Excerpt: Wreck by Stacey Brandon & Karen Bell

Kyle can have almost any woman he wants… except the one he wants most.  If he falls for his boss’s daughter, it could be the biggest mistake of his life.  He’s made more than his fair share.  It would ruin his relationship with the man he considers almost a father, and besides, she deserves someone better than him anyway.

Kinleigh knows the minute she sees the bartender in her dad’s bar that they are meant to be together.  She’s heard all about his good business head, how trustworthy he is, and how much potential he has… but learning he is also the hottest man she’s ever laid eyes on had cinched the deal.   She might look sweet and innocent, but looks can be deceiving.  She’ll do whatever it takes to show him they belong together.

Can they learn that trusting each other is the only way to find happiness?

Or will they let prejudices destroy their lives?

Excerpt

    I am fucking ridiculous.  I need to grow a pair and quit hiding in the damn pantry!  

    Just as I’ve finally convinced myself, it’s time to man up and rejoin the party, the door to the large, walk-in pantry opens and the bright light of the kitchen shows me a silhouette I instantly recognize.

    “What are you doing in here?” Kinleigh demands with a raised eyebrow and knowing smirk.

    “Uh…I was looking for the extra paper towels.  Charli said Ben spilled his drink and I… Ummm…I just…”

    We both know it’s a lie.

    “You were looking for paper towels in the dark?” she asks with a small laugh.

    Shit.  Can’t she just let me off the hook and leave?  

    “What are you doing here?” I throw back in order to avoid answering her question.

    “Wondering why you snuck off.”

     Shit.

     “I didn’t sneak off,” I insist feebly.

    “Uh huh,” she laughs again and I feel a familiar tightening run through my body.  She does this to me.  When she’s around it feels like the oxygen is being sucked out of the room and the badass cool I usually cultivate totally deserts me.  I know I need to stay away from her, but it’s so damn hard.

    “What do you want, Kinleigh?” I groan.

    “You, Kyle.  I want you.” She steps all the way into the pantry and closes the door behind her.

    Standing together in the darkness, unable to see her, my other senses kick into overdrive.  I smell her sugary sweetness that must have become part of her from the hours she spends baking.  I can feel the warmth of her body only a few inches away from mine.  I hear the soft pattern of her breathing increasing in rhythm with every second.  I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything.

    “Kinleigh… This is a bad idea,” I whisper in desperation.

    “No, Kyle, this is a very, very good idea.”  She closes the little bit of distance remaining between us and wraps her arms around me.

    Without my brain’s consent, my hands bury themselves in her long, silky hair and she sighs.  Her delicate fingers run over my back and shoulders and eventually land on either side of my face.  She increases the pressure of her grasp and pulls my head down to her.  Trying to resist her is impossible.  I give in and sink into the pleasure of her kiss.  Her soft lips and exploring tongue are enough to make me forget every good excuse I’d concocted to stay away from her.

    Pushing her back against the pantry shelves, I slide my thigh between her legs and nudge them apart.  I bite gently on her bottom lip and she laughs before reaching around and slipping her hands into the back pockets of my jeans and pulling me in tighter.  I groan and throw my right arm out to grasp the edge of the shelf behind her, hoping for support, and knock several canned goods down.  A few roll away, but one must have landed on Kinleigh’s foot.

    “Owww!” she yells, jerking back away from me.

    Then we both hear a voice coming into the kitchen and go silent.  “I swear she came in here, Liv,” Ronan says, and the sound of his heavy boots on the tiled floor say he’s coming closer.

About Stacey Brandon & Karen Bell

Once upon a time, these two hookers became best friends…

Stacey Brandon and Karen Bell both live in the same small Texas town on the Gulf Coast, are happily married and the proud Moms of awesome kids.  Stacey owns and runs a photography studio and Karen designs and sews her own children’s clothing line.  They met over fifteen years ago when they decided to turn one large professional space into a single home for both businesses.

Well, that’s all the boring facts expected to be included in an “about the author” page, right?  The reality is so much more fun.  Stacey and Karen and their families spend holidays together, travel together… and generally turn every situation into something crazy and chaotic.  They are both fluent in English, Sarcasm and Profanity and have decided the irrefutable proof of their best friend status is how often people assume they are “together” when in public.  The poor husbands are good sports about it… and might even encourage this misconception at times for sheer entertainment value. 

