This is my post during the blog tour for Someone in Time. Someone in Time is a science fiction time travel romance anthology.
This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and runs from 17 till 30 May. You can see the tour schedule here.
Someone in Time Edited by Jonathan Strahan Including stories by: Alix E. Harrow, Zen Cho, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, Jeffrey Ford, Nina Allan, Elizabeth Hand, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Catherynne M. Valente, Sam J. Miller, Rowan Coleman, Margo Lanagan, Sameem Siddiqui, Theodora Goss, Carrie Vaughn and Ellen Klages Genre: Science Fiction Romance/ Time Travel Romance Age category: Adult Publisher: Rebellion Publishing Release Date: 10 May 2022
Blurb: Even time travel can’t unravel love
Time-travel is a way for writers to play with history and imagine different futures – for better, or worse.
When romance is thrown into the mix, time-travel becomes a passionate tool, or heart-breaking weapon. A time agent in the 22nd century puts their whole mission at risk when they fall in love with the wrong person. No matter which part of history a man visits, he cannot not escape his ex. A woman is desperately in love with the time-space continuum, but it doesn’t love her back. As time passes and falls apart, a time-traveller must say goodbye to their soulmate.
With stories from best-selling and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Alix E. Harrow and Nina Allan, this anthology gives a taste for the rich treasure trove of stories we can imagine with love, loss and reunion across time and space.
Edited by Jonathan Strahan and including stories by: Alix E. Harrow, Zen Cho, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, Jeffrey Ford, Nina Allan, Elizabeth Hand, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Catherynne M. Valente, Sam J. Miller, Rowan Coleman, Margo Lanagan, Sameem Siddiqui, Theodora Goss, Carrie Vaughn, Ellen Klages
Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Someone in Time. 5 winners win a paperback copy of Someone in Time. And 5 winners win an ecopy of Someone in Time. Open International.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BEWITCHING A HIGHLANDER by Roma
Cordon Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Breena MacRae, a healer from Skye with a touch of witchery in her blood,
embarks on a dangerous search for her missing father. She arrives on the Isle
of Coll, seat of the vile Campbells. There, she encounters the debonair future
chief to the Dunbar Clan, Egan, who rescues her from a Campbell sentry.
Egan Dunbar is on Coll to keep the peace between the feuding Campbells and
Dunbars. But when he catches Breena in a lie, he agrees to help her find her
father to pay back an old debt and get to the bottom of the secrets she’s
hiding.
As their attraction for each ignites like a firestorm, Breena and Egan realize
a future together could trigger deadly consequences—a clan war between the
Campbells and the Dunbars. Is Egan willing to betray his clan for love, even
though he knows Breena is keeping secrets from him? Can Breena trust him with
her family secret and put those she loves at risk?
INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!
About Roma Cordon:
Roma Cordon was introduced to
romance novels in her teenage years and instantly became a voracious reader of
the genre. In the 1990s, she came to live in New York where she earned her
undergraduate and graduate degrees. After taking a writing course at New York
University with Anne Rice, she dived into the world of writing while testing
the waters at public speaking at her local Toastmasters club. By day, Roma
works in the finance industry; in the evenings and weekends, she is a
passionate romance writer. She also writes on her blog romacordon.com.
Inspiration for Roma’s debut
novel, Bewitching a Highlander came from trips to Scotland
with her husband. Roma is an active member of the RWA-NYC Chapter and lives in
New York with her husband where they care for two adorable furry friends
adopted from local shelters.
This is my post during the blog tour for The Silver Sail by Bridgette Dutta Portman. In The Silver Sail an anxious 16-year-old trapped in a world of her own creation must find a legendary starship before the double suns explode.
This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 23 May till 5 June. You can see the tour schedule here.
The Silver Sail (The Coseema Saga #2) By Bridgette Dutta Portman Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy Age category: Young Adult Release Date: 3 May 2022
Blurb: A looming supernova. A long-lost starship. A hero turned evil.
Olive Joshi never meant to fall through a portal into her own abandoned novel, much less kill her protagonist and resurrect her as a villain. Now she’s on the run in a universe quickly spiraling out of her control.
