Spotlight: The Billionaire’s Arrangement by Amélie S. Duncan

(The Kept Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: December 11th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Paul Crane is rich, brilliant, and powerful. And I belong to him, body and soul…

I came to New York City to study design and build a life for myself. I was young, naive, and the last thing I was looking for was love.
I needed money for my family and the medical bills that threatened us into poverty. I didn’t have time to worry about my loneliness,
to fill that cold empty spot in my heart…

At first, it seemed like Paul was the answer to all my problems. But after he rescued me from a desperate situation,
I soon discovered Paul had demons of his own.

Paul wasn’t looking for a lover… He wanted a companion, a kept woman. And I was captivated by his charm, lavish gifts, and trips to Paris.
And his touch awakened my desires, passions I had never dreamed of.

But the closer we get, the more I begin to wonder. What happens when our arrangement comes to an end…

Excerpt

I dropped the napkin, and Paul reached down to retrieve it, covering my hand with his on my lap. The sensation of his touch was electric, sending a current up my arm that broke into goosebumps. He smiled at me but smoothly ordered a replacement, which was promptly given to him. I could only stare, gobsmacked by his confidence and command of those around him.

I quietly pointed out a few selections on the menu. Since the most I ever drank  was a glass of warm rum over Christmas, I turned down wine. When the time came to order, Paul selected everything I said I liked and asked them to box the extras for carryout.

“Mr. Crane, what are you doing?” I whispered.

“A small gift for joining me for lunch,” he whispered back in an amused tone and then winked at me.

Butterflies exploded in my stomach, and I covered the goofy grin I knew I had on my face. Of course, I had no idea how I’d fit the extra food in my room and the dorm hall fridge. I mentally noted to donate what I couldn’t eat to the other students on my floor. 

No one at the table batted an eye at us. To me, we seemed odd together, me in a knit dress I made and tights and him in a polished, pressed business suit.

I had no idea to what I owed my fortune, but I chalked it up as one of the oddities of life in New York City and figured I’d never see most of Paul’s employees again. So, I gave myself permission to eat heartily and clear my plate. Hell, I would have licked my plate of grilled steak and chocolate cake clean, but he glanced my way a few times, assessing me. Our legs brushed, and a tingling sensation went through my body. I clenched my thighs and tried my best not to give anything away. But Paul was perceptive. I believe he knew the effect he had on me.

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About the Author

Amelie S. Duncan writes steamy, sexy stories. Her inspiration comes from many sources including her life experiences and travels. She lives on the West Coast of the United States with her husband.

Connect:

http://ameliesduncan.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AmelieSDuncan/

https://www.instagram.com/amelie.s.duncan/

https://twitter.com/AmelieSWrites

https://www.amazon.com/Am%C3%A9lie-S.-Duncan/e/B00QX4I3AG/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9884055.Am_lie_S_Duncan

Spotlight: Between Earth and Sea by Sharon Brubaker

Paranormal Romance (Spicy)

Date Published: 12-10-2022

Publisher: Tivshe Publishing

Kelsi Muir is a selkie. She lives between earth and sea, shedding her seal skin to dance along the deserted beaches that line the sea she calls home. In an attempt to escape the mating call of the male seals around her, she spends a fateful night with Ian Dunaway. Unable to free her mind from the handsome two-legger, she leaves her life and family behind only to discover that the human world has its own challenges.

Ian, mesmerized with the alluring Kelsi, must help her adapt to her new surroundings as he navigates his family and an unexpected past brought to light with her sudden appearance.

Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org

About the Author

For Sharon, writing is like breathing. It's in her hard-wiring. She writes warm, contemporary romance, spicy romance, and romantic suspense with the majority of her books set in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Sharon is a nationally award winning Librarian and the author of fiction and educational publications. She is also an avid gardener, jewelry artist and artist. See: www.sharon-brubaker.com

Connect:

Website: http://www.sharon-brubaker.com

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

Blog: http://www.sharon-brubaker.com/blog/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440356.Sharon_Brubaker

Pinterest: https://ar.pinterest.com/sharonbrubakera/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOr9AkPpaJHKmYvc-BFX_9Q

Spotlight: Mayatte’s Catharsis by Jack E. Mohr

Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult

The mythical Island of Mayatte was never meant to be discovered by anyone, and its natives are about to find out why.

