Spotlight: The Anti-Relationship Year by Katie Wismer

(The Pact #2)
Publication date: March 30th 2021
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Romance

Johanna Palmer is very much over relationships.

After a scarring experience her freshman year of college, she’s decided she’d much rather have something fun than something serious.

Her best friend Miller has seen it all—the tears, the parties, the drunken phone calls at four in the morning when she needed a ride. In fact, there might be several things Miller saw that Jo herself can’t remember.

Things Miller can’t forget.

With the whirlwind of senior year underway, Jo just wants to move on, get her degree, and land her dream job. But her past might not be as easy to outrun as she’d hoped.

The Anti-Relationship Year is a friends to lovers college romance that acts as a companion to The Anti-Virginity Pact. Both books can be read as standalones.

Excerpt

“They’re seniors at Portland State,” Kayleigh hissed under her breath as the bouncer glanced at their IDs and ushered them inside. Miller wiggled his eyebrows as the three of them hurried through the doors. The bar was lively, but not as crowded as Jo had expected. The stage was just a small platform in the back corner with a few lights pointed in its direction. Wires and musical instruments were strewn about, but none of the band members had surfaced yet.

“I’ve never heard of them,” Jo admitted. 

“They’re about to make it big,” Kayleigh insisted, raising onto her tiptoes to get a look at the line out the windows. “I can’t see Addie or Liv anymore.” She turned to Miller. “What are your roommates’ names again?”

Miller frowned and shrugged.

Jo stifled a snort. At least it wasn’t just her.

“You don’t know any of their names?” Kayleigh demanded.

Miller narrowed his eyes, considering this. “Pretty sure one of them is Alan—big guy with the goofy hair? And one of them might be Gatsby. Or maybe he just likes The Great Gatsby…” He shook his head. “Nah, he doesn’t seem like the kind to read. I think it’s his name.”

Kayleigh threw her hands up, her gaze now moving on to survey the rest of the crowd—a few people were wearing T-shirts with the name UNITED FATES scrawled across the front, but not many. She jutted her chin toward the bar and elbowed Jo in the ribs. “You should get the drinks. You look the most twenty-one of the three of us.”

Jo shot an uneasy glance toward the bar and adjusted the straps of her tank top. She already had the wristband from the front door. The hard part was over. She forced a smile and flipped her hair over her shoulders. She’d curled it tonight, and the tinted lights overhead were making it look more wine-colored than its usual copper shade. “I’ll be right back.”

The bartender did a quick once-over as she approached. “What can I get you?” His hair was nearly as red as Johanna’s was, complete with a matching mustache. He also looked to be barely twenty-one himself.

“Three beers.” Her gaze swept the bar, and she pointed to a fish-shaped tap handle. “That one.” She had no idea if that one was any good, but the bartender turned away wordlessly and grabbed three glasses.

“Those all for you?”

A man slid into the chair on Johanna’s left. The first thing she noticed was the tattoos. He braced an arm on the bar, revealing a sleeve all the way from his wrist to his shoulder beneath his white T-shirt. All of the images and words blurred seamlessly together, the black ink stark against his pale skin. A silver coin on a long chain dangled from his neck as he leaned forward. 

The second thing she noticed was how inky and gelled his hair was, styled to stand up just-so in the front. He must have spent at least half as long as she had in front of the mirror tonight.

The final thing she noticed was the way his eyes lingered on her body. He found her face eventually, but it was a steep climb to get there. He started at her legs, then gradually made it to her hips, her waist, her chest, and then, finally, her eyes. He wasn’t even being subtle about it. He wanted her to see him looking at her.

From what she could tell, he had a nice body, too. But she definitely wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of watching her check him out.

“I don’t have NPS tattooed on my lip for nothing,” she said as the bartender returned and slid the beers across the counter to her.

“NPS?” asked the mystery guy.

She quirked an eyebrow at him over her shoulder. “No pussy shit.”

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About the Author

Katie Wismer is a diehard pig-lover, semi-obsessive gym rat, and longtime sucker for a well-written book. She studied creative writing and sociology at Roanoke College and now lives in Colorado with her cats Max and Dean. She spends most of her free time on her Youtube channel Katesbookdate where she chats about books, life, and veganism. You can find her online at katiewismer.com or @katesbookdate on Instagram and Twitter.

Connect:

https://www.katiewismer.com/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katie-wismer

https://www.facebook.com/authorkatiewismer/

https://www.instagram.com/katesbookdate/

https://twitter.com/Katesbookdate

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18099187.Katie_Wismer

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Spotlight: Unbridled Dreams by Rhonda G. Mincey

Publisher: Great Success Books

Do you feel a nudge from within to realize and live your full potential but do not know where to start? In the most amazing way, you have already begun your adventure. You are capable of a great deal more than you give yourself credit for.

