Cover Reveal: Liar Liar by L.A. Cotton

Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

For eighteen-year-old Becca Torrence, the chance to finish high school in a new town, where no one knows her or the secrets of that night, should be a dream come true. But when the first day of school rolls around, something is wrong.

Instead of being greeted with warm smiles and reassuring hellos, Becca finds herself on the receiving end of icy stares and cruel whispers.

Putting it down to her status as an outsider, she holds her head high, because they can’t know.

They can’t.

Can they?

Determined to make her new life in Credence work, Becca is willing to do whatever it takes to fit in. Even if it means losing herself in the process.

A white lie can save you … Too many lies will break you.

About L.A. Cotton

Contemporary romance and romantic suspense… written with feeling

L.A is author of contemporary romance novels ranging from sweet with just a hint of steam, to suspenseful reads full of angst, tension, twists and turns. Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time mum to two little people with writing. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find L. A immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.

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Spotlight: The Other One by Jiffy Kate

They are two strangers, struggling from day to day—one trying to overcome the past, while the other hides behind it.

Just when Tripp Alexander thinks he has everything figured out and nothing can stop him, a swift dose of reality plants his feet firmly on the ground. Maybe a little too close to six feet under.

Loren Jenson knows heartache. Circumstances from her past have tarnished her outlook on life, making her feel like her future has been pulled out from under her. That is, until a boy with deep green eyes and a shy smile falls into her life, bringing with him a connection she can't deny.

Will they be able to trust enough to share their secrets and accept one another, despite what they've been through? Or will the truth about their pasts derail the chance fate has handed them?

How do you allow yourself to live out the life set before you when you are the other one?

Excerpt

From the belly of the kitchen, the chime on the front door can be heard, signaling a customer’s arrival.  It’s then I realize I’m still standing in the spot Wyatt left me. Everyone else is busy with their jobs, zipping around, oblivious to my presence. So, I turn my gaze to my feet and walk back through the swinging doors.

As I pass through to the dining area, movement catches my attention. Wanting a glimpse at what my job will be like, I pause; thinking a waiter or waitress will be coming any second. Turning my head just a little, I watch as a young woman slides into a booth, all the way to the inside as if she’s making room for someone to sit next to her. Her eyes are focused on the window, never looking down or at a menu, and I can’t help but stand there and stare at her.

A throat clears, making me jump, and I don’t know if I should feel relieved or embarrassed to see Wyatt standing behind me.

“She’s a regular,” he tells me, looking over at the same girl. “She comes in every Thursday and sits in that same booth, but she doesn’t order or say much. We just leave her be.”
“Okay,” I say as Wyatt leaves me standing. For some reason, my eyes are still on the girl. It seems like a strange thing for someone to do—come and sit at a café, but never order anything—but I’m sure she has her reasons, and to be honest, I’m happy to know I’ll have at least one easy customer.

I can do this.

As I head for the front door, I give my future non-customer one last glance. I expect her to continue staring out the window, so when she turns around and our eyes meet, it catches me off guard. My body freezes—not just because she makes eye contact or for the fact that she’s beautiful, but also because I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyes quite as sad as hers. They’re dark and deep and full of unshed emotion. Something about them—her—makes my heart clench. I haven’t had a reaction like this to a girl in a long time. The feeling practically levels me.

Quickly, I turn away, averting my gaze back to the floor and forcing my feet forward. The second my hand is on the doorknob, my pulse begins to race, and beads of sweat break out on my forehead, sure signs of a panic attack looming over me like a ticking time bomb. 

About the Author

Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman.

Jiff was born and raised in Louisiana. She’s now living in Texas with her two teenagers and two bulldogs, Georgia Rose and Jake. She loves purple, 80’s movies, and geeking out at Comic Cons.

Jenny Kate was born and raised in Oklahoma. She’s the mom of a twelve-year-old and two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Wrigley and Oliver. She loves Kris Bryant, the Chicago Cubs, and coffee.

Some people think they’ve been friends forever, but in reality, they’ve only known each other for five years. Four of those years, they’ve spent spinning tales and writing words. Their first published book, Finding Focus, was released in November 2015, and the second book of the series, Chasing Castles, was released in August 2016.

If you like a romance set in the south, then you’ll love their southern fried fiction with heart and soul.

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Spotlight: Mixed Signals by Diane Barnes

Getting dumped is never easy, but there’s a special bonus sting if your ex-fiancé is a producer for a popular morning radio show. Jillian Atwood’s breakup with Nico has become the hosts’ number-one topic. They’re even running a competition to find him a new girlfriend. The entire population of Boston, it seems, is tuning in with an opinion about who Nico should date next—and what Jillian should do to get over him.
Jillian’s co-worker, Ben, has his own ideas on that score. He hates seeing Jill depressed over a guy as unworthy as her ex. While he’s providing a friendly ear, he’s also realizing how much more he’d like to offer. And if Jill could just get over the man who broke her heart, she might find the one who’s perfectly equipped to heal it…

About the Author

Though she always dreamed about being the shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, Diane Barnes is a marketing writer in Massachusetts. She participates in two monthly writing groups and attends novel writing workshops in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts.

