Read an excerpt from Never Been Good by Christi Barth

USA Today bestseller Christi Barth returns with another steamy Bad Boys Gone Good novel!

Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker.

Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist.

Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good.

Excerpt

Flynn knelt next to the sofa. “You’ve got the sweetest, biggest heart I’ve ever seen. So kind. Caring. And you’re so beautiful that I have to bend over backward to ignore you so I can get work done.”

“You think I’m beautiful?”

Did she really not know? Not know how much she affected him?

Fuck.

How could she when he’d never said a damn word about it? Never gave her a hint. Hell, almost never even acknowledged it to himself, because the thought of being with her was so impossible.

“Let me show you just how beautiful I think you are.”

Flynn almost bracketed her face in his hands. But she angled back. It was barely noticeable, but he did. He noticed everything about Sierra. And she seemed skittish.

So he dropped his hands back down. Angled in to only touch her lips. It was a soft kiss. A brush, mouth against mouth, so light they barely touched. Just to see what Sierra would do.

She didn’t pull back.

Flynn did it again. And again. Slow, teasing kisses that swept back and forth.

They practically killed him. Reining in his need was like having a fucking noose around his neck. Made it hard to breathe. Hard to think. But if Sierra needed him to go slow, that’s what he’d do.

Finally, her lips parted just enough to let out a sigh. It was all he needed. Flynn threaded his fingers through her long, dark hair. Took a split second to register that it was just as silky as he’d imagined. Then he tilted her head back and to the side to make the angle better. And then he really kissed her.

There was pressure this time but he didn’t go for it. Didn’t unleash all the want bottled up inside of him that he’d been resisting for weeks. But he did full-out kiss her.

Flynn stroked his pinkie along the nape of her neck and was gratified at the shiver that chased its way down her body. He licked the sticky sweetness of the honey from her. He pressed and shaped and fucking learned her mouth. Learned what she liked. Learned that her almost pouty lower lip was the perfect place to use his teeth, right in the center, to make that noise happen in the back of her throat.

Most of all, Flynn learned how mind-blowingly great it was to kiss Sierra. He could do it all night. Christ, he hadn’t even gotten inside her mouth yet, and his dick was already threatening to bust through his jeans. She smelled like the beach, tasted like sugar, and felt like a dream.

Sierra kept shifting in his grasp, little moves that brought her closer against him. Little moves that rubbed her breasts against his chest, that made his hand on her waist slip down to the upper curve of her tight little ass.

He tongued along the seam of her lips, prompting her to finally, finally open to him. Flynn’s tongue slipped in and swept up all that residual honey flavor that he swore had to be just her. He pressed her backward until she was lying on the couch and he could press his whole upper body against her. Their tongues swirled together, side to side and around in a dance that turned his dick to pure steel. And even with him lying on top of her, Sierra still arched up into his embrace with breathy little moans.

Easing back, he pushed the hair off her cheek with one finger. “Do you believe me now? When I say that you’re beautiful? Can you tell how much you turn me on?”

Red flooded her face. “Yes. Those kisses—they clarified your point extremely well.”

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About Christie Barth

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. 

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

Connect with Christi: Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page  | Facebook   | Instagram  

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Read an excerpt from Lords of the Greenwood by Chris Thorndycroft

Nottinghamshire, 1264.

England is on the brink of civil war. The barons are in revolt against King Henry III. Such times suit Roger Godberd, sergeant in the garrison at Nottingham Castle. After throwing in their lot with the barons who embark on a bloody campaign for control of England, Roger and his companions are betrayed and seek refuge in Sherwood Forest. There they begin their new lives as outlaws evading their old enemy, the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

Yorkshire, 1320.

Wrongfully accused of murder, young Robert Hood of Wakefield finds himself outlawed with only his bitter enemy Will Shacklock for company. Taking to the woods of Barnsdale, Robert and Will agree on an uneasy truce and begin recruiting a band of robbers fleeing the chaos of the Earl of Lancaster’s rebellion against King Edward II. Eventually drawing the attention of the king himself, Robert and his band are given a choice; be hanged as common criminals or enter the king’s service as agents of the crown…

Blending real history with medieval ballads this is the entwined saga of two men, separated by a generation, united by legend, who inspired the tales of England’s famous hooded outlaw.