When a ship of foreigners crashes along the coast, everyone but Naña is wary of their inexplicable arrival. While others are suspicious and fearful, Naña is curious and even helpful, especially when one of the outsiders becomes gravely ill. But her goodwill might be a fatal flaw that puts the entire island in jeopardy.

While she grows closer to the foreigners, they discover something that could revolutionize the outside world. A resource so powerful, they’re compelled to harvest it at any cost. Naña is now pit against forces that could wipe her people from existence. How can she stop an enemy that’s more powerful than any of them can handle?

Mayatte’s Catharsis is a bittersweet tale of humanity in all its madness. Follow Naña through mystic battles, political unrest, and acts of kindness with magic leading every step of the way.

Excerpt

Zeke squinted his eyes in reaction to her reddish glow. He took a deep breath, filling the top of his lungs. “But I can help! I have knowledge of their weaponry, their tactics, and their mindset.”

“You have helped enough…believe me. It’s best you hide until the intruders are ridden. Just like on Murminilia.”

“But—” He reached for her arm, and winced. “Ouch! Your skin. It’s burning.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do you seek to touch me?”

He broke eye contact. “I don’t know,” he said, shifting his gaze to the Whispering Trees. He rubbed his elbow and tucked his chin. “I…I, I think I love you.”

She remained stoic. “Has Mayatte taught you nothing? Even when we are in peril, you still can’t see past yourself—past your desires. You have put an entire ecosystem in danger, all the while lust and power fill your heart.”

His lip trembled. “But—” 

“There is no but. There is no love, only Mayatte. What you feel is a desire to control and conquer. You want to be a part of me so you can understand me. That is not love. There is no love here. There is only Mayatte. She sought to embrace you, and you betrayed her for your own gain. You do not love me, you are not Mayatte, you love yourself.”

Zeke’s knees weakened as he was struck with blow after blow of veracity. 

Small blotches hindered Naña’s vision, yet she revealed no weakness. She closed her eyes and inhaled high and deep. “And despite all of this, Mayatte always offers forgiveness and extends a means of absolution.” 

Zeke quivered from the thunder of a booming hollow drum. He turned his head, seeking out the source of the loud rhythmic beating. 

As he scanned the island, he couldn’t help but notice that the entire skyline was flooded with military-grade helicopters. 

He sunk even further within himself, refusing to even look in Naña’s direction. Without hesitating or looking back, he burst into a full sprint towards the helicopters. 

“Where are you going? Do not be foolish!” Naña crumbled, groveling in pain. What’s happening to me? She leaned against the base of a whispering tree, propping herself to her feet.

She attempted to give pursuit to Zeke, but both femurs fractured with her initial step, crumbling her body to the island floor. She hollered out in agony. I can’t just lay here. Get up, Naña! All this has happened because of me.

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About the Author

Thank you for visiting my author page. I'm just a guy who likes to write. You can reach me on instagram or twitter via my handle @Jackwritesmohr

If you love adventures, you will enjoy my stories …

Because they are imaginative, fast paced, page turners.

Connect:

https://www.instagram.com/jackwritesmohr/

https://jackwritesmohr.simvoly.com/

https://twitter.com/jackwritesmohr

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22513003.Jack_E_Mohr

Spotlight: High Impact by Freya Barker

(High Mountain Trackers, #4)
Publication date: December 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Manager for Hart’s Horse Rescue, Lucy Lenoir, finally feels she has a handle on life after having worked hard to leave her old one behind. So hard, there are times she almost forgets what she escaped. Memories which suddenly come flooding back when she catches a glimpse of a familiar horseman in town.

