Spotlight: The Anti-Honeymoon by Bethany Michaels

No groom? No Problem.

When her fiancé tries to turn their wedding into a publicity stunt, Jenna ditches the nuptials—and the groom she shouldn’t have been with in the first place—and skips straight to the honeymoon. The getaway driver, her ex-fiancé’s former business partner, Zach, is the perfect guy to help reshape her romantic newlywed itinerary into an anti-couple, anti-romance, anti-honeymoon adventure for two.

They trade couples yoga for kickboxing lessons. Five-star dining on the beach for pizza and beer at a dive bar. Forget couples massage—Jenna’s getting that tattoo she’s always wanted, and dares Zach to get one, too. And those naughty boudoir pics she took in place of romantic sunset snaps? Those aren’t going in anyone’s wedding album. Not that Zach will forget them anytime soon.

As each item on Jenna’s anti-couples list is checked off, the anti-honeymoon with Zach feels more and more like the real thing, and she wishes the list was just a little bit longer…and even steamier.

Excerpt

 “Need help with your bags or anything?” Zach called from the hallway.

Jenna sighed from inside the dress’s folds.  “Yes, actually I do need some help.”

She heard the bedroom door open. “In here,” she said, shoving the skirt back down so it covered her ass. She tugged it into place just as Zach entered the closet.  

“I need you to rip this off me.”

“Pardon?” He looked like she’d just asked him to play strip poker.

“I’m sewn into the dress,” she explained. “I need you to pull the back seam apart.” She turned her back so he could get at it.

“You’re sewn into the dress?”

“It’s a designer thing. Apparently.” This would be her first—and last—experience wearing a designer gown. If she ever did actually meet a man and make it through the whole wedding ceremony, it would be on a beach somewhere. No pinchy shoes, no fussy hair and make-up, no designer gown and no Python. Just a flowy comfortable dress, her bare feet, and the ocean waves. And a groom, of course. One focused on her and not making things appear perfect for a magazine spread.

“If you say so.” He sounded uncertain and really she couldn’t blame him. Even though he probably had women taking off their clothes in front of him all the time, they probably didn’t often ask him to rip them out of a wedding gown. At least not on the first date.

Jenna jumped when his hand brushed her bare shoulder. His heat was like a volcano at her back and the clean, soapy smell of him made her want to inhale deeply.

“Sorry,” he murmured, though she wasn’t sure what he had to be sorry about. “Just…rip it?”

“At the seam. It should pull apart.”

He tugged at the fabric tentatively.

It didn’t give way like she thought it would. “Harder,” she said, trying to speed things up. His nearness was disconcerting and a little space would be a good thing.

“I’m going to rip it.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “Just get me out of this thing. Please.”

Zach popped the top stitch and it all separated at once, from her nape to her ass.

She clutched the front of the dress to her breasts.

“What the hell is that?” he asked and it took Jenna a minute to figure out what he meant.

“The Python,” Jenna said, turning around. “Haute Couture isn’t made for women with curves in mind. Elliot and the designer thought this would make the dress flow better.”

“Wow,” he muttered, staring. Then he shook his head. “Please tell me you’re not sewn into that thing, too.”

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About the Author

Bethany Michaels is the author of over a dozen contemporary novels and novellas as well as a handful of Regency-set historicals and light paranormal romances. The first book in her Nashville country music series, Nashville Heat, was an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee.

When not working on her next book, Bethany enjoys movies, traveling, camping, hiking, and volunteering with her kids’ scout troops. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and four teens.

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Spotlight: Poor Florida Cracker by Chelsea Falin


Poor Florida Cracker 
by Chelsea Falin 
Genre: YA Coming of Age 


Sissy Collet and her siblings have grown up with neglectful parents, impoverished, and bullied by their small town. When they finally get their chance to break free, they take it - despite having the odds stacked against their favor. With nothing except a half-cooked scheme and an old beater, they set off without a set destination in the hopes they will finally be free of the baggage holding them back. Will Sissy get her happily ever after? Or will she never be anything more than a Poor Florida Cracker? 





