Read an #Excerpt from Lethal Protector by Kaylea Cross

About the Book

Lethal Protector
(Rifle Creek #3)
by Kaylea Cross 
Kindle Edition, 200 pages
Published January 26th 2021 by Kaylea Cross Inc.
ASINB08B9MWJZJ

She unknowingly threatens his control.

Single mom Tala Baldwin is no stranger to sacrifice. After losing her leg while serving her country, she’s now training to become a competitive biathlete. With her daughter off to college, she’s able to shoot for her dream of making the national masters team. Even her Christmas break in Rifle Creek doesn’t slow her down. She’s asked her trusted friend Braxton to help her train—all while trying to pretend she doesn’t ache for him. Braxton was there for her during the darkest day of her life and he’s been there for her since…but only as a friend. In fact, he seems more determined than ever to hold her at arm’s length—until a deadly blizzard traps them in the mountains with a wanted killer hot on their trail. Now Tala once again finds her life in his hands as they face the lethal threats together.

Now he’s at his breaking point.

Sgt. Braxton Hillard is a master sniper, renowned for his ability to operate without emotion. Except with Tala. She’s all he’s ever wanted—but can’t have. For four long years he’s kept his distance. She’s way too good for him and she would realize that if he ever made a move. But the attraction between them is too powerful to deny, and once she makes it clear she wants him, he can’t keep his distance any longer. As they fight to survive in the mountains, all bets are off. Braxton is ready to sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves—even his own life.

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#Spotlight on Song for a Cowboy by Sasha Summers + #Giveaway

About the Book

Song for a Cowboy
(Kings of Country #2)
by Sasha Summers
Kindle Edition, 310 pages
Published January 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ASINB088P7F4TQ

Country star Emmy Lou King is singing the blues…

Emmy Lou King’s whole family is legendary in country music. When she lands the opportunity to sing the American Football League anthem and serve on one of the AFL’s anti-drug charities, she’s sure she can handle working with Brock Watson even though she’s barely recovered from their breakup—and she’s never loved anyone else.

Brock Watson is feeling the pressure. From dealing with his father’s declining health, keeping their ranch running, staying in game-ready shape, and his dedication to the charity that changed his life, there’s no time for anything else. Emmy Lou included. After six years, he’d like to think she couldn’t mess with his head anymore. But one look, one smile—and he knows she’s as dangerous as ever. He can’t resist her—he never could.

The more time Emmy Lou spends with Brock, the harder it is for them to keep their distance.

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#Spotlight on Highland Defender by Kathryn Le Veque + #Giveaway

About the Book 

Highland Defender
(Scots and Swords #2)
by Kathryn Le Veque
Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published January 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1728210135

Gladiator meets Fight Club in the Scottish Highlands in a new series from USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Le Veque.

Ashamed of a choice that cost good men their lives during battle, Bane Morgan escapes to Edinburgh to forget his past. But the more time he spends away from his Highland home, the more he's filled with regret and despair.

Lucia Symington knows something about despair. Forced to work off a family debt for a clan with little moral compass and a particular hatred for her, Lucia loses herself a little more each day. When a chance meeting with Bane gives them both a glimpse of what their future together could be, Bane turns to the Ludus Caledonia to find the warrior still within him. The Highland Defender has returned...but his quest to free his lady could cost him everything...

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#Spotlight on Forever My Cowboy by June Faver + #Giveaway

About the Book

Forever My Cowboy 
(Garrett Family Saga Book 2)
by June Faver
Kindle Edition, 314 pages
Published January 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks
ISBNB08BVS928H

Author June Favor takes you to the ranch for a contemporary cowboy romance that'll leave you breathless.

The Garrett family have been ranchers and cowboys for generations—they love the land, and the joy of family and children.

Cade Garrett's orderly life is upended when his sister and her husband are killed in a plane crash. He's ready to step in and take care of their two young children, but he's thrown for a loop when the children's aunt is named their guardian and plans to take the children with her to Dallas.

Unexpected sparks fly when he meets Jennifer LaChance. Can Cade and Jenn band together for the good of the children—or only create all kinds of opportunities for friction?

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🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷#Review (and Happy #BookBirthday 🎂) The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince by Jeffe Kennedy!

