Monday 31 August 2020

***Cover Reveal*** Pretty Little Savage By Lucy Smoke

Pretty Little Savage
Lucy Smoke
Publication date: October 2nd 2020
Genres: Dark Romance, New Adult

Rule No. 1: Don’t piss off the Sick Boys

They’re cruel. Reckless. Impossibly fucked up.

The Sick Boys feed on the order they create. They rule Eastpoint University just as their families have for decades. But their power doesn’t stop there. The three of them are heirs to some of the largest fortunes in the world, and behind that kind of wealth lies an underworld of corruption.

On the surface, they’re perfect princes and he is their King. But underneath it all, they’re filled with blood, lies, and secrets. With all of their connections, they have the power to crush anyone who gets in their way. But just because they’re as warped as I am doesn’t mean I’m going to give them a free pass.

Because I, Avalon Manning, bow to no one, and I live to break the fucking rules.

***This is a Dark MF New Adult Romance.***

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Author Bio:

Lucy Smoke is a USA Bestselling Author most known for her Iris Boys series.

Lucy is a writer of dark romance, new adult and young adult romance, and various other sub-genres therein. Her main writing focus is on various forms of romance. She loves to experiment with her characters and shine a little light on things that catch her fancy.

You can contact her or view her catalog via her website at www.Lucysmoke.com or join her newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest releases!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

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***Cover Reveal*** Black Witch Magic By Mila Nicks

Black Witch Magic
Mila Nicks
Publication date: October 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long…

Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Cory. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna…

When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:

Mila Nicks has a thing for romance. Chick lit, chick flicks, you name it, she’s there. She’s all about basking in a quality, well-told love story. It’s why she’s decided to use her passion for writing to pen love stories featuring women of color.

When she’s not engrossed in all things romance, she’s probably out shopping, sampling food off of someone else’s plate, or hanging with her feisty and dangerous pet chihuahua, Zayden.

For more on Mila, including upcoming releases and story freebies, check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.milanickswrites.com/

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Wednesday 26 August 2020

***Book Blitz*** #Surviving40 By Karen Anne

#Surviving40
Karen Anne
Publication date: August 25th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Piper Quinn was more than ready to turn forty. So ready she began planning her Parisian celebration at thirty-five. That is until her life fell apart at thirty-nine. Left staring at divorce papers, Piper instantly regrets signing that pre-nup. How was she to know her husband would turn her in for a younger model?

After “accidentally” setting her Manhattan apartment on fire, Piper finds herself not only newly divorced, but newly homeless. Forced to move back home with her parents and take a job she doesn’t want, she soon discovers the gossip train in town moves faster than the subway system in New York—and she’s the hottest topic to leave the station. If matters weren’t bad enough, life in rural Connecticut seems downright claustrophobic when her sixteen year old daughter stops talking to her.

A blast from her past is the spark Piper needs to reignite her life. Owen Clarke, an old high school flame has the ability to turn back time making Piper feel sixteen again. The instant chemistry between them gives Piper hope of redeeming her second act. There’s only one teeny, tiny three foot problem: Owen’s daughter is in Piper’s Kindergarten class. With temptation lurking in every corner, Piper needs to put her emotions—and hormones— in check.

No one said getting older was easy, but turning forty just became a game of survival.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

#SurvivalTip: It’s not stalking if you show your face.

I was a glutton for punishment. No doubt in my mind I was in over my head and needed professional help. I had driven to the yoga studio in the next town where Avery taught. Now, I sat in my car, engine still running, willing myself to get the hell out. I watched her through the window. She was in a hot pink sports bra and soft grey leggings. Her hair was in its signature ponytail. There was a bounce in her step as she walked around the empty space of the studio pouring oil into the diffusers. She was in her zen arena, and I had no rational way of explaining my motive other than this woman had Owen and walked away. Why? There had to be something twisted inside her. Some narcissism or schizophrenia that would compel her to leave a man who was pretty close to perfect.

Convinced I had boarded the train to crazy town, I knew I had to get out of here before she saw me. A rap on my window caused me to jump and let out a yelp. I turned to my left, horrified to see Holly standing outside my car door. I lowered my window. “Oh my God! I thought that was you! What are you doing here?” She was practically bouncing.

“Um, Avery had invited me a few times, but my stomach is a little funky… bad sushi… so I think I’m going to head out.”

“Nonsense. Yoga is great for the digestive system. Come on, you’re going to freak over this class. Avery is amazing. You’ll love her.”
I doubted it, but could see no way out, so with a heavy heart, I cut my engine and followed Holly into the studio.

“Avery! Look who I found outside!” Holly grabbed my arm as if I might run away if she didn’t hold on to me. I didn’t blame her. There was a good chance I would flee at the first opportunity. Like a cat in an alley, scouring out the corners, looking for a place to hide, I was in full blown feral mode. If Avery came too close, there was a good chance I’d scratch her.

Avery was overjoyed to see me, her mouth agape as she waved her arms. It was exactly how a cult leader would look if they were trying to lull me into a false sense of security. Her eyes were the size of saucers as she ran over to me, and her beautiful features suddenly held an alien quality to them.

“No way!” She pulled me into a deep hug. Damn this chick was solid. She was smaller than me, and it freaked me out, because I was pretty sure she could kick my ass. “I can’t believe you came! This is amazing. I’m telling you, after tonight, you will be hooked, right, Holly?”

“She’s so right. I swear if I miss a session, my body is quick to let me know—total withdrawal. I need this every week.”

“Have you taken yoga before, Ms. Quinn?”

“You can call me Piper.” It was clear they were all on a first name basis, and I didn’t want to be the old lady rigid in formality. I sized up Avery, trying to decipher how old she was. Owen was my year in school so we were the same age, but this woman, with her flawless skin that had never seen the sun without being protected in SPF 50, was still soaking in the glory of a body that was barely three decades old. “Not really. A few times here or there, but nothing too advanced. I’m not very flexible,” I admitted.

“Well, flexibility comes with practice, and that’s what this is. I don’t see it as exercise so much as a way of life.” Damn she was serious. “I need water every day. I need food, I need sleep. I also need yoga.”
I currently needed a plastic bag to vomit in. This chick was too poster perfect, and the more she spoke, the more inadequate I became.
Avery glanced at her watch. “Oh! Showtime! Let’s find a spot on the floor and settle in.”

