I’ve hated Chase Mathews from the first time I saw him.
He’s arrogant, cocky, and far too obnoxious for anyone to deal with.
But our best friends are married, so escaping him isn’t exactly easy.
Did I mention he’s also my new roommate?
You see, life hasn’t exactly gone to plan recently, and I’m out of options.
But just because I’m stuck with him doesn’t mean I have to lay back and endure his antics.
Chase doesn’t know it yet, but he’s just met his match.
Chase
Georgia Monroe has driven me crazy for years. And not in a fun way.
She’s a snobby brat who I try to avoid at all costs.
As luck would have it, she’s also my new roommate.
If this year hasn’t taken enough from me, it is undoubtedly testing my sanity with her around. Forced into close quarters, I don’t know who will snap first.
Georgia is fire, and I’m gasoline. Soon, someone is going to explode.
Scarlett was born in Sydney, Australia and moved to Los Angeles when she was 10 years old. Her passion for writing came about at a young age when her sister would read her excerpts of Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf. She currently lives back in Sydney with her family and their two pugs. When she isn’t writing or reading, she spends her time traveling and searching for the best record stores. Eventually, Scarlett hopes to begin a new adventure in Edinburgh.
New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy kicks off her new College Years series with a forbidden romance between two people who are undeniably drawn to each other…
I started flirting with a guy while waiting for my car to be serviced. Now granted, he wasn’t just any guy. Tall. Dark. Hot. Mysterious. Can you blame me for wanting to talk to him? He’s in town visiting his parents. So am I. He goes to the same college as I do. Such a coincidence. Almost as if our meeting is destined…
But I shouldn’t believe in that sort of thing. I am single as a Pringle and always ready to mingle. Until I keep running into Mr. Tall, Dark and Mysterious everywhere I go. Tony Sorrento. Turns out he’s on the football team. I mean, I’m not one to chase after a sexy jock but, okay. I’m down. And did I mention he’s only a freshman?
Our fathers are business rivals, and they forbid us from dating. We need to keep this on the low. Can we remain friendly? Sure. Maybe turn our friendship into friends with benefits? Most definitely. Here’s the thing though. I didn’t plan on catching feelings for him so quickly. Seems like he’s falling pretty hard for me too.
Defying our fathers’ wishes is only asking for trouble, but is being with Tony worth the risk?
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.
A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.
HeartacheForgivenessRedemptionOur story is full of pain and devastation, memories that haunt us, and betrayals that stole years of happiness. But I’m determined to not let that be the end.Our love is an epic one, the kind that only comes around once in a lifetime. We’ve overcome every obstacle thrown in our path, and now our happily ever after is finally within reach.But when you let your guard down, thinking that you’ve finally conquered all your demons, that’s when the devil returns to claim what he believes belongs to him.
Ashley is an author and book lover living in Ohio with her husband and two sons. She’s loved reading since childhood and has always enjoyed creating characters and stories. She finds inspiration everywhere: a song on the radio, a person she passes on the street, a place she’s visited on vacation. She lets her imagination run wild and her fingers do the typing.
From New York Times Bestselling Author Sawyer Bennett comes the Chronicles of the Stone Veil, a five book urban fantasy/paranormal romance series. A departure from contemporary romance, the Chronicles of the Stone Veil is a return to fantasy/paranormal romance, where Sawyer started her fiction publishing journey. Readers can expect to find all the elements they love from Sawyer’s books—strong heroines, alpha heroes, and an epic romance—with a fantastical element to add to their reading experience. You can get the fourth book in the series, A Battle of Blood and Stone, now!
You can start the series today with The Revelation of Light and Dark
Another day, another step closer to Hell on Earth being unleashed.
With every piece that falls into place for the queen of the Underworld, Kymaris gains strength and power that will make it more difficult to defeat her when the time comes. It feels as if we’re in a desperate race to get just one step ahead of her, but my demise feels closer than it ever has before with still so much to do.