After narrowly escaping Coseema with her life, Olive and her friends head for a distant planet in search of the legendary starship the Wave-Rider, which may be the only hope for the doomed people of Lyria. But the voyage there is littered with obstacles—the tyrannical ruler of a dying colony, a mysterious spacefarer, the ever-present threat of Coseema, and Olive’s own obsessive fears. Back on Lyria, Olive’s allies face obstacles of their own as they vie with the cruel emperor Burnash, while Burnash himself chafes under Coseema’s control. Olive, armed with her omniscient journal, finds comfort in reading along with her friends’ adventures. But when time runs out, she must embark on a risky collision course with her former heroine, one that may force her to give up what she treasures most.
The Silver Sail, Book Two of the Coseema Saga, is a must-read for fans of portal fantasy, space opera, coming-of-age adventures, and novels about mental health, self-esteem, friendship, and courage in the face of uncertainty.
First book in the series: The Twin Stars (The Coseema Saga #1) by Bridgette Dutta Portman
“A troubled teen. A magic journal. A portal to another world.â€
About the Author:
Bridgette Dutta Portman is an author, playwright, and teaching artist. Dozens of her plays have been produced across the United States and overseas. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Spalding University, as well as a PhD in political science from the University of California, Irvine. She is past president of the Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco and is currently a member of Same Boat Theater Collective, the Pear Playwrights’ Guild, and the Dramatists’ Guild. She recently joined the board of the Pear Theatre in Mountain View, CA. The Twin Stars is her debut novel, and the first of a planned trilogy. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Deepanshu and their two young children.
He’s ready to steal his heart and never give it back.
Wicked Flame, a sizzling MM romance and the hot conclusion to the Chicago Heat Duet from USA Today bestselling author Ella Frank, is out now!
Jameson Life is hard. I learned that at an early age growing up on the South Side of Chicago. I accepted it, even came to expect it. With a sister who was a constant source of worry, and a track record of losing anyone even remotely close to me, trouble seemed to follow me no matter where I turned.
Some people were born lucky. I was just born.
That’s what I used to believe, anyway, until GQ. The gorgeous guy in the fancy clothes who for some reason decided to look twice at me. He gave me a place to call my own, a space to feel safe, and he made me believe in the impossible—that love was more than just a four-letter word.
Ryan Life is unexpected. I learned that just recently when I walked into a bar on the South Side and found the love of my life—Jameson Clarke.
He’s everything I’ve always wanted, and yet somehow even better than I imagined. He’s brave, brash, protective of those he loves, and under all that bravado is a vulnerability that calls to my very soul.
Jameson’s a storm cloud, but he thinks I’m the sun. If that’s true, then I’m determined to break through the shadows of his past and steal his heart the way he’s stolen mine.
About Ella Frank Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction.
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.
The Player, a steamy and dark mafia standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Renee Rose, is available now!
MY BRATVA BROTHER WILL KILL HIM IF HE TOUCHES ME. Flynn Taylor, rock ‘n roll heartthrob, plays fast and loose. He’s with different girls every night. Yes, girls plural. On the brink of becoming not just a Chicago sensation, but an American icon, he’s everything I should avoid. Then again, maybe it doesn’t matter. I’m so damaged, I’m not even capable of a relationship. He might be the perfect antidote. The temptation I need to lure me back to the side of the living. He could help me get over my trauma. Attempt physical intimacy. If it goes wrong–no harm, no foul, right? If only I can keep my overprotective bratva brother from threatening to kill him if he even touches me…
“Flynn, I’m sorry,” she blurts. “I thought I was going to panic again, and I didn’t want to bother or embarrass you.” I shake my head in disbelief. “Bother? No, Nadia, no. It wouldn’t be a bother. Or an embarrassment.” She flushes. We’re still standing in the doorway to the studio, and it feels like a metaphor. We’re teetering between two options–being friends or more than friends. “What is a bother is not having your phone number, so I could make sure I hadn’t fucked up.” I tip her chin up when she doesn’t meet my eye. “Did I fuck up, Nadia? I swear to Christ, I wasn’t trying to get into your pants.” Her lips part, and her pupils dilate. “Wh-why not?” I let out a short bark of laughter and then realize I painted myself into a corner. I don’t want to say that she seems like she needs a friend more than a ride on my dick. I don’t want to say anything at all that would sound like I think there’s something wrong or less-than with her. I pick up her hand and bring her fingers to my lips. “Because I like you, Nadia.” She pulls her fingers back. “You don’t screw the girls you like?” I grin. “I always like the girls I screw. It’s just that I don’t usually continue things longer than that. I don’t do relationships. And I wanted to know you for longer.” “Oh.” The syllable has a surprised wonder to it, and she sort of falls into my space, so I have no option but to wrap my arms around her. I inhale her sweet butterscotch scent, my dick thickening at her closeness. Her hands come to my chest, and she looks up at me. “I came down here to ask you to have sex with me.”