There were at least ten other women in the room, and so I walked toward the back, but Holly grabbed my arm and told me to sit next to her. She unfurled her yoga mat, and that’s when I realized I hadn’t brought one.
“I don’t have a mat.” The words were low, and I imagined I sounded like one of my students saying they didn’t have a crayon to color the picture. I didn’t have a mat because I didn’t expect to actually enter the studio. I put on leggings and a tank top like it was a costume, the intention to workout wasn’t real. It was cosplay, nothing more.

“Avery has extra.” Holly jogged over to the corner and pulled a grey mat from the box. She laid it out in front of me, revealing the turquoise lotus flower that was printed in the center. I thanked Holly and sat on the lotus flower, copying Avery, who was now seated on the floor.

“Welcome back everyone.” Avery’s voice was silky smooth.
She’d be great as a phone sex operator. Hell, I’d pay a dollar a minute to see what she had to say. I could only imagine the lewd comments that voice had whispered into Owen’s attentive ears over the years. The hair on the back of my neck bristled at the thought.

Avery folded her legs in front of her in a way I referred to in kindergarten as “pretzel style” and took a few deep breaths. Her eyes were closed, and I soon became aware that everyone around me had also closed their eyes, trusting Avery’s voice to take them on this meditative journey. That was asking a lot of me, but not about to be caught staring at her, I closed my eyes and tried my best to breathe in a way that was not natural at all.

The breathing lasted a long time, and although I was supposed to be letting my thoughts melt away and empty my mind of heaviness, I was too busy burying myself in clutter as I tacked up insecurity after insecurity. The anxiety reached new heights when we were actually expected to transition from breathing to different animal poses. I didn’t know I’d have to be a cat, cow, cobra, and dog all in one flow. We were moving from downward dog to plank to cobra when Avery tilted her head, got up, and walked over to me. Crap. I was doing something wrong.

“Come back up to downward facing dog.” I did as she instructed and was surprised when she came behind me and held my hips. “Okay, you want to open up your hips more, spread your legs a bit wider, and really fall back into this stretch.” She kept one hand on my left hip, her right hand rested gently on my back. I hoped I wasn’t sweaty.

“Your goal is to have your heels touch the ground. It won’t happen right away.” She got beside me, mimicking the proper pose. My hamstrings were burning, which caused my legs to tremble. The blood rushed to my head; I raised my gaze and caught what we looked like in the mirror. It was a bad decision. The mirror only exposed how I felt— disoriented and in physical pain, while Avery bent over beside me, modeling the pose with ease.

“You want your body to become an upside down V. See?” I nodded and prayed she’d move on to another victim. The gods must have shown pity on me because she bounced back up and went to the front to show us the next pose.

Author Bio:

Karen Anne was writing before she could read. As a toddler, she sat with a book in her hands and made up the stories, eager for the day when she'd find out if it all truly ended in happily ever after. Karen still determines the destiny of other people's lives, but this time, the characters are her own.

She is a Contemporary Romance author who lives in New York.
Coffee drinker by day, wine enthusiast by night, she loves cats and deeply misses 90's grunge.

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Tuesday 25 August 2020

**Cover Reveal*** BROKEN KINGDOM (Royal Hearts Academy #4) by Ashley Jad

  

  BROKEN KINGDOM (Royal Hearts Academy #4) by Ashley Jad 
Release Date: October 22nd   

  Royal Hearts Academy is a series of standalones, but you can catch up with the first book, Cruel Prince, right here: Amazon: https://amzn.to/30l209E & Ruthless Knight, Book #2 Amazon: https://amzn.to/30qGilH & Wicked Princess, Book #3 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PYQRbm  

    

  Preorder: Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2QhCnU6 Apple: https://apple.co/32ig7PJ  

    

  Blurb: Welcome to their broken kingdom. They say you're happy now. That you can't remember anything from your past and it's for the best. They told me if I cared about you I'd stay far away and leave you alone for good. Because you're getting married to a man you love. Only problem is... you 
loved me first. 

    

  About the Author: Ashley Jade loves to tackle different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including: contemporary romance, erotica, and dark romance. Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them. She’s a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought provoking…except for math. Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. She’s always read books growing up and scribbled stories in her journal, and after having a strange dream one night; she decided to just go for it and publish her first series. It was the best decision she ever made. If she’s not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life. Check out her amazon page and Facebook page for future novels. She recently became hip and joined Twitter, so you can find her there, too. She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go round’.   

  Connect w/Ashley: 

Wednesday 19 August 2020

***Book Blitz*** The Promise Kept By Maggie Mae Gallagher (Echo Springs, #2)

 

The Promise Kept
Maggie Mae Gallagher
(Echo Springs, #2)
Publication date: August 19th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Cybil Roe gave her heart away thirteen years ago only to have it wind up shattered. With painstaking determination, she has rebuilt her life into something to be proud of today. Yet all her future plans are upended when the only man she has ever loved returns to Echo Springs. Nor does it help that he seems bound and determined to draw her back into his life. Cybil vows to stay away from him, no matter what seeing him all the time does to her resolve.

Miles Keaton wiped the dust of his hometown off his shoes years ago, never expecting that life would lead him back to the place where he had begun. Coming home to Echo Springs, to Cybil, to start a new law practice and a new life is a risk he never thought he’d take. She hates him – with good reason. Years ago, he walked away when she needed him the most. But now is he back, and intends to argue the case of his life, one more important than any he has debated in a courtroom, because she is the one woman he cannot live without.

Can Miles convince Cybil to take a second chance on him, or will a secret she has kept all these years destroy any future they might have?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

PLUS! Book 1 - The Fixer Upper - is only 99¢ for a limited time!

EXCERPT:

“Oh, yes. Right there,” she murmured.

