Category: blogging

Badge of Honor
India Lord
Publication date: December 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Scars—a badge of honor denoting strength.

Milly
My hellish month is looking up!
I’ve scored a private nursing job.
No more sleeping in my car, stressing about my debts.
My patient is a military man. Gorgeous. Tattooed. Built. He’s also temporarily blind and tries to sack me during my first hour on the job.
I’m way past desperate, so let him try to banish me.

Connor
All I want is to recover and return to my men in Afghanistan.
The problem is without my sight, I’m helpless as a kitten.
My family treats me like a child. When they get tired of my temper, they hire her.
The woman is determined, I’ll give her that. But there’s something about her that intrigues me, makes my mind wander to kissing and pleasure and soft curves.
Too bad we have no future.

Contains a grumpy, injured military man, a scarred nurse, and a little small town instalove, which makes everything better.

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EXCERPT:

“Hold still while I clean your face. You’re bleeding everywhere. I’m going to place my hand on your shoulder.” A verbal warning, so he didn’t freak at the physical contact. I continued to inform him of my intentions.

The tension left his broad shoulders, and his frown relaxed maybe a millimeter. Up close, he was a handsome specimen. More rugged than pretty, his skin a golden bronze from sun exposure. A shaggy beard framed his mouth and jawline, and he wore a pair of black shorts and nothing else. Tattoos curled across his biceps and decorated sculpted pectoral muscles.

“Are you staring at me?” he asked, his bandaged gaze turning in my direction.

“Yes.”

“Well, stop.”

“I’m a nurse.”

“It doesn’t feel like a nurse stare,” he muttered.

A snicker escaped me. “Hold the gauze to your cheek while I open the iodine.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“True, but you’ve bled over the sheets.” I seized his right hand and lifted it to his cheek.

“You’re bossy.” Now he sounded intrigued rather than grumpy.

“It comes with the job.” I deftly opened the iodine bottle and transferred the yellow liquid to a blob of cotton wool. An instant later, I lifted his hand and covered the wound with the pungent liquid.

“Ow.”

“Don’t be a baby.” I lifted the cotton wool and applied a plaster covered with cartoon characters. “That should do the trick.”

“What have you done?” He’d heard the grin in my words.

“Nothing.”

“You’ve used my niece’s plasters,” he said after a long pause. He stood abruptly, anger and frustration returning to his features. “Dammit, I don’t need a nurse. Talk to Carolyn on your way out, and she’ll pay you for today. You’re fired.”

Author Bio:

An incurable romantic and a lover of reading—romance, of course—it was inevitable India Lord turned to writing next. India writes sassy, steamy romances with strong alpha heroes, curvy heroines who are no pushovers, and a happy ending. A must, in India’s opinion.

When India isn’t writing, she loves to walk and explore the countryside. She’s also a dedicated researcher of cheese scones—her favorite treat to eat with a cup of tea.

Keep in touch by joining India’s newsletter: https://indialord.substack.com/

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Frozen by Lies
Martha Sweeney
(Sleigh Riders, #1)
Publication date: December 6th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
BESTSELLING author Martha Sweeney presents her first paranormal romance/fantasy series (Sleigh Riders) that features bikers, swearing, spiked hot chocolate, magic, innuendos and so much more.

The bitter fault of one caused the magic from within to wither and die.

A feud has ensued for many generations, leaving most from both the Frost Clan and the Klaus Clan unaware of its origin. What happens when Noelle Frost and Nikolaus Klaus find themselves drawn to each other? Will their worlds collide, destroying everything in their wake? Or, do they have the power to bridge the ancient chasm and restore balance to the world?

This is NOT your average holiday story and NOT for the faint of heart.

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EXCERPT:

“He is gorgeous!” Hope squeals from behind Noelle.

Spinning around sharply, she replies, “He’s okay.”

“Okay?” Hope balks. “You were practically drooling over him.”

“I was not.” Noelle scoffs, moving toward the sidewalk.

“It’s okay. He was doing the same with you,” she giggles. “Now, I know why your family was being odd.”

“They’re odd whenever a guy talks to me,” Noelle reminds.

Hope takes a sip of her drink and shakes her head. “Not if they know who he is.”

Noelle’s brows furrow. “What do you mean?” She looks back in the direction of Nikolaus’ departure.

“You’re from a biker community,” Hope scoffs. “How do you not know?”

“Know what?” Noelle sips her eggnog, inspecting the cup a second later. “This isn’t too bad. I could probably do a mix with this and my hot chocolate.”

