#XpressoTours – Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree

#BookBlitz Beast’s Secret Baby #Giveaway

I felt nothing. Perhaps I had a few days left. But no more. Either I found my mate…or I chose an honorable death. I was out of time.

Beast’s Secret Baby
Grace Goodwin
(Interstellar Brides Program: The Beasts, #7)
Publication date: March 30th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

Atlan Warlord Velik is hanging on to sanity by a thread. His mating fever rages. His beast fights him every moment. The beast needs to hunt. To kill. To find their mate or surrender to a glorious death in battle. He volunteers for a mission so dangerous, he knows he will not return.

Waiting to deploy, he is lost, keeping distance between himself and those his tormented beast could destroy. His fate is sealed…until his beast picks up her scent. Sees her face. In an instant, the beast knows this human woman belongs to him and no one else.

Until he sees the diamond ring on her finger and overhears a discussion about her wedding, the event mere weeks away.

He is honorable. He is desperate. He will stop at nothing to seduce her. Claim her. Steal her heart and keep her for himself.

When he disappears on a secret mission, she has a decision to make; play the fool and hope for a dead Atlan’s return, or marry another and ensure the security and safety of her true love’s unborn child.

Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Stefani Davis, Biscayne Bay, Florida

I leaned back, bracing my weight on stiff upper arms as the sailboat cut through the waves. At least once a month I made time, with my friends Carmen and Greg, to spend an afternoon on the water. Now that both my mom and my twin sister had mated Atlan Warlords and moved to another planet, I spent a lot of time alone. Too much time.

A twin without a twin was a sad, pathetic thing. Out on the water was the only time I felt alive anymore. And free.

Lifting my face to the sun, I let out a loud whoop. “I love sailing!”

Sitting right next to me on the bow of the forty-footer, Carmen laughed. “Me, too.”

Greg handed us both another margarita and settled on a folded towel next to Carmen as the sail snapped and waves crashed around us. “And this, lovely ladies, is why you will never convince me to leave Florida.”

I was about to agree when Carmen smacked my leg. Hard. “Effing-A Stef. Look at that guy on the beach. Total hunk.”

I turned my head to follow her gaze and almost dropped a frozen margarita in my lap.

Oh, god. Oh shit. That was an Atlan. Had to be. He was too big, too gorgeous with his shirt off. Jeez, he was showing too much…muscle. “He should put on a shirt.”

“Are you insane?” Carmen leaned forward and pulled a pair of small binoculars from where they rested around her neck. She lifted them so she could spy on the man. “He’s way too hot to cover up.”

With a knowing grin, I met Greg’s gaze. Carmen was a wild woman. We both knew that. Greg nudged her with his shoulder. “You going to try to find him when we get back to shore? We’re getting close.”

I checked my watch and sighed. He was right. About ten minutes and we’d be walking off the boat. Damn it.

“He’s running.” Carmen giggled. “Oh my god. Stef, I think that guy is chasing the boat.”

“What?”

Carmen handed me her binoculars and I looked for myself.

I shouldn’t have looked. Now my peaceful day on the water was instantly ruined by a throbbing, horny vajayjay and a bit too much tequila. Seriously? I licked my lips. Could this guy be any more perfect? He ran like he could run at top speed for hours. The sun made his skin look like he was glowing, from sweat or the water splashing beneath his feet, I wasn’t sure. Didn’t matter. All it did was define every muscle in his chest and across his back. His thighs and legs stretched and contracted as he ran, every muscle popping out to say hello. His dark hair was just long enough to flow back from a face that looked carved from granite. “What the hell is he doing all the way out here?”

Carmen grabbed the binoculars from my hands, held them up to her eyes. “I wouldn’t kick him out of bed. I can tell you that.” She practically purred. “You know him?”

I sighed. “No, but I’ve met enough Atlans to know one when I see one.”

“He’s one of those aliens? What do they call them?” Greg took the binoculars from Carmen.

“Warlords.”

“Fuck me, that guy is ripped.” Greg whistled and even from this distance I saw the Atlan turn his head in our direction. “And fast.”

