Wednesday, January 31

***COVER REVEAL*** Damien by L.A Casey

Title: Damien
Series: Slater Brothers
Author: L.A. Casey
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult, Romantic Comedy
Release Date: March 20


Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations

What Damien values…

…Damien fights for.



Alannah Ryan had always suffered in silence, until that silence became so deafening she spilled secrets that she never intended to. At one point in her life, she yearned for adventure, a nail biting journey … something other than the mundane life she led. Her pleas were answered in the form of a tall, handsome heart breaker with a mop of white hair.
Alannah’s dreams for an exciting twist in her life were shattered because of a teenage mistake. One that has haunted her for over five years, and left her in pieces.
Damien Slater was the reason for every bad thing in the lives of those he loved most. A decision he made when he was just fifteen destroyed his brothers’ lives, and there was nothing he could do to change the things they had endured. Ruining them hurt, but ruining the only woman who wanted him for more than one night hurt a hell of a lot more.
Running away helped Damien heal, and returning to Ireland only caused Alannah more pain. Pain he intended to eradicate and replace with the passion he knew they both shared. Breaking down her walls was not the only challenge Damien faced. Another had plans of his own, and his intentions weren’t for physical vengeance, but something far worse.
Damien values Alannah above all else, and what Damien values, Damien fights for.

Pre-Order

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

iBooks | B&N | Kobo




Catch Up With All Of The Slater Brothers





L.A. Casey is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who juggles her time with her mini-me and writing. She was born, raised and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland. She enjoys chatting with her readers, who love her humor and Irish accent as much as her books.
Casey’s first book Dominic, was independently published in 2014 and became an instant success on Amazon. She is both traditionally and independently published and is represented by Mark Gottlieb from Trident Media Group.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub

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*** COVER REVEAL *** Cake: The Newlyweds

CAKE2_ComingSoonBANNER
Jake and Casey are BACK! CAKE: The Newlyweds by J. Bengtsson is coming soon on February 28th! Get ready for the sequel to the smash hit CAKE: A Love Story that has over 1700 reviews on Amazon!
Cake Cover Front
ADD TO YOUR TBR ➙ http://bit.ly/2E2z1xf
You thought their story was over… but a love like theirs has no end. Fate doesn’t own Jake McKallister. At least that’s what he tells himself. Life is better than ever. He’s at the top of his game, performing to sold-out crowds the world over. He has his health and a solid, fun-loving family to keep him grounded. And he got the girl - the beautiful, quirky girl he’s just made his wife. Yes, life is good. If only fate would stop screaming in his ear. Lucky is the word to best describe Casey McKallister. Life is not just great… it’s amazing. She has an awesome, devoted support system, a nerd’s dream job at a prestigious accounting firm, and, best of all, she’s married to the hottest rock star to ever roam the earth. Yes, life is perfect… until it comes crashing down around her. They say love concurs all. That’s what Jake and Casey are counting on. CAKE2_TEASER1
Start reading CAKE: A Love Story NOW!
_CakeCoverBanded-latest
Amazon ➙ http://amzn.to/2DDid2h FREE with #KindleUnlimited
-A reclusive rock star going through the motions- Jake McKallister might have been a rock star, but he was no ordinary one. Surviving an unspeakable crime as a young teen had shaped him into a guarded workaholic, and he now lived his life trying to forget. If it hadn’t been for music and the redemption he found through it, he might not have survived. Career success came easily for him. Personal connections did not. -A vivacious college student embracing life- When outspoken and fun-loving Casey Caldwell was paired with the famously reserved musician for a friend’s wedding, she was prepared for the worst. What could they possibly have in common? She was a bubbly talker; he was a media-shy loner. His life was filled with music; she couldn’t carry a tune. She’d enjoyed a happy childhood; his was a well-publicized nightmare. -Their worlds are about to collide- Despite their obvious differences, Jake and Casey found each other, and her light balanced out his darkness. Would their love be strong enough to survive the weight of his tragic past? CAKE2_TEASER4 About the Author: J. Bengtsson lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. Her favorite things to do are laugh, go for walks, and hang out with family. Connect with J.! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbengtssonauthor/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/CakeALoveStory Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/chhhbX Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2rxHjuK Join her Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebananabinder/

*** BLOG TOUR & REVIEW *** Look the Part by Jewel E. Ann

LookThePart-SBPRBanner-BT.jpg

“Look The Part is my new top favorite from the inimitable Jewel E. Ann. Delightfully quirky, funny but deeply emotional, Look The Part was pitch perfect. I loved everything about this five-star read!” - USA Today bestseller Ella James

Look the Part, an all-new “emotional and breathtaking” standalone from

Jewel E. Ann is available NOW!

