Read an excerpt from Eloping with the Princess by Robyn DeHart

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"Robyn DeHart's vibrant characters sweep the reader into a clever and sensual romp that is not to be missed." - Julia London, NYT Bestselling Author

When a fellow member of the Brotherhood of the Sword drops off a mysterious lady in need of protection at the house of Viscount Jason Ellis, he agrees to keep her safe not fully knowing what that will entail. Once Isabel Crisp learns the truth of her identity, that she’s the last remaining member of the royal family from the island nation of Saldania, her world is tipped upside down. 

A plot to usurp the throne from Victoria after a marriage comes to light. Isabel realizes rather quickly that if she were already married the men would not succeed with their plan. Jason reluctantly agrees to marry her, but in name only as he’s bound to learn the title to his brother’s son, the rightful heir. But keeping his hands off his tempting and willing wife proves too difficult and the passion between them ignites.

Excerpt

“I could have already cut you on more than one occasion,” Jason said. Ever since their first lesson in fencing, Jason had wanted to spar with her again. Today he’d been unable to wait any longer.

“Your skills are more refined than mine,” she said.

“True, but I do not believe that is the problem. You are distracted. We do not have to continue. Perhaps you’d prefer additional lessons from my mother on how better to fit in with ladies of the ton.”

Her eyes flared with anger, and he suppressed the urge to smile. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” She jabbed him with her foil, her steps more precise and strong. “I believe I managed the situation, and I sincerely doubt those particular women will visit again.”

He lifted a brow. “It was only a suggestion, considering how this first visit went. I suspect you’ll receive more visitors and likely some invitations to attend tea with other ladies in town.”

“They were mocking me,” she said, again jabbing at him, her anger evident in every move. “I believe it might be the last time.”

And just like that, she was in a furious battle where their foils clanged against each other. She met every lunge, every strike.

“You’ve been practicing,” he said.

“Perhaps a little,” she admitted.

“But you have some moves that I haven’t taught you yet,” he said after a particularly crafty placement of her foil.

She tilted her head, and her brows rose. “I might have found a book on fencing in the library.”

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About the Author

A life-long lover of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ’s and computer. Award-winning author, Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn’t be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers.

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter: @RobynDeHart | Goodreads

Read an excerpt from Can't Buy Me Love by Marie Force

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Mary Larkin was hard at work as the office manager at the Green Mountain Country Store when Cameron Murphy brought her dad, Patrick, in to visit. That fateful first meeting, which took place in You’ll Be Mine, sets the stage for Mary and Patrick’s long-awaited romance in Can’t Buy Me Love! 

Mary enjoys her predictable, satisfying life in Butler. If it’s a little lacking in excitement, well, that’s okay with her. But after meeting Patrick and getting to know him better at his daughter’s wedding, Mary is intrigued by the well-known, sexy billionaire businessman. 

Patrick is equally intrigued. For the first time since he suddenly lost his wife thirty years ago, he has met a woman who makes him feel less lonely, and all he wants is more of his Sweet Mary from Vermont. Flirty phone calls become a weekend away together that takes his relationship with Mary to the next level. 

But with six hours and two vastly different lives standing between them, can Mary and Patrick find happily ever after together? And after telling her father to keep his hands and everything else off Mary, will Cameron approve of her father’s new romance? 

Excerpt

Later that night, they sat in front of the fire playing a competitive game of checkers that she was winning, but not by much.

“Are you sure you’re not cheating?” he asked as he refilled both their glasses with Chardonnay. The firelight cast her in a warm glow that only made her more attractive to him. Her cheeks bore the slightest flush from the heat of the fire and the wine. Patrick remembered that wine had made her cheeks rosy at Will and Cameron’s wedding. He remembered every minute he’d spent with her, and that alone made her different from any other woman he’d spent time with since he’d lost his wife.

“I do not cheat,” she said indignantly—and adorably. “You’re just mad because you win at every game you play, which makes you a sore loser when things don’t go your way.”

“That’s very true,” he replied bluntly, making her laugh. “I don’t like to lose.”

“I would imagine you have very little experience with losing.”

“I have some.” His brows furrowed as he examined the board, delight unfurling inside him when he saw the chance to win—and win big. “And I’m very sorry to say that I’m not going to add to my loser résumé tonight.” With his one king, he performed a triple jump that basically wiped out her remaining checkers.

