Spotlight: Only for You by Beverley Kendall

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They say there is a thin line between love and hate.

This is what happens when that line is crossed.

College freshman Olivia Montgomery is thrilled at the chance to start over, escape the rumors that plagued her in high school. And she can finally put her juvenile crush, Zachary Pearson, where he belongs—in her past. Then her unrequited love strolls into her French class, shattering Olivia’s newfound peace, and the feelings she’d thought buried for good come rushing back. Now she can’t shake her unwanted attraction to the one guy who can twist her stomach into knots with just a smile…but has never given her the time of day.

Zach’s good looks may have always gotten him his pick of girls, but it’s the star quarterback’s skill on the football field that gives him his pick of the Big Ten colleges. To escape the crushing demands of his win-at-all-costs father, Zach opts for a private university in upstate New York where…his present and past collide. And the one girl he’s always wanted but can’t have—and a class trip to Paris—turn out to be the ultimate game changer that has him breaking every one of his rules.

Excerpt

Seconds after Rebecca disappears around the corner, I feel a presence behind me. Like right behind me.

I turn, expecting to see Scott, who I'm sure is eager to offer an explanation to what I'd just witnessed. I couldn't have been more wrong. The guy hovering behind me is none other than Zach, his expression just as grim as when I saw him minutes ago. Scratch that, grimmer.

I actually take a step back, I'm so shocked to see him this close, and bump into the wall behind me. Zach takes a step closer and braces his forearm, exactly the way Scott had done, on the wall at the side of my head. He bends his head so his mouth is near my ear. I drag in a breath of air and with it the subtlety of his cologne and warm male skin. Being this close to him after so many weeks is like a kick of excelsior.

"Who's the guy?" he asks, his voice a low rumble in my ear.
It takes everything in me not to shiver as the sound vibrates down my spine.

"A friend."

His mouth kicks up at the corner into a smirk.

"Right."

His tone is so obviously disbelieving, now it requires Herculean self-control not to smack him even though I miss him so much my heart hurts.

"Anyway," he continues, his eyes narrowing and growing hard as flint as he stares down at me. "Here's the thing. If you're trying to make me jealous, you're wasting your time. I wouldn't want you to put yourself out too much tonight, so remember that and go easy on the guy, 'kay?"

Raising his head, he flashes me a tight, icy smile and pushes off the wall as he continues to hold my gaze. In his final gesture of arrogance, he runs the back of his index finger gently down my cheek while his jaw ticks. "Have a nice evening, Liv." With that, he turns and saunters back down the hall.

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About the Author

Beverley discovered her love of books while growing up in Ontario, Canada. With her love of books and romance, she always wished that everyone would find their happily ever after. She currently writes sexy historical, new adult and contemporary romances. 

As the mother of one too bright and mischievous young boy, she pulls full-time duty on all fronts. When she's not writing full-time or mothering, she's probably reading or knitting and dreaming of a time when she'll have time for her favorite hobbies: crocheting and sewing.

Beverley has lived on two continents, in three countries, two provinces, and four states. She stopped her nomadic existence and settled in the southeast. All things artistic feed her creative passion, but none more than writing. Readers can visit her at: beverleykendall.com.

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Spotlight: A Final Deal by Nadia Lee

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One thing I’ve never lacked in life is money. I was born to it. I’ve made it hand over fist. I have more than I know what to do with.

But all that money couldn’t give me Faith Mortimer, a damaged heiress with secrets of her own. I found her irresistible two years ago, and would’ve laid my empire at her feet…until she betrayed me.

Now she barges into my office, offering marriage, ostensibly to help me fulfill the conditions of my father’s hateful deal. Although I toss her out, I’m curious. Once I realize how desperate she is, I make a counteroffer that leaves her vulnerable and defenseless.

However, I never counted on my own machinations leaving me exposed in return…and both our hearts are going to break before this is over…

Excerpt

“How about chocolate then? I recall you saying it’s the most perfect food that has everything a woman needs to get through a bad day, a good day and an ‘everything in-between’ day.” He magically produces a flat black box that says “Royce.”

I stare at him. “You remember…”

“I told you I remember everything about you.”

He did, but I didn’t realize he meant literally every silly thing. I said that on a Valentine’s Day when he faux-complained about my desire to have chocolate fondue for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ended up having chocolate-themed meals all day long, even though we held off on the fondue until dinner.

“Here.” He opens the box and uses a small silver spoon to lift a square of chocolate sprinkled with cocoa powder. I eye it dubiously—I’ve never seen chocolate served like this—but open my mouth and let him feed it to me.

