From USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Kincaid comes CROSSING PROMISES, the third standalone title in the Cross Creek series, releasing March 5^th!

A series filled with rugged, salt of the earth heroes who happen to be brothers, and strong family dynamics.

Each standalone novel is filled with heart, humor, and heat.

Order your copies of the Cross Creek series today!

For Owen Cross, the only thing that matters more than family is farming. As the oldest Cross brother, the land is his legacy, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make Cross Creek a success-including hiring local widow Cate McAllister to manage the bookkeeping tasks that are growing in his office like weeds. Cate’s as pragmatic as she is pretty, and she rattles his hard-fought composure at every turn.

Cate had known a lot of things about her husband before he died three years ago in a car accident, but how much debt he’d gotten them into wasn’t one of them. She needs her job at Cross Creek, even if her boss is both gruff and gorgeous. But Owen’s a family man, through and through, and the last thing Cate is interested in is anything-or anyone-with strings attached.

As Owen and Cate join forces to right the farm, they discover there’s more to the other than the surfaces shows, and that passion can be found in unexpected places. Can Cate heal from the loss of one family to gain the love of her life? Or will the past prove too much for the promise of the future?

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Excerpt

Cate ditched the napkins she hadn’t really needed in favor of doing her job, loading up a tray with Owen and Lane’s order and making her way back to their table.

“Oatmeal raisin cookies without walnuts are an abomination,” she overheard Lane say, but Owen, whose back was to her, simply snorted.

“You’re cracked. Simple is better. Plus, they’re not called oatmeal raisin walnut cookies. Still—” A soft thunk sounded off from beneath the table, followed by a less-than-polite hiss from Owen. “Ow, dude! What the…oh, hell.” He snapped to attention, his coffee mug meeting the Formica with enough force to slosh some of its contents over the rim. “Cate. Hi.”

She thought of the walnuts that had been in every single one of the cookies she’d baked at oh-dark-thirty this morning and arched a brow. “Still hungry, I take it?”

“Sure. I mean”—he closed his eyes. Exhaled. Damn, eyelashes like that were honestly unjust on a man. Also, really freaking hot—“the cookies were great, and I’ve got room for breakfast, too.”

“Glad to hear it. Two breakfast specials, one with scrambled eggs, one with eggs over easy, extra home fries, and extra bacon.” She delivered their respective plates. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Just the check, if you have a minute,” Owen said, and shit. She might be a little light in the filter department (okay, fine, so she didn’t really have one. Potato, potahto), but the last thing she wanted was to piss off one of Clementine’s customers. Not to mention lose her tip.

“You don’t have to rush,” Cate started, and jeez, those eyelashes were even more lethal when they framed his wide, gray stare.

“Unfortunately, I do. Got a date with the invoices and books at the farm, and it’s gonna take me all day if I’m lucky.”

Confusion kicked in, good and hard. “But it’s Sunday.”

“Yes ma’am,” he agreed.

A prickle worked its way through her, half irritation at the politeness that bordered on poor-Cate sympathy, half something else that headed decidedly south.

She tried again. “You’re working all day?”

Most everybody around here held Sundays pretty sacred out of self-preservation. Working the land seven days a week was brutal, even for the most well-practiced farmers. And from the look of Owen’s biceps, he was extremely well-practiced.

He dropped his chin but not his stare. “Don’t really have a choice. Cross Creek’s books aren’t going to balance themselves.”

“You don’t have a bookkeeper?” She shifted back on the linoleum, her confusion turning to outright shock.

“If we did, I don’t reckon I’d be working the books on a Sunday.”

Huh. Looked like she wasn’t the only one who was a little light in the filter department. “Okay, fair,” she said. “But Cross Creek is the largest farm in Millhaven. I just figured you’d have someone who handles that for you full-time.”

“Believe me, I wish we did,” Owen said, and her mouth opened of its own volition.

“Do you.”

Cate heard the non-question before she even knew she’d spring it past her lips, but oh, how she wished to have it back. This was a bad idea. No, check that. This was an epically shitastic idea, with don’t-you-even-think-it sprinkles on top. A full-time job was more commitment than she’d had in three years. The thought of something so regular, so permanent, gave her the shakes.

But then Owen was looking at her with a not-small amount of curiosity, and backpedaling was as impossible as catching smoke in her bare hands. “As a matter of fact, yeah,” he said, straightening against the booth. “I’d love to hire a full-time bookkeeper. Why? Do you know someone who’s interested?”

No. Nope. Sorry, buddy, I sure don’t. These were all things her brain instructed her mouth to say, but her mouth—which liked to eat—betrayed her by going with, “Actually, I am.”

The stunned silence that followed told her she’d better start making her case before he dismissed the idea as downright nutters. “I mean, I don’t have a degree or any formal training, but I’m really good with numbers, and I’m not afraid of hard work. I can start as soon as you like, tomorrow, even, and—”

“Done.”

“—I don’t need…wait, what?” Cate asked as his answer caught up with her verbal landslide.

“You said you’re good with numbers and you can start tomorrow, right?” Owen’s piercing gray stare was as tough to decipher as the rest of his expression.

She managed to nod. “Yes.” She was only on evenings and weekends at the diner and The Bar. Time would be tight, but she could swing it. She had to. “I can.”

“Great. Then you’ve got yourself a job.”

And don’t miss the first two standalone titles in the Cross Creek series, CROSSING HEARTS and CROSSING THE LINE!

Hunter Cross has no regrets. Having left his football prospects behind the day he graduated high school, he’s happy to carry out his legacy on his family’s farm in the foothills of the Shenandoah. But when a shoulder injury puts him face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned town-and him-twelve years ago, Hunter’s simple life gets a lot more complicated.

Emerson Montgomery has secrets. Refusing to divulge why she left her job as a hotshot physical therapist for a pro football team, she struggles to readjust to life in the hometown she left behind. The more time she spends with Hunter, the more Emerson finds herself wanting to trust him with the diagnosis of MS that has turned her world upside down.

But revealing secrets comes with a price. Can Hunter and Emerson rekindle their past love? Or will the realities of the present-and the trust that goes with them-burn that bridge for good?

AMAZON

Cocky farmer Eli Cross plays twice as hard as he works. When his latest stunt drums up a heap of negative PR for the family farm, he grudgingly agrees to play host to an ambitious New York City photographer. Her feature on Cross Creek could be just the ticket to show the country what the Cross brothers do best…which is more problem than solution for Eli.

Scarlett Edwards-Stewart has photographed everything from end zones to war zones. She’s confident she can ace this one little story to help her best friend’s failing magazine. At least, she would be if her super-sexy host wasn’t so tight lipped. But the more Scarlett works with Eli, the more she discovers that he’s not who he seems. Can his secret bring them closer together? Or will it be the very thing that tears them apart?

