Spotlight: Yours Since Yesterday by Jennifer Bernard

Once they were best friends. Now they’re from two different worlds.
 
Zoe Bellini’s world exploded the second she kissed her best friend…and not in a good way. Every teen dream came crashing down when Padric was whisked away from Alaska, and her luck hasn’t improved in the last fifteen years. In fact, the pizza shop owner’s terrible track record with men has become a local legend. She doesn’t expect it to change when Padric—now a world-famous rock star—sails back into town. It’s not like they can just pick up where they left off…but her traitorous body sure wants to try.
 
Padric Jeffers never expected to return to his hometown of Lost Harbor, Alaska—not after the scandal that sent his family fleeing. But a mysterious letter with a warning about his childhood friend Zoe? That has him postponing his tour and hopping on the next flight north. Zoe’s been on his mind and in his lyrics since he left her behind, and once he sets eyes on the stunning grown-up version of his best friend, his mission is clear: do whatever it takes to have her—and keep her—this time around.
 
Easier said than done, since not everyone in town is excited about Padric’s return. And someone will do anything it takes to get rid of him. Can a pizza maker and a rock star overcome their history—not to mention scandals, angsty fans and unexpected danger—and find their way back to love?

A standalone novel in the Lost Harbor, Alaska series.

Excerpt

 “Are you coming from the Olde Salt Saloon?” Zoe waved her hand on front of her nose. “I can smell the decades-old beer.” 

“You’re taking out garbage,” he pointed out. 

“I’d recognize Eau de Olde Salt with my eyes closed.” With a practiced motion, she heaved a garbage bag over the white slats of the enclosure. “Did you have fun?” 

“Fun” didn’t seem to be exactly the right word. “I heard some stuff. About you.” 

Her face changed, the amusement fading. “Oh. How drunk are you, anyway?” 

“Drunk enough to tell you something. About you.” 

Impatiently, she turned away from him. “You already apologized. There’s no need for anything more.” 

“No, not that. You think everyone rejects you, don’t you?” 

“What?” 

“All your bad luck. Your breakups. The lawsuit.” 

He noticed that every word made her wince. 

A gust of wind tumbled through the narrow gap between the pizza shop and the fish cleaning station. It blew her hair over her shoulders and made her shiver. She was scowling at him. “I’m freezing out here, and you’re listing all my most embarrassing moments. What is your point?” 

“You doubt yourself. And it all started with me. Am I right?”  

She blew out a breath, as if trying to hang on to her composure. “I don’t know. Maybe. I was easy to forget, so there’s that.” 

“No, you have it all wrong. All wrong. You know how I reached out to you? Do you know?” 

She shook her head, eyes wide, arms still crossed defensively. 

“I wrote songs. That’s how I dealt with it all. You, the Scandal, the move. Me missing you. It’s all there in my music. But you didn’t listen to any of it, did you?” 

Tugging her lush lower lip between her teeth, she shook her head. “No.” 

He shook his head, then stopped when the motion made him queasy. “You should have. You really should have. Shit. I need to lie down.” 

She shook herself to attention and briskly wiped her hands on her apron. “I’ll drive you back to your hotel. Sit tight. Oh, and Padric?” 

“Yeah?” He clutched his head, which felt as if it might split apart. 

“We should talk more about this when you’re not drunk. Like maybe, say, on the Larkspur Trail.” 

He gazed at her blankly for a moment, too plastered to put it together. 

“Our hike, remember? You wanted to try the Larkspur Trail again?” 

“Right. Our hike. Is that a yes?” 

“Yes, let’s do it.” 

“Now?”

She laughed, then came forward to take his arm. The gesture was probably to keep him from falling, but it felt like more. “In a couple of days when you’ve slept it off.” 

“It won’t take a couple of days,” he grumbled. “I’m a rock star, I’m used to… Ah, who am I kidding. I never could handle more than a few drinks.” 

She led him to her car, an older model Subaru, and opened the passenger door for him. “I’ll finish closing up and be right there.” 

From the comfort of her passenger seat, he watched her hurry back into the pizza shop. She was so beautiful with her firm calves and rounded ass. And they were going hiking! They’d finally be alone together across the bay, the way they’d always dreamed about. 

An eagle—the same eagle?—landed on one of the garbage bags. 

“Guess I got the last word after all, dude,” he told it. “I have a date with Zoe. So there.”

Get Your Copy: Kindle | Apple | Nook | Kobo | GooglePlay | Amazon 

About Jennifer Bernard: 

Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters.  She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. Sign up for her newsletter for book news and fun exclusives. 

