Month: November 2022

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
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.

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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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Famine’s Feast
Raisa Greywood
(Club Apocalypse, #3)
Publication date: November 11th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
The Club kitchen is about to get even hotter…

Exacting and demanding in the kitchen as he is in the bedroom, Jake McBride expects one thing from both his employees and his women: obedience.

Despite her mysterious past, Jake finds himself falling for his sweet, unassuming new sous chef. Not only is Olivia quickly learning to meet his rigid standards in the kitchen, her eager gaze practically begs for him to claim her. To own every inch of her gorgeous body until she’s ruined for any other man.

When Club Apocalypse is vandalized and secrets brought to light, Jake questions Olivia’s loyalties—and his own heart. If his suspicions are right, the woman he loves can’t be trusted. But if he’s wrong, there is a bigger threat on the horizon… and it could cost him everything.

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EXCERPT:

“Where’s the fire, Rivera?” Jake called out.

She quickened her pace. “You told me not to be late, sir.”

“Danged runners.” Bearing down, he caught up, then cut in front to force her to stop. “Why were you going to kill yourself?”

“I wasn’t. I—”

“I saw you, Olivia. You made your imminent swan dive abundantly clear.”

Her jaw worked and a vein pulsed in her forehead. “Sir, am I off the clock?”

“What the hell kind of question is that?”

“Am. I. Off. The. Clock? Will you fire me if I answer truthfully?”

The fear left his body but was replaced by another kind of tension. Would she finally say all the words she’d hidden behind Spanish curses? He wasn’t sure how he wanted to respond, but his cock shot hard at the thought of what she might tell him.

“Nobody is going to fire you for telling the truth.”

“Good.” She took a step back, then looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with furious tears. “You’re a jerk, Jake McBride. I hate you. I hate your tasteless food with too much pepper and not enough salt. I hate that you can’t even smell it when you mess up, and that you don’t believe me when I try to say something.”

Mess up one steak and never hear the end of it.

Was it possible she suffered from hyperosmia? It would explain her gift with sauces and flavor profiles, even with such limited experience. Damn. If he’d even guessed at something like that…

And now…he was jealous.

“Go on,” he finally said, enjoying the way her tentative, halting speech smoothed into a delicious accent that made his cock stand to attention.

“I hate that you can’t make a decent omelet to save your life. I hate your constant criticism when you know I’m doing a good job, and I especially hate that it’s worse when I do something better than you.”

“Is that all?” he asked, hiding a smile. It might have taken a near-death experience, but he was delighted she was finally saying what he’d needed to hear.

The moonlight was nearly gone, meaning he couldn’t see her very well, but one last shard of silvery light caught her face. Her dark hair hung to the middle of her back in loose spiral curls from a ponytail at the base of her neck, and her brown eyes sparkled. A faint sheen of sweat on her face made her glisten, and she’d never looked more glorious.

“No.” She jammed a finger into his chest, making him move back a step. “I absolutely cannot stand that I still want to hear you tell me I did a good job. Just one time.”

Interesting. If he’d realized Olivia had a praise kink, he might have handled things differently. Then again, maybe that wasn’t a good choice, considering they were coworkers. Too bad his dick thought it was an excellent idea.

“Anything else?”

“Yes.” She took a deep breath and scrubbed a hand over her eyes. “I’m walking on eggshells every day because of you. I hate that my nerves misfire and it feels like ants are crawling all over me every time you speak or move. I hate the way your shoes sound like dog whistles. I hate your stupid soap because it makes everything smell wrong, and I hate that you’re too nose-blind to recognize it. And I really hate that I’m thinking about breaking parole so they’ll send me back to jail, just so I can get away from your arrogant ass!”

“No,” he replied softly, taking a step toward her. “You’re not going to be doing that.”

She snorted and turned away. “You have no idea how close you are to a carving knife between your ribs every time you open your mouth. I wouldn’t lose a minute’s sleep, and best of all, they’d send me to Perryville instead of Navajo County Detention.”

“What’s so great about Perryville?”

“It’s further away from you.”

 

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author of filthy smut, empty nester, and cat snuggler.

Raisa has worked as a teacher, an actuary (her husband called her a bookie—which isn’t too far from the truth), mother, and scout leader. She’s happily married to her husband of over twenty years, and is now enjoying semi-retirement writing the books she always wanted to read with kick-ass heroines and sexy, sexy men.

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A smoking-hot new release about found family, empire, and obsession.

Winter Harris

I made a mistake that cost me my job at a prestigious hotel, and ultimately my career.

According to my boss, I was ‘inappropriate with the guests,’ but it’s not my fault they were too hard to resist.

After relocating, I’m determined to impress my new boss and work my way back up to the top, but

he doesn’t think I can behave.