LookThePart Full
Synopsis

Flint Hopkins finds the perfect tenant to rent the space above his Minneapolis-based law office.

All the T’s are crossed and I’s dotted on Ellen’s application. Her references are good. And she’s easy on the eyes.

Until …

Flint discovers Ellen Rodgers, Board-Certified Music Therapist, plays music. Bongos, guitars, singing—not Beethoven administered through noise-cancelling headphones.

The cut-throat attorney serves up an eviction notice to the bubbly, constantly-humming redhead who's too sexy for her own good. But luck is on Ellen’s side when Flint’s autistic son, Harrison, takes an instant liking to her. A single dad can’t compete with guitars—and rats. Yes, she has pet rats.

This woman …

She’s annoyingly happy with a constant need to touch him—adjust his tie, button his shirt, invade his space, and mess with his mind.

Still …

She must go.

Their lust-hate relationship escalates into something beautiful and tragic. This sexy, romantic-comedy explores the things we want, the things we need, and the impossible decisions parents and children make to survive.

Excerpt:

There’s something thrilling, even a little forbidden, about a man in a perfectly-tailored suit. Flint Hopkins wears the hell out of a three-piece suit. Not a single wrinkle. Not a hair out of place. Not a scuff mark on his shiny shoes. His lips move, but all I hear is “I wore this suit for you today” as his hands make their rounds: caressing the buttons on his jacket, twisting his cufflinks, and adjusting his tie. It’s sophisticated fidgeting. “You said you’re a therapist, not a music teacher.” Observant men are sexy too. “I did. And I am. Specifically, I’m a music therapist. Do you want me to explain what a music therapist does?” “No. I just want you to look for a different space to rent. I’ll give you two weeks.” He turns and makes it out the door in three long strides. My toes are on his heels in seconds, chasing him down the stairs. “Wait? You’re evicting me?” “I’m giving you notice.” “Notice? You’re kicking me out for what? Doing my job?” “Preventing me from doing mine.” He pushes through the door at the bottom of the stairs and makes a sharp right. “Hey, Boss, how’d it—” Amanda’s gaze moves from Flint to me as I follow him into his office. “Hi, Amanda. Would you happen to have the name of a good real estate attorney? I may need to sue my landlord for wrongful eviction.” “Um …” Flint turns, halting my forward momentum a second shy of slamming into his chest. “Shut my door, Amanda.” His eyes narrow. I don’t care how hot this guy looks in a suit. I won’t recoil under his glower. “Please leave it open, Amanda. I may need you to be my witness.” Arrogance tugs at his mouth. “A witness?” “For when you threaten me.” He unbuttons his jacket and takes a step back. A whoosh of oxygen leaves my chest like it’s attached to him. The man has an air of confidence and mystery about him that commands attention. When he turned around to face me a few seconds ago, I sensed the slightest agitation in his narrowed eyes and flared nostrils, but not anymore. It’s not hard to imagine Flint Hopkins in a courtroom—cool, calculated, ruthless. “You seem to be an intelligent person, so surely you can see how the noise level of your profession could distract me from doing mine. I think sharing space with other businesses is not a good idea. You need a building of your own or maybe you should work out of your house.” “I live in an apartment. And I’m sorry, Mr. Money Bags, but I don’t have the cash flow to buy or rent a building all to myself. You’re an attorney. How often are you even in your office? And when you are, what are you doing that requires complete silence? Charming snakes? Narrating audio books?” JEA-LTP-fbAN2
Download Now or Read Today Free in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/LookthePart
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2iz3dtC
JEA-LTP-teaser10.png
My Review
5 “This Life” Stars

A masterpiece. Just like Flint’s suits. Look the Part played every single one of my emotions, and I loved it. Jewel E Ann is a genius of epic proportions. Her books always slay me and Look the Part is another romance that everyone needs to read. 

