Spotlight: Maggie’s Mark by Michelle Cornish

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(Ceiba Cartel, #1)
Publication date: January 31st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Synopsis:

The CIA told me to hunt him down. Instead, I fell in love with him.

It’s 1987 and CIA officer Maggie Barnes has the opportunity of her life—take down Ricardo Ceiba Colombia’s most prominent drug lord.

But the more Maggie learns about Ricardo and the deeper she goes undercover, the more she sees Ricardo for who he really is. Her mission becomes an impossible choice—take down the man she loves or betray her country.

Excerpt

Ricardo leaned in close to Maggie and Garcia. “Why don’t we talk outside?” he asked. “It’s a little quieter out there. Not much . . .” he glanced at the band “. . . but a little.” He shrugged and offered his hand to her again, and she accepted, following him out onto the balcony.

When they arrived on the balcony, she was surprised Garcia and Carlos hadn’t followed them. She tried to peer inside to see if they’d sat back down on the couch, but there were too many people dancing to the salsa band to see through the crowd. She knew the brothers didn’t make decisions without consulting each other. This was likely a ploy to get her away from Garcia. 

A waiter arrived at their side, holding a tray of drinks, and Ricardo lifted a flute of champagne off the tray and handed it to Maggie. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had champagne, but of course, Magdalena Sanchez would not have refused the glass.

“Thank you,” she said, meeting Ricardo’s gaze. He was a sophisticatedly handsome man. His warm brown eyes were almost intimidating. She could see why he was so respected. If she didn’t know he was a cartel boss, she’d think he was another type of businessman, maybe an investment banker. Although he was dressed much more casually than an investment banker might dress. He wore a powder blue polo shirt, beige khakis, and dark brown loafers.

He grabbed a champagne flute of his own then clinked it against her glass. “Welcome to Bogota.”

She smiled and sipped the champagne, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. There was something about him. She swallowed her champagne then inhaled deeply, catching a waft of his woodsy cologne. 

“Shall we sit?” He gestured to a seating area where white wicker furniture with bright yellow cushions welcomed them. A yellow orchid perched on an end table next to one of the chairs. “Magdalena,” he said once they were seated. “Such a beautiful name.”

“Thank you.” She took another sip of her champagne, surprised that her glass was almost empty. Why did this man make her so nervous? Where she would have expected to feel the same disgust she felt for his brother, there was only intrigue.

Maggie eyed the orchid next to Ricardo. She had never seen one with so many blooms. He turned to the plant and plucked one of its flowers then leaned closer to her and tucked it behind her ear. 

She lightly touched it with her fingers, not wanting to disrupt it. Ricardo trailed a finger along her jawline and her skin tingled beneath his touch. She closed her eyes briefly, then stood and walked to the balcony railing. 

Beyond the floodlights of the mansion was the vast jungle. It was under darkness now, and she sensed danger could easily lurk there. No wonder there were so many armed men out front. To the right of where the stone patio led into the jungle was a pool lit from underwater. The aquamarine water was peaceful and still it resembled glass.   

Palm trees rustled in the jungle below, and alarm bells rang in her head. As she turned to warn Ricardo, somebody yelled, and the rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun blared through the air.

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About the Author

Michelle strives to write the kinds of books she enjoys reading--complicated characters, a little romance, and a lot of mystery and intrigue. Strong women in sticky situations is her specialty!

You can find Michelle at www.michellecornishauthor.com. She also writes children's books with her kids as A.J. Kormon.

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Spotlight: Wedding Tails: A Limited Edition Romance Anthology

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Publication date: February 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

All you need is love…and a dog.

From USA TODAY Bestselling authors, Jennie Marts & Sharon Wray, and Award-winning authors, Debbie Burns, Babette de Jonghe, Teri Anne Stanley, Mara Wells, and Lucy Gilmore

From USA Today and award-winning authors comes seven wedding tales featuring characters from your favorite Sourcebooks’ series that prove all you need is love…and a dog.