When Karen battled cancer… and kicked its ass… in 2014, they learned to value every day and quit worrying about what others think.  Do what you love!  Karen is happy to take advantage of the situation though.  She loves to remind everyone she “had the CANCER, dammit!”   and now she can always and forever claim the last brownie ;)

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Cover Reveal: Expect the Unexpected by L.M. Heidle

Publication Date: November 4, 2016
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

I’d learned early that life was unpredictable. For some that made them stronger, but others it made them weaker. I was somewhere in the middle, teetering on the invisible line. Until I met him, and he shoved me off.

I couldn’t explain why I wanted her. I just knew she’d be mine, regardless of her past and mine. Even when they crossed in a way I could ‘t have predicted, my need for her never wavered.

If you can hold on through the rain you’ll learn some of the best moments in life are . . . unexpected.

***This is a college romance with a slight twist.

About L.M. Heidle

I’ve spent most of my life in one part or another of Missouri, but I’ve also had the privilege of living in Texas and Georgia. I’ve been married to my husband for ten years. We have two beautiful boys, three snakes, and a Rat Terrier, so basically it’s a full house. When I’m not writing I love to spend time with my family, read, and listen to music (mostly country). I also love watching Bones, Criminal Minds, and NCIS.

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Exclusive Excerpt: Tales of Enchantment by Kai Andersen

Love fairy tale retellings? Indulge your craving in this never before compiled selection at a very low price! 

Red and the Huntsman 

Red has turned eighteen, yet her mother (and everyone else) persists in seeing her as a little girl. She doesn’t know if it is because of her petite stature or something else. 

When the man she is attracted to doesn’t see her as a woman, it’s the last straw. She will show them that she’s all grown up, and woman enough for her man. 

The Question of Royalty 

A lush, sensual, wet beauty arrives at his hunting lodge, seeking shelter from the ferocious storm. She claims to be a princess, but so many things about her don't add up. Despite his intense attraction to her, Frederick can't help but be suspicious. 

Serena is running from a terrible fate, and she has no wish to linger, even when one look from her host makes her feel things she's never felt before. Not to mention the touch of his hands, his lips... Fires burn hot and bright between them, despite the questions in his eyes, questions she cannot answer. 

Unbeknownst to them, villainous forces are at work, seeking to keep them apart. Will Frederick be forced to let her go, especially if she can't answer The Question of Royalty? 

The Quest 

Giselda of Mithirien is a fake, and she knows it. When Prince Michael of Ermont offers for her hand, she's overjoyed. Michael can give her everything her heart desires--wealth, security, status. So why is she attracted to Rodin, son of the palace gardener? 

Rodin knows he's nothing and no one in Giselda's eyes, but he can't help hungering for her. Brought together by a desperate mission, Rodin can't resist awakening his princess to the sensual arts. Much as he loves her luscious body, he wants her heart even more. 

Their desperate quest is fraught with peril--from monstrous beasts and rough terrain to the wild longings and forbidden hopes of their unsuspecting hearts. It may bring them destruction...or their greatest prize.

Excerpt from The Quest:

Giselda was about to reply when something caught her ear. At first she thought it was the hard pounding of her heart. But when it came again, she was sure. It was a moan. A low, feminine moan.

“I’ll show you things you’ve never --”

“Shh.” She pushed against Michael. “I heard something. Someone may be hurt.”

“But you haven’t answered me yet --”

“Keep quiet.”

Her sharp ears caught the low sounds. They seemed to be coming from the trees some feet away to the right. She noted in a distracted way that their retainers had stopped a good distance from them, presumably to give them some privacy.

As she walked toward the grove of trees, the moans became mixed with sighs and whimpers. Increasingly perplexed, she pushed aside the branches with some trepidation as she forayed deeper into the green foliage.

“Hello? Is anyone hurt --”

Shock rendered her speechless. And immobile.

Dim sunlight filtered through the dense leaves.