The soft, buttery piece melts on my tongue, and I moan softly as the decadent flavor absolutely takes over my senses. “This is amazing.”

He samples a piece. “Pretty good.”

“Pretty good?”

“I’m not really into it the way you are.”

Apparently not. I place a bent arm on the edge of the tub and rest my chin in the crook. “Don’t be nice to me.”

Incongruously, he offers another square and I take it. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to like you.” I can’t afford to fall in love with you again.

“I’m not doing this to make you like me,” he says softly.

I shift. “Then why?”

He runs a finger along my lower lip. It no longer throbs with pain…just longing. “I don’t like seeing you doing your best to appear strong and firm when you’re really stretched thin.”

The sigh I let out is long and painful. “Am I that obvious?”

He shrugs. “I know what to look for.”

It’s true. He’s always known what to look for. Back in Vegas, he knew before I could sort out my feelings for him that I liked him…really, really liked him—maybe even borderline loved him.

My heartbeat is erratic, my skin flushed and warm. Neither has anything to do with the hot water, the wine or the chocolate. Over the soft scent of roses, I can smell his cologne. His breath fans over my cheek, and his finger is still on my lip.

“Don’t,” I whisper.

He arches an eyebrow. “Me or you?” 

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About the Author

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author Nadia Lee writes sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Born with a love for excellent food, travel and adventure, she has lived in four different countries, kissed stingrays, been bitten by a shark, ridden an elephant and petted tigers.

Currently, she shares a condo overlooking a small river and sakura trees in Japan with her husband and son. When she's not writing, she can be found reading books by her favorite authors or planning another trip.

Stay in touch with her via her website http://www.nadialee.net/ or her blog http://www.nadialee.net/blog/

Spotlight: Links by Lisa Becker

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In high school, Charlotte Windham was a typical student going through an awkward phase -- glasses and all. She harbored a crush on Garrett Stephens, the teen heartthrob everyone can’t help but fall for during that unfortunate ugly duckling phase of one’s teen years. Flash forward fifteen years later, and Charlotte and Garrett have a second chance encounter at a Los Angeles restaurant. However, this time around, Charlotte has leveled the playing field. She’s a bestselling novelist and no longer “Glasses,” the humiliating nickname Garrett called her in high school. In short, she’s a catch now and, thanks to corrective eye surgery, it’s not just her eyes that see better…so does her heart! Garrett hasn’t fared poorly either, transforming from teen heartbreaker to adult lothario. A now successful professional golfer, he’s recently suffered a major setback in the form of a possible career-ending injury. With the upper hand, can Charlotte forgive Garrett for his past ways, and for his more recent Don Juan lifestyle? Will she even want to? And, can Garrett change his ways for a second chance with Charlotte, who may just be the perfect fit for him? 

Excerpt

I stand but hesitate when I see Tamika's disapproving look. Fi notices as well. "It's okay, T. I got this," she says, motioning for me to follow her back. When we get to her small office, she closes the door and gestures for me to sit on a red vinyl chair, circa 1972. She stands in front of me, leaning against the desk, and crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Spill!"

"Where should I start?"

"At the beginning." She walks around to her chair behind the desk and pulls out a yellow legal pad.

For the next half hour, I go over my encounter with Garrett, from the moment we bumped into each other and he didn't recognize me, to the embarrassment of being called 'Glasses.'

Fi takes notes furiously on her pad and grins, nods, and cringes at all the appropriate times. When I finish, she puts her pen down and asks, "Do you want the 'best friend experience' or the 'brilliant legal mind experience'?"

I can't help but laugh. "Are they mutually exclusive?"

"They are," she says nodding.

"Okay. I want the best friend experience."

She rushes around from behind the desk, wraps her arms around me soothingly. "I'm so sorry, hon. That sounds just awful. Let's go get margaritas tomorrow and drown our sorrows in tequila and lime wedges."

"Thanks, Fi. You're the best."

"Anytime," she says, rubbing my back. She pulls away and walks around to the back of her desk. She sits down and puts the legal pad to the side. I can't help but notice the writing scrawled across it.

"Just for kicks, what would you have said if I had asked for the 'brilliant legal mind experience'?"

"You sure you want to know?" Her lips pull into a grim line. Honestly, I'm not sure I do want to know, but curiosity gets the better of me.

"Lay it on me," I say.

"You need to get laid. Not the kind of bland, missionary style sex you had with Alex. You need hot heat, sweating up the sheets, crazy animal sex."