What happens when…
… a reluctant cowboy agrees to get set up at a wedding, but then he and his dog fall for the wrong bridesmaid? (Save the Date for a Cowboy)
… a negative post about a major league baseball player’s relationship with the publicity-shy girl of his dreams goes viral, can he still convince her to walk down the aisle? (Two Weddings and a Husky)
… a sworn bachelor rescues a pretty girl on the way to a wedding but falls for the woman of his dreams at the reception? (Wedding Bells in Magnolia Bay)
… a cowboy finds out the woman he’s always dreamed of wants him–and his dog–but he knows he’s the last thing in the world she needs? (Rescuing the Groomsman)
… a dog-loving wedding planner must enlist the aid of a sworn-against-pets groomsman to save their friends’ wedding? (Fur-ever Yours)
… the only person who can help the best man train the world’s laziest dog to walk down the aisle is the girl who got away…and the girl he’d do anything to win back? (The Very Best Man)
… star-crossed lovers can’t find the flower girl and her ring-bearer dog who’ve disappeared on a remote Georgia sea island hours before their long-awaited wedding? (Searching for Ever After)

Return to the worlds of:
Creedence Horse Rescue (Jennie Marts)
Rescue Me (Debbie Burns)
Magnolia Bay (Babette de Jongh)
Big Chance Dog Rescue (Teri Anne Stanley)
Fur Haven Dog Park (Mara Wells)
I Hate You More (Lucy Gilmore)
Deadly Force (Sharon Wray)

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Spotlight: Entangle You by Diana A. Hicks

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Publication date: January 30th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Synopsis:

Find out what happens when a college graduate meets a wealthy CEO in a coffee shop and discovers a chemistry that burns hotter than a steaming latte!

Life has never been much of a fairytale for Valentina, but she’s determined to make up for her past mistakes and bring her son home. Could an intimidating-as-hell coffee house stranger really hold the key to make that happen?

Derek didn’t set out to be anyone’s prince. He may have the riches of a king, but his divorce has made him feel powerless in the battle to keep the business he worked so hard to make a success.

He’s on the verge of losing everything while Valentina struggles to keep what little she has together. Can love over lattes help them build something new?

Author’s Note: Entangle You was previously published under Love Over Lattes.

Excerpt

“I dropped my key.” God, I sounded like an idiot.

She nodded and scooted her chair back. I had an odd urge to grab her leg to stop her. Women normally didn’t run away from me. What the hell? I rose to my feet. Her eyes followed mine until her long neck and smooth collarbone were exposed. Sexy. Now it was my turn to take a step back. Distance felt like a good idea. I smiled at her and placed my hands on my hips to keep myself in check.

Our gazes locked, and I swallowed, feet glued to the wooden planks. “Hi, I’m Cole.” I offered her my hand. “Derek Cole.”

Valentina arched a perfectly-shaped eyebrow. She wore no makeup, but her skin was soft and radiant.

My fingers itched to touch her, to give in, and… “I mean, my name is Derek, but my friends call me Cole.” That usually came out a lot smoother.

“Nice to meet you.” She placed her hand in mine. Gardenias. She smelled like gardenias. “I’m Valentina.”

Her hand was small, but she had a firm shake. Here was a woman who knew what she wanted, who wasn’t afraid of anything. Why was she crying then? Like the first day I saw her, a smile pulled at the corner of my mouth, and a blast of adrenaline rushed through me. A feeling I only got when I wrote code. Suddenly, I released her hand as if it had turned into a piece of hot coal.

“Well, I gotta go.” I showed her my key. The universal sign for this is the only reason I came back. I had to go before I made a complete ass of myself and broke the only rule keeping my head above water right now—no attachments, especially of the female kind.

“Good luck with your list.” I turned to leave.

“I’ll need a little more than luck to get my house back,” she muttered, eyes brimming with tears again.

Damn it.

Through the window, a cloud rushed across the sky, covering the sun for a moment. The shift in lighting stopped me in my tracks. Shit. This was a bad idea. Just then I chucked any fantasy I’d ever had about Valentina from my mind before I walked to the condiment bar and grabbed a couple of napkins. When I walked back to her, I forced a slow gait, taking my time pulling out the chair next to her. I kept waiting for her to send me away, but she never did. Instead, she gawked at me as if I had suddenly grown an extra head.

“What happened?” I offered her the bunch of napkins. 