The first order of business is to unlock the angelic powers with which I was gifted at birth, and Carrick insists on getting help from my archnemesis to do so. Yes, I have to save the world, but my priority has now become rescuing my sister from the Underworld. While there are many questions still to be answered about my long-lost twin, I know I will not win this battle without her by my side.
In the midst of all the doom and gloom, Carrick has become my beacon of shining light. Our connection unimaginable, my heart recognizes his as the other half of its whole. Inexplicable and deeper than one could ever imagine, the love I hold for him is forged by destiny, however ill-fated it may turn out to be.
And those are the feelings I must hold close…to keep me going. Because a painful lesson is on the horizon—betrayal never comes from your enemies.
A Battle of Blood and Stone is book four of the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series and is best enjoyed if read in series order.
Excerpt
The minute Boral leaves Carrick’s condo, Maddox asks, “Feel like blowing off some steam?”
I had thought he meant a workout in the gym, and I was game for that. So I say, “Sure.”
But rather than heading toward the gym, Maddox pivots in the opposite direction and leads me to the southwest side of the condo. It’s an area I don’t go to a lot as it holds a guest suite identical to mine and another guest bedroom.
Maddox opens a door I had thought was a utility closet, and I gasp when I realize it’s a man-cave.
Dark paneled walls and gleaming hardwood floors, but the decor is distinctly different than the cool blues, light creams, and silvery grays throughout the rest of the condo. Persian rugs in crimson, navy, and beige are scattered under various pieces of furniture. There’s a pool table, a bar to seat eight, a poker table, and even a dartboard. One wall boasts a flat-screen TV so large I can’t even begin to fathom how big it is, and it’s sectioned off with a massive U-shaped couch in cocoa brown, distressed leather with ornate carved clawed feet.
It was the antithesis of the rest of the condo, and not just because it’s designed to serve men and their desires for liquor, football, and cigars. It’s just overly staid in my opinion.
“Holy shit,” I murmur as I follow Maddox in. “I had no clue this was even here.”
He plops down in the middle of the couch, then reaches for a remote control. “I brought over my PS4. I thought you and I could practice our battle skills in a more chilled sort of way.”
I snort as I take in the handheld gaming controls, the only reason that I recognize them is that Myles is a big gamer. He waves one at me provocatively and then nods to the cushion beside him.
“Come on, Finley,” he urges with a gleam in his eye. “Take a load off for a while and come spend just half an hour with me blowing shit up.”
Playing video games just isn’t my thing, but it’s better than sitting around and letting my mind become overwhelmed with planning, contingencies, and what-ifs. It would actually do me good just to take a brain break.
“Okay,” I reply almost giddily, moving to the couch and hopping the back of it to land on the cushion beside Maddox. He hands me a controller and says, “We’ll play Final Fantasy VII. You’ll love it.”
I wait as he boots up the game, studying the controller. I assume he’ll give me a lesson on what the buttons do.
“Does Carrick even come in here?” I ask as I kick my tennis shoes off and cross my legs.
“He used to PF,” Maddox says as the game starts to load.
“PF?”
“Pre-Finley.” He grins at me, then takes the controller I’m holding out of my hand. “But only to have a drink, conduct business, or maybe play some poker with friends.”
“But Carrick doesn’t have friends,” I point out. “And why hasn’t he come in here since I came into his life?”
“You are correct… Carrick doesn’t have friends. Maybe I should have said business acquaintances. And I imagine he doesn’t use this room very much these days as he hasn’t had much downtime since you came into his life wreaking havoc.”
I know he’s teasing, so I bump my shoulder against his good naturedly. “Well, maybe I can convince him to play a few games of pool. I’m really good, and I’m not above hustling him.”
“It’s a good thing I’m not a sucker then,” Carrick’s voice sounds from behind us. Maddox and I both twist to look at the door to find Carrick standing there casually, one arm raised and his hand resting against the jamb slightly above his head. The smile on his face is amused.