About Renee USA Today Bestselling Author Renee Rose loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! She’s sold over a million copies of steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won Spunky and Sassy’s Favorite Sci-Fi and Anthology author, and Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance. She’s hit the USA Today list ten times with her Chicago Bratva, Bad Boy Alpha, Wolf Ranch books, and various anthologies.
The One Month Boyfriend, an all-new fake-relationship rom-com full of heat and laughs from bestselling author Roxie Noir, is available now!
It’s a simple enough agreement: for one month, Silas Flynn is my boyfriend of convenience.
He needs his old-fashioned boss to think he’s ready to settle down.
I need some arm candy to prove to my jerk ex-fiancé that I’ve moved on.
Perfect, right? Except for one minor detail: we can’t stand each other.
Everybody thinks he’s this perfect guy, but I know the real Silas. He’s a cocky, obnoxious jerk who thinks he can charm his way out of trouble and get anything he wants.
But there’s one tiny problem with fake dating: it looks a lot like real dating. Worse, it feels a lot like real dating.
I know once this is over, we’ll go our separate ways. No matter the smoldering looks he gives me, the possessive way he touches me, or the dirty things he whispers in my ear, Silas isn’t falling for me.
That’s fine. No matter how good being with him feels, I’m not falling for him, either.
“Okay,” Kat says, reading from her document, and suddenly she sounds nervous. “The acceptable romantic actions.” I settle in a little more against the desk, getting comfortable. “Hand holding,” she starts, her voice low, not looking up. “Putting our arms around each other. Touching on the back. Touching on the shoulders and arms. Sitting close together. Quietly talking to one another. Hair caresses within reason. Non-mouth kisses in non-risque regions. Moderate cuddling while clothed.” The list comes out rapid-fire and staccato, and I’m not sure she pauses for a breath until it’s over. I grab a pen.. “I’d like a definition of within reason,” I say, making a quick note. “I mean don’t pet me or something, I’m not a cat. Are you going to make me define moderate as it pertains to cuddling, or can we both agree to a mutual understanding of the word and move on?” she asks, giving me a pointed look. “If I were your attorney I’d advise a completely new draft of this document five times longer and a hundred times more specific,” I say. “You don’t even have a breach of contract clause in here.” Now she’s pinching the bridge of her nose, glasses hoisted up. “I’m sorry that I wrote things down because I wanted to be sure we were on the same page about whatever the fuck it is we’re even doing,” she says, voice muffled by her hand but sarcastic. “Is there any chance we can just get through this and move on?” Something about the way she says it hits me right below the sternum, in that soft, susceptible spot: Kat with her shields briefly down, human for once instead of the stony, spiky creature who saw me at my worst and drove me down instead of having some mercy. Suddenly there’s a bend, some give, an acknowledgement of being made of flesh and blood, same as everyone. “We can move on to the second article,” I concede, and then the glasses are back. “Entitled ‘Acceptable actions when circumstances require’?” “Thank you,” she says, and reads. “Touching on the leg. Intense cuddles. Full-trunk embraces. Romantic-style face touching. Any sort of stroking. Mouth kisses. Verbal declarations of attraction. Kisses in moderately risqué locations.” She finishes, and I don’t hate hearing her say moderately risque locations. “When, exactly, do circumstances require?” I finally ask. I get a look, and hold up my free hand. “Honest question.” “When the situation calls for us to… need to demonstrate our attraction,” she says, quickly. I think she’s blushing, the faintest of pinks under light gold skin. “You mean when he’s around,” I say. “This is a list of things you want me to do in front of your ex.” She holds my gaze for a long time: three seconds, then five. “The things that’ll get him fired up,” I go on. Kat takes one deep breath, her chest rising, then falling under her shirt. “Yes,” she finally says, voice hushed. “This is what he’s gonna hate.” “When I hold you close and whisper something dirty in your ear,” I say, rephrasing the words in front of me. I say it to get a reaction from her, and her lips twitch like maybe she’s trying not to smile. “I think whispering would defeat the purpose,” she says. “Then I’ll hold you close and holler something dirty.” “As long as it works.” I don’t hate the thought quite as much as I might like. I wonder how she’d react, whether she’d blush or recoil. Maybe both. Kat seems complicated. “Home stretch,” I say, making myself relax back against the desk, banishing all thoughts of whispers. “The never list.” “No touching in the swimsuit zone,” she says. “No weird PDA. No entering one another’s domiciles. No bed sharing.” “That’s it?” “I’m concise,” she says, and that glimmer of amusement is back. “And don’t ask for a definition of weird.”