I bust out laughing. "That's your brilliant legal advice. Crazy animal sex?"

"Yes. That's my brilliant legal advice," she says with complete seriousness. "Listen, hon, it's been a year since that insecure jerk Keane dumped you. I have no doubt it's been even longer since you've, well, you know." She wags her eyebrows up and down. "Before that, you only seriously dated Travis the cheater and Alex who, let's face it, despite being completely gonzo for you, was a cold fish and a bore. It's time to stop comparing every man to this fantasy of Garrett Stephens and just do it with him to get it out of your system. He asked you out for Saturday night. Go! Enjoy!"

"I don't compare every man to Garrett," I snap at her.

"Don't you?" she asks, looking down at me sternly.

"I'm offended you even suggested that." She looks at me, her sharp eyes boring into me, like she can read my every thought and knows I'm full of it. I imagine this is how she bears down on witnesses on the stand. I don't like being on the receiving end of that look.

"Even if that's true," I start and she nods her head, "and I'm not conceding it is." I point my finger at her. "Even if he did mean to ask me out, there's no way it's a good idea. He's a total player. It would only be one night of fun and I don't think I could get over that kind of hurt."

"Then you need to get over it now. Sorry for the tough love, hon, but you need to move past the fantasy of this man and find someone passionate and amazing who is deserving to love you for all of the great things you have to offer including your messed-up childhood and your incredible success today."

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About Lisa Becker

Lisa Becker is a romance writer whose previous novels include Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click. The books, about a young woman's search for love online in Los Angeles, have been called, “a fast read that will keep you entertained,” “a fun, quick read for fans of Sex and the City,” and “hard to put down.” The first in the series was optioned for a major motion picture.
 
Lisa’s writings about online dating have been featured in Cupid’s Pulse, GalTime.com, Single Edition, The Perfect Soulmate, Chick Lit Central and numerous other book blogs and websites. 
 
As Lisa's grandmother used to say, "For every chair, there's a rush." Lisa is now happily married to a man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for anyone!

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter: @lisawbecker | Instagram: lisawbecker | Goodreads

Spotlight: Her Sexy Challenge by Sarah Ballance

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She might be the one fire he can’t put out…

Caitlin Tyler doesn’t do bridges—she just doesn’t know it until she lands her dream job and freezes halfway across her new town’s towering death span. Cue the cocky, infuriating fireman who goads her off the bridge. He’s hot, but he’s also exactly the kind of guy she wants to avoid…which she manages to do for a whole four hours.
 
Lt. Shane Hendricks is only two weeks away from leaving Dry Rock. He sure as hell doesn’t need to get involved with a woman he has to rescue twice in one day. The fact that she’s clearly annoyed by him doesn’t deter him from throwing down a challenge—one that proves hard to resist for all the wrong reasons. 
 
They’re moving in different directions. Leaving should be easy, but falling for Caitlin might be the one fire he can’t put out…

Excerpt

On her porch, Caitlin fumbled with the key but managed to get the door unlocked. “Thanks for the ride,” she said. “It didn’t suck.” 

“Good,” Shane said. “Because I don’t think it sucked, either.” 

His agreement caught her off guard, and she looked at him in surprise. She’d known how close he stood, so she shouldn’t have been startled to find his face inches away. He’d done that in the parking lot, completely out of nowhere, his lips grazing her ear. It still burned from his touch, and if that crackling of lust didn’t calm itself, she’d willingly become the next Van Gogh in her effort to escape it. Tangling anything of hers with anything of his was on her nope list, so for her gaze to once again drift to his mouth meant nothing. 

Until his lips touched hers. 

Honest-to-God sparks lit the sky. She went numb, all except the party happening on her lips. Every bit of her hard won resistance shattered, and the stark reality that her bed was the only thing she’d wholly unpacked went screaming through her head. It was the longest brushing-of-lips in the history of human copulation, and she’d have wallowed naked in it if she could. 

Walking away would have been a much better idea, but she hadn’t exactly batted a thousand on those lately. The only thing she’d managed consistently since she arrived in Dry Rock was to stumble into one awkward moment after the next, each and every one witnessed by the fire lieutenant. And now here she stood, wanting him, and there was no way it wasn’t obvious. Seriously, what the hell? 

It had just been a simple kiss. 

They parted by millimeters, and she whimpered, the moment hanging heavily between them for a split, indecisive moment. 

Then it exploded. 