Title: The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince

Series: Heirs of Magic #1
Author: Jeffe Kennedy
Format: ebook
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Published: January 25th, 2021 by Brightlynx Publishing
Links: Goodreads | Jeffe's Store | Amazon 
Source: Author
Reviewer: Lexi
Rating: 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

A Legacy of Honor

Crown Prince Astar has only ever wanted to do the right thing: be a credit to his late-father’s legacy, live up to his duties as heir to the High Throne of the Thirteen Kingdoms, and cleave to the principles of honor and integrity that give his life structure—and that contain the ferocious grizzly bear inside. Nowhere in those guiding principles is there room for the fierce-hearted, wildly free-spirited, and dizzyingly beautiful shapeshifter, Zephyr. Still, even though they’ve been friends most of their lives, Astar is able to keep Zephyr safely at arm’s length. He’s already received a list of potential princess brides who will make a suitable queen, and Zephyr is not on it.

A Longtime Obsession

Zeph has wanted the gorgeous, charming, and too-good-for-his-own-good Astar for as long as she can remember. Not that her longing for him—and his perfectly sculpted and muscular body—has stopped her from enjoying any number of lovers. Astar might be honorably (and foolishly) intent on remaining chaste until marriage, but Zeph is Tala and they have no such rules. Still, she loves Astar—as a friend—and she wants him to at least taste life before he chains himself to a wife he didn’t choose. There’s no harm in him having a bit of fun with her. But the man remains stubbornly elusive, staving off all of her advances with infuriatingly noble refusals.

A Quest to Save the World

But things change when a new terror threatens the Thirteen Kingdoms. Following prophecy, Astar and Zeph—along with a mismatched group of shapeshifter, warrior, and sorceress friends—go on a quest to stop a magic rift before it grows beyond anyone’s ability to stop. Thrust together with Zephyr, Astar finds himself increasingly unable to resist her seductive invitations. And, in the face of life and death battles with lethal monsters, he begins to lose sight of why having her, just once, is such a terrible idea.

Lexi’s Thoughts:

Happy Book Birthday to THE GOLDEN GRYPHON AND THE BEAR PRINCE!!! If this absolutely gorgeous cover doesn’t suck you in, then knowing it’s a continuation of the world Kennedy began with the Twelve Kingdoms series sure will! 

#Spotlight on Big Bad Wolf by Suleikha Snyder + #Giveaway

About the Book

Big Bad Wolf

(Third Shift #1)
by Suleikha Snyder
Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: January 26th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1728214971

In 2016, New York became a Sanctuary City for supernaturals...but things quickly spun out of control. Now, Third Shift is an elite team of operatives tasked with exposing the gritty underbelly of New York's criminal-supernatural underworld, taking down the worst of the worst and protecting human- and shifter-kind alike.

Joe Peluso has blood on his hands. But lawyer and psychologist Neha Ahluwalia is determined to help him craft a solid defense...even if she can't defend her own obsession. Because Joe took out those Russian mobsters for good reason--they were responsible for the death of his beloved foster brother. Those six bad guys were part of the ruthless clan of bear shifters who control Brooklyn's Russian mafia, so his vigilante justice has earned him countless enemies in New York's supernatural-controlled underworld, and no friends in a government that now bends to Russia at every turn.

Joe knows that creatures like him only deserve the worst. Darkness. Solitude. Punishment. But meeting Neha makes him feel human for the first time in forever. He's never wanted anything in his life like he wants Neha, and he'll break almost any rule to spend a minute alone with her. But when the Russian mob attacks the jail for payback, Joe and Neha are forced to escape. Before long they're on the run--from monsters who want him dead and from their own traitorous hearts.

AMAZON | B&N 

#Spotlight on Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker + #Giveaway

About the Book

Happy Singles Day

by Ann Marie Walker 
Paperback, 304 pages
Published January 19th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1728216494

Single and proud of it! Oh, oops...

As a Certified Professional Organizer, everything in Paige Parker's world is as it should be. Perfect apartment, perfect office, perfect life. And now, the perfect vacation planned to honor Singles Day. After all, what's better than celebrating her pride in being single? Because who needs a man anyway? They have zero taste in quality television, leave the toilet seat up, and sleep with your best friend. No thanks. Her life is fine just the way it is.

As the owner of a now-dormant bed & breakfast, Lucas Croft's life is simple and quiet. It's only him and his five-year-old daughter, which is just the way he likes it. Because who needs a woman anyway? They nag you to clean up your stuff, want the toilet seat put down, and expect the dishes to be done the same day the meal is cooked. No thanks. His life is fine just the way it is.

But when Paige books a room that Lucas' well-intentioned sister listed without his knowledge, their two worlds collide. If they can survive the week together, they just might discover exactly what they've both been missing.