Stunned, she stared at the board where she’d been thoroughly decimated. “You did not just do that.”

“I’m afraid it had to be done.”

“That was not nice.”

“No, it wasn’t. But all’s fair in love and checkers.”

“Of course I knew you had this ruthless side to you. You don’t get to where you are without being ruthless, but that… That was just…”

“Brilliant?” He loved to goad her and to watch her expressive face as she formulated what was certain to be a witty reply.

“Evil is the word I would use.”

“I’m very sorry.”

“No, you’re not! And P.S., I quit.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You want to play Monopoly instead?”

“Absolutely not. I can’t even imagine how good at that you must be.”

He flashed a smug grin. “I’ve never lost a game of Monopoly.”

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About the Author

Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 contemporary  romances, including the Gansett Island Series, which has sold nearly 3 million books, and the Fatal Series from Harlequin Books, which has sold 1.5 million books. In addition, she is the author of the Butler, Vermont Series, the Green Mountain Series and the erotic romance Quantum Series, written under the slightly modified name of M.S. Force. All together, her books have sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide!

Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.

Join Marie's mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @marieforce and on Instagram. Join one of Marie's many reader groups. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.

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Spotlight: Weird and Wonderful by Cece Barlow

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Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: February 13th 2017

Gin Autry must finish the last semester of high school in eclectic Austin with her hippie grandmother while Gin’s brother waits for heart surgery in Houston.

Instability reigns, but Gin uses the principles of feng shui to find balance and send positive energy to her brother. She also secretly hopes her voice-over actress dream will advance and true love will show up.

Instead, she falls for the wrong guy and clings to the wrong dream. Nothing in Gin’s life is balanced, but when death threatens her brother, she discovers true balance is about listening, compromise, and the guy in the friend zone.  

Excerpt

In Weird and Wonderful, Gin has a major crush but he's only got eyes for her sister Brandy:

[Without opening his eyes, he pulled me into the hammock on top of him with surprising force and began kissing me.

"Mi cariña," he mumbled.

I tried to ease away from him, but he anchored me to him with hands on my butt. Hard. His tongue prodded at my lips, and I couldn't help my curiosity. I kissed him back. Our legs tangled together, and the hammock swung as his hands traced up my sides to the curves of my breasts.

"Ah, Brandy, so soft, so soft," he said, and I froze.

Did he think I was Brandy? I pulled away from him.

"Brandy, Brandy," he repeated, his grip tightened.

He did think I was Brandy! What? What! I struggled to free myself. Jesús struggled too. The hammock began shifting widely. We grew more and more entangled with each other.

"Let me go, Jesús," I demanded.

Finally, he opened his eyes. "You're not Brandy!"

No, I was not.

We flailed in the hammock, but there was nothing to hold onto. Suddenly, we flipped onto the roots and grass on the ground below.

I landed on bottom with Jesús on top in a classic anime boob fall. His face was pillowed between my breasts. I shoved at his head, but he didn't move. I gazed down my nose.

His eyes looked up my throat. His forehead blushed scarlet. "Madre de Dios!"

And the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost! I thought.]

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About the Author

Cece Barlow writes books for young adults and the young at heart. She's a a dash of fun, mixed in with some smart cookie and a splash of capable. She started her first fan fiction group in junior high and never stopped writing. Today, she writes about girls with lofty dreams and about the absolute craziness of falling in love. 

When Cece's not writing, she curls up with a book, heads to a popcorn blockbuster, or kicks back to watch shooting stars. If she sees the moon in the daytime, she thinks she's lucky. 

Cece lives in College Station, Texas with her college sweetheart Tim and two cats - one evil and one good.

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Read an excerpt from The Whole Way Home by Sarah Creech

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A ferocious talent on the brink of making it big in Nashville must confront her small town past and an old love she’s never forgotten in this engaging novel—a soulful ballad filled with romance, heartbreak, secrets, and scandal from the author of Season of the Dragonflies.

Playing to packed houses while her hit song rushes up the charts, country singer and fiddler Jo Lover is poised to become a big Nashville star like her idols, Loretta, Reba, and Sheryl. To ensure her success, Jo has carefully crafted her image: a pretty, sassy, down-to-earth girl from small-town Virginia who pours her heart into her songs.