What you need now is a little hand-holding and then you can enable yourself in reaching for the stars. This wonderful book was written specifically for you in mind. What you foremost need is the belief that you were meant for greatness and that you can achieve anything that you desire.

This indispensable guide will take you on a journey of self-discovery, changing your mindset, figuring out your dreams, and giving a voice to your passions. Once there, you’ll begin to set goals and start to attain them one-by-one. The author will stay with you at each step of the way and show you how it’s done.

Excerpt

From introduction

Do you feel a burning desire to be the very best you can but don’t know exactly how or where to begin the process? Do you know for certain that God created you for greatness and yet are afraid to walk out your true destiny? Do you have goals and dreams but lack the motivation, resources, training, or coaching to move forward? Have you accomplished a measure of success but still want more from your life? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are certainly not the only one.

There are indeed a countless number of women who share these same sentiments and are reduced to living lives considerably below their full potential. They often feel stuck in an inescapable cycle of mediocrity, having a desire to be their very best but subconsciously settling for substantially less. They live an “average” life, finding solace while existing at the top of the bottom or the bottom of the top, not excellent, “just enough.” Either way, they gravitate to a place of comfort, following the path of least resistance.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Rhonda Mincey is a world traveler. She is an international speaker, dream weaver, award-winning mentor, transformation coach, poet, and author. Rhonda has made her mark by inspiring women from all walks of life to confront their fears and accomplish their goals. Rhonda has authored several books, including the highly acclaimed A Girl’s Guide to Being Great that she wrote to help girls realize their value and maximize their opportunities for a successful life.

Rhonda is also an award-winning mentor for women and girls and received Georgia’s Southern University’s Service Award and the prestigious Turner Broadcasting Station (TBS) Pathfinders Award for her work. Rhonda is named a Top 25 Woman in Business 2021 from Courageous Magazine. Rhonda possesses a master’s degree in education with a focus on community leadership.

When Rhonda isn’t writing, she enjoys reading inspirational books, walking on the beach, traveling, and spending time with family and friends

Connect:

Website: http://www.rhondmincey.com

Facebook: Great SuccessLLC

Instagram: @rhondagmincey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-g-mincey-chief-inspirational-officer-great-success-llc-26977b9/

Spotlight: Game of Hearts by Cathy Yardley

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Kyla Summers has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to get her cosplay business off the ground, and only one thing stands in her way. She needs someone to take over the auto shop, and there’s only one person she can think of to call…

Jericho Salomon hasn’t been back in his home town since he joined a biker gang and rode off nine years ago. When his best friend’s kid sister calls begging for help, he knows that he owes the family a debt and he intends to pay. This is easier said than done once he finds that the kid is all grown up…

She needs a pair of skillful hands. He needs to keep his hands off. When sparks begin to fly, can they keep things strictly business, or will their hearts get hopelessly tangled? No more games, it’s time to play for keeps.

Excerpt

There was a lull, and she strode through the open bays and down the small hallway to the office.  “You on the phone?” she called.

“No.”

She gritted her teeth, storming in. “Billy, dammit, please tell me you didn’t take on any new customers,” she said from the doorway.  “I’m slammed enough as it is.”

“No problem!  As it happens, I’ve got the answer to all your problems right here,” he said, with his usual broad grin.

She wanted to strangle him. “Unless you’ve magically produced a mechanic from out of your butt, I sincerely doubt that.”

Billy burst out laughing, and she heard a low responding chuckle.  Surprised, she stepped further into the office.  She hadn’t realized there was anyone else there.  

Oh, God. Don’t be a customer.

She stepped past the high filing cabinet, just as the other person stood up – and kept standing up, or so it seemed.  The man unfolded himself from the rickety office chair, and he looked almost seven feet tall.

She goggled.  She couldn’t help it. Jet black hair, wavy, curling at the ends of his collar and brushing his shoulders.  Which, by the way, were incredible.  Holy hell, broad shoulders.  The guy was yoked.  He was wearing a black T-shirt that said MACHINISTS with a skull-and-crossbones, where the crossbones were wrenches.  It stretched over a chest that looked carved out of marble.  He was also wearing riding leathers.

Holy shit.  Her mouth went dry as the Sahara out of sheer, unrelenting thirst.  

Her eyes roamed some more.  She needed to stop staring at the guy’s bod, she realized.  She was objectifying.  She was embarrassing herself.  There was an off-chance she might be struck blind by his sheer, unrelenting sexiness.

