Spotlight: Wrapped in Red by S.A. Clayton

About Wrapped in Red: 

A chance meeting changes everything…

JJ is willing to accept her reclusive life as a freelance editor. As long as she's got her best friend and her Chris Hemsworth movie collection, she can cope. But this holiday season seems hell-bent on stirring up old grudges. Her ex got engaged less than four months after breaking her heart, and now JJ wants to show him what he’s missing. Even if that means enduring his ugly Christmas sweater party.

Liam never thought much about life outside his father’s investment firm, he was perfectly content with his solitary existence, until he meets JJ. The feisty brunette in the ugliest Christmas sweater he’s ever seen turns his life upside down with one captivating kiss. Then she disappears.

But their lives are intertwined more than either of them realize, and when the truth comes out, their seemingly perfect connection may not survive.

**This is a novella full of Christmas joy and some sexy times that lead these characters to fall instantly...hard and fast. For readers 18+*

Excerpt

As I get out of the car, her eyes flick to the lit up house down the street once again. “You supposed to be at that party?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah, it’s an ugly Christmas sweater party. Hence the…” She points to the bow and I smirk. Makes sense.

“So do you actually have on an ugly sweater under that or…” I motion to her coat. Her lips quirk and for a moment I wonder what those lips would look like around my cock. I shake the thought from my head and concentrate on the woman in front of me, who is unbuttoning her coat. My cock stirs at the thought of what’s under that fabric, but the moment the sweater comes into focus I can’t help the laugh that escapes.

“I’m glad you find it amusing,” she mutters, still holding her coat open. It’s hideous, but I think she knows that. “But wait…it gets better.” She presses a button on the front of the sweater and all of a sudden, it lights up and starts singing. My laughter gets louder the longer it goes on.

            “Why on earth would a gorgeous girl like you wear something that hideous?” Her eyes widen and the corners of my lips turn up. Her cheeks flush and I swear it’s the sexiest thing I’ve seen in months…maybe even years. I can see the hesitation in her eyes as they dart back to the house once again, and I wonder what’s within those walls that has her questioning herself.  

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About the Author: 

S.A. Clayton lives in a small town outside of Toronto with her husband of five years and her scary large collection of books that seem to take over every room.

She has worked on both sides of the publishing industry, both in a bookstore and for actual publishing companies. Although she loved both for different reasons, she found that writing was her true passion and has spent the last few years breaking into the industry as best she can. She is a lover of all things romance and began her writing journey in her late twenties. Since then, she has immersed herself in the romance genre and couldn’t be happier.

When she’s not writing or reading, she enjoys binging a great Netflix show (Stranger Things anyone?), baking (because who doesn’t love cookies!) and spending time with her family.

Connect with S.A.:  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Website 

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Spotlight: It's In His Christmas Wish by Shelly Alexander

Return to Red River--a beautiful mountain town in the southern Rockies, where the nights are cool and the romance is hot--one last time in this wonderful holiday romance that has as much heart as it does heat.

Maybe some wishes aren’t meant to come true.

Christmas is a hot button for Kimberly Perez, and not in a good way. Having grown up in the foster system, she's as frugal as she is smart and can't abide the materialism of the holidays. In an effort to use precious funds to help children in need instead of wasting money on meaningless commercialism, she pitches a new city ordinance to Red River's town council that would cut all holiday decorations and festivities from the budget.

Ross Armstrong is determined to honor his late sister’s memory by continuing her love of all things Christmas in Red River. But to do so, he's got to block the passing of a silly new law—and the person behind it—which would essentially ban Christmas altogether.

When their disagreement pits them against each other at a public town council meeting and splits Red River in half, the council chairperson forces them to work together on a new Red River holiday tradition—the Wishing Tree. Can they work together in the true spirit of the holidays, not only to reunite the town they love but to also cultivate the burgeoning feelings they have for each other. Or will their differences turn them into enemies and divide Red River forever?

A SPECIAL NOTE TO SHELLY'S READERS

Hello, my lovelies. As this--my first published series--comes to a close, I'm both excited to start new books set in a different location and sad that the wonderfully quirky characters who make up the heart of Red River will no longer be my focus when I sit down to write every day. Thank you for following this series from start to finish. It's been a fantastic journey, and just like the characters in the books, there has been ups and there has been downs. But you all have stayed with me every step of the way, and for that I am eternally grateful. So, enjoy Ross and Kimberly's heartwarming holiday story.

