Monday, April 25, 2016

Monday's Montage Mantlepiece: Love Notes: Eight Country Romances


Title: Love Notes
Authors: Nikki Lynn Barrett, Michele Shriver
Crystal Green, Kimmie Easley, Sharon Coady
Lyssa Layne, Susan Ann Wall, Marcia James
Genre: Contemporary Romances
Release Date: April 19, 2016
Summary:
Country music tells a story. The songs come from the heart and soul...musical tales of good times, bad times, and everything in-between.

Whether it's in a hole-in-the-wall honky-tonk or under the bright lights of Nashville, these musicians have something to say. From star performers in packed arenas to first-timers ready to make their dreams come true, they'll serenade you with a love song. Welcome to Love Notes: Eight never before published romantic stories with a country music twist.

Books Included:
Queen Of My Heart(Life Won't Wait, Book One) by Nikki Lynn Barrett
A reality singing show winner who struggles to take himself seriously, and a constantly killed off actress ready for a career change enter a marriage of convenience when their pasts haunt them. What isn't convenient is the way Quinn and Tucker want it to be real. Music brought them together, but their painful insecurities could destroy the possibility of a future....

Dissonance by Michele Shriver
After breaking free from a troubled marriage to her former manager, country music sweetheart Kenzie Bolton is searching for her comeback, so she teams up with soulful rocker Chase Radcliffe to record a duet. Can dissonance result in beautiful harmony both in and out of the studio?

Rattled and Rolled (A Rough and Tumble Novella) by Crystal Green
Sophie Quinn isn't just an up-and-coming country princess--she's a runaway bride. The last man she ever expected to catch her is Cruz Gonzalez, who always had a song in his heart for her. Will they be able to make some sweet, sinful music together?

Whiskey Bent by Kimmie Easley
'Fate can kiss my big, country ass' is the only thought that music sensation Joselyn Tillman , can string together as she kicks the cold, hospital bed. Country music hearthrob, Dean Covington, watches the love of his life go from the vibrant, healthy lead singer of their band, Whiskey Bent, to lying in the hospital choosing to die. Will the lovebirds of country music ever make sweet music again? Or will they have to cancel the show?

Last One to Know by Sharon Coady
Leona McCoy has two secrets; she loves John Montgomery and wants to pursue a career in country music. Her controlling mother has prevented her from doing either. John Montgomery has his own secrets; he wants to see Leona pursue her dreams and he is determined to get her to admit her love for him.Will this summer prove to be the one where their dreams finally come true?

Holding the Other by Lyssa Layne
Aspiring singer, Kyle Kelly, joins the newly divorced King of Country Music, Lee Maverick on his first solo tour in a decade. Spending the first part of the tour fighting their attraction for one another, they finally give in to the inevitable. Both think they've found their happiness... until Maverick's ex wants back in the picture, right where she left off.

Broken Strings by Susan Ann Wall
Country music playboy Jake "J.D." Donovan has promised to leave his reputation behind to prove he's worthy of Colleen Cooper's love. When she's attacked and he's investigated, his promises may not be enough for them to break from the past.

Nothing But a Hound Dog by Marcia James
After a night of raucous partying, country music hunk Ryan "Rowdy" Gates is sentenced to community service at the Jenkins Animal Shelter. Cindi Landon,shelter director and his high school crush, offers Ryan something he's never had--a home and unconditional love.

Author Bios:
Nikki Lynn Barrett
I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.


Michele Shriver
Michele Shriver writes women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Her books feature flawed-but-likeable characters in real-life settings. She’s not afraid to break the rules, but never stops believing in happily ever after. Michele counts among her favorite things a good glass of wine, a hockey game, and a sweet and sexy book boyfriend, not necessarily in that order.

Crystal Green
Crystal Green is a RITA nominated romantic fiction author who tries her best to avoid international incidents whenever she takes a break from her first love, writing, and cheats on it with her other true love—traveling. She’s the author of the New Adult digital first Aidan Falls series, along with the Rough and Tumble romances, and she has an alter ego named Chris Marie Green, who writes mystery thrillers (The Final Girls Books), the paranormal thriller Ghost for Hire series, and the urban fantasy Vampire Babylon series.

