Spotlight: Wasted On You by Colleen Charles

/

Publication date: June 30th 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

I’m not good for her, but I can’t resist her anymore.

Elowyn, the new girl next door, is sweet, kind and radiates joy. My past makes it impossible to feel like that, but just being near her eases something in me that I can’t explain. When I see a strange man outside of her door making her uncomfortable, I have to get involved.

Turns out, her ex is there to make trouble, and if that’s what he wants, I’m more than happy to give it to him. As I wrap my arm around her, I feel a connection that’s undeniable.

As Elowyn leans on me, I realize that the shadows of my past can’t hold me back any longer. She ignites a fire within me that I never knew existed. We’re drawn together, like magnets, unable to resist the pull.

But with her ex still lurking around making threats, she’ll never truly feel safe. I vow to protect her, to be there whenever she needs me. For Elowyn, I’ll face my darkest fears to see her light shine again.

*****

Dive into this sizzling romance where a man with a troubled past finds love and redemption through the love of the woman who’s captured his heart. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles in their way, or will their love story end before it can truly begin? Discover the passion, the danger, and the healing power of love in “Wasted On You” by USA Today Bestselling Author, Colleen Charles.

Excerpt

Weston

Immediately, my gaze clocks Elowyn, backed against the wall next to the green dumpster by some guy. It’s the same denim jacket and man-bun as last time. He’s gesturing at her and yelling obscenities.

Scaring her.

“Hey!” I bellow, crossing the distance between us as fast as I can. “You’re trespassing. Get the fuck out of here!”

Man Bun barely looks over his shoulder at me and sneers. “Oh, wow. You again? Do you work here? Or does this little cunt just get you to follow her around all the time like some kind of hired help? You her personal servant, tough guy?”

“I know you know you’re not allowed here. Pretty sure this counts as ‘on the premises.’” I try to turn the conversation away from her, simply stating the facts. The way he speaks to her makes my blood boil. That word he just called her… I can’t believe she ever dated this creep. The thought of this ignorant waste of space kissing Elowyn tightens every muscle I have into a bow string. The thought of him touching her nearly makes me lose my shit. My fingers naturally curl into a fist at the thought. “So shut the fuck up. And move along home, my guy.”

“Or what?” Turning to face me, he juts out his chin. Then he shoves at my chest, stumbling forward a little when he does it. He’s been drinking. I don’t take the bait, crossing my arms and standing as still as I can.

My eyes narrow into slits. “Do you want to fuck around and find out?”

Man Bun’s gaze darts from Elowyn to me and back again. Finally, he shakes his head, then spits at her feet before storming off toward his car. When he reaches it, he gives us two middle fingers. Neither of us moves until he slams his car door shut, peeling away from the lot with squealing tires.

I open my mouth to ask Elowyn if she’s okay, but before a single word comes out, she throws her arms around me and buries her face in my chest. She cries for a minute, and I let her as I hold her tight, feeling her small shoulders shake against me. The warmth of her body seeps into mine and my mind races. And then I’m drowning in the feel of her in my arms, the soft press of her breasts against my chest, and the silk of her hair on my chin. This is the kind of woman who changes a man. I can’t believe I let that scumbag get this close to her again. I wait until she begins to pull her face away, and I bend down to apologize to her.

Before I can get a word out, she stares at my face. My lips. There’s a ragged quality to our breath as our gazes lock and hold. Fuck, I like the things that look in her expressive eyes is telling me. Like whatever good there is left inside me, she sees it. As I’m hanging there in a fog of confusion of my own making, she closes the gap and presses her lips to mine.

The bottom drops out of my world in the blink of an eye. She smells like butterflies and rainbows.

This is the kind of woman you keep.

Her lips are soft and they taste like cherry Carmex, and all of this is wrong. Even as my dick tells me he won’t be listening to my bullshit cease-and-desist demand for one single second longer, I pull myself away as fast as I can, trying like hell to put air between us. Before I fucking fall for her even further than I already have. Before everything between us changes.

Before I lose the one sliver of happiness in my life.

But just as I open my mouth to stammer out any kind of explanation, the backdoor bangs open.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author, Colleen Charles, invites you to come along for the ride as she brings her snarky, woo-woo, and 'a little bit extra' personality to the world of steamy romance. A go-to author for hot hockey action with dirty-talking, cinnamon roll heroes, and smart, capable, independent heroines, Colleen's writing will leave you laughing, emotional, and hungry for more.