And when our most exclusive cabin is booked by three mystery guests, it’s me they want as their

VIP Manager, catering to their every need.

Kings of an empire I’ve been obsessed with since I was a girl, I throw caution to the wind and fall under their spell;

Luca Wolfford is beautiful, intense, and charismatic. Reuben Moore is a playful tease. And Brecken

Sainz is the brooding lone wolf whose attention is hard to earn.

They’re trouble and temptation and hot as sin. And determined. Very determined to ensure my compliance in whatever games they’re playing.

So, let’s just say I have a hard time saying no…to any of them.

Please Note:

The Three Kings Duet is 140K + words in total with multiple POVs. The characters are 28-34 years old.

Mature content. Please click on the Look Inside feature for triggers.

No Rescue Required
Maggie Kelley
Published by: Entangled: Amara
Publication date: November 14th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Sports agent Ryan Callahan’s trip is a complete disaster. Not only did he fail to sign a promising young ballplayer, but now he’s stranded in a Kentucky town no bigger than a bourbon ball. His plane’s been canceled, there’s not a cab to be found, and getting back to New York City is gonna take a miracle. Like a quirky, strawberry-blonde florist with a big van and a craving for late-night, deep-fried hotdogs…

With her best friend’s wedding and her business on the line, Sabrina Hayes needs to be in New York like yesterday. But with her flight canceled and her bank account almost as empty as her gas tank, an extra passenger might just be the long-overdue lucky charm Sabrina needs…especially now that she knows he’s definitely not a serial killer disguised as a scrumptious Thor look-alike.

Somewhere between a roadside stand that serves food as fast as it serves weddings, a motel room haunted by a lovesick ghost, and a car race known as the Snowball 500, Sabrina and Ryan are about to discover that anything that can go wrong will go hilariously wrong. But even they are not prepared for what’s in store on the road ahead…

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SNEAK PEEK:

She turned on the blinker to merge, and having wrapped up his issue, Ryan slipped the phone into the center console, arranging it so she could see the directions on the screen. The simple gesture touched her heart. Other than her gram, no one had ever looked out for her, not even in a small way, and his thoughtful courtesy reminded her how concerned he’d been talking with his sister, his impulse to look out for her, the casual way he’d said love you.

Not words she’d heard much growing up. Except for Gram. Her parents weren’t big on affection, except with one another, so she had to stock up on I love you during her Kentucky summers. Gram always said kindness was in the little things—delivering a cup of coffee in the morning, offering to make supper, bringing in the newspaper. Big gestures were nice, but the small stuff made up a person’s life.

“Hey, before I forget to tell you,” he said, “I appreciate the assist with Mason Hollis. I admit I was pretty thrown by having the door shut in my face.”

She gave him a sidelong glance. “Not a guy who’s used to rejection?”

“Not really, no.” He looked over, wearing an expression that probably made the Midtown girls melt like a Kentucky snowfall. “Most of the time, the answer I get is yes.”

“I bet.”

“I’m talking clients, not women.”

She raised one brow. “Of course you are.”

“Seriously?” A vague irritation flashed across his face.

“Truth is, I wasn’t prepared to go back to the Hollis place tonight, not after the ‘city slicker’ comment, but thanks to you, I’ve got a shot to sign Mason, an opportunity that seemed unlikely an hour ago.” He paused. “What can I say? There really is some magic in that southern charm of yours, so thank you. I owe you.”

She looked over briefly, touched by his acknowledgment. “You’re welcome.”

The inside of the cab grew quiet for a moment, neither having much to say—or, more accurately, not knowing what to say, considering they were fundamentally strangers. Ryan tapped his knuckles on the console and nodded toward the radio. “Not a bad song.”

“One of my favorites,” she said, appreciating Maren Morris’s lyrics about putting her car in drive, finding an escape. “You like country music—that’s a good sign.”

He gave her a look that said you’ve got to be kidding me. “No upstanding New Yorker likes country.”

“I can always sing along,” she said, glancing in his direction. “Convert you into a fan.”

“So, you must be a good singer?”

“No,” she laughed. “I’m like karaoke’s worst nightmare.”

“I bet you look adorable onstage, sporting cowboy boots, singing Shania.”

“I do not wear cowboy boots.” She shook her head, chuckling. “And trust me, nothing is adorable about me singing karaoke—absolutely nothing.”

His brows lifted. “So, no road-trip serenade?”

“No road-trip serenade.”

“Maybe next time.” He shot over another one of those cool-guy smiles.

Maybe next time.

Except there’d never be a next time. Apart from the fact that he liked sports and was down for karaoke, she scarcely knew the guy, and what she did know was in opposition to the low-key life she’d chosen. He was high-end cashmere and pricey gym membership, excessively work-focused and supposedly health-conscious, and not at all her speed. He was also surprising and kind in a way she hadn’t expected when he’d come into the shop.