“You’re back,” I exclaim, pushing up from the couch. I was looking forward to unwinding a little with Maddox, but if it’s a choice between time with him or Carrick, I’m going to choose Carrick every time.
It seems just so natural, despite the fact I know Maddox is watching, to walk right up to Carrick and kiss him.
Or perhaps it’s him who is kissing me.
Regardless, my lips are happy for that brief connection, and I take stock of the fact I’m infinitely happier at this moment than I was a mere thirty seconds ago hanging out with Maddox, and I was pretty damn happy then.
There’s no getting around it.
Carrick just does it for me in all ways.
AVAILABLE NOW
The Revelation of Light and Dark
Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #1 | Available Now
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers.From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
Title: Not Pretending Anymore Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance Release Date: April 12, 2021
BLURB
Finding a good roommate through a classified ad isn’t as easy as it sounds. I was starting to lose hope. Until a knock at my door came and God answered my prayers. Except…uh…wrong prayer, God. I’d definitely requested the big guy find me a drop-dead gorgeous man on more than one occasion…just not as my roommate. Declan Tate talked me into interviewing him anyway. While he was amusing and charismatic, I wouldn’t have been comfortable living with a man, so I regretfully declined. Then cupcakes showed up at my door—freshly baked by Declan and just as sinfully delicious as he was. You could say he was persistent. I eventually folded. It wasn’t like I had another viable candidate anyway. Plus, I was interested in someone else. And Declan was into another woman. So it wasn’t like anything would happen romantically. After he moved in, the two of us became the best of friends. We even started to give each other advice on getting our crushes to notice us. Eventually, Declan concocted an idea: we should pretend to be a couple to make our love interests jealous. I was hesitant, but went along with it anyway. To my utter shock, his crazy plan worked. Now I was dating the supposed man of my dreams, and my best friend had the woman of his. But there was one problem. I couldn’t stop thinking about Declan. Those feelings we were trying to fake? Yeah…I wasn’t pretending anymore.
There are certain romance components, plot development story lines, and angst-driven scenes that I’ve come to expect from Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. Their unique meet-cutes and their interesting interactions allow readers to get to know the characters as they get to know one another.
And those attributes hold true in the authors’ latest release, Not Pretending Anymore. Declan Tate and Molly Corrigan become unexpected roommates and then proceed to hatch a plan that will, hopefully, give them what they both want in the end, although that seemingly changes the longer they live and spend time together, leaving them in a rather precarious position driven by their inability to be honest with themselves and one another.
Honestly, I’m used to the slow burn, the miscommunication, the frustration involved with waiting for the hero and heroine to get with the program and admit what all the readers knew from the very beginning, and for the most part, I can just go with it, allowing it to play out as it’s supposed to happen, but Declan and Molly took it to another level – one that had me screaming at them and wanting to press fast forward or flip ahead to make things happen quicker and I think it was my impatience and annoyance that interfered with my total enjoyment of their story.
Don’t get me wrong, for the most part, I did enjoy this fake relationship/friends-to-lovers’ romance story. Declan was a total swoon worthy book boyfriend and the fact that he was flawed and struggled made him even more amazing because he was realistically portrayed, but I did feel like more needed to be explored on that front.
My reading experience for this book will definitely not be everyone’s, so I suggest you give it a go on your own and see how you react to Declan and Molly’s ‘pretending.’
3.5 Poison Apples
PENELOPE WARD
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
From New York Times Bestselling Author Sawyer Bennett comes the Chronicles of the Stone Veil, a five book urban fantasy/paranormal romance series. A departure from contemporary romance, the Chronicles of the Stone Veil is a return to fantasy/paranormal romance, where Sawyer started her fiction publishing journey. Readers can expect to find all the elements they love from Sawyer’s books—strong heroines, alpha heroes, and an epic romance—with a fantastical element to add to their reading experience. You can get the fourth book in the series, A Battle of Blood and Stone, now!