When she's not penning tales readers devour, she indulges in the Starbie’s pinkity drinkity with chocolate cold foam, wrangles her crabby Ragdoll cats, and douses her salads with blue cheese dressing and bacon bits. I mean… she’s firmly anti-diet culture, and everything's better with bacon. With her unique mix of humor, heart and heat, Colleen Charles is the romance author you never knew you needed until now. She’s not your basic bitch. Okay… maybe just a tiny bit basic. At least during pumpkin spice season.

Colleen creates perfectly imperfect characters you'll root for until the very last page. 

Connect:

https://www.colleencharles.com/

https://www.colleencharles.com/newsletter/

https://www.facebook.com/colleencharlesusatodaybestsellingauthor

https://www.instagram.com/colleencharlesauthor/

https://www.tiktok.com/discover/authorcolleencharles

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13649083.Colleen_Charles

Spotlight: Hunter's Kiss by Veronica Douglas

/

Genre: PNR, Urban Fantasy

Publication Date: June 29th, 2023

I can’t escape the truth.

I broke out of the Dark Wolf God’s realm, but I know he’s always there, watching me from the shadows. I should hate him, but I can’t deny that I’m drawn to the ruthless beast, and the heat between us is only growing stronger.

Am I a fool for thinking there’s a chance he can be redeemed?

He’s pulled me into a war between the shifters and the fae—the two halves of my secret heritage. Both sides are hunting me, but I refuse to be a pawn in their games.

With the fate of the Dreamlands hanging in the balance, I’ll need to master my magic and face the truths that could tear me apart.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Veronica Douglas is a duo of professional archaeologists that love writing and digging together. After spending an inordinate amount of time doing painstaking research for academia, they suddenly discovered a passion for letting their imaginations go wild! A cocktail of magic, romance, and ancient mystery (shaken, not stirred), their books are inspired, in part, by their life in Chicago and their archaeological adventures from around the globe.

Learn about Veronica Douglas' new books by joining their newsletter at https://www.veronicadouglas.com/newsletter

You can also join our awesome Facebook reader group: Magic Side Insiders

Connect:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JVgwgN

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21196838.Veronica_Douglas

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/veronica-douglas

Website: https://www.veronicadouglas.com/

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

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2890136954569901

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/veronicadouglasauthor/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@veronica.douglas.author

Spotlight: Reasons Why Not to Date the Best Friend by Melanie Munton

/

(Shell Grove, #3)

Publication date: June 27th 2023

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Sometimes The One you’ve been looking for…

is the one who’s been there all along.

Reason #1: Finn is Maggie’s best friend. They don’t have secrets. Which means they know exactly how disastrous they would be as a couple. They bicker, they annoy each other, but they also have one hell of a good time together. Outside the bedroom, of course. Why would they risk ruining a great thing just to satisfy years of curiosity?

Reason #2: Finn is stable and secure while Maggie acts on any wild hair she gets. She’s always looking for her next adventure. But it’s been a while. Everyone around her is moving forward with their lives, leaving her floating alone in open waters. And when she’s offered the job of a lifetime in Key West—hundreds of miles from their hometown of Shell Grove, SC—it’s too enticing to resist. Besides, it’s not like she’ll ever be the kind of woman Finn would want to settle down with anyway.

Reason #3: Losing Finn would destroy her. That’s exactly what would happen if they ever took things too far and it blew up in their faces. But ever since that job offer was put on the table, Finn is putting a whole lot of other stuff on the table, too. Suddenly, Maggie and Finn are forgetting all of their rules. And she’s wondering why it’s taken them so long to be bad when it feels this good.

Maggie wants more adventure? Fine. Finn will give her all she can handle. She’s avoiding commitment? No problem. He’ll keep his thoughts on the subject to himself. But he’s not letting her take that job in Key West. She has no idea what she’d be throwing away. It’s taken him a long time to see things clearly, too, but his vision is 20/20 now. And he’s not letting his best friend—who might just be the girl of his dreams—go without putting up the fight of his life. All he has to do is show her he can be so much more than just the BEST FRIEND.