Kimmie Easley
Kimmie Easley is an author who grew up traveling the country, rarely settling in one place for much longer than a minute. Being no stranger to heartache, she allows her unconventional childhood to fuel her writing.

Kimmie is addicted to all things books, wine, cupcakes, and flip flops. She is a homeschool momma, southern wife, and pug wrangler.

Kimmie can be found somewhere in the south writing wine worthy stories.
Gutter Princess coming in 2015 from Swoon Romance.

Sharon Coady
Sharon Coady lives in Florida with her husband, three of their daughters and five of their eleven grandchildren. She wrote two books before discovering Romance novels. She has now written a romantic suspense, a romance novella, a sweet Christmas novella and is currently working on three more books. When not working as a nurse for the Veterans Administration or writing she enjoys spending time with her family and riding behind her husband on their Harley.

Lyssa Layne
Lyssa Layne is first, and foremost, the proud momma to her precious daughter, AR. In addition to working full-time and being a mommy to AR, she is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, a runner, blogger, and an infertility survivor.

Having watched one too many medical dramas and being inspired by author Rachelle Ayala, who introduced her to the world of indie writing, Lyssa decided to try her hand at writing a romance story. Her attempt turned into the Burning Lovesick series. You can find Lyssa's own interests throughout her stories although all stories are fictional.

Susan Ann Wall
Big dreamer and certifiable overachiever Susan Ann Wall embraces life at full speed and volume. She’s a beer and tea snob, can be bribed with dark chocolate, and the #1 thing on her bucket list is to be the center of a Bon Jovi flash mob. Susan is a nationally bestselling, multi-genre author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. Her bragging rights include the Fighting Back for Love series, Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love series, Superstitious Brides Romance series, Sunset Valley Women’s Fiction series, and Devon Taggart Suspense series. She also likes to boast about her three perfect children, two amazing rescue dogs, and a happily ever after that started while serving in the U.S. Army and has spanned two decades (which is crazy since she’s not a day over 29). In her next life, Susan plans to be a 5 foot 10, size 8 rock star married to a chiropractor and will not be terrified of large bridges, spiders, or quiet people (shiver).

Marcia James
Marcia James writes hot, humorous romances and finaled in eleven Romance Writers of America contests before selling her first comic romantic suspense, At Her Command. Her latest releases are Sex & the Single Therapist (a comic romantic mystery), Heating Up the Holidays (a romantic Christmas novella), and Love Unleashed (a super sexy reunion romance). In her eclectic career, she has shot submarine training videos, organized celebrity-filled nonprofit events and had her wedding covered by People Magazine. After years of dealing with such sexy topics as how to safely install traffic lights, she is enjoying "researching" and plotting her novels' steamy love scenes with her husband and hero of many years.


Nikki Lynn Barrett
WEBSITE  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Michele Shriver
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Crystal Green
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Kimmie Easley
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Sharon Coady

Lyssa Layne
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  BLOG  /  B&N
PINTEREST  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Susan Ann Wall
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

Marcia James
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE



AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N

Brought to you by:

Painting Sky by Rita Branches

Title: Painting Sky
Author: Rita Branches
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 25, 2016
Summary:
Nobody ever said life was easy...

People pleaser, Jane Skylar wants nothing more than to earn her art degree, start her life, and bask in the bliss of living with her boyfriend.

But things don't always go as planned...

Struggling with her creative side, Jane finds herself in turmoil, often confiding in her roommate - another, more talented art student, Keith Hale. Keith just so happens to be her boyfriend's older, brooding brother. After a devastating breakup, Jane turns to Keith for comfort. But when the lines blur between roommate and lover, Jane's life becomes more complicated than ever before.

When Keith's past comes back to haunt him, their lives all get turned upside down, forcing the truth to surface. Now Jane must fight for what she wants--even if it hurts everyone she loves.


“I’m sorry about your hand,” I said. He threw his jacket over one of the couches and sat on the other. His eyes dropped to my arm, which I was subconsciously rubbing.

“Did he hurt you?” He wasn’t mad, this time—he was worried.

