Friday, November 4, 2016

Paper Love by Aubrey Wynne

Title: Paper Love
Author: Aubrey Wynne
Series: A Chicago Christmas #2
Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Release Date: October 16, 2016
Summary:
Growing up in a Papua New Guinea mission, Joss Palmateer is a gentle soul with a unique view of life. Still adjusting to a new home in the U.S and the sudden loss of her mother, love is the last thing on her mind. Sexy physical therapist, Ben Montgomery, meets his sister’s friend and the sparks fly. He takes it as a challenge when she ignores his advances, but it’s her extraordinary inner beauty that captures his heart. With the help of a stray homing pigeon and an old origami legend, Ben sets an unwavering course of romance to win her love.


As they walked past the fountain, he stopped, swallowed, and plunged into the speech he’d planned for the last week. “Joss, I know you are hesitant to date me, and I understand your reasons. I can’t blame you but it’s also not my fault that I’m...popular.”

She opened her mouth to speak, and he gently put a finger on her lips. “Hear me out. Since I laid eyes on you that night, my world has tilted. I feel a connection to you that I’ve never felt before, and I think you feel the same.”

She took his finger in her hand. “I don’t know if I’m in a place where I can move forward with a relationship.” Her eyes held a pain that threatened to rip his chest open. He wanted to heal her, remove the hurt from her eyes now and forever.

“I know that. I’ve just finished my internship, and I’m starting a permanent position at the clinic.” He paused, stroking her cheek with the back of his finger. “Let’s take a month to get to know each other. You decide if you are staying or going back to your old life. I’ll get settled into my new job. We see each other as friends, no pressure or romance.”

“So no strings.”

“Exactly. Except I won’t be seeing anyone else. I need to prove to you that I’m not a player. Then in a month, we’ll reassess. If you are in a good place by then, we’ll make it official and start dating.” He let out a sigh. He couldn’t read her face at all.

“One month?” She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. “You’ve thought this through, haven’t you?”

He nodded, hoping this brilliant idea didn’t backfire on him. “It’s a deal. So I’ll see you without any romantic overtures?”

He hesitated. Not kissing her over the next month would be one of the hardest things he’d ever done. “No romance starting tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I want you to know what you may be missing. Over the next month you can think about this.” He cupped her face in his hands, brushing his lips softly against hers. Every muscle in his body jumped to attention at the touch. His desire flared, and his head dipped again, covering her lips, coaxing her to respond.

Her hands gripped his biceps, clinging to him as if she might fall. A soft sigh escaped her, and he thought he would explode. He buried his face in her shoulder, her silky hair caressing his cheek as he breathed in the scent of her. Joss had been sent to him. He would start the next phase of his life with her by his side. And he would pull her through her troubled waters. Ben gave her one more lingering kiss then pulled her hand through his arm. They walked silently toward the parking garage.

His heart thumped slow and steady as he realized he’d found love. No sweaty palms. No racing heart. No panic. It was more like an enchantment, this discovery of a person who filled him with peace and hope, who made him want to be better, be a hero for someone else. But his usual bulldozer style would not work on Joss. Exuberance and charm would bounce off her shield. Patience and determination were the key; Joss would pay attention to his actions not his words.

Just like his beating heart, slow and steady would win this race.


Dante's Gift #1
Summary:
Winner of the Golden Quill, The Aspen Gold and the Heart of Excellence RWA awards.

Kathleen James has put her practical side away for once and looks forward to the perfect romantic evening: an intimate dinner with the man of her dreams—and an engagement ring. She is not prepared to hear that he wants to bring his grandmother back from Italy to live with him.

Dominic Lawrence has planned this marriage proposal for six months. Nothing can go wrong—until his Nonna calls. Now he must interrupt the tenderest night of Katie’s life with the news that another woman will be under their roof.

When Antonia’s sister dies, she finds herself longing to be back in the states. An Italian wartime bride from the ‘40s, she knows how precious love can be. Can her own story of an American soldier and a very special collie once again bring two hearts together at Christmas?

Merry Christmas Henry #3(Coming December 15, 2016)
Summary:
**Based on the short story of the same title.**

Henry, a shy and talented artist, moonlights as a security guard at a museum and loses his heart to a beautiful, melancholy woman in a painting. As his obsession grows, he finds a kindred soul who helps him in his search for happiness. On Christmas Eve, Henry dares to take a chance on love and fulfill his dream.









Author Bio:
Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trail riding and all things Christmas.