But the stage persona she’s built is threatened when her independent label merges with big-time Capitol Records, bringing Nashville heartthrob JD McCoy—her first love—back into her life. Long ago Jo played with JD’s band. Then something went wrong, they parted ways and took their own crooked roads to stardom. Now, Jo’s excited—and terrified—to see him again. 

When the label reunites them for a show, the old sparks fly, the duet they sing goes viral, and fans begin clamoring for more—igniting the media’s interest in the compelling singer. Why is a small-town girl like Jo so quiet about her past? When did she and JD first meet? What split them apart? All too soon, the painful secret she's been hiding is uncovered; a shocking revelation that threatens to destroy her reputation and her dreams. To salvage her life and her career, Jo must finally face the past—and her feelings for JD—to become the true Nashville diva she was meant to be.

Excerpt

JD Gunn stood up from his wooden pew in the Ryman and joined the entire audience as they clapped and whistled for Jo to return to the stage for an encore. It felt good being on this side of the stage for once, just another audience member looking up with awe at a stellar performer. Nashville’s finest musicians, critics, and business folks gathered in these pews to witness her performance, alongside some of the most devoted fans he’d ever seen. JD’s ears were ringing from all the screams unleashed for her.

He and the band cut their Northeast tour short a day to come to the Ryman for Jo’s induction into the Grand Old Opry family. He and his band had been members for five years and he tried to make it to every new induction. Now he was second-guessing that decision. He figured enough time had passed between them that his presence here wouldn’t bother her, that maybe she would’ve expected to see him and be happy about it. But there was something about the way she looked at him, like there was a glitch in her system. And Jo Lover, who was master of her instruments, one of the finest musicians he’d ever known, messed up that easy Loretta number.

JD put his fingers in his mouth and let out a cattle whistle. His bass player Rob stood next to him and shouted Jo’s name over and over. Rob wore the same black and white Willie and Waylon outlaw t-shirt he’d owned since middle school. JD was an only child and Rob was the closest to a brother that JD had. JD and Rob snuck out the house and hitched a ride away from Gate City to attend that Willie and Waylon show together. Rob waited in line for almost an hour to have his shirt signed. When it was finally his turn and he had the chance to talk to Willie, he almost didn’t speak, just stood there adjusting his thick glasses. JD shoved him and Rob finally said, “You guys are so cool” and Willie said, “So are you, kid.” Rob talked about it for months. Still brought it up when they got drunk. All they wanted back then was to be those guys. Swore they’d grow up to be outlaws and not ruin their bodies at the quarry like their fathers had. They swore they’d find something better to do with their hands.

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About the Author

Born and raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sarah Creech now teaches English and Creative Writing at Queens University of Charlotte. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her two children and her husband, the poet Morrie Creech.

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Read an excerpt from The Professor and the Bird by Roberta Franklin

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Professor Nikos Angelopoulos is working with his Greek-Turkish team at a dig in Turkey when one day a young motorcyclist gets stranded: Sally from Ireland, fresh and charming and a bit flirty. Very soon the Professor finds out that, despite her temperament, she’s still very innocent and gullible, and he seems to develop fatherly feelings towards her, protecting her from the clear intentions of the young men at the camp.
 
Then she just happens to dig up a fragment of clay with an old Assyrian inscription in Hittite on it, and Nikos finds out that this inscription is the oldest one found so far in an Indo-European language. While celebrating their great find, Sally and Nikos discover their feelings for each other despite their age difference – but at the same time, an American millionaire turns up who wants to buy the clay fragment for his collection; and, although Nikos tells him it is a national treasure and not for sale, he won’t take no for an answer. He tries to convince Nikos to sell it to him, and when that plan fails he calls in his gunmen…
 
Amid their ever-growing passion for each other, Nikos and Sally now have got to face a dangerous and violent gang of artefact thieves together with their brave international team of archaeologists and workers. Who will win the showdown at Kanesh camp – and will this unusual relationship between a scientist of sixty and a young adventuress of not yet thirty stand the test of time?