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About Shelly Alexander: 

Shelly Alexander is the author of contemporary romances that are sometimes sweet, sometimes sizzling, and always sassy. A 2014 Golden Heart® finalist and a 2019 RITA® finalist, she grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers and an older sister, she watched every Star Trek episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in her closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now she spends her days writing steamy contemporary romances while tending to two toy poodles named Mozart and Midge.

Connect with Shelly: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Amazon 

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Spotlight: Every Last Drop by Sarah Robinson

Marry the love of my life.

Become a mother.

Write a book.

Number one was complete. I was well on my way to checking off goals two and three, before a cancer diagnosis derailed my plans.

A story meant to chronicle the journey of impending motherhood with wit, became a brutally honest memoir of living life to the fullest.

Make every breath count.

When finally confronted with the knowledge the cancer is terminal, I search for a way to accomplish all the things I wanted to do within my lifetime… when I don’t have a lifetime left.

Every Last Drop is the heartfelt, unflinching, and original story of how when faced with the hardest truth, we finally learn how far we will go to discover who we are before it’s too late.

Exclusive Excerpt: 

A field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air. It is continually receiving new life and motion from above. It is intermediate between land and sky.
– Walden by Henry David Thoreau

When I was about nine or ten, my father caught me reading an erotic novel. Once he got over the fear that his daughter might be a pervert—spoiler alert: I’m not…I think—he sat me down and told me every story is not meant for every audience. I assured him I’d never read anything like that again, and, out of respect for my promise, waited a full five minutes before I went right back to reading the rest. I’m practically a saint.

The thing was, it had nothing to do with the sweaty scenes where things fit together that I was wholly confused about at my age, but the fact that these had been my mother’s books. I’d found them in a box of her things long after she’d died, and every page I read, I read with her. My heart broke and was mended right alongside the characters, and I cried over the same tear-stained pages my mother had. I laughed at romantic quips and imagined her beside me, sharing the joke.

Books captured my soul, and completely changed the way I saw the world. The shared experience of knowing those who read these words were aching with me, giggling with me, loving with me was captivating. Being able to write like that, to bring people together, soon eclipsed my childhood dreams of being an actress, a truck driver, or the bearded lady at the circus. Yes, there was once a time I’d wanted to be the bearded lady.
As I grew into an adult, and that beard never did grow in (small miracles), my goals evolved. I started adding to the things I wanted out of life, but writing a book was always there. Now I’m twenty-eight years old, and with all the wisdom and knowledge from my extensive time on this planet—note the heavy sarcasm—I’ve come up with three goals for my life.

To write a book. Here we go.

To become a mother. Soon.

To marry the love of my life. Check.

When I started writing this journal, I hadn’t really intended it to become the book, but you know what they say—we make plans and God laughs. I had already married an amazing man years earlier and was working toward the second goal on my list. I meant for these pages to tell the story of my journey into motherhood, and the ensuing ups and downs. It was going to be about new life and lost life, about how I raised my little sister after our mother died, and how I’d known even then, that motherhood was my greatest aspiration.
I had never planned to show this to anyone outside of my family, but still, it would be written. I would have written a book. And I was so damn excited to tell the story I’d been writing my whole life, finally on paper this time.

Was.

Because I thought I knew the story already. I thought I knew how it would end. I had no clue this story was meant for everyone, and every audience. If I had known, maybe I would’ve started writing it sooner. Maybe I’d have changed the ending.

The problem is, I won’t live long enough to do that.

And when you read this book, you’re going to want me to. At least, I hope you will. I hope you’ll wish for a miracle, for the words on the page to transform into an epic tale of almost, so close, our prayers were answered, Hallelujah! But after that moment of hope, you’ll need to remind yourself a miracle isn’t coming.
This story isn’t a cautionary tale. It’s just life, and life ends.

I wish I could write a happily-ever-after like my mother’s novels, where the greatest of romances can conquer death. But that isn’t going to happen, and I’m really sorry it won’t. I wish I would live long enough to write you those stories, but I am dying.

And my story dies with me.

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About Sarah Robinson: 

Aside from being a Top 10 Barnes & Noble and Amazon Bestseller, Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in criminal psychology. She works as a counselor by day and romance novelist by night. She owns a small zoo of furry pets and is actively involved in volunteering in her community.