About Roxie I love writing sexy, alpha men and the headstrong women they fall for.
My weaknesses include: beards, whiskey, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, prowess in the bedroom, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears.
I live in California with my very own sexy, bearded, whiskey-loving husband and two hell-raising cats.
She’s the one. And he’s not giving up without a fight.
SEE ME, an all-new white hot standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy, is out now!
In the Phoenix club, fantasies come to life, but he wants her for real, and he’ll do anything to prove it in this deliciously sexy romance.
Lottie Harlow spends her days as a dog walker and her nights losing herself in wild fantasies at Phoenix, a members-only, voyeuristic sex club in New York City. Her anonymous existence is precisely planned. She must lay low, or risk facing the consequences of her family’s criminal past. She’s a ghost, and she likes it that way. But detective Hunt Walker is determined to uncover her secrets…
Hunt has always loved his nights at Phoenix, but they’re no longer enough. He wants more. He wants a relationship. He wants Lottie. He’s wanted her for years. The only problem? Lottie keeps him at a careful distance, never letting him get too close, ignoring the sizzling heat burning between them. He knows she’s intrigued by him, but she’s scared. He just can’t figure out why… But when enemies from her past come seeking revenge for her family’s deal gone wrong, Lottie’s secrets are revealed, and so is the explosive passion they’ve been fighting.
Soon, lust leads the way to love, but when Lottie’s brothers start threatening her, the line between right and wrong is blurred. Hunt becomes torn between his duty to his badge and his need to keep Lottie safe. But he’ll only get one chance to prove to Lottie that she’s worth fighting for… and that their love is worth the risk.
“Tell me who you think broke into your condo,” he said firmly. She shook her head, forcing her shoulders back. “I don’t know.” She knew better than to totally write off her family, but she couldn’t think up a good enough reason why they’d break into her condo after all this time. Plus, she had paid a lot of money to ensure she was never found. For the first couple of years she’d been in New York City, she’d always looked over her shoulder, worried they’d catch up with her, demanding the money she’d stolen. But no one ever came. After the third year, she stopped looking, feeling safe in her new identity. Hunt dipped his chin, bringing his eye level down to hers. “No idea at all who it could be?” “Nope,” she said, striding off before he could look too deep and find answers that she couldn’t give him. She felt his gaze following her, reading right through all the things she wasn’t telling him. When he finally caught up with her on the way back to her condo, he blessedly shifted subjects. “Come stay with me until we catch the person responsible,” he offered. Cars honked at each other as she shook her head adamantly. “Like hell they’re making me afraid of my own home.” “Then I’ll take your couch. It’s not safe, Lottie.” When they stopped at the corner of the street and waited for the light to change, he arched an eyebrow. “I have a gun. You do not.” “Good point,” she said. This spelled all kinds of dangerous, but Hunt would not relent, and she refused to leave her condo. “Okay, you’re right; it’s safer,” she conceded, knowing her limitations in protecting herself if someone broke in again. “I appreciate the
offer.” “Think nothing of it,” he said and began crossing the street. “We can grab my overnight bag before we go back to your place.” All of this seemed unnecessary, but she realized as she inhaled the greasy aroma coming from the hot dog stand, that for the first time since she opened her condo’s door earlier, she could breathe a little easier. When they arrived at the condo a half an hour later, the forensic unit was packing up. She sighed as she took in the state of the place. What a mess! Figuring she had to start somewhere, she moved to the living room, picked up the cushions off the floor, and placed them back on the couch. After a short conversation, Hunt shut the front door behind the last cop and locked it. He moved to the liquor cabinet in the corner of her living room and poured them