Connect with Jennifer: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Off the Record by Skye McDonald

Off the Record
Skye McDonald
(Anti-Belle, #2)
Publication date: December 10th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Not even Nashville’s summer heat can match the sizzle of first love.

Nick Field’s motto is “live free.” The huge promotion at work is great, but producing a pop star’s debut album isn’t going to change his life or anything. There’s always room for unwinding and having fun.

Mel Thomas works 24/7 as the media manager to America’s newest heartthrob. Building his image and writing her career make-or-break article are the stories of the summer. There’s no room to go off script.

Ten years ago, Nick and Mel were high school sweethearts. Reunited by chance, what should’ve been ancient history reignites into a passionate present. Too bad there’s no future in it.

Add to Goodreads


Author Bio:

Skye spent a lot of her adolescence dreaming about living in a hip, urban town full of adventures that occurred outside of the local mall. (Hers was Rivergate, in case you know Nashville well!) Now that she’s been living away from Nashville for years, the once sleepy Southern city has become just that place, and she returns to visit whenever she can. Her seven-novel-and-growing Anti-Belle series is centered in her hometown, partly as a homage and partly because these days Nashville is too hip to ignore.

In the real world, Skye is an English teacher in Brooklyn, New York, and has lived there long enough to consider herself a true New Yorker—even though she proudly cheers for the Tennessee Vols (her alma mater) and loves being a GRITS (Girl Raised in the South).

Skye's philosophy is to live with your heart and mind open. She believes in the beauty of this world and seeks adventure and joy as a daily practice. If "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans," as John Lennon said, then she'd rather leave the schedule open and let life happen.

Website / Twitter / Instagram


XBTBanner1

Spotlight: Autumn Falls by Tiye Love

When love is only a few feet away...

Determined not to follow her mother's footsteps and give up her dreams for a man, Autumn Locke has no time or desire for a serious relationship. She simply wants to enjoy her last year of college and study hard, while playing even harder. Falling in love was never a part of the plan. Until she unexpectedly has to live with Quincy Jackson, the sexy head drum major, who is just as resolute to tempt Autumn to act on their undeniable attraction.

Excerpt

Quincy placed his hand on mine as I touched the car door.  “Quincy, we can’t.”

He gently demanded, “Turn around.”

I rested my forehead against the top of my car refusing to comply. He placed his hands on either side of me, blocking me in. “I have to go,” I said more firmly than I even believed.

His soft lips traced the nape of my neck. “How long are we going to do this?” 

“Do what?” I don’t know why I was a glutton for punishment. I had to hear him say what had been between us since that very first day he moved in.

He drawled seductively, “I’m not talking to your back as sexy as it is.”

I turned around, tilted my head, with my arms crossed protectively over my heart. “What are we doing?”

Quincy lowered his lashes, smiling. “You’re trying to make me jealous. Dressed like this to go out when you don’t have to go anywhere.”

“Quincy, I do have plans and I need to go. So, if that’s all…” He pressed me against my car, placing light as feather kisses on my neck enticing me with his lips. His hard body felt so good against my soft one. 

He lifted his head. “It’s not all. Come back inside with me or stay in the car and I’ll get rid of everyone. I need you.” His gaze roamed my body hungrily before settling on my face.

I shut my eyes to his intense expression, his slightly gaped mouth ready to kiss me.  “Need me? That’s a joke. You don’t need me. You just want something you can’t have.  And I’m not trying to make you jealous. I do have someone waiting for me, just like you have “Black Barbie” waiting on you inside.” I opened my door and slipped away from him again. I expected anger in his expression when I started my car, all I saw was desire while I backed up and left temptation.  

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Tiye Love recalled reading romance ever since she was a young child and would sneak and read the Western love stories her grandmother kept on her bedside table. Although she didn’t understand half of the words she read at the time, something about those books captured her attention. As she grew older, her love of romance expanded to other genres, and she became a fan of anything remotely related to reading and books, such as libraries, bookstores, and the coffeeshop around the corner. She loves to travel and has lived in several cities, including New Orleans, Washington D.C., and Houston, and finds inspiration for her stories from every place she has had the fortune to visit or inhabit. When Tiye is not obsessed with her latest characters, she spends time with herself, family, and friends doing whatever she can to create daily moments of enjoyment. 

