Spotlight: Chasing Down the Dream by Jaymee Jacobs

Asher Wallace has always had a crush on Kasey Ruggieri, but as his best friend’s older sister, not only was she off-limits, but completely out of his league. Now that Kasey’s returned home after her fashion design business imploded, the heat between them is undeniable. Can Asher prove to Kasey that Oak Bend has all that she’s looking for? Fall for this hard-working hottie in Chasing Down the Dream by Jaymee Jacobs, a Best Friend’s Sibling Romance, the first book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

From USA Today best-selling author Jaymee Jacobs comes a best friend’s sibling romance packed with heat, heart, and happily ever after.

When Kasey Ruggieri returns to her hometown after her fashion design business implodes, she barely recognizes the handsome guy with a smokin’ body who comes to fix the HVAC as her brother's best friend. The skinny teenager she once knew is gone, and when Asher strips off his shirt to work in the boiling heat, Kasey can't take her eyes off his glistening, muscular chest. Now she needs more than air conditioning to cool her desires.

Asher Wallace has had a crush on Kasey ever since he realized girls don’t have cooties. She’s beautiful, talented, and fun. But as his best friend’s older sister, she’s completely out of his league. Once Kasey left Oak Bend to pursue a fashion career in New York City, Asher shelved his boyhood crush and moved on from his college hockey days and into the family's heating and cooling business.

When Kasey and Asher finally connect, there’s enough heat to melt a Michigan winter. But when Kasey stumbles onto a new, profitable fashion venture, will she leave Asher behind for the bright lights of the big city once more? Or can Asher prove to Kasey that love and success can be found close to home?

Welcome to Oak Bend, where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 Jaymee Jacobs

If I had thought the temperature in this house was hot before Asher showed up, it was absolutely tropical after he arrived. Asher was just a kid the last time I’d seen him, before I’d gone off to college. His voice hadn’t even changed by then. And now, well, now he was all man.

I leaned against the boxes of my stuff stacked in the hallway, watching the way his biceps bunched under the tight sleeves of his T-shirt as he did whatever the hell he was doing to the thermostat. Asher used to be so scrawny.

Of course, I’d seen the way he’d looked at me back then. He was always over at our house, hanging out with Owen, staying for dinner. I knew his parents both worked, but I always wondered if he came to my house so much because of me. As a teenager, that had been a very conceited thought, and I’d forgotten all about it—and Asher—when I’d moved away.

Watching him now was a pleasant distraction from everything. From the fact that I’d had to pack up my life in New York City and move back home to Oak Bend, Michigan, because I couldn’t hack it in the big city. Because I’d made the leap and tried to break out on my own, but I had failed. Now I was back in my hometown with nothing to show for myself except for credit card debt and boxes of stuff.

In fact, watching him do his thing was the first time in a month that I hadn’t been overwhelmed by the heavy feeling of despair in the pit of my stomach weighing me down. I felt relieved to get a break from that sense of despondency, but it was more than that. It wasn’t just a lack of sadness but actual happiness at watching Asher do his thing. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he wiped the beads away with his forearm. I figured it was time to do something more than just watch.

“Can I get you some water?”

“Uh, yeah,” he said, turning to look at me with eyes that I’d never realized were so damn blue. How had I never noticed that before? “That’d be great.”

“One sec,” I said, heading into the kitchen. Owen always kept the place stocked up for when he came back into town. He was hardly home, but he liked to be prepared and well-hydrated.

I grabbed two bottles from the fridge and went back into the living room, and oh my God—Asher had peeled off his shirt and was using it as a towel. He had a well-defined six pack and a dusting of dark hair between his pecs. His broad shoulders met up with the bulging muscles of his arms.

Was this real life? Or was I dreaming?

“Here you go.” I reached out to pass him his water. The smooth sheen on his skin caught a glint of sunlight, and I thought maybe I was in the presence of a Greek god. Damn.

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About Jaymee Jacobs 

Jaymee Jacobs is a USA Today best-selling author and author of the Dallas Comets series. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English literature and a psychology minor.

Her books have the same two themes: hockey and the "millennial" experience. The first is because she's a die-hard fan (particularly of the Pittsburgh Penguins). The second is because she felt that there weren't any books to which she could personally relate. So she began to write the stories she wanted to read. Her books spotlight those in the up-and-coming generation as they navigate this new era of ubiquitous technology, online dating etiquette, and what it means to "adult."