You can start the series today with The Revelation of Light and Dark.
Another day, another step closer to Hell on Earth being unleashed.
With every piece that falls into place for the queen of the Underworld, Kymaris gains strength and power that will make it more difficult to defeat her when the time comes. It feels as if we’re in a desperate race to get just one step ahead of her, but my demise feels closer than it ever has before with still so much to do.
The first order of business is to unlock the angelic powers with which I was gifted at birth, and Carrick insists on getting help from my archnemesis to do so. Yes, I have to save the world, but my priority has now become rescuing my sister from the Underworld. While there are many questions still to be answered about my long-lost twin, I know I will not win this battle without her by my side.
In the midst of all the doom and gloom, Carrick has become my beacon of shining light. Our connection unimaginable, my heart recognizes his as the other half of its whole. Inexplicable and deeper than one could ever imagine, the love I hold for him is forged by destiny, however ill-fated it may turn out to be.
And those are the feelings I must hold close…to keep me going. Because a painful lesson is on the horizon—betrayal never comes from your enemies.
A Battle of Blood and Stone is book four of the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series and is best enjoyed if read in series order.
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers.From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
RELEASE BLITZ Title: Not Pretending Anymore Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland Genre:Standalone Contemporary Romance Release Date: April 12, 2021
BLURB
Finding a good roommate through a classified ad isn’t as easy as it sounds. I was starting to lose hope. Until a knock at my door came and God answered my prayers. Except…uh…wrong prayer, God. I’d definitely requested the big guy find me a drop-dead gorgeous man on more than one occasion…just not as my roommate. Declan Tate talked me into interviewing him anyway. While he was amusing and charismatic, I wouldn’t have been comfortable living with a man, so I regretfully declined. Then cupcakes showed up at my door—freshly baked by Declan and just as sinfully delicious as he was. You could say he was persistent. I eventually folded. It wasn’t like I had another viable candidate anyway. Plus, I was interested in someone else. And Declan was into another woman. So it wasn’t like anything would happen romantically. After he moved in, the two of us became the best of friends. We even started to give each other advice on getting our crushes to notice us. Eventually, Declan concocted an idea: we should pretend to be a couple to make our love interests jealous. I was hesitant, but went along with it anyway. To my utter shock, his crazy plan worked. Now I was dating the supposed man of my dreams, and my best friend had the woman of his. But there was one problem. I couldn’t stop thinking about Declan. Those feelings we were trying to fake? Yeah…I wasn’t pretending anymore.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
“So, what do you do for a living?” The woman drummed her fingers on her thigh. “I’m a musician.” I glanced down at the renter’s application in my hand. Lyric Chords was the name listed at the top. I bit my tongue and tried to keep an open mind. This was the twelfth woman I’d interviewed as a prospective roommate. Just because she had a few safety pins in her eyebrow and what looked like a dog collar around her neck didn’t mean I should rule her out. “Oh. That’s nice. Are you a singer?” Lyric shook her head. “Drummer. Do you know the dimensions of the bedroom I’ll be sleeping in? I have two sets of drums I need to fit.” “Umm… I think it’s fourteen by fourteen. But you don’t practice at home, right? I wrote in my ad that I’m looking for a quiet roommate because I work nights.” “I do. But no worries. I’ll practice in my room.” My bedroom and my potential roommate’s bedroom shared a wall, so that was the end of interview number twelve. I sighed and forced a smile. “Thank you for coming. I have a few other people left to meet with before I decide. I’ll let you know.” “Great.” The woman stood. “Also, I know your ad said two months’ rent up front, but I’m running a little short right now. Would one be okay?” I smiled. “Sure, no problem.” Since you’re not going to be living here. After Drummergirl, I interviewed two more candidates. One wanted her boyfriend to move into the room with her, even though my ad had specified I was only looking for a single. And the other arrived twenty minutes late, reeked of alcohol, and slurred her words…at three thirty in the afternoon. Why in the hell was it so difficult to find a roommate in a city of almost