She slid her gaze back up, over what she figured was a washboard flat six-pack, and past tanned, muscular forearms.  Up to his face.  Dark eyes, a brown so deep it was almost black.  High, chiseled cheekbones.  And a smile that…

Wait a minute.

Her jaw dropped.  “Jericho?  Is that you?”

His smile widened.  

“In the flesh, baby.”

She stared for just a second longer.

Then, like a bullet out of a gun, she launched herself at him.

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About Cathy Yardley

 Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and sometimes being a little wrong is just right. She likes writing about quirky, crazy adventures, because she's had plenty of her own: she had her own army in the Society of Creative Anachronism; she's spent a New Year's on a 3-day solitary vision quest in the Mojave Desert; she had VIP access to the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Now, she spends her time writing in the wilds of East Seattle, trying to prevent her son from learning the truth of any of said adventures, and riding herd on her two dogs (and one husband.)

Connect with Cathy:  Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Newsletter

Spotlight: When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts

Publication Date: 3/30/2021

They both know the pain of loss and how to protect their hearts...but fate has a way of stepping in...

When a kitchen fire forces young widow Elle Brooks to move in with her friend Bryn and her motley collection of rescue animals, she doesn’t foresee ending up in the muscled arms of handsome cowboy and veterinarian Brody Tate. But she can’t deny the feelings that being close to Brody are stirring in her. Spending time with the hunky cowboy and his adorable young daughter as they rehabilitate rescued horses reminds Elle of all she lost in a car crash years ago.

As a widower himself, Brody is devoted to being a good dad for his spirited daughter. He hasn’t let romance even enter his head. But now he’s met Elle. Spending time with her is shaking up the calm he’s worked so hard to achieve, and he can’t seem to get this woman off his mind.

Elle and Brody have both lost people they loved, but their mutual attraction and growing feelings are too strong to ignore. The hope of a future together is a beautiful possibility, but can these two wounded souls take a chance on each other and find the courage to love again?

Excerpt

Everything hurts, thought Elle Brooks as she sank lower in the bathtub. Her back and shoulders ached from carrying bales of hay and brushing the horses that morning at the Heaven Can Wait Horse Rescue, where she volunteered. Although she preferred the physical labor over the headache she got from spending the afternoon with her financial advisor, going over the trust and through her finances. Between his company and his considerable life insurance policy, her beloved Ryan had left her with a substantial amount of money. But she’d give it all away for one more day with him. 

She pushed a bubbly pile of suds across the spacious garden bathtub as the final strains of one of her favorite Pink songs faded in her ears. Usually the pop star’s music could energize her, but tonight she felt more like a sinking stone than any kind of rock star. With a sigh, she pushed the drain release with her toe and pulled the earbuds from her ears. 

That’s when she heard the sirens. 

Hair raised on the nape of her neck, and a chill that had nothing to do with the cooling bathwater raced up her spine. She slammed her eyes shut against the onslaught of memories. It had been over a year since Ryan died, but the images of the ambulance’s throbbing lights and the mournful sounds of the sirens were as vivid as if it had happened the day before. 

She caught the first whiff of smoke as she heard the fire trucks pull up in front of her house. Water sloshed over the side as she stumbled to get out of the tub. Grabbing a towel, she scarcely had time to run it over her body before she heard the slam of her front door and raised voices. 

Reaching for her pajamas, she pulled on the cotton shorts and wrenched the tank top over her head. 

Move, her brain screamed. Get out. 

The fabric clung to her damp skin as she snatched up her short robe and raced out of the bathroom. From the landing, she could see a flurry of men in yellow coats dragging a gray hose across the Italian marble of her foyer toward her kitchen. 

She choked on the acrid smoke filling the air. There were no blazing flames, but the smoke scorched her throat, and she blinked against the sting of it to her eyes. 

An older fireman caught sight of her. “You need to get out of the house, ma’am.” 

Panic gripped her as she wildly looked around at the chaos invading her home. Then her gaze caught and held on the familiar eyes of the tall cowboy who’d just stepped into view. He was dressed in jeans and boots and a black Stetson hat, and the sight of his broad shoulders filling the doorway somehow grounded her. 

She didn’t really know him—she’d briefly met him a few weeks ago. But that one time had shown his ability to stay calm and steady in a crisis situation. His name was Brody—Doctor Brody Tate. He was her best friend Bryn’s veterinarian. But why was a veterinarian at a house fire? 

A plume of dark smoke billowed out of the kitchen, and Elle caught the distinct sound of the crackle of flames. She coughed, then turned around and ran back down the hallway. 