Her short stories, Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete's Mighty Purty Privies have won Readers Choice Awards and Dante's Gift received the 2016 Golden Quill and Heart of Excellence award, as well as being a Maggie and Aspen Gold finalist.

Besides her Chicago Christmas novellas, Aubrey will release "A Vintage Romance" series inspired by tales of her stepfather, who served for the British Air Force in WWII. The stories will be set in the 40s & 50s. Her medieval fantasy series will launch in 2017 with Rolf's Quest.

Subscribe to Aubrey's newsletter for new releases and exclusive excerpts and free stories.

A place of handsome knights, dashing gentlemen, beautiful, sassy women, and romance from the past to the present. You’ll also have some opportunities to help promote Aubrey with her upcoming releases if you feel so inclined. There is fun to be had, prizes to be given, and heroes and heroines to fall in love with. Come join Aubrey's street team.


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Paper Love #2

Dante's Gift #1

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Pre-Order Blitz: A Matter of Trust by Jill Blake

Title: A Matter of Trust
Author: Jill Blake
Series: Silicone Beach Trilogy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance Suspense
Expected Release Date: November 7, 2016
Summary:
Venture capitalist Vlad Snezhinsky excels at two things: making money and being a dad. Still struggling to get over a disastrous marriage, he has zero interest in starting a new relationship. That is, until he meets Klara Lazarev.

Klara’s done living in her older sister’s shadow. Determined to forge her own path, she completes a prestigious fellowship program before returning to college. Now scrambling to fulfill her graduation requirements, Klara has no time for distractions like Vlad and his daughter. Especially after an unfortunate first encounter leaves Klara doubting Vlad’s integrity.

But when a shocking murder throws their world into chaos, can they trust each other enough to uncover the truth and embrace the possibility of love?

**Content warning: For mature audience only. Rated 18+ for occasional profanity and explicit sex scenes. Also includes off-stage murder (though no graphic description of violence).**


Vlad Snezhinsky paused mid-sentence as the newest member of the Talbot household let out a wail.

“Sorry,” Ethan said. “Maya’s teething. Go on.”

Vlad watched as the man draped a fresh burp cloth over his shoulder, adjusted his hold on his six-month-old daughter, and patted the baby’s back.

In the year since Vlad joined the Talbot Fund, he’d been to Ethan Talbot’s home office twice. For a venture capitalist, Ethan did a remarkable job keeping his business life from encroaching on family time. Today’s meeting proved the rare exception. Not that Vlad blamed him. The allure of first-mover advantage was hard to resist.

“The market’s at least $500 million,” Vlad said, picking up where he left off. “They want six million, in exchange for sixty percent of the company—”

A peremptory knock cut him off. The door swung open, and a dark-haired woman popped her head inside. “Sorry, Ethan. Anna needs you. The Pack ’n Play won’t fold, and she’s wigging out.”

Vlad set aside his laptop and rose from the visitors’ chair.

The woman glanced his way. A flicker of something—recognition? awareness?—crossed her face, but before he could interpret it, her expression smoothed into polite disinterest. She turned back to Ethan. “If you want, I can watch Maya while you go fix things.”

Ethan got up and rounded the desk, transferring his daughter into the woman’s care. “She may need a diaper change.”

The baby cooed and kicked her legs. The woman laughed—a smooth, husky sound that trickled like warmed oil down Vlad’s spine.

He forced himself to remain still, knees locked, fingers digging into his palms.

Ethan, apparently unaffected, removed the burp cloth from his shoulder and offered Vlad an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Our first big trip with Maya. You know how it is.”

Vlad nodded.

“Anyway,” Ethan said, “let’s do the due diligence, and if everything pans out, we’ll set up a preliminary meeting. I’m available by phone if you need me.”

The door closed. Silence descended.

Vlad waited to see what the woman would do next.

“Pee-yew.” She wrinkled her nose and headed for a brightly decorated corner equipped with an array of baby paraphernalia. “Your daddy’s right, kiddo. You do smell like you need a diaper change.”

She placed Maya atop the padded changing table and rummaged through the top drawer with one hand, while keeping the other on the squirming infant.

“Looks like we’re in business, kid.” She cleaned, re-diapered, and dressed Maya in a fresh outfit. “Now what?”

Vlad cleared his throat, and the woman jumped, as if she’d forgotten he was still in the room.

“There are toys,” he said. “In the cupboard to your right.”

At least that’s where they’d been the last time he was here, shortly after Maya was born.