“I told you, he’s following us.” Carmen sipped at her margarita and stared at the Atlan as he picked up speed. “Stef, I swear he is following us. Why is he following us?”

“I don’t know.” I didn’t. Not for sure. Carmen was right, it did look like he was pacing the boat, keeping us in sight. Which could only mean one thing—he thought his mate was on this sailboat. We were going to hit the docks and an eight foot tall alien was going to walk up to one of the handful of women on this boat—mostly tourists— and say the one word I dreaded hearing…mine.

Author Bio:

Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace’s titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. They are both mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

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#BookBlitz Prowl #Giveaway

We hooked up in Florida. That’s all.

Listen to my bullshit.

Prowl
Cara Dee
(The Game Series, #12)
Publication date: March 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

The Game Series • Book 12 • Sequel to Apex Predator • MMMM • Primal Play • D/s • Hurt Comfort • ADHD

In Apex Predator, Lane and Macklin headed down to South Florida for a wild week in the sun, but now it’s time to return to reality. Things back home might feel a bit…unsettled…for both men, and even more so when they notice two apex predators on the prowl.

Ty and Walker will take it from here, boys.
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The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.

Goodreads / Pre-order

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EXCERPT:

Walker McKenna

“Let’s not buy Macklin’s false confidence either,” Ty murmured. “We’re coming for them.”

A shudder ran through me, and I nodded once.

“I’m gonna give Macklin the day to think things over,” I decided. “If he doesn’t fess up about what’s wrong, I’ll show him tomorrow.”

“It’s a plan.” He kissed my cheek, and when he backed away again, the devil seeped into his eyes. “You grew up in the South, so you must’ve seen your share of snakes in your day.”

My eyebrows flew up. “Uh, sure. Yeah.”

“Well, plenty of them have their ways of attracting prey…”

Okay, he had my attention. “I’m listenin’.”

He smirked. “It’s time to drop some bait for the boys and see what sticks.”

Author Bio:

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

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#BookBlitz Stars on Fire #Giveaway

Together they’ll light the stars on fire, even as their enemies seek to turn their destiny to ashes.

Stars on Fire
Sky Gold
(The Sable Riders, #1)
Publication date: February 26th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

The thing is, Selene, I don’t do forever. It’s not what this is.’ – Kainan Sable.

He’s lethal, wraith-like, a warrior who lives in the twilight, the hidden inferno amongst the stars.

She’s driven, ambitious, and unrelenting, with an allure that forces him from the shadows.

He needs to control the intensity of his reaction to her.

She fights the temptation glinting in his sapphire wildfire eyes.

He wants revenge.

She wants forever.

But he can’t give her ‘forever’.

Or can he?

War is stirring in the skies and stars above Eden II. Between empires in ascension and realms in decline. Kainan and Selene find themselves caught up in the maelstrom. Together they’ll light the stars on fire, even as darkness beyond their control seeks to turn their destiny – and their forever – to ashes.

__________________________

If you’re in the mood for:

A strong, smart heroine AND a sexy, badass anti-hero
Unrequited love and a personal growth saga that spans a universe
Steamy, hot epic jolts!
Paranormal action
All the feels AND heartfelt escapism

Then take to the Skies Above Eden II. A whole new world awaits you.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

The four men looked up and studied her coolly.

Kainan’s voice rumbled behind her. ‘Selene Munene, meet the Sable Riders, also known in our official capacity as The Sable Group.’

She stepped closer to the table and gazed at her new acquaintances as calmly as she could manage.

The one closest to her was just as significant in size as Kainan, a hulking figure with a mass of short jet-black hair with blue streaks, a bushy black beard and silver grey eyes, with a stubborn jaw and a swathe of jagged scars down one side of his face. His massive feet were slung up and crossed on top of the table.

The man beside him was also tall, with angular, dark features, a roughly shaven jaw, a beard and penetrating eyes with hazel irises ringed with glowing sapphire flecks. He leaned back in his oversized chair to study her unhurriedly.

Kainan pointed to the scar-faced man. ‘This is Kage, call name Shadow. He’s our ship designer, tech head and all-around maestro. He also runs our mini armada. Next to him is Xion, call name Phoenix – head of internal security on Eden II, privately overseeing law and order on the rock.’