When she's not writing, you'll find Jaymee curating her cats' Instagram account, listening to true crime podcasts, scrolling through Pinterest for fructose-free recipes, or yelling at the TV during Penguins games.

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Spotlight: The Book of Uriel by Elyse Hoffman

In the fires of World War II, a child must save his people from darkness…

Ten-year-old Uriel has always been an outcast. Born mute in a Jewish village known for its choir, he escapes into old stories of his people, stories of angels and monsters. But when the fires of the Holocaust consume his village, he learns that the stories he writes in his golden notebook are terrifyingly real.

In the aftermath of the attack, Uriel is taken in by Uwe, a kind-hearted linguist forced to work for the commander of the local Nazi Police, the affably brutal Major Brandt. Uwe wants to keep Uriel safe, but Uriel can’t stay hidden. The angels of his tales have come to him with a dire message: Michael, guardian angel of the Jewish people, is missing. Without their angel, the Jewish people are doomed, and Michael’s angelic brethren cannot search for him in the lands corrupted by Nazi evil.

With the lives of millions at stake, Uriel must find Michael and free him from the clutches of the Angel of Death...even if that means putting Uwe in mortal danger.

Excerpt

1.

Uriel wished he could scream.

Normally, he could. A scream was one of the few noises that ever emerged from the boy’s lips. No words ever escaped, but he could summon a scream.

Yet his lungs couldn’t gather enough air to produce a cry. They struggled to supply enough oxygen to keep the child awake. Smoke invaded his throat and clawed at his lungs. Although screams pierced the air from every angle, he couldn’t add his own to the din.

He still felt the pressure of mother’s fingers locked around his hand, even though she was gone. Uriel’s golden eyes darted to and fro, searching for her face. His fingers twitched as her warmth faded. He strained his ears, trying to hear her call to him, but her voice did not rise above the ruckus.

Mama! Uriel thought, his tears allying with the smoke and assaulting his eyes. He wanted to cry out for her. Perhaps if she heard him, she would find him, and they could get to safety. But his voice had never worked before, and though he opened his mouth to call out, all he could do was pant and cough.

Gunshots rang out. The fleeing villagers clung to their families and their few precious possessions, shoving one another out of the way as they tried to escape the flames enveloping the little town and the murderous mob cutting down the Jews. Young and old, women and men, little children and babies were thrown to the ground, beaten with clubs, shot, stabbed, and slaughtered. Their blood mingled with the warm ash coating the cobblestones.

Uriel stood in the midst of the mayhem, still as a statue, alone. His right hand yearned for his mother, while his left clutched the one possession he had snatched before fleeing his house. His little golden notebook. Small enough to fit in his pocket and filled with stories he couldn’t leave to burn.

Although the villagers would normally never leave a small child alone in the street, concern for their own lives and the lives of their families caused them to stampede. Uriel was pushed against a brick wall, and his golden notebook flew from his hand. He gasped, inhaling an army of ash. The boy desperately tried to crawl to his notebook. Boots and shoes stomped on the cherished book, but Uriel reached it. He grabbed the notebook and held it to his chest, shielding it with his body.

The child was trampled and kicked. His lungs began losing to the smoke and ash entering through his nostrils and silent lips. He felt as though his insides were on fire, as though every bone in his body was about to shatter. When darkness finally took him, all he felt was gratitude.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback

About the Author

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. She loves to meld WWII and Jewish history with fantasy, folklore, and the paranormal. She has written six works of Holocaust historical fiction: the five books of The Barracks of the Holocaust and The Book of Uriel. If you love history and want to read some completely unique stories, follow Elyse at Project613Publishing.com.

Connect:

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elyse-hoffman 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20851312.Elyse_Hoffman 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Project613Books 

Website:  https://project613publishing.com/

Spotlight: An Insatiable Eventide by TK Cherry

Aimee craves Devin at night, but he’s the enemy. Neither are looking for love, but the two are unexpectedly matched on a kinky hookup app. What should be some no-strings-attached fun, could turn into something more. Readers who enjoy humorous and sexy reads with suspenseful moments, will love An Insatiable Eventide by TK Cherry, an enemies to lovers, erotic romance.