I tried to hide my smile and shook my head. “Not really. I bruise easily.”

He jumped to get closer. “Bruise?” He pulled my wrist and turned my arm to check the damage. It was red. Maybe I wouldn’t get a bruise, but his face made me smile.

“I’m not dying, Keith. He was just an ass.”

“I told you to go with your brother.” He sat again. “Did you have fun, at least?”

“Not really. I guess I didn’t drink enough.” I shrugged, not feeling drunk anymore.

“You really shouldn’t have told me that.” He jumped from the couch and disappeared into the kitchen. I heard a couple of cabinet doors opening and closing and then glasses clinking.

Keith came back with a bottle under his arm, two glasses in one hand, and a lime cut in two and salt in the other.

I wasn’t experienced, but I knew what that meant. “Tequila? Do you think it’s wise?”

“This night wasn’t supposed to be about being wise. It’s just the two of us: you won’t get in trouble.” He paused for a second, staring at the walls in deep thought. He then placed the ingredients on the coffee table. “We won’t get too drunk. Do you know how to drink this?”

I nodded. I’d never tasted it, but I saw it in the movies. The first one burned, and the second did, too. I stopped, while Keith kept pouring shots for himself.

After the first shot, Keith had turned the TV to a music channel. He had turned it up a couple of times, since. We were laughing at each other’s faces. Of course, he was used to it, but I saw the glimmer in his eyes. We were both drunk. The first time I had ever gotten drunk was with Keith Hale. Who would have guessed?

“You should go to sleep,” he slurred, pushing me to the stairs. “Your brother would kill me if he showed up right now.”

“Really?” I stumbled on almost every step. Keith grabbed my waist every time and released me after I steadied myself, only to stumble again. I repeated the word because it was funny in my tongue. “Really?” He laughed behind me.

“Yeah…” He was also dragging his words. “Thanks.”

“For what?” I had reached my door and turned to say good night.


He struggled for the words. His smile disappeared and he took so long to say anything that I was considering forgetting the question and going to my room. Then he grabbed my face with his hands.


1. “Jump rope” - Blue October
2. “Nothing Left To Say” - Imagine Dragons
3. “Clear Blue Sky” - Skylar Grey
4. “Not your way” - Misterwives
5. “Blurry” - Puddle of Mudd
6. “Can't Pretend" - Tom Odell
7. "Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)" - Silversun Pickups
8. “Creep” - Radiohead
9. “The Diary Of Jane” - Breaking Benjamin
10. “Never Let Me Go” - Florence + The Machine
11. “I Won't Let You Go” - James Morrison
12. "I See You, You See Me" - The Magic Numbers 

Author Bio:
Rita Branches is an independent YA (young adult) author who enjoys spending every free moment (when she´s not reading) writing emotional stories. 







FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
BLOG  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS







Brought to you by: 

Lift 2016: Lift 4 Autism - Authors Raising Autism Awareness

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1 in every 68 children is diagnosed with Autism. 1 in every 42 Boys

LIFT 2016 Shirt collageThe LIFT Campaign is a charitable initiative rallying the romance reading community around Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) families in April, Autism Awareness month. Experts estimate that many ASD families spend up to $60,000 out of pocket each year on medical and therapy expenses. This year we're raising funds to assist families struggling to manage these staggering costs. All profits go to the family scholarship program of Talk About Curing Autism (TACA). The online auction is LIVE! There are too many items from authors and bloggers up for bid to list here, but we have full signed collections from some of your favorite bestselling authors. We have non-book items like Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon Echo, VIP Tickets to the Mile High Denver author signing, and so many other goodies! So start bidding while doing good!



***Bidding begins Monday 4/25/16 @ 9am EST
& closes Friday 4/29/16***

Even if you don't want to bid, you can still make a tax-deductible donation to the scholarship program through our efforts HERE!

Don't miss a thing! Join the LIFT 2016 Facebook Group for bidding alerts and campaign information.

Wanna stylishly support the LIFT Campaign? Buy your LIFT T-shirt before it's too late!

All profits benefit TACA!
 
A special thank you from Lisa Ackerman,
Founder & Executive Director of Talk About Curing Autism (TACA).

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