Cybil sighed at the strong hands kneading her tense shoulders. Golden sunshine warmed her skin. Azure waves lapped against the pristine, ivory sand not fifteen feet from where she lounged on a luxurious padded chaise. Her tanned skin glistened in the sun. The coconut scent from her suntan lotion wafted on the gentle breeze and mingled with the salt from the ocean waves. The simmering heat of the tropics caused perspiration to bead on her forehead and evaporate with the light wind. The sunglasses perched on her nose shaded her gray eyes from the radiant sunlight.

It was without a doubt a perfect day.

The light breeze played with the loose tendrils of her inky hair while the sexy-as-sin Pablo—he of the broad, tanned shoulders, gorgeously thick black hair, and soulful eyes—massaged her shoulders with his long, talented fingers. The man had the most wonderful, gifted hands and knew precisely where to exert the most pressure. And those thumbs of his were singularly skilled at ferreting out every ache and pain.

God, she had needed this getaway—away from the cold, the snow, the dreaded holidays, and nonstop work.

She muffled a moan.

Cybil couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this relaxed. She could still taste the lime and salt from her frozen margarita. And she was a breath away from suggesting to Pablo that they take the massage indoors to her beachside bungalow. The thought of those hands massaging other regions of her body left her achy and needy. It had been so long since she had been with a man. Since this was a vacation, she didn’t have to worry about getting attached. Cybil moaned as he dug into a knot on her left shoulder.

Pablo lowered his face. Cybil shivered, heady anticipation humming along her skin. Was he going to nibble on her ear? Suggest naughty, decadent delights to be had if they retreated indoors? She was ready and willing for anything the guy had in mind.

“Purrr.” A cold, wet nose pressed against the side of her cheek where it met her ear, amplifying the sound. The purr increased in tenor. Something tickled her nose.

Cybil cracked an eye open. A pair of golden eyes stared at her with expectation and determination, with a side of feline disdain that she had yet to acknowledge him.

Author Bio:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the United States Midwest with her two furry felines.

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Tuesday 18 August 2020

***Cover Reveal*** Snowed In By Lindy Miller

 

Snowed In
Lindy Miller
Published by: Rosewind Books
Publication date: December 8th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

CHRISTMAS ISN’T ROXANNE HUDSON’S STYLE…UNTIL SHE FINDS HERSELF SNOWED IN WITH HIM.

Roxanne Hudson does not like Christmas. It comes with too many family obligations that take her away from work as a rising fashion editor in New York City. But this year might be Grandma Myrtle’s last Christmas, and Roxanne’s parents want her to spend the holiday at the family cabin in the Green Mountains. With her boyfriend Hunter away at a photo shoot, Roxanne decides to brave the long commute—and the wilderness—to spend Christmas in Vermont.

But when an uncomfortable phone call from Hunter starts her trip off badly, Roxanne is blindsided by a blizzard on the snowy mountain road. When she’s rescued by a handsome park ranger who’s the exact opposite of everything she always thought she wanted, Roxanne might discover she has time for a little Christmas magic after all.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks


Author Bio:

Lindy Miller is an author of feel-good love stories that are full of sweet moments and happy endings. She believes the best time to fall in love is during the holidays, preferably over a cup of warm tea or a delicious vegan pastry - two things she can't get enough of.

A free spirit, Lindy loves to travel and has a soft spot for Bar Harbor, Maine though she grew up at home in the South. She is married to her childhood sweetheart and bakes as often as she can for her husband, son, and pets - especially her golden retriever, Finn, who has a tendency to show up in her stories (and her Instagram!)

Lindy is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.

Member Romantic Novelist Association (RNA).

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Thursday 13 August 2020

***Book Blitz*** Book Blitz*** When Love Finds You By Lynn Wolff

 

When Love Finds You
Lynn Wolff
Publication date: August 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

After pasts riddled with pain, can Hadlee and Bryce let themselves love again?

Hadlee

He was the perfect vacation fling.

I needed to get laid and live a little. One night with him would revive my shattered heart and arouse my senses. I could cast aside all my inhibitions and let my lust guide me.

And the best part, I would never have to see him again…or so I thought.

Bryce

She was my last taste at freedom.

I used her, just like all the others that came before her. The women I chose to be with had only one purpose…to fulfill my needs, and then I was done.

But she was different. She put me off balance and got under my skin.

But what did it matter…it’s not like one night was going to change my future.

Goodreads / Amazon

Get it today for only 99¢!

CHAPTER ONE:

Hadlee

It’s the very early hours of the morning, a few rays of sunshine are peeking in through the curtains at the sliding glass door, and I’m just waking up. There’s a gentle rocking to the ship, and I no longer hear the roar of the engines, so we must have arrived at our next port. Rolling onto my side, I immediately feel a throbbing in my head so intense, I moan in pain. I squeeze my closed eyes even tighter, willing the throbbing to ease as I take a few slow, deep breaths. Within moments, the pain eases, allowing me to snuggle in the covers and drift back to sleep.

As the ship sways, more and more sunlight pours through the curtains. I dread getting up, but coffee and a hot shower always help my headaches. The bed’s so warm and cozy, I can’t muster enough energy to move, let alone open my eyes. I drift in and out of sleep for a bit longer until I get the oddest sensation, I’m not alone in my bed. This sort of thing happens to me more often than I care to admit, but this time, the feeling is slightly different but not enough to alarm me. Thinking my mind is once again playing its usual tricks, I grab the cover tighter to my body and ease back into my pillow.

The mattress moves, and a muscular arm wraps protectively across my waist, pulling me flush against his body. I’m not fully awake yet, so it takes me a few seconds to realize I’m not dreaming. When I feel a gentle breath on my neck and hear a small moan, my eyes fly open. Holding my breath, I look around, realizing I’m in Bryce’s cabin. My heart sinks and guilt cascades over me. I need to get out of here… now!

I can’t think and can barely breathe, listening so intently to the man behind me, trying to figure out my next move in full out panic mode. I’m trying so hard not to move or hyperventilate. I need to calm down, clear my head, and devise a plan to get out of here… and fast. How the hell did I get myself into this mess? Ah, yes, my sister. I can’t believe she talked me into this! She made it sound so simple, but I have no clue what I should do. I’m dumbfounded and frozen with fear.