Blurb

AIMEE

As a nurse, I swore an oath to help, not harm, which I take very seriously. However, I’d make an exception for Holt. My cousin’s cheating ex is a vile human being, an utter waste of oxygen. 

His brother is... another matter. 

One look at Devin and I’m fighting the urge to lose my inhibitions and my panties. I know it’s insane. Yet I can’t help but wonder if a little no-strings-attached fun might be just what the doctor ordered... 

DEVIN

I know I’m not Aimee’s type, and not just because of her deep loathing for my brother. She’s willing to go toe-to-toe with me, and I am irresistibly drawn to her fiery demeanor. 

Then, to my utter astonishment, we are matched on a kinky hookup app. 

Could it be the uptight nurse has a freak flag she’s looking to fly? I’m down for any dirty fun she’s up for... as long as she doesn’t expect a ring in the end.

Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 @TK Cherry

Twenty minutes into our back and forth over roleplaying, we near the bottom of our second round of drinks. I’m warm all over, and not from the alcohol.

“Let’s discuss what’s exactly on the menu,” he murmurs.

God—why does he turn me on so much?! Am I going to be able to leave here tonight in one piece?

“I’m not hungry. I told you, I already ate,” I sass, playing stupid like he had earlier. Playfully, I toss my hair off my shoulder and arch my back. His eyes turn dark, and I feel myself pooling between my thighs.

You’re fucking me up, dude…

“You know what, Brooks? You’re hot as hell and you know it.”

“The same can be said about you.”

“You ready to start a fuckship with me?”

I frown. “A fuckship?”

“A monogamous relationship that only consists of fucking.”

“I don’t know,” I utter with a smirk. “I’ve already been in one of those for about six years.”

“I’m pretty sure you went into it expecting something else. You’ll know exactly what this is between us from the jump. No more games. Only orgasms.”

Holy shit, I’ve never had a man give it to me straight like that before. It’s such a turn on.

Devin takes out his phone and awakens it. “Let’s get back to the topic of the menu. I made a few notes. How about we agree to have ten initial encounters.”

“Ten?” I squint. “Why ten?”

“I figured it’s a good number for us to reassess if we want to continue on.”

“That’s fair.”

“Let’s take turns choosing the scene. You’ll pick five, I’ll pick five.”

“I’m good with that.”

“Limits… What are yours?” He brings his drink to his mouth and finishes it.

“None,” I answer succinctly. 

Devin aspirates, triggering a coughing fit. As a medical professional, I shouldn’t be smiling at his expense, but I am. He takes several moments to get it under control. “Come on,” he rasps, clearing his throat. “Everyone has limits. Here’s mine: I don’t want a dildo up my ass.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it,” I volley. His answering look tells me I’m flustering him, which causes me to fight back a smile.

“Look, freak… I don’t even know you in that way yet. Baby steps.”

“Fine.” Party pooper.

“Our safe word is Ohio.”

“Ohio?” I snort.

“It’s the scariest word I could come up with.”

Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

Paperback

About TK Cherry 

You can take the girl out of Detroit, but you'll never take Detroit out of this girl.
For TK Cherry, it's pop—not soda, and Tim Hortons over everything else.
Born and raised in The Motor City, TK now enjoys little or no winters in the Carolinas. By day, she's a spreadsheet whiz and frequent flyer. By night, she lives for keeping her loyal readers on the edge of their seats with steamy tales of happily ever after.

Follow: Facebook | Reader Group | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon | Website | Newsletter | Pinterest | Book+Main Bites

Release Day Giveaway

In celebration of her brand new release, An Insatiable Eventide, TK Cherry is giving away a $30 Amazon eGift card and a paperback swag pack, which includes:

• Signed Paperback of An Insatiable Eventide

• Coach Canvas Jewelry Box

• TK Cherry Stainless Steel Tumbler

• Stickers

• Pen

Enter here: https://bit.ly/AIEgiveaway

Giveaway Starts Friday, September 3 at midnight EST; Ends Sunday, September 12 at midnight EST.

Only US & Canadian winners qualify for the swag pack due to the expensive cost of shipping. Overseas winners still qualify for the eGift card.

