“Hmmm, I didn’t see anything about a ‘fiancé’ in your file, Ms. Hughes.” He said, a sour note coating his otherwise smooth voice.
“Must have been an oversight.” It wasn’t.
“Must have been, indeed.” And he knew it.
“Do you always call your clients on a Sunday evening?” I asked, curious as to why he worked on weekends.
“No, I don’t. In fact, I haven’t taken a case in almost a year.”
I audibly gasped at his admission and I could hear the satisfaction in his chuckle. The man was throwing little nuggets of information my way, enticing me, daring me to give into my curiosity.
But I wouldn’t.
“We should talk again soon so we can go over the entire list before I tell my father my thoughts?” I ended my phrase on a question hoping I didn’t sound like I was giving orders but also not wanting to give him the impression that I was searching out his phone calls.
Because I wasn’t.
Not at all.
I had a…Calvin.
“We should. Sweet dreams, Ms. Hughes,” he practically purred, his voice eliciting dirty thoughts I had no business having.”
Eva LeNoir lives in France with her husband, two sons and the entire food chain in pets: From gerbils to cats and a dog. With a full-time job that pays the bills, she reserves all of her free time to doing what she loves most: Writing.
Eva likes teasing her husband that she should have married a billionaire so she could stay home and write all day. But then he makes her laugh at his silly antics and all dreams of lavish lifestyles evaporate from her mind. A softie at heart, Eva can be seen crying whenever anything emotional is on TV or the radio. Yes, even commercials. So, if ever you meet her, make sure to bring a box of tissues and a good episode of Grey’s Anatomy to witness the epic tear fest.
There are three things she believes unconditionally: Love really does conquer all, Humans are still inherently good and Wine and Cheese will solve all the problems of the world.
How does the fairytale end when the princess ghosts out on the marriage two weeks in?
Seriously. Someone tell me, because this is not how I pictured happily every after going. Sure, Lily McCandless warned me from the beginning that she didn’t do commitment. And yeah, we started out as a casual vacation hook-up. But we moved past that. We fell in love. Isn’t love supposed to conquer all? That’s what all the stupid books say.
I don’t know if we can fix this. But I don’t know how to walk away from the one person who sets my whole world on fire either. I used to think that I could convince Lily to believe in a love that lasts forever; now I wonder if we’ve all been lying to ourselves. Maybe that kind of love doesn’t exist at all.
Maybe some happy endings don’t find their way until you burn them to the ground first.
Downfall is a companion novel to On Paper and part of the Bookworm Series. It can be read as a standalone but is connected to On Paper and its characters and storyline. You can also read Free Fall, a Prequel Novella which showcases how Lily and Miles met.
@lifeisbetterwithbooks – “I finished this book late last night, and my mind and emotions are still reeling from this wonderful, heartbreaking, relentless, amazing book.”
Wendy’s Book Blog – “I was enthralled throughout this riveting tale…”
Goodreads Review (Melissa) – “Miles and Lily’s story was one of resiliency, love, uncertainty and friendship. I certainly didn’t expect their journey to be what it was but it was refreshing to read a story line that I hadn’t read before.”
Shae Scott is a contemporary romance writer who loves to write stories that turn real life into fairytales. She loves a story that makes you believe that real romance can happen when you least expect it.
Shae was born a southern girl and her accent comes out when she’s excited or drinking. Now, she lives just outside of Kansas City with a boy she met on vacation in California, her tiny dog and the most well-mannered cat around. When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading or watching true crime documentaries. She loves podcasts, deep discussions about nothing, all bodies of water, fried pickles, tree tunnels, and animals of all kinds.
She also loves to talk to her readers. Connect with her anytime:
Catching the attention of the hottest DJ in all of Orlando wasn’t in the plan.
He’s got moves, and they’re not just good. They are good.
Like the beats he spins in the booth, I fall fast for him and his crazy family.
When he finds out about my past, it won’t just break my heart but also crush my soul.
Brock
The third time I saw her at a crowded club, I had to have her.
After our first kiss, I knew she was a habit I would never want to break.
Knowing what she hid from me reinforces what I’ve known for so long. Women cannot be trusted.