Connect: AUTHOR SITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

ENTER TO WIN

$25 Amazon gift card from Tiye Love

CLICK HERE

Audio Spotlight: Finding Kennedy by Jacinta Howard

When Kennedy James unexpectedly shows up at her grandma’s house in Tyler, Texas, no one knows what to make of her arrival—including her. The only thing Kennedy does know is that something in her life has to change, and it needs to happen right now. She’s been numb for much too long.

Then she meets Travis Broussard, the perceptively cool guitarist of the indie soul band, The Prototype. The timing couldn’t be worse, but their attraction is instant, magnetic, and at times overwhelming, causing Kennedy to question if it’s possible to feel too much.

As Kennedy attempts to embark on a new path, she finds herself at a crossroads. But if she chooses to follow her heart, is she prepared to deal with what she might find?

Buy on Amazon | Audible

About the Author

A longtime culture and music journalist and lifelong music lover, Jacinta Howard lives in the Atlanta area. For years, she worked as a writer and editor, covering entertainment, art and culture. She is the author of new adult, women's fiction, and contemporary romance, and her work often explores the sometimes uncomfortable intricacies of relationships, human folly, healing, and the bumps we experience along the road to true intimacy. A USA TODAY HEA Blog Must-Read Author and a two-time RONE Award nominee, her happy place is hanging with her family and listening to jamming music, preferably while reading on a beach somewhere. Visit her at jacintahoward.com.

Connect: AUTHOR SITE | FACEBOOKTWITTER | INSTAGRAMNEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Spotlight: In Sight of the Mountain by Jamie McGillen

~ Inspired by the trailblazing women of the 19th Century who dared to summit Mount Rainier ~

In the devastating aftermath of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, nineteen-year-old Anna Gallagher faces considerable pressure to marry well and soon.

She has two serious suitors: a well-meaning but condescending doctor, and an evasive fisherman who challenges her mind. But Anna has no intention of giving up her freedom to keep house; she has a dream to reach the summit of Mount Rainier.

Despite her family’s disapproval and her own self-doubt, she secretly trains, raises money for supplies, and buys a train ticket to the base of the mountain. If she succeeds in reaching its icy peak, she could pioneer the way for women mountaineers; but it’s a tall task and there’s much at risk—including the heart of a man who just might love her as an equal.

On the journey, Anna will face glaciers, avalanches, and frozen temperatures, all without knowing if she even has a family or a future to return to.

In Sight of the Mountain is a charming coming-of-age story, but it also casts the reader’s gaze upon issues of colonialism, class, and women’s far-too-narrow options.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

About the Author

Jamie McGillen lives in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and no matter how many times she moves away, it draws her home. Everything about large evergreen trees delights her, except how poky they are, and the sap. Her poems and essays have been published in numerous literary journals, and she teaches English Composition at Highline College. When she’s not teaching or cutting strawberries for her starving children, she enjoys writing rhyming poetry, but it’s simply not as popular as it used to be. You can find out more about her at www.jamiemcgillen.com. You can also find her on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback back copy of In Sight of the Mountain! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Spotlight: Distant Signs by Anne Richter

Distant Signs is an intimate portrait of two families spanning three generations amidst turbulent political change, behind and beyond the Berlin Wall. In 1960s East Germany, Margret, a professor’s daughter from the city, meets and marries Hans, from a small village in Thuringia. The couple struggle to contend with their different backgrounds, and the emotional scars they bear from childhood in the aftermath of war. As East German history gradually unravels, with collision of the personal and political, their two families’ hidden truths are quietly revealed. An exquisitely written novel with strongly etched characters that stay with you long after the book is finished and an authentic portrayal of family life behind the iron curtain based on personal experience of the author who is East German and was 16 years old at the fall of the Berlin Wall. Why do families repeat destructive patterns of behaviour across generations? Should the personal take precedence over the political? Can we rise above our histories and political identities to forge a new understanding of the past and to welcome change

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Anne Richter was born in 1973 in Jena, in the former German Democratic Republic. Her degree in Romance languages and English included study periods in England, Italy and France. In 2011, Anne was nominated for the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, a highly regarded German-language literary award. Her debut novel, Distant Signs, was published in Germany in 2013. Anne is currently writing her second novel.

Douglas Irving is Scottish. He studied German and Spanish at Aberdeen University. In 2014 he completed a Masters in Translation at Glasgow University. His first translation, Crossing: A Love Story by Anna Seghers was published in 2016 in the US to positive reviews. His translation of Anna Seghers’ last work published in her lifetime, Three Women from Haiti, is set to follow.