I couldn’t get involved with her or drag her down with me into this never-ending divorce, but that didn’t mean I had to be an asshole. Five minutes, I could give her five minutes of my time. 

“It doesn’t matter.” The unshed tears made her eyes look like a perfectly-brewed espresso. She reached for the napkins, keeping her gaze on my fingers, as if she were afraid I’d yank the napkins away. “I’ll find another one.”

The fake bravado tugged at something in my chest. I understood the desolation I found in her expression well. But as much as I wanted to help her, I wouldn’t know how. She’d be better off calling her mom back. 

Tears rolled down her face again. When she tipped her head down to hide them, she disarmed me. A few drops had fallen on her flower skirt. Please don’t cry, I wanted to say, but instead, I glanced toward the door. 

“I have to go.” She tore the page off her notebook and folded it. 

The creases on the paper were even and neat. You could tell a lot about a person by how they handled their personal effects. Everything about her was tidy and organized. She was driven. 

She rose to her feet and then stuffed her list in one of the outer pockets. “It was nice meeting you, Derek.”

“Please call me Cole.” I jerked to my feet, then winced.

I shouldn’t have said that. We weren’t friends. We couldn’t be. A year ago, maybe. But now I would just hurt her. And she obviously didn’t deserve that. I rubbed my jaw, tapping my fingers on my lips. Valentina spun and headed for the door.

My pulse raced, and something heavy settled in my stomach. She was leaving. If she lost her home, who knew when she’d be back at Cafe Triste? And I needed her here. I needed her to break up the days, to give me a reason to get up in the morning and leave the house. But she didn’t know that. To her, I was a stranger. We were strangers. She didn’t owe me shit, and vice versa. I pinched the bridge of my nose. 

Let her go.

Biting my lip, I rubbed the back of my neck. “I have a rental you might be interested in,” I blurted out.

She spun around, frowning, mouth slightly opened.

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About the Author

Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.

When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

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Spotlight: The Second Time Around by Kelly Collins

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Publication date: June 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

A swoon-worthy second chance romance with all the feels.

Brie Watkins had loved two men in her life. One abandoned her at the altar twelve years ago, and the other died in the war. She is no stranger to loss, but she’s still learning how to move on. When her sick aunt asks her to come back to Willow Bay to help at the family resort, Brie says yes. After all, she’s a southern girl at heart, and a southern girl never turns her back on kin. Brie sells her beloved home, quits her job restoring historic properties, and goes back to the last place she wants to be, only to find her aunt healthy, The Brown Resort thriving, and the man who left her at the altar living next door, looking as handsome as ever. Why can’t life be fair?

Carpenter Carter Kessler left Willow Bay a dozen years ago and never looked back, but he never forgot his first love, Brie. He’s spent the rest of his life regretting his decision to leave her all those years ago. After his father’s death, he reluctantly returns to find his family’s resort a mess. But it is not a total disaster – Brie is next door and as beautiful as ever. He talks her into helping him refurbish The Kessler Resort, but first she lays out the ground rules: they aren’t friends, they’ll never be lovers, and she’ll never stop hating him. As far as Carter is concerned, it’s a start.

But as summer heats up, so does their relationship. As they peel back the layers, what will they find hiding beneath the surface? Can what they started all those years ago be restored, or are some things better left buried in the past?

Find out in The Second Time Around…

Excerpt

She leaned on the suitcase. Even in the moonlight, and despite her frown, she still had the most beautiful blue eyes. Eyes as blue as the bay. The Texas coast wasn’t known for its clear waters. It didn’t have the blue of the Caribbean, but the way the reef protected the shore gave it a unique environment, and it had the bluest water. He’d forgotten how he’d thought of the bay as Brie blue, and paired with her chestnut hair, she was one of the prettiest girls in Texas.

He started back to the porch and his beer, but he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, trying to stand. She stumbled over the suitcase and fell on top of it. 

He raced toward her. “How much of that bottle did you drink?”

She looked at it and shrugged. “Not sure. Four or five.”

 “Four or five what? Sips? Gulps? Gallons?” She rose and tottered back and forth. Her back end was high in the air. All these years later, she still had the finest derriere he’d ever seen. “Let me help before you hurt yourself.”