Chelsea Falin is the 25 year old independent author of well over ten titles. She began writing with intents to publish in 2006, at age 16, and finally published in 2009, at age 19. Chelsea writes in a variety of genres, including but not limited to: romance, young adult, comedy, cooking, poetry, and dramatic fiction. Professionally, Chelsea is also a freelance blog/article writer, web designer, and book blogger. 

In her personal life, Chelsea is the mother of a six year old daughter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, fishing, hiking, biking, traveling, and spending time with her friends or family. 






$10 Amazon Gift Card 

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Spotlight: Lies We Tell by Jeana E. Mann

One lie. One crazy, dark, dirty lie turned my world upside down. It dug its claws into my life, altered my future, and clouded my past.

I thought I was over him. The one who lied. I thought I’d moved on with a successful career, a fat bank account, and a sexy boyfriend.

All that changes when Owen Henry walks back into my life. He’s out on parole, standing on my front porch, looking sexier than ever. I want to hate him for what he’s done, but all I can do is think about how great his lips felt on mine the last time we kissed.

I’m so screwed.

*This book was released in 2017 as Monster Love and contains new content.

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About the Author

Jeana is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author from Indiana. She gave up a career in the corporate world to write about sexy billionaires and alpha bad boys. With over twenty books and several awards beneath her belt, she’s never regretted her choice to live out her dream. She’s a free spirit, a wanderer at heart, and loves animals with a passion. When she’s not tripping over random objects, you’ll find her walking in the sunshine with her rambunctious dogs and dreaming about true love. 

You can follow Jeana here:

Website:http://jeanaemann.net

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Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeana.e.mann/

Text Alerts:  Text the word “Jeana” without quotations to 21000

Giveaway

The author is giving away a $25 Amazon GC and a signed paperback open international. Stop by her page to enter: https://www.facebook.com/JeanaEMann

Spotlight: A Simple Wedding by Leigh Duncan

Fall in love with Heart’s Landing,

a romantic wedding destination,

in the first book of a Hallmark series.

Jenny always dreamed of getting married at Heart’s Landing. But when she finally visits the charming small town, she’s there to make wedding arrangements for someone else: her cousin, who also happens to be her boss and a famous movie star. Her cousin wants a simple wedding, not a media circus. To keep the event top-secret, she’s talked her assistant Jenny into pretending she’s the one getting married.

Nick, a baker and lifelong resident of Heart’s Landing, is intrigued by this bride-to-be who starts visiting his bakery for sweet treats and conversation. It seems strange that her fiancé isn’t at least little involved with the wedding plans.

As Jenny tries to keep up with her fickle cousin’s ever-changing demands—which exasperate the florist, the caterer, and several other vendors—she tries to hide her attraction to Nick. Meanwhile, the people in town talk Nick into trying to distract Jenny with a sightseeing tour in order to keep her from changing her mind again. The more time Nick spends with Jenny, the harder it becomes to remind himself that she’s already spoken for.

Planning this wedding couldn’t be more complicated…and what will happen once the truth comes to light?

Excerpt

“I know just the place!” Kay’s mouth twisted into a sly smile. “Actually, it was your idea.”

“Oh?” Confused, Jenny pursed her lips. She and Kay hadn’t discussed weddings in years, probably not since they’d played dress-up in grade school. Back then, her cousin had insisted she’d only get married on the white sandy beach of some faraway tropical isle. Jenny, though, had dreamed of walking down the aisle in the one town that consistently received a five-star ranking from Weddings Today. She glanced at Karolyn. Surely, her cousin hadn’t chosen that spot for her own wedding.

Apparently, she had.

“We’ve decided on a Heart’s Landing wedding. It’s the perfect place because everyone will expect us to choose an exotic destination. Even better, I called this morning and spoke with the event coordinator. She’s had a cancellation. A bride and groom who’d rented out the entire Captain’s Cottage for their wedding had a change of plans. I was able to snag the reservation for the last week in June. Isn’t that fabulous?”