Subscribe to her newsletter at www.subscribepage.com/sarahrobinsonnewsletter

Connect with Sarah:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr |  Instagram

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Spotlight: A Perfect Mistake by Laura Brown

A Perfect Mistake
Laura Brown
Published by: Lakewater Press
Publication date: November 12th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Falling for the forbidden has never felt so right…

When social worker Nica Anders indulges in one night of sexual passion with delicious Deaf man Cam Thompson, the last thing she expects is to see him the next day while visiting her dying client. He’s Cassie’s grandson and caregiver, the one treat she shouldn’t have tasted. Now her job is on the line, demanding she stay away.

But their attraction is building like a raging inferno and Nica can’t help but get burned.

Cam Thompson’s life is a mess. He’s losing his grandmother, the one person who’s supported him his whole life, and her dying wish is for him to settle down with a good woman—specifically her social worker Nica Anders. Despite Nica trying to hold tight to her ethics, he’s falling for her hard and fast.

Yet Cam’s grandmother isn’t the only matchmaker in his family, and someone’s determined to keep him and Nica apart.

Steamy, touching, heart-warming. A much-needed #OwnVoices romance to go perfectly with that plate of chocolate brownies and glass of wine!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I needed to get laid. At least, that’s what my amber cocktail made me think—correction, my third amber cocktail. If the first two hadn’t murdered my inhibition, the third managed to land the final blow.

Minus my usual filter, my eyes wandered around the room, hunting for a man to prey on. The bar was packed for a Tuesday night. Waves of chatter encompassed me, creating a low hum in my ears. But I didn’t care about the noise, not when a particular delicious specimen held me captivated, with hair the hue of rich caramel sticking out in different directions. He sat at the bar, hunched over his drink. A brunette with boobs practically spilling out of her top tried to speak to him, but he shook his head and tapped in front of his ear twice, before turning back to his drink.

She may have slinked back to her friend, but I bit my lip, taming down the grin threatening to split my face. Perfect. My fingers itched to communicate, or smooth down his messy hair.

Perhaps both.

Before I could make up my mind, his broad shoulders stiffened and he turned. My alcohol-induced bravado vanished, and I tried to wrench my gaze away. Except, I didn’t move. Not an inch. Total disconnect from cranial activity to body movement. Damn fruity drinks. A pair of brown eyes locked with mine. Crap. I knew better than to be rude and stare.

Quick, sign something, I willed my hands, anything.

Author Bio:

Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family, consisting of her husband, young son, and three cats. Hearing loss is a big part of who she is, from her own Hard of Hearing ears, to the characters she creates.

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Spotlight: Three Dog Night by Roxanne St. Claire

Alex Santorini puts his family first and foremost, and that’s going to keep him behind the grill at the family restaurant for the rest of his life, especially if his Greek grandmother has anything to say about it. But when a local winery needs a chef to step in to cook for a celebrity wedding, Alex jumps at the opportunity to showcase his culinary skills…and a chance to get closer to the winery owner who has captivated – and refused – his attention.

Grace Donovan is in a bind and knows that the answer to all her problems is one sexy Greek chef who has everything she needs…and everything that scares the hell out of her. Raised in a series of ever-changing foster homes, Grace has spent her life using science and logic to surround herself with protective walls. With all his passion and intensity, Alex could burn those walls down and, like everyone else in her life, leave her broken and alone.

As Alex and Grace join forces to land the wedding of the year, they also launch a search for the mother of a three puppies abandoned at the winery…only to discover a shocking connection to  Grace’s own mother and her shadowy past. When the truth comes out, their romance faces its greatest test. Will Grace choose the family she’s wanted her whole life…or the love she may never find again?

Goodreads: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Goodreads 

Amazon: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Amazon 

Apple: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Apple 

Nook: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Nook 

Kobo: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Kobo

Google Play: https://smarturl.it/TDN-Google 

About the Author

Published since 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty romance and suspense novels.  She has written several popular series, including The Dogfather, Barefoot Bay, the Guardian Angelinos, and the Bullet Catchers.

In addition to being an ten-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA™ Award for the best in romance writing, Roxanne has won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times, as well as the Maggie, the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others.  

A mother of two but recent empty-nester, Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband.  She loves dogs, books, chocolate, and wine, especially all at the same time.  

Website: http://www.roxannestclaire.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roxannestclaire

Twitter: https://twitter.com/roxannestclaire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxannestclaire1/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/roxanne-st-claire

Spotlight: A Whole New Duke by Samantha Holt

A Whole New Duke
Samantha Holt
Publication date: November 10th 2019
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

The Dark Duke they call him.