Why didn’t I pay closer attention to my girlfriends’ stories? They’ve all been in my shoes, and each one has relayed a wonderful tale of how they gracefully and skillfully escaped unnoticed from a lover’s bed. Why can’t I remember anything they did? Damn! All I know is what common sense is telling me to do. I need to get untangled, get myself out of this bed, get dressed, and slip out the door. I have to be quick and quiet. I can’t run the risk of him waking and seeing me. What would I say then? ‘Uh, good morning, that was fun, thank you, and goodbye, then run out the door?

I’m a coward, I know, but I suck at confrontations, and I will do whatever it takes to find the easiest way out of an uncomfortable situation. Slipping out the door unnoticed would be the easiest thing for me to do right now, so why can’t I move? Why do I feel so protected and content, lying here in his arms? Why does this feel… right?

I slowly lift Bryce’s arm and rest it behind my back. He doesn’t move or say anything, which gives me the confidence I need to continue. Inch by inch, I slowly shift my body to the edge of the bed, using swift, fluid movements, so I don’t shake him too much. Once I’m perched on the edge, I hold my breath and listen. I pray he hasn’t noticed my absence, but I’m way too scared to look over my shoulder. When I hear nothing but slow, steady breathing, I assume Bryce is still asleep. It’s now or never. Holding my breath again, I carefully remove the sheet from my body, slowly swing my feet over the bed, and stand. I frantically look around the room, searching for my clothes, but I can’t seem to focus.

I’m buck ass naked and covered in goose bumps, my heart is racing, and I’m shaking. It would be all too easy to crawl back in bed, but I shake my head at that crazy thought. I need to stick to the mission—get out and get out fast! I quickly scan the floor at my feet. Shit, where are my clothes? I feel like I’m on a scavenger hunt as I scurry around the cabin, looking for anything to put on. I spot my shirt and pants by the couch and quickly dress. Scanning the cabin again, I find my panties and bra near the bathroom door and my shoes on top of the dresser. I gather them quickly and tuck them all under my left arm as I make a beeline for the door. As soon as my hand hits the knob, my body freezes. My heart’s screaming at me to look back. I can’t leave Bryce forever without taking one last look at him.

Damn, my memory was right. My mouth literally drops open. Bryce is absolutely gorgeous. The covers leave little to the imagination. I obviously did a horrible job slipping out of the bed, and when he rolled to his back, the sheet went missing. My eyes glued to his chiseled six-pack and strong, muscular chest, I stand there gawking, as last night’s memories flood my brain. Damn, he was way more than I bargained for. He was an incredible lover, and he outdid any fantasy I ever had. If circumstances were different, I would stay. If I was a stronger person, I would stay. But my past has ruined me. My heart is still shattered, and Bryce was just a one-night stand. I used him to revive my broken heart and arouse my senses. It’s been far too long since I had a connection with a man, but there is no way I’m ready for more than what Bryce and I had last night. He was just a quest, nothing more. Turning back to the door, I quietly slip out.

Author Bio:

Lynn Wolff is a contemporary romance author and poet. She's a wife, a mother, an animal lover, and a huge romance junkie. She likes her heroines smart and strong, her heroes with charisma and style, and she has never read a romance hero she didn't like.
She lives in the northeastern region of the United States with her family but is ready to ditch the cold winters and move to warm, sunny Florida. She would much rather be shoveling sand than snow. When she isn't plotting or furiously tapping away on her keyboard, she is deep into the art of poetry, creating mini stories through rhythm and rhyme.

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Monday 10 August 2020

***Book Review*** After (After #1) by Anna Todd


SUMMARY

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way.

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to.

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before.

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn't the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her?

Unless…could this be love?

Now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!

There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there’s everything AFTER ... Life will never be the same. 

REVIEW

5/5 Stars

“Just because he can't love you the way you want him to doesn't mean he does't love you with everything he has."

OMG. Total book hangover! It's been a while since I've been hearing about this book and even watched the movie but now that I've read it, I completely get what the hype is about.

Tessa (Love the name) is a good girl starting college when she meets the rude and enigmatic Hardin on her first day. Everything in her tells her that he's trouble, from the tattoos to the piercings. Despite all the warnings from friends and family, she is unable to resist him and stay away from the bad boy. Not even her boyfriend Noah is able to stop her.

“I am a moth to his flame, and he never hesitates to burn me.”

Hardin is such a complex character. I loved him! He is a mystery that Tessa tries to solve but gets only glimpses of the real him. Hardin has his own demons haunting him at night in slumber. The new girl wasn't supposed to be more than an amusement. He hadn't planned on falling for her. But he did. Hard.

“Whatever the hell our souls are made of hers and mine are the same.”

I devoured this book like a girl on a mission. Tessa is a strong female who know when to not give in and the battle she fights with her feelings after Hardin hurts her is truly admirable. Hardin on the other hand is everything I look for in a guy. Tough exterior but a gentle side for the girl he loves. The way he cares about Tessa like she's the center of his universe had me weeping like a child. Add on the English accent just gets you swooning! <3

“Do you remember when you asked me who I loved the most in the world? It's you."

The chemistry between Tessa and Hardin is steamy and heart pounding and the love they have for each other has my toes curling. The way he wants to be good just for her is downright heart warming. Now I'll be sneaking away quietly to grab the sequel.

***Cover Reveal*** Gone Country & Gone Nerdy By Katrina Marie

Gone Country
Katrina Marie
(Cousins Gone Series, #1 )
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

What happens when a city girl goes country?

She is a driven city girl with her eyes on the prize.

He is a smoking hot country mechanic whose prize is her.

Stella Monroe has her eye on one thing…a promotion. So when her boss offers her an opportunity to show her value to the company, she decides to take it. There is just one problem. Moving to a small town away from her city life isn’t Stella’s idea of a good time. But she’s got this. Right?

From the minute she arrives in the country, Stella is beginning to lose her confidence. Her car ends up in a ditch, a snake decides to visit her in the shower, and the quiet is driving her crazy. Her only saving grace is the hot mechanic that rescued her from the side of the road. His mix of kindness and cocky playfulness is definitely appealing, but can she manage her career and a fling?

Goodreads / Amazon

--

Gone Nerdy
Katrina Marie
(Cousins Gone Series, #2 )
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

What happens when your one-night stand becomes your new roomie?