Even knowing the worst, I can’t stay away from her.
But when push comes to shove, will I be able to keep her safe?
Karen Renee is the author of the Riot MC Series. She has wanted to be a writer from a very early age, and she’s finally bringing that dream to life. She has worked in advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.
Genre: New Adult Contemporary/ Reverse Harem/Dark Romance Release Date: September 7, 2020
Blurb
How do you stop a storm that has already been brewing, set in a path to
wipe out all that stands in its way?
Dante Black
It’s time to make my move. I’ve shown the princess some mercy. Instead of
hitting hard on her, I diverted the attention of the Inner Circle to another.
Now they have issued an order for me to move or they will send someone else who
won’t hesitate to finish the job.
My own father, Cole Black.
If you think I’m a monster, then you will think he’s the devil. He once killed
me off, only to resurrect me into his own likeness, but without a human heart which
was replaced with a metal one.
Summer was the one who brought my metal heart back to life, though.
Too bad, she’s also the Princess I was sent to destroy.
***Claiming the Crown is the third book in the USA Today Bestselling New
Adult/YA Contemporary RH Dark Romance Series.
“You’re so
cute when you raise your eyebrows like that,” Summer said. “Like the Tinman
from Wizard of Oz.”
I smiled.
Her reference was a secret between us…since she knew about my mechanical heart.
“I’m glad
the wizard fixed it,” she said. “Now you don’t have to be what he tried to make
you to be… the Tin Man who carried an ax. Why an ax? Was he supposed to be bad?
Evil?”
I got what
she was saying and kissed her on the lips. “He was, but the girl saved
him…brought him to the wizard, turned him human again.”
From visiting Romania, Award-winning and Million-Selling USA
Today Bestselling Author Kailin Gow was asked to write stories about vampires;
visiting the Black Forest in Germany and seeing the castles of Europe inspired
her to write fantasy; visiting Asia’s mystical mountains inspired her to write
action adventure and mythological dystopians. From her experience in college as
a peer counselor and her volunteer work with women’s shelters, she was inspired
to write contemporary romance with social issues for women, new adults, young
adults, and teens. Having faced adversity, including battling stereotypes and
bullying, Kailin Gow has become a well-known speaker and figure in media. Her
adventurous bold spirit has taken her around the world, where she has ridden on
top of elephants through jungles, hand-fed sting rays, studied kung fu from a
Shaolin Temple monk, and learned cooking from a celebrity chef.
Compelled to write her first fiction book because of 9/11,
Kailin Gow now has over 465 fiction books published under Kailin Gow and
various Pen Names which are USA Today Bestselling authors in many genres.
She is also an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer, speaker, and
host whose films have screened and premiered in theaters all over the world
including at Cannes. As a speaker and host, she has hosted international
shows at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, been a celebrity judge at beauty
pageants, been a judge for writing contests, and hosted television
series. She was featured as an Indie Author Success Story on the
homepage of Amazon.com for a month and is also included in Amazon’s book called
Transformations, and her YA book series called Bitter Frost Series has
been made into a digital game, an animated award-winning short film, and is in
development as a television series, and her coming of age YA/New Adult romance Loving
Summer is being developed as a featured film.
Genre: Romantic Suspense Release Date: September 6, 2020
Blurb
Zofia
Parker knows smuggling priceless relics out of a war-torn country is a
hazardous job. So it’s not a surprise to find herself on the run with the Disk
of the Gods, an ancient artifact on everyone’s wish list. Losing her passport
and phone complicates her escape, but she has an ace in the air, winging his
way to her rescue. She might just make it out of this mess alive—if she can
stay one step ahead of the government brute squads and ruthless criminals
chasing her. And if she can find a way to rendezvous with the ex-Special Forces
soldier hellbent on saving her.
Finn
Rowland doesn’t have time for bogus government charges and a stint in a Puerto
Jardinese jail. Not when his woman is on the run. Not when she’s in danger. But
escaping is the easy part. Finding Zo and getting her out of the country before
one of the factions trailing her closes in for the kill will require him to
return to the world of covert ops. He’s walking a tightrope without a net and
one misstep could cost him his life. And the life of his woman.