And he certainly matches up to his name. From his looks to his constantly furrowed brow, Miss Beatrice Edgerton is under no illusions as to the status of their arranged marriage.

It will be very much one of convenience. With him conveniently providing the title her family so desperately wants and her family bringing in plenty of money for his dilapidated home. She is simply grateful he is younger than her first husband.

Lord Morton, Duke of Hartwich, is only a little perturbed by the vibrant Beatrice. After all, he sets her straight from the very first day of their marriage—this is one of mutual benefit. In one way only. She can expect no affection or romance from him.

Because, frankly, he is incapable of such things. Being a one-legged duke with a slightly dark past brings enough challenges without him having to worry about a wife too. His days of concern for anyone are long gone.

Unfortunately, It is not only the duke’s dark demeanor she has to deal with. Someone is trying to cause trouble for them but they cannot fathom who or why.

Grace is determined to make the best of the situation, even whilst spending Christmas with the duke alone in the eerie Hartwich Hall. Why, perhaps she might even be able to change the duke’s mind about their relationship.

Especially after they share a fiery kiss…or three…

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Straightening her shoulders, Bea marched toward Adam. She kept her chin lifted and her gaze set upon her target. Nothing was going to dissuade her today. After all, she had spent too many days watching him ride in the crisp morning air with a pang of jealousy. It was high time she learned to ride too.

And her husband was going to teach her whether he liked it or not.

He glanced her way and she saw his shoulders stiffen. He said something to the groom, who retreated into the shadows of the stable block, leaving them alone in the bitter morning. If it did not snow by Christmas, Bea would be surprised indeed.

Most mornings, a hard frost lay upon the ground, lit by bright, misty sunshine. All it needed was a little warmth in the air and snow would be upon them. She was rather looking forward to seeing what Hartwich Hall looked like in the snow. Would it appear more attractive? Less harsh and ancient?

“What can I do for you, Bea?”

She met his gaze firmly and squared her posture as though readying herself for a fight. Which it would likely be. Though they had managed not to argue since the night they shared a bed, it was only a matter of time, and she doubted he would be excited about sparing the time to teach her.

However, she was a duchess, and it seemed correct that she should know how to ride. Not to mention, she envied his freedom. Whilst she enjoyed a good walk—especially now she knew where she was going—the speed and excitement of riding seemed enthralling. She had been deliberately getting to know the horses to overcome any lingering fears just so she could ask Adam this…

“I would like to learn to ride.”

The corners of his lips curved. “You do not even like horses, Bea.”

She scowled at this. “I did not like horses. I do now that Persephone and I have bonded. And I wish to learn how to ride. I think you should teach me.”

He shook his head. “No.” He turned on his heel and marched over to the water pump, setting a bucket underneath it.

“No?” she repeated, hastening after him. “What sort of an answer is that?”

He spared her a quick glance as he began to pump. “A negative one, I believe.”

She exhaled. “I think it proper that I should learn.”

“Many women do not ride. I think it quite proper that you do not.” Adam worked the pump vigorously, drawing her attention to the muscles in his arms as they flexed against the pale white of his shirt.

A tiny shiver ran through her while she recalled that very arm being wrapped around her the other night when she had been so cold. Sometimes, she could swear her husband was two different men. The one who was determined to ignore and frustrate her at every turn and the gentleman who could be soft and even kind at times. For all his frustration with her, at least she was damn well predictable.

Forcing her gaze away, she propped her hands on her hips. She could not allow him to distract her. “If you do not teach me, I shall find someone else who will.”

He shook his head again. “No one will teach you, be assured of that.”

“Because you will tell them not to? Because you will threaten their jobs?”

He smiled. “Precisely.”

“You are…just…just awful sometimes.”

He hefted up the bucket. “Don’t I know it.”

Bea followed him as he took the bucket into the stable block and poured it out into a trough. “It would be simple enough to teach me, surely? Just think, if I can ride, I will not have to plague you so much.”

“A welcome prospect indeed but you are not riding, Bea, and that is final.”

He moved past her and out of the building as though she did not exist. She followed him out to the water pump again. “You cannot dictate what I do, Adam.”

“I am your husband. I can do precisely that,” he said.

“I shall learn, one way or another. I shall just climb up on a horse and hope for the best.”

His jaw tensed and dropped the bucket to the floor and faced her fully. “You damn well will not.”

“I absolutely will.”

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…

Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.

You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.

Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.

Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.

To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.

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