G.O.A.T
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo -- EXCERPT: Sean got up, needing to move around, to dispel nervous energy. “Oh, sit down, for heaven’s sake.” She smacked the ottoman in front of her. He took it as an invitation but reminded himself that he had to go slow, to let her lead. He sat, keeping his distance. But still so close he could smell her, her skin, her lotion, her very essence. It was intoxicating. He clenched his jaw against it. “You are so … cute.” She bent one knee and pressed the toe of her other foot into his thigh. Okay, so this was torture. Sean channeled his inner big boy and smiled at her, got up, and sat on the couch. He needed space. “I am cute,” he said, sipping his water. “You’re beautiful. But surely you know that.” She snorted and looked up at the ceiling. “You really do know how to bring out the worst in a girl, don’t you, mister man?” “I don’t know what you mean.” She glared at him long enough to make him uncomfortable. “I’ve had way too much to drink. Again.” She got up, swaying a bit before she righted herself and headed for the bathroom. Sean waited, taking deep, calming breaths. She returned, looking flushed, her hair tumbling in soft curls around her face. Sean had to clench his fists tight enough for it to hurt to stop himself from grabbing her, dragging her onto the couch, showing her how a real man treated a woman as magnificent as her. She walked up to where he was sitting, slouched down into the too-soft leather, and sat in front of him on the ottoman. “I like you,” she said, putting her hands on his knees. “I like you a lot. But I’m not … I mean, we should be friends. We’d be really great friends.” He took her hands and pulled, gently, so she rose and shifted forward, ending up on his lap. Once there, she curled into him, knees up, arms around his neck. “I would love to be your friend,” he said, stroking her hair. “But I’d also like to be more.” She was shaking all over, which made him doubt himself and this whole damn scene. Closing his eyes, he pressed his nose into her hair, sucking in deep breaths of her. “I want to be more for you, Roz. So much more.” “I don’t know,” she whispered, letting go of him. “I don’t know anything anymore.” “Tell you what,” he said, keeping his arms around her, holding her, like he sensed she wanted him to. “Let’s eat, watch a mindless movie, get a good night’s sleep, and go to a horse race tomorrow. I hear there is one. And it’s kind of a big deal.” She nodded. He held on to her a little longer, hoping she wouldn’t get up anytime soon but knowing this was the extent of things for now. Which was fine with him. Going slow was his superpower. All the better to enjoy the final result, which, he told himself, would be a mind-bender for both of them. He grinned and pressed his lips to her temple, keeping it soft, non-committal. The speed at which she flipped around, straddled him, and had her lips locked on his left him paralyzed with shock for a few seconds—but only a few. He met her halfway after the initial surprise wore off. Their lips smashed together, teeth clicked in an inexperienced way. Her lush body pressed against him left him breathless in a way that should embarrass him but didn’t. The whole thing was surreal. He wasn’t sure where to put his hands. Her desperation was palpable, he could almost taste it. As soon as he identified it as that—an attempt to prove to him that she could do “this,” whatever “this” was—he broke the kiss. “Hold on a second,” he said. “Why? Isn’t this what you want?” He was struck dumb for a moment, admitting that it was very much what he wanted. And that she was so damn stunning right then, lips full, face flushed, curls framing her face. He took a deep breath and put his hand alongside her cheek. She clutched it, and that desperate aura slowly began to fade. “Breathe,” he said. “Just take a minute and breathe.” She blinked fast, then sucked in a breath and exhaled, never taking her gaze from his. “You must think I’m some kind of a…” “Fascinating woman who worked hard to help her husband become successful, but was denied the most basic of spousal privileges—that of being told you’re perfect and beautiful multiple times a day. And being made love to in a way that you deserve, also multiple times a day.” She made a sound of disbelief and raised an eyebrow at him. He grinned back. “Well, you know, there was a time when I could’ve done that. And while those days are behind me, I make up for quantity by ensuring top quality, if you know what I mean.” He was spellbound by her, unable to take his gaze off her even as his body was painfully ready to scoop her up and take her into a bedroom, or this couch, or the floor and prove his qualifications. Although he knew it was soon. He shifted underneath her, trying to get comfortable but not wanting her to remove the lovely warmth of her body from his. “You’re a charmer, I’ll give you that.” She got to her feet, keeping her hands on his shoulders, which put her boobs at his eye level, which made everything worse and better at the same time. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for keeping his hands off them, took her hands, pushed her up and away from him. “I try.”