With a groan, he grabbed the back of her head and captured her, pulling her mouth to his, tasting and teasing, driving a spike of need through her that left her falling deeper, drowning in something that made paddling a class five rapid seem sane. She clung to him as he pulled her close, voicing a quiet verse of profanity that made her want to beg him to come inside. 

Again and again he drove the kiss while she clutched uselessly at his shirt, drawing him deeper, burning for more. 

Wanting everything. 

He tasted amazing. He moved like a god. 

He…let her go.

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About the Author

SARAH BALLANCE is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, historical, and supernatural romance and romantic suspense. She’s been married to her own romantic hero for what he calls a “long, long time” (and no, he’ll never hear the end of saying that). Together they have six children … and clearly too much time on their hands. She currently writes for Entangled Publishing.

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Read an exclusive excerpt from Forever In Good Hope by Cindy Kirk

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Delphinium “Fin” Bloom returns to her hometown with one goal: get the mayor—her former flame—to approve a location shoot in Good Hope. But business turns personal when the two become entangled in a fake engagement to comfort his ailing grandmother.

For Jeremy, the romantic façade hits close to his heart. Still reeling from the way things ended between Fin and him all those years ago, he sees the fake engagement as an opportunity to get her out of his system once and for all. But instead of laying the past to rest, Jeremy quickly discovers he can’t envision a life without her.

Now engaged to another man, Fin had long ago given up on the dream of a life with Jeremy. Why is it, then, that her fake engagement feels more genuine than her real one? As the sleepy days of summer come to a close in Good Hope, will Fin and Jeremy give love a second chance? Or will the revelation of a devastating secret put an end to the fairy tale?

Exclusive Excerpt

“You and Jeremy spent the night bowling.” Marigold’s husky voice was incredulous. Then her blue eyes narrowed. “Are you making that up?” 

When Fin stopped by her youngest sister’s salon the next morning, Marigold promptly pulled her into the chair. There weren’t many people she could trust with her hair, but Marigold was one of them. 

“What was I supposed to do?” She gave a laugh that sounded hollow. “Have wild, hot sex with him?”

“Sounds better than Wii bowling.” Marigold gave a little snip. “You are engaged.” 

“Not to him.” Fin wasn’t sure why Marigold seemed determined to forget that important fact. 

The bells over the front door jingled. Marigold spoke without looking up. “I like Jeremy. He’s cute, in that scruffy, surfer-dude kind of way.” 

“Happy I meet with your approval.” Humor laced Jeremy’s voice. 

Marigold turned, batted her long lashes. “Did you miss the scruffy part?” 

“I didn’t think I’d see you until tonight.” Fin struggled to keep her voice steady, even as her heart skipped a beat. It was as if she was sixteen again. “What a nice surprise.” 

“Ditto.” He crossed to her, pleasure filling his blue eyes. “I was walking by and saw you through the window.” 

“Fin didn’t really need a trim.” Marigold’s gaze turned sharp and assessing. “But you could use one. Why don’t you exchange places with her? I won’t charge you since you’re almost family.” 

Almost family. 

Fin thought about reminding her sister—again—that her engagement to Jeremy was only temporary, but kept her mouth shut. To her way of thinking, the less said about the arrangement the better. Sometimes in Good Hope, it seemed as if the walls had ears. 

“Thanks, but not this time.” Jeremy gave Marigold a wink. “I promise to make an appointment soon.” 

Marigold waggled her shears at him. “I better not see you going into Golden Door.” 

The upscale salon was Marigold’s fiercest competitor on the peninsula. 

Jeremy swiped his fingers across his heart. “Never. We’re family. Almost.” 

His teasing smile made Marigold grin as she swept off the cape and motioned to Fin to get up. “Go. Keep your fiancé company.” 

Fin remained seated. “I didn’t think you were finished.” 

Marigold gave a little shrug. “You only needed some fine-tuning.” 

Rising slowly, Fin gazed at the littlest Bloom. At five foot three, Marigold might be the smallest in stature of the sisters, but she was also the feistiest. “Thanks for the trim.” 

“Stop by again. Or maybe Cade and I will stop out sometime.” 

Fin smiled. “I’d like that.” 

She and Marigold had battled wills many times in the past, most recently when Fin had pushed hard to get Marigold to relocate to LA rather than New York. In the end her youngest sister had fallen in love with Cade Rallis and decided to stay in Good Hope, making the decision moot. 

The door pushed open. 

“Am I invited to this party?” Other than the weapon at his hip, Cade looked very un-sheriff-like in jeans and a henley. 