She wagged a finger behind her. “Stay away from me.” She shifted and grunted and righted her suitcase, only to lose her balance again. This time she landed on top of it like it was a lounger. She squeaked, then smiled and let out an “Oh, this isn’t so bad.” She opened the bottle for another drink.

“Is that wise?”

“What do you care?” She laid back and looked up at the twinkling lights of the willow tree. “Did you know when I woke that morning, Mama got me ready? She used an entire can of Aqua Net. I smelled like Ms. Cricket but looked like Miss America.” She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “I had the prettiest braids going in every direction, but they all came together in the back.” The whiskey bottle fell into the sand, which was probably a good thing. “So pretty.”

“You were always beautiful, Brie.”

“Oh, what would you know? You didn’t even show up.” She blindly searched around for the bottle but gave up quickly.

He sat a few feet away from her. He had a lot to say, but all he’d do was listen.

“You know what the funniest thing of all was?”

“Tell me.” He scooped up sand and let it sift through his fingers. It kind of felt like how life was. It just got away from you.

“Mama wanted me to wear those fancy jeweled shoes. Those heels were four inches high and pinched my toes. I’m telling you, she had me practicing for days, and I was in pure agony. I refused to wear them and hid them at Tiff’s house, because I knew with the humidity, my feet would swell, and I wanted to dance under this tree with you. I didn’t want to have achy feet on my wedding day, so I bedazzled my Keds. I had the perfect shoes for running, and I wasn’t the one who ran.” She turned on her side, showing her back to him.

He thought about how he’d apologize. He wasn’t sure what she knew or didn’t know. It had been so long, and both her parents were gone. Did she know her mother had been unfaithful? Did she believe until their dying days that they’d been hopelessly devoted to one another? Her father had died of a heart attack on a yacht filled with half-naked drunk coeds. Though he’d been gone, gossip traveled fast, and he’d gotten the condensed version every time his mother talked to someone from town.

“Look, Brie, I did what I did for a lot of reasons, but mostly it was to spare you pain and embarrassment.”

“Mm-hm.”

This was going far better than expected. “I’m sorry for hurting you, but if you’d known what I did, you would have been hurt so much more. I was a coward for many reasons. I should have stayed and let the grenade explode. At least then, maybe we could have worked it out, but I didn’t have the maturity to face them or you.” A loud sound startled him, and he scooted closer. “Brie.” He reached out and touched her leg, only to realize she was snoring.

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About the Author

Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at http://bit.ly/KellyCollinsFreeBook for members-only exclusives!

~ Tip: Just hit "FOLLOW" for notifications about deals & new releases! ~

International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers' Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.

You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.

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Spotlight: Three to Get Ready by Skye Warren

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(One for the Money, #3)
Publication date: February 16th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

There’s a ticking time bomb in Finn Hughes’s head.

That means he has to prepare everyone. Eva. The baby. The company, which is in an uproar after the announcement. He needs to get them ready. Because when the curse hits, it will be too late to say goodbye.

Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors.

WARNING: This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…

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About the Author

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

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Spotlight: Teach Me by L. L. Ash

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Publication date: February 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

From the Bestselling Author of HIM.

Mia

I’ve been trying to get that TA job ever since my senior year at college. I’m in my last semester of my Master’s degree and finally got the job. Only problem is our new professor is a sexy, middle aged, brilliant writer and an even better teacher. He runs the English department and now he’s my boss, my professor, and the center of every last one of my fantasies. There’s no way I should want him this much, but it’s those dang glasses and that smile and that little dimple in his chin. I was swooning the moment I met Professor Harlo, but the moment he opened his mouth, I fell in love.

Owen

This is the last thing I wanted. I’m fresh off a divorce and with two kids and two demanding careers, I don’t have the time or energy for this. Except, this girl sticks inside my brain like ABC gum and I can’t shake her. Doesn’t help that we’re crammed in my office grading papers several days a week for hours at a time. The whole innocent thing she has going on kept me away, but she’s a writer too, and I made the mistake of reading her half finished romance book. Unfortunately for me, the things I love about this girl are her mind and spirit, and those are the two things I can’t say no to.