both a double shot of whiskey. He handed her the glass and watched her with a stern look, his well-crafted cop look. “Time’s up, Lottie.” “I’m not sure what you mean.” She sipped her whiskey. A big, long sip. His mouth twitched, but that was the only break in his intensity. “I rather enjoy when you make me work to know you. But I’m afraid, like I already said, time is up. Tell me what you’re hiding.” She swallowed. Part of her wanted to tell him everything. Explain her entire past. But if Hunt knew about her past life as Marissa Ricci, and that she’d had her true identity buried, he’d have to tell Rhys. Then Archer would learn that she’d lied to them. She’d never be allowed back in Phoenix. She loved her new life, and that included her sensual life in Phoenix, and her friends who also belonged. The air seemed too thin as Hunt took another step closer, erasing the distance between them. “I know there’s a reason you have refused, from day one, to not act on what’s between us. And I know that reason is tied to your break-in today.” She looked to her glass, avoiding his penetrating stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His fingers dragged against her jawline before he cupped her chin, forcing her to meet the strength in his gaze. “Let me help you.” She needed to shut this down. Now. Hunt was too smart, too insightful, too damn trained. Her heart began to hammer, making the room feel smaller and smaller. He’d peel all her layers back and expose all her secrets. She couldn’t allow that. “Lottie,” he said, a pillar of strength. Suddenly it occurred to her she knew exactly how to distract him. Ignoring the consequences, she placed her glass on the table and grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer. Before she could second-guess herself, she sealed her lips on his. He stiffened, seemly momentarily surprised, until he softened, wrapping his arms around her, bringing her tight against him with a low groan. Her lips opened, and his followed, but he never quite gave her the kiss she suddenly, desperately needed. When he broke away a few minutes later, he chuckled against her lips. “Shutting me up, huh? All right, Lottie, I’ll go along with that.” His hands fell to her hips, and he gave her a push until her back hit the wall. She gasped. Need stormed through her as his eyes darkened with arousal. “For now.” Frenzied thoughts filled her mind as his mouth met hers again, but when he took over the kiss, her thoughts simply faded into nothingness. She parted her mouth, and his tongue invaded, sliding against hers. His kiss was skilled, determined, and left her dripping. She slid her hands over his strong, flexing arms, shoulders, up his thick neck to the back of his head, running her fingers across the shaved hair. He groaned, breaking the kiss so his lips could travel along her neck. His hand threaded in her hair, and she rolled her hips, heat pooling low in her body. His tongue flicked her ear lobe, and she moaned, a tease of how that tongue would feel elsewhere. “Can I touch you?” His breath tickled across her ear. The game was dangerous. And yet, and yet…she couldn’t stop from playing now that she felt him…tasted him. “Yes.”
Stacey Kennedy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romances full of heat, heart, and happily ever afters. With over 50 titles published, her books have hit Amazon, B&N, and Apple Books bestseller lists. Stacey lives with her husband and two children in southwestern Ontario—in a city that’s just as charming as any of the small towns she creates. Most days, you’ll find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or venturing into the forest with her horse, Priya. Stacey’s just as happy curled up indoors, where she writes surrounded by her lazy dogs. She believes that sexy books about hot cowboys or alpha heroes can fix any bad day. But wine and chocolate help too.
Once Upon an Island, a steamy and hilarious retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the Caribbean from author Sarah Ready, is now available!
Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. Marriage. After all, it’s a truth universally acknowledged, when a single billionaire travels to a tropical island, he must be in want of a wife. But Isla isn’t convinced. Especially because Declan is the most rude, arrogant, prideful man she’s ever met. Or is he?