GIVEAWAY! Retribution An ex-soldier is mown down in a brutal hit and run. Was it an accident, or an act of murder? DCI Jane Birchfield isn’t sure. She is struggling to stay focussed after a surprise marriage proposal, and is still waiting for news about a promotion. But she has to push it all to one side as the investigation swiftly escalates into the biggest challenge she has ever faced, bringing her into conflict with her superiors, her partner, and the British Army. She’s tested to the absolute limit, and for the very first time, finds herself asking whether it’s worth the sacrifice. Can she survive the pressure as the harsh reality of military conflict hits the streets of Ashbridge? Purchase Links UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retribution-Heaton-Wilson-ebook/dp/B098B9J9JN/ US - https://www.amazon.com/Retribution-Heaton-Wilson-ebook/dp/B098B9J9JN/ My thoughts: This is my second book by Heaton Wilson and the third one in his excellent series of police procedurals featuring DCI Jane Birchfield and her team. It is better to read them in order as the team talk about and deal with the aftermath of the previous cases, but you can start from later books as well. As it was the case with the previous book Whatever It Takes we are thrown into action straightawayby witnessing a car deliberately hit a man. The perpetrator then checks that the victim is dead and leaves the crime scene. We know that this hit and run is a murder, but, of course, it isn't obvious to the police. Then a second similar case occurs and there is aclear connection between the two victims. The race to stop further murders by figuring out the motive and the identity of the killer begins... The best part of this book for me is the team and its likeable and realistic members. Starting from Jane herself who is honest and considerate. Her relationship troubles are far from being over and the position of Superintendent that was all but promised to her goes to somebody less competent. Her team all have their own fascinating storylines. The pace was excellent and the whole book is written in an extremely engaging way. The case isn't staightforward and we get to learn what it was all about together with the team, as they painstakingly and meticulously do their job. Great addition to a fantastic series which I cannot recommend high enough. Can't wait to read the next book! Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, the publsher and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Author Bio
I have been a newspaper journalist, a postman, a public relations officer, a consultant, an actor, a director, a playwright. And I have always kept writing. I always felt I could write a novel. And I did! The first book in my crime fiction series featuring DCI Jane Birchfield, Every Reason, came out in 2016. Whatever It Takes was published in 2021; and the third book (which follows on where Whatever It Takes ends) is nearing completion. I'm from Manchester but now live on the Isle of Wight, where the sea is never far away. It's the perfect place to be creative, and to walk the dogs. Social Media Links – @kkevvin http://facebook.com/heatonwilson #Excerpt Tour #The Wedding Crasher and The Cowboy by Robin Bielman @InkslingerPR @Entangled18/10/2021
The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy by Robin Bielman is coming out in one week! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today! Title: The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy Author: Robin Bielman Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Blitz: October 26th About The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy: Kennedy Martin is shocked when her ex calls days before his wedding, expressing serious second thoughts. Doesn’t he see his fiancée's actually the glaze to his doughnut? Now she’s got no choice but to crash his wedding and convince the man he’s with the right woman. Instead, she crashes into the absolute last man she ever wanted to see: Maverick Owens, her old college nemesis. Maverick is still as awful, infuriating, and just The Worst as ever—even if he looks way too sexy in his cowboy hat. And of course he’s convinced she’s actually at the seaside ranch to ruin the wedding. Now the only way to get some face time with the groom and save this marriage is to participate in all sorts of pre-wedding events…with Maverick. Stuck on a canoe, making small-talk at cocktail hour, and even a hoedown with her worst enemy? This just might be the longest week of her life… Pre-Order Your Copy Today: Amazon | Paperback | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU| Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo About Robin Bielman: USA Today bestselling author Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her awesome family and her very cute dog, Harry. She writes both sweet and sexy contemporary romances with one goal in mind: to leave you with a smile on your face. When not attached to her laptop, she loves to read, go to the beach, and frequent coffee shops with friends. She also dreams of traveling to faraway places and loves to connect with readers. Keep in touch on social! Xoxo Connect with Robin: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Amazon Today I'm delighted to present a guest post by Evie Alexander, the author of HighlandGames, a new hilarious rom-com, set in...Scottish Highlands, of course! My inspiration for the cabin in Highland Games The cabin in Highland Games is as much a character as Zoe and Rory are. The story starts with Zoe arriving at the cabin she has inherited from her great-uncle in the dead of night, and discovering it is in a complete state. It’s just one room, and the only things left inside are a rickety table and chairs and a Rayburn stove. My inspiration for the cabin has come from many places, but most of all, from a one roomed wood and cob barn that my friend (also called Zoe) built. It is one of the most earthy and romantic places I have ever been, with dogs and chickens running around inside, and a very old Rayburn stove in the centre. I remember once going to visit, and Zoe washed her hands in a water butt outside that had frozen over. She smashed the ice and plunged her dirty hands in, and I thought ‘oh my god you are so badass!’ Her cabin is full of amazing smells and texture and cool light, and was the biggest inspiration for the cabin in Highland Games. Another inspiration came on a holiday with old friends from University. We were staying in a big old rectory, and one day, my friend came running upstairs to get me as the owner had shown her a secret wooden house in the grounds. It was the most amazing structure, built around a tree, with a wood burning stove, secret cubby holes, and stained glass. I remember my jaw dropping when I saw it, as it was like something out of a fairy tale. There is something inside me that wants to live a very simple life in a wooden house in nature, and so the cabin in Highland Games is part of my fantasy blending with real places I have known. I knew that I wanted the cabin to be something that Zoe and Rory fought over, as both of them felt the same romantic tug towards it. In chapter one they meet for the first time at the cabin. It’s pitch black, and they argue about who owns the cabin and what Zoe is doing there. ‘Who the hell are you? And what are you doing sniffing around my house in the dead of night?’ The man-bear stopped laughing, and straightened up. ‘Okay. First up, it’s not the dead of night, it gets darker quicker up here than in the home counties. Second, I work on this land and saw a piddly little sports car abandoned on the track. I came to see what was going on and got attacked by a lunatic armed with a loaf of bread. And third, you can’t live here; it’s not fit for human habitation. I’ll show you the way to the village. There’s a pub with rooms you can stay in, and tomorrow you can go home.’ Zoe clenched her jaw and spat out her words like bullets. ‘Listen here, Mr Know-it-all, let me get one thing straight. This is my land and my home and I intend to live here. I don’t need an enormous, overgrown Yeti trespassing on my property and frightening the crap out of me. Now bugger off.’ She held up the loaf of bread. ‘I’m going to make myself some beans on toa—’ she remembered there was no electricity, ‘bread, and have a quiet night in.’ ‘Maybe watch some telly?’ he replied. ‘Surf the web? Have a nice hot bubble bath? Good luck with that.’ He stepped off the porch and strode away, whistling for the dog to follow him. Zoe stalked into the cabin and slammed the door as hard as she could. It rewarded her by falling off its hinges and landing with an almighty crash on the front deck. The man didn’t look back. Highland Games-Summary: A fiery heroine, a Scottish god, a cabin, a castle, and enough heat to warm the coldest Scottish winter… Highland Games is an unputdownable, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy, with sparkle and sizzle and a guaranteed happy ending. This sexy, witty, debut from Evie Alexander will have you laughing, swooning, and staying up way past your bedtime... Perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Talia Hibbert, Sophie Kinsella, and Helen Hoang. If you’re looking for a riotous romantic comedy with plenty of heat, then Highland Games is for you! ♥♥♥ Welcome to Kinloch, and the hottest winter Scotland’s ever seen. ♥♥♥ Zoe’s always played it safe, just as her parents wanted. But when her great-uncle dies and leaves her a ramshackle cabin in the Scottish Highlands, she decides it’s time to change her life. Upping sticks seems like a good idea in her cosy flat in London, but the reality is very different. There’s no electricity or running water, the roof leaks and there’s no front door. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s moved up in the depths of winter and her scorching hot neighbour wants her out. Rory’s got a fifty thousand tonne problem. If he can’t make Kinloch castle profitable, he’s out of a job. He needs a clear head, but there’s someone living in the cabin he saw as his own and she’s turned his world upside down. Rory needs Zoe out of Scotland, and out of his life. The trouble is, she has no intention of leaving. Let the games begin… Purchase Link Author Bio Evie Alexander is the author of sexy romantic comedies with a very British sense of humour. She takes a method approach to her work, believing her capacity to repeatedly fail at life and love is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing. Her interests include reading, eating, saving the world, and fantasising about people who only exist between the pages of her books. She lives in the West country with her family. website / facebook / instagram / twitter / goodreads/ bookbub / pinterest Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Highland Games, Shortbread and more… (Open to UK Only)
Prize is a signed copy of Highland Games, Exclusive postcard and bookmark, Personalised heart & Shortbread *Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize. Frozen Agenda