The woman’s head was pressed against the tree trunk, her eyes closed and her mouth half-opened as she panted and moaned as if in pain. Her dress was pulled down from the neck, exposing her dark skin. The man’s mouth was fastened to a dark globe and made sucking motions as his hand disappeared under the woman’s skirt. Giselda watched, fascinated, as the woman splayed her hand blatantly against the front of the man’s trousers.

Even with his back to her, Giselda knew who it was.

Time seemed to stop. She heard nothing but harsh breathing and the hard pounding of her heart.

Rage filled her, a rage that demanded release.

She screeched with all the fury that welled up inside her. “Stop. Stop it!” When the couple appeared to ignore her, she forcibly pulled Rodin away from the woman. “How dare you -- you -- you engage in such acts in front of me!” she spluttered.

The woman opened her eyes and dropped to her knees, her whole body trembling. “Your -- Your Highness.” One hand pulled up her dress in desperate movements.

The terror in her voice appeased some of Giselda’s fury, but Rodin’s mocking voice brought it all back.

Green eyes taunted her. “Well, well, if it isn’t Her Royal Highness herself. Want to join in the fun?”

“I would never demean myself,” she said in a cold voice.

“Then why interrupt us?” His voice was silky smooth. “If you don’t mind ...”

“How dare you talk to me like that? I said ‘no’ and I mean ‘no’!” Giselda tried to push him farther away from the kneeling woman, but he was like a stone statue glued to the ground. “I’m the princess, and I expect to be obeyed!”

“You are seriously taxing my patience, Your Highness.” His eyes gleamed, and a feral smile graced his lips. “I’m not seducing you, so I don’t know why you’re protesting so much.” An unholy light came into his eyes. “Or perhaps that’s the reason for your protests? You want me to seduce you instead?”

About the Author

Kai Andersen has always loved books. Ever since she could remember, stories have always fascinated her. She loves heroes and heroines with whom she can identify with, i.e. characters who are flawed, who have their own sets of strengths and weaknesses, who find love and passion in each other's arms. So, these are the kinds of stories she writes. Or hope to write.

Connect: Website

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Spotlight: Sunrise by Scott J. Abel

Release date: July 23rd 2016
Black Opal Books

When the shadows come and your world goes dark, can you hang on until sunrise...or will you give in to the darkness? After a tragic shooting shatters Parker's world, the darkness comes for him. His guardian angel Marie fights to save his soul, but will her love be enough to save him? Eighteen-year old Parker, big brother, and high school quarterback, dreams of glory on the football field. But on the night of the shooting, his entire world shatters. In a chilling span of sixty seconds, a mass tragedy wreaks havoc upon his life, family, and community. Although hailed a hero, Parker is horror-struck to discover an incident from his past was the motive for the killings and that he was the intended target. When someone threatens to get the one that got away, Parker finds himself hunted. Help comes from an unexpected source - an angel named Marie. A spunky, impulsive guardian, Marie is dedicated to saving Parker at all costs. When confronted by a sinister nemesis who covets Parker's soul, a desperate struggle is waged over Parker's fate. With time running out, Marie must face her growing, but secret affections for Parker that she can no longer ignore. Affections that will force her to make the ultimate decision-sacrifice herself and all that she believes, or lose Parker to the darkness forever.

Excerpt

She’d just told him the most amazing tale, and now she wanted him to leave her to face danger alone…  

A shadowy figure sat on the table. A small flame appeared in the darkness as the silhouetted intruder lit a cigarette. “That’s it. I’m getting you out of here,” Marie said. She grabbed Parker by the arm and led him away from the picnic table. 

Marie blasted another jolt of blue light into the woman, who collapsed to the ground, jets of white smoke swirling across her limp body. 

A voice called out from behind them. “You have nowhere to run, outsider.” Its tone was cold and mocking. Parker turned to look, but Marie nudged him forward. “Get in the car,” she barked. This was not a request. 

“But what about you?” he asked when he reached the car door and opened it. “I’ll be fine, just go.” “Who is that?” “That’s Seth. I’ll explain later. Just go.” 

Why couldn’t she just come with him? She didn’t have to stay and fight. They could make their escape together. He was about to ask her to get into the car when Seth loomed behind her. “He’s behind you!”

Marie whirled around. Seth took a long drag on his cigarette, the orange ember intensifying in the darkness. The small fire pulled away from his pale face, and he exhaled. “Stop this foolishness, Marie. You can take your charge and run to the four corners of the earth, and I’ll still be there, waiting.” 

About the Author

Scott works in state government and is the author of several short stories and the young adult paranormal romance novel, Sunrise. 

In addition to his writing endeavors, Scott is also a public speaker. He often speaks to organizations, non-profits, and churches on leadership, communication, teamwork, and motivational messages. 

Scott has a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Texas Wesleyan University, but is a rabid, life-long fan of the TCU Horned Frogs. He lives in the suburbs of Austin with his wife and two precocious daughters - who enthusiastically assist him in his search for the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

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Excerpt: More Than Exist by Bethany Lopez

Love can exit your life as quickly as it enters it, shattering your heart in the process. 

It's been a year since my husband was taken from me in a tragic accident. I thought it would kill me. Now, I think I'm ready to start healing. 

My mother says my idea of taking a solo cross-country road trip is crazy, but I see it as my road to recovery. Along the way, I'll have to deal with the poor choices I've made since Ricky died. I'll have to overcome the terror that his death has caused me. I'll have to find my balance again. 

And once I meet Luke and his young son, I'll have to decide if I can take the risk to do more than exist and learn to love again.

Excerpt

“Hi,” I said, putting on a brave face and descending the stairs to greet them. “I’m Belle, you must be Matty.”
“Hi, Belle,” Matty said with a sweet grin, instantly melting my fears away. “Are you named after Belle on Beauty and the Beast? Is California always sunny? Have you been to the ocean? I’ve never been to the ocean, but I want to build a sand castle. Did you know mares can be pregnant for up to three hundred and sixty days?”
I laughed, utterly charmed as Matty put his hand in mine and pulled me up the stairs and into the house. I turned back to look at Luke, who was smiling and shaking his head at his son. 
“No, I didn’t know that,” I responded as we went into the kitchen. “Yes, I’ve been to the ocean. California isn’t always sunny, but it usually is, and no I wasn’t named after that Belle. My full name is Mirabelle, which was my great-grandmother’s name.”
“Oh,” Matty replied, then yelled, “Cookies!” and proceeded to shove one almost entirely in his mouth.

About the Author

Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She's a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers.
Bethany Lopez is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

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Excerpt: Searching for Disaster by Jennifer Probst

The next highly anticipated novella in the Searching For series, a romantic spin-off of the Marriage to a Billionaire series from New York Times bestselling sensation Jennifer Probst.

When Isabella MacKenzie tries to move on from her disastrous past, Officer William Devine is determined to show her that love is the only way to heal. This sexy enovella, the final installment in Jennifer Probst’s heartwarming Searching For series, follows the high-powered women of the popular matchmaking agency Kinnections, located in the small, picturesque town of Verily, NY.

Excerpt

HE REMINDED HER of every delicious, forbidden, dirty action that could be committed under a tangle of sheets. And tonight, he was going to be hers. Isabella MacKenzie barely kept from licking her lips in anticipation of a feast. His golden movie-star looks should have put her off. She wasn’t into pretty boys. She liked her men dark, dangerous, and tatted up. This one had no mar on his dusky-brown skin, and his white-blond hair gleamed like a halo gifted by the angels. He leaned against the wall, drinking a beer, a serene expression on his features. The party was loud and wild, with hookups galore played out amidst the screaming of alternative music, but he seemed untouched by his surroundings. He barely even glanced at the lineup of girls looking to offer themselves up for a night of forgetfulness. Her gaze flicked over his outfit. She preferred leather and old, tight Levi’s. This one wore darkwashed designer jeans and a button-down ice-blue shirt with large cuffs pulled up to show a fancy design. His shoes were camel colored with ties and also looked expensive. Definitely a mystery. One she wouldn’t mind figuring out. Because the demons had come for her again. Tickling her skin, whispering in her ear. That empty ache in her gut urged her forward, to do something to forget and take away the restlessness consistently taunting her. A night of forgetful, rowdy sex would help. And this time she wouldn’t take the drugs. She didn’t need them. Her best friend, Raven, was already suspicious, and she didn’t want to lie. God knows she’d been lying enough to her own family. It wasn’t fair to put that on the last relationship she had left. Yes. This man would help her quiet the voices. She headed across the room, making sure her generous hips swayed with enticement. It had become so easy now to become someone else. The seductress was like second nature, especially since she enjoyed her body and the pleasures it brought. She bucked the ridiculousness of the terms slut and whore, refusing to let civilization or stupid male viewpoints take something precious from her. Izzy enjoyed sex and picked who she wanted, when she wanted. It never lasted long anyway, but that was her choice. Her terms. She wasn’t like her siblings, who craved a permanent relationship and ideals of love that didn’t exist. She lived for the now and the excitement of dawn, where new possibilities always existed.

She stopped in front of him, cocking her head. His gaze had lit with a touch of interest. Up close, his eyes were pale, pale blue and so clear they reminded her of a still, serene lake touched with ice. His hair fell in thick, burnished, messy waves streaked with a dozen colors of light. His features were as classic as his clothes. Square chin. High cheekbones. Arched brows. Long, elegant nose. His lips were full and lush and looked so soft, she imagined her thumb skating over the plump flesh. Up close, he was even more beautiful, and her breath caught just a bit in admiration, as it would in front of Michelangelo’s statue of David. Or Chris Hemsworth as Thor. “You don’t belong here.” His gaze flicked over her, then swept back up again, lingering. “What gave it away?” She shrugged. “You look bored. And you’re too dressed up.” He regarded her with an honest curiosity she savored. “I think you’re underdressed.” Izzy grinned at his pointed stare, which was taking in her beaded black crop top and low-cut jeans showing off her belly ring. She’d worked on her uncontrolled curls with a ruthless precision until the pin-straight strands framed her face with a bit of an edge. She sported purple streaks today because it matched her nail polish. “Usually that isn’t considered a problem.” His slight frown told her maybe it was. Interesting. “You don’t go to college here, do you?” The SUNY upstate campus was rural, with a solid education and a huge reputation for epic parties. Raven had dragged her here for the weekend for some type of art-and-wine festival in town, and they’d ended up hooking up with a cool group who invited them to crash at the dorms. Tammy and Rick were the party couple in the crew, quickly offering up Tammy’s room to Izzy. Raven wanted to skip the college parties and head into town, so she’d left Izzy on her own for tonight. “No. I graduated, but my brother lives in the dorms, so he invited me. You?” “Nope. I just get invited to the parties.” They stared at each other for a moment. Izzy noticed immediately the instant connection simmering underneath the dialogue. Yes, there was chemistry. And he was different from the others. “How old are you?” she blurted out. “Twenty-three.” He glanced at the red Solo cup she held. “Tell me you’re drinking age.” Her lips curved in amusement. “I am. Is that important to you?” “That you’re able to drink?” She stepped forward, testing. “That we follow the rules.” His eyes darkened. The sounds around her dimmed to a foggy slur. “Nothing wrong with rules,” he said softly. “Nothing wrong with breaking them either.” The simmer caught and flared. Her heart ramped up as sweet sexual arousal sung in her blood, loosening her limbs and quieting her mind. How she loved the beginning of the chase; the excitement of the unknown gave her the perfect edge. “What’s your name?” he asked. “Izzy.” “Short for Isabella?” She nodded. “Yours?” “William.” “Do they call you Willy?” She gave him credit. Those gorgeous lips twitched in a half smile. “Not if they want to live. Friends call me Liam for short.” “Well, Liam. I’m crashing at a friend’s place down the hall. It’s quieter there. Want to go?” Fascinated, she watched an array of emotions flicker across his face. “Is it safe to invite strange men to your room?” With another man, she’d give in to the anger that he was judging her. But with him, she got the impression he really cared and didn’t want her hurt. He seemed like the oldest twenty-three-year-old she’d ever met. “Are you safe?” “Yes.” “Then let’s go.” She didn’t turn back to check if he was following. Threading through the crowds with expert ease, she exited and headed down the narrow hallway, where students spilled out, talking and laughing in a rowdy parody of American Pie. She paused at the door with the plastic rose wrapped around the handle and went inside. He followed her in.

About the Author

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

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