From tropical Mariposa to England and back again, this playful summer romcom finds that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.
Jimmy starts the propeller and the noise fills the cabin. Percy and Arya lean closer together to continue their conversation. When Jimmy starts moving the plane forward I close my eyes, but unfortunately, my head spins so much that I have to open them again. When I do, I notice Declan staring at me. “Yes?” I ask. He scowls. “You made a noise.” I probably did. In fact, I imagine it was a noise like “please, oh please, please fly okay.” “I’m fine,” I say. Declan looks down at my hands and makes a disbelieving noise. I look down too. I’m gripping the seats and my knuckles have turned white. The plane bumps down the runway and my stomach flips with each little bump. “Are you afraid to fly?” asks Declan. He has a judgy look on his face. “How can you live on an island and be afraid of flying? Don’t you have to fly to go anywhere else in the world?” I glare at him. His people skills are terrible. “I’m not afraid of flying.” He makes another disbelieving noise. “I’m not,” I say. “Just like you don’t eat balls very often,” he says. Then he smirks at me. I gasp and my back goes poker straight. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure he remembered me, or recognized me from the Valentine’s Day Brunch, but I am now. “It’s none of your business how often I eat balls,” I hiss at him. Then I flush. “And I’m talking about chocolate, you…you…man.” My insult falls flat. It’s hard to be eloquent when you’re drugged up and terrified of flying. “I know what you’re up to,” he says, and his lip curls in a villain-ish sort of way. What’s he talking about? “You don’t know anything,” I say. Because…comebacks. He shakes his head and looks at me like I’m the larva of a slug. “I heard your friends talking in the terminal. ‘Land the white whale. Nab a billionaire. Blah blah blah.’ Trust me, La-La. I’ve had enough gold diggers after me to recognize one from a mile away. I’m not interested.” My mouth drops open and I try to formulate a comeback. Instead, all I manage are little choking noises of outrage. Finally, I say, “I’m not a dold gigger…” I shake my head. That wasn’t right. Darn prescription. “Gold digger,” I correct. Declan snorts and turns back to his phone, effectively dismissing me. However, I’m a person, not a dog he can dismiss or beckon at his convenience. So I lean over and forcefully poke his arm with my pointer finger. He glances up and gives me an affronted look. “Yes?” “I’m not a gold digger,” I say again. “Methinks thou protesteth too much.” I shake my fuddled head. “I just want to set the record straight. I wouldn’t chase you, lust after you, date you, or marry you, even if you and I were stranded on a deserted island together, or if you were the last man on earth.
Billionaire or bankrupt, I don’t care. Because I don’t like you. Got it? I don’t like you.” Declan gives me a tight-lipped smile. “The feeling’s mutual,” he says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important things to do.” Implying that I’m not important. Well. “So do I,” I say. I resist the urge to stick out my tongue. What a jerk. I turn away from him, my head spinning. When I look out the little oval window next to my seat, I see with surprise that we’re high in the sky, soaring over the azure-colored sea. I was so distracted by Declan that I forgot about my terror over take-off, and my fear of flying. I look down and make out the white sail of a sailboat, the dark greenish-black smudges of a reef, and a tiny uninhabited island. I glance over at Declan. It’s amazing. It seems that my complete and utter loathing and fear of flying was finally wiped out. I don’t need anti-anxiety medication, therapy, or any other tricks. I just need to replace it with an even greater loathing – that of Declan Fox. I grin gleefully. At that moment he looks up, sees my expression and scowls at me. Amazing. Wonderful. “It’s not going to work. You’re not pretty enough to tempt me. Nor are you eloquent or smart enough. Or friendly enough for that matter. Even when you smile. You can stop trying,” he says grumpily. This makes me smile even more. He’s awful, and that’s wonderful. “You’re the worst person I’ve ever met,” I say with the biggest grin on my face. “And you’re the most vulgar, greediest, average-looking gold digger I’ve ever met.” “Perfect,” I say with a smile.