Excerpt

Finn stepped through Maggie’s back door and immediately ducked, dodging the flying tennis ball at the last second. Without that fourth cup of coffee, that sucker would have nailed him right in the damn eye. As it was, he was alert—and jittery—as hell.

Don’t give the caffeine all the credit.

Tossing his keys on her kitchen counter, he hesitantly walked across the tile floor, approaching the living room with caution. There was… Shit, he didn’t know what to even call the wide assortment of household items littering her floor. There was obviously a purpose to it all, but that was a code only Maggie could crack. Entering her Alice in Wonderland of a mind made The Butterfly Effect look like a walk in the park.

“What the hell am I looking at right now?”

Maggie’s head whipped in his direction, whisps of her dark hair plastered to her temples where she was sweating. “Canine calisthenics.” She stated it like he was dumb for not seeing it with his own eyes. “The vet says Berkeley’s weight is teetering right on the edge. Gotta keep my boy in shape, Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta style.”

“Isn’t that the movie where they spend an entire scene air-humping each other from across a room?”

He dodged another tennis ball that came flying at his head.

“Leave it to you to only remember the tawdry details of an 80s classic.”

The closer he looked at the objects around him, the more shapes he could make out. She had created her own makeshift obstacle course for their four-legged pet. Canine apparatuses of her own invention were set up throughout the house. As was always the case with Maggie, there was a method to her madness. One only she understood, but there was something to be said for it.

Finn rolled his eyes. “Just so you know, the vet only says that so you’ll keep coming back. He’s more interested in checking out your ass in your spandex pants than whether Berkeley’s put on a pound or two. Trust me, his weight is fine.”

A new song came over the speaker that Berkeley seemed to recognize because his tail started wagging like crazy. Maggie caught him when he excitedly stood up on his hind legs, and they proceeded to dance in the middle of the living room.

Oh, Jesus.

Finn only just noticed the matching leg warmers they were wearing. And headbands.

“Since when is my dog a Shakira fan?”

“Since always. He’s part Colombian, after all.”

“We found him on the side of Highway 21, Mags. Pretty sure he didn’t hitchhike from Bogotá.”

“But his spirit animal did.”

“He is an animal.” When Maggie swerved her hips, he swore Berkeley mimicked her. Finn scraped his hands down his face, groaning. “Look what you’re doing to my dog. He’s going soft on me. He didn’t even bark when I entered the house without knocking.”

“Why would he bark at you?”

“He wouldn’t have known who it was when the door first opened.”

Berkeley dropped back down to all fours and copied Maggie when she started twirling in circles. “If anyone is softening up this dog it’s you with all those steaks you’re feeding him. Why do you think he’s having weight issues?”

His molars ground together. “He’s not having weight issues. The vet is having infidelity issues. Dude is married, yet he’s drooling over you like Berkeley does when I pull our steaks off the grill.”

“Ribeyes or porterhouses?”

“What does it matter?”

“If I’m going to be compared to a steak, it better be the finest slab of meat on the market.”

For whatever reason, the moment she said those words, Finn’s eyes dropped straight to her ass. He wasn’t even conscious of the action. Some otherworldly compulsion—likely a demonic possession—seemed to take hold of him. She had on a pair of those ungodly tight pants women wore when they worked out. There were slits cut in the spandex that were made of a sheer, mesh material, and her top was one of those dri-fit tanks that had a built-in bra thing. Maggie still always wore a brightly colored sports bra when she worked out, though, regardless of any built-in material. She couldn’t exactly go without one, considering how…ample…her chest was.

Jesus Christ.

Why was he thinking about her chest size? Or her bras? For fuck’s sake, he only looked because Maggie talking about being compared to a steak had the words prime meat flashing like a goddamn neon sign in his head. Holy shit, he was as bad as the vet. An actual Neanderthal.

The next words out of his mouth proved it to be true.

“You know you’re filet mignon, Mags.”

She tripped over a couch cushion and stared at him in shock.

Oh, motherfuck.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Melanie grew up in the Midwest, but she loves living in the Southeast (where the beaches are!) now with her husband and daughter.
Melanie's other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible.
She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together...ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty.
At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love.
Go visit Melanie's website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!