What’s worse, he’s in the company of the unlikely cowboy she’s only just beginning to trust.

High Mountain Tracker, Bo Rivera, tries hard never to repeat his mistakes. A huge one changed the course of his life and made him particularly cautious, especially around women. So much so, he almost passed up on the best thing to ever walk into his life; the compact, blonde ballbuster in need of a gentle hand.

However, the more he learns about her, the more he realizes a soft touch alone won’t keep her demons at bay. Those will need a firmer hand…to keep the gun steady.

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Connect:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook

Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter

Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram

Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorfreyabarker

Spotlight: This Pucking Ship by A.M. Williams

When there’s Love as Sea, can a former one-night stand turn into forever? Being on a lover’s cruise wasn’t hockey star, Dylan Harding’s idea of a dream vacation, but when he runs into a past one-night-stand, it suddenly has its perks. For Maureen Burke, avoiding the hunky athlete and all their chemistry while at sea is the key to keeping her job. Fans of forced proximity romances will love THIS PUCKING SHIP by A.M. Williams, a sexy sports romance.

Read Now! 

What started as a one-night stand has become an entire week stuck at sea. Can these two unlikely lovers figure things out or will one of them jump off this pucking ship?

Maureen

Taking a job working in the gym on a cruise ship seemed like a good plan, especially after being dumped and fired from my last job, thanks to my cheating ex.

What I wasn’t counting on was running into the hockey superstar I had a one-night stand with.

Now I’m stuck trying to avoid the chemistry between us despite his relentless pursuit before I find myself put out to sea.

I just need to survive this cruise with my head down and avoid the drama.

Dylan

Being a guest on a lover’s cruise wasn’t my idea of a dream vacation. 

But running into the woman I can’t get out of my head? Now, that’s a dream come true.

I swore I wasn’t interested in a relationship, but the sparks between us make it hard for me to resist. Except she’s more worried about protecting her job aboard the ship than me.

Maybe it’s for the best if we go our separate ways especially once we’re off this pucking ship.

But back on land a unique opportunity to help Maureen secure her dream job presents itself. I’ll stop at nothing to make it happen because as much as she needs this job, I need her and this position will give us both what we want.

This Pucking Ship is a sports romance with a slightly forbidden twist, part of the Love at Sea multi-author series. Get ready to set sail through the Caribbean on Festival Cruises’ most alluring voyage with eight of your favorite authors - happily ever after guaranteed!

Experience everything the Love at Sea series has to offer. From speed dating to masquerades, guests are sure to enjoy the hot days and steamy nights. Explore hidden waterfalls, swim with dolphins, and watch as eight couples find their forever on the open ocean.

Excerpt 

Copyright 2022 @A.M. Williams

It was October in New Orleans, so it wasn’t exactly cool outside.

But it was better than the oppressiveness of the inside.

I glanced up and down the street, noting more people were out now.

As I looked around, I noticed a small patio area I hadn’t seen before when we arrived, too busy sticking close to Heidi to notice anything about the place she’d taken me to.

A quick glance confirmed it was a part of the bar I was at and that it wasn’t packed.

There were empty tables scattered throughout the space. With the realization I could sit down, my feet started throbbing.

I practically sprinted to an open table along the wooden fence, sinking down and sighing as the pressure was taken off my poor feet.

That’s what I got for letting Heidi talk me into wearing one of her cute pairs of boots instead of the sandals I wanted to wear.

I sighed in relief as I sipped my quickly warming beer, watching the knots of people outside.

There were several groups clustered at tables and on the other side of the patio was an outdoor bar.

I briefly wondered why everyone hadn’t come outside instead of staying in, but realized that inside was where the real party was. It seemed like outside was where people came to hang out.

I was fine with the hanging out over the partying. I felt too old to be inside in the thick of things.