three-million people? I needed my last interview of the day to be a miracle, or I was going to have to shell out money for another ad and start the entire process all over. And I definitely didn’t have the time or the funds for that. Rent was due in two weeks. If I got stuck paying the full amount on this place myself again, I’d be eating cat food for a month. When my last appointment knocked right on time, I took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, and asked the big guy in the sky for a little assistance. Opening the door, I blinked a few times. Uhhh.I think you answered the wrong prayer, God. A man stood in my hallway—and not just any man, an absolutely gorgeous one with a perfect, straight nose, cheekbones to die for, a masculine, square jaw, full lips, tanned skin, and the sexiest chocolate brown, almond-shaped eyes I’d ever seen in my life. “Uh. Can I help you?” He flashed a killer smile, one that I immediately suspected had made countless women remove their panties. “Hi. I have a four-thirty appointment with Molly Corrigan.” “You do?” I had the last application in my hand and looked down at the name on the top. “I don’t think so. My appointment is with a D. Tate?” He extended a hand. “That’s me. Declan Tate.” “But…you’re…not a woman.” He smiled again. “You’re correct. Very observant. I am most definitely not a woman. But my last roommate told me I should’ve been because I use moisturizer at night and cried at the end of Marley and Me. And if I’m being honest, I also got a little watery at the end of Toy Story, so maybe I’m a bit of a wuss. Either way, I think you should consider those my positive feminine qualities.” I was thoroughly confused. “Umm… I’m sorry. You must’ve missed that my ad said female only.” “Actually, I didn’t. But if you’ll give me just five minutes, I think I can convince you I would be a better roommate than a woman.” I chuckled. “Let me get this straight… You hid your first name—what did you say it was again?” “Declan.” “Right. Declan. Anyway, you applied to an ad for a female roommate, intentionally deceiving the person who is going to decide if you get the room by leaving your first name off. And your strategy is to convince me I don’t really know what I want in less than five minutes? Do I have that right?” He flashed that boyish charm again. “You sure do.” I debated how to handle the situation. On one hand, he was going to waste my time, and I had done enough of that today. But on the other, my curiosity was definitely piqued. Something about his grin told me this could be amusing. Screw it. I had nothing better to do anyway. I opened the door wider and stepped aside, holding my hand out for him to enter. “I’m setting the timer on my phone, and I’m getting a glass of wine before you start. I like a drink while I’m being entertained.” Declan smirked and strolled into my apartment. I motioned to the couch. “Have a seat. I’ll just be a minute.” When I got to the kitchen, he called after me, “Hey, Mollz?” I turned back. “Yes?” “How about you make that two glasses of wine?” I chuckled. “Sure. Why not, Decs.” I poured a couple of glasses of pinot grigio and returned to the living room. “Here you go. Hope you like white.” “You see? We’re perfect together already. I prefer white over red.” I brought my wine to my lips. “Yes, perfect. A match made in heaven. I think we might even be soul mates.” Declan showed me his pearly whites once again. He really did have a great smile, nice teeth, too. Too bad he also had a penis. I knocked back half the contents of my glass and placed it on the coffee table. Picking up my cell, I swiped to the timer app and set it for five minutes. I showed him the screen. “You ready?” “I’m always ready.” I pressed start, placed the phone face up on the coffee table between us, and folded my hands. “Go.” “Okay. Well…what’s your favorite color?” “My favorite color?” Declan pointed to the timer. “Time’s a ticking, Molly. I’m going to need you to not repeat questions.” I laughed. “Fine. My favorite color is pink.” Declan reached into one of his pant pockets and pulled out a set of keys. The keychain had a bunch of pink beads with white letters between each one. The letters spelled out his name. “Mine too.” I arched a brow. “Did you make that yourself?” “No. My niece, Arianna, made it for me.” “So how do I know that isn’t just Arianna’s favorite color?” “Good point. Let’s move on. Your ad said you work nights.” “That’s right. I’m a nurse. I work the night shift on the maternity ward.” “So you sleep during the day, then?” “I get off at seven, and I try to get to sleep as soon as I get home.” He held his hand to his chest. “I work days. I leave for the gym by six and usually don’t get home until after seven at night. So the apartment will be quiet when you need it to be.” I nodded. “Okay. I’ll give you that that would make