“That would be a fun experiment,” Hope agrees. “We can try it tonight if you’d like.” She consumes more of her drink, then adds, “The Sleighers…as in the Sleigh Riders.”

Noelle’s becomes slack jaw as her steps come to a halt, staring dumbfoundedly at her friend. She’s heard whispers of the Sleighers from her cousins, but didn’t believe them. She always thought that they were a made-up nemesis to make her cousins and the Blades seem like bigger men.

“You okay?” Hope asks when she realizes that Noelle is no longer by her side.

“Are you shitting me?” she mutters.

“Nope. It was obvious.”

“How?”

Hope giggles. “You didn’t see the emblem on his jacket?”

Noelle tries to remember if he was wearing a jacket just now and the other night.

“Of course you didn’t,” Hope muses. “Silly me.”

“What?”

“You were too busy ogling him to notice,” she declares.

“I wasn’t ogling him.”

“Yeah…you were. You two were practically making out.”

“We didn’t touch,” Noelle reminds.

“Didn’t need too,” Hope states. “It was all in both your eyes.”

Noelle shakes her head, trying to map out everything that has happened since the other night. “Are you sure?”

“You both were smitten.”

“No.” Noelle huffs. “I’m talking about him being a Sleigher.”

“Yep. Why?”

Noelle looks back over her shoulder. “That can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“He wasn’t on a bike,” Noelle states. “He was driving a truck.”

“He said he was heading back to Alyona,” Hope reminds. “Exactly where the Sleighers are from.”

Noelle lets out a nervous giggle, shocked and amused by the revelation.

“So, what did you two talk about?” Hope pries as they make their way back to the house.

“Nothing,” Noelle lies.

“That didn’t seem like nothing,” Hope states. “But, then again, you two were ogling each other quiet a bit.”

Noelle lets out a heavy breath.

“It would be poetic and…ironic,” Hope declares.

“What would?”

“Ironic…maybe…but, I’m sure there’s a better word for the situation,” Hope says more to herself.

“What are you talking about?”

“You two meeting and falling in love,” Hope coos.

“We aren’t in love,” Noelle counters. “I don’t know the guy.”

With a singsongy tone, Hope hums, “Odder things have happened.”

“You’re not going to let me live this down, are you?”

“Nope,” she says cheerfully. “I’ve never seen you look at a guy like that before.”

“How did I look at him?”

Hope grins and snips her drink. “Like a woman in love.”

“I’m not in love!”

“Well…at least some lust,” Hope snickers. “I thought, for a second, you two were going to do more than make out.”

Noelle rolls her eyes. “Just don’t ever say anything to anyone in my family.”

“Who am I going to tell?” she replies.

“I’m serious, Hope.”

“So, you are smitten.”

“No,” Noelle denies. “I just don’t want the drama. There’s always plenty of that with my family…more so this time of the year.”

“It’ll make a great story for the kids and grandkids,” Hope muses.

“Fuck,” Noelle huffs.

“I’m just messing with you,” Hope claims.

Noelle shakes her head.

“Do you think he has a cute brother or cousin?”

Noelle laughs hard enough that it almost brings a tear to her eye. Hope watches her, perplexed by what was said to make her react in such a way.

“What about Josiah?”

Hope shrugs. “Maybe a Sleigher is the best way to lure him out and get him to finally ask me out.”

“Or, maybe you’ll fall for your own Sleigher,” Noelle goads.

Hope considers the option. “I’m open to love wherever it may be. I’m twenty-five and need more in my life.”

Noelle snickers. “If you married a Sleighers, and the whispers are true, then we wouldn’t be able to be friends. You know that, right?”

“What are you talking about?” she asks.

“Blades and Sleighers are rivals.”

Hope abruptly stops walking. “That’s not funny.”

 

Author Bio:

Martha Sweeney is a BESTSELLING author who writes in a variety of genres: romance (contemporary, romcom, suspense, paranormal and historical), suspense, fantasy, thriller, coloring books, and soon, science fiction. She strives to push herself as a storyteller with each new tale and hopes to push her readers outside of their comfort zone whether it be genre or the stories themselves.

With a B.S. in Psychology, Martha utilizes her knowledge of human and animal behavior successfully in the business world and in her writing to present realistic characters and situations. She’s been creative since she was little, always drawing, coloring or making crafts, so her venture into being an author was a natural transition.