Excerpt

Nikos and Sally make love in their hotel room:

So they’d done their duty – and so they were free again, to do whatever they wanted! And what should they be wanting now but...? They sat down on the couch and started kissing most passionately; and at some point, though completely wrapped up in his arms and his charms and his love, Sally remembered something. She smiled at him and whispered in his ear: “I’ve got a surprise for you!” She got up, and he looked after her, a bit puzzled, and already eager to continue their kissing game – but when she reappeared two minutes later, he was even more eager to do so: she’d taken off all her clothes, and wrapped herself up in those diaphanous cloths they’d found at the bazaar that morning... And oooh, how sexy she looked! His eyes were almost popping out of his head when he told her: “Come here, my princess!”

“At your command, my prince!” she curtseyed to him, smiling roguishly, and sat down again beside him; and he gently moved his hands over her body and whispered lovingly: “My dear little red-haired, blue-eyed princess...” Even in the relatively dim light of the floor lamp it was plain to see that she was wearing neither a bra nor a slip, and her most intimate parts were accentuated rather than hidden by those thin, shiny veils; and so again he had to loosen up his tie before his hand ventured underneath the cloth that was supposed to be a kind of ‘skirt’ – and she spread her legs most willingly in order to enjoy his skilful caresses...

Not long after that, the cloths and Nikos’ clothes lay scattered on the floor, and the two lovers were lying on the bed, caressing each other and moving their bodies rhythmically, with their lustful groans going along with the rhythm; enjoying their victory, their carefreeness, their peace and quiet – and most of all, of course, their love...

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About the Author

Roberta Franklin, who was born in Germany in 1973 and studied History and English Literature in Munich, has been living in Greece since 1998. She has worked in various fields – as a journalist, as Social Hostess on a cruise ship, as an insurance agent – and during the past years she has been working as a freelance translator and a teacher of foreign languages. But her true passion has always been writing, and her favourite genre has always been romantic fiction.
 
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Spotlight: One Night with A SEAL: All Out by Tawny Weber

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One night. Two SEAL brothers. Endless sexy possibilities!

ALL OUT by Tawny Weber
Navy SEAL Zane Bennett can't walk away from a challenge. He's determined to win a bet with his brother—until he collides with the luscious Vivian Harris. Their attraction is immediate and searingly hot, but Zane can't bring himself to bow out of the bet. Now the game is really on…and Zane is embroiled in a wicked matchup he can't resist! 
 
ALL IN by Beth Andrews  
Of the Bad Boy Bennett twins, Navy SEAL Xander is always the gentleman. That is, until he's challenged to go against his brother for a date with Quinn Oswald—the girl Xander's wanted since high school! It takes only one kiss for Quinn and Xander's deliciously sexy chemistry to explode. But how much is Xander willing to gamble…before he goes all in?  

Excerpt

Vivian wiggled into the most romantic corner booth she could wheedle and ordered a sparkling water.  No point enjoying wine until she knew she’d enjoy the evening, too. 

   She pulled out her cellphone.  No cancellation message. 

   That was a good sign, wasn’t it? 

   Half the time, Vivian felt like her dreams were a tease.  All too often she got within kissing distance of her goal, and poof, there it went.  No big payoff, no awesome climax, nothing. 

   Because, why?  Because she always blew it. 

   She shouldn’t have told him her name. 

   She should have teased instead, said she’d tell him tonight. 

   Maybe she shouldn’t have let him in on the what she made at The Sweet Spot, either.  Sure, a lot of guys saw that as a turn on, but there were just as many who subscribed to the prude theory.  Like her brother.        

   And he was Mike’s friend. 

   Then again, so was Lenny. 

   Before she’d finished her confused sigh, Zane walked in. And all of her doubts took a backseat to the sight of how gorgeous the man was.  Vivian sat up a little straighter.  Shoulders back, chin high and chest probably jiggling because her heart was beating so fast, she smiled and sent him a little wave. 

   “Vivian,” he greeted as he joined her. 

   “Zane.”

   “So you’re Mike’s little sister, hmm?” 

   “Ahh, so the dare worked.”  Vivian laughed.  “How many times did you consider bailing?” 

   “Bailing?  I’ll have you know I’m trained to confront conflicts of all shape and size.  I fearlessly face down explosives, disarm bombs and disable volatile chemicals. Sometimes all three before breakfast.”