AMAZON | B&N 

The Segonian by Dianne Duvall Character Interview + #Giveaway

We are out-of-this-world excited to be celebrating this release from Dianne Duvall with our readers today by participating in the blog tour! THE SEGONIAN is the second book in Dianne's sci-fi romance series, Aldebarian Alliance.  Keep reading to find out more about the title below. Click HERE to reserve your copy of The Segonian today!

The Segonian Character Interview

Hello! Thanks so much for stopping by and helping me celebrate the release of THE SEGONIAN, the second stand-alone novel in my exciting new Aldebarian Alliance series. If you like sci-fi romance that features strong heroes and kick-ass heroines, boasts action scenes that will keep you flipping pages well past your bedtime, are full of romance and passion, and will make you laugh out loud, then I think you’ll enjoy this one.

To help you get a feel for some of the characters you’ll encounter in the story, I thought I would borrow Sheldon (a character from my Immortal Guardians series) and have him interview Eliana and Dagon, the heroine and hero of THE SEGONIAN:

Eliana: Sheldon.

Sheldon: Yeah?

Eliana: You’ve been sitting there, staring at Dagon and saying nothing for like five minutes.

Sheldon: *blinks* Oh. Right. Sorry. Hi. I’m Sheldon.

Happy #BookBirthday to The Segonian by Dianne Duvall + #Giveaway !

The second stand-alone novel in Dianne Duvall’s thrilling new sci-fi romance series full of action, humor, and happily-ever-afters is out today! Grab your copy of THE SEGONIAN on Amazon or at any of your favorite online retailers!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Segonian
Book #2 Aldebarian Alliance
By Dianne Duvall
Releasing date: January 19, 2021 

Eliana’s life has never been what one might term ordinary. At least, it hasn’t been for a very long time. As a powerful Immortal Guardian, she spends her nights hunting and slaying psychotic vampires that most of humanity doesn’t even realize exist. Then an opportunity arises that instantly makes her extraordinary existence seem downright boring. The leader of the Immortal Guardians asks her to guard a group of mortals who are embarking upon a voyage across the galaxy to the planet Lasaran. How could she possibly say no?

In no time at all, Eliana is hurtling through space on board a Lasaran battleship and getting to know not one but two alien races. It’s the most exciting adventure of her long life… until the ship is unexpectedly attacked. Amid the chaos and destruction that follow, she valiantly helps everyone she can before an explosion renders her unconscious. When Eliana awakens, she finds herself alone, floating in space, clad only in a spacesuit, with no ship in sight. Alone—that is—except for the warm, deep voice that carries over the comm in her helmet.

Commander Dagon and the crew of the Segonian battleship Ranasura respond to a distress call from their Lasaran allies and join a massive Alliance-wide search-and-rescue mission. He quickly achieves communication with a lone Earthling female and races toward her. Every time they speak, his fascination with her grows and he becomes more desperate to reach her before her oxygen supply runs out. Her strength, bravery, and humor entice him, even more so when she defies all odds and they meet in person.

As he and Eliana embark upon a quest to find her missing friends, a bond swiftly grows between them that deepens with every laugh and smile and tender touch they share. But they are not the only ones searching for Earthling survivors. When Eliana herself becomes the hunted and their enemies begin to close in, can the two of them fight their way to victory, or will their enemies take everything?

AVAILABLE FOR ORDER

Kindle | Paperback | Audible | Kobo | iBooks | Nook

#Spotlight on Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler + #Giveaway

About the Book

Enjoy the View
(Moose Springs, Alaska #3)
by Sarah Morgenthaler 
Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: January 19th 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN1728226317

A grouchy mountaineer, a Hollywood starlet
And miles of untamed wilderness...
What could possibly go wrong?

Former Hollywood darling River Lane's acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River's going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.

Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.

Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that's a big if. The wildlife's wilder than usual, the camera crew's determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton's job tougher, but there's only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it'll take all of Easton's skill to get them back home safely...and convince River she should stay in his arms for good. 

AMAZON | B&N

#CoverReveal of The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince by Jeffe Kennedy

How absolutely stunning is this cover for Jeffe Kennedy's upcoming fantasy romance release?! 

 

About the Book

The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince

(Heirs of Magic #1)

by Jeffe Kennedy 

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: January 25th 2021 by Brightlynx Publishing

ASINB08NSXS6JN

Happy Audio #BookBirthday to Like You Want It by Jillian Liota

About the Book

Like You Want It

(Like You #2)

by Jillian Liota

Listening Length: 9 hours and 55 minutes

Narrator: Mia Madison, Wayne Mitchell

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Version: Unabridged

ASIN: B08RJZDNRQ

“Sometimes, wanting someone just isn’t enough.”