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High Impact
Freya Barker
(High Mountain Trackers, #4)
Publication date: December 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Manager for Hart’s Horse Rescue, Lucy Lenoir, finally feels she has a handle on life after having worked hard to leave her old one behind. So hard, there are times she almost forgets what she escaped. Memories which suddenly come flooding back when she catches a glimpse of a familiar horseman in town.

What’s worse, he’s in the company of the unlikely cowboy she’s only just beginning to trust.

High Mountain Tracker, Bo Rivera, tries hard never to repeat his mistakes. A huge one changed the course of his life and made him particularly cautious, especially around women. So much so, he almost passed up on the best thing to ever walk into his life; the compact, blonde ballbuster in need of a gentle hand.

However, the more he learns about her, the more he realizes a soft touch alone won’t keep her demons at bay. Those will need a firmer hand…to keep the gun steady.

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Start the series with High Meadow:
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Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

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Hellfire Club
Becker Gray
Publication date: November 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Meet the bad boys of the Hellfire Club in this exclusive boxed set!

The hottest guy in Pembroke wants the headmaster’s daughter…

The popular prince obsesses over the bookish girl…

The British heartthrob pursues the scholarship girl…

The heartless playboy toys with the aloof princess…

The villainous bad boy tempts the good girl…

“A forbidden romance full of angst and delicious desire. Wicked Idol is unputdownable and so scorching hot it will melt your kindle. You’re not going to want to leave Pembroke Prep.” – Amazon Top #10 bestselling author Ivy Smoak

HELLFIRE CLUB contains 5 full-length novels by bestselling author Becker Gray including Wicked Idol, Callous Prince, Brutal Blueblood, Ruined Sinner, and Sweet Devil. Walk the halls of the most exclusive prep school alongside the band of friends.

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Author Bio:

Becker Gray is the brainchild of two best friends who love rich boys in peacoats. The Hellfire Club is their first series together.

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Shadowed Seats
Marguerite Ashton
(Oliana Mercer, #1)
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult
Oliana knows that every family has a secret, but she never expected hers to come from the grave.

High school senior Oliana Mercer dreams of attending the prestigious Reyersen Drama Academy and pursuing her acting career. But when tragedy strikes, Oliana discovers secrets hidden from her by her adopted parents, dimming the lights on her perfect world. As the sins of the past surface, Oliana finds herself caught up in a tug-of-war between two families while the love for her boyfriend is tested. Determined to find some form of happiness in life, Oliana becomes student director in the high school’s senior play. When her best friend, Devin Worthy, dies during dress rehearsal, Oliana is re-cast as the lead. Everyone thinks the death was a suicide, except Oliana, whose search for clues may be enough motive for the killer to murder again.

THE COMPLETE SERIES:

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EXCERPT:

“Numbness held me in place as I closed the notebook and tucked it inside the wig. What did this mean? Is the Oliana mentioned in the notebook me? It had to be. But what was this about being set free? My bio parents died in a car accident.

For a second, I felt like I was standing next to a furnace, smoldering in its waves of heat. I hurried out of the attic and stood outside, trying to catch my breath.

Rain pelted my face as I glanced up at my parents’ window on the second floor, then at the driveway where Mom’s minivan and Dad’s pickup were parked. Inside the house, the lights were on in the kitchen. Probably doing what they always do together, cooking dinner.

Grief hollowed my insides. Now was not the time to confront them about what I found. Besides what was I going to do? Tell Mom, I was snooping and found something that freaked me out? The problem was I wanted to go in there and disturb their happiness, so I could get answers about what I’d read. Answers about the handwritten note to Mom by the woman I believed was my birth mother.”

Excerpt From
Shadowed Seats: Oliana Mercer Series
Marguerite Ashton

Author Bio:

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer!

Her blog, Criminal Lines: Settled Writer Past 40 is her outlet while building dollhouses and plotting out her next book.

Marguerite lives in Wisconsin and enjoys RVing.

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Confessions of a Fangirl
Kirsten S. Blacketer
(Her Confessions, #1)
Publication date: December 7th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Life is good. I have a plush job, supportive friends, and a close-knit family. When the new hottie at the office asks me out on a date, I think I just won the jackpot.

Until movie night with the girls leads me down a dark rabbit hole. Who is he? An innocent Google search about a handsome actor has my imagination spinning. Now I’m drowning, and I don’t want salvation. I want him.

But I already have the perfect man. This obsession might just ruin my life.

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EXCERPT:

“Why don’t you turn on the TV? I have a movie in for us to watch.” He winks. “I think you’ll enjoy it.”