“Yeah, I know,” she said. Her eyes—green, with flecks of brown and gold—widened at Vlad’s approach. Her lips parted, and he nearly groaned.

Damn, what was he doing?

“Sorry.” He stopped a couple feet away. “I don’t think we’ve met. Vladislav Snezhinsky. My friends call me Vlad.”

Maya chose that moment to grab a handful of the woman’s hair and pull.

“Oww.” She winced and turned her attention to disentangling her curls from the baby’s fist. “Let’s see about those toys, shall we?”

In the few minutes it took to settle Maya on a brightly colored floor mat with an assortment of plush musical toys and rattles, Vlad studied the woman’s profile. She was tall—maybe half a head shorter than him—and dressed for comfort in an oversized T-shirt and faded jeans. When she leaned down and reached across the mat to grab a toy, Vlad got a glimpse of what her loose clothing concealed: a narrow waist, generous hips, and a rounded bottom that made his mouth water and his fingers itch.

Hoping to disguise his body’s reaction, Vlad hunkered down at the edge of the mat. “Okay, let’s try this again,” he said, stretching out his hand. “My name is Vlad. And you are…?”

“Klara. Anna’s sister.” She withdrew her fingers as quickly as possible, but not before he felt the slight tremor.

Nerves? Attraction? She averted her eyes, focusing on the baby. The pulse at the base of her neck fluttered.

He swallowed a smile. “So, Klara. Why haven’t we met before?”

That got her attention. And not in a good way. Her brows drew together and she narrowed her eyes. “We have. A couple years ago, at your brother’s wedding.”

“Oh.” He blinked away the unpleasant memories that threatened to swamp him. It was unfortunate that he’d forever associate his brother’s wedding with the beginning of the end. That’s when Vlad and Oksana started on a long downward spiral, culminating in an acrimonious divorce that was still dragging on today.

He studied Klara more closely. Something stirred at the back of his mind.

A brief impression of thick black curls swept up in an elegant twist, the body poured into some barely-there excuse for a dress, the lips smiling at him. And then—

Oh, God.

The red lipstick smeared, the eyes dripping mascara-tinged tears, his cheek stinging from the impression of her hand.

And then—nothing…until he woke up the next morning, head pounding like an entire battalion of jackhammers doing demolition work.



Beyond the Ivory Tower #1
Summary:
2016 IAN Book of the Year Award Finalist

If there’s one thing math professor Anna Lazarev believes in, it’s the value of higher education. So when her younger sister announces she’s dropping out of college, Anna places the blame squarely on the man who inspired her sister’s rebellion.

Venture capitalist Ethan Talbot claims the US academic system is broken. His solution? Pay top students to “opt out” and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams without wasting time and money on a university degree.

In a passionate battle for the hearts and minds of a new generation, Anna will do whatever it takes to prove Ethan wrong. But when his demands take a more personal turn, will she sacrifice her principles to come out on top?



Sweet Indulgence #2
Summary:
2016 East Texas Writers Guild Book Award, Romance Category Finalist

Becca Markham spent the last six years trying to please everyone but herself. So when she ditches her cheating boyfriend and quits her high-stress job as a software engineer, she decides it’s time to pursue her own dreams. At the top of her list? Transforming her life-long love of baking from a part-time hobby into a full-time business.

Leo Kogan spent years scrambling to escape a life of poverty—first in Russia, then in the U.S. Now a successful surgeon, he needs just one thing to complete his American dream: the perfect woman. But making the leap from casual friends to lovers proves harder than he expects.

Despite a sizzling attraction, Becca and Leo disagree on important things—like love and money. She’s looking for sex without strings; he wants a partner for life. She stakes her future on a risky new business; he’s obsessed with financial security.

Can love bring two headstrong people together…or will their differences end up tearing them apart?

Author Bio:
Jill Blake loves chocolate, leisurely walks where she doesn’t break a sweat, and books with a guaranteed happy ending. A native of Philadelphia, Jill now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. During the day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. At night, she pens steamy romances.


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A Matter of Trust #3

Beyond the Ivory Tower #1
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Sweet Indulgence #2

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Thursday, November 3, 2016

Awake on Garland Street by Laura Strickland

Title: Awake on Garland Street
Author: Laura Strickland
Series: Wild Rose Press' Ghost Stories
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: November 2, 2016
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Summary:
Brendan O’Rourke hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep since he arrived back at the family home in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The famed Celtic fiddler’s being haunted by the ghost of his great-grandfather, Charlie, who’s bent on keeping Brendan from ruining his life with the same selfish choice he made between music and the woman he loved.