Two other men glanced at her from the other side of the room.

One sported a magnificent sheathe of dead straight white and silver hair that fell to his back in a long, smooth sheet with a braid to one side. His skin was pale, and so were his white irised eyes that he seemed a ghoul, albeit a very handsome one. He wore a close-fitted black jumpsuit with the same crest on his shoulder as Kainan. She assumed this was The Sable Group’s insignia.

He jerked his chin to her, his pale eyes keenly raking her face.

Next to him was a lean, long, striking, powerfully built man in a beautifully cut suit with dark thick hair, a neat moustache and a beard with piercing blue eyes. His elegant presence contrasted sharply with his more casually dressed companions. He nodded to her cordially.

‘At the far back is Riv, call name Wraith. He runs our armouries. He occasionally moonlights as the head of our private surveillance ops and militia, and on his off days, he dallies as a bounty hunter. With him is Zane, call name Phantom. Our business and financial controller. He runs our sales, logistics, private equity and finance division.’

Selene nodded her head formally in acknowledgement, momentarily unable to speak. As it were, her breath had been snatched from her lungs by the presence of these five devastatingly powerful creatures. She saw sleek blasters strapped to their powerful thighs and hips and imagined the various other weapons tucked in places unseen. These were no boy scouts she was dealing with.

‘You remember Mirage,’ Kainan added drily, gesturing toward the gyrfalcon with silver wings and feet.

Selene’s eyebrow rose. ‘Really?’

‘It is indeed, Selene,’ said the gyrfalcon in the AI’s harmonious tone. ‘As a nano-engineered AI, I can take various forms, but this is the one I tend to prefer when I’m off Kainan’s ship. But, of course, I’m also still on the ship due to my split consciousness and various remote capabilities.’

‘Mirage is our eyes and ears across the rock, and she oversees all AI on all our ships and holdings,’ Kainan explained.

‘I’m also taking an encrypted recording of these proceedings,’ Mirage piped up. ‘Which will be shared to all your comm tabs after the meeting and only accessible with your bio authentication.’

Kainan inclined his head. ‘As you can see, she’s a very valued member of The Sable Riders.’

‘Wow,’ Selene said, genuinely astonished. ‘Incredible.’

The gyrfalcon bent her sleek silver head in a bow.

‘Sit,’ Kainan ordered Selene, pulling out a plush chair.

‘What’s your call name?’ she managed to ask him softly as she sat down.

He paused for a moment.

‘Chimera,’ he said quietly.

Fitting, she thought, given the strange ability he had to switch her feelings, from hot to cold, in seconds.

Author Bio:

Sky Gold is a best selling author, writer and lover of all things delicious, fun and courageously life affirming. She imagines herself a warrior for the people she loves and values she stands for! She looks to her gorgeous husband, her whimsical kids, her loyal friends, her sweet Russian Blue Cat, and the stars themselves for her heavenly inspiration.

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#CoverReveal Renley

Renley is the first to speak. “Why are you carrying Adder?”
Becca sighs. “She was lightheaded but wants to be with you.”

Renley
Ali Lucia Sky
(Somnolence, #4)
Publication date: April 11th 2023
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Paranormal

In her darkest moment, he came willing to burn the world down for her.

During one night of weakness, Adder Rowe gave in to some sweet words, and has a lot of complications in her life to show for it. Now pregnant, she is eking by. But even before that, her ties to CypherSphere Records and Of Ashes To Eternity had left a bad taste in her mouth and an uneasy feeling in her heart.

Renley Titan isn’t anyone’s hero. A chance meeting with his Tether, when she reaches out to his former band, leaves him in a dicey position. Play the game and keep winning the hearts of millions, or break the rules and make the world a better place for everyone by blowing it all up. The volatile keyboardist could go either way.

But when someone comes out of the woodwork looking for a story only Adder can tell, how far will they go to get it?

Please be advised by the content warning inside the book.