Flint made a mistake. A huge one. And his life is never going to be the same because of it. Now he’s doing all that he can do to get by and make the best life he can for his son. Until he meets Ellen. She’s the exact opposite of Flint in just about every way imaginable. And yet his new tenant has not only taken up a spot in his building, but also in his head. He cannot ignore her. And not just because her job as a music therapist is all noise all day. But because there is just something about her that he hasn’t had in over 10 years. So for both those reasons, she’s got to go. But that’s easier said than done when she builds a relationship with his Autistic young son. Now he’s not only got to wade into emotional waters he left long ago, but he has to figure out how his sons newly minted frienship with his annoyingly happy neighbor fits into his life. 

Jewel E Ann is one of my most favorite authors. I have love literally everything I’ve read of hers. Her stories are always fresh and imaginative. But also emotional with a sexiness that pulls me into each of her stories. Look the Part is no different. This story also had the added benefit of being a bit of a rom com. And while this story wasn’t all sunshine and roses, I appreciated each character, their growth and their up front attitude. Their connection was obvious and while at times my heart hurt because of Flint’s reluctance, that gave me time to really get to know and fall just as hard for Elle and her past as I did for Flint. Add in a cast of side characters that added layers and depth to the story and this new addition to Ms. Ann’s catalogue is going to be one of my favorites this year I can already tell. 
Enter the Giveaway!
JEA-LTP-Giveaway-Timbuk2bag
About Jewel:
Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor. With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business. After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing. When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels. JewelEAnn
Connect with Jewel:
Twitter: @JewelE_Ann
Stay up to date with Jewel by signing up for her newsletter:

*** BLOG TOUR & REVIEW *** Cracks Duet by LH Cosway

We're celebrating the release of the CRACKS DUET by L.H. Cosway! 
 

Title: A Crack In Everything and How The Light Gets In (Cracks Duet)
Age Group: Adult
Release Date: January 30 & February 6, 2018
A Crack In Everything  Goodreads
How The Light Gets In Goodreads A Crack In Everything Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DvxZc5 iBooks: https://apple.co/2BsghVg Nook: http://bit.ly/2n7Od4k Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Gd10ez    
How The Light Gets In
Book Description: A Crack in Everything
Life used to be simple. I was a city girl with humble dreams. Then Dylan O’Dea broke into my flat, held me against the wall and told me to stay quiet. It was like in the movies, where the universe zeros in on a single scene. I looked into his eyes and knew he was going to change me. For Dylan, the sky was always falling. He showed me how our world is a contradiction of beauty and ugliness. How we choose to ignore the awful and gloss over it with the palatable. How you need just a tiny drop of something unsavoury to create every great scent. Pretty deep for a pair of teenagers living in a block of council flats in inner city Dublin, right Probably. But we weren’t typical. We both had our obsessions. Mine was growing things, Dylan’s was scent. He taught me how to use my nose, and I introduced him to the magic of flowers. I had no idea that one day he’d build an empire from what we started together. But before that, there was love and happiness, tragedy and epic heartbreak… My name is Evelyn Flynn and I’m going to tell you about the crack in everything. A Crack in Everything is Book #1 in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.
How the Light Gets in
He came back to me 16 minutes and 59 seconds into Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7.
We parted amid tragedy, so it seemed poetic. Dylan O’Dea, my childhood sweetheart, had once meant everything to me. Now we were strangers, and honestly, after eleven years I never thought I’d see him again.
I lived in the world of the average, of getting paid by the hour and budgeting to make ends meet. But Dylan, he lived in the world of wealth and success. He’d achieved the great things I always suspected he would. The dissatisfaction he’d felt as a teenager had obviously been an excellent motivator.
He started a business from scratch, pioneered a brand, and created perfumes adored by women across the globe. I was just one of the people who’d been there before. Now he was living his best life in the after.
And me, well, I’d been in a dark place for a while. Slowly but surely, I was letting the light back in, but there was something missing. I was an unfinished sentence with an ellipsis at the end. And maybe, if I was brave enough to take the chance, Dylan could be my happy ending.
How the Light Gets In is Book #2 and the concluding installment in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.    
My Reviews A Crack in Everything  5 “Cracked” Stars
Oh my broken and bleeding heart. LH Cosway at her best. The young adult book hooked me in a way that very few adult romances have lately. I didn’t even realize I was reading about characters so young because their world wasn’t easy and Ms. Cosway portrayed them in such a light that it was impossible not to become completly absorbed. 