When it comes to men, Tiffany doesn’t get attached. She has seen a broken heart and will do anything to keep hers intact. Her live life to the fullest mentality has her bouncing from bed to bed with no commitments until the one night stand, Spencer, she thought she would never see again walks through her door, surprising them both.

Though excited to have the chance to be around her, it becomes apparent that Spencer wants more from the fiery redhead living steps from his bed. Will they or won’t they? And can the girl with her walls up let in the one man who could be the one?

Goodreads / Amazon


Author Bio:

Katrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. Welcome to Your Life is her debut novel and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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Sunday 9 August 2020

***Book Blitz*** Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors By Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen (The Guild Codex: Warped, #1)

Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors
Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen
(The Guild Codex: Warped, #1)
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: August 7th 2020
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

My name is Kit Morris, and welcome to my warped life.

Picture the scene: Me, an average guy with psychic powers—not that my abilities are in any way average—just trying to scrape by in a harsh world. So maybe I’ve conned a few people, but did I really deserve to be thrown in MPD jail alongside magic-wielding serial killers?

According to Agent Lienna Shen, one-hundred-percent yes.

But her hardass attitude and “Arcana prodigy” status aren’t enough to bring down my former best friend, who slipped through the MPD’s fingers and is days away from unleashing untold horrors upon the city. Or he’s going to steal something. I don’t really know.

Whatever he’s up to, that’s why I’m sitting in an interrogation room with Lienna. And that’s why I just offered myself as her temporary new partner for the purposes of thwarting my ex-accomplice.

And that’s how I’m going to escape. I might even help with the case before I cut and run.


Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors is the first book in a new series set in the world of The Guild Codex. It can be read on its own or as part of a larger adventure.

More series in the Guild Codex world:
The Guild Codex: Spellbound
The Guild Codex: Demonized

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

The phone beeped again. Captain Blythe sighed, reached under the table, and lifted a cell phone into view. The screen lit up as she checked her messages. Her mouth tightened, which I took to mean doom and disaster were impending and we should take shelter immediately.

Standing, she clipped the phone back to her belt and turned to Lienna. “I need to take care of something. Keep him talking, Agent Shen.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

With a sharp nod, Blythe strode out of the room and graciously slammed the door behind her.

“A little intense, isn’t she?” I observed.

Lienna took the vacated seat. “She’s a precinct captain in one of the biggest cities in the country.”

Hmm. Despite her neutral tone, her voice had a soft, caressing quality that I found surprisingly pleasant. It was a shame she wasn’t playing good cop.

“Every day, Captain Blythe deals with rampant magic, illicit guilds, arrogant guild masters who think they’re above the law, and violent criminals who use their abilities to hurt, cheat, or kill people.”

She didn’t add, “Violent criminals just like you.” Her restraint impressed me.

“And,” she continued, “all while keeping the existence of magic, guilds, and the MPD hidden from the public. A crucial mandate your guild flouted.” She cleared her throat. “But you were just an intern, weren’t you, Kit? You were doing what you were told. You don’t need to protect them.”

I grinned. “That works better without the throat-clear first. Really obvious tell that you’re about to bullshit me, I’ve gotta say.”

She stiffened in her seat.

“Oh, and try to relax more. The fake sympathy will be more convincing.”

Her glower returned full force, obliterating the remnants of her kind expression. It’d been a decent attempt at building a rapport with me. She wasn’t experienced at the technique, which seemed like an oversight in her training, but I suspected Lienna’s real role in the agency involved far more skill than mere interrogation.

According to the rumors floating through the holding cells—of which I believed maybe five percent— Agent Lienna Shen was an abjuration sorcerer, and abjuration was … anti-magic sorcery?

That concluded my knowledge on the topic. But I did know the handcuffs around my wrists were an artifact created by a sorcerer for a specific magical purpose: in this case, nullifying the magic of whoever had the unfortunate pleasure of wearing them.

When she didn’t respond to my helpful critique, I attempted a charming smile. “You’re pretty young for an agent.”

Lienna’s scowl deepened, even though it was a reasonable observation; she looked my age, which seemed like a stretch for full agenthood.

“Do you know why you’re here?” she asked coldly. “In this room?”

“Because Blythe has a thing for younger guys who can quote the entire courtroom speech from A Few

Good Men?”

“Because,” she said in that clipped tone people use when they’re silently praying for patience—or imagining what it’d feel like to strangle me, “we’re currently investigating three cases of extortion totaling two million dollars, five cases of embezzlement over five hundred thousand dollars each, and eight reports of blackmail. Your guild was behind them all, and unless you want those charges added to your already extensive list of crimes, you should strongly consider shedding some light on the inner workings of KCQ.”

Despite myself, my mood sobered. This wasn’t my first interrogation, but it was my first time in the custody of the international organization responsible for dispatching magic-wielding criminals. I had no idea what to expect as far as charges and sentencing.

“Let’s go back to the beginning,” she suggested. “Your name.” “Kit Morris.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-two.”

“What’s your magic class?”

“Psychica.” Which she already knew. KCQ had been a guild populated entirely by voodoo-brain psychics with wildly varying abilities—all the wilder once I’d joined the team.

Author Bio:

Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Rob is a Canadian writer, actor, and director, who has been in a few TV shows you might watch, had a few films in festivals you might have attended, and authored some stories you might have come across. He's hoping to accomplish plenty more by the time he inevitably dies surrounded by cats while watching reruns of Mr. Robot.

Currently, he is the Creative Director of Cave Puppet Films, as well as the co-author of the upcoming Guild Codex: Warped book series with Annette Marie.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Saturday 8 August 2020

***Book Review*** Show Stealer (Show Stopper #2) by Hayley Barker

Hoshiko and Ben have been on the run since they burned Silvio Sabatini's
circus down to the ground at the explosive finale of SHOW
STOPPER. But Ben's mother will stop at nothing to track him down
and get her revenge: backing him into a corner where he is forced
to sacrifice himself to save Hoshiko. 

The deadliest show on earth
has been resurrected and if Ben thought he'd seen into its dark
corners as an outsider, the true extent of the horrors that lurk
beneath the Big Top are about to be revealed as he becomes the
circus' new star attraction...