you a good roommate. But most people work days, so it’s not really something that makes you too special.” “Do you cook?” he said. “Does macaroni and cheese count?” “I grew up in a multigenerational Italian home. My nonna taught me how to make sauce from scratch.” “So you’re going to cook for me?” “If that’s what it takes to get this apartment, yes.” “As tempting as that might be, there’s an Italian restaurant around the corner that makes great food. Funny enough, it’s called Nonna’s Place, and an actual nonna makes most of my meals. Not a knockoff.” Declan took an exaggerated breath and blew it out. He glanced at the cell on the table. “Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds. I can see you’re not going to make this easy. How about you tell me why you can’t have a male roommate so I can address that head-on. Is it because of the toilet-seat thing? Because I have four older sisters, so I’m appropriately trained. When I was eight, I made the mistake of leaving it up once, and my sister sat down where I’d accidentally left a little pee. She dunked my head in the toilet bowl before she flushed. That was the last time I left the seat up.” He held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor. It won’t be an issue.” I smiled. “It’s not because of the toilet thing.” “Alright. So why don’t you want a male roommate, then?” I’d actually never given much thought to why my roommate had to be female. It just seemed natural to have another woman sharing the apartment. “Well…I don’t really have a specific reason. I would just be more comfortable living with another woman. For example, I sleep in a T-shirt and underwear. When I get up to start the coffee, I don’t get dressed. It would be weird to do that in front of a man.” “Why?” “Why would it be weird to walk around with my ass cheeks on display in front of a man and not a woman?” “Yes.” I shrugged. “I don’t know. It just would. I guess because the women I’ve lived with aren’t attracted to other women, so it doesn’t feel sexual in any way.” “Ah. Now we’re getting to the crux of your issue. So you’re afraid of some sexual tension going on between you and me? Is it because I’m so handsome?” “What? No! And aren’t you full of yourself, assuming I think you’re handsome, and I’m worried I won’t be able to control myself.” “Just keeping it real, Mollz. You’re only giving me five minutes, so I’m trying to get to the heart of the reason.” “I guess I just don’t want to feel like I have to cover up to come out of my bedroom. When I dry my hair, I wear a towel or a bra and underwear—that type of thing.” “Would you feel you had to cover up if I told you I was gay?” That question gave me pause. Would I? I wasn’t sure. “Are you?” “Fuck, no. I was just trying to pinpoint your issue. Is it the fact that I’m a man, or the fact that I might admire your ass if it were on display? Sounds like it’s the latter. So let me put your mind at ease: I won’t.” I felt oddly offended. “What’s wrong with my ass?” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t looked. You know why?” “Why?” “Because I’m in love with someone else.” As insane as it was, I felt a pang of jealousy. “Oh. Well, why aren’t you moving in with her?” “Because she doesn’t return the feelings…yet. So basically, if your concern about having a guy for a roommate is that he’s going to be checking you out, you have nothing to worry about with me. I’m a one-woman man. If you want, I can give you the numbers of some of my exes for references. I’m no cheater.” Hmmm… “I don’t know…” Declan looked down at the clock. Thirty-one seconds were left. “We’re running out of time, so we need to speed things up. How about if I just give you the facts you need to know?” “That would be good.” “I’m twenty-eight years old. I make six figures. My credit score is eight hundred and ten, and I have references from previous landlords. I’m neat and clean up after myself. I’m not home a lot, but when I am, I’m pretty quiet. I’m also damn good with a hammer.” He glanced around my apartment and pointed at a hole I’d accidentally made in the wall when I flung the closet door open too hard. “I can spackle that and put on a door stopper so it won’t happen again.” He pointed to the kitchen. “And those cabinets are pretty tall. I’m six foot one. No more having to stand on a chair to reach something on the top shelf. And—” The timer on the stopwatch buzzed. “Can I just say one last thing?” “Sure. Why not?” “I’ll share my Hulu and Netflix passwords. I have the premium Hulu account.” I laughed. “Well, those are some pretty enticing qualities for a roommate.” He smiled. “So I’m in?” I sighed. “I’m sorry. While I appreciate your tenacity, unfortunately, you’re not. Though I interviewed fourteen other people today, and I have to say, you do seem like you’ll make some other lucky person a fantastic roomie.” Declan