Evelyn is optimistic for living a life that isn’t exactly living it up. Dylan is the complete opposite. Everything is falling down around him. And yet these two find something in each other that they cling to. Both growing up in the not-so-good part of town and only knowing of each other in passing, they are thrown into each other’s sphere’s when Dylan needs a place to hide. After that Evelyn finds that she is drawn to the moody older boy. Neither was a typical teenager and as their two obsessions combine to make something great, everything falls apart. And no one is left unscarred. 

This book enraptured me. I fell for both characters and their friends. I fell for their brokenness, their blind optimism and their wretched darkness. As the climax came to a head, I was left a broken, sobbing mess. This story was not easy. But it showed that the differences in people can bring people together instead of tearing them apart. And I was so glad I could jump right into book two because I needed to know how anything could be good again after that. And yet the underlying idea of hope was ever present giving me peace in the midst of the storm.
How the Light Gets In
4.5 “Timeless” Stars 

So much sweetness. Huge, big smiling sweetest. LH Cosway’s duet is a wonderfully depiction of true love and everlasting connection. 

Eleven years after the end of book 1, Dylan and Evelyn have switched roles. Dylan moved on and made a life for himself. Evelyn did not. But finally feeling the ability to move forward, she relocated to New York and moves in with her aunt. Out of the clear blue sky, she reconnects with her long lost first love. But everything is different. Evelyn is different. Dylan is different. Life is different. But as these two friends find themselves and each other again, not only does friendship bloosom but so does the possibility of more. 

The duet put me through the emotional wringer. It was everything I could have hoped for and more. This second book wasn’t quite as anxiety inducing or emotional as book 1, but it it’s own way a paved a path for healing, reconciliation and growth. I’m in love with Dylan and Evelyn and I think their story is an important one and one I hope everyone will discover.
 
About the author:
 
L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories. L.H. is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Social Media Links:FB: www.facebook.com/LHCosway Twitter: www.twitter.com/LHCosway Instagram: www.instagram.com/l.h.cosway Website: www.lhcoswayauthor.com Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lhcosway13/

Tuesday, January 30

***RELEASE BLITZ*** Dirty by LP Lovell & Stevie J Cole

Dirty, the conclusion to the Bad Series by LP Lovell and Stevie J. Cole is NOW AVAILABLE!

 

Synopsis

Power is rarely an addiction of the pure. And he and I are both irrevocably tainted.
He should be the enemy, but Ronan Cole is an addiction that has driven me to madness. Back and forth we go, up and down, round and round. I want him. I hate him. I love him. I kill him. I…need him. No man will ever love me with such twisted depravity. Together we are unstoppable.
But what happens when an enemy dares to comes after us?
The hunt is always better when the queen is just as hungry as her king.
This love story has no heroes.
   

Grab your copy of Dirty Today!

Free in KindleUnlimited
Start the Series Now with Bad!
   

About Stevie J. Cole

Stevie J. Cole likes to write realistic stories with raw, gritty characters you should hate but can't help but to love. She's obsessed with rock music, loves sloths, and has an unnatural obsession with British accents. Her books are not recommended for the faint of heart.
 
Follow Stevie J. Cole
Facebook – http://bit.ly/2AoG2GO
Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1FpGPSf
   

About LP Lovell

Lauren Lovell is an indie author from England. She suffers from a total lack of brain to mouth filter and is the friend you have to explain before you introduce her to anyone, and apologise for afterwards. She's a self confessed shameless pervert, who may be suffering from slight peen envy.
Follow LP Lovell
Facebook – http://bit.ly/2lUaTHQ
Goodreads – http://bit.ly/2sYnPyU
Twitter - @Authorlplovell
 

*** RELEASE BLITZ *** A Crack in Everything by LH Cosway


We're celebrating the release of A CRACK IN EVERYTHING by L.H. Cosway!

 
Title: A Crack In Everything (Cracks Duet)
Age Group: Adult
Release Date: January 30, 2018
A Crack in Everything
Life used to be simple.