Spotlight: Redeemed by his New York Cinderella by Jadesola James

What if the man from her past is the key to her future? Don’t miss Jadesola James’s thrilling romantic debut for Harlequin Presents!

She could save him…
If only he’d let her!

Kitty Asare will do anything for the foundation inspired by her tumultuous childhood. Including charming her way into Manhattan’s most exclusive gala…then sparring with the man from her past who catches her there!

To land his next deal, Laurence Stone needs a stunning woman on his arm. Kitty agrees to the ruse for her foundation, but the electricity between them is more than make-believe! After breaking away from his family, Laurence vowed never to need anyone. Yet could Kitty be the exception to his rule?

Excerpt

Laurence was relieved to see that the dining room was empty, except for a young woman seated alone at a table in front of a large stone fireplace.

“Do you mind, sir?” A harried-looking waiter ushered him to a table close to the young woman’s. “We’re short on staff right now, as there’s an event taking place in a couple of hours. They’ve closed off most of the dining room.”

“Very well.”

It mattered little to him, and as the waiter fussed about with clean linen and water glasses, and a long, rambling recitation of the wine list, he found his eyes lingering idly on his dining room companion. She was tucking into an enormous meal with so much enjoyment he stifled a smile. She hadn’t skimped on quality, either. On her table he identified the remains of a caviar starter, oysters, and a steak smothered in fresh mustard greens.

“Sir?”

He blinked, looked up. “A glass of whisky and water, please. And those oysters—” He gestured at the young lady’s table. “Are they grilled?”

“Rockefeller style, sir.”

“I’ll have those, and the new potatoes in cream.”

“Very good, sir.”

The waiter swanned off, and Laurence was left to feel annoyed at the fact that he’d have to log into his email manually, since his rarely used personal phone had none of the many apps he used to keep his work organized. He hadn’t used it in a couple of weeks, and he felt a rush of physical relief as he switched it on and began to scroll.

He was halfway through a report on viewing statistics for a motorbike ad when the waiter came back with a bread basket, dropped it off with little ceremony, and headed over to the young woman’s table.

“Are we all set, then, ma’am?” he heard the waiter say solicitously.

Laurence listened with half an ear; he was curious to hear what such a voracious eater’s voice sounded like.

“I am, thank you.”

She spoke quietly, almost inaudibly. Her voice possessed a low husk that, despite himself, made him look up. It was familiar, in that elusive kind of way that nagged until finally the brain identified it. He registered wide eyes in the clearest shade of brown he’d ever seen, a full, bow-shaped mouth painted berry-red, and a dimpled chin before he looked back down at his phone.

Pretty, he thought idly. He’d look up again when she stood, see if the body matched the face. And there it was again—that sense of déjà-vu. Who could she possibly be? He’d gone to university abroad, so that was out. She looked far too young—and too broke—to be a client. Perhaps one of the many interns who filtered in and out of Laurence & Haddad each summer? No, it couldn’t be that; he avoided them like the plague.

“Shall I charge it to your room, ma’am?”

“Oh, yes, please.” Again, in that soft, cultured voice. “I’m in Suite 700.” 

“Ah, the penthouse. Very good, ma’am.”

At that, Laurence did look up. He knew for sure that the woman wasn’t staying in Suite 700, because that was his room.

Brazenly, she signed the bill with a flourish, and took a long, last sip of champagne with every indication of pleasure before looking up. She had the gall to shoot him a shy smile and lowered her lashes, touching the napkin to those soft, full lips.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

About the Author

Jadesola James loves summer thunderstorms, Barbara Cartland novels, long train rides, hot buttered toast, and copious amounts of cake and tea.

When she isn't writing, she's a reference librarian and a scholar of American romance publishing. Her hobbies include collecting vintage romance paperbacks and fantasy shopping online for summer cottages in the north of England.

Find Jadesola and news about her upcoming books on Twitter at twitter.com/JJ_Nicola!

Spotlight: Of the Lilin by Paulette Hampton

(The Sage Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2021
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

While dealing with depression, Sage attempts to pull herself into the light. What she finds is better left in the dark.