Connect:
https://www.facebook.com/melaniemuntonauthor/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13976464.Melanie_Munton

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melanie-munton

https://twitter.com/melanie_munton

https://www.melaniemunton.com/

https://www.instagram.com/authormelaniemunton/

Spotlight: Karma by Carly Phillips

/

Release Date: June 30

They’ve got chemistry. But he’s her brother’s worst enemy—and arresting officer.

For Officer Dare Barron, there’s only one good thing about bad-boy Brian McKnight getting thrown in the drunk tank again. Being there when Brian’s sister, Liza, strides into the precinct on those long, delectable legs to bail her brother out.

It’s not just the old building’s failing air conditioning making Dare sweat. Liza is a contradiction of proper lady and sexy siren who’s riveted Dare’s attention since high school.

She’s always been oblivious, which is a good thing because she’s way out of his league. Plus, she’s got a huge blind spot where her brother’s concerned, and Dare knows what’s hiding in that void she refuses to see.

When one of those secrets threatens Liza’s safety, Dare doesn’t hesitate to appoint himself her protector. Close proximity awakens Liza’s desire for the sexy cop and fuels the sizzling heat between them, but the bad blood between their families could ruin any chance for love.

Note: Karma is book five of Serendipity series by NYT bestselling author Carly Phillips. Contains a by-the-book cop with some hot off-shift fantasies about the girl of his dreams, and a woman who doesn’t quite mind being looked at like she’s a hot fudge sundae.

Buy on Amazon | Audible

About the Author

Carly Phillips is the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over eighty sexy contemporary romances featuring hot men, strong women, and emotionally compelling stories her readers have come to expect and love. She is happily married to her college sweetheart and lives in Westchester County, NY. She is the mother of two adult daughters and three crazy dogs who star on her Facebook and Instagram pages. She loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers. Way back in 2002, Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa and was the first romance on a nationally televised book club. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. For more information on upcoming releases, sign up for her newsletter (below) and receive two free books!

https://www.carlyphillips.com/subscribe-newsletter/

To learn more about Carly Phillips & her books, visit here!

Connect with Carly Phillips: https://www.carlyphillips.com/ 

Spotlight: Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert

/

Two former friends. One cramped apartment. Three little rules.

Nina Chapman’s most embarrassing moment? Finally dragging James Foster into bed. The stern, steady mechanic made her see stars… then called her a mistake and disappeared, leaving the tatters of their friendship in his wake.

But when Nina’s work as an investigative journalist brings death threats to her door, James marches back into her life, armed with irrational demands. He doesn’t care how long it’s been, or how distant they’ve become.

She must move into his flat.

She must sleep in his bed.

And she cannot leave his side—not for a second.

What could possibly go wrong?

Warning: this steamy novella contains a grumpy heroine, an overprotective hero, and a shared apartment with only one bed.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Talia Hibbert is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.

She writes spicy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include makeup, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. Talia and her many books reside in the English Midlands.

Connect:

Instagram: @taliahibbert

Twitter: @taliahibbert

Spotlight: Quicksand Series Boxset by Delaney Diamond

/

Publication date: Jun 16th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Quicksand is a series of stand alone stories based on love, sex, and romance. You can’t fight your way out of quicksand, and you can’t fight your way out of love. Books four, five, and six are available in this box set!

NIGHT AND DAY
Are they just two people on the rebound seeking comfort in each other’s arms?

When Tamika Jones arrives at the apartment on Hargrove Street, she expects to find her boyfriend, the money he stole, and the woman he cheated on her with. Instead, she finds Anton Bevins, a young attorney, who’s good-looking, bewildered by her appearance, and also a victim. The two end up in a sexy, fun-loving relationship that takes them both by surprise, but is it really love?

Excerpt

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Anton rolled onto his back and squinted against the sunlight coming in through the curtains.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The noise was coming from the front door. Someone was knocking. Loud.

Rolling onto his side with a groan, he checked the clock beside the bed. Seven-thirty on a Saturday morning. What the hell? Who would—

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Irritated, he tossed off the sheets and marched to the door with angry strides. The person on the other side better be dying, or they’d be getting their butt kicked.

Though upset, he took the precaution of peering out the peephole to see who was attacking his door and was taken aback when he saw the petite woman out front. Wearing a baseball cap low on her head, he could tell she was attractive even through the distorted lens and the angry pucker of her lips.