REVIEW

4/5 Stars

A circus on fire. Fugitives on the run. The deadliest show on earth is ready for an encore

This book has literally kept me at the edge of my seat. Like seriously, I almost fell from the couch due to anticipation.

The story continues a year after Show Stopper ended and showcases Hoshi and Ben's journey ahead. Hoshi being the most wanted criminal, evading the cops is no easy task and after Ben sacrifices his freedom for her, he totally won me over. That kind of love, oh it gave me goosebumps. Ben is totally swoon worthy.

Like like the previous book, this one deals with somber reality of what goes on in the Cirque that Hoshi left behind. Just when she thought things couldn't get worse in the hell that she lives, the devil himself reappears before her eyes.

My only complain would be the ending. I would have liked it more if it was more descriptive as the rest of the book. The epilogue about Silvio teases us about a possibility of another book. I for one would absolutely love to read more about Hoshi and Ben.

Show Stealer is one hell of a book! I simply couldn't put it down. This book is full of drama, tension, love and most of all it's completely action packed.

Friday 7 August 2020

***Book Blitz*** August Fog By A.L. Goulden (August Fog, #1)

August Fog
A.L. Goulden
(August Fog, #1)
Publication date: August 1st 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Monica Waters has 31 days to choose between the love of her life or her soulmate. Juggling an unglamorous Hollywood career and a clumsy injury with an endless cocktail of antidepressants and dull daily routines, Monica moves through her thirties in a fog, avoiding the pain of her damaged marriage, broken body, and fragile mind.

Until he comes along.

When emerging artist Quinn Matthews moves next door, just coping with the downward spiral of life is no longer feasible. Their powerful connection ignites a relationship that will tip the boundaries of their perfectly balanced lives, sparking a mutual obsession and life-altering affair.

Monica tosses her prescriptions, striving to be free of their control, but with each passing summer day, dangerous secrets seep into their quiet suburban life, inching toward disaster. Sometimes the truth is hidden for a reason.

“This is a contemporary tale of a woman’s struggle to navigate love and mental illness, while defining where and how she will land on her own feet.” –Independent Reader

“A raw and honest look at the ugly secrets behind a flawed marriage and the stigmas of depression.”

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

They meet

Fusion can happen when two objects reach an extreme heat. When the blood boils, the same can be said of hearts. The connection can excite and ache and torment, yet the demise of will goes unnoticed when the thrill renders an addictive high. Monica Waters once loved getting high, both literally and figuratively, but outgrew the juvenile practice of artistic inspiration. She had responsibilities now, like a mortgage and an admirable career… and a husband.

Antidepressants helped too.

When Los Angeles soared past eighty-five degrees in April the unsettling promise of perpetual summer ignited tension across freeways. Monica shielded anxiety with music and a fun car. Bob Marley had eased an hour-long commute, also known as Thursday, delivering her to the sanctuary of home until she slammed the brakes.

A yellow Nissan blocked the driveway with no owner in sight. Her best friend owned the same vehicle but not with New York plates so she glared next door. Sharing a driveway with Rebecca’s bohemian flophouse had reached its limit.

Monica wedged her BMW into an ivy-covered carport at an awkward angle and pried herself out, trying not to scratch her paint against the fence. She mumbled a few obscenities when she couldn’t get leverage to slam the door but squeezed past the filthy SUV, smoothing her long chestnut hair. The tall Japanese-style gate that led to her bonsai garden greeted with Zen and wafts of jasmine.

That’s when she saw him.

On the wooden staircase that wound up to Rebecca’s converted attic was a man that shifted everything into slow motion. A man, that for a second at least, she would follow anywhere. Her reaction defied rational explanation. The guy wearing jeans and t-shirt carried a box but even his muscular build was common in this town. Still, he had a gentle force of gravity tugging like a current.

The back of his shaved head lacked noticeable character, but his climb was hypnotic. She stopped breathing while her heart pounded at an alarming speed. A beautiful tattoo engulfed his entire right arm with gnarled branches and scattered leaves of an old tree. It rooted around the box and swayed like a breeze as he moved.

When the gate slipped from her fingers, the slam jolted her from the daze and he turned. She inspected her purse and fumbled with her keys even when he paused near the top of the stairs, waiting for attention. She rushed to her back door but couldn’t resist the draw of his stare.

His eyes were crystal blue and pensive under a low-slung heavy brow. He stood confident like carved hardwood left unpolished with ample lips, a strong jaw, and a rugged nose, but didn’t come off as arrogant or boring. Her stomach twisted at his asymmetrical smile.

He was beautiful.

Flushed, she returned a tight grin and nod before barreling into her laundry room. “Who’s the guy next door?” she asked, dropping her stuff on the counter next to the deep sink.

Alex, still sweaty from work, gave her a quick kiss, which was followed by the smacks of a powerful dog tail to her thigh. Her husband’s own shaved head and brawny build still resembled an action hero but his gray eyes lacked the dangerous edge that once made him magnetic.

“You mean the Kelly Slater look-alike?” He laughed. “Rebecca’s renting out the upstairs to some artist. She says he’s bi-coastal… whatever that means. Pretty sure he’s gay.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Did you see what he drives?”

She cocked her head. “So.”

“So? That’s what Robin drives.” He flashed his hands.

“That might be the dumbest thing ever said. Did he look at you too long or something?” “Hey, I’ve got no problem if he’s gay. He can look all he wants. I’m just saying.” Alex flexed his arms and inspected himself.

“Just because Rebecca’s a lesbian doesn’t mean everyone she’s around is gay.” Monica reached to pet their rambunctious Lab Pointer mix, Lacey. “I just hate that she and Julie split. I miss her.”

“Me too. I wish she won the house but Rebecca could afford it.”

“Then why’s she renting out rooms?” Her words had that petulant tone she hated with an unwarranted volume.

“I don’t know,” he said, flicking the counter. “It’s not like we have control over our neighbors.” He shuffled towards the bathroom, stripping for his shower along the way. She watched, remembering when that used to send her running after him, but now he hopped around in his socks and underwear looking more child-like than sexy.

