out of my league here.

“Then he hates you. So what? Believe me when I tell you, Archibald Harrington only thinks about work. You can’t take anything he says personally.”

Dread slams into me like a wrecking ball. “How much do you think I can make?”

“Enough to pay for Christmas and at least the next three months of Faith’s preschool tuition. How can you pass that up?”

The answer is, I can’t. And if it means working for a cranky billionaire, then Toni is right. I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to take care of Faith. I just can’t guarantee I’ll like it.

“Fine,” I tell her. “How many gifts am I supposed to buy?”

“He’ll need all of his family gifts, which include his godfather’s family. He’s spending Christmas with them in Newport. He wants you to cover his business gifts, as well. The VIPs are starred, meaning those particular gifts need to be extra-amazing. I’ve also made you a list of everything that I want, so I don’t wind up with another Monte Blanc pen. I’ve already sold three of those suckers on eBay and I only get a fraction of what they’re worth.”

“I don’t even know what a Monte Blanc pen is.” My chest tightens like I’m not getting enough oxygen.

She hands me a piece of paper. “This is a list of websites to check out. You can order everything and have it delivered here.”

“Why can’t I just have everything sent to his office? What am I going to do with it?”

After taking a healthy swig of white zinfandel, Toni says, “You’re going to wrap everything up and make it look like Santa himself cracked the whip on the gift-wrapping elves. Once you have everything purchased and ready, I’ll send a car to pick the gifts up.”

“You’ll send a car, will you?” I tease.

“Yeah, well, I can do those fancy things in the name of my boss.”

“How am I going to pay for everything?” I ask. “I have about two hundred dollars of credit left on my card. I don’t think that’s going to cut it.”

Toni opens her purse and hands me a shiny black credit card. “There’s no limit, so if you don’t mind doing a little jail time, you could have a lot of fun.”

“No limit? I can’t imagine such a thing.” I fantasize about what damage I could do with plastic like this. Not only could I pay for Faith’s school for the rest of the year, but I could also get my mom into one of those nursing homes that has a hair salon and restaurant. I could upgrade to a two-bedroom apartment so Faith doesn’t have to sleep in the closet anymore, and I could even splurge and buy myself some real leather gloves.

“You’re imagining, aren’t you?” Toni jolts me out of my daydream.

“I most certainly am. The first thing I’d do is buy Faith whatever winter coat she wanted and then I’d take her out to a nice restaurant.”

Toni rolls her eyes. “If you’re going down for a crime, you’ve got to think bigger.”

I stare at the card for a second, then look back up at Toni. “How can you stand working for someone who has so much? Don’t you just want to steal cash out of his wallet once in a while?” I don’t really have the heart of a felon, I’m just tired of always being broke.

“The nice thing about Archie is that even though he has the personality of a killer shark, he’s generous. He has a Friday lunch catered for his staff every week, and he makes sure to float us enough extras that none of us are tempted to steal from him. He’s a good businessman.”

“Even though he’s a stuck-up preppy?” I ask for clarification.

“Exactly.”

I look at the list of stores she thinks I should shop at—Tiffany’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrods, The House of Bijan … “What’s my budget?”

She hands me another piece of paper. The handwriting isn’t hers, so I’m guessing it’s Archie’s. “He wants me to spend four thousand dollars on his mother?!”

“Yup. He wants her to have two gifts. One of them needs to be the main. The other can be fancy ass chocolates or something.”

“Right, but probably not gas station chocolates.”

“Quit stressing, Holls, you’ve got this.”

I don’t know why, but for the life of me I can’t see this ending well…

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Author links
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Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

Author links
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The Wrong Man Book Blitz

 

The Wrong Man
A.S. Kelly
(From Connemara With Love, #5)
Publication date: November 15th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Silas
Leo and I have been so many things.
We’ve been rivals, classmates, teammates.
Friends.
Friends you watch from afar each day, and dream of each night.
Then we were… Well, we were just us.
We didn’t ask ourselves too many questions – not even when I pretended not to be hurt by the distance he placed between us.
We made each other no promises.
I waited, hoped, believed, right up until the day I realised that everything we had was merely an illusion.
My illusion.
My name is Silas Kylemore, and I’ve learned an important lesson: never fall in love with your best friend.
Not if he’ll never be able to love you back.

Leo
Silas and I have been through so many phases.
We’ve been close, far, just a hair’s breadth apart.
Each bound to the other.
I’m talking about that kind of bond you’re never quite able to recreate.
We were young, and we were… We were just us.
We didn’t ask ourselves too many questions – not even when I pretended his absence didn’t kill me inside.
We made each other no promises.
I could never have imagined back then that what we had would push me away from him for all those years.
Years that no one could ever give back to me.
Years he’ll never forgive me for.
My name is Leo Fitzpatrick, and I’ve learned an important lesson: never try to forget the person you loved.
Not if he’s never been able to forget you.