AMAZON

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February 26

Read-Love-Blog-Review
What is That Book About-Excerpt

February 27

Reading in Pajamas-Review
All Things Dark and Dirty-Excerpt

February 28

Always a Happy Ever After-Review
Thoughts of a Blonde-Excerpt

March 1

Irishdaisylovesromance-Review
The Fairest of All Book Reviews-Excerpt

March 2

Just the Write Stuff-Excerpt
I Love Romance-Review

March 3

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March 11

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Only One More Page-Review
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March 13

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March 14

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March 15

Star-Crossed Book Blog-Review
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March 16

G & T’s Indie Café-Excerpt
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About Kimberly Kincaid

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

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Cake, an all-new romantic and hilarious standalone from USA Today bestselling author Carmen Jenner is LIVE!

Poppy Porter’s ex is getting married … to her ex-best friend. To land her dream job of partner in the most prestigious firm on the Upper East Side, Poppy must now pull double shifts as their wedding planner and maid of honor. And the icing on a truly craptastic cake? Leo Nass. Handsome, infuriating, womanizer, and … the best man. Despite their longstanding loathing, Poppy doesn’t see Leo coming. Literally.

One ruined cake.

One archnemesis.

One hour to save the wedding.

Can they put their hatred aside long enough to save Poppy’s job and Bridezilla’s head from exploding?

Piece of cake, right?

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2t08Ci3

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/CakeCJ

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2CNzLZN

About Carmen

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

Connect with Carmen

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Review

Dylan Allen is a Texas girl with a serious case of wanderlust.

A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters chase their own happy endings.

When she isn’t writing or reading, eating or cooking, she and her family are planning their next adventure.

Charming Hannah by Kristen Proby
Publication Date: February 27^th, 2018

From New York Times Bestselling author, Kristen Proby, comes the first in an all-new trilogy in her beloved Big Sky Series!

Hannah Malone loves her new town. Despite living in Cunningham Falls for five years, she’s still considered a “move in” by most of the locals, and that doesn’t bother her in the least. She’s the “new girl”, and she hasn’t regretted it for one day. This town is her sanctuary. Her home. The one place she finally fits in and feels safe after a lifetime of being different and running from the memories and a past so far away it can’t haunt her anymore.

As the newly appointed police chief, Brad Hull has the responsibility to keep his citizens safe and to maintain order. His roots in this town are deep-five generations deep, to be exact. Cunningham Falls, Montana is his town, and being a cop and protecting what’s his is his passion. Everything’s running like clockwork until a sassy redheaded doctor moves in and disrupts the order-and Brad’s focus.

She’s not just beautiful, funny, and strong. Hannah’s everything he’s been looking for in a woman. The chemistry is undeniable, and the heat in the bedroom is off the charts. Brad knew the minute he met Hannah that she was the one for him. He’s tenacious in his pursuit of her. But when the past catches up with Hannah, will Brad be able to protect her and their hearts?

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2CSWNdy
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Review

Cunningham Falls, a small town in Montana, is the perfect setting for Kristen Proby’s Big Sky series because its charm serves as an amazingly beautiful backdrop for a story about love, passion, and finding the ‘right’ person to soothe and calm one’s soul.

Readers will realize fairly quickly that it’s easy to be charmed by Brad Hull. He’s definitely a man’s man, but he’s also compassionate and thoughtful, and he’s not ashamed to show his weaknesses or ask for help because the nature of his position as police chief weighs on him, which makes it all the better that the woman he’s attracted to and wants to build a connection with, Hannah Malone, understands the hectic nature of his job and the amount of hours that must be put in due to his responsibility to the whole community.

I do think that some readers might have a love/hate relationship with Hannah. She’s quite the over-analyzer and the fact that she always imagines the worst possible outcome in any situation is a little perplexing. It’s clear that she has issues with anxiety and can be quite irrational at times even though she’s pretty logical when it comes to other aspects of her life, but while Kristen Proby does address her quirkiness when it comes to her ‘doomsday’ perspective, I just didn’t feel like I completely understood why she was that way, especially given her profession and training. Don’t get me wrong…I know a lot of it stems from her childhood and what happened to her mother and her father’s addiction, but I didn’t that insight flushed out a bit more so I could wrap my head around how a doctor ends up with the outlook on life that Hannah has.

In all the series that I’ve read by Kristen Proby, the impact of her secondary characters is always something that stands out to me. The main characters are usually surrounded by a crew of friends and family who love to razz one another but also have each other’s back throughout life’s ups and downs. That idea is wholeheartedly reiterated in Charming Hannah…so much so that I felt like I was a part of this amazing group of people, and I can’t wait to see who gets their own story and what the future holds for these couples and families.

You better believe that I wouldn’t mind visiting Cunningham Falls, Montana…not only because of the bevy of attractive and passionate alpha males who reside there but also because of the town’s charm and close-knit community and the calm and beauty that seems to surround the characters in this story.

The way that Kristen Proby writes Hannah and Brad’s story allows readers to feel like they are residents of Cunningham Falls witnessing one of their own, the police chief nonetheless, find a woman who calms him and allows him to just be, and even though both Hannah and Brad have insanely busy lives due to their careers, they also are able to focus on each other and remind themselves what truly matters in life.

4 Poison Apples

Excerpt

Someone is ringing my fucking doorbell. I was at the hospital until the wee hours, I was finally in a deep, lovely sleep, and someone is ringing the bell.

All I know for sure is, this had better not be the damn door-to-door people trying to sell me a vacuum. Or a magazine. Or Jesus.

I wrap my robe around me, stumbling toward the door. I pull it open and am surprised to find an excited Sadie and a ridiculously sexy Brad standing at my door.

“Is that coffee?” I ask.

“For you,” he confirms and holds it out to me.

“Come to mama,” I mutter and take it from his hand, taking a grateful sip. Sadie brushes past my leg, into the house, and curls up on my couch.

“She’s not supposed to be on the furniture,” Brad says.

“My house, my rules,” I reply and take another sip of the one thing in this world I’m addicted to, and give him a once over from head to toe. “You look like you got about as much sleep as I did.”

“Rough night?” he asks without confirming or denying.

“Babies,” I reply with a shrug. “You?”

He just shrugs. “Are you going to ask me in?”

“Sure.” I back up and gesture him into the room. “Sorry, I was sleeping pretty good. My energy level is about equal to a sloth on Xanax.”

“I can leave and let you go back to bed.”

His eyes roam up and down my body, reminding me that I’m just in a robe and nothing else. His green eyes are hot, and every muscle in his body is tight.