Excerpt

Simon de Montfort arrived in London at the end of the week further convincing us that war was but a matter of days away. He was carried in a specially designed carriage as he had broken his leg when his horse had slipped on ice that winter. Despite not being able to see him in person, all London spilled out into the streets to witness the arrival of a man who was on the verge of being deified by the commoners.

“Can’t understand it,” said Roger as we watched the pandemonium from the rooftops on Tower Street. “Look at those fools. Bakers, tanners, night soil men. They act as if de Montfort were sainted before death but nothing will change for them. The barons may win and get a say in how the country is run or the king may crush us all but for those fools life will go on; hard and toilsome as it ever was.”

“He represents change,” I said. “Gone are the days when a king’s ruling was as good as the word of God. The Runnymede Charter and the Oxford Provisions changed all that. De Montfort is fighting for a future of reason, of cause that amounts to more than the whim of a fickle monarch.”

“And yet the common man still won’t get a say in anything.”

“And he does not expect to. All he can expect from all of this is that his superiors can speak for him and protect his rights against a king who sees him as little more than chattel. That is the most the common man can hope for and that is what de Montfort represents.”

Roger looked at me, a smile touching his lips. “You’re a young lad,” he said, “and have the right to a little naivety not to mention principles. You’ll lose both soon enough.”

I ignored Roger’s cynicism and felt secretly justified when de Montfort ruled against de Ferrers in a case brought before him by John de Giffard. The country was not officially at war and looting was strictly forbidden not to mention frowned upon by de Montfort. De Giffard had the gall to portray himself as a protector of the people and claimed that de Ferrers had ruthlessly despoiled a poor draper’s widow in Gloucester.

We were all called before de Montfort who held council in the Tower. We were escorted to an upper chamber where several barons sat in discussion. As soon as I entered I noticed how young they all were. Few were over the age of thirty and I was struck by the notion that this was a young man’s rebellion; generation pitted against generation in a bid to change the status quo upheld by the king and his friends.

De Montfort was a comely, slim man with dark wavy hair that had just started to grey in parts. He had the appearance of an active man and, were it not for his leg which was bound between two splints, I had no doubt that he would be pacing the room in irritation. Opposite him sat de Ferrers, his own swollen leg bound in bandages. Both men had crutches to hand and I was alarmed by the symbolism. This rebellion may be a youthful one but it was an injured one; outnumbered and disabled.   

As the charges were read out, de Ferrers raged and called de Giffard all manner of obscenities but the gist of his argument was one that we all agreed with. De Giffard had been attempting to rob the place himself and we had simply got there first. That’s all there was to it.

De Montfort was not impressed. “These are our own people, de Ferrers!” he said, slamming his fist down on a side table and making his wine cup spill. “We are not waging war in foreign parts nor are we suppressing rebels. These are honest citizens who have no power in this game of barons and kings. And this is not the first time I’ve had to warn you against looting!”

“Simon, you must not believe de Giffard’s lies!” de Ferrers said. “He would have you believe that he was a defender of lonely widows when really he lusted after that woman’s valuables even more than I did!”

“Irrelevant!” de Montfort snapped. “Whether or not what you say is true, the fact remains that de Giffard’s men did not plunder that poor woman into ruin! Yours did!”

We stared at the ground and I felt no little shame at being raged at by a man whom all of London revered. Only Roger kept his head held high in support of his lord and I knew then why de Ferrers remembered the name of Roger Godberd and why he prized him above most of his followers.

In the end de Montfort demanded that de Ferrers make amends to the widow in Gloucester. De Ferrers seethed in silence and I knew how he would rage that night at having to fork over money to a mere widow, knocked down another rung in his constant battle to climb out of the depths of debt. I also caught a faint smile on the face of John de Giffard as the verdict was read. It was clear that de Giffard had never hoped to get anything out of this other than seeing a blow delivered to our lord. De Ferrers had plenty of enemies on both sides of this conflict.