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SNEAK PEEK:

Leo slides his hand into the space between our bodies, his pinky finger brushing imperceptibly against mine. I look down at the same moment as him, as if we could feel the same electricity coursing through our fingers, our hearts. We lift our heads. I think this is the first time we’ve really looked at each other so deeply and longingly. It’s ours. This is the first time no one has any power over the other; we can’t deny each other anything. His pinky finger continues brushing against mine, the way it has hundreds of times, before slowly slipping away, back to where it was.
I don’t feel disappointed. I don’t feel abandoned.
Something is telling me that this isn’t like all the other times. My heart is telling me that something has changed.
He’s changed.
“Why?”
“Mmm?”
“Why couldn’t you help it?”
“I was scared I’d forgotten, and I desperately wanted to remember.”
“What?”
“What it means to kiss you.”
I blush against my will, but luckily, he’s not looking at me. I don’t want to seem like a little boy with an embarrassing crush. I want to tell him that he can do that every time he forgets us – but I keep it to myself.
“Was it how you remembered?”
He smiles, his eyes turned skywards.
“It was more. It was all just… More.”

Author Bio:

A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.

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Ravaged Book Blitz

 

Ravaged
Naima Simone
(Burned, Inc., #2)
Publication date: November 15th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From USA Today bestselling author Naima Simone comes an electrifying romance about a pro basketball player and a graphic novelist who can’t seem to stay in the friend zone.

Miriam

It’s no coincidence that my family’s breakup service is called BURNED Inc. I know what it’s like to be dumped. I’ve been there.

Long story short, I’ve got a rule when it comes to my love life: no athletes. As it happens, my best friend, Jordan, is a professional basketball player. He also has a delicious body and sexy tattoos.

But rules are rules.

Jordan

Miriam is my best friend. She’s also the love of my life, the woman I’ve been dreaming about since we met. But she doesn’t do athletes.

I get it. I really do. And I just want Miriam to be happy. Which is why I set her up with a teammate to help her find the man she deserves—even though I can tell she’s into me from that one hot-as-hell night we shared months ago. Still, rules are rules.

But here’s the thing: I’m a competitor.

And sometimes you have to break the rules to win.

Goodreads / Amazon

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SNEAK PEEK:

“Why were you about to leave?” Jordan brushes his lips across my forehead, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. “No, let me guess. Got too close for you. Too real. And what do two people like us, who come from f*cked-up homes where we saw the worst people had to give to each other, know about intimacy, right? It scares the hell out of us. Or it should. And normally, it does. But not with you, Miriam. And you can feel safe with me. I won’t hurt you. Won’t use whatever you share with me against you. So don’t run. Stay.”

Stay.

A shudder ripples through me, and I don’t try to stifle it. Stay. I’ve been wanted for several reasons. My IQ. My talent. Sex.

But no one’s ever asked me to just be. And not with them.

For how long?

The question sits on my tongue like a five-hundred-pound anvil, but I don’t voice it, too afraid of the response. Besides, for once, I’m also content to just be.

Tilting my head back, I rest it on his shoulder. This up close and personal with him, I can catalog every detail on his face. The black pupil with the very thin ring of brown. The tiny scar on the edge of his right cheekbone. The deep dip above his top lip that lends it the bow shape. The almost-there-but-not-quite cleft in his chin.

I’ve drawn him countless times in the last few weeks. So many that his face is as familiar to me as my own. And yet, I could analyze him for hours and still find new elements that would fascinate me. Jordan Ransom could become a new field of study, and I would easily earn my doctorate in him.

“Tonight, I told Daniel I couldn’t see him any longer.”

His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t speak. Yet my heart pounds in my chest, and the beat grows louder, the volume so deafening I can barely hear my own voice.

“It wouldn’t have been fair,” I whisper.

“Why not?” he asks, and that dark, low timbre is midnight and sin. Temptation wrapped in sex.

“You know why.”

He bends his head the scant inches separating us and only stops when his mouth hovers a breath above mine. “Say it,” he orders, his lips so close they nearly brush mine.

“Because he isn’t you.”

Jordan doesn’t move, and I can taste his kiss, but he doesn’t eliminate the remaining space between us. Doesn’t take my mouth and give me what I can now admit I came here for. No, instead he stares at me, his expression inscrutable. Unease twists inside me, and for the first time since he placed me on his lap, I want to climb off, insert space between us.

“We’re going to f*ck,” he states, and while the word sends a lightning bolt of heat straight between my legs, it tightens the screw on my unease, deepens it. Because his tone is flat, almost disconnected.

“Yes.” We are. I need him tonight. And I won’t be able to stop at a kiss. I’m too empty, too hungry. I haven’t felt complete since the last time he filled me.

“And I’m going to be your mistake.” His fingers thread through my hair, sifting before fisting the curls and bringing them to his nose. He inhales, his eyes closing and, for a moment, freeing me from their hold. It’s in this instant that a flicker of emotion flashes across his face. Pleasure. Pain. Both. But when his lashes lift, his expression is back to being a mask of inscrutability. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m still going to f*ck you. I find I’m so goddam desperate to be inside you I’m willing to have you any way I can. But I just want to make sure I know where we stand.”

Oh God.

Regret pierces me in the chest, sliding between my ribs like the sharpest blade. I have a lot to answer for. The latest being from a couple of nights ago. I run the moments after our kiss through my head. I never called him a mistake, never said I regretted what happened on my couch. But viewing my actions, my silence, through his lens, I can see how he’d interpret them that way. And coupled with how I friend-zoned him after the first time we had sex, calling that a mistake . . . well, damn.

Briefly closing my eyes, I hate myself for causing this bold, beautiful man even a second of self-doubt. He’s no one’s mistake. No one’s regret. And I can tell him that. I could write him a fucking sonnet about that.

Or I could show him.

Author Bio:

Published since 2009, USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”

She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.

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