In her ballerina flats, Monica was two inches shy of six feet and two years shy of forty. Her curvy size fourteen worked in Hollywood, the land of size zeros. Sometimes she resented being a giant next to tiny, beautiful people because it equated invisibility, but she faked smiles in the back of every crew photo despite the obscurity of an editing career.

She bent to give Lacey attention and propped the back door open while Mr. Bi-coastal moved from his vehicle to the yard. The redwood fence obscured his face but a childhood crush on Yul Brynner embedded an allure to a nice shaved head. Staring like a lech though erased dignity, so she mustered the nerve to make an introduction.

She stepped outside but an eruption of vicious barking made her yelp. Two enormous Rottweilers flanked the middle landing on the staircase, flinging drool over the fence. Lacey ducked behind Monica in fear.

“No. No barking!” Mr. Bi-coastal bounded up the stairs. “I’m so sorry,” he said, setting another box down. “I promise I’ll keep them quiet. They’re friendly, I swear.” He drew an X over his heart like a seven-year-old but his intense expression was all grown-ass-man.

“It’s alright.” She swallowed hard. “My husband had lovable Rotts growing up.” Spitting out her marital status made her fidget but his shoulders relaxed. “My name’s Monica.”

“I’m Quinn.” He leaned against the railing that hovered above as if to shake her hand. “Did you guys just drive across the country?”
“Yeah.” He squatted to pet them and she noticed his left arm didn’t have visible tattoos.

“This is Sadie and Max. Once they know you, they’ll stop barking.”
She moved closer, pretending to care about this new pet relationship despite growls with

each step. “They’re just protective of you.” “Lucky me.”

She tried not to stare at the unicorn but artists wore gangly and pale with pride, escaping food and sun for months. This man nurtured his body.

“Beautiful dogs.”

Alex stood behind her, wet from the shower in just basketball shorts, but the lack of a Q-tip or something equally inappropriate was boggling.

Quinn straightened. “I was just telling your wife they’re friendly.”

Alex climbed the fence to engage their slobbery faces up-close and flaunt an arm tattoo of a Rott named Bosco. Monica was new to living with dogs but presumed they couldn’t recognize the image of devotion in permanent ink. This king-of-the-castle act was for Quinn.

“Nice tat,” he said, squatting for a closer look.

An immediate tit-for-tat and subtle competition developed between them but Monica found herself comparing odd qualities while they bonded over dogs. The pitch of their voices aligned and laughter became punctuation. Their attributes mimicked one another but Alex’s head was larger while Quinn ate leaner and worked out. They could pass as brothers but something about Quinn upset her.

He was too close.

The two historical homes sat less than seven feet apart, thanks to the lack of building restrictions in the 1920s. That proximity, which had sparked numerous noise complaints, didn’t seem to bother Alex now, tickling those beefy dog faces.

“Rebecca said you’re only here part-time.” Alex stepped off the fence and crossed his arms.

“I’m just starting to show my work here.” He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to share more. “My agent thought it was wise, so I’ll be back and forth a lot.”

She hated the two adorable little creases that formed next to his eyes when he smiled. They were marks of experience. Marks of a life lived.

“We should let you get settled,” Alex said, motioning towards the box still sitting on the landing.

Quinn nodded. “It was nice meeting you guys.”

“Absolutely.” She cringed at her valley-girl tone and bizarre wave given to dogs with inherently sad eyes. She beelined for their bedroom hoping to erase that weird encounter from memory.

Author Bio:

Author of the “most realistic, often hilarious, and wonderfully romantic” (Rosie Malezer, international best- selling author) Chasing Swells returns with another emotionally charged and complicated love story about a Hollywood editor struggling with depression who meets her soulmate while she's married to her high-school sweetheart. This unique trilogy takes you through one woman's mid-life crisis as she stumbles and falls apart before realizing she's the only one who can put her pieces back together.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub / Youtube / Pinterest


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***Book Blitz*** I Am Here Now By Barbara Bottner

I Am Here Now
Barbara Bottner
Published by: Macmillan
Publication date: August 4th 2020
Genres: Coming of Age, Young Adult

Set in the 1960s, Barbara Bottner’s I Am Here Now is a beautiful novel in verse about one artist’s coming of age. It’s a heartbreaking, powerful and inspiring depiction of what it’s like to shatter your life—and piece it all back together.

You can’t trust Life to give you decent parents, or beautiful eyes, a fine French accent or an outstanding flair for fashion. No, Life does what it wants. It’s sneaky as a thief.

Maisie’s first day of High school should be exciting, but all she wants is to escape.

Her world is lonely and chaotic, with an abusive mother and a father who’s rarely there to help.

So when Maisie, who finds refuge in her art, meets the spirited Rachel and her mother, a painter, she catches a glimpse of a very different world—one full of life, creativity, and love—and latches on.

But as she discovers her strengths through Rachel’s family, Maisie, increasingly desperate, finds herself risking new friendships, and the very future she’s searching for.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

THE CITY

The tiny fire escape is our private spot.

My dad says he’s sorry he’s gone so often.

Do I remember when I was six

and he took me into the city?

I wore a red coat, red shoes,

and perfect white leather gloves

embroidered with tiny blue buds.

I recall watching the road into New York:

billboards, telephone lines, bridges,

muddy sky.

The parking garage man said,

“So you’re the boss man’s little lady

I’ve heard so much about?”

The elevator man, Jimmy,

knew my name!

My dad’s corner office had the most windows,

the biggest desk, too.

My father bragged, “Your daddy runs this joint!”

From his window, as it got dark,

we could see Manhattan laid out in front of us

like a glittering tablecloth.

How could I not remember?

It was a perfect day,

until he turned the key in our front door.

Mother was waiting.

We were in for it.

A breeze pushes the fumes against my face.

He snuffs out a butt, then lights another,

says, “Look, kid, smoking’s a dirty habit.

I’m going to quit soon.”

“Teach me to smoke!” I say.

His eyebrows meet above his nose,

and as the tip of the cigarette burns,

it sends smoke into the clear night

like a signal.

Maybe, across the Harlem River

someone will see it,

realize we are signaling: Help!

“Let me try it, please? I want to be like you!”