It’s recommended that you read the series in order beginning with RAIDEN.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

—

EXCERPT:

“Yeah, I want to be safe and by his side.” I sigh. “Don’t know if it makes me a basket case, but the co-dependency portion of our relationship has begun.”

Crux lips flatten. “You need a guard.”

“What’s with the guards?” I ask.

“When your mate can’t be with you, at least you have protection,” he clarifies. “They can soothe and care for you, so you aren’t alone.”

Becca snorts. “They can irritate the shit out of you. They can insist they shower with you, so you’re protected.”

I try to hide my smile when Crux licks his lips. I get the impression that he’s got it bad for her. It’s Tobin who responds to her outburst. “You don’t need to be alone.”

She growls in frustration. “You two are tools.” Her head whips my way, “You still want to go down?”

Crux smirks. “That’s literally what she said.”

I nod and stand, but a woozy feeling takes over my sluggish body. It takes a moment to get my head together and nod. Becca, seeing how unsteady I am, addresses the twins. “One of you needs to make yourself useful. If she passes out on the way down to the living room, Renley will fuck you both in the ass with a chair leg.”

Tobin nods. “Probably the whole chair.”

He picks me up in a bridal lift, carrying me down the hall. When we get to the top of the stairs, everyone looks up our way.

Renley is the first to speak. “Why are you carrying Adder?”

Becca sighs. “She was lightheaded but wants to be with you.”

Tobin makes it down the stairs, but Renley’s on his feet waiting there to grab me. His eyes skim across my features before ghosting across my throat and heating. He carries us to a recliner closest to Jazzie, who holds out a bowl of popcorn. I cringe at the smell and shake my head, placing a hand over my stomach.

Author Bio:

Ali Lucia Sky is the author of The Powers That Be and Somnolence series. She lives in Southern California with her husband and a house full of kitty cats, a yard full of crows, a backyard of ferals and a possum affectionately named Garcia.

She loves laughing, drinking good coffee, vegan food, and supporting animal rescues.

When she isn’t writing or dreaming of new stories, she can be found planning her next vacation because traveling is life.

If you encounter her in the wild, don’t be offended if she should run away. She’s timid with strangers, but can be plied with shiny things and pictures of your cat or dog.

She’s a weirdo like that.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok / Pinterest

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#CoverReveal Broken Dreams

Broken Dreams
Abbie Roads
(Beautiful Nightmare, #2)
Publication date: May 9th 2023
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance

A stalker. A killer. A v!rg!n hero who will sacrifice himself to save the woman he loves.

FBI Special Skills Consultant Lathan Montgomery has a genetic anomaly that he uses to solve cold cases, but it forces him to live in seclusion. When he saves a woman from a roadside attack, instead of her presence causing him to lose control, she soothes him. For the first time in his life, he experiences love.

But someone is watching them and planning to make them both suffer.

Broken Dreams is the second book in Abbie Roads’ Beautiful Nightmare Series of dark romantic thrillers. It features a v!rg!n hero who never thought he’d find love. If you devour true crime and romance novels then you’ll love a series that combines both in a roller-coaster ride of danger, mind games, and swoon worthy love.

Buy this dangerously dark romance today!

Trigger warning: Depictions of SA and violence.

Previously published under the title Hunt the Dawn

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Abbie Roads is the best-selling author of the Fatal Dreams Series and the Fatal Truth Series. Her novels have been finalists in many prestigious contests including The Golden Heart, The Greater Detroit Booksellers Best, The Oklahoma National Readers’ Choice Award, The Write Touch, The Strut Your Stuff Contest, The Aspen Gold Contest, The Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, The Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award, The Midnight Sun, The Kathryn Hayes Contest, The Chanticleer, The Daphne du Maurier, The National Readers’ Choice Award, The New England Readers’ Choice Contest, The Beverly Award, and The Maggie Award. Her debut novel Race the Darkness was Publishers Weekly Top 10 Pick for Fall and Never Let Me Fall is an Amazon Editor’s Pick.

By day Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor always focusing on the bright side. By night she writes on the dark side, putting her characters through the wringer before she gives them their happily-ever-after. She loves a good inspirational quote and is a fan of true crime.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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#BookBlitz Omen: The Stained Sea #Giveaway

For guards the two young men were only clothed in what looked to be cotton tunics and some scraps of leather with adjustment straps flopping at the seams.”