About Sarah Ready Author Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her books have been described as “euphoric”, “heartwarming” and “laugh out loud”. Her debut novel The Fall in Love Checklist was
hailed as “the unicorn read of 2020”. She loves to write fast-paced, emotionally compelling romances about quirky, smart women and the men who love them.
Before writing romance full-time Sarah had lots of fun teaching at an Ivy League. Then she realized she could have even more fun writing romance. Her favorite things after writing are adventuring and travel. You’ll frequently find her using her degree at a dino dig site, crawling into a cave, snorkeling, or on horseback riding through the jungle – all fodder for her next book. She’s lived in Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and NYC. She currently lives in the Caribbean with her water-obsessed pup and her awesome family. You can visit her online at www.sarahready.com
This bad boy needs an image makeover. Can the quirky librarian get the job done?
He’s a Keeper, an all-new opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine romance full of heat and heart from bestselling author Stacy Travis is out now!
Drunk-texting a grumpy soccer star? Best worst decision of my life.
Especially when the player is the sinfully handsome, foul-mouthed Holden Sanders… my new library assistant.
The benched bad boy needed an image makeover, I needed to save my job, and his star status was just what the library ordered to raise awareness for our fundraising campaign. The press can’t get enough of Mr. Growly reading to kids.
It’s win-win and completely platonic.
Until I need a shoulder to cry on after drowning my heartbreak in too many margaritas. I only typed that invitation to his brawny biceps and perfect pectorals for fun–I never meant to hit send. Holden isn’t the kind of guy to care about tears and feelings, least of all mine. He’s made it clear good girls aren’t his type.
But he shows up–with his strapping shoulder, a box of tissues and a supersized bag of Doritos.
That’s when I realize there’s more to him than meets the eye.
One soulful, smoldering mistake of a kiss has me craving more, and the heat between us quickly builds to a blaze neither of us can control.
But I’m not the only one guarding secrets, and Holden’s might push us to the breaking point.
Even if I’m surrounded by books, I know better than to believe in storybook endings.
And yet, I want to believe… Because I know he’s a keeper.
“Mare, I had no idea what I was in for when you stormed out of the library that day, looking to kill me for skirting my parental responsibilities.” She squints, then her expression turns wry. “I’d never kill a person.” She tilts her head from side to side, considering. “Well, unless you burned a book.” Nodding, I kiss her softly. “I respect that. And I want you to know you can trust me. I know people have left you behind in your past, but I hope you believe me when I tell you I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you.” As I say the words, I believe they’re true. If I move to England, I hope she loves me enough to come with me. Even if she hasn’t said the words. I don’t know what I’m expecting. Maybe relief or acknowledgment that she’s not going anywhere either. I want to believe she feels the same way. I don’t expect her forehead to crease and her eyes to glisten with tears, which swell until they can no longer be contained and roll down her cheeks before she buries her face in my shoulder. Turning us to the side, I wrap her in my arms, as the flow of tears turns to quiet sobs. I smooth her hair and give her the outlet she needs, even though I feel guilty for making her cry. With a sniff, she leans her head away and meets my gaze. Her wet eyes glisten above pink cheeks. I wipe a remaining tear away with the pad of my thumb and rub her back gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” “You didn’t,” she whispers, wiping her eyes. A moment later she laughs at the lie. “It was stuck inside me. You just let it out.” She exhales, tucking the emotions away. “You okay?” I want to tread carefully until I know where she is in her head. Nodding, she reaches for my cheek and cups the side of my face. “Thank you for saying that. I’d never ask that of you, but thank you. I love you. So much.” I’ve been waiting to hear those words. For a moment, I’m convinced that everything between us can stay this easy. We’re both cautious, but we can cross each new line together. It feels powerful to be able to do that with her. “I know you’d never ask. That’s why I said it. I wanted you to know.” “I’m not going anywhere either.” I’m struck by a foreign but welcome feeling, a realization that I can’t go backward now. I can’t be okay without her in my world. I need to tell her about the Premier League, but it can wait another day. She likes to live in the present. She loves me. Everything between us is still so fragile and new and good. I don’t want anything to change us. One more day won’t hurt.
About Stacy Travis It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy. I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.
Book Review Virginia Lee Blog 
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