   “Tell me more.”  Delighted, Vivian put on a wide eyed look of fascination, even adding a little eyelash flutter for good measure. 

   “I train with the best.  I’m one of the elite.  There’s no challenge devised that I won’t face.”  He leaned in, his smile almost hypnotic as he teased.  “Baby, I never bail.”

   “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that,” Vivian declared as the waiter brought Zane a beer and refilled her water. 

   “But, here’s the thing—” he started to say as soon as the waiter left.

   “No,” she moaned.  “Not the thing.” 

   There was only one thing of Zane’s that she wanted to hear about. 

   “Here’s the thing,” Zane continued, laughing.  “Some guys have rules about buds dating their sisters.  Sisters, cousins, moms.  Guys get weird thinking the women in their lives have sex.  They get even weirder when they know the guy putting the moves on that sex.”

   Lips pursed, Vivian propped her elbow on the table, rested her chin on her fist and fluttered her lashes. 

   “Aren’t you taking a leap there, assuming we’d definitely be having sex?”

   Zane blinked, looked horrified for one second, then shook his head.

   “I’m speaking generally, not specifically.”  Then he narrowed his eyes.  “Are you saying that you see this thing between us as platonic?”

   “Of course not.  I plan on having a great deal of sex with you,” she purred.  “A mind-blowing amount, as a matter of fact.” 

   “Mind blowing, hmm?”

   “Indeed.”  She reached out with her free hand to trail her fingers over the back of his knee.  Up his thigh, then back down again.  Oh, baby, even through denim, his muscles were rigidly impressive. 

   He clamped his hand down, locking hers down on his thigh. 

   “Only one thing.”

   “Only one?”

   “Only one.”  Zane entwined his fingers through hers.  “Your brother.” 

“Oh, please,” she objected.  “Like you’re afraid of my brother?  The man wears argyle socks and loafers, for crying out loud.”

   Zane’s snicker escaped before he could stop it, then he shook his head.  “Mike’s footwear isn’t the issue. The fact that you’re his little sister is the issue.”

   Vivian debated for a handful of approaches. 

She could keep blathering about her brother.  That’d put an end to either of their interest in anything after a while.  Mike was like a sedative. 

She could offer him an easy out, a simple excuse to end the evening so he wasn’t in danger of violating his bro code.  Given there was a lifelong friendship involved, that’d be the nicest thing to do. 

   She could seduce Zane into forgetting about the bro code, which would ensure her one night of dreams-come-true-ecstasy.  

   Or she could do the unthinkable.

   Vivian took a deep breath, her eyes locked on Zane’s face.  He had such a sweet smile and sexy eyes.  And there were dreams at stake here, dammit. 

   So she reached into her bag to do the unthinkable. 

   “What are you doing?”

   She finished dialing her brother’s number.

   “Getting you a bro code clearance.”

   “Mike,” she said the minute he picked up.  “Let’s play what if. What if I have the hots for one of your friends?  What if this friend wants to make a move but he’s worried about upsetting you, so I want to make the move instead?  What would your feelings be on that?”

   “He’s afraid of me?” Mike laughed.  “Wish him luck.” 

   “Okey dokey,” she agreed, hanging up and giving Zane her most seductive smile. 

   Zane gave her a long look, the kind that made her want to squirm in her seat and breathe a little heavier. 

   Then he smiled. 

   “You know he thinks you’re referring to Lenny, don’t you?”

   Vivian ran her tongue over her lower lip and leaned into the table. Just enough to highlight her cleavage. She waited until Zane’s gaze returned to her eyes before giving a delicate little shrug. 

   “Can I help it if my brother is an idiot?” 

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About Tawny Weber  

New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of more than forty books, Tawny Weber loves writing about sexy heroes, most notably her popular Navy SEALs series.  Her sassy, emotional romances are filled with men dedicated to being the best—and women determined to have the best.  Tawny credits her ex-military alpha husband for inspiration in her writing, and in her life.   The recipient of numerous writing accolades, including Romantic Times Reviewers Choice and in addition to the NY Times and USA Today bestseller lists, Tawny has also hit the number one spot on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.   

A homeschooling mom, Tawny enjoys scrapbooking, gardening and spending time with her family and dogs in her Northern California home.

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