The tiniest spark of frustration burned in Jenny’s stomach. She quickly squelched it. What did it matter if Karolyn had stolen her choice of wedding venues? It wasn’t like she planned to get married next week, or next year. She didn’t have anyone special in her life, a situation she didn’t see changing anytime in the foreseeable future.

Not that she minded. Even though her hours were long and her schedule as capricious and hectic as a hummingbird in flight, she enjoyed her job as an assistant to one of Hollywood’s leading ladies. But it was definitely not the kind of job that allowed for much of a personal life. She could hardly remember when she’d last been out on a date, much less had gotten involved in something serious. So no, she refused to be mad at her cousin for jumping at the chance to get married at one of the top ten wedding destinations in America.

Besides, she knew just about everything there was to know about Heart’s Landing. Thumbing through the latest issue of Weddings Today would fill in any gaps. Given that Karolyn and Chad had decided to keep things small and intimate, she really didn’t know what she was worried about. Why, she’d probably have this wedding wrapped up within a week, two at the outside. She rubbed her fingers together. “When do we get started?”

“Well, that’s the thing.” Karolyn heaved a sigh worthy of the stage. “We don’t. Between my shooting schedule and the rest of my commitments”—maintaining her position in the top echelon of Hollywood’s leading actress required daily workouts and weekly pampering at an exclusive spa, not to mention the nights Karolyn spent hobnobbing among the industry’s movers and shakers—“I won’t have time to even think about it. I need you to handle everything.

But not here. You know how good the paparazzi are at sniffing out details. To throw them off track, you’ll need to go there and pretend you’re arranging your own wedding.” “But…” Jenny sputtered. Fly to Rhode Island and plan a wedding that wasn’t hers? She could think of a million ways that could go wrong in a wedding that was growing more complicated by the minute.

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About the Author

Leigh Duncan, an Amazon bestselling author and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, has written over two dozen novels, novellas and short stories, including A Simple Wedding, A Country Wedding, and Journey Back to Christmas for Hallmark Publishing, the Glades County Cowboys series for Harlequin, and her own Orange Blossom series. Leigh lives on Central Florida's East Coast where she writes complex, heartwarming, and emotional stories with a dash of Southern sass.

Connect with Leigh: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Spotlight: Flawless Foundations by Lauren Helms

Born from money, Levi was destined to take over the family business. Emmy has always had a crush on her bestie’s big brother, but she hadn’t planned on shaking things up. When a kiss turns into more and a secret is being kept, can they build flawless foundations? Readers will fall in love with this best friend sibling romance from Lauren Helms. The 425 Madison series is back with season two and FLAWLESS FOUNDATIONS is now live!

Only on Amazon + Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited 

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Goodreads ➝ http://bit.ly/FFLHGR

Levi

It's no secret I was born from money. And I'm destined to take over the family business, King Cosmetics when my father retires.

At least that was the plan. 

Until my father decided to impose some stupid rule about being married before I take the reigns. Everything I've worked for hangs in the balance and the future of the company is in jeopardy without a King behind the controls.  

I never considered Becca part of the plan for taking over, but when one kiss leads to so much more, I can't help but wonder if she's the answer to my problem.

Becca

There are two things I love - my beauty blog and Levi King. 

Coming from the same social circle has given me ample opportunity to crush on the next generation of King Cosmetics, but he made it clear a long time ago that I would never be anything more than "like family" to him.

Feeling the need for some serious changes in my life, I start shaking things up. 

It wasn't part of my plan to kiss Levi, but one kiss could never be enough. When that kiss turns into a relationship and I find out that Levi's been keeping a secret, I begin to question if our love affair was too good to be true.

Looks like we're about to find out if we can truly build flawless foundations for the rest of our lives. After all 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love.