Grace Dawe was finished with Brendan O’Rourke eight years ago when he chose music over their relationship. So why can’t she look at him now without going weak in the knees? And why, when he offers everything she’s ever wanted, is she considering his welfare above her own? Not until a beautiful old tune shows them the true meaning of love will they find a way to play their own song.


How unfair could life be? Grace Dawe bit the inside of her lip so hard it brought tears to her eyes. She’d been telling herself for days—ever since she learned Brendan O’Rourke had landed back in St. John’s—she could cope with seeing him. She’d resolved that she wouldn’t avoid her usual haunts on his account, wouldn’t change her habits. And now here she stood in Fitzgerald’s facing him and wishing she could fall through the floor.

He had no right to look so good—better in fact than he had when they parted in a storm of tears and bitter recriminations eight years ago, a break that had shredded her heart. She’d put that heart back together in the intervening years—or thought she had. Yet here she stood with it bleeding in her chest.

Because those intervening years had been kind to him, very kind. No longer the boy with whom she fell so wildly in love, he’d become the man she’d foreseen, his long, lanky legs clothed in a pair of faded jeans, shoulders encased in a worn leather jacket that looked soft as butter, his reddish-brown hair—full of wave—tumbling over his brow as it always had. The beard was new, but it became him. The lean cheeks, marked by long dimples when he smiled, remained the same, as did those hazel eyes, bright with intelligence and a spark of devilry, set under level brows.

Oh, heaven help her, she still wanted him. And she couldn’t let him see it. She absolutely could not let him see.

Author Bio:
Born and raised in Western New York, award-winning author Laura Strickland has pursued lifelong interests in lore, legend, magic and music, all reflected in her writing. She's made pilgrimages to both Newfoundland and Scotland in the company of her daughter, but is usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario, with her husband and her "fur" child, a rescue dog. Awake on Garland Street is her sixteenth book with The Wild Rose press.

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Brendan O'Rourke's Irish heritage and his family tree are both important to him,
so to celebrate the release of his story, Laura Strickland is giving away a Celtic Tree of Life
pendant and earring set, specially hand-crafted by Pam of Mum's Other Job!



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Dirty Mother by Lani Lynn Vale

Title: Dirty Mother
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Uncertain Saint’s MC #5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 3, 2016
Cover Photographer: Furious Fotog
Cover Model: Robert Simmons
Summary:
The thing about hitting rock bottom…

Ridley doesn’t think he has anything left to lose, not after the life he’s lived.  Then he meets her, Freya Capone, the nurse who saves his life when the last thing he wants is to be saved.

One look at her, and he’s transfixed.

He doesn’t know what drives him to run by her house that night.  Intuition. Sixth sense.  Whatever it is, his gut screams at him to go, so he goes.

And thank God he does.

There isn’t any farther you can fall…

Freya hits bottom after her brother’s death.  Her rock.  Her best friend.  Her everything.  Gone.

She always knew it was a possibility that he might get hurt while on shift, but she never entertains the thought of him dying.  Not until it’s too late.

She literally has nothing else to lose.  Until she meets him.  Ridley Walker. A biker with The Uncertain Saints MC and a local sheriff’s deputy.

The man responsible for taking away her best friend.

But at least you have a solid foundation to build upon…

The last thing Freya wants is to fall in love with the man responsible for her brother’s death. She doesn’t want to care that he is nearly killed. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with him.


I listened, wondering where everyone was, when I came to the final hallway that led to the gym.

I came to an abrupt halt when I saw three women crowded around a door, all of them looking in on what was going on on the other side.

“Uhhh,” I said.  “What are y’all doing?”

None of them turned, but Lenore, Griffin’s wife, waved me over.

“Come here and see,” she said, holding out her hand for me.

I came, taking her hand, and peered over her shoulder.

My mouth dropped open as I got my first good look at the men in the gym.

No, the fact that nearly all of them were shirtless wasn’t the reason for the flabbergasted look on my face.

Nor was the fact that they all had so much weight on their bars or in their hands

No, it was the fact that nearly all of them were dancing.

To Sexy Back.

Griffin squatted to the beat of the music while Mig did some sort of shimmy with his hips as he did pushups on the ground.

The only one not dancing, out of the whole bunch, was Core, who was busy taping the entire thing from the corner of the room, unbeknownst to everyone else.