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: A scream reverberated in the hallway. Zach dropped the coin and vaulted towards the door. Swinging his head in each direction, he found both ends of the corridor locked in shadows. “Hello?” It had sounded like the shriek of a female—not the wind. Zach stepped out into the hall, listening. This wing was an isolated offshoot of the main artery running through the Department of Art and Archeology. Only because everyone was gone could he hear the distant squeak of shoe against linoleum. That scuffing sound picked up its pace and burgeoned into a full-out sprint as a figure blasted out of the shadows at the far end of the corridor. “Help!” a female voice cried out. Long raincoat lapels wafted at her sides like dragon wings as she raced towards him. Zach tried to look past her for who or what might be in pursuit, but the hall was empty. Lurching to a halt, the woman stooped over, her hands on her knees as she angled her head to look behind her. “Is there somewhere we can hide?” she whispered. Anywhere in the university. It’s empty. Her back rose and fell under rapid breaths. A pointed chin angled as she gazed up at him from beneath unruly brown waves. In that brief second, he tried to assess whether she was a student or teacher. He would have recognized faculty, so that left student, but she looked older. Grad student, most likely. “Hurry,” she urged. Zach snapped out of his stupor and extended his arm towards the open door of his office. The woman wasted no time and darted inside. One last glance down the corridor revealed no demons. No sound of pursuit. Shaking his head, Zach followed her into his office. “What happened?” The waif of a woman stood in the corner trying to minimize her presence. Shrewd brown eyes snapped from the door—to the window—to his face, and then landed on his desk. Those eyes widened as she shrank back even further. “The coin—” she gasped. Zach frowned, snatching the coin and lodging it into the pocket of his blazer, out of the view of her horrified gaze. “What about it?” “The—the man who attacked me—” she eyed his door and added in a tight voice, “he asked--where is the coin?” “Attacked?” Zach jolted. “Yes!” The woman’s hands quivered until her fingers delved deep into her coat pocket, extracting her phone. “He had a gun. I have to call the Police.” “A gun?” Just as he uttered the words, the sound of breaking glass shattered his poise. The woman winced in the corner and eyed up the gap under his desk. Another pane of glass shattered, this one closer than the previous. “He’s breaking in the windows of all the office doors,” she whispered, dropping down onto her knees and crawling towards the desk. “That’s how he found me. He said he was looking for a coin.” Zach stared at the pane of glass on his door. The light was out on this end of the hallway. Darkness loomed outside that small frame. Crash. That was room 213. He recognized the proximity from the thousand times students slammed that door on their way out. His was room 217. Zach thumped his palm on the desktop lamp, switching it off. A hand reached up from the shadows, startling him as the woman tugged him under the desk. This was absurd. He reached for his phone but hesitated, afraid the glow would carry into the hall. Crash. 215. Harrowing images from the news darkened his mind. School shooter. Beside him, the woman bent her legs, tucking her knees up under her chin. Folding his tall frame as tight as he could, he reached out and wheeled the desk chair up against them. Crash. Tiny shards of glass spattered across the floor near his boots. The woman next to him quaked as Zach reached for her. To keep her still? To protect her? To touch another human in these last moments of life? The doorknob rattled. Another trickle of broken glass and then he heard the snap of the bolt.
GIVEAWAY! #Book Blitz #Druid Dreams by M.F. Adele (The Chronicles of Sloane King, Book 1) @Xpresso Book Tours18/10/2021
Druid Dreams
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GIVEAWAY! Bad Dream: A Dark Dream Prologue Novella
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play Get your copy for FREE!
GIVEAWAY! The Choices: A Treasure Hunt Thriller
-- EXCERPT: Without warning, the cabin door burst open, and three men entered. One, with a full beard, wearing a black flight jacket, slammed the door shut. It popped back open and remained that way. Mia dove for her pistol. Another man slapped it out of her hand. He held her against the wall, his hand around her neck. “Hello, Mia, it’s very nice to see you at last. We met with Cornell, and we know the data we’ve financed is on a single flash drive. Azeer will forget your transgressions if you give it up. If you don’t, I promise, the suffering you will endure will make you wish you had.” A tall man with a gray ponytail delivered the words in a calm and calculated manner. The look in his eye screamed enforcer. Gracie bared her teeth, growling menacingly. Knowing the men wouldn’t think twice about doing away with the dog, Mia said a few soft words, and Gracie calmed, although she still looked concerned. Mia looked at the men, fighting to appear confident. The drive, worth billions of dollars, was in the right-hand pocket of her jeans. She bluffed. “You think I’m stupid enough to have the drive with me? It’s hundreds of miles from here in a safe deposit box. If you do away with me, no one, including Azeer, will ever see it.” Although she was no athlete, Mia, thanks to Adrienne, had a jogger’s trim, fit appearance. The man with the full beard wasn’t impressed. He grabbed Mia and slammed her against the wall. She bounced off, falling into Gracie’s water bowl next to the dish of fresh dog food. Recognizing this would not end well, Mia slipped one of the dog’s treats she carried in her pocket along with the flash drive into the dish of food. Despite concern for her master, the treat was too much to resist. While the bearded bully dragged Mia away by her hair, the dog gulped down the contents of the dish, including the data storage device. From her knees, Mia spotted her pistol. She picked it up from behind a chair and got off a shot, barely missing the man with the ponytail. Then she delivered a desperate punch to the bearded man’s crotch. He doubled over in pain. The ponytailed man panicked, ignoring the combatants.