Excerpt 

copyright @ Lauren Helms 2020

"Em, is there anything at Envirogal open? I don't know, maybe in research and development?

Or even the finance department? Maybe it's time to put my degrees to use?"

She pops out her bottom lip. "I really don't think we have any openings that would fit what you're looking for or would enjoy. But I will definitely talk to HR on Monday." I deflate a little at her response. Damn it. She was a great resource in the field I would want to work in since I clearly have to work.

"Oh, you should talk to Levi. King Cos is always hiring. They are just so much bigger than Envirogal. I'm sure he'd be able to find you a great job!" She's all excited about the prospect, she's also completely unaware of my distaste for her brother, Levi King.

Well, if she is aware, she does a great job of ignoring it. Just the thought of her tall, slender, dark-haired, brown-eyed brother makes me twitchy. Then, of course, my next thought goes to the fact that he now lives just down the hall. Which means at any time, he could just show up. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that Emmy's relationship with her brother is stronger than ever. She deserves it since she has some of the worst parents, but I was as happy as a clam not seeing Levi on a regular basis.

I've known Levi King since I was a freckle-faced, braces-wearing preteen. We've always gotten along but were never friends. With him being two years older than us and seeing him being a nice big brother to Emmy, instead of an asshole like a lot of the other brothers in our social circle, I had it bad. My crush on him grew pretty quickly way back then. Unfortunately for me, that crush never really faded, but instead grew as the years went by. That is, until college.

It all ended one night in my Sophomore year. Emmy and I visited him at Harvard one weekend. He was a senior and surprisingly welcomed a visit from his sister. He took us out with a few of his friends to their local hang out and, well, let's just say I had a lot to drink. I decided with my liquid courage that I'd flirt a little. He flirted back, to my surprise and extreme excitement. Toward the end of the night, I thought I was actually getting somewhere. So, when I finally kissed him, I was in heaven. Until he pushed me away and told me I was drunk, and he'd never take advantage of a woman under the influence. Okay, so I can commend that. But drunk me just kept pushing until he delivered his final blow. "Becca, you're like a sister to me, nothing can ever happen between us."

Ouch. You know what's worse than being friend-zoned? Sister-zoned.

Only on Amazon + Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited 

Amazon ➝ https://amzn.to/2x1IeXj

About Lauren 

Lauren Helms has forever been an avid reader from the beginning. After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book world, she knew that something was missing. Lauren decided to take the plunge and write her first novel. While working for a video game strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games and romance. She decided to take the plunge and joined NaNoWrimo and a month later, she had her first draft. 

Lauren Helms has forever been an avid reader from the beginning. After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book world, she knew that something was missing. Lauren decided to take the plunge and write her first novel. While working for a video game strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games and romance. She decided to take the plunge and joined NaNoWrimo and a month later, she had her first draft. 

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Spotlight: The Plan by Whitney Dineen

The Plan
Whitney Dineen
(The Creek Water Series #3)
Publication date: March 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Bead shop owner Amelia Frothingham has been keeping a secret from everyone she knows.

She pretends to be the ultimate care-free bohemian chick, but the truth is, she’s the world’s biggest control freak. Much to the delight of her Southern family, Amelia’s life appears to be smooth sailing. That is, until bad boy rockstar Huck Wiley mysteriously blows into town like a spring tornado.

Like every other woman under eighty with a pulse, Amelia’s intrigued. So when Huck starts showing up in her shop with flirtation in mind, she finds herself getting sucked into the rock god vortex. But her previous attempts at long-distance love have always ended on a sour note, so Amelia has vowed never to repeat the experience.

What Amelia doesn’t know is that Huck has a secret of his own, and he has no intention of returning to Los Angeles before he’s good and ready.

Will Huck stay in town, scattering the beads Amelia has finally gotten sorted? Or will he head back to his glamorous life and take her last chance at spontaneity and love along with him?

Find out in this deliciously funny romcom about love and life in Creek Water, Missouri!