She started “Waiting for Ethan” as a challenge to participate in National Novel Writing Month. The original story was about a character who dated a string of freshly divorced men who all had issues with their ex-wives. She won’t say if that idea came from her dating experiences.
In 2012, Diane was one of eight writers who attended the Boston Writers’ Studio, an exclusive four-day intense writing workshop taught by bestselling author Elizabeth Berg. Diane says having her idol read her work was a moment she’ll never forget.

When not crafting novels, Diane spends her time playing tennis, going to the beach or watching her beloved Red Sox. She completed her first half marathon in 2014 (to combat her love of chocolate) and lives in central Massachusetts with her husband Steve; they often fantasize about moving to Turks and Caicos – for the winter months at least.

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Excerpt: After Loving You by Ashelyn Drake

When Mia Thompson and Jared Grande break up before college, they think that’s the end for them. 
 
But two years later, Mia is stalking Jared’s Facebook page and he’s contacting her every chance he gets. Even though they’re both seeing other people, they can’t seem to say good-bye to the past they shared. 
 
One way or another, they’ll have to figure out how to love again. Is it time to get back together or time to move on? 

Excerpt

“Mark, I really like you,” I say, feeling the need to reassure him of my feelings.

“But . . . ”

This can’t wait. I have to tell him now or he’ll be in agony until we see each other. “Something happened. Something I’m not proud of.”

“The guy from back home.” He says it so matter-of-factly.

“We sort of kissed, but it doesn’t mean anything. Nothing’s changed. It was a huge mistake and I came right home.”

“So this happened today, then?”

“Not exactly. I came back last night.”

He doesn’t respond. I wait, giving him time to process this. I can’t push him or I might lose him. “Why did you wait until now to tell me?”

“Things with Jared didn’t end well, and I needed to make sure I knew what that meant for both Jared and me and us.”

“Is there an us?” I hear Sammy yapping in the background and then what sounds like a refrigerator door slamming shut.

“I hope there can be.”

He swallows three times in short succession.

“Rehydrating?” I ask, unable to keep the awkwardness from my voice.

“Beer doesn’t really rehydrate you,” he answers. Wonderful, I’ve driven him to drink.

“I know it doesn’t help, but I’m sorry.”

“Whatever. We just met, right? I guess I don’t really have a right to be angry. You told me about Jared before you left. I should have seen this coming. I shouldn’t be surprised at all. But I am. I’m so fucking mad right now, Mia.” He’s not yelling, and that makes it worse because each word is laced with pain.

“You have every right to be mad at me.”

“But that’s just it. I don’t have a right to be mad. You love him. You told me as much. How can I compete with that?”

My head lowers and my gaze falls on my hand. For the first time I wish I had a burn. I want some sort of memory of Mark and me before everything went to hell. “What I feel for him doesn’t change what I feel for you.”

“And what is that? What do you feel for me, Mia?”

I take a deep breath and grab my coat and keys. “Can I come over so we can talk in person?”

“I’m sweaty and disgusting.”

That’s the lamest excuse ever. “I don’t care, but if you don’t want to see me, say that, Mark. Don’t hide behind a little sweat.”

“Fine. You want the truth? Here’s the truth.” He lets out a long breath before continuing. “If you come over here, I’m going to forgive you and tell you we can start over. I’m going to give you a second chance, and I’m going to be so damn happy about it, which will make me hate myself because I’ll be the biggest pussy in the world.” His rambling only makes me want to see him more. He really cares about me, and I can’t let him go.

“I’m on my way.” I hang up before he can tell me not to come.

About the Author

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes speculative fiction under the name Kelly Hashway.

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Excerpt: How to Catch an Heiress by Natalie Rios

Anthony Carter has not had it easy in life. In a matter of months, he lost his mother to cancer along with his much coveted spot in a prestigious doctoral program. Swimming in debt, he's been forced to move back to his hometown in rural Montana and take whatever job he can find. A drunken weekend in Vegas is exactly what he needs to help him forget his problems.

A recent break-up with her boyfriend of nearly a decade has left straight-laced Liz Rockwell disillusioned with love and in desperate need of a vacation. She gets more than she bargained for when one drunken night at a Vegas bar results in her being married to Anthony. Embarrassed by her lapse in judgment, Liz is ready to make this whole night just go away. A quickie divorce seems like the best solution to their problem, until Anthony realizes who Liz really is.