Nationally bestselling author Patti O’Shea has won many
awards for her writing and been nominated for even more. Her books have
appeared on the Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, and Borders bestseller lists
and earned starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist.
At various points in her life, Patti O’Shea wanted to be a
doctor, an astronomer, a marine biologist, and a photographer before she
discovered writing as a teenager. That’s when she knew what she really
wanted to be when she grew up.
After finishing college, Patti went to work for a major US
airline in Minneapolis. This gave her an opportunity to see far off places like
Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and the Yukon in Canada. Along the way, she
experienced lots of cool things. In Alaska, she saw a humpback whale breach
near her catamaran, she slid down a wooden rail in a salt mine in Austria, and
she visited all of King Ludwig’s castles in Germany, among many other
adventures.
When Patti decided to get serious about writing, she
discovered that her travel and her eclectic education were all training to
become an author. She currently lives in Atlanta, where she still works for a
major US airline.
A chance at making the playoffs? It’s a dream for NHL forward Taylor Cunningham that just might come true. If he can keep his eyes on the ball—ahem, puck. And study for midterms. Dakota Cotton, eleven years his senior, isn’t just a distraction, though—he’s everything Tay’s ever wanted.
Dakota has no interest in introducing someone who might not stick around to his four-year-old son. Been there, done that, with the divorce to prove it. But there’s something about Tay that hits all of the right buttons and has him wanting to take a chance.
As things heat up between them, and the pressure to succeed hits an all-time high, will they risk a shot at happiness or choke?
Extra info to share:
Shots on Goal (Stick Side #3) will be reduced to $0.99 from September 7-17 across all retailers.
Teasers:
Teaser #1
Clearing his throat, he said, “What are you drinking?”
“Oban 14. Scotch,” Dakota added at Tay’s questioning look.
“Smells good.” The scent had been wafting in his direction since he first sat down, strong and vaguely smoky, peaty. It reminded him of Dakota for reasons he couldn’t name.
Scooting forward on the bench, their knees touching, he said, “Can I try it?”
Dakota’s gaze caught his, gray and shadowy and searching. Tay held it, refusing to break eye contact. Let Dakota see how attracted he was to him. Dakota must already know anyway. What was the point of holding back? Tay wanted Dakota and he wasn’t shying away from it.
Without looking away, Dakota leaned forward, bringing their faces within inches of each other. Dakota’s soft breath whispered across Tay’s lips, making his own breath catch. Holding his glass out, Dakota still didn’t look away as Tay brought it to his mouth, placing his lips over the outline of Dakota’s on the glass.
Dakota didn’t miss it, his smile turning knowing. The heat in Tay’s blood had nothing to do with the scotch.
Which, in itself, was… “Holy fuck, this is good.” Strong and smoky, yes—even the taste reminded him of Dakota—with hints of fruits and honey.
Dakota made a sound in the back of his throat, an acknowledgment that sounded like a groan. The heat in Tay’s blood spread outward, flushing his cheeks, dotting his temple with sweat. Fuck, it suddenly got very, very warm in this coatroom. Warmer still when Dakota’s gaze dipped down to Tay’s mouth.
Teaser #2
“Let’s see what you got.”
“Don’t judge if I fail,” Dakota warned, pointing a finger at him.
Tay mock gasped. As genuinely as he could, he said, “I make no promises.”
Dakota was shaking his head at him. In the next moment, he whipped a slap shot into the back of the net.
“Oh ho!” Tay crowed. “Look at you.”
“Yeah.” Dakota blew on his nails. “I still got it.”
“Wow, Daddy!” In his excitement, Andy hopped, unbalancing himself and landing on his butt. He was on his knees in an instant, clapping. “Again!”
Dakota skated backward, gaze over his shoulder so he didn’t hit anyone, and stopped just beyond the face-off circle. Seemed like he was giving himself a bigger challenge.
Never in his life had Tay been turned on by watching his teammates play or practice. Watching Dakota set up a shot? Knees slightly flexed, torso held straight? Drawing his stick back, his leather jacket pulling tight across the shoulders? Concentration lines furrowing his brow, pink lips set in a determined line? Tay was much more turned on than the situation warranted, but fuck. Why did Dakota have to be so damn sexy?