After the loss of her mother and her stepfather’s mental breakdown, Sage Frankle agrees to move in with her aunt and cousin at the Englewood Inn. Soon, her aunt arranges for Sage to begin working through her trauma with a psychologist. As time passes, Sage finds that she is far from healing and begins to slip from reality into a realm of darkness she is unable to escape. After the arrival of her cousin’s intriguing acquaintance, Sage is forced to realize she is indeed trapped, not by her mind, but by her bloodline.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Paulette is an indie author who holds a Master of Arts in reading education. Her writing inspiration stems from watching fantasy and paranormal movies, as well as her real-life experiences with mental health issues. She hopes her readers will find humor in her stories, become curious about seeking peace through the present moment, and consider reaching out for help if they are struggling with their own issues.

Paulette loves drawing, watching a good thriller, kayaking, and eating chocolate...lots of it. She and her husband live in North Carolina with their two cats, Linda Hamm and Bree. Of the Lilin is the first book in her new upper YA paranormal series, The Sage Chronicles.

Connect:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7830786.Paulette_Hampton

https://www.facebook.com/PAHampton42

https://paulettehampton42.wixsite.com/website

https://www.tiktok.com/@breebear42?

https://twitter.com/PauletteAnnHamp

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Spotlight: Find You There by Brianna Bennett

Publication date: August 31st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Synopsis:

Lyric Meadows is used to being overlooked.

Lovingly called Peanut for as long as she can remember, she uses ceramics to escape the high expectations of her parents. It also keeps her from having to tell them that she’s asexual, thereby disappointing them twice because she has no intention to work in music like they want or give them grandchildren. It’s not easy to conceal a part of who she is, but she’ll do it if it means maintaining some privacy.

Luca Sherwood is used to having his privacy invaded.

As the son of controversial politician Richard (Dick) Sherwood, the paparazzi is always up in his business, just waiting for a scandal to blast all over the social media. Unfortunately, Luca’s brother Rider does have something to hide, and it is something that could destroy their father’s career if the public ever learned of it.

Lyric and Luca are an unlikely duo with far more in common than they think.

One day, all of Lyric’s work at the studio is shattered by an apparent vandal. Devastated, she begins to wonder if her parents were right all along and she should just settle for singing. That is, until Luca volunteers to help her figure out the vandal’s identity. Her resulting romantic & sexual attraction to him is startling, but she’s going to need all the help she can get once she learns that the person who destroyed her artwork may be closer than she thinks.

Excerpt

“Shut up. It’s not like that. I’ve told you before, Ry, I’m asexual.”

“And that means what, exactly?” Lyric huffed. “I’m just trying to understand,” he added placatingly yet somehow managing to mock her at the same time. Why is it my job to explain this crap to him? she thought resentfully.

“You know, there’s this wonderful invention out there. It’s called Google.”

“Fine, if you don’t want to tell me—”

“You’re insufferable, you know that?” She cut him off, and he just grinned. “It means that I don’t feel sexual attraction toward anyone. I’m not even a little bit interested in it.”

“Not even a little bit interested, hmm? Then what about your high school boyfriend . . . what was his name . . . ?” Lyric stiffened against her will. I don’t want to think about him. I don’t want to think about him. I don’t— Rhythm snapped his fingers. “I remember! Shawn!” Oblivious to Lyric’s internal mantra, he added, “He was such a little douche. I’m glad you guys broke up. He didn’t deserve you.”

“You don’t know the half of it. Anyway, being ace doesn’t mean I never ever feel sexual attraction. It just doesn’t happen as often for me as it does for others,”

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Fanfiction was where it all began. It gave me the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and work out crucial lessons in the craft. I spent several years writing for free, which helped me understand the realities of the writing world early on.
​
Once I got to college, I did the one thing that most advisors tell you not to do: I majored in what I was passionate about, not what would be most practical. ​
​
After graduating from college with a degree in Professional Writing, I took a year off and then enrolled in a double Master's program. In the 3 years that followed, I dedicated myself to learning as much as I could about all areas of writing and publishing.
​
Nowadays, I'm a medical receptionist, soon-to-be self-published author, Medium blogger, writing coach, and podcast host. I live and work in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Connect:

https://www.booksbybri.com/

https://www.booksbybri.com/quarterly-newsletter

https://www.instagram.com/booksby_bri/

https://www.tiktok.com/@booksbybri?

https://www.facebook.com/littlebutfierc3/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20860349.Brianna_Bennett