Excerpt

Writing was my life.

And I’m not joking about that. If I couldn’t write, I would be absolutely useless to society. Some people take antidepressants, or do yoga or hike, or eat really good chocolate ice cream. For me, I write. It’s my therapy, if you will.

So, to say that my creative writing class was my favorite my first year of college was a bit of an understatement. I mean, I'd taken it every year since I started college. When I became knowledgeable enough to become the class’s TA, oh my God, it was like a dream come true.

Sure, being a teaching assistant was mostly just correcting tests, reading papers and doing the grunt work that my professor didn’t have time to do, but I didn’t care. I was going to be learning from some of the best, and my writing was going to benefit. Hell, maybe I’d even try to publish!

Now, the big obstacle ahead of me was getting the job.

I stood outside my professor’s office door, waiting for time to tick by because I was ten minutes early.

“Goddamnit!” I heard from behind the office door and my eyes widened.

Professor Harlo was new, replacing my recently retired professor. A spike of worry shot through me, wondering if the man had a temper.

The door swung open and there Professor Harlo was, over six feet tall, in slacks and a white shirt, deft fingers ripping off his tie.

“Oh, shit,” he whispered, jumping a little when he saw me there outside his door. “You here for the TA job?”

I nodded dumbly, my head bobbing up and down while he dabbed at his shirt. The big brown coffee stain on the front of his shirt finally grabbed my attention.

“Are you ok?” I finally bumbled, grabbing the tissue out of his hand so I could vigorously rub at the stain. “Did it burn you?”

Professor Harlo raised an eyebrow at me and watched me make a bloody fool of myself while I cleaned off my professor.

Oh God…

I finally blinked, realizing what I was doing, and shoved the napkin back at him.

“Sorry, I don’t know what I was…”

“Know how to get this out?” he asked, pointing to the spot and interrupting my apology.

I nodded.

“Good,” he said, waving me into his office as he wandered back in himself.

Those fingers, long and dexterous, started unbuttoning his shirt, starting from the neck down. I watched slack-jawed while he didn’t even bother glancing at me.

“Consider this a trial run,” he said finally, sliding his shirt off his arms before he bunched it against his bare chest.

Uh, yes, bare chest. And what a chest it was! His skin was pale, but there were muscles there that many academic men never bothered to develop. A dusting of freckles sprinkled across his pecs, and a peppering of dark hair trailed down into the band of his slacks.

“Hey,” he called, making the ‘I’m watching you’ motion with his fingers and eyes. “Get this all cleaned up and you’ve got the job.”

I blinked, clearing my mind as he shoved the shirt at me and pulled on an old man cardigan that fit him so well; the horn rimmed glasses on his face accentuating his dark, carmel colored eyes.

“What’s your name, by the way?” he asked once he was dressed again.

I drew my eyes away from the little triangle of chest and neck I was staring at and looked him in the face.

“Mia,” I stammered. “Mia Miller.”

“That’s fun enunciation,” he said with a grunt. “Ok, Miss Mia Miller. I want that back by tomorrow. Can you handle it?”

I lifted my eyebrows and nodded.

“Good,” was all he said before grabbing his leather briefcase bag and moving past me through the door, locking it on the way out. “By lunch tomorrow!”

I watched him saunter off after locking his office door behind us, and felt like my entire world had just imploded in that tiny room.

Once he was gone though, it was easier to breathe, and when I got some oxygen into my brain, I was able to finally convince myself of how idiotic my little instant crush was. Not only was my professor likely ‘over the hill’ and in his forties, but he was going to be my boss. Because yeah, I was getting the darn job, and no amount of coffee stained shirts were going to get in my way.

Shutting off the blood flow to my little love button, I stuffed the shirt into my backpack and hurried to my next class. Math. Yuck.

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About the Author

L.L. Ash is a Washington-born writer who has traveled and lived across the western coast of the US. Ash has been writing fiction since she was a pre-teen, and while her writing has improved since then, her love for literature has not changed.

Oftentimes you can find Ash reading an indie romance or enjoying a historical fiction. Dabbling in culinary arts and music, Ash has been an artist for decades but found her true love and passion in romances.

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