Spotlight: Skin & Bones by Renée Watson

From the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a soulful and lyrical novel exploring sisterhood, motherhood, faith, love, and ultimately what gets passed down from one generation to the next.

At 40, Lena Baker is at a steady and stable moment in life—between wine nights with her two best friends and her wedding just weeks away, she’s happy in love and in friendship until a confession on her wedding day shifts her world.

Unmoored and grieving a major loss, Lena finds herself trying to teach her daughter self-love while struggling to do so herself. Lena questions everything she’s learned about dating, friendship, and motherhood, and through it all, she works tirelessly to bring the oft-forgotten Black history of Oregon to the masses, sidestepping her well-meaning co-workers that don’t understand that their good intentions are often offensive and hurtful.

Through Watson’s poetic voice, skin & bones is a stirring exploration of who society makes space for and is ultimately a story of heartbreak and healing.

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Spotlight: The Pucker Next Door by Sara Ney

Release Date: April 29

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

When a squirrel chews its way through my bedroom wall, I do the first thing any single girl like me would do: run screaming out of the house to the neighbors, begging for help. 

I should mention that the house next door is full of hockey players. And when I lock eyes on rough and rugged Brodie Stockhausen—who happens to be outside brooding on the porch—I’m not exactly impressed. 

But I’m desperate, in a bathrobe, and need a bit of rescuing.

Soon I’m begging for his help with more than just squirrel duty and DIY projects. I want his attention and his touch—not just his friendship! 

I want what every girl wants: him lying in his bed at night, so desperate for me that he’s willing to scale two stories to sneak into my window. Hey, a girl can dream…

But Brodie has a secret; one that leaves me wanting more every time we’re together but has him pulling away…

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Meet Sara Ney

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.

To find out about Sara’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here!

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Connect with Sara Ney: https://authorsaraney.com/about/

Spotlight: One Kind Home by Christine DePetrillo

Series: One Kind Deed Series

Release Date: April 25, 2024

Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance

Tropes: small-town romance, second chance, forced proximity, bodyguard hero

How could Dolan’s stupid wink and a barely-there smile send such a scorching blaze through her?

It’s Claire Rayhill’s turn. All her siblings have found true love in Maplehaven. Clearly, she’s next. She’s been on a ton of dates since moving to small-town Vermont, but those guys haven’t given her that forever vibe. None of them have made her feel like she did six years ago on her one and only night with Dolan Fairmont. Her brother’s sexy bodyguard shifted her world right off its axis. Then he left. Claire has been spinning ever since, but she’s determined to find a nice guy who wants to make a home with her.

Until Dolan returns with the brick walls around his heart higher than ever. The mere sight of him has insults flying out of Claire’s mouth every time they are in each other’s company. Which is far too often. His singular focus on his job pisses her off, but the way he tracks her with those serious gray-blue eyes does something else entirely.

Dolan isn’t sure his brick walls will hold now that he’s back in Claire’s orbit. The sass that comes out of her mouth doesn’t affect him half as much as what that same mouth did to him six years ago. He’s never forgotten the power of her kiss or the fire of her touch, but his line of work is risky. He knows all too well that putting people he loves in danger is always a mistake. Better to not have Claire at all than to lose her.

When Dolan gets hurt, however, Claire surprises them both by volunteering to help. Will she regret that good deed? Will he?

Is one kind home enough to tear down all the walls around their fragile hearts?

One Kind Home is a second-chance, forced-proximity, small-town, contemporary romance with a bodyguard hero and a boudoir photography stylist who might just be picture perfect together.

First Chapter Peek here: https://christinedepetrillo.weebly.com/first-chapter-peeks.html

Excerpt:

Of all the ways she’d pictured spending her thirtieth birthday night, alone hadn’t been one of them.

Well, she hadn’t been completely alone actually. At around 2:00 a.m., a noise outside had made her crawl out of bed. She’d shuffled to the sliding doors that opened to a small deck off the back of the cottage. After turning on the floodlight back there, she’d been greeted by a fox. One with the tip of its left ear missing. It had apparently knocked over a pot of mums she had on a low garden table. Oddly, it hadn’t run off when it noticed her watching. Instead, the fox hopped up onto an Adirondack chair and settled into a tight circle, cat-like, on the flowered seat cushion.