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About the Author

Chris Thorndycroft is a British writer of historical fiction, horror and fantasy. His early short stories appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Dark Moon Digest and American Nightmare. His first novel under his own name was A Brother’s Oath; the first book in the Hengest and Horsa Trilogy. He also writes under the pseudonym P. J. Thorndyke.

For more information, please visit Chris Thorndycroft’s website. You can also find him on Twitter and Goodreads.

Lords of the Greenwood

Spotlight: Death Island by Kelsey Ketch

Death Island
by Kelsey Ketch
Genre: NA Historical Fantasy
Release Date: December 31st 2017

Summary from Goodreads:

Her family name tainted by her great-grandfather’s crimes of piracy, Meriden Cummings is far from the typical 18th century woman. A social outcast, she works in a carpentry shop in a small village, where the people barely tolerate unconventional behavior.

However, her life takes a turn after a gang of pirates attack her village and her blood reveals an ancient map adorned with Mayan glyphs leading to Death Island. An island legends say is ruled by the Mayan god of the underworld, Ah Puch. Her great-grandfather had sought after the island before he vanished without a trace. Now, Meriden is about to journey across the sea to understand her family history.

There are only a few problems: her growing feelings toward a mysterious stranger linked to her great-grandfather’s past; a greedy band of pirates after her great-grandfather’s legendary treasure; and a contract she has unwittingly signed in blood with Ah Puch himself.

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***Excerpt***

I paced the deck with the few men that stayed behind on watch. It was growing late, and Captain Connell’s curfew was quickly approaching. Soon all the crew would return to the ship, stumbling drunk and fucked out of their minds, but calmer than they had been for a while. Some reason, my body twitched in excitement. I’d been anxious since Meriden left with the last group. There was a knot in my gut the moment she stepped off the dock, and the feeling hadn’t gone away since.

I causally walked to the starboard bulwark, catching sight of the harbormaster’s window. The candle still burned as it had been long before night fall. Odd, I thought. The knot in my stomach twisted even tighter. I haven’t seen the harbormaster work his books this late into the night. I leaned against the gunwale and squinted a little, trying to focus my vision. The candle was nearly spent, and underneath the dripping wax laid what possibly could be a hand, but it was too far to tell. As I eased back, my gut squirmed like a bunch of worm snakes. I needed to be sure all was well, for Meriden’s safety and the rest of the crew.

Neglecting to ask Swan’s permission, I slipped down the main deck, across the gangway, and headed straight for the harbormaster’s office. The street was as quiet as the grave when I reached the door. I raised my hand to knock, only for the door to push open on the first tap to the solid oak. I swallowed the lump that crammed its way into my throat. This wasn’t good. I drew my working knife and stepped inside.

“Hello,” I called. “Anyone still here?”

It felt stupid walking into the dark hallway without knowing if I might end up dead or accused of theft, but my gut told me to keep pushing forward. I turned right into the room with the burning candle still flickering inside. The office was clean and uncluttered except for the few stacks of paper on the desk. On top of which laid the harbormaster, as if he merely fallen asleep in his desk chair. My eyes refocused again at his outstretched arm. A trail of hot, liquid wax ran across the flesh of the harbormaster’s hand, which didn’t even stir the man awake. My heart pounded with adrenaline, and I pushed the man up by the shoulder.

A maroon-colored pool poured onto his books from what looked like a dagger wound to the harbormaster’s shoulder. A serious wound, but not one that should have killed. It was the discoloration of the man’s skin and the vomit around the mouth that gave me a better idea what had brought on the man’s demise. I’d seen the signs many times before from men who died in blackish waters as well as a few victims that died at Baker’s hand.

Snake venom.

About the Author

Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist in the state of North Carolina. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress or organizing the New Adult Scavenger Hunt, a biannual blog hop. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.

For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

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Spotlight: Turn On, Tune Out by Cynthia Adina Kirkwood

If you find your life bombarded by information and noise, read about this musician’s challenge to quiet hers.