I narrow my gaze. “Is it inappropriate?”

Shaun’s eyes widen. “What would give you the impression I would dare cross that line? We’ve only known each other for two weeks.”

“True.”

“Normally I let crazy out of the bottle after the third date, never before then.”

I spin around to face him. “I knew it.”

He doubles over the sink laughing. “Just turn on the TV, Jen.”

When I turn it on, a familiar song comes through the speakers. I grin like an idiot when I see the familiar logo. “Source of Destiny,” I mutter under my breath.

“Good thing you’re a Space Vendetta fan, huh?” He dries his hands and joins me.

My face heats. “Actually, I’m a newbie to the whole thing. We watched it the other weekend for movie night. It was the first time I’d ever heard of the series.”

“Oh, so you had your SVS cherry popped recently, huh?” Shaun sits on the couch next to me and takes the remote from my hand.

“I guess you could say that.” I bite my tongue knowing he doesn’t mean anything by the comment, but it leaves me a bit breathless.

“I guess it’s not your typical movie night choice then.”

“No. One of the guys in the mailroom suggested it when he heard Lily and me discussing ideas in the break room.”

“Lily.” Shaun thinks for a moment. “Oh yes, the classic vintage aficionado.” He nods sagely. “She always looks stunning. It’s a great style on her.”

“Right?” I push away the twist of jealousy. “I envy her style. She looks so put together.”

“You do too.” He grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine. “It’s what I noticed first about you.”

There goes the damn rollercoaster again. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He squeezes my hand.

I turn my head away to hide the flaming blush I know has consumed my face. My gaze rests on the TV and the logo on the screen.

“Shall we start the movie?”

“Sure.” He presses play and pulls me against him, draping his arm around my shoulder.

We’ve both seen the film before, but within moments we’re both drawn into the story on the screen. My body tenses in anticipation. I know what’s coming, and I brace myself for it.

Captain Korbin Ransom appears on the screen on queue. An ache settles in my chest. Guiltily, I glance at Shaun, who’s entranced by the film. My gaze drifts back to the movie.

This inexplainable gravity draws me into the story. A closeup of the villain’s profile has my heart racing. My fingers dig into Shaun’s thigh. He shifts and pulls me closer.

What the hell is wrong with me? My second date and I’m swooning over a man on the screen when I should be all over the warm, solid man beside me. He made me dinner. Made me feel special. Hell, he made me tiramisu!

As the movie continues, I hold my breath for the moments Korbin Ransom appears in all his leather-clad wonder. The character’s brooding darkness and sexy swagger have me on the edge of my seat. I’m drawn to this villain in ways I can’t comprehend.

I like good men. Honest men. Men who make me dinner and treat me like a queen. But deep in the dark recesses of my mind, my imagination flirts with something I’ve never allowed into the light. I’m aroused and ashamed. I shove these fantasies of a tempting villain aside and focus on enjoying this moment with Shaun, a good man of flesh and blood.

When the credits roll, I slowly shift from beneath his arm and stretch. “That movie gets better every time I see it. I mean, it’s like I catch details I missed before.”

“Yeah, happens to me too.” He stretches his arm out and grabs my wrist, pulling me back against him.

I’m breathless, caught in the haze of his blue eyes. My heart’s racing.

“Jen…am I going too fast for you?” There’s hunger in their depths.

I swallow. “No.”

“If I ever make you uncomfortable, tell me.” A soft smile curves his lips. “I like you.”

“I like you too.” My fingers brush his cheek. I lean in and kiss him.

His soft lips part beneath mine and he pulls me closer. “You can stay tonight if you want,” he whispers between passionate kisses.

“As much as I would love to take you up on that.” I sigh against his lips. “I can’t.”

He nods. “I understand. Sleeping together on a second date feels like we’re going at hyperspeed.”

I chuckle at the Space Vendetta reference. “Yeah, it does.”

“I’ll leave it up to you.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “When you’re ready, let me know.”

Author Bio:

Kirsten Blacketer writes the stories she’s dying to read. She likes mystery and intrigue, handsome heroes, sassy heroines, and a chance to break the rules. She lives for sexual tension and loves kissing scenes. There’s no way she can write in just one era, so don’t be surprised if you see her jumping from medieval Scotland to prohibition on the Mississippi River to late Victorian London then onto contemporary Brooklyn. She follows wherever the muse leads her.

The KSB Guarantee: A Steamy Getaway and Always a HEA!

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