Had they known, they probably would’ve been kicking his ass.

But they didn’t know.

They just continued on with what they were doing, oblivious to their audience.

Then Pony came on, and I groaned right along with the rest of the ladies.

It was like Magic Mike, but better.

Much, much better.

Ridley took center stage then, jumping up on the blocks that the men used to do vertical jumps up onto, where he then proceeded to do some raunchy move with his hips that had me all hot and bothered in a matter of seconds.

A big, bad, tattooed biker that had the power to undo me.

“Oh, boy,” Tasha said.  “Would you look at that?”

I tore my eyes away from my man to follow where she was pointing, and I started to laugh.

Casten was dipping down low, twisting and bouncing as he curled huge weights that were at least the size of half my body.

That went on like that for four long minutes, and by the time they were finished and laughing, I was fanning myself.

“I think we’re going to be a little late,” I mentioned to the ladies.  “I’m needing some…attention.”

Annie, Mig’s woman, tossed me a look over her shoulder that clearly said I wasn’t the only one.

Taking that as my cue, I pushed through the doors.

“I need some time!” I announced to the group as a whole.

All eyes turned to me, but it was my man who was still bouncing on the balls of his feet, all hot and sweaty, his hair and beard slightly damp with his sweat, that had my full attention.

I started to fan myself almost reflexively, and he read me and my needs almost immediately.

He hopped down, walking towards me with a purposeful spring in his step.

He didn’t even bother to speak to me, only bent down slightly once he’d reached me, captured me just under the ass, and carried me out of the room.



 



Author Bio:
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.

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Oblivion by Joshua Ryan Ogg

Title: Oblivion
Author: Joshua Ryan Ogg
Series: Medicine Man #1
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
Release Date: February 7, 2015
Summary:
A maniac is murdering gang leaders in the desert outside San Diego, black magic is whispered in back alleys, and zombie tweekers roam the streets. The world stands on the brink of something sinister and occult but the only guy Donnie DeGrassi knows that can solve this supernatural puzzle is a recluse that hides out in his beach shack, talking to spirits and brewing hallucinogenic compounds. Some say he’s crazy, others claim he’s genius, but those that dose Kal Renley's chemicals just know him as the Medicine Man. Can Donnie get his old friend out of retirement before reality gets as ugly as the underworld?


Mek, I can’t get it out…

He felt it nesting already in the slimy folds of his subconscious and somehow he’d failed at his own game. A snake expert taken out by venom.

Eden was horrified. She burst into tears and kept repeating “Oh god, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” as she backed away to the door.

Kal tried to raise a hand to stop her but he was shaky and weak.

“You have to shut it out,” Meklyn hissed. He was protective of Kal’s mind—that’s where he lived, after all—but this one had gotten the jump on them both.

“I’m sorry,” Eden stammered in horror and guilt before disappearing into the rain-soaked night.

“No wait,” Kal pleaded but the curse was sending him into shock. The effects of that sigil still writhed inside his head and, for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he was really this cosmic millennial medicine man that had spoken to gods, wrestled angels, and banished demons or if he was just a delusional addict with severe psychological issues.

Probably both.

Images of horror and shame raced through him and he thrashed violently. Something was on him, chasing him down the long halls of his mind. Something that got inside him with just a glance at that symbol.

Heather’s death, the clan violence, the shadow hunters on the astral plane, all the things that drove him into seclusion and out of the game, it all swarmed his mind at once. The cabinet he had been holding shut for months came bursting open to spill the slimy contents of his repressed subconscious into plain view.

He stumbled toward the kitchen and crashed through drawers and shelves in search of something to ward off the effects. He was looking for something specific. His own special tonic. His Joos.

But he knew better. He didn’t keep any in the house. Had a slight problem staying away from it when a supply was on hand. His own little vice. But now he needed it. Whatever curse had been embedded in that girl’s ink was currently kicking the shit out of him from the inside.

Kal managed to get to his feet, the world spinning and screaming around him, and stumbled out into the rain. Only one place in this neighborhood kept the Joos.

Kal stumbled, sick and puking, through the night, wavering on the edge of a mad abyss, looking and groping for help, for a fix of his own. For his own medicine.

Author Bio:
Joshua Ryan Ogg has worked in entertainment media and digital marketing for close to a decade. Oblivion is his first published novel. He can usually be found in Ohio or California with his wife and two children.

Josh likes to connect with readers on social media and maintains a blog full of half-drunken ramblings and utter nonsense .


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