Dakota’s next shot joined the first. The grin that lit up his face did way more than warm Tay’s belly.
Get your mind out of the gutter, Cunningham. There are kids present.
Speaking of kids…
“What do you think, And—?” Dakota cut himself off when he noticed Andy making snow angels on the ice. “Yeah, that looks about right.”
Excerpts
Excerpt #1:
Dakota snuck an arm around Tay’s back. “Can I get you a beer?”
“Yes.” Head falling back, Tay groaned. “Also no. I really do need to go. I’ve got an early flight tomorrow and I want to get a reading assignment done tonight.”
“Right, I remember now,” Dakota said as Tay turned toward him, hands coming up to grip his biceps. Dakota’s went to Tay’s hips. “West Coast games.”
“Yeah.” Tay’s gaze dropped to Dakota’s mouth.
“Guess I won’t invite you to dinner tomorrow then.”
That gaze came back up, pleased and surprised. “Were you going to?”
“Well.” He brought Tay in closer, thigh-to-thigh, chest-to-chest, his blood heating when Tay’s hands inched up his arms and around his neck. “Andy wanted me to.”
“Oh, Andy wants me to come to dinner, huh?” Tay’s lips were a mere inch away now, slightly curved upward, amusement alight in his eyes.
“Maybe I did too.”
They were smiling when their lips met. Tay tasted slightly like the one beer he’d had with dinner and like something uniquely Tay. Fingers swept into Dakota’s hair and gripped, making him exhale sharply into Tay’s mouth. Thank fuck Tay had stayed.
Dakota’s arms crept around Tay’s hips, one hand sneaking under Tay’s sweater to run over his back, the skin smooth and warm. The other gripped a handful of Tay’s ass, bringing him that much closer and nudging their semis together.
Tay made a sound in the back of his throat, guttural and deep. It reverberated into Dakota’s bones and outward to the tips of his fingers. They were evenly matched in height; still, Tay rose up onto his toes as if that could bring them even closer together.
A shiver wracked Tay’s whole body. Gentling the kiss that had gotten more heated than Dakota had anticipated, he pulled back and swept his thumb over Tay’s wet lips. “Okay?”
Tay let out a short laugh and cupped the side of Dakota’s neck. “It was pretty epic as far as first kisses go.”
Before Dakota could ask what was actually amazing, Tay kissed him again, tongue curling into Dakota’s mouth. Dakota moaned, inserting a thigh between Tay’s legs.
They kissed until Dakota’s mouth went dry, until his lips were sore. Until Tay lost his balance, clutching at Dakota’s shoulders with a laugh. He tucked his face into Dakota’s neck, the gesture so sweet and trusting that Dakota smiled against Tay’s temple.
Pulling back, Tay searched his face. For what, Dakota couldn’t tell.
“Can I take you out sometime?”
Entranced by Tay’s smile, Dakota cupped his cheeks. “On a date?”
“Mm-hmm.” A quick kiss landed on Dakota’s lips. “And then for our second one, maybe we can take Andy with us and go bowling or something.”
Tay was already looking forward to their second date?
More importantly, he wanted to include Andy too?
Excerpt #2:
“Why don’t you grab us a seat?” Tay said. “I’ll wait for the tray.”
He sat across from Dakota a few minutes later, setting the tray in the middle of the table and passing Dakota his food. Sitting back with his own coffee, Tay took a sip of the too-hot liquid and examined Dakota’s face in the light streaming in from the window to his left. His shoulders were more relaxed, the stress lines around his mouth less pronounced, and his eyes less pinched.
“Long day?”
Dakota made an Mm sound around a sip of his own coffee.
“Are they usually?”
Dakota shook his head and exchanged his coffee mug for a fork. “Not usually. It’s been a heavy meeting day today, though. Almost back to back until four.”
“How do you get any actual work done if you’re in meetings all day?”
“I don’t,” Dakota said with an unamused chuckle, digging his fork into his pie. “Not until after Andy goes to bed.”
Tay broke off a piece of his cookie. “That sucks.”
