Read an excerpt from Adrenaline by Kelly Elliott

RELEASE DAY: MARCH 22, 2016

Malcolm Wallace lived for the adrenaline rush. If he wasn’t living life on the edge, he wasn’t living. He had no time for relationships, let alone love. 

When one event changes Malcolm’s entire future, he must turn to the one person who makes him doubt his entire philosophy on life. 

Paislie Pruitt. 

She’s beautiful. 

She’s strong. 

She’s the one rush Malcolm never saw coming

I pulled Black Jack to a stop as I looked out over the hill country. There was nothing like being back at home in Texas and on the ranch. No early morning strategizing meetings with Dalton. No pressure from the sponsors to be on my A game. Nothing to worry about at all. 

Just nature. 

Excerpt

There was nothing like it. 

Pulling on the reigns, I turned Black Jack and headed back to the house. She’d be here soon and I still needed to take a shower. “Let’s go boy,” I shouted as I gave Jack a bit of pressure to get him into a run. 

Twenty minutes later hot water was running over my body. 

My hands were leaning against the travertine wall as I hung my head with my eyes closed. 

“If that’s not the best damn site I’ve seen in awhile.” 

With a grin, I smiled as I felt her hands move across my wet body. “Did you miss me?” she whispered against my skin while she slowly moved her lips down my chest. 

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About the Author

Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason...he claims it's because he loves her!

She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.

In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write. 

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus....her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

Connect with Kelly: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter: @author_kelly

Spotlight: Plain Jayne by Laura Drewry

ABOUT PLAIN JAYNE

In the debut of Laura Drewry’s funny, heartwarming Friends First series, a man and a woman learn the hard way that a little bit of love makes staying friends a whole lot harder.
 
Worn out from the long drive back home, Jayne Morgan can only smirk at the irony: Of course the first person she sees from her old life is Nick Scott. Once best friends, they lost touch when Jayne left town at eighteen, but nothing could keep them apart forever. Jayne has returned to take over her grandmother’s bookstore, determined to put all her bittersweet memories and secret disappointments strictly in the past—until, that is, Nick insists she bunk at his place.
 
Nick never did care what people thought about having a girl for a best friend—or the “scandal” she caused by showing up to his wife’s funeral four years earlier—so he’s got no problem with the gossips now. Jayne was always the one person he could count on in his life. Now Nick is starting to realize that he never wants her to leave again . . . and that being “just friends” isn’t going to be enough anymore.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Laura Drewry had been scribbling things for years before she decided to seriously sit down and write. After spending eight years in the Canadian north, Laura now lives back home in southwestern British Columbia with her husband, three sons, a turtle named Sheldon, and an extremely energetic German shepherd. She loves old tattered books, good movies, country music, and the New York Yankees.

Spotlight: Laguna Beach Series by Kaira Rouda

Laguna Nights (Laguna Beach, Book 1)

Madison Alcott left her Laguna Beach childhood in the past as soon as she could, never imagining she’d be forced to return. Caring for her ill mother and holding down a high-pressure position at the best resort in town, Madison’s life is as good as it could ever be in Laguna Beach. And blissfully, nobody knows her as Holly anymore, the name she used on television. Everything changes when her high school boyfriend appears in the lobby. He was the reason she’d left Laguna in the first place when he humiliated her on national television.

Josh Welsh’s star has been dimming ever since he shot to fame as the high school heartthrob on the reality TV series Laguna Nights. Hoping to reignite his career, he agreed to host a travel show, with the first episode shooting in his old hometown of Laguna Beach. Of all the negative scenarios associated with filming in Laguna, Josh hadn’t calculated a run-in with Madison, or that the same deep connection he felt for her in high school would still be there.

Madison and Josh’s reality TV relationship exploded years ago but when the new series forces them together, they must face Laguna Nights past and present. 

Laguna Heights (Laguna Beach, Book 2)

Annie and Hank have created a perfect life in Laguna Beach but when a dark secret is revealed, will their marriage survive?

In high school, Annie Johns was the calm, supportive sidekick to the rest of the tumultuous female stars of the hit reality TV show, Laguna Nights. Today, she's living the happy life as a mom that she predicted on the show long ago. There's only one problem: the secret from her past that haunts her most nights, a secret that if revealed could ruin everything she shares with her husband, Hank, the man who saved her from the heartache.