But no—no. She tightened her grip on the wheel. This trip was nothing more than a rideshare, and thinking about his finer qualities was just a road to nowhere.

In twelve hours, Ryan Callahan would be a memory, an impossibly gorgeous guy from the city who’d stumbled into her shop on a random Friday night, a guy along for a thirteen-hour ride, down for sharing driving time and expenses.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Author Bio:

After ten years of survival, aka working, in Hollywood, this former actress and current author of sexy contemporary romance is living happily-ever-after in Pittsburgh with her longtime sweetie and their two punky kids. When not carpooling to birthday parties or testing her gourmet cooking skills by throwing a frozen pizza into the oven, Maggie daydreams about sneaking off to the Vegas or Napa, or even just the movies. A love of red wine, Italian food, and music round out her list of life’s greatest joys. Oh, and Tuesday night karaoke, totally underrated fun.

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The Last Minute First Lady
Tinia Montford
Publication date: December 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

WHAT’S ONE ITSY, BITSY, LITTLE LIE?

Cassian Anders will be the youngest governor in Illinois history… If he wins.

That’s all everyone seems to talk about these days. Jolie Coldwell isn’t one of them. As a journalist, her priorities comprise digging up dirt on crooked politicians and local cover-ups. When her latest exposé on a congressman lands her in hot water, her days are reduced to covering the senior center’s casino night.

Unexpectedly, news breaks: the on-air investigative segment needs a replacement. This promotion advance could her career.

She needs a breaking story. She needs it now.

The road to office is ruthless compared to the courtroom. Without warning, Cassian Anders’ popularity rating falls, threatening his position on the ballot. He will do whatever it means to secure votes. Now, not only is he engaged, but he’s getting married to his non-existent fiancée…

He’s never relied on luck, but when a convenient but unorthodox wife falls into his lap? He makes her a deal.

He needs a wife. He needs it now.

Will Jolie and Cassian be able to fool the public long enough? Can she handle the public poking around in her past, one she would rather keep under wraps… Above all, can she be a model first lady or are they destined to be a scandal?

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Author Bio:

Tinia (TUH-NIA) Montford is a Pisces who’s a sap for romance, especially when there’s (tons of) kissing. Loves eighties sitcoms and will consume anything with chocolate. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in English and Graphic Design.

She is a world traveler having climbed a volcano in Nicaragua, scaled Angkor Wat in the blistering sun, and roamed the Acropolis of Athens. Oh, she also dabbles in short stories occasionally.

If you can’t catch her writing, you can bet she’s overindulging on poke bowls, listening to the same four songs, or chilling with her adorbs doggie. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction.

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Savoring Christmas
Shanna Hatfield
(Rodeo Romance, #10)
Publication date: November 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
He’s a former rodeo star who gave up his career to run the family ranch.

She’s an aspiring chef with a food truck, a dream, and no interest in another man coming along to ruin her plans.
Troy Lucas walked away from his winning rodeo career to run the family ranch after the death of his grandfather. Now, being a rancher, a farrier, and even team roping just for fun can’t seem to keep him satisfied. He didn’t think he’d miss his glory days in the rodeo when he came back home – in fact, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. Still, he can’t deny the hole inside that keeps reminding him he’s longing for something . . . more.

Chef Lark Gibson has only one thing on her mind: opening a restaurant in Portland. Until that day comes, Lark will take her food truck to as many events as possible and make sure her customers are always begging for more. The last thing she expected was to find herself distracted by a knight in dusty Wranglers, until a handsome cowboy comes to her rescue and catches her off-guard.

Will the approaching Christmas season lead this hungry cowboy and ambitious chef to realize that what they think they want isn’t what they really need? Find out in Savoring Christmas, a sweet romance full of humor, heart, and holiday fun.

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**Until December 24th, 10% of the proceeds from every book purchased (any Shanna Hatfield book including ebook, audio, paperback and hardback formats) will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. (Find more info here!)

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EXCERPT:

Jay started putting away the supplies she’d brought and glanced over his shoulder at her. “Tell me more, Lark.”

“More? About what? I told you all there is to know about the runaway steer.”

Jay shook his head as he filled the napkin dispensers. “I don’t care about that. Tell me about this cowboy who caught your eye.”

“He didn’t catch my eye,” she huffed. Her protest seemed a little rushed and forced even to her.

When her brother chuckled, she knew he was aware of her interest in her cowboy-hat-wearing hero.

“Fine,” she admitted. “He may have earned a second glance.”

“Or fourth, from the way you were studying him.” Jay looked over his shoulder at her. “Admit it, you like him.”

Lark shot a hair band at her brother. “I’m not admitting anything, bro. I just met him. I don’t know enough about him to like or dislike him.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Jay muttered.

 

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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