Even sleep deprived, I can tell when a man is in the mood.

“You’ve brought me coffee. I’ll never kick you out when you’ve done that.”

“I’ll remember that,” he says with a chuckle.

“Besides, I have plenty of room.” I turn and walk into my bedroom, glancing behind me to see that he’s following me. He makes a hand gesture at Sadie, which I assume means stay. “We can take a nap,” I suggest.

His lips twitch, but he doesn’t say anything when he joins me next to the bed. He takes my coffee and sets both of our cups on the bedside table.

“Is that what you want, Hannah?” he murmurs and skims his fingertips down my arms.

“Eventually.”

Meet Kristen

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

Connect with Kristen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByKristenProby/
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I knew something was wrong the second she walked in the door tonight; I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

Same hair color.

Same legs.

Same face.

Except…I look harder.

At the small dimple beneath her lip that wasn’t there the last time we went out. And her laugh-that laugh isn’t as loud.

This isn’t the girl I’ve gone out with the past few weeks.

It’s her twin sister, and they’ve switched places on me.

Only I’m not quite ready to let them switch back.

Add to TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38643209-switch-hitter

Live Release Notification: https://www.subscribepage.com/saraney

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog.

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Experience the heartbreakingly beautiful journey of Ollie & Reid in…Remember Me When, the emotional conclusion to The Unforgettable Duet, from Brooke Blaine is now LIVE

My worst nightmare and your greatest fear became a reality:

You don’t remember me.

You don’t remember the accident, or the weeks afterward.

You don’t remember my bed as your safe place,

or when, against all odds, you fell for me.

You remember me only as the casual acquaintance you saw as you grabbed your daily coffee.

Three sugars, two creamers.

Perhaps an acquaintance is all I’ll ever be to you now.

Maybe I can shoulder the heartbreak and the loss of you, if it means you’ll be happy.

Unless…

You remember me when.

Remember Me When is the second and final book in The Unforgettable Duet and should only be read following Forget Me Not.

Author’s Note:

The Unforgettable Duet must be read in order, beginning with Forget Me Not.

Ollie & Reid’s journey continues in book two, Remember Me When.

Read Remember Me When Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

Amazon US I Amazon Universal

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Review

If Ollie could give his truths to Reid, I feel like these would be some of them:

-Remember me when…I pulled you out of your car.

-Remember me when…we formed a friendship that helped to heal your scars.

-Remember me when…we longed to experience EVERYTHING with each other.

-Remember me when…I became vital to your life and happiness.

-Remember Me When and Then Come Back to Me because my life will never be whole until you realize just how much we’re meant to be together.

At the end of Forget Me Not, like most readers, I was gutted by the circumstances that Reid and Oliver found themselves in and I truly didn’t know if they would be able to recapture what was unwillingly taken away from them, especially given Reid’s family and their understanding of who Reid is/was before the accident.

My heart bled for Ollie and the reality that his time with Reid seemed to be over before it ever really got started. I have no idea how he dealt with going from being one of the most essential people to Reid to becoming a practical stranger due to Reid’s lost memories. I swear Ollie should be sainted for what he endured at the beginning of Remember Me When because he handled Reid’s memory loss, Reid’s frustrations, and Reid’s off-kilter moments with grace and patience, which not many men would be able to do, especially given how much Ollie still needs and wants the man who holds his heart.

Brooke Blaine didn’t make readers wait too long to find out if Reid and Ollie would find their way back to one another, and even though the second book in the duet is quite short, the way Blaine lays out the story line, offering both characters’ perspectives proves just how connected Reid and Ollie are even when Reid couldn’t remember how vital Ollie was/is to not only his life but his recovery as well.

Ollie took quite a few risks throughout Remember Me When and that’s a testament to the kind of man he is and the depth of his feelings for Reid; revealing the truth could have done way more harm than good, but Ollie understood what was at stake and he refused to bury the reality of who Reid is to him and what kind of life they shared.

Blaine allowed Reid’s memories to gain clarity at the perfect pace; his recollections had been toyed with due to the surgery, making it difficult to ascertain what is real versus only a dream. Ollie’s presence was always there in the back of Reid’s mind; he just needed to follow his own course of healing and realize the reasons why he found comfort in this big burly guy who somehow infiltrated his life and made him whole when his body was so broken.

The conclusion to Ollie and Reid’s story was everything I wanted and needed it to be. I knew that they would struggle and that Reid would need to do quite a bit of soul searching to realize why Ollie became his person, but I also knew that with the kind of connection these two shared, almost instantly, that it would only be a matter of time before Reid would realize exactly where he belongs and who he belongs with, now and forever.

4.5 Poison Apples

An excerpt from

THE UNFORGETTABLE DUET

© 2018, BROOKE BLAINE

CHAPTER ONE

“IT’S MONDAY, AND you know what that means,” Mike said as he cut off Big Bertha’s engine and looked over at me expectantly.

I patted my pants pocket to make sure I’d shoved my wallet inside before we’d headed out this morning, and when I felt the outline of the trifold, I nodded. “Yep. Extra-bold coffee comin’ up.” As I popped open the passenger-side door, Mike’s hand landed firmly on my arm, halting me before I could get out of the ambulance, and I looked back at him over my shoulder.

“It means don’t be a chickenshit, Ollie, that’s what it means.”

Lifting my eyebrows, I glanced around, searching for whoever it was Mike thought he was talking to, and when he read my quizzical expression, he snorted.

“Yeah, that means you,” he said.

“You callin’ me out?”

“Damn right I am.”

I shook my head. “I’m not a chickenshit, and you know it.”

Mike shrugged and let go of my arm. “Fine. Prove it.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You can. You just won’t.”

Yeah, whatever, he had me there. Something always held me back from saying much more than hello to the guy in the fitted chinos and starched collared shirt and tie that I saw most mornings in the coffee aisle at Joe’s Grab ’N Go, and Mike never could resist an opportunity to rib me for it. I never should’ve told him about my crush in the first damn place, but being my best friend as well as my work partner meant we tended to overshare in the time between calls.

“He’s straight, Mike. Leave it alone, huh?”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

I picked up a container of mints and shook a couple into my mouth before tossing it back in the console. “Trust me. I know.”

“You ask him since the last time I saw you?”

Rolling my eyes, I ignored his question and pushed open my door. “You want that coffee or not?”

“Mhmm. The date for you, too.”

“Jesus,” I muttered, slamming the door before he could make any other requests. I could hear him chuckling behind me as he got out to pump the gas. And out of the corner of my eye, a flash of red pulling into a parking spot had my heart beating a bit faster. It was ridiculous that I’d even wonder for a second if I’d see him, since hardly a weekday had gone by in four months when I hadn’t. But that flutter of anticipation still sent a thrill through me, the handful of minutes seeing him every morning the highlight of my day.