“It does, but it’s not often. I’m pretty lucky that, for the most part, I leave the job at the office when I leave at the end of the day.” Dakota slid his pie in Tay’s direction. “Want some?”
“I’m good, thanks. I had lunch after practice.” The cookie was warm and gooey in Tay’s mouth, and he chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “Is that why you work in non-profit? Because of the work-life balance?”
“Depending on which non-profit you work for, the work-life balance isn’t always better than one you might have at a for-profit. I got really lucky with the Foundation, but I also established boundaries early on. Unless I’ve got an urgent, last-minute project or am waiting on time-sensitive information, I don’t check emails outside of work hours. Andy’s my first priority, not some board member who’s got their underwear in a bunch over the wording in an email we sent our donors.”
The grouchiness in his voice had Tay covering up a smile with his coffee mug.
“I only put in a couple of hours of work after Andy’s gone to bed after days like today, where I don’t get anything done and need to catch up on a few things.”
“Speaking of work, why don’t you tell me more about this direct mail appeal I supposedly agreed to help with. Also, what’s direct mail?”
Dakota laughed softly, infectious and sweet. “In the non-profit world, direct mail is a request for a donation. It’s a story-based letter with a couple of asks buried in the copy. I’m sure you’ve seen them from hospital foundations and social justice charities. ‘This is Jordan, he’s five and for only fifty cents a day you can make sure he has clean water to drink.’”
Tay nodded. “Okay. So in the Foundation’s case, it’d be something like, donate today and help us renovate this athletic facility so kids of all ages can have access to sports.”
“Exactly.” Dakota pointed his fork at him.
“Who does the letter get mailed to?”
“Our donors and volunteers.”
“Okay. How can I help, though?” Tay finished off his cookie and set the empty plate back on the tray. “I don’t know how to write that kind of thing.”
“Sorry, I should’ve been clearer.” Dakota moved his own empty plate to the tray, then cupped his hands around his mug. “You don’t need to write anything. I have a writer on staff. Being our signatory means the letter is told from your point of view, in your own voice, and with your signature at the bottom, but my writer will draft it after she interviews you for your story.”
“What story?”
“You tell me,” Dakota said, a glint in his eye Tay didn’t understand until Dakota’s feet trapped one of his own underneath the table. “Have you ever taken advantage of a program run by a non-profit so you could keep playing?”
Oh, so he was going to pretend they weren’t playing footsies under the table, was he? Fine. Tay could play this game too. Good thing they were tucked into a quiet corner of the café. “Actually, yeah.” He ran the top of one foot up Dakota’s leg.
Dakota choked on his coffee.
Tay grinned.
About the author:
Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group, Amy Aislin’s Readers, to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her newsletter.
Four men… One challenge. The Dad Bod Doms are ready to put the spark back in their relationships and prove their mettle.
Gone are the days when Logan Hunt was a sleekly muscled, highly coveted Dom. Now he’s got a dad bod, a busy life, and a cold bed. It’s been months since he and his wife have had time for each other, nevermind time to play at a club.
When he and his best friends issue each other a challenge to put the D back in the Dom – and more importantly in his long-neglected wife – Logan decides to do whatever it takes to prove that a Dad Bod Dom can still rock his sub’s world.
A dead intruder. A missing scientist. A terrified child.
No one wants a dramatic case first thing on a Monday morning, but that’s exactly what Detective Inspector Jacob Ofori got. It should be open and shut, but scientist Tom Sanders is nowhere to be found, a dead man seems to have appeared from thin air, and the Temporal Research Institute—Sanders’s company—is strangely uncooperative about assisting with the case.
Jacob’s only source is TRI engineer, Kit Rafferty. He clearly wants to help, but there’s only so much the man can and will tell him. As more and more impossible questions mount up, Jacob finds himself facing a reality that could change his world.
C.B. Lewis has been making up nonsense since she was able to talk. Now, she puts it into computers and turns it into books. She is chuffed to bits to officially be yet another one of the collective of authors from Edinburgh. Find C.B. Lewis on Facebook.
My life was complicated enough, I didn’t need an added distraction. 
Book Review Virginia Lee Blog 
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