I was a city girl with humble dreams. Then Dylan O’Dea broke into my flat, held me against the wall and told me to stay quiet.

It was like in the movies, where the universe zeros in on a single scene. I looked into his eyes and knew he was going to change me.

For Dylan, the sky was always falling. He showed me how our world is a contradiction of beauty and ugliness. How we choose to ignore the awful and gloss over it with the palatable. How you need just a tiny drop of something unsavoury to create every great scent.

Pretty deep for a pair of teenagers living in a block of council flats in inner city Dublin, right Probably. But we weren’t typical. We both had our obsessions. Mine was growing things, Dylan’s was scent. He taught me how to use my nose, and I introduced him to the magic of flowers.

I had no idea that one day he’d build an empire from what we started together. But before that, there was love and happiness, tragedy and epic heartbreak…

My name is Evelyn Flynn and I’m going to tell you about the crack in everything.

A Crack in Everything is Book #1 in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.


Releasing February 6, 2018!



How the Light Gets in
He came back to me 16 minutes and 59 seconds into Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7.

We parted amid tragedy, so it seemed poetic. Dylan O’Dea, my childhood sweetheart, had once
meant everything to me. Now we were strangers, and honestly, after eleven years I never thought
I’d see him again.

I lived in the world of the average, of getting paid by the hour and budgeting to make ends meet. But
Dylan, he lived in the world of wealth and success. He’d achieved the great things I always suspected
he would. The dissatisfaction he’d felt as a teenager had obviously been an excellent motivator.

He started a business from scratch, pioneered a brand, and created perfumes adored by women
across the globe. I was just one of the people who’d been there before. Now he was living his best
life in the after.

And me, well, I’d been in a dark place for a while. Slowly but surely, I was letting the light back in, but there was something missing. I was an unfinished sentence with an ellipsis at the end. And maybe, if I was brave enough to take the chance, Dylan could be my happy ending.

How the Light Gets In is Book #2 and the concluding installment in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.

About the author:

L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories. L.H. is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Social Media Links:FB: www.facebook.com/LHCosway
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LHCosway
Instagram: www.instagram.com/l.h.cosway
Website: www.lhcoswayauthor.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lhcosway13/

Monday, January 29

*** RELEASE BLITZ *** Look the Part by Jewel E Ann

LookThePart-SBPRBanner-RB

"All-consuming, deep, seductive, so damn emotional—this book is everything I expect from Jewel E. Ann.”

Pam Godwin, New York Times bestselling author

Look the Part, an all-new “emotional and breathtaking” standalone from

Jewel E. Ann is LIVE!

LookThePart Full.jpg
Synopsis
Flint Hopkins finds the perfect tenant to rent the space above his Minneapolis-based law office.
All the T’s are crossed and I’s dotted on Ellen’s application. Her references are good. And she’s easy on the eyes.
Until …
Flint discovers Ellen Rodgers, Board-Certified Music Therapist, plays music. Bongos, guitars, singing—not Beethoven administered through noise-cancelling headphones.
The cut-throat attorney serves up an eviction notice to the bubbly, constantly-humming redhead who's too sexy for her own good. But luck is on Ellen’s side when Flint’s autistic son, Harrison, takes an instant liking to her. A single dad can’t compete with guitars—and rats. Yes, she has pet rats.
This woman …
She’s annoyingly happy with a constant need to touch him—adjust his tie, button his shirt, invade his space, and mess with his mind.
Still …
She must go.
Their lust-hate relationship escalates into something beautiful and tragic. This sexy, romantic-comedy explores the things we want, the things we need, and the impossible decisions parents and children make to survive.
JEA-LTP-fbAN2.png
Download Now or Read Today Free in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/LookthePart
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2iz3dtC
look the part teaser one.jpg

Enter the Giveaway!

JEA-LTP-Giveaway-Timbuk2bag.png
About Jewel:
Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor. With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business. After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing. When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels. JewelEAnn.jpg
Connect with Jewel:
Twitter: @JewelE_Ann
Stay up to date with Jewel by signing up for her newsletter:

*** EXCERPT REVEAL *** Follow Me Back by AL Jackson

Follow Me Back

The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .

Coming February 5th



"This is why I read romance.” - Lauren Rowe, USA Today and International Bestselling Author
The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job. His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings. He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.
Harley Hope Masterson. Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle. Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.
When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.
Hope is in for the fight of her life. One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.
She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero . . .
Be notified of LIVE RELEASE on Amazon

© 2018 A.L. Jackson Books

EXCERPT


I watched him stride across the café toward the door, hating the way everything tightened when he did.
His or mine, I wasn’t sure.
But it was there.
Heavy.
Pressing on my heart.
I couldn’t stop from watching him through the big windows as he started down the sidewalk, the man a scorching silhouette in the blaze of the day.
But he didn’t climb into his car that was parked at the curb.
He began to pace.
A pace that looked like indecision and turmoil.
Back and forth right on the other side of the window.
His head tilted back toward the sky, as if it might hold an answer, before he set his coffee and the lollipops down on one of the open tables, dug in his pocket, and pulled out his phone.
“You’re an idiot,” Jenna hissed from beside me. “That guy likes you, and he’s literally the hottest thing to ever walk through that door. And he bought All. The. Lollipops.”
Maybe that was part of the problem.
“I don’t get simple,” was my response.
“What if he doesn’t want simple?”
I would have answered her, told her that in the end, everyone did. They always took the easy way out when the going got tough. Except the café phone rang. I moved for it, thankful for the distraction, something to keep my feet from rounding the counter and running after him.
Because what the hell would that accomplish?
I lifted the receiver from the wall and pressed it to my ear. “A Drop of Hope. How can I help you?”
“Go out with me.” His gravelly voice echoed through the line.
A surprised sound whispered from my lips, and Kale was suddenly at the window, his face pressed to the glass, hand shading his eyes so he could see inside. His other hand was holding his cell to his ear. “Go out with me, Hope. Just dinner. Because I can’t fucking stop thinking about you. Couldn’t after I saw you the first time at Olive’s on Friday night. It only got worse after I saw you here Monday morning. I don’t know what it is about you . . . but there’s something that makes me want to figure it out.”
My breaths were hard pants, my heart a jackhammer in my chest. “My life’s complicated, Kale.”
“And I’m offering you a night away from it. Don’t you at least deserve that?”
I wanted to beg him, what then? What happened if I fell for that smirk and that smile and those tender eyes?
Fast and hard?
I could already feel myself slipping. My heart tipping his direction.
What happened if Dane found out?
What then?
But I was so tired of that man controlling every aspect of my life, even after I’d made the decision to cut him from it.
Jenna was suddenly in my face, gripping my wrist, her voice a hard, demanding whisper. “You tell him yes, Harley Hope. Don’t you dare hang up that phone without telling him yes. You deserve something just for you. Just for you.”
Indecision swarmed, questions and worries and want.
But it was the feeling balled in my stomach that trembled the floor beneath my feet.
The urge to reach out and touch on the beauty and tenderness that swam in his eyes. To discover if it was real.
The throb of desire that begged, a whisper in my ear that goaded—just one touch.
The hidden need to feel those hands skating my flesh.
I guessed I’d thought I’d never crave that again, my life fulfilled, my spirit content in knowing I was living for what was right.
Jenna squeezed tighter, my bossy best friend mouthing the word as she angled her head with the demand. “Say yes.”
It was at the same second Kale fisted his hand against the window, his forehead rocking against it, his own words a petition. “Come on, Hope. Say yes. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
A hint of playfulness came out on the last, but it didn’t matter, because I was agreeing.
“Yes,” I murmured, wanting to feel something good even though I wasn’t so much a fool that I didn’t know I was making a mistake. That in the end, it wouldn’t hurt.
Because it already felt as if this mattered.
As if he mattered.
“Okay. One night. Just dinner,” I reiterated.
He breathed out in what sounded like relief. “Just dinner.”
As if anything could ever be as simple as that.
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A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for A.L. Jackson’s upcoming novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, the second stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
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***RELEASE BLITZ & EXCERPT*** Combust by K Bromberg

Combust, an all new sexy and emotional standalone by K. Bromberg is Available NOW!

 
From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes the second standalone book in the Everyday Heroes series. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat? Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned. By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else. By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete. By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low. When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good. That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone. Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart. When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?
 
