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FREE Read! See what happens when Beauty meets Beast!
Tuesday, June 1st, 2021

For your reading pleasure… Just click on the cover to get your FREE copy! The Obedient Wife

 

Kimberly Dean: Friendship Takes Time (FREE Book!)
Thursday, May 27th, 2021

Do you have a best friend?  Or maybe a friend you’ve known for a very long time? I met my oldest friend when we were in kindergarten together. We haven’t always lived in the same town, but we’ve kept in touch over the years. We know each other’s likes and dislikes, strengths, and quirks. We remember events from the distant past, but usually not the same ones. It takes time to build a friendship like that.

That’s something I wanted to explore in my books, Courting Trouble and Courting Innocence.  The stories are hot romances, but beyond the love stories, I also wanted to explore the relationship between the heroines. Sienna and Erin have been best friends since childhood. They’ve laughed together, spent time with each other’s families, supported one another, and are now young adults entering a new phase of their life and friendship.

Because friendships change, too.  And sometimes you don’t tell your best friend when you’re doing something you know she won’t approve of… Or seeing a new hot guy who’s not really your boyfriend… Friendships can be as complicated as romantic relationships.

That’s why I gave a story to each friend, and then added new friends in the following books in the series. These women have each other’s backs, even when they might be being bad. Because who better to court trouble with than your best friend?

Note:  Kimberly was a contributor for both First Response: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology Book 5 and Stranded (Boys Behaving Badly Book 4).

 

Courting Trouble

Sienna is bright, articulate, and woefully underemployed. In order to get by, she signs a contract with Luxxor Escort Services. A contract that strictly forbids any sexual contact with clients… But then she’s assigned to accompany former hockey player, Jason. The chemistry between them is hot, and soon Jason is tempting Sienna to break all the rules.

 

Excerpt from Courting Trouble…

Setup – Jason shows up at Sienna’s apartment right after Erin has been dumped.

Still in a crouch, Jason rested his elbows on his bunched thighs. He glanced around the room, and Sienna became uncomfortably aware of the wadded-up tissues, the empty ice cream carton, and the general state of her crummy apartment.

“Looks like you’ve been at this a while,” he said.

Hours. It had been hours and hours of Erin crying and asking why.

He cocked his head. “So, are you pissed off yet? Or do you need to stew in it for a while longer?”

And there was the Jason she knew, virtually poking her friend with a rude stick. Sienna counted to ten.

Only Erin responded in a way Sienna had never seen before.

“Of course, I’m angry,” she snapped, fire lighting her eyes. “Why would you say that? I have every right to be angry.”

“You bet your ass you do.” Jason clapped his hands against his thighs and pushed himself to his feet. He grimaced halfway up. “You want to do something about that?”

Erin’s hair tumbled down her back as she looked up at him. She was enthralled with the stranger who’d just walked in and taken over. “Like what?”

“Work off some steam? Pump out some aggression?”