“Open the door, Calvin!” she screamed. “I know you’re in there, and I’m not going anywhere, so you might as well come out.” She started banging with her fist again.

How could someone so small make that much noise?

Anton swung open the door and her hand remained suspended in the air, mid-bang. Her eyebrows winged together in a startled expression, and then her gaze traveled from his bare chest, down his pajama pants, to his bare feet. His skin tingled everywhere she looked, as surely as if she’d dragged her palms down his chest.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I should be asking you that question. I live here, not this Calvin person you’re looking for. You have the wrong address.”

She smirked. “Nice try. I know he doesn’t live here, but I know he’s here with that b*tch.” She then lifted a baseball bat he hadn’t seen through the peephole, over her right shoulder, as if she were standing at the plate ready to swing.

Anton’s hands lifted in defense. “Whoa, hold on. There’s no Calvin here, and I don’t know who the b*tch—I mean, woman—is that you’re looking for.”

One sculpted brow lifted above her skeptical dark eyes. Despite the volatile situation, he couldn’t help appraising her features. When was the last time he’d seen anyone quite so… stunning? With a round face, high cheekbones, and catlike eyes that glared at him but managed to look sensuous at the same time. Her nose tilted slightly upward at the tip, and her full, thick lips could be too much on the wrong face, but settled on hers in a way that drew the eye and made him temporarily forget the damage she could do with that bat nestled on her shoulder.

She wore a red top that, well… it was rather revealing, exposing her midriff and showing off the dark walnut of her flat stomach and the white-gold belly ring nested in her navel. He had to force himself to look at her face and keep his gaze there, which wasn’t an easy task.

Anton swallowed hard to beat back the lust that reared its head as he admired nature’s handiwork.

“Sure you don’t know them. Unless you want some of this”—she waved the bat—“I suggest you get out of my way and let me handle my business.”

“This is my apartment,” Anton insisted.

These gated communities weren’t worth the money. Why pay extra when it was so easy for crazy people to slip in behind someone else, like this psycho obviously had?

“Calvin!” the stranger screamed. When she tried to shove past him, Anton slammed his hand on the doorframe.

“Listen,” he said, lowering his voice to a lethal level, “I don’t need you waking up my neighbors and causing me problems, all right? This is my apartment. I’m not telling you again. There is no Calvin here. This is 2516 Hargrove Street Apt C. You have the wrong address.”

Bad enough she’d woken him up out of bed after a long week, but now she was getting on his nerves with her insistence of trying to get past him to find this Calvin dude.

“No, I do not have the wrong address. Tell me this, do you know who Melissa is?”

Shock jolted Anton’s back ramrod straight. “Melissa?”

The stranger smirked knowingly. “You do know her. Where is she? Tell her I want to talk.” She tapped the bat in her left palm, looking like anything but someone who only wanted to talk.

WHAT SHE DESERVES
Fiery passion wages a war between two destined hearts.

Layla Fleming may miss the toe-curling nights between the sheets with Rashad Greene, but it took a long time for her heart to heal. So when she sees the cocky playboy years later, she ignores his advances and moves on. With the first glimpse, Rashad knows he must have Layla back in his bed, but he still holds a dark secret and worries the chemistry between them will fizzle if she knows the truth.

THE FRIEND ZONE
Their friendship is strong. Their attraction is stronger.

For years, English professor Dana Lindstrom has been crushing on her friend, ex-NFL football player Omar Bradford. When another man sparks her interest, she embarks on a new relationship to help her get over those feelings. When Dana’s new love interest stirs intense jealousy, Omar will risk their friendship to show her once and for all he’s the only man she’ll ever need.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of black romance and interracial romance in the contemporary romance and romantic suspense genres. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free stories on her website at www.delaneydiamond.com.

Connect:

Website: https://delaneydiamond.com/

Mailing list: http://bit.ly/DelDiam

Readers group: https://bit.ly/3sRgyh5

Facebook: facebook.com/delaneydiamond

Twitter: twitter.com/DelaneyDiamond

Pinterest: pinterest.com/delaneydiamond

Podcast: http://podcast.delaneydiamond.com

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004HU9G3G