In Turn On, Tune Out, a British composer turns outlaw in Los Angeles. Angelica Morgan flouts a computer law that cripples creativity. In L.A., she finds an audience, love, and a passion to stop the insidious law from taking hold in Britain. In the near future of California, artists, who steal time off-line, are considered suspect, criminal and dangerous.

Angelica’s friend, Rosetta, an outspoken painter, cautions the musician about the Stop, Look and Listen law. But Angelica dismisses the warning. . . .

 Excerpt

 A guest, a woman, walked briskly and angrily away from another guest, a man. They brushed past Angelica and Tom, moving the colleagues closer together.

“Mary, Mary,” implored the man trailing behind the woman out of the house. “I didn’t mean –“

Tom said,” You can rise above the muck of living, can’t you, Angelica? As a composer, your concerns are higher than the soap opera trivia of the rest of us slobs.”

Angelica looked at him blankly. She didn’t know how to feel. Was this a compliment or was he calling her an unfeeling robot?

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About the Author

Scrawling, doodling, jotting…Cynthia Adina Kirkwood writes with a pen. Then, she transposes her work to a computer, which she finds useful, not intuitive.

Born and raised in New York City, her parents emigrated there from Belize in Central America. Kirkwood studied at Williams College in Massachusetts, the American University in Cairo, and the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. At the University of California at Berkeley, she earned a Certificate of Journalism Education from the Summer Program for Minority Journalists.

Kirkwood began her journalism career as a newspaper reporter in Norfolk, Virginia. She worked at newspapers in the east, west and south of the United States. In 1994, she left the San Francisco Chronicle for Sicily and has been living in Europe since then.

In 2012, she and her son left a sedentary life in Cornwall, England, for a farming one in the heart of Portugal. She has 4 acres of terraced land with olive trees and grapevines.

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Audio Spotlight & Excerpt: Will to Live by Rachel Amphlett and Narrated by Alison Campbell

Reputation is everything.

When a packed commuter train runs over a body on a stretch of track known to locals as "Suicide Mile", it soon transpires that the man was a victim of a calculated murder.

As the investigation evolves and a pattern of murders is uncovered, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter realizes the railway's recent reputation may be the work of a brutal serial killer.

 With a backlog of cold cases to investigate and attempting to uncover who is behind a professional vendetta against her, Kay must keep one step ahead of both the killer and her own adversaries.

When a second murder takes place within a week of the first, she realizes the killer's timetable has changed, and she's running out of time to stop him....

Will to Live is the second book in a new crime thriller series featuring Kay Hunter - a detective with a hidden past and an uncertain future....
 

Excerpt

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About the Author: Rachel Amphlett

Before turning to writing, Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as a sub-editor and editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction and spy novels, including the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the Detective Kay Hunter series.

Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel cites her writing influences as Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Robert Ludlum. She’s also a huge fan of Peter James, Val McDermid, Robert Crais, Stuart MacBride, and many more.

She’s a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold sold to Fanucci Editore's TIMECrime imprint, and the first four books in the Dan Taylor espionage series contracted to Germany’s Luzifer Verlag.

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Spotlight: The Texan's Wedding Escape by Charlene Sands

Meet the Author:

Charlene Sands is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and historical romance. She has been honored with the National Readers Choice Award, the Booksellers Best Award, The Cataromance Reviewers Choice Award and Romantic Times Magazine's Best Harlequin Desire Award of 2014. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America. When not writing, she spends time with her four "princesses", enjoys sunny Pacific beaches and yummy chocolate mocha cappuccinos! Sign up for her newsletter for fun and exclusive prizes at www.charlenesands.com and on FB and Twitter!

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About the Book:

From friendship to passion…to forever?

Only if she doesn’t marry the wrong man first…

Lauren never got over her childhood crush on Cooper, but she’s grown up now and ready to settle down. She even agrees to plan her upcoming wedding at his ranch, but in close quarters, she’s second-guessing her groom and yearning for Cooper’s forbidden embrace… Then she discovers the rancher’s ulterior motive. Will she walk down the aisle with the wrong man?

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