I don’t want to believe those words. Because I’ve never fallen for someone like Fin Callaghan. And I can’t imagine that this feeling isn’t enough.

CARLY

To say my first interaction with Fin leaves much to be desired is an understatement. He infuriates me, barely speaks, and glares at me all the time. Not to mention he thinks I’m a mess.

It isn’t in my plans to start to like him. To fall for him. To want something more. But Fin’s past is filled with a pain that makes any kind of us impossible. He can’t seem to figure out what he wants, and truthfully, neither can I.

All I know is that I want more than what he’s willing to give.

FIN

All I should be focusing on is my family as we try to sort through the wounds left by our past mistakes. I have more than enough on my plate, have sacrificed too much to fracture my focus. I shouldn’t allow a woman to get in the way. Especially one like Carly Palmer.

She’s different. Wild. A bright burst of color in my world of black and white. Before I know it, she’s all that I want. All I can think about. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve been through betrayal that still singes my skin, eats at my soul.

I won’t allow it to happen again.

AUDIBLE

Novels in Verse with Megan E. Freeman of ALONE

Novels in Verse

Readers are often surprised to learn that the earliest drafts of my survival novel-in-verse, ALONE, were written in prose. Drafting in prose helped me move the story out of my head and onto the page where I could see and assess it and explore possibilities for where it wanted to go. But the end result was ultimately lacking, and after several years of work, I was on the verge of setting it aside. Then I attended a workshop with the author Melanie Crowder, where she talked about writing her verse novel, Audacity. As I watched Melanie model her process, I experienced the closest thing I’ve ever had to a creative “Eureka!” moment. I had been a poet for most of my life and I loved writing poetry. Sitting there in that hotel conference room, I knew that I needed to take my manuscript all the way back to the beginning and start again. I needed to rewrite the whole thing in verse. 

Rewriting an entire book may seem like a daunting task, but the moment I began, I felt the difference the poetry made. Poetry was my first language, my mother tongue, and I felt far more fluent in verse than I did in prose. I felt free. Writing became joyful again and I found the voice of the book.

#Spotlight on The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis

About the Book

The Forever Girl

(Wildstone #6)
by Jill Shalvis 
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: January 12th 2021 by William Morrow Paperbacks
ISBN0062897853 

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis does it once again with a heartfelt story of family, forgiveness, and secrets that have the power to change the course of more than one life.

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.

Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery. 
Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.

AMAZON | B&N 

Q&A with Author Brooke Burroughs of The Marriage Code + #Giveaway

 

Q&A with Author Brooke Burroughs

As tech experts both your hero and heroine tend to be data driven which leads to the creation of ‘the marriage code’. What is the code and how did it come about?

The marriage code is a customized search for the perfect woman that Emma develops for her coworker Rishi. It only finds women who match his exact specifications (well, his and his family’s). I like to think of it as Match.com (or shaadi.com in India) on steroids.
 

This is definitely not a love at first sight story! In fact, Rishi and Emma have quite a difficult time getting along at first. Can you describe their first meeting and how this sets the scene for their relationship?

Emma is in a super rough spot. Her carefully constructed world is collapsing because her boyfriend has publicly proposed to her, she wasn’t ready, and he in turn blames her for turning him down. So the next day she goes into work, clinging to the fact that at least she has her job, and this project she’s put all her blood, sweat, and tears into. But then Rishi, a stranger, tells her that this project is no longer hers. For a woman who likes patterns and predictability, well…she loses it. Now Emma is faced with the threat of no job, no boyfriend, no homey apartment—until she convinces her manager to give the project to her, not knowing Rishi is slated to manage it, and that it’s his salvation from the pressures of his family. They still need to work together…closely. And that sets the two of them off on a journey they never expected.

A Character’s Voice with Kat Martin of The Ultimate Betrayal

A Character’s Voice

Hearing a character’s voice in your head is one of the strangest parts of writing.  Each voice is distinct, unique to that person in some way.  How does it happen?

That is a question I have yet to satisfactorily answer.  

A novel is constructed by using different tools, description, narrative, setting, and dialog among them.  Letting a character tell the story through his own point of view is my favorite way of crafting a novel.

Not all authors use this technique as much as I do, but for me it’s what makes the story move swiftly.  As I’m writing, I hear the characters’ voices in my head, not clearly at first, but as the novel progresses, I et my writing instincts take over and listen to what the characters say, let them lead me in the direction that will tell my tale.