“No, you don’t! Not now, not ever.”

“But, Dad, at least I should know

what I’ll be missing for the rest of my life.”

He smiles so wide, I can see his molars.

“Well, you’ll never know about the future,”

he says, ominously.

I grab his arm.

“Tell me the truth.

Are you thinking of leaving?”

“Leaving what?”

“Dad!”

“What?”

“Us! Please! Please don’t leave!

You can’t. I mean it!

She hates me.”

“Calm down, Maisie,” he says.

My voice crackles.

“I’m just telling you, if you go,

she’ll put me in the ground.”

He ruffles my hair

as if I am being amusing.

I want to scream.

“You think I’m a rotten kid, too?”

“You’re a great kid, Maisie.”

“I’m trying to reform, Dad.”

“Maisie, honey,

I like you exactly the way you are:

spirited, smart, your own person.”

“Being my own person

is treacherous,” I say.

He turns to me.

“Are you working me over?” he asks.

I know not to answer.

“Okay, you poor kid, one puff.

I’ll give you one shot at it

but you have to do exactly what I say.

You have to learn how to inhale, okay?”

I do have to learn how to inhale.

How to breathe,

as if I belong here on the earth.

I look at his face,

think how I’m glad that he breaks the rules.

He says we’re alike.

That must be why I’m the way I am,

as my grandma likes to say,

always flirting with disaster,

as if disaster were my middle name.

“When you smoke,

you take in the deepest breath

as if you have to last underwater

without air.

Then, you keep it in

as long as you possibly can.”

“But you don’t do that, Dad.”

“I’ve been smoking a long time, kid.

Ready?” he says, and lights a fresh one.

I sit up tall under the stars,

put my feet on the bench,

straighten my back

so I can always remember

this moment, me and my dad,

on the same wavelength.

Me, trying to figure out

if he wants to protect me

while he’s teaching me to smoke.

How about telling me about school?”

He sighs, offers the cigarette.

“It has its moments,” I say,

and close my lips around the tobacco,

inhale really, really deeply.

I am about to show him the bruises

I still have on my arm,

but then the smoke curls in my chest,

which immediately wants to explode.

“Hold it in,” he commands.

“Don’t let it out.”

Finally my mouth opens

because I’m coughing and gasping.

It feels like some kind of torture.

The taste is nasty.

“It’s awful!” I cough.

“It tastes horrible, feels horrible.”

I’m practically crying.

“So disgusting! How could you?!”

My dad laughs.

“Well, now you never have to do it again!”

I dash inside, refuse to speak to him

for the rest of the night.

“I’m done with you, Dad!”

He laughs!

Later he knocks on my door,

takes my hand.

“Between you and me,

if anything ever happened—

not that it will—in the leaving department,

wherever I’d go,

you’d be coming with me, kid.

I promise.”

I throw my arms around him.

Later I will drift off wondering

how much warning he’d give me.

And what about my brother?

Author Bio:

Barbara Bottner has written about 50 books for children of all ages. In May, her first YA novel in free verse, I Am Here Now is coming out from Macmillan (Imprint) She's written a NY Times Bestseller, as well as staffed prime time sit-com, sold screenplays, published essays and short stories in both national and literary magazines and reviewed children's books for both the NY and LA Sunday Book Review. Many of her works have been multiply translated and animated, and adapted for short plays. When she was an animator, she won "Best Film For TV" from the Annecy International Animation Festival. When very young, she briefly appeared on stage and in Europe with La Mama Plexus and in television movies. She teaches writing for children privately but won The Distinguished University Teaching Award from The New School For Social Research. Her papers are collected in the Arne Nixon Center for Children's Literature at Fresno State.

Former students include: Lane Smith, Robin Preiss Glaser, Peggy Rathmann, Bruce Degen, Barney Saltsburg and Antoinette Portis.

She feels blessed to have a passion that seems to stick with her no matter how the larger world goes out of control.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram


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Thursday 6 August 2020

***Cover Reveal*** Counterfeit Lover By J.C. Farmer

Counterfeit Lover
J.C. Farmer
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: November 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller

Darrin Clark is an impoverished young man, madly in love with his long-time friend Janie. He is desperate for a job, and any way to win Janie’s affections. Then a Hollywood studio promises to make him a movie star—if he will submit to a face-modifying procedure they are developing.

Darrin’s love overcomes his fear, and he allows the movie studio to alter his face. Soon his dreams come true. He is extraordinarily handsome, rich, and popular, full of the confidence he needs to earn Janie’s love. Yet, changing faces doesn’t seem enough, and the studio wants him to sacrifice more of his identity than just his appearance.

His plan to win Janie’s heart becomes complicated when she unexpectedly joins the cast and changes her face too. Now a gorgeous star, she’s pursued by prominent, powerful men, and beneath the glitz and glamour, Darrin finds himself in a world of death and deceit, where anyone can have any face.

Several of his friends have been murdered by a mysterious killer, and the ability to alter appearances seems to make the criminal invincible. Soon, Darrin abandons his pursuit of Janie, simply hoping to keep her alive.The only way to outsmart the ruthless villain is to risk everything. How drastic a transformation is Darrin willing to make for love?

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Author Bio:

Jerome Connelly Farmer has had a successful career as an engineer, inventor and technology consultant. He has three engineering degrees from Stanford and an MBA from the Anderson School. He has several patents and spent many years managing engineering teams and consulting for high-tech firms, movie studios, and Fortune 500 companies.

J.C. was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI. He is an airplane pilot, sailor, scuba diver and avid traveler; he has explored Tibet, camped in the Australian outback, canoed through the Amazon River, and retraced segments of Ernest Shackleton’s famous rescue in Antarctic. J. C.’s passion for wildlife photography has taken him to all seven continents, including searching for Komodo Dragons in Indonesia, wild macaws in the Peruvian jungle, endangered species in the Galapagos Islands, Duck-billed Platypus in Australia, and White Rhinoceros in Botswana.

J.C. is the author of the romantic thriller Counterfeit Lover and the children’s book Santa’s Dashboard. Writing combines his love for adventure, invention and exploration.

When he is not traveling, J.C. lives in Solana Beach, CA.

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