Omen: The Stained Sea
Paul Carver Williams
Publication date: March 31st 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult

In the wake of a lost messiah, an oppressed religious sect known as the ‘singers of Oros’ are targeted by those in power. A lone singer calling himself Runo works tirelessly to revive the faith of his people by any means necessary, involving a hunt for a witness who could expose his darker actions

Meanwhile, a young slave named Cai is called on by a philosopher to aid in a catalogue of the wealthiest families in Grecuria, starting with the owner of the library where he works. On his journey he must confront a past that isn’t his own.

Lastly, sailing on a sky ship surrounded by merchants, Mele Amahki was given passage to begin a new life. However, everything changes when they find themselves in a new, unexpected world. Mele is thrust into power, unsure of what is best for her crew.

Knowledge, religion, power, and blood run through the veins of the Grecurian islands, but through these three headstrong individuals, the veins will be cut and darkness will stain the sea.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Something has already happened to Akamai. And what— we’re to trust this, this Lili Mele in his place?”

Mele bristled, but tempered herself with a glance to Akamai, finding his eyes staring dead into hers. To her surprise, he tapped his lips. A gesture on a list he wrote. It meant she was allowed to speak freely. Mele burst from her seat and pressed her hands into the table. “Lili Mele? I am not the one who sold myself to the council of nobles in exchange for a good word with the emperor. Don’t fool yourself, Lili Takaahae, this is not the world we used to live in, and I am the most valuable asset you sniveling council of cowards has. What choice is there but to wait for now? Min needs the energy when he returns. I’d imagine tracing the edge of the land has drained his stores far lower than any of ours. Now I’m begging to return to our plans for when the search parties return. My brain has been decaying with every syllable that exits your mouth.”

Author Bio:

An LGBTQ, Black-Latino young adult, Paul Williams has struggled with his identity, eventually leading to mental illness. However, with support from his siblings, he gained new confidence to express his inner emotions through art and writing. At age seventeen, he published his first book. He is now working endlessly to carve a place for himself among the creative professionals and pave the way for other talented ‘students’ of art and literature.

Goodreads / Twitter

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#CoverReveal The Last Ride

The Last Ride
Anya Summers
(SEALs on Wheels, #1)
Publication date: May 9th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

I hate her.
I can’t forgive what she did.
But she’s the first one on the list.

One final ride with my crew.
One last chance to fulfill an oath sworn in blood.

Yet I don’t expect the chemistry between us to knock me on my ass.
And I don’t know how to reconcile my feelings, my need for her.
It goes against every vow I swore.

But I can’t stay away.
She needs me. My body. My soul. My protection.
With danger stalking her, I’ll use every trick I learned as a SEAL to defend her.

Because nobody messes with what belongs to me.

Grab this steamy, enemies to lovers, stand-alone where a Navy SEAL clashes with a stripper, as they grapple with an attraction they cannot deny.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya 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 Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. 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 Midwest with her two furry felines.

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#CoverReveal One Night Stand with Benefits

One Night Stand with Benefits
Amanda Usen
Published by: Entangled: Brazen
Publication date: April 17th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Description TBA

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Get started on book 1 in the series!

Author Bio:

Amanda Usen knows two things for certain: chocolate cheesecake is good for breakfast, and a hot chef can steal your heart. Her husband stole hers on the first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America. Amanda spends her early mornings writing romance and her days working in a bakery. When she’s not writing or decorating cakes, she can usually be found reading a book and trying to get out of cooking dinner.

Unofficial Bio: Amanda Usen spends her days off writing in her pajamas. She scrambles for clothes and hides the clutter just minutes before her husband and kids arrive home. She loves books, yoga, cheese, chocolate, and carbs in all forms. When she falls into the pit of despair, she reminds herself…HAPPINESS IS A PRACTICE.

Sign up for Amanda’s Newsletter or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or her blog, Writer.Chef.Romantic., where she posts about writer-life, baker-life, mom-life, sex-life, mid-life, basically all things life…and a bag of chips.