She heard the older fireman’s voice yelling, “Get her out of here, Tate,” followed by the sound of cowboy boots sprinting up the stairs as she raced to the closed door at the end of the hall. 

She pushed through, ignoring the rush of emotions that normally flooded her when she opened the door to the room decorated in pink-and-white stripes. A hand-knit pink blanket lay in the seat of the rocking chair. Elle grabbed it and clutched it to her chest. If she could only save one thing, it had to be this. 

She turned back to see Brody in the doorway. He didn’t say anything, just reached for her hand and led her quickly back down the hallway. 

They reached the top of the stairs, and she froze again at the commotion below—the rush of the firefighters’ feet, the commanding tone of their voices as they shouted orders, the pulsing flash of red lights against the white walls of her entryway. 

Brody pulled at her hand, but she couldn’t move. He turned back and must have seen the panic in her eyes. His tone was soft as he swept her up, cradling her to him as if she weighed nothing at all. “It’s all right, darlin’. I’ve got you.” 

She buried her face in his chest, clinging to him, as he carried her down the stairs and out the front door. Elle lifted her head and gulped at the fresh air. 

“Is there anyone else in the house? Any pets?” 

She shook her head. “No. Only me.” 

“You remember me? We met a couple of weeks ago at Bryn’s?” 

“Yes, I remember. But what are you doing here?” And why was she clutching his neck like he was a life preserver? A handsome, tall cowboy life preserver. 

***

Excerpted from When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts. © 2021 by Jennie Marts. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback

About the Author

Jennie Marts is the USA Today bestselling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. She is living her own happily ever after with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies, in the mountains of Colorado.

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Spotlight: Royally Drained by Fritzi Cox

(V.I.L.F., #1)
Publication date: March 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

From jilted princess bride to a revenge plot fit for a king, this charming couple is royally screwed …

As I lived my best royal life, my only job as a princess was to find and marry a handsome prince. Too bad Prince Theo turned out to be more of a toad.

After I began losing my powers, he lost interest in our upcoming wedding. Not only did Theo leave me at the altar, but he also banished me and my merry band of misfits from the Kingdom of Poppycock forever.

Talk about a walk of shame!

From enchanted castle to crumbling cottage, I’m now stuck in Morningwood, struggling to plot my next move.

This strange little town, full of mischief and magic, is the perfect place to hide while I practice my spells and hopefully regain my powers.

What could possibly go wrong?

Other than accidentally summoning a mysterious male vampire who throws me off my quest and gets my blood boiling in all the right places.

And my blood is exactly what Vail and his brotherhood need for their top-secret laboratory.

Who would have thought my charming royal genes could help their dangerous mission?

As long as Vail keeps his fangs to himself, we won’t have a problem.

His hands though?

That’s another story entirely.

My taste for revenge is strong, but his taste for me is stronger.

Could this be my fairy-tale ending? Or am I destined to live a nightmare?

Author’s note:
Royally Drained is a paranormal romcom with a few dark themes. This is book 1 in the VILF series and ends with a cliff-hanger.

Excerpt

I had a suspicion that my magic faded with age, like estrogen, draining youth and power from my body, turning me into an old crone soaked in wine, and leaving me with an excessive amount of bitter baggage. At least, that was how I felt at thirty-one, past my prime. I’d stupidly wasted my youth on a man who put off marrying me for so long, only to dump me at the altar and banish me from his life and his kingdom, all in a matter of minutes.

I groaned, settling down onto a tree stump caked with a questionable fungus. The drizzle of rain dissolved into a mist, wrapping around me in a blanket of wet gloom and matching my mood. Anger bubbled inside me like a cauldron of witch’s brew, ready to explode and destroy its next victim.

Could this be early menopause? I thought with a sudden pang of panic.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat and shook the thought from my head, determined to focus on something I’d not tried yet—the darker creatures of the forest. 

My spells usually involved singing birds, cuddly bunnies, and doe-eyed deer. But there was one time, a while back, I’d accidentally summoned a rabid alligator. Of course, I’d hidden up in a tree until he left, but I always wondered if my charms could be used for more than sweet, princessy qualities, as my ex used to put it. You know, those things I’d lost when I became a worthless humanish bag of bones. 

“Fa-la-la-la, rawr, la-la-la,” I tried, bellowing out the lowest spooky tone I could. 

But nothing happened. 

“I said, fa-la-la-la, rawr, la-la-la!” I screamed into the clearing, but only the windswept leaves echoed back. 

I scuffed my boot into the dirt, kicking a pebble across the way before taking a deep breath and trying again.