Come to think of it, the last time I’d partied hard had been my last year of grad school. Heidi had taken me out then, forcing me to drink shot after shot after graduating.

I suddenly remembered why I didn’t party hard and grimaced with my next sip of beer.

I shuddered at the memories and was glad I was sticking to beer and not drinking hard liquor.

“You look too serious to be sitting here alone,” a husky male voice said to my right.

I sipped my beer as I looked toward who was speaking and promptly choked on it when I got a look at the guy standing there. Tall, dark, and handsome barely scratched the surface of how good he looked.

I coughed as I put my glass down, sputtering and trying not to spit beer on him.

He smirked as he sat down across from me, a beer in his hand. “I can say I’ve had a lot of reactions over the years, but not sure I’ve ever had someone choke when they saw me.”

I wheezed as I tried to catch my breath, a knot settling in my throat as I tried not to hyperventilate.

After a few moments, I was breathing easier and looked back at the guy.

It was Dylan Harding. I recognized him immediately, which is why I choked.

He was starting forward for North Carolina’s hockey team. While hockey in North Carolina might not be as popular as you’d think, I took notice when there was a hottie on the team.

And Dylan Harding was the hottest of the hotties. When he’d first started playing, I was just starting my career as a physical therapist and hoped to work with professional athletes at some point.

He was only a few years older than me and dead sexy. Light blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and a physique that would make most grown men and women cry. I didn’t know anyone that was in better physical shape than he was.

So while I watched little hockey or really understood it, I understood a sexy man.

“Sorry,” I finally said, after realizing I was staring at him. I thought fast and quipped, “I wasn’t sure if I was really seeing a demon or not. You took me by surprise.”

Dylan grinned and laughed, shaking his head as he sipped his beer. “Quick on your feet. I like it.”

I shrugged and sipped my beer much more carefully this time.

“You from here?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nah, here for work. You?”

He got a funny look on his face at my question, but shook his head as well. “Nah, just visiting.”

Silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

I looked around us as I took another gulp of my drink, trying to grasp onto something to talk about with my celebrity crush, but was drawing a blank.

“I’ve seen some of your games,” I finally blurted.

Dylan’s eyes widened. “Games?”

I nodded quickly. “Yeah. At PNC Arena.”

He stared at me for a few beats. “You recognize me?”

He sounded baffled by this thought, and I narrowed my eyes. “Yes, I recognize you. I’m from North Carolina.”

His eyes widened briefly, then his expression cleared. “Sorry, I meant nothing by it. You just said nothing when I sat down, so I assumed you didn’t know who I was.”

I pursed my lips as I considered what to say.

“I wasn’t going to admit to knowing you,” I finally said. “But couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I panicked.”

He nodded slowly, studying me, his gaze raking over me.

“So you’re a hockey fan?”

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About A.M. Williams 

A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living in Germany for six years, and now in Florida. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and planning trips to the beach, which is now only an hour away. She’s a total beach bum and would spend every day there if she could. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as crisp, German white wine at any time of day.

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Spotlight: The Timber Stone by Dave Abare

Release Date: October 26, 2022

Publisher:  Hear Our Voice LLC

Joshua Traxon, a former L.A.-based rock star, and B-list reality show fixture left L.A. for small-town Vermont hoping to write his memoir. Escaping a past filled with lies, reckless drunken behavior, salacious backstage tales, and death will push him to his limits, especially as he recounts it on paper for the world to read.

Josh and his frenetic pug Pickle have a routine: Josh drinks away his pain while struggling to write, and Pickle reminds him that he's still alive, with his infectious personality and boundless love. When Josh meets Laurel, his new neighbor, along with her precocious young boy, he'll struggle with that routine as he falls in love, attempting to evolve and reconcile with his boorish former persona. A tragic death that's haunted him for years will fight to pull him back to the edge of despair, but not before Laurel's own life-changing secret knocks Josh off his feet-and deeper into a bottle. Only a journey home, where he'll unearth a forgotten childhood relic, may save him from himself. If it's not too late.