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#BookBlitz Pretend #Giveaway

She should have just left, but…
God, she was an idiot.

Pretend
R.L. Mathewson
(Neighbor from Hell, #14)
Publication date: March 3rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From New York Time’s bestselling author R.L. Mathewson comes the prequel to the disturbingly funny romantic comedy series, Neighbor from Hell.

She couldn’t do this anymore.

After watching her best friend and the man that she’d been in love with her entire life propose to another woman, Morgan decided that it was time to finally move on. She made plans, plans that Eric didn’t know about and she planned to keep it that way, but unfortunately for her, one bet destroyed everything, leaving her with no choice but to be there for her best friend one last time.

He was done.

After catching his fiancée cheating on him, Eric Bradford was done wasting his time on women that he had absolutely no hope of falling in love with. He just needed time, a chance to get away, and he just needed…

Her.

Determined to figure out how he kept screwing up his life, Eric takes his best friend on the honeymoon that he’d spent a fortune on and asked her for one more favor, one that would change everything, and leave him with no choice but to do whatever it takes to stop the one woman that meant everything to him from finally walking away.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“I need another favor,” Eric said, finishing off the last bite of danish before grabbing the muffin off her plate and devoured it with a groan.

“And you felt the best way to go about that was to glare at me while stealing my food?” Morgan asked, blinking at the man narrowing his eyes on her.

“Yes,” Eric bit out, his glare never leaving her as he reached over and forced her to snatch the mini chocolate chip muffin off the plate and shove it into her mouth before he could steal it.

“And my bags?” Morgan asked, following that up by snatching the small piece of coffee cake off the plate and took a large bite of it, making sure to savor every last morsel simply to piss him off.

“Gave me great joy to leave them behind,” Eric bit out as he reached over and snatched the last bite of coffee cake out of her hand and shoved it in his mouth, his glare never leaving her as he finished it off.

Nodding slowly, Morgan said, “Whatever it is, the answer’s no.”

For a moment, Eric simply glared at her before he said, “You owe me.”

“I really don’t, though,” Morgan said, swiping the last apple danish off the plate before he could grab it and took a bite before she added, “and if I did owe you anything, which I don’t, I would say that me being dragged along on this trip more than makes up for whatever imaginary debt you think I owe you.”

“You really think so?” Eric asked, reaching over and swiped the danish out of her hand and shoved it in his mouth.

“I really do,” Morgan said, knowing that she’d more than paid back any favor that she owed him by going on this trip. In fact, some might say that he owed her after this. Not that she was going to be around to collect on that debt, but still. She-

“Summer camp,” Eric said, taking his time enunciating every syllable as she sat there, trying to remember how to breathe.

“You promised we’d never speak of it again,” Morgan mumbled hollowly, swallowing hard as she thought about that summer they-

She wasn’t ready to think about what happened. Not now, and definitely not without the help of a trained professional.

“You. Owe. Me,” Eric bit out as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black box.

“But…” Morgan mumbled helplessly, shifting as she licked her suddenly dry lips while she watched as Eric opened the box and-

She was going to be sick.

“I need you to pretend to be my wife.”

Author Bio:

New York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.

Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.

Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.

If you’d like more information about this series or any other series by R.L. Mathewson, please visit http://www.Rlmathewson.com

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GIVEAWAY!
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#BookBlitz Lie With Me #Giveaway

You both just watched a man die.
The reminder was a splash of cold water on his libido.

Lie With Me
Gwen Hernandez
(Night Herons, #1)
Publication date: March 21st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Old betrayals, new enemies, and a second chance at forever.

On a mission to expose the crimes of a powerful man, Emma Gallagher’s informant is killed before he can hand over the proof she needs. When the man who once broke her heart gets the files instead, she’ll use their fierce attraction, his guilty conscience…whatever it takes to recover the evidence to bring a murderer to justice.

Former special operator Jason Chin was hired to protect his wealthy client’s interests, but when an assassin attacks Emma, he’s forced to rethink everything he knows about the job, the choices of his past, and the woman he never stopped loving. On the run with her, he risks it all to outwit a deadly enemy and convince Emma to be his future.