GIVEAWAY! The Final Decree
-- EXCERPT: I stumbled forward, fueled only by hate. The soldiers of the god-king had taken everything from me, but I would be safe once I crossed the border. Denying them the satisfaction of my death would be my final act of defiance. The winter winds rushed past, as bitter and cold as my thoughts. I walked the long road through the Kingdom of Luka alone. I was a stranger—a random woman—nothing more than some wraith passing by, devoid of purpose. People regarded me with suspicion, and I hurried along. I tried, at least, until I tripped and fell. I hadn’t eaten. Snow provided little in the way of sustenance. It sated my thirst somewhat, but my gut twisted in agony. It felt like my stomach was consuming my insides, cannibalizing the other organs to keep me alive. I knew it wasn’t, but my nightmares had been filled with such imagery, and it was all I could dwell on. I pulled my stolen blanket tightly over my body, unable to stand. With gritted teeth, I continued at a crawl. I should have found shelter and rested, but I was on the edge of town, by the first few houses that lined the road. When merchants rode by on horses and carts, I glanced up, hoping they would spill something edible. They didn’t, of course—no successful merchant would—and I contemplated my situation with dreaded realization. I might die here. In some town whose name I didn’t even know. “That’s a nice blanket.” The tone put me on edge. It wasn’t a compliment, but an appraisal.
GIVEAWAY! The Cursed Princess
-- EXCERPT: “You’d better let me go,” I threatened, raising my voice even louder. “My friends are waiting for me to pick them up downstairs. They’ll come looking.” I clamped down on my shaking muscles and willed myself to stand firm. Snakes of fear slithered in my gut and I tried valiantly not to shake. “No one is coming, Little Female,” one scoffed. There was a unanimous chuckle from the rest. I had a sinking feeling they knew I was bluffing. The one who was holding my neck brushed a piece of hair aside and brought his nose down, inhaling right behind my ear. “Richer than the bouquets of the orient--human fear.” Human. My mind fixated on the word and I tucked it away for later. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy you, Female.” The hot air from his words sent chills through my body. “Don’t scare her now,” said the one standing in front of me. Too late. “We just want a little fun,” whined the one who held my arm from behind. “Her flesh will be decadent mixed with all that fear.” These homeless men were clearly psychotic—they had to be on something. To resort to cannibalism attested to the state of their mental instability. I pushed through the disorientation of the situation and grasped for rational knowledge. “Let me go. Right now!” I demanded, praying that someone would hear me. That filthy fingernail—for I refused to call it a claw—crawled across the side of my neck. There was a sting of pain as if I had been scratched by a cat. I knew the wound wasn’t deep. It was the infection from the filth that sent my gut churning and it was the last straw. I lifted my foot and slammed the stiletto spike of my high heel into what I hoped was his foot. I had done it so carefully, making sure that none of them saw. Yet they had moved so fast that the spiked heal of the shoe bit into the concrete of the parking ramp. The contact reverberated through the joints of my ankle and knee. I hissed and tried to ignore the pain. They laughed at me. “You’ll be sorry,” I promised. We all knew it was a lie. Licking his lips, the one in front of me leaned forward. Fight! I wouldn’t go down without clawing and scratching. It wouldn’t be much, but it would be valiant. I braced for his impact, preparing to slam my head into his. “Unhand her!” a masculine voice shouted from the ramp. I heard the pounding of shoes as another man sprinted toward us. The next moment, however, the monstrous men let go of me, shoving me backward. I wobbled, unsteady on my feet, but before I could fall over, a firm hand reached out to steady me. Disoriented, I glanced down and saw the long, elegant fingers that had caught hold of me. They were clean with no claws, and their grip was strong—holding me up rather than entrapping me. It took a moment for my balance to return. Only then did the stranger retract his hand, but I still felt his solid presence behind me. Perhaps I should have been more frightened at the arrival of another man. But instead, some kernel deep inside me stirred to life—a feeling I couldn’t place sang in my very bones, and I decided to trust my rescuer.
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