“La-la-la, rawr, la-la-la.” My voice rang out as it had years ago when my magic was strong and powerful enough to command an army of squirrels, nibbling the ankles of all my enemies.

A blanket of clouds thickened overhead, forming a sinister chill in the air. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. I had a feeling I wasn’t alone anymore. 

“La-la-la, rawr, la-la-la,” I sang again, louder. 

Footsteps, much heavier than a bunny’s, pattered behind me. I stood up and threw my hands in the air, still singing and ignoring the feeling of someone watching me. I twirled, singing in harmony with the wind in the trees, the drizzle of rain, and the low hum of the clouds growing overhead. My senses awakened to the natural life around me, and for the first time in a year, I felt whole again.

I spun around the clearing, singing my heart out and skipping through the mud until—as my luck would have it—a man, not a beastly creature under my command, walked into my life. 

“You rang,” said a deep voice behind me. 

I turned to see a tall, dark figure stepping out of the shadows. His mouth curled, as if on the edge of laughter, displaying a glimpse of two deadly sharp fangs.

“Holy shit. I summoned a vampire.” I stood frozen, unable to look away. 

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About the Author

Fritzi Cox is a dark soul with a wicked sense of humor. She regularly bathes in the blood of her enemies while sipping champagne and hashtagging her vibes. She's fond of plotting mayhem, writing spellbinding twists, and tickling her readers with an over-the-top sense of humor. Rumor has it, her alter ego, Kat Addams, is her spirit animal. Or is it the other way around? Either way, expect Fritzi to keep you on your toes!

Connect:

http://www.fritzicox.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authorfritzicox/

https://www.facebook.com/Fritzi-Cox-103497148071534

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20723385.Fritzi_Cox

Spotlight: Be True to Yourself by Amanda Ford

A Be Yourself Guide for Teen Girls

#1 New Release in Teen & Young Adult Maturing, School & Education, Bullying Issues, Dating & Intimacy

In this book of short daily meditations and essays, Amanda Ford, a young adult herself, offers stories, information, and advice on all the important issues facing young women today: boys, dating, drinking, self-respect, self-love, fights with friends, dealing with parents, and more.

Support for young women as they navigate one of the most confusing and challenging times of their lives. When Amanda Ford emerged from her tumultuous teenage years, she saw the need for a guide to help girls learn to listen to their inner voices and think for themselves. Be True To Yourself is the big sister Amanda never had―and always wanted to be. It provides the encouragement and guidance she wished, as a teenage girl, that an older sister had given her, as well as stories and advice that she would have loved to share with a younger sister during her own teen years.

Your daughter, granddaughter, niece, or young friend will learn to listen to her heart with this coming-of-age guide. Girls will find comfort, encouragement, and insight in these pages, along with suggestions for articulating and confiding their feelings, fears, and frustrations. They will learn more about so many important topics introduced during adolescence, such as:

How to love yourself, boost your self-confidence, and receive compliments well

How to determine your own values, be true to yourself, and follow through on your promises

How to cherish your friends and family―even when they’re getting on your last nerve

If you appreciated self-development books for teens like The Ultimate Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens, Just As You Are, You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way, or Embracing the Awkward, then you’ll love Be True to Yourself.

Excerpt

DAY 75: PURPOSE

The purpose of life is not to become rich and famous.

The purpose of life is to stay connected to your heart. When you

stay connected to your heart, you can express your unique gifts to

help leave the world better than you found it.

Below are some writing prompts to help you figure out what it

means for you to stay connected to your heart. You don’t have to

write essays or even complete sentences. Just let your thoughts flow

and write whatever comes to mind even if it doesn’t make sense.

When I am connected to my heart, I feel...

When I am not connected to my heart, I feel...

If I stayed connected to my heart all the time, my life would be

different because I would...

The things that disconnect me from my heart are...

The things that help me stay connected to my heart are...

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Amanda Ford is a writer, teacher, movement instructor, and overall motivator. She has written a handful of inspiring and uplifting books on anything from affirmations to retail therapy. Recently, Amanda was called upon to rewrite her acclaimed novel, Be True to Yourself and she documented the entire experience on her “movement.muse” Instagram account.

Originally published in 2000, Be True to Yourself was written as a guide for teenage girls to gain confidence and a sense of self through Amanda’s beautifully written essays and mediation guides. Now, over 20 years later, Amanda is back with more advice and an even better understanding of what it means to truly be yourself.

Amanda graduated with a BA in English Literature from The University of Washington. Her work has been featured in publications such as Real Simple, Glamour, The Chicago Tribune, and The Seattle Times, and she is a regular contributor to the popular travel website Girl’s Guide to City Life.