That’s it. I need to get my damn life back. Working all these overtime shifts to pick up some extra cash over the holidays—and giving the guys with families some time off—had sent my extracurricular activities into a tailspin. If I didn’t get laid soon, I’d crash and burn. Or, worse, hit on the straight guy.

“Hey, Ollie,” Mike called out, and I paused with my hand on the door to the Grab ’N Go before moving aside to let the woman behind me pass through. When I turned around, a mischievous grin played on his lips as he inserted the gas pump into Big Bertha’s tank and began to hip-thrust.

Oh for the love of—

“And while you’re at it, maybe grab me one of those apple fritters, would ya? And a soda for later?”

So much for New Year’s resolutions, I thought. That had lasted less than a week. Not that I could blame him when it came to the tempting basket of freshly baked goods that sat by Joe’s register every morning—even I had a hard time passing on those. Still, Mike had wanted to lose the twenty pounds that had crept up since Halloween and made me swear I’d keep him in check.

“You sure you wanna do that?” I asked.

Mike looked pointedly over at the red Mazda3 and his smile grew. “Life’s too short to pass on the good stuff, wouldn’t you say?”

That fucker. I shook my head and shot a glare his way, and then I went inside, determined now to buy out the apple fritters and personally stuff ’em down his meddling throat.

“Morning, Oliver,” Joe greeted me from behind the counter where he was ringing up a customer, and I smiled his way before grabbing a handheld basket and heading down the aisle for Mike’s Sprite. I took the third bottle from the front—yeah, I never took the first one of anything—and laid it in the basket as the freezer door slapped shut behind me.

I kept a tight grip on the handle as I took my time walking toward the far aisle, the anticipation building in my gut. Finally, I rounded the corner, and just as he was every day, Bluebird stood in front of the coffee station, refillable mug in hand and somehow looking more gorgeous than I remembered. My memory never did him justice.

I didn’t move as he placed his mug beneath the machine’s spout and hit a button, and I knew exactly what he’d get, the same as every morning: a latte with light foam and three sugars, two creamers.

Today he was dressed in a pair of black slacks, with a white button-down shirt and a midnight-blue tie—always so well put together, from his stylishly tousled dark brown hair, so dark it was almost black, down to his black loafers. A couple of days of stubble covered his usual freshly shaven jaw, and I imagined how it’d feel under my hands as I took either side of his face and pulled him toward mine—

“Dammit!”

Bluebird’s curse shook me out of my stupor as my feet managed to move again, and as I got closer, I saw that the usual brown liquid coming out of the machine was a cloudy white instead.

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Hey, Joe,” he called out to the owner. “Latte machine’s down.”

“Again?” Joe scratched his jaw and then said, “Sorry about that, Reid. I’ll get someone out to fix it today.”

“No problem,” Reid replied, dumping out the hot water from his mug into the tray, and hello, I finally had a name to go with the face: Reid. How was it I’d gone so long without knowing?

I pulled out a couple of large disposable cups from the rack and reached for the coffee pot at the same time as Reid, our fingers brushing each other ever so slightly before we both jerked back. His touch shot through me like an electric jolt to my heart, and the surprise that lit his eyes told me I wasn’t the only one affected.

“Sorry,” he said, and then cleared his throat. “Damn static.”

That wasn’t static, I thought, but I wasn’t about to enlighten him, so instead I gestured to the almost empty coffee pot. “No problem. Go for it.”

“Oh…uh…” He glanced at how little was left and shook his head. “That’s okay. You were first.”

“Nah, go ahead. Something tells me you need it more than I do.”

“You sure?” Reid asked, his forehead creased like he didn’t want to impose, but I wouldn’t have minded him taking the last of the coffee every day, so long as those dark chocolate eyes of his stayed on me.

“I insist,” I said, and then leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “Besides, I know where Joe keeps the spares. I’ll just make another pot.”

A grateful smile lifted his lips. “Thanks.” Then he poured himself a full mug of coffee and scratched his jaw as he said, “Ever have one of those mornings?”

“All the time.”

Reid looked up at me, and then his eyes shifted down to my name and title patched in on my uniform. Oliver McFadden. Paramedic. “Yeah, of course you do. Paramedic, huh? I don’t know how you do it.”

“Helps that we can filter caffeine through IVs for a quicker hit on bad days.”

He laughed as he ripped open three sugar packets and dumped them into his drink. “I think I’m in the wrong field.”

“What is it you do?”

“I teach music education at Castle Hill.”

“Middle schoolers?” I whistled. “I think I’ll stick with my job.”

“I wouldn’t blame you some days. They’re mostly a good group, but man, there’s a few whose mission is to run off the new teachers.”

“And you’re one of the new ones?”

“Four months running.” He tossed the empty packets into the trash and then held his hand out to me. “I’m Reid, by the way.”

I stared at his hand for a couple of heartbeats before taking it in mine. His long fingers were cool to the touch, unlike my perpetually hot ones. It could be negative fifty outside, and my hands would still be warm. “Ollie,” I said, and then shook my head slightly. “Well, Oliver, but everyone calls me Ollie.”

“Ollie,” Reid repeated, still shaking my hand. “I’ve never met an Ollie before.”

“Mom was a big fan of Laurel and Hardy. I’m just glad she didn’t go with Stan.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized that was an unnecessary reference because he probably had no idea who the hell Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were, but Reid surprised the hell out of me by laughing.

“Your mom has good taste. I used to watch their stuff at my nan’s,” he said, and then let go of my hand.

I missed the contact immediately.

Before I could respond, Joe’s gnarled fingers clamped down on my arm as he hobbled in between us and hit the side of the latte machine with his cane.

“I don’t think it’ll respond to a beat-down, Joe,” Reid said, as he stirred two creamers into his coffee.

“Worked once before. By George, I’ll do it again.”

As Joe whacked at the machine, Reid shook his head at the stubborn man. Then he capped his mug and smiled at me. “Thanks again, Ollie. I owe you one.”

“Anytime,” I said, and meant it. “Hope your morning improves.”

“I’m counting on it. Bye, Joe. I’ll leave the money on the counter.”

Joe grumbled what sounded like a goodbye and kept fiddling with the latte machine as I rinsed out the coffee pot and started up a fresh brew.