Excerpt

The daylight had stretched itself over the landscape of my front yard, bending off the bright white corners of the outside trim and spilling into pockets that had been dark an hour earlier. A lone beam ricocheted off one of the white gutters that hung from the piece of roofing that covered my front porch, illuminating a patch of grass that was withered and amber in color. In L.A. ninety percent of the grass looked that way, and if you were lucky, you'd get a patch of hunter green, shaggy growth here and there on your lawn, which in total was no bigger than a card table. This particular patch, however, wasn't the result of poor soil or climate, but instead, the ball of wrinkles and eyeballs I was carrying.

When I lived out west, one of the roadies and guitar techs for my band, Jeremiah Stoven—what a name on that guy—showed up at my place with this nine-week-old puppy. It was wiggling and whining to get out of his arms, dead staring me, so he let it go and the dog was about to stroke out trying to climb up my leg. I sat down on the floor, and his wrinkled, smushed-in face released this maniacal tongue that wiped across every inch of my cheeks and chin as Jeremiah told me their dog had four puppies and this was the last one. He knew I was a dog nut and said he wanted me to have it. Ballsy move, just showing up with it, aware that I'd always been enamored with the critters. I hadn't had a dog in ages, so Jeremiah said, “It's time, dude,” and just left the two-pound hairball with me, almost four years ago now. Have to say, it was a near genius move on Jeremiah's part, arriving pup in hand, never letting me get a word in, and then vanishing as the canine was pissing on my Fender jazz bass. The little bugger had some accidents early on, but he was a quick study to housebreaking.

Pickle had decided, for reasons that only his tiny, deranged mind could know, that when he peed in the front yard of his new place, it would only happen on this one, now brownish spot of turf. He’d storm out of the house, perform his ritualistic dance of what I'd always called “devil circles,” where he’d speed in figure eights confined to a small stretch of earth, then explode into random darts and weaves with his tongue dangling and flopping like an uncooked slice of bacon out of the side of his mouth. Then, without warning, he’d make a beeline to ‘the spot’ and take a leak. I guess this lunatic expulsion of energy was formally called “the zoomies,” according to whatever experts study dogs going batshit nuts, and it was completely normal, but a sight to behold. He'd always done the frantic running, zoomy whatever it is, but the peeing on that specific patch was new behavior. Of course, I had just taken a small animal that had known the same home for his entire life across the country and plopped him in a place that looked entirely different than anything he'd experienced. There was one dainty tree in our backyard in L.A. that wasn't any taller than the fence that bordered our property, and now he's surrounded by hundreds that dwarf most of the houses we had on our old block.

Go ahead and take a leak wherever you want, buddy.

Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Dave Abare was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and has spent most of his life in and around the Connecticut area. He became enamored with writing at a very young age, writing his first book, "Troll Island" at eleven years old. This work was never published, thankfully, but it was the beginning of a passion that has only intensified over his adult years.

His love of music led him to begin a part-time gig as a music writer, interviewing bands for his own "Fanzine" in the mid-eighties, including such Metal icons as Slayer, Metallica, and Anthrax, as well as bands such as Van Halen, Blues Traveler, Motorhead and Big Head Todd and the Monsters for other publications. In the last several years, Dave has spent his time working on short stories, poems, and his debut novel, "The Swing Over the Ocean," which was, in his words, “a bit of a mess” in terms of editing, etc., but an invaluable self-publishing learning experience. Most recently, he's completed work on his second novel, “The Timber Stone,” which is available for pre-order now.

In addition to writing and music, Dave enjoys reading, travel, cars, and Pugs (and all critters), as well as frequenting local New England wineries and breweries, with Tree House Brewing Co in Charlton, MA being his favorite. You can follow him @AbareDavey on Twitter or look for his Facebook Author Page.

Website: daveabare.com

Twitter: @abaredavey

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

Instagram: @authodavect