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EXCERPT:

“This is your chance at fifteen minutes of fame.”

“I’ve already had mine.” Turning away from Nat with a sigh, he gave Emma’s hand a quick squeeze before letting go, and she immediately missed his warmth. “It’s someone else’s turn.”

He’d had far more than fifteen minutes. She cocked her head and squinted against the low sun to look up at him. “Did you like any of it?”

He laughed without humor. “Of course I did. All that attention, being treated like a superstar, it feeds the ego hard.” Removing his hat, he ran a hand through his short hair and tucked the cap into a side pocket on his shorts. “But I also hated it.”

“How come?” She knew part of the answer. He’d once explained to her the unique pain of being wanted for his looks and what he represented—the fantasy he could fulfill—rather than for himself. Or just as bad, being wanted as a stepping stone to someone else considered even more desirable. Unfortunately, all of that had played into their breakup.

Rolling his lips in, he hesitated. Before she could withdraw the question for being too nosy, he said, “Because there’s no privacy, no anonymity. You’re not a person anymore, you’re a commodity, an idea. Dumb jock, playboy, pretty face. Every party you go to, every stupid thing you do, people who claim to be your friends are taking notes, taking pictures, and looking for a way to take advantage. And that was before social media and a smartphone in every pocket.” He shuddered. “I can’t even imagine now.”

“The dark side of fame.” She’d hated how much attention he got when they were out, especially from the women, many of whom had felt like they could touch him freely because he’d let someone put a picture of him in his underwear on a billboard.

He glanced at her, maybe wondering if she was being facetious. “Obviously, it was a privilege to play football, and to have my tuition and everything paid. But there are a lot of expectations. By the time you and I met, I was mostly done with it, but football’s a full time job on and off the field. It’s not all roses and sunshine, and the modeling gig only exacerbated things.”

“I remember.” As someone who now spent her life trying to go unnoticed, just the thought of being in the spotlight made her shiver.

“So, what’s your excuse?” he asked.

“For not wanting to be interviewed?”

He nodded.

She shrugged. “I’d rather write the story than be the story.” True enough. “And whoever was behind the shooting…I’d rather not be on their radar, you know?” Probably too late, but the sentiment stood.

“Absolutely.”

They walked toward the Altstadt—Lucerne’s old town—in silence, skirting around the growing crowd of bystanders and media, her gaze skimming for familiar faces or watchful eyes. After three years in the business, counter-surveillance was becoming automatic.

Emma didn’t yet have a precise plan for getting the SD card from Jason, but she was surprisingly grateful for his presence.

She had sat in cars with lecherous old men happy to take money to betray their bosses, met informants in sketchy places, and been the only woman in a bar full of handsy trust fund bros. She could’ve dealt with today’s events alone too. But thanks to Jason, she didn’t have to.

They weren’t even talking about what had happened and she still felt better with him at her side. Guilty, and exhausted, and grumpy about having to lie to him, but…better.

Yet she couldn’t get caught up in the moment. She had to get the drive—preferably without him realizing he’d ever had it—try to determine if he or anyone in Renfro’s orbit was involved in Viktor’s death, and then she had to disappear.

With a sigh, she turned a corner and aimed for one of the less crowded cafés. Seconds later, a familiar face appeared in the reflection of a shop window and her pulse quickened.

Go time.

Author Bio:

Growing up, Gwen Hernandez never shared the stories in her head with other kids, but they usually involved intrigue and romance. She was raised in the Army and Navy, and married an Air Force engineer, so it’s natural that her Men of Steele series features military heroes and heroines who must overcome danger to find true love.

Blending writing with her tech background and love of teaching, Gwen has also helped thousands of writers all over the world find the joy in Scrivener through her popular online courses, in-person workshops, and books like Scrivener For Dummies.

In her off time, she likes to travel, read, jog, flail on a yoga mat, buy houseplants, and explore her current home of southern California. Find her online at gwenhernandez.com or scrivenerclasses.com.

Sign up for Gwen’s mailing list to be among the first to know about new books and giveaways: gwenhernandez.com/newsletter

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