Two steaming mugs and a bag full of apple fritters later and I was climbing back into Big Bertha, still reeling from my run-in with Reid. It was so unlike me to moon over a guy, for fuck’s sake, but there was something about him that had caught my attention from day one and never let go. Today’s encounter had only served to pique my curiosity. I’d always thought him older, maybe mid- to late twenties, but he said he’d only been at Castle Hill for four months. Maybe that meant he was fresh out of college? Or could be he’d relocated from somewhere. Definitely somewhere still in the South, since he seemed to have the manner of someone who’d grown up with parents who drilled in the Yes, sirs and No, thank you, ma’ams so telling of this part of the country, though his accent didn’t betray much of a twang.

“That has got to be the biggest, dumbest grin I’ve ever seen on your ugly mug,” Mike said, staring at me like I’d grown two heads. “Did you finally do it? Did you ask him out?”

I tossed the bag of fritters and soda into Mike’s lap. “Feel free to choke on those.”

“Ahh, I’m gonna take that as a yes, then. He shoot you down?”

After setting the coffees in the console, I fastened my seatbelt and waited for Mike to get the hint we needed to get moving.

“The hell, man?” he said. “You gonna leave me hangin’?”

I arched my brow in his direction, and when I didn’t say anything, he gave a grunt and started up the rig.

“One of these days, Ollie,” he grumbled, pulling out of the gas station. “You know all my personal shit. See if I spill my guts anymore.”

“You wouldn’t know what to do if you couldn’t talk about Deb twenty-four seven.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault I scored a good one. Just letting everyone know what they’re missing out on.” As Mike slowed down behind traffic, he glanced over at me and waggled his black eyebrows.

“Make sure to do us a favor and hand out barf bags the next time you get started.” I nodded at the bag of pastries in his lap. “And don’t tell Deb I’m doin’ a horrible job of keeping you accountable.”

“Nah, she likes my love handles.”

“Bullshit.”

He laughed and tore into the bag of fritters with one hand, while keeping his other on the wheel. When he’d made me swear last week that I’d keep him on track while he “cut the crap,” I’d thought he was nuts. Even with an extra twenty pounds on his strong six-foot build, Mike was as attractive as ever. Black, close-cropped curls, a permanent tan, and dimples that only seemed to have deepened the past few months.

The hot ones are always straight. At least they are in Floyd Hills, Georgia, I thought, my mind drifting back to the man I always made sure to run into during the workweek. And yeah, I got that straight vibe from Reid too, though even he couldn’t deny the spark that had ignited when our hands had brushed against each other. That wasn’t enough to hang any hope on, though, much as I wanted to.

“His name’s Reid,” I said, breaking up the quiet in the cab, and when Mike’s head jerked in my direction, a fritter half shoved in his mouth, I was unable to keep the smirk off my face anymore. “Teaches music at the middle school.”

As I casually sipped my coffee, Mike’s jaw practically hit the ground. “No shit.” A horn sounded from behind us, and Mike stepped on the gas, shaking his head. “About damn time. What else did you talk about?”

“Nothing. Joe came over to give the coffee machine a concussion, and that was the end of that.”

“Dammit, Joe. Way to cock-block.”

“Nah, he didn’t know.”

“Well, you have an opening now,” Mike said, winking at me. “And that was only a pun if you want it to be.”

“Oh, Jesus. I’ve done it now.”

“What?”

“Created a monster who uses puns against me.”

Mike laughed as I flipped on the radio to drown out any other comments his sugar high wanted to lob out, but when Bing Crosby began to croon about a winter wonderland, Mike groaned and jabbed at the buttons to change the channel.

“I can’t believe they’re still blasting Christmas music in January. Didn’t they get the memo that Santa Claus already came to town, and all he brought me was a damn snow blower? When the hell am I gonna use a snow blower around here? I think my in-laws called in a favor.”

Chuckling, I brought my coffee up to my lips and blew softly, while Mike continued to flip through the stations until a country song began to play. He started to sing along, something about naming babies and dogs, which would normally have me eye-rolling him to death. But since his mouth was now otherwise occupied and he wasn’t digging for more information out of me, I didn’t bother putting up a fight to change the channel. Let him belt out “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” for all I cared. Until a call came in, my mind would be preoccupied by…other things.

A quick tone alert came through the radio, and I punched the music off as a call came through from dispatch.

“Unit 110, please respond Code 3 to the intersection of Mercer and Thomas on a multi-vehicle accident with injuries. Fire responding for possible extrication.”

I picked up the receiver. “Ten-four, Unit 110 en route. ETA less than two minutes,” I said, as Mike dropped the plastic bag on the ground at my feet and flipped on the lights and siren.

“Not how I’d want my day starting out,” he said, cutting through an intersection to make a left on Mercer.

“Saddle up,” I said. “I have a feeling it’s gonna be a long one.”

Traffic going east was already beginning to back up, the roads congested at the height of morning rush hour. Now with the accident up ahead and the cars unable to move to the side, Mike had to pull us into the suicide lane to get by. From the opposite direction, a backup unit, along with two police cars and a fire truck, veered toward the intersection, though it looked like we’d get there first.

I could see the smoke rising up ahead, and as we got closer, it seemed to be coming from beneath the hood of a black four-by-four truck that had smashed into a—

“Oh shit… Ollie…” Mike’s voice trailed off as we both caught sight of the crushed passenger side of the car that had been T-boned. The crumpled car had been no match for the bigger vehicle; it looked like they’d skidded into the middle of the intersection during impact. The car’s hood punched up at an awkward angle with the truck half inside, and broken glass littered the road.

I’d seen the sight so many times before, but never had the breath left my lungs in a rush, never had a faint ringing sound filled my ears, and never had a wild sense of panic seized my chest like it did right then.

Because the mangled car, the one I was responding to, was none other than Reid’s bright red Mazda3.

     Start the Series Today!

Forget Me Not

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Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance that ranges from comedy to suspense to erotic. The latter has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for years. Or you can reach her at www.BrookeBlaine.com.

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Start Me Up, the newest standalone in the Man of the Month Series by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner is LIVE!

Wicked days. Sinful nights.

Meet Mr. April.

A high school drop-out with only his twisted sense of humor and panty-melting good looks going for him, Nolan Wood has turned a small radio gig into a thriving career.

Now a local celebrity, Nolan never wants for female companionship. But he never gets too close. And he damn sure never lets them see the man-or the pain-behind the jokes.

Then a one-night stand changes everything.

Career-focused, goal-oriented, and buttoned-down accountant Shelby Drake isn’t the kind of woman who’d usually catch Nolan’s attention, but her soft mouth, hidden curves, and deep sensuality blow his mind. And after only one taste, he wants more.

But Shelby wants nothing more to do with him. And now the radio playboy is on a sensual mission to convince her that opposites really do attract.

Her pleasure is his passion.