Purchase your copy today!
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EXCERPT

Preoccupied with a text on my phone from my agent, I walk into the kitchen and suck in a breath when I come face to back with Grady. He’s standing with his hand on the refrigerator door, head leaned inside, and his back fully exposed to me. It’s broad and strong and scarred immeasurably. I stare. I can’t help it. The marks are a dizzying array of dark and light and ridged and smooth. And they’re undeniably burns. Goosebumps chase over my skin as I imagine the pain he must have endured when he got those. I think of his habit of wearing unbuttoned shirts but never going shirtless and the hint of scars just visible above his collar that I never could have imagined led to this roadmap to hell on his back. A part of me instinctively wants to reach out to touch them, bring some kind of comfort. It sounds ridiculous, even to me, but that doesn’t abate the urge. “Not pretty, huh? Get a good look while you can.” His voice is gruff as his spine stiffens and body stills, emotion woven through the words. “Thank God not all of you is pretty. I was beginning to feel majorly insecure having to live with perfection like you,” I say off the cuff, trying to make this situation less awkward. My attempt to settle the sudden tension sparking in the air around us. “Perfection?” he asks as he turns to face me with a smile that masks the emotion swirling in his eyes. “Yeah. You have scars. I have mermaid thighs.” “Mermaid thighs?” He laughs. “What in the world are you talking about?” “Thighs that touch from the top all the way to my knees.” I shrug as if it doesn’t bug me, as if I’m not highlighting one of the insults Tara threw at me. It’s a whole lot easier to make fun of myself so long as it puts him at ease. “Do you ever give yourself a break?” Do you?” I ask the question, sparking a silent battle of wills as we stare at each other and wonder what to say next about the other’s insecurities. Coming up empty, I shift gears. “I think there is some type of rule about how many abs are fair for a guy to have when the rest of us are just struggling to find one of them.” His smile rings more genuine as he steps toward me, and I step back, my hips leaning against the counter now. “Is that so?” His voice lowers as his eyes flick to my lips and then back up. “I’m sure you have some under your shirt there.” Why does the simple action make it seem so hard to swallow? He takes another step. “What are you building outside?” “A playroom.” A nervous chuckle falls from my lips as I think of all of the versions of playrooms I’ve read about in my romance books. My cheeks stain red as I imagine Grady with a flogger in one hand standing beside a St. Andrew’s Cross. “A playroom?” “Yeah.” He takes a step closer so we’re breathing the same air, his voice husky enough to cause every part of my body to grow alert. “A playroom. You know . . . a pool table. Foosball. A real man cave.” I exhale a shaky sigh, suddenly more than aware that he’s so close, shirtless, sweaty, and smelling like sun and soap mixed together. But it’s his eyes that make my thoughts falter. There’s an intensity to them I don’t expect from the perpetually cheerful Grady Malone. “Ah, that kind of playroom . . .” But my words trail off as he steps even closer and braces his hands on the counter on either side of me. I can hear his intake of breath. The music floating in from outside. The pound of my pulse in my ears. “Hey, Dyl?” “Yes?” Our eyes hold, my lips fall lax. “I need you to open up.” What?” I question as his hand brushes against my hip and his fingers pull on the drawer handle I’m standing in front of. “I need the bottle opener. You’re standing in front of the drawer it’s in.” His lips spread into a full-fledged grin as I scramble away from the counter and, of course, run smack dab into the hardness, all six foot plus of him. And then I rebound off him again in a flustered state that has him laughing and me stuttering. “Sorry. I wasn’t—I didn’t . . .” His arms hold on to my biceps to steady me, which prompts me to look up and meet his eyes. “We need to stop meeting like this,” he murmurs, the heat of his breath hitting my lips. “We do.” Brilliant, Dylan. Freaking brilliant response. “I’ve gotta . . . I’ve gotta get back to . . . to writing.”

About K. Bromberg

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love. A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow. Since publishing her first book in 2013, Kristy has sold over one million copies of her books across sixteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by Passionflix with the first movie slated to release in the summer of 2018. She is currently working on her Everyday Heroes trilogy. This series consists of three complete standalone novels—Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit (late spring 2018)—and is about three brothers who are emergency responders, the jobs that call to them, and the women who challenge them. She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales: http://bit.ly/254MWtI  

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