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

By the time three thirty rolls around, I haven’t had a customer in over an hour, so I decide to run upstairs and make a cup of tea. Just as I’m about to turn on the television while I wait for the water to boil, the bell over the shop door rings. Note to business owners, the ticket to more foot traffic is leaving the store in pursuit of tea. I might need to write a book. I could call it “If You Make Tea, They Will Come.”

I turn off the pot and run downstairs to see who my customer is. When I hit the bottom step, I have a clear view of a person standing next to my brightly painted apothecary drawer full of carnelian beads. I’m either in the throes of a major hallucination or dreams really do come true. Huck Wiley, or someone who looks enough like him to be his identical twin, is standing under one of the three beaded chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above my workstation. He’s looking at the necklace I was just working on.

He’s wearing jeans so faded and torn they look like they’re ready for the rag bin, yet I’m willing to bet he spent more on them than most people spend on ten pairs. The rock god is sporting a vintage U2 t-shirt and a black leather jacket. I can’t see what his shoes look like because there’s a display case blocking my view, but I’d put money on biker boots.

The floorboards creak as I step forward. My disbelieving eyes focus like a thirsty wanderer lost in the desert having just spotted a distant source of water. Whoever he is, he turns and looks right at me. His smile is so bright I may have gasped out loud in response. Seven more steps land me directly in front of him.

“Can I help you?” My tone is prim, reminiscent of a school librarian daring a student to try to check out a book before paying his overdue fine.

“Hey there,” he croons in that voice, the one I know so well from having spent hours listening to his music. My mouth hangs open like I’m a drooling idiot, but I can’t seem to close it. “I heard you gave beading classes and I was wondering if you have a special session for kids.”

I temporarily forget that he and I speak the same language. Did he just ask me about beading classes? I must be experiencing a particularly vivid fantasy. Rock star Huck Wiley can’t possibly be a closet beader, can he? Wait, he said “for kids” … Maybe I fell asleep when I went upstairs to make tea and this dream is making up for last night’s ball and chain fiasco. If so, it’s a good one.

The vision in front of me releases an easy laugh, a real laugh. Huck Wiley is probably used to odd reactions from strange women, and let me say, I’m doing my darndest to behave strangely. “Would you tell me when those classes are?” he persists.

Forcing myself to behave as normally as possible, I robotically tell him, “I have one on Wednesday and Thursday right after school, so four o’clock. They last for an hour and the price of the class includes the materials for one bracelet. It usually takes four classes to complete a project.” I don’t mean to brag, but my acting skills have gone untapped until now and I managed to get that whole sentence out without tripping over my tongue.

He nods. “Would you be available for a private lesson during the morning sometime?”

I shrug awkwardly like I’m having some kind of seizure. “For now, or during the summer?” What kid isn’t at school during school hours now?

“My daughter will be doing online school and I’d like for her to have a break during the day. You know, other kids get recess and lunch, I’d like for Maggie to get out and about.”

My jaw drops wide open. My earlier attempts at appearing normal have failed me. I’m back to feeling like I’m in a science fiction television show and I’ve just leaped out of my body. It’s like I’m watching me have this conversation with the biggest rock star of our time from the ceiling. The part of me that’s escaped its confines wants to shout down to the rest of me, “Close your mouth, girl!” But I can’t, so I don’t.

Instead, I say, “I’m sorry, but are you Huck Wiley?”

“I am.”

“Why are you here?” I demand. “Don’t you live in Los Angeles or something?”

“Or something,” he answers evasively. Before he can say anything else, I reach across the counter and touch the man’s face. His slightly stubbly beard scratches at my fingertips and then I swear I don’t know what comes over me, but I pinch him.

He jumps back and releases a short bark of surprise, assuring me he’s not some figment I’ve conjured. “I’m so sorry,” I say, quickly regaining my senses. “I thought maybe I was dreaming you up or something.”

“I think you’re supposed to pinch yourself when you think you’re dreaming,” he says, looking at me like I might be an escaped mental patient.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

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