Laguna Lights (Laguna Beach, Book 3)

Welcome back to Laguna Beach, California ...

Laura Kinkaid’s glamorous Hollywood life is falling apart. After years of reality television stardom beginning in high school on Laguna Nights, her career and relationship with her long-term boyfriend Scott are fizzling out. Laura decides to go home to Laguna Beach for the weekend to attend a baby shower for her high school friend. That decision – and a car accident – will lead her to a new future, if she’s ready to take a chance at love.

Paul Dorn’s former life in New York City is far behind him and he’s working in a popular Laguna Beach surf shop when fate brings the most beautiful woman he’s ever met into his life. The attraction is instant and he has an overwhelming desire to protect her. While Paul’s retail sales career is a short-term job for market research purposes, his focus on Laura is long-term.

Will Laura allow a handsome stranger to help her create a future unlike her past, or will the bright lights of Hollywood pull her back to LA?

Excerpt

“If you insist,” Paul said, and Laura realized she’d said that last thought out loud. Paul smiled before slowly reaching one hand behind her neck. He held her firmly around her waist with one arm while he wrapped a section of hair around his other hand. He tilted her head back gently as he pressed his lips to hers. She felt her head swirl as their lips molded to each other, giving and taking. He pulled back slightly and kissed each corner of her mouth, then traced the edges of her lips with his tongue. It was soft. Gentle. She heard herself sigh. He brushed the bottom of her lip with the tip of his tongue and sparks surged through her body. She was holding onto him tightly, arms around his waist, just to keep from falling over.

    He broke the kiss with a final gentle press of his lips against hers. He smiled down into her face, his eyes darkening with attraction. “We better stop. Your parents are just inside,” Paul said. Laura felt like a rag doll and she didn’t want to stop kissing him, but she knew he was right. He slowly released her hair, trailing his fingertips down her arm, igniting sparks wherever he caressed. He kept one strong arm around her as they walked to the street.

Laguna Sights (Laguna Beach, Book 4)

Is the price of fame the chance at true love?

Scott Cassidy has lived a blessed life. Growing up in Laguna Beach with a loving family, he was discovered in high school when he appeared on the popular reality TV show, Laguna Nights. Now cast as a doctor on the number one soap opera, his star keeps rising. Finally free from his long-term girlfriend, Scott isn’t looking for love, but when a popular dating app matches him with Jamie Kane, he can’t deny the sparks. But is she really everything she seems?

Jamie Kane isn’t lucky in love or life. Her childhood was tumultuous with a single mom who moved to Hollywood for fame but ended up waiting tables in Malibu. Certainly not one of the spoiled kids she went to high school and college with, Jamie has worked hard to achieve her dreams of being an actress, even as she begins to realize it’s not her calling. Jamie believes Scott may be the answer to everything unless a past mistake makes him doubt their future together.

Once you become a star, can you trust other people’s intentions?

About the Author

Kaira Rouda is a USA Today bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary women's fiction and sexy modern romance novels that sparkle with humor and heart. Her women's fiction titles include HERE, HOME, HOPE, ALL THE DIFFERENCE and IN THE MIRROR. Her bestselling short story is titled, A MOTHER'S DAY. Kaira's work has won the Indie Excellence Award, USA Book Awards, the Reader's Choice Awards and honorable mention in the Writer's Digest International Book Awards. Her books have been widely reviewed and featured in leading magazines. 

Her sexy contemporary romance series set on INDIGO ISLAND includes: WEEKEND WITH THE TYCOON, Book 1; HER FORBIDDEN LOVE, Book 2; THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS, Book 3; and THE BILLIONAIRE'S BID, Book 4. Each of these novellas can be read as a stand alone, or enjoyed as a series. Her new series is set in LAGUNA BEACH and includes: LAGUNA NIGHTS, Book 1; LAGUNA HEIGHTS, Book 2; and LAGUNA LIGHTS, Book 3 coming winter 2015. She also helped launch Melissa Foster's The Remington's Kindle World with her bestselling novella, SPOTLIGHT ON LOVE, and is part of Carly Phillips Dare to Love Kindle World with THE CELEBRITY DARE.

Her nonfiction titles, REAL YOU INCORPORATED: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, and REAL YOU FOR AUTHORS: 8 Essentials for Women Writers (available for free download on her website) continue to inspire.  