Quietly, Claire had opened the door and slipped outside to sit in the other chair. She sat with the fox for about twenty minutes, the September night air cool, but cleansing somehow. When she’d bought the pair of Adirondack chairs, she’d pictured one for the soul mate she was sure to find soon. Sitting there with a wild fox instead seemed silly, but the critter wasn’t half-bad company.

Rubbing her eyes now and focusing back on the ceiling, Claire wondered if that fox was free tonight. Maybe if she kissed him, he’d turn into a prince or something.

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About the Author

Christine DePetrillo can often be found hugging trees, conversing with dragonflies, and walking barefoot through sun-warmed soil. She finds joy in listening to the wind, bathing in moonlight, and breathing in the fragrances of things that bloom. If she had her way, the sky would be the only roof over her head.

Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.

She lives in Vermont with her husband and many woodland creatures who defend her fiercely from all evils.

Connect:

Newsletter Sign-up: https://christinedepetrillo.weebly.com/social.html

Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christinedepetrilloauthor

Instagram: @christinedepetrillo https://www.instagram.com/christinedepetrillo/

Small Town Hearts FB reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/141435039780507

Website: https://christinedepetrillo.weebly.com/

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3K21zaW 

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christine-depetrillo

TikTok: @christine depetrillo https://www.tiktok.com/@christinedepetrillo

Spotlight: Athena by Eva Pohler

Editor: Alexis Rigoni

Cover Designer: Gabriela of BRoseDesignz

Publication Date: April 25th, 2024

Even the wise can be fools in love . . .

She grows up in the belly of her oppressive father, where she watches her mother build her armor and hatches plans for escape. Once freed, she becomes her father's favorite--a loyal subject, warrior, and advocate who stands by her father even when her favorite is sentenced for treason and chained to a rock, where his liver is eaten daily by Zeus's eagle. Then, her hopes for a reunion with Prometheus are crushed when he disappears, and years of searching prove futile. With a hardened heart, Athena becomes a powerful leader of the Olympians.

But when Prometheus returns from the shadows, her loyalties are challenged, her heart stirs with unquenchable passion, and her immortal life is forever changed.

Excerpt

Warm blood cradled her, though it would be many days before she would have the words to comprehend it.

I am inside my mother’s womb.  

It was cozy, warm, and soft. She stretched her arms, turned, and closed her eyes, but before she had fallen back to sleep with her knees pressed against her cheeks, a deep voice rang out in a threatening roar.

Her mother’s voice, calm and quiet, followed. “I will not destroy the babe.”

“Metis, you must, if you love me.”

That was her mother’s name—Metis.

“I will not.”

A pressure disturbed her cradle, followed by sudden jerks of movement and her mother’s wail. She clenched her tiny fists and uncoiled herself, ready to spring into action. She flattened her feet against her mother’s backbone. 

Her mother’s screams unnerved her. For many hours, she listened to the distressing sounds and felt her mother flailing against her prison.

“Let me out of here!” Metis cried repeatedly.

Once her mother’s cries had subsided and all had gone still, she put her hand against her mother’s belly. It was warm and firm. “Mother? Are you well?”

Her mother flinched with surprise. 

“Mother? Metis?”

Warm hands pressed the belly from the other side. “I am here, child. All is well.”

The sound of something scratching woke her from her slumber. She stretched her tiny fists. “Mother? What are you doing?”

“Tearing splinters from your father’s ribs.”

Her eyes opened wide, warm fluid coating them. “Why? How?”

“Your father, Zeus, is the king of the Olympians. He swallowed me because of a prophecy that I would give him a son who would one day unseat him.”

“I am not a son. I am a daughter, I believe.”

“Yes, I believe it, too. My only concern now is setting you free. I shall weave armor for you from these splinters and find a way to get you out.”

“I like it here.”

“For now,” her mother said. “But you are growing, and soon there will be little room. You will become restless and bored, and you will long for something more than this. I must prepare for that day.”

“Mother?”

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About the Author

Eva Pohler is a USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels in multiple genres, including mysteries, thrillers, and young adult paranormal romance based on Greek mythology. Her books have been described as "addictive" and "sure to thrill"--Kirkus Reviews.

Connect:

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3v7MVYO

Website: https://www.evapohler.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvaPohler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4888434.Eva_Pohler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaPohler/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eva-pohler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evapohler/

Spotlight: Two Tickets to Paradise by Hannah Blowers

Release Date: May 24 

I do what any jilted bride would do in my situation—escape to Hawaii with my best friend for my nonrefundable honeymoon…and pretend we’re married.

My happily ever after takes a nosedive when my fiance dumps me at the altar for his ex. So instead of toasting to marital bliss, I plan on drowning my sorrows in tequila. And instead of promising forever, he's promising I'll never have to see him again if I hand over the tickets to Hawaii. I can’t believe my ears at first when he tells me he wants to whisk his girlfriend away on what was supposed to be our romantic getaway. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound!

But when life hands you a lime, you put it in a coconut.

Licking my wounds in paradise was the last thing I wanted to think about in my dispirited condition, but now I have a perfectly good reason to go—so he can’t. 

Enter Holden Santos, the guy who's seen me through braces, bad haircuts and questionable fashion choices and miraculously stuck around. Now we’re rocking wedding rings, snuggling in a king-sized bed at a luxury resort and playing doting newlyweds as we sip cocktails by the pool. Piece of cake, right?

Until we share a kiss for appearances, that’s so explosive, it reignites feelings I thought were long buried. The butterflies that once fluttered in my stomach during algebra class awaken with a vengeance.

Now I’m at a crossroads. Do I lock away my feelings like the letters I never sent him one year at summer camp? Or do I take the leap, risking it all to lay my heart bare, knowing the consequence could be losing him—the man who’s become my everything, my confidant, my anchor—forever?

Buy on Amazon

Meet Hannah Blowers:

Hannah Blowers lives in Michigan with her husband and their two cats. She loves coffee, graphic design and writing heartwarming books with happy endings when she's not concocting stories in her head at her customer service job. Writing and laughing are her best forms of therapy.

For more information about Hannah Blowers, visit https://linktr.ee/authorhannahblowers

Spotlight: All That Glitters by Brooke Harper

Genre: Bodyguard Romance

Cover Designer: Ozark Witch's Cover Cauldron

Publication Date: May 9th, 2024

The spotlights are blinding.
The dresses sparkle.
The cameras roll, but nothing is real.
Nothing, that is, but him.

I grew up in the Hollywood spotlight, the daughter of movie royalty. Since a young age, I was deemed a natural talent. A rising starlet. I had dreams and a path set ahead of me.

Until a plane crash ruined everything.

In my darkest hour, I had no choice but to rely on the one man who’s always been by my family’s side: Marcus Ortega—my parents’ closest friend turned agent and protector, and who is now, reluctantly, my new caretaker.

With a dangerous past steeped in crime, he’s ruthless, cutthroat, and incredibly sexy, despite being almost twice my age.

It’s well known that Marcus never wanted to watch over a “spoiled brat” like me, but I’m starting to think there’s another reason for his distance. A secret that could shatter us both.

He’s in control of my money, my career, and my life until my trust fund says I can be free. It may be what I wanted once upon a time, but in a world where the things that glitter aren’t always gold, I’m desperate for something real.

Real and destructive like him.

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About the Author

Brooke Harper creates dark and sexy worlds for her characters to play. A lover of strong coffee and old tombstones, she spins dark tales of sex and sin, pain and passion, and misery and madness that’ll have you flipping the pages and begging for more.

Dark Contemporary pen name of Harper A. Brooks.

Connect:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Cpr7NU

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebrookeharper

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19716045.Brooke_Harper

Website: https://authorbrookeharper.com/

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Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brookesbadassbookbishes