Known in the media as the Candy Heiress, billionaire Liz is the answer to Anthony’s prayers. All he has to do is convince her to write him a check. Unfortunately, Liz is not one to be easily intimated or coerced. Discovering the Rockwell family secret may be Anthony’s only hope. But the more time he spends with the intelligent and tenacious Liz, the more he realizes their chapel wedding may not have been such a drunken mistake after all...

Excerpt

Watching him squirm was fun, almost too much fun. 
  A muscle in his jaw twitched and if his teeth were clenched any tighter, they would probably break. He oh-so-gently set my card down on the entryway table, as if it were a grenade that needed to be handled with great care. When his gaze met mine again, I could see the worry in his eyes. It was finally hitting him that he was up the creek without a paddle.
  “This,” I made whirling motion with my index finger, “is all so very predictable.”
  That had his eyes narrowing, anger quickly replacing worry. “Predictable,” he snorted. “You don’t know anything about me. And what little you do know is hardly enough for you to be able to predict anything about me.”
  “Oh, but I do know about you. Quite a bit, in fact. Shall I tell you what my research on you has turned up?” 
  His eyes and mouth widened with shock. “You researched me?”
  “I’m the Candy Heiress, born to a family worth billions. Did you seriously think I would wake up suddenly married to a stranger and not immediately look into his criminal history? His life story?” Studying him, his expression told me that’s exactly what he’d thought. The prick. “Let’s see...Where should I begin? Perhaps chronologically?”
  “Get on with it. You probably don’t have much,” he replied gruffly. “I was only a bit surprised because I’m not as searchable as you are, princess.”
  The nickname had me sending him a withering look. “Don’t call me that.”
  “I’ve Googled myself before. There’s hardly anything out there.” His words were like a gauntlet being thrown, a challenge I could not resist accepting. Like most people, he was underestimating me. A huge mistake on his part and a notion I was happy to disabuse him of.

About the Author

Natalie can't sing. Or dance. Or play an instrument. She can't ride a bike and doesn't know how to swim or drive. As a result, her husband often asks "Are you sure you're not really from Mars?" (the answer, in case you were wondering, is no. Unless New York counts as another planet). When she's not geeking out at her day job, Natalie can be found attempting to wrangle her overly energetic Westie, baking ridiculously chewy chocolate chip cookies, and watching so-bad-it's-good reality television shows.

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Excerpt: Sound Effects by L.J. Greene

What is YOUR passion?

When an uncharacteristically rash decision lands law school graduate Melody Grayson in San Francisco’s dicey Tenderloin District, she comes face to face with a dangerously tempting man who embodies every mistake she swore she would never repeat. Passionate, sexy, and far more insightful than she’d care to admit, he causes her to question everything she thought she knew about her future. Now she’ll have to decide where the bigger risk lies: in the prudent path she has been working tirelessly to pursue, or in the intriguing but uncertain one he’s offering.

Up-and-coming, Irish-born musician Jamie Callahan is no stranger to chaos; he’s lived a lifetime of it. But in the fall of 2004, when the music industry is on the verge of massive upheaval, the life he aspires to could come at a heavier price than he’s prepared to pay. And while Melody may be the ideal person to help him navigate the gambles he must take, a relationship with her might be his biggest gamble yet.

SOUND EFFECTS is a standalone dual POV adult contemporary romance that captures the gloriously unpredictable nature of life, in which the path from who you are, to who you’re meant to become may not be a straight one. It may also have a few bumps. Sexy, humor-filled, and relatable, Sound Effects is a story about living passionately, staying true to yourself, and finding that one magic person who makes the journey of self-discovery an adventure worth taking.

Excerpt

I didn’t want her to leave–though she did, anyway–and would have done anything to erase the hurt in her eyes that I knew I had put there.

She was the loveliest woman I had ever seen in my life–tonight all the more so in a beautiful crimson dress. I loved that she wore that dress; it was feminine, like her, but it said unmistakably that she would not live quietly. Nor should she. She was passionate and intelligent, and she should never, ever blend in with a crowd.

But, like the piano beneath my hands, valuable so far beyond my reach, she seemed not meant for me. She belonged in this room, with these people who were more her equals in stature. After all, outside the front window was chained a bicycle that represented a substantial portion of my personal net worth. I couldn’t so much as give her a ride home, let alone provide her the life she deserved. And it didn’t seem fair to hold her to me just because I wanted her so very much.

About the Author

L.J. Greene is a self-professed obsessive multi-tasker who writes really boring stuff by day and lets her inner romantic fly by night. This California native is married to the most amazing man and has two beautiful children, not old enough to read her books. (They probably wouldn’t want to anyway on account of the “Ew, gross” factor.) She’s an avid reader of all genres, with an embarrassingly large eBook collection and a weird penchant for reading the acknowledgements pages of the books she buys. She's also a music lover with no apparent musical talent, a travel enthusiast, and a cheese connoisseur.

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