frowned, but nodded. “I figured it was worth a shot. This is a great building, and I work right around the corner. It’s hard to find an apartment where it’s only a six-month commitment.” “My lease is up then, and I haven’t decided if I’m going to extend or not.” “See? That’s another reason I’d be perfect. I’m only in town for six more months.” “I’m sorry. This is definitely a case of it’s meandnot you.” He picked up his wine and guzzled it down before standing and extending his hand. “I appreciate you giving me your time. And thanks for the pinot.” We shook. “It was nice to meet you, Declan.” After I walked him out, I shut the door and leaned back against it. What a shame; he really seemed like a nice guy and the best candidate I’d met by a mile. I was just about to go wallow in another glass of alcohol when there was a knock at my door. Checking the peephole before opening, I found Declan standing there. “I forgot something important,” he said. “Oh? What’s that?” He took out his wallet and produced a photo of a nun. “This is my sister Catherine, and it’s not a costume from Halloween. She’s a legit nun. How bad can a person be if his sister is a nun?” I laughed. “Is this the sister who dunked your head in the toilet?” He grinned. “It is, actually.” “Well, I’m not sure there’s a direct correlation between your sister deciding to dedicate her life to the church and you being a good person. Though, even if I take your word for it, it still doesn’t change my answer.” Declan’s shoulders drooped. “Had to try. She tells me her being a nun won’t get me into heaven. Thought maybe it was good for something.” “Goodbye, Declan.” “Later, Mollz.”
***
“So…how’s the roommate search going?” Emma poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the small table in our break room. I sighed. “Why is it so hard to find a normal person these days? I’ve interviewed more than a dozen people, and not one suitable candidate.” “Did you post an ad on the employee bulletin board, like I suggested?” I shook my head. “I don’t want another nurse or tech. It makes it weird at work if things don’t work out.” “Maybe Dr. Dandy will apply.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I heard he’s sleeping on Dr. Cohen’s couch until he finds a place.” That information certainly perked me up. “Really? Will and whatshername broke up?” “Yup. Lisa in X-ray told me Dr. Cohen told her he’s staying with him. Apparently he and the wannabe actress are finito.” “Wow.” Emma smiled. “Yup. And fair warning, my friend… I’m allowing a ten-day grace period for him to grieve the end of a year-long relationship. But after that, I’m going to be up your butt making sure you let the man know you’re interested. He’s not going to be on the market for long, and you missed your opportunity last time he was single. You can’t keep pining for the guy.” Of course she was right. And while I felt elated that Will was back on the market, the thought of coming clean to him about my feelings made me want to throw up. Will Daniels—or as Emma called him, Dr. Dandy, because of his last name and uncanny resemblance to a male model named David Gandy—and I had been good friends for four years now. We’d started on the very same day at the hospital and had gone through orientation together. I’d had a boyfriend back then, and he’d been seeing a girl from med school at the time, so even though I’d always thought he was insanely handsome, things didn’t bloom until two years ago. And most of the time since then, he’d been seeing one woman or another. Emma was right that the man never seemed to stay single for long. “He’s going to be at happy hour this Friday night,” I said. “A few of the crew from CCU are meeting up over at McBride’s. I’m curious to hear what he says about the breakup.” “Does he know you’re looking for a roommate?” “I don’t think so.” “Well, he needs a place to sleep, and you need a roomie.” Emma shrugged. “Timing is everything. Maybe it’s fate and he’ll move in and take care of two of your needs.” “I think your imagination might be getting ahead of itself. Why don’t we start by seeing if things are really over with him and whatshername? They’ve split up a few times, but he always winds up going back.” “Okay. But I have a good feeling about you two.” “Could you possibly have a good feeling about me finding a roommate instead? I just had to pay for another damn ad.” Emma shook her head. “I can’t believe you didn’t find one decent candidate.” Remembering my last interview, I said, “Actually there was one who would’ve been perfect—great credit score, neat, cooks, leaves early in the morning, and works long days.” “So why didn’t you take her?” “Because she was a he.” ★★★
Please note: There will not be an Amazon ebook pre-order, but it will be available on in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon on release day.
Sign up for Vi and Penelope’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live! ➜ https://bit.ly/3dzrJ6k
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
PENELOPE WARD
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
Magic-less and descended from the Sinclair coven, I’m nothing but the cure to vampirism. Vampires have hunted my family for centuries and I’m no exception. My dark captor claims to not want my blood…for himself. He’s the devil incarnate, but I can’t bring myself to completely despise him. Not when he tempts me so.
Alec
I vowed to wipe out the entire Sinclair coven after one of theirs took what mattered most to me. She’s all that’s left. Driven by centuries of hate and a long-standing vow, I strike the deal: sell her blood in exchange for her life. It should be simple, until fate intervenes. But then, fate no longer matters…not when my growing feelings toward her outweigh my vow.
M.L. Philpitt was born in Montreal, Quebec, but raised throughout Ontario. She attended Concordia University, St. Lawrence College, and is currently attending Yorkville University for her MA. She holds a background in English Literature, Sociology, Behavioral sciences, and Counselling Psychology.
She is the author of the upcoming New Adult Paranormal Romance novel, Cure Bound, and already has her next few novels mapped out. She writes in various romance genres, including but not limited to paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary.
She is an avid reader and favorite authors include Pepper Winters, Tillie Cole, Cassandra Clare, Kresley Cole, and many, many others. She’s an active ARC reader, book buyer, and moderator on The New Adult Book Club on Goodreads. While she has taken the publishing leap, her reader status will always remain strong.
Then ran off into the sunset to become Queen of a criminal empire.
Time is supposed to heal all things. For me, time has done nothing but create a vengeful monster out for blood. Her blood. I won’t stop until she’s back on my turf, playing my game and surrendering her body and soul to me.
I’d say my plan would be to destroy her heart like she did mine, except I learned long ago that Scarlet Reyes doesn’t have one.
There is no happily ever after here.
Scarlet
I ruined my chance at happiness—you could say.
I became a Queen to survive.
He doesn’t know I walked away to save his life.
My plan to make my father’s enemy fall in love with me worked, until I lost my own heart in the process.
Until he showed me the cage I had allowed myself to be trapped in.
When a relationship is already built on lies like ours, hearts and love don’t stand a chance.
I have a secret I’m keeping from Trent Nichols.
Now I’m back and once again my lies are standing in the way.
How can we live happily ever after when he’s determined to ruin me?
AM Brooks is an author with a variety of stories; Contemporary Romance, New Adult, and mature YA Her writing style is suspenseful and sometimes leads to heart-wrenching conclusions. With a background in forensic psychology she really goes for those investigative, dark and twisty feels. And of course, lots of love!
Brooks enjoys reading as much as writing. Television shows such as Criminal Minds, Scandal, and One Tree Hill are her go-to binge worthy series. She loves spending time with her friends and family with a good glass of beer or wine. If she isn’t reading or writing, Brooks is Pinteresting future home projects for her wonderful husband to accomplish.
Fairest Of All Book Reviews 