She lives in Southern California with her husband and four almost-grown kids, and is at work on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books and on her website, KairaRouda.com.

Connect with Kaira: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Spotlight: Searching for Harmony by Kelly Elliott

ABOUT SEARCHING FOR HARMONY

From New York Times bestselling author Kelly Elliott comes the gut-wrenching story of a love that transcends all odds—and transforms the deepest pain into the brightest hope.
 
Firefighter and first responder Preston Ward thought he had grown immune to the job’s emotional burns. But when he goes out on a particularly tragic call, he realizes that some scenes are too devastating to forget. And yet, if it weren’t for that terrible night, he never would have met the woman who makes him want to risk his heart.
 
More than once, Harmony Banks has watched her perfectly ordered world torn apart by fate. Now she’s finding out that what she lost wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and it’s tearing her apart. The only thing that keeps her going is the kindness of a stranger: the firefighter who saved her life the night everything changed.
 
Preston isn’t like the men who have come before. For one thing, he’s far more genuine. And the love Harmony feels growing between them is almost too intense for her wounded soul. But if she and Preston can push past heartbreak, they’ll find that something incredible awaits in each other’s arms.

About the Author

Kelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author whose works include Searching for Harmony, Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Unconditional Love. She continues to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots and giving readers stories rich with hot, protective men, strong women, and beautiful surroundings. When she’s not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She lives in central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups.

Spotlight: Portrait of a Forbidden Lady by Kathleen Bittner Roth

About the Book

LADY GEORGIANA CRESSINGTON is living a nightmare. Coerced by her father into returning to her childhood home, the young widow becomes a pawn in his heartless game. Her return to Summerfield Hall reunites her with the man she once loved—before their hearts were shattered by a devastating betrayal.

SIR ROBERT GARRICK, an artist knighted by the queen, lives alone in a mansion near the family estate Georgiana’s duplicitous father won in a crooked card game. Rob sets out to regain Summerfield Hall to keep Georgiana’s son from inheriting Rob’s rightful home. However, when he and Georgiana are thrown together, he once again craves the forbidden lady he never stopped loving, and a passion that never died bursts into flames.

Facing danger and a long-hidden truth, Georgiana and Rob must confront a relentless enemy and heal the wounds on their souls in order to claim the powerful love that will restore their fractured hearts.

Excerpt:

Oh, dear, he’d read her mind. Her cheeks heated. “Don’t tell me you are going to stand in the middle of Charingham and flirt outrageously whilst everyone in the village looks on.”

He stood straight and tall, his hands clasped behind his back. While his eyes danced with merriment, there was no mistaking the fire banked in them as, once again, he openly studied her every movement. He leaned to her ear, his words a sensuous whisper. “Madame, I do not consider my frank confession to be an exercise in flirting, but if it will get me that kiss, then I shall commence with the task at once.”

“You are outrageous.”

“Indeed, and I thank you for noticing.”

She drew in a deep breath and spoke on the exhale. “I have learned there are four kinds of love, Rob. There is filial love, which the Malverns have barrels of—spilling over the top, I might add. There is romantic love, of which I have no desire to enter into ever again since I have no plans to marry. And then there is love of family.”

Rob lifted a brow. “The fourth?”

“Love of friends. Special friends.”

His eyes held steady with hers, and for a moment she felt as though her heart might burst. “And you wish for me to remain in your love of friends category?” 

He stood before her for a long moment, his gaze powerful and penetrating. Then, with a little bow, he kissed her hand. “You are a remarkable woman who speaks well, and with a good deal of intelligence. But just now you spoke foolishly. After our foray by the pond, it has become clear you want me and I want you. Even though you have no desire to marry again, and I am not inclined to wed, we have not finished with each other. Until we do, what exists between us will eat away at our insides until there is nothing left of us, so let’s bring to an end whatever we started sixteen years ago, and then we’ll have this conversation again.”

Good God! She was at a loss for words

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About the Author

Kathleen Bittner Roth creates evocative stories featuring characters forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. A PAN member of Romance Writers of America®, Kathleen was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest. 

Connect with Kathleen: Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter: @K_BittnerRoth

Spotlight: Heart of the Rockies Series by Sara Richardson

NO BETTER MAN (Heart of the Rockies, #1)

When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won't give up his property without a fight.

Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future . . 

EXCERPT

“Best way to get warm is to take a hot bath,” Bryce informed her as he kneeled down to crank on the faucet in the oversized tub he’d never used.

“That’s not necessary,” she murmured breathlessly. He’d never heard her sound more afraid.

“It’ll warm you up faster than anything else. Trust me.” He swiped a clean towel from the cabinet and set it next to the tub. “Don’t worry. I’m not planning to hang out and watch.” Though he wouldn’t mind, but she obviously didn’t want that. “You can take your time. I’ll go make a fire.”

“Okay,” she said, but her eyes shifted like she was uncomfortable. Yeah. That was his fault. Last night, he’d walked away, leaving her bare and vulnerable. Hopefully one mistake hadn’t ruined his chances with her.

He moved toward the door. “I’ll find something dry for you to wear and leave it on the bed.” Stepping into his bedroom, he closed the bathroom door, then went to the very back of his closet and pulled out the heavy bathrobe he never wore. At least it’d keep her warm. Maybe he could throw her dress in the dryer…

“Bryce?” Avery’s muffled voice came through the door.

He hurried over. “Yeah?”

The door opened and she stood there still clothed in that soaked dress, which happened to accentuate her perfect cleavage.

“Um…” Her face glowed even redder than it had out in the snow. “I can’t seem to get the zipper down.”

Well, shit. That meant he’d have to touch her, to see what hid under her dress. “Are you sure?” he asked. Because once he touched her, it wouldn’t be easy to stop.

“I’ve tried,” she muttered, like this was much harder on her than it was on him. It probably was. It’d be a lie to say he wouldn’t enjoy it.

“I pulled on it, but it started to rip.”

“Okay.” No problem. He just couldn’t think about how much he wanted to ravage her right now. Careful not to touch her skin, he gathered her hair in his hand so he could locate the zipper.

As he undid the clasp, a slow breath leaked through his lips. God, she smelled good.

Carefully, he tugged on the zipper. It didn’t budge. Of course. Now he’d have to touch her. Sure enough, his fingers grazed the soft skin on her shoulders as he tugged harder. Finally, the zipper gave. “How’d you get stuck in front of the underwear store?” he asked to distract himself from the slow reveal of her bra and underwear.

“I was actually at Elevation 8,000,” she said, her voice as guarded as his movements. “With my father and some of his friends.”

“Must’ve been some dinner,” he said, studying the sexy cut of the dress.

SOMETHING LIKE LOVE (Heart of the Rockies, #2)

IT'S GONNA BE A WILD RIDE

Ben Noble needs to do some damage control. Fast. His heart has always been in ranching, but there's no escaping the spotlight on his high-powered political family. Now the only thing that can restore his reputation is a getaway to the fresh air of Aspen, Colorado. Not to mention that the trip gives Ben a second chance to impress a certain gorgeous mountain guide. But Paige Harper is nothing like the shy girl he remembers . . . she's so much more.

Paige is serious about Ben, too: seriously annoyed that the playboy cowboy is using her mountain for his PR. Once upon a time, she fell for Ben's aw-shucks charm, but the fairy tale didn't end happily. Paige doesn't intend to let down her guard again. But keeping their relationship all business and no pleasure may be harder than she thinks-especially if the moonlight, the Rockies, and a certain irresistible rancher have anything to say about it...

MORE THAN A FEELING (Heart of the Rockies, #3)

STOP RUNNING . . .AND START FALLING

For Ruby James the Walker Mountain Ranch is her safe haven. Here in Aspen, Colorado, she can finally build a quiet life for herself without fear of her old one rearing its ugly head. Or so Ruby thinks. Any single woman would be happy to indulge a tall, dark, and curious cop-but the closer Ruby gets to him, the closer she gets to losing her newfound peace.

Police officer Sawyer Hawkins is no stranger to secrets. He's ready to leave town for good until a security threat brings him back to Walker Ranch, and Ruby's gorgeous green eyes soon have him second-guessing his decision to go. Her kindness and quiet strength awaken feelings he'd thought long buried, even as her reluctance to talk about her past worries him. The cop in Sawyer only wants the truth-but the man in him wants Ruby in his arms forever . . .

About the Author

Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After five years in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons. Her first contemporary romance, No Better Man, was released by Grand Central forever 2015.

Connect with Sara: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram