Spotlight: Serenading the Shadows by Jodie Larson

No one should have their life planned out at the age of three. Yet that's exactly what happened to Adrienne Carmichael. Paving the way as the "piano prodigy" was all her parents wanted...

Only she didn't.

All she wished for was to be normal, to be a regular teenager and everything that came with it - including the decisions that would shape her life.

Wish granted.

Ten years later, scarred and broken, she knows that being alone isn't everything she imagined. The piano is finally everything, except nobody will ever hear her play again. All that changes when a sexy-as-sin rock god blows into her life. Tall and tattooed with jet-black hair and a dangerous bad-boy smile...he's every girl's fantasy.

To her, he's a distraction, yet Kade Evans is everything she shouldn't want. Instinct tells her to run, but she can't get him out of her mind.

But maybe, just maybe, he can be the one to pull her from the shadows before the darkness swallows her...for good.

About the Author

Jodie Larson is a wife and mother to four beautiful girls, making their home in northern Minnesota along the shore of Lake Superior. When she isn’t running around to various activities or working her regular job, you can find her sitting in her favorite spot reading her new favorite book or camped out somewhere quiet trying to write her next manuscript. She’s addicted to reading (just ask her kids or husband) and loves talking books even more so with her friends. She’s also a lover of all things romance and happily ever afters, whether in movies or in books, as shown in her extensive collection of both.

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Free Promotion: A Stone In the Sea by A.L. Jackson

From NYT Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson…

Sunder lead singer Sebastian Stone is no stranger to trouble.

It follows him wherever he goes.

From his track record, he should have known Shea Bentley would be a problem. But the soft, innocent Southern girl was all he could see. All he wanted to see. Now they’re both drowning in a sea of desire, sinking hopelessly into a world of lust, and their passion refuses to let them up for air.

No matter how much he wants that to be enough…Shea has an inescapable past. One she would do anything to keep running from.

But some secrets never die.

If her history is dragged from the depths, it could tear his world apart. He has to decide if she’s worth fighting the tide or if they should just sink like a stone in the sea.

About the Author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, as well as the newest BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for the next installments, STAY and STAND, coming in 2017.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson

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Giveaway

Excerpt: Forever Charmed by Dawn Chartier

Rose Morgeaux is a healer, not a killer, so training to fight is the last thing she wants to do. And if going against everything she believes in isn’t bad enough, she has to do it with the eyes of the dark and handsome Callahan McCray on her back.Cal’s seen the work of Warlocks firsthand when one killed his brother a year ago, so Rose’s hybrid heritage is all the reason he needs to stay away. Teaching her to throw a knife was not on his agenda, but neither was falling for her.

When Rose begins to pay a heavy price for her passions, Cal’s love must be enough to save her from herself and keep her from following in her grandfather’s dark footsteps.

Excerpt

“Practice. Raise the blade.” He stepped behind her and repositioned her shoulders. “Move the left leg like this, and the right leg like that.” 

She mimicked his stance.  

He touched her, his hands eased along her arms, and warmth followed in their path. “Like this?” she asked. 

He grabbed her waist, and turned her ever so slightly, then leaned next to her ear. His breath tingled her cheek, and other places. “Just like this.” He turned his mouth toward her ear. “Throw.” 

He stepped back.  

She kept one eye open, and narrowed the other one, then threw. The blade hit hard, just slightly left of the bulls eye. Wow. Better. “Show me again? I think I missed a step.” 

Cal shoved his hand through his thick hair, and moved behind her, repeating his touching her as she’d hoped. His hands pressed down her thighs. She positioned her legs where he guided them. The feeling of his lingering fingers near her ass heated her entire body. 

“Bend your knees slightly.” He pushed her hips wanting her lower yet. 

Tingles shot between her legs, down to her toes. Dear God. Was she panting? 

“Aim,” he whispered next to her head. “Now throw.” 

How could she focus with him touching her? She took a deep breath and threw. Bullseye. “Yes!” She jumped up and down and somehow ended up in Cal’s arms. “It worked.” 

Cal lifted her off her feet. “Aye, I knew it would.” 

He lowered her until her mouth was even with his, and she couldn’t control herself. She kissed him. He held her, her feet dangling, and kissed her back. He allowed her to slide until her feet touched the ground, pressing fully against him. She noticed—god, did she ever notice—he was ready. 

After a minute, he pulled back. “Rose, don’t tempt me.” 

She swallowed, trying to slow her breathing. Why did she ache so much? It was like she was a cat in heat, and no matter what she told herself, she wanted Cal. “I’m not.” 

“You are,” He grabbed her wrist.  

bout the Author

Dawn might occasionally have a gator parked in her front yard there on the bayou, but it’s the snakes that really scare the bejeezus out of her. So instead, she tends to hole herself up with a good romance book, chocolate by the pound, or marathon tv viewing of Game of Thrones, Hell On Wheels, Downton Abbey, Arrow, various home renovation shows and Supernatural—oh Dean. *swoons*

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Spotlight: Paper Love by Aubrey Wynne

Growing up in a Papua New Guinea mission, Joss Palmateer is a gentle soul with a unique view of life. Still adjusting to a new home in the U.S and the sudden loss of her mother, love is the last thing on her mind.

Sexy physical therapist, Ben Montgomery, meets his sister’s friend and the sparks fly. He takes it as a challenge when she ignores his advances, but it’s her extraordinary inner beauty that captures his heart. With the help of a stray homing pigeon and an old origami legend, Ben sets an unwavering course of romance to win her love

Excerpt

“I categorize, I don’t judge. We’re all different. We all have a role in life.” He mirrored her pose. “So you’re argumentative.”

“Not usually, but you bring out the best in me.”

His laugh was so loud that it drew the attention of the others in the room. Joss’ face turned red. “And intelligent and beautiful.” His bright green eyes pinned hers and turned a smoky jade. “Go out with me. You won’t regret it.”

“Said the lion to the mouse.” But she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. He was arrogant but witty. Her mind craved the challenge he would provide if her body didn’t betray her first. Step away from the charming, to-die-for handsomeness of this man.

A brunette came up behind the couch, put her head between them and said in a breathy tone, “Don’t forget about the rest of your guests. You promised us a dance.”

“Indeed I did.” He stood up and held out a hand to Joss. “Would you care to dance?”

Joss shook her head. “No, I don’t dance.”“Never?”“Never.”“The gauntlet has been thrown. I’ll ask again,” he said and turned to the

blonde. “C’mon Jackie. Let’s swing.”Ben grabbed the girl’s hand and moved through the crowd. A whistle

pierced the air. “Swing time,” someone yelled and bodies started moving toward the large porch.

“Easy Breezy,” Becky called out as she swept past Joss. Interest piqued, she stood and moved toward the back of the house. An old tune, sounding like something from the thirties or forties filled the house. Four couples were on the dance floor, including Becky. She recognized two more of the Montgomery siblings, and then it was a blur of movement.

The crowd started to clap and sing along as if this was an expected part of the evening’s entertainment. Joss watched the couples twist, turn, shoot out in spins, and come back together. They bent and stretched, flapped their hands yet never stopped smiling. The pure delight on Becky’s face was contagious, and Joss began clapping along with the rest of the audience.

And then her eyes landed on Ben. His tall, muscular frame moved as gracefully as a cat but with the power of a bull. She couldn’t take her eyes from him. He spun the girl out and pulled her into his side, bent and moved forward, their feet pivoting back and forth in unison as they moved across the room. After another twirl, he pulled her into his chest, her face looking up at him with a huge expectant smile. His shirtsleeves strained against his muscled arms as he swung her up like a rag doll and tossed her against his hip, down against him for a brief moment as their eyes met, and back up on his other side.

When the song ended, she was as breathless as the dancers. He turned and searched the guests. His gaze latched onto her, traveling from her face to her heaving chest and back up to her eyes. That smile, those full lips, sent heat through her and dared her to come closer. The girl tugged at his arm, caught his attention for just a moment, and the spell was broken.

About the Author

Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trailriding and all things Christmas.

Her short stories, Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete's Mighty Purty Privies have won Readers Choice Awards and Dante's Gift received the 2016 Golden Quill and Heart of Excellence award, as well as being a Maggie and Aspen Gold finalist.

Besides her Chicago Christmas novellas, Aubrey will release "A Vintage Romance" series inspired by tales of her stepfather, who served for the British Air Force in WWII. The stories will be set in the 40s & 50s. Her medieval fantasy series will launch in 2017 with Rolf's Quest.

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Spotlight: It's Been You by Rina Gray

Rina Gray returns with IT'S BEEN YOU, an all new Crush on You novel from Crimson Publishing. When the opportunity to land a lucrative deal and promotion results in a friendly competition that then erupts into an all-out battle of desire, Tiana Holliday and Nathaniel Lawson will straddle the line between love and war in this steamy must read Fall title releasing November 7, 2016!

Marketing manager Tiana Holliday just landed her dream job at an award-winning agency in New York City. There’s just one problem: cocky playboy Nathaniel Lawson, her old grad school nemesis, is her new officemate.

As the firm’s rising star, Nathan never had to compete for prime clients until all-work and no-play Tiana strutted into his workspace. When an opportunity arises to manage a lucrative sports car account and nab a big promotion, he challenges her to a wager: Loser does the winner’s bidding for one month. But their friendly little competition suddenly threatens to erupt into an all-out battle of desire.

As they straddle the line between love and war, they just might discover that challenging each other outside the boardroom is even more satisfying than advertised.

Excerpt

The crowd screamed and clapped. A few rows behind Tiana, someone started a chant for the Beast. Clapping, she chanted with the crowd. The announcer waved a hand in the air and gripped the mic with his other one. “Unanimously voted to win all four rounds and still undefeated, I give you,” he walked to the corner and raised Nathan’s arm in the air, “the Beaaaaaassst!”

Tiana jumped and clapped as he stepped away and waved his arms in victory to the crowd. This isn’t so bad.

“Tiana wants to have a dozen babies with you, Beast!” Mel screamed at the top of her lungs.

Before Tiana could renounce her Martin Luther King philosophy of nonviolence and sock her former friend in her arm, Nathan turned to face them.

A flicker of heat, and a big dose of danger burned in his gaze. A jolt of energy zapped and electrified her. Every particle and cell in her body awakened, liquefied, and then sizzled. His lips tipped at the corners into a lazy smile.

“I’ll have your babies, too!” someone yelled from the crowd. His gaze stayed fixed on her face. His dark eyes broadcasted, “I’ve seen you naked and I like it,” to anyone who cared to see. Clenching her legs together, she quivered. Nathan gave her a cocky-ass smile as if he knew he was the cause of the mini-explosions firing within her.

A ring girl stepped into the octagon, sashayed up to Nathan, and leaned in for a kiss. Tiana jerked away from their intimate moment and held her breath for a second before looking back. Much like his fight, he ducked the woman’s advances, hopped on the stool in his boxing corner, and jumped over the ropes surrounding the ring. Landing with the ease of a panther, he stalked toward Tiana.

Mel nudged her and whispered, “Brace yourself.” Taking her friend’s wise advice, she breathed deep. Her eyes filled with him. A tall, dark, sexy, and sweaty vision. This man—this sexy beast—wanted her. Only her.

“Peaches,” he growled as he snatched off his gloves and tossed them carelessly on the floor. Closing the distance between them, he wrapped one hand around her waist and cupped her face with the other. His hard, unrelenting eyes continued to broadcast a message. No going back. His tongue swiped her mouth, as if testing the waters, followed by firm, warm lips. He commanded surrender, obedience, and absolutely no negotiations. She clung to him knowing his kiss had changed everything.

Her heart slammed and knocked against her chest, and her knees buckled. She was … Damn it, am I swooning? Like a well-practiced, swashbuckling pirate, his arms snaked around her waist as he drew her body into his. Wetness pooled and flooded her lacy Vicky Secrets. Nathan had just KO’ed her va-jay-jay.

Copyright © 2016 by Rina Gray

About the Author

Rina Gray is one of the newest African American romance writers on the rise. She is also a digital marketing professional who discovered her love of writing in 2012. Writing has always been Rina’s passion, though initially, she tried to deny it. In college she served as the copy editor for the entertainment magazine and newspaper. During her tenure, she had the opportunity to interview various talented entertainers including Chris Rock and the cast from Reno-911.

Rina has always been an avid reader, sneaking to read her mother’s books she had no business reading i.e. Stephen King’s The Stand, It, and Anne Rice’s various vampire series. As a pre-teen, she received a load of romance novels from a family friend and from that point on, she devoured any book related to romance or horror. When she’s not writing, she can be found with her head stuck in a book, kickboxing, or dominating game night with friends and family. Rina resides in Atlanta with her husband.

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Excerpt: One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.

Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.

They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

Excerpt

When Rory came out of the woods, Max really wanted not to care that she was wearing more snow than clothes and shivering, but he couldn’t do it. He watched while with shaking hands she carefully shook off before climbing into the truck. Then she stripped out of her jacket that clearly wasn’t waterproof.

    This left her in a soft off-white sweater that was damp and clinging to her like a second skin. She wore a white lace bra, also damp, and not doing much to hide the fact that she truly was cold. And he was absolutely concentrating on that and how she looked like she needed a hot cheeseburger, and not her nipples, two hard little beads threatening to poke through both the lace and the material of her sweater.

    Had he thought of her as the sweet, girl-next-door type? Maybe if the girl next door was pinup material, because damn. Sitting there with her long waves clinging to her face and shoulders and chest, giving him peekaboo glimpses of her perfect breasts, he couldn’t remember why he didn’t like her and didn’t want to like her.

    “What?” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “You’ve never seen cold nipples before?”

    Yes, but not ones that made his mouth water to taste. Kiss. Nibble. Suck into his mouth… “Did you see any bears?”

    Rolling her eyes, she pulled a hair tie from around her wrist and used it to contain the wet mass of waves on top of her head.

    He handed her a towel, but she shook her head. “I’m fine.”

    “Yeah, if fine is drenched and cold,” he said. “Take it. It’s not the same one I used on Carl.”

    “I wouldn’t care about that,” she said. “But you might have to stop and put on chains soon and you’ll need a towel for yourself.”

    “We’re not going to need chains,” he said. “I’m in four-wheel drive and we’ve got good tires. Now use the damn towel, you’re dripping all over the place.”

    As he knew it would, this galvanized her into action and she ran the towel over herself in jerky motions. When she was done, she was still shivering, and after a hesitation, she pulled off her damp sweater.

    This left her in a white camisole and aforementioned white lace bra, neither of which were all that significant.

    “You going to stare at me all night or get us back on the road?” she asked coolly.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s sexy contemporary and award-winning books wherever romances are sold and click on the blog button above for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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