**Start Me Up is part of a binge read series by New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and #1 International bestselling author of the million copy Stark series, J. Kenner.

Each novel in the series is a STANDALONE romance with a guaranteed HEA!

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Review

‘Mornings with Wood’ – how awesome of a double entendre is that catchy radio talk show title?

And let me tell you, Nolan Wood’s On-Air personality is all about lewd comments, raunchy remarks, as well as a bevy of humorous and sexy undertones that make his show a hit with the ladies and a good way to spend mornings for all KIKX radio listeners.

But beneath Nolan’s joker personality and his easy going lifestyle is a man that he allows few people to see; the man who’s a bit jaded when it comes to relationships and chooses to keep things light and easy in every aspect of his life, making him notorious for his one-night stands and the type of willing and ready women who he tends to take home for a physical release and nothing more.

And it’s Nolan’s comedic façade that makes his attraction to straight-laced, reserved accountant, Shelby Drake, so perplexing; they’re opposites in every sense of the word, which is why when ‘Drunk Shelby’ comes out to play one night at The Fix with looser lips and lowered inhibitions, ‘Buttoned-Up Shelby’ is determined to stay as far away from Mr. April even if her body craves more time with the sexy radio personality.

Nolan and Shelby’s story illustrates just how much opposites do indeed attract, and once again, J. Kenner chose the perfect man to pose as her man of the month…this time Mr. April…not only does Nolan have the looks and the personality that will have females snatching up their own calendar but he also has found the woman who makes him think seriously about a relationship instead of playing things light and easy when it comes to his personal life.

J. Kenner’s Man of the Month series is definitely one of my most favorite guilty pleasures, and the fact that Kenner still has many more men to introduce to readers, add to The Fix’s fundraising calendar, and help find their ‘better half’ makes me anxiously anticipate who’s coming up next in her twelve months of alpha male goodness!

4 Poison Apples

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Down On Me

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About J. Kenner

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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“So exquisitely titillating, full of hope and second chances, and so honest, this is Rachel Blaufeld’s best and swooniest romance yet! I LOVED it!”

– Katy Evans, New York Times Bestselling Author

Heart Stronger, an all-new emotional romance from Rachel Blaufeld is available now!

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m watching a movie . . . that it’s not really me, Claire Richards, getting this second chance at life.”

“Open your eyes, it’s you, and I’m damn glad it’s with me.” ~ Aiken

Single mom and college professor Claire Richards only wanted a few hours of me time to soak in her tub, read a book, and drink wine.

But tragedy struck, and Claire found herself with a lot more me time than she bargained for.

Three years later, Claire is still mourning her losses when Aiken Fordham-who looks young enough to be one of her college students-moves in next door.

Forcing Claire to face her fears, Aiken almost forgets his reason for moving to Small Town, Pennsylvania. Falling for the sexy, smart, and strong professor next door was never in the plan.

But now it is . . . until their future intersects with their pasts.

Review

When Heart Stronger begins, readers are presented with a heroine who is merely surviving. The focus of her life is her job and the work that needs to be done in order to prevent her mind from thinking about the past and the darkness that continually threatens to drown her alive. It’s been three years since her life was categorically altered due to tragedy, and in that time, she hasn’t moved on…choosing to remain a hopeless and faithless woman just looking for a way out of her pain…her grief…her self-hatred.

Claire Richards never anticipated her life moving forward in any other way but time, but when Aiken Fordham becomes her neighbor and he goes out of his way to become a part of her life, Claire will have to decide if her fragile heart is strong enough to explore the connection she and Aiken share or if the potential heartache she could possibly have to endure is too much of a risk to take.

There’s a lot of information to absorb when it comes to Claire and Aiken’s story. Claire’s backstory is heartbreaking, but it’s necessary to understand the reasons behind Claire’s closed-off demeanor. With the amount of loss that Claire has had to endure, it makes sense that she would choose to lead a very solitary life, but the longer she stays trapped in her brokenness, the more difficult it will be to pull herself out, and for Aiken Fordham, that’s completely unacceptable.

Aiken Fordham is the perfect hero for Claire Richards; he refuses to give Claire any space because he knows that she’ll try her best to bolster the wall she’s already constructed around herself. Even though it’s clear that Aiken has his own agenda and reasons for being in ‘Small Town Penn,’ his reaction and connection to Claire is real, it’s just the extenuating circumstances that have the potential to destroy what Aiken’s been working so hard to procure.

Rachel Blaufeld provides readers with both the hero and the heroine’s perspective, which is absolutely essential due to the nature of the story line and the fact that they have insight about how the characters’ pasts and presents intertwine. I have to admit that I was caught off-guard by the twist that comes towards the end of the book; it took me a bit to wrap my head around its significance and what it meant for Claire and Aiken, separately as well as a couple who want a future together.

Heart Stronger is an emotional second chance love story. It’s a book that will take readers on a journey of self-discovery as Claire tries to deal with her past and build a future that’s about more than her career. Both Aiken and Claire have some hard truths to face along the way, but the prevailing theme seems to be that there’s always a way to find a light amidst the darkness; the person just has to be willing to look in even the most minute spaces and accept guidance when it can no longer be done alone.

4 Poison Apples

Excerpt

The downpour stopped just as I did, soaked in rain and sweat. Rolling my neck, I took in my house. It was cute. Too cute for a single dude, but it was all fixed up, and I wasn’t in the mood for a renovation project.

I bent over to stretch, touching my toes, and before I could stand up, Smitty was at my feet, tail wagging, tongue lolling, begging to be petted.

“Smitty!” Claire came running out her front door, dark hair tied up in a messy bun, wearing tight black pants and a fitted green blouse. No shoes. She stopped in front of me, and I noticed her pink toes and tanned feet.

“Smitty, bad boy! You can’t leave the house.” She grabbed his collar and tugged him to her side.

“S’okay.” Wetness seeped into my eyes, and I swatted it away, making the burn worse. Squinting and blinking, I remained focused on the woman in front of me, and all woman she was. There wasn’t one girlish thing about my neighbor, and no-before you think it-I didn’t have mommy issues.

I had lean-muscular-legs and pouty-lips issues, both of which Claire had in earnest. Not to mention, I had a separate thing for independence after growing up around all these farming wives, who basically did all the heavy lifting for none of the credit. Then there was my dad, unable to move on, the epitome of lost.

“Don’t say that. He can’t be running out of the house.” Her breath was short at this point; she was almost panting. “He’s all I have.” It was a whisper of a sentence, but I heard it. Fuck it, I felt it. I got pain. Hated anyone else having to experience it.

She was eaten up with pain, but kept her head up-I could tell. I wanted to crack her veneers, let the pain ooze out, and see her smile in earnest.

Deep shit for a young guy, but I’d grown up fast. Like in the last forty-eight hours.

“I put my hand out to feel if it was still raining, and he bolted as soon as he saw you,” she continued to explain.

“Like I said, I’m cool with Smitty, but I get it. He can’t be escaping.”

“Thanks for understanding.” She stood, prim and proper, her gaze heavy on the concrete, clearly avoiding any direct eye contact.

“You okay, Claire? I’m sorry about last night.”

“I’m fine.” She turned back toward her house.

“Claire, listen, we got off to a bad start. Can we start over? Aiken Fordham, nice to meet you.” I held my hand out, flexing my bicep, waiting for her to return the favor.

“Claire Richards.” She took my hand, her smaller, dainty, and way smoother hand slipping into mine.

“Ugh. What do you want, Aiken? Look at you, shirtless, dripping from running in the rain.” Her hand whipped out of mine and began whisking up and down in the air, motioning at my very naked torso. “What could you possibly want from me? If you need an egg or a stick of butter, pop next door. Otherwise, let me be. I need to get out of here and beg Mary to give me a class full of students, probably not much older than you.” She alternated between eyeing me and her disobedient dog.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Claire,” I called, running up behind her. “And I’m a warm-blooded man, who’ll probably never have a need for a stick of butter. I’m a big boy. I know how to find a grocery store. All by myself too.”

She flung open her door and motioned Smitty inside. He stood at the screen door, staring us down with sad doggie eyes.

“Is there something wrong with getting to know my neighbor? I don’t know anyone here. Maybe you could be neighborly? Or are you so closed off you can’t do that? Because if so, that’s a damn shame,” I said through gritted teeth. Admittedly, I was more frustrated than I should have been. I was a man who desperately wanted the broken woman in front of me.

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About Rachel

Rachel Blaufeld is a bestselling author of Romantic Suspense, New Adult, Coming-of-Age Romance, and Sports Romance. A recent poll of her readers described her as insightful, generous, articulate, and spunky. Originally a social worker, Rachel creates broken yet redeeming characters. She’s been known to turn up the angst like cranking up the heat in the dead of winter.

A devout coffee drinker and doughnut eater, Rachel spends way too many hours in local coffee shops, downing the aforementioned goodies while she plots her ideas. Her tales may all come with a side of angst and naughtiness, but end as lusciously as her treats.

As a side note, Blaufeld, also a long-time blogger and an advocate of woman-run anything, is fearless about sharing her opinion. She captured the ears of stay-at-home and working moms on her blog, BacknGrooveMom, chronicling her adventures in parenting tweens and running a business, often at the same time. To her, work/life/family balance is an urban legend, but she does her best.

Rachel has also blogged for The Huffington Post and Modern Mom. Most recently, her insights can be found in USA TODAY, where she shares conversations at “In Bed with a Romance Author” and reading recommendations over at “Happy Ever After.”

Rachel lives around the corner from her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her family and two beagles. Her obsessions include running, coffee, basketball, icing-filled doughnuts, antiheroes, and mighty fine epilogues.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found courtside, tweeting about hoops as her son plays, or walking around the house wearing earplugs while her other son, the drummer, bangs away.

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An emotional can’t-miss romance, Whiskey Rebellion from New York Times Bestselling Author Toni Aleo is AVAILABLE NOW!

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I have to make the pain stop.

I want to feel alive, and I do when I’m drinking and partying the way I should have when I was a teen. Instead, back then, I was preparing to become the Whiskey Princess, a role assigned to me from birth.

A lady never drinks to the point of blacking out, nor does she go home with men she meets in bars. But I went home with him…Jackson.

He was more than just a one-night stand, but I learned that a wee bit late and he was gone. Or so I thought.

For when I return home, Jackson is there, and he finds out very quickly who I am.

Problem is, I’m not sure that I’ve ever known who I really am.

***

I can tell by looking into her blue depths that she’s absolute trouble, but I have to have her. It’s only for one night. Some fun, and I’ll be on my way. My time here is done, and I’m ready to move on to my next adventure.

What I don’t realize at the time is that she is my next adventure.

Lena excites me. She blows my mind. And her brogue? It has me in knots. I don’t even care about the rumors that surround her.

She’s hurting. I want to help her, but then my time is up.

Can I leave her?

I have to leave. I have no choice.

But I love her.

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Review

It’s incredibly difficult to live up to societal expectations, especially for someone like Lena O’Callaghan, because on top of public scrutiny, she also has to contend with her family’s list of rules and responsibilities, which makes it feel like she’s meant to live someone else’s life instead of her own…someone who’s portrayed to be one way when, in reality, Lena is completely different and wants nothing to do with her ‘supposed’ role as the Whiskey Princess because she doesn’t feel like it fits her or the woman she’s trying to find in herself to be.

Some may view Lena as a spoiled brat – one who doesn’t appreciate the life she’s been given and would rather do everything in her power to shed a negative light on her family name and its importance. And, while there is definitely evidence to prove her downward spiral could be a big middle finger to her family and the pressure she feels due to her last name and the expectations of her role because of her family’s position in society, if people would look passed her recklessness and inappropriate behavior and see a woman struggling to find her true place in the world…in her city…in her family in a way that allows her the breathing room she needs to explore the limitless possibilities of who she can be if she only chooses to take the initiative to become that person.

If there’s anyone who can help Lena find her way in this judgmental and overwhelming life, it’s Jackson Tremblay because it’s clear upon their initial meeting that he sees Lena for who she is and who she wants to become and everything about her works for him. Jackson has his own demons to shed and while he’s clearly not used to building the kind of connection he does with Lena, especially because their time together was meant to be a one-night stand, the quiet and solace they find with one another when everything else feels like it’s suffocating them makes then keenly aware of exactly what they could come to mean to each other as long as they were both willing to take a risk on love.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about Lena when I began Whiskey Rebellion; her desire to be an ordinary girl made sense to me, but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to truly understand the reasons for her rebellion and her need to find her own way. I can happily say, though, that Toni Aleo portrays Lena in such a way that her conflicted attitude fits what she has had to endure her entire life as a member of the O’Callaghan family and the fact that Jackson ‘gets’ her also helped me to corral my judgment and give Lena a chance to explain and show readers exactly why she struggles with how she’s perceived and who she’s taught to be versus who she truly wants/can be.

Lena and Jackson’s story is about coming to terms with one’s past and finding one’s footing in the present, so that the future is everything that it ought to be. Both Lena and Jackson are a bit lost when Whiskey Rebellion begins and they’re unsure of how to find what they need to move forward, but the fact that they found support in each other and a passion that reignites their lives does wonders for their hearts and their souls.

4 Poison Apples

★★★ TWO BOOKS / 99c EACH! ★★★

Whiskey Prince &Becoming The Whiskey Princess by Author Toni Aleo are only 99c!

“Once you start reading you can’t stop!” – Kindle Customer, ★★★★★

Whiskey Prince
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Becoming the Whiskey Princess
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Take a risk.
Do something drastic.
Fall in love.

About the Author

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New from Gena Showalter, author of the New York Times bestselling The White Rabbit Chronicles, comes a series finale that will keep you on the edge of your seat rooting for the characters until the very last page.

Don’t miss the EPIC CONCLUSION to the Everlife novels, a series fans calls “vividly unique,” “unforgettable” and “exhilarating.”

Grab your copy today!

EVERLIFE Synopsis

STAND TOGETHER OR FALL ALONE.

THE FATE OF THE EVERLIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

At seventeen years old, Tenley “Ten” Lockwood needed to make the ultimate choice-where to live after she died. Loyalty to her selected realm has not wavered…until now. The numbers-obsessed Conduit is out of time. Sacrifices must be made, and a terrible price must be paid. But is she too late?

As the Everlife descends into darkness, a single truth becomes clear: Troika and Myriad must unite in the end-or perish. As a way to bring sworn enemies together, Ten must enter forbidden territory…and destroy the powerful Prince of Ravens. But there’s only one way inside-bonding with Killian Flynn, a deadly rival Laborer who sets her blood aflame.

When nothing goes as planned and betrayal results in the edge of utter defeat, Ten and Killian must rebuild agree with from the ashes in their hearts. Victory seems not possible; the odds stacked against them. In spite of everything, how far will they be willing to go for the sake in their realms and the Everlife?

Get your copy of EVERLIFE here!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | B-A-M | Kobo | iBooks | Book Depository

“Utterly unique and absolutely riveting-I couldn’t put it down! What a marvelously cool world.”

-Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author, on Firstlife

Excerpt

The identity of our intruders clicks. Two Troikan Generals: Shamus Campbell and Luciana Rossi. Behind them, four La­borers I’ve never met. A total of six invaders.

6: symbolizes beauty and high ideals. The sixth sense: ESP. The sixth astrological sign in the Zodiac: Virgo.

Focus! A soft pitter-patter of footfalls echoes outside the cave. More TLs?

Killian isn’t safe.

Panic claws its way up the ridges of my spine, and my blood f lash-freezes. I strain with all my might, desperate to move, but my body refuses to cooperate. Every attempt to raise my arms threatens to pop my shoulders out of joint. I don’t care. Nothing will halt my efforts.

“Kill, kill.” Between each command-desire?-Killian snarls like a wounded animal. “Kill!”

Shamus, a big, barrel-chested redhead with pale skin and countless freckles, slams a fist against his armor-clad chest to gain my attention. His dark eyes are narrowed, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “What did you do, Miss Lockwood? And do no’ tell me nothin’.” His accent is similar to Killian’s.

Luciana, a slender brunette with lovely brown skin and startling gray irises, backs away from me, horror contorting her expression. “I’ll tell you what she did. She doomed us all.”

Doomed…

Is she right? She can’t be. She just can’t.

I look down at Killian. My new husband is pulling at hanks of his hair.

Hopes, falling from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

“Out,” Shamus snarls at the TLs. “Now.”

All four soldiers rush from the cave without protest.

I stiffen. The General has evened the odds. Two against two. A foolish move for a war-seasoned veteran. Unless he got rid of any witnesses…

Willing to use my body as a shield, I push through the pain-snap. My shoulder does pop out of joint. Or maybe back into joint. Air wheezes from my lungs. Worth it! Finally, I can move. I crawl toward Killian, every inch I gain only adding fuel to an already blazing fire of agony.

Can’t stop. No, won’t stop. Determination drives me. I only wish it gave me wings.

“Kill. Must kill.” Killian is lost in a world of his own.

“You won’t be killing anyone, you son of a Myriad troll.” With a hand curled around the hilt of a sword, Shamus stalks toward him.

“Stop! He doesn’t know what he’s saying right now.” My voice is barely audible, my gaze locked on my love. So close, yet so far away. Desperation slams a spike straight through my heart.

Any other day, I would have used the comm built into the forearm of spirit and Shell. With the press of a few buttons, it could transport me to Killian’s side and, as long as some part of me is touching some part of him, whisk us both somewhere else. Somewhere safe. Like a fool, I disabled the device to hide from fellow Troikans while meeting with Killian.

I should have known they’d find me one way or another.

“Stop,” I repeat, even as I gain another inch. “That’s an order.” As a Conduit, I outrank the Generals. As a newbie to the Everlife, however, my exalted rank doesn’t really mean squat.

“We can’t hurt him,” Luciana grates. She extends her arm, stopping Shamus in his tracks. “You’ve effectively tied our hands, Miss Lockwood.”

Though the shadows are no longer slithering through my mind, I’m not exactly thinking straight. I struggle to make sense of her words, finally throw in the towel. “I don’t understand.”

“You bonded to him, did you not?” She spits the words, as if they taste foul in her mouth. “That bond forces us to spare Myriad’s favorite butcher and watch as you, one of only two Conduits, slowly descends into madness.”

And don’t miss the first two titles in this stunning series, FIRSTLIFE and LIFEBLOOD!

Grab your copies today!

GET YOUR COPY OF FIRSTLIFE HERE!
GET YOUR COPY OF LIFEBLOOD HERE!

ORDER EVERLIFE AND GET A FIRSTLIFE POSTER!

Order* a digital or print edition of EVERLIFE by Gena Showalter and get a FIRSTLIFE poster in .pdf format from Gena!

Each entry* will also be entered for the chance to win a Grand Prize!

Grand Prize consists of a signed copy of FIRSTLIFE and LIFEBLOOD, Betsey Johnson purse, Rebecca Monroe Bear cap, and Sparkling Zebra necklace!

EVERLIFE is now available in print and eBook!

Just CLICK HERE, scroll down, and then enter your name, age, email address, and the order number from your digital or print edition order receipt to receive your FIRSTLIFE poster in .pdf format! All entrants will receive the FIRSTLIFE poster in .pdf format on March 4, 2018 through email using the email given when the entrant filled out THIS FORM.

iBooks entries should be screenshot and uploaded or the entrant will have to wait until they receive their confirmation email to fill out the form.

**This opportunity will stay available for readers to enter through 11:59pm EST on March 3, 2018 in order to allow everyone a chance to enter. See Official Rules for details.**

*Alternate method of entry available. No purchase necessary to enter to win. See Official Rules for details.

About Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

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