Marigold beamed and rushed to his side, lifting her face for a kiss. “I believe we can make room for one more.” 

Cade’s mouth closed over hers. The welcome kiss lasted a little longer than Fin anticipated and had her and Jeremy exchanging smiles. 

Newlyweds. 

Although she didn’t know him well, Fin liked Marigold’s husband. Physically, he reminded her of Beck with his dark hair and lean frame. But Cade had a few more muscles and just seemed more . . . physical. Like Beck, he clearly adored his wife. 

Fin swallowed the envy that rose to her throat. 

With his arm slung around Marigold’s shoulders, the sheriff turned to her and Jeremy. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make the dinner at Ami’s house the other night. The stomach flu was making an early appearance in the sheriff’s department and there was no one who could take my shift.” 

“We didn’t even miss you.” 

Jeremy’s comment had Fin widening her eyes. Then she heard Cade chuckle and realized these two men were friends. 

Cade’s gray eyes turned serious. “I’m happy for you both.” 

Jeremy took the hand he extended. “Appreciate the good wishes.” 

Fin stilled. Had she slipped into some kind of Twilight Zone? Surely Marigold had told Cade that her and Jeremy’s engagement was a farce? She glanced at her sister, but Marigold was looking up at her husband with such love that Fin felt as if she was intruding on a private moment. 

“Will you be able to make the engagement party Saturday night?” Jeremy asked Cade.

“Count on it.” Cade shifted his gaze to Fin. “You’ve got yourself a good man here.” 

What else could Fin do but agree?

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About the Author

Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in the written word began years earlier when she was in her teens. At sixteen, she wrote in her diary: “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.” When she returned to her first love—writing—she jumped feetfirst into book-length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance because she believes in the power of love and in happily ever after. An incurable romantic and an eternal optimist, Kirk loves seeing her characters grow and learn from their mistakes and, in the process, achieve a happy ending through the power of love. She and her high-school-sweetheart husband live in Nebraska with their two dogs.

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Spotlight: The Rules of Persuasion by Amity Hope

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1)    Take things slow (her rule)
2)    Make it believable (his rule)
 
After tragedy hit her family, Meg Matthews officially crossed the line from “good girl” to “bad girl.” Motorcycle? Check. Graffiti? Check. The only thing Meg hadn’t planned on was blackmail. Too bad now a certain infuriating boy holds Meg’s future in his hands…

When Luke Prescott—star pitcher and town golden boy—catches Meg vandalizing the school, she’s given two choices: face the consequences or enter into a fake relationship with him to get his parents and his ex off his back.

But as Meg and Luke grow closer, they both realize they’ve been keeping secrets from each other. Their fake relationship might be doomed from the start—if they can’t learn to open up to the one person they never thought they’d trust.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains late-night graffiti sessions, flirty baseball lessons, and a never-ending list of relationship rules just made to be broken.  

Excerpt

I groaned.

I knew this guy.

He narrowed his eyes at me, and in that instant I knew he was trying to place me as well.

Lightning fast, he reached for me. I tried to swat his hand away, but in my shocked stupor I was a second too slow, and he pulled the black knit cap from my head.

My face was average, fairly unremarkable. But my hair? It was what everyone remembered about me. Long and auburn, it cascaded to my elbows in bouncy waves. It was my best feature and right now, as it tumbled from beneath my cap to shimmer in the dim lighting, it was a traitorous one.

He dangled my cap in front of me. I quickly swiped it out of his hand.

“So this is what the mysterious Meg Matthews does in her free time.” His tone held a hint of gloating.

I was hardly mysterious. If he didn’t know a thing about me, it was because we drifted in different social circles. He was neck deep in the crowd that thought they ruled the school. I was perfectly happy being part of a trio that floated around the fringes.

He was staring past me, checking out my mural. “It looks even better up close.”

I was tempted to kick him in the family jewels so I could make a run for it. That, I knew, would wipe the smug, knowing look off his face. But it was probably a very bad idea to mess with the Prescott family’s precious jewels, both literally and figuratively speaking.

The Prescotts were one of the wealthiest families in town. His dad was the Prescott in Prescott & Holbrook, the prestigious law firm that was notorious for representing corporations of questionable standing. Everyone in town knew to never cross the Prescotts.

It was best not to mess with this boy.

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About the Author

Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler. She has a degree in elementary education and worked in that field for ten years before deciding to chase her dream. Her debut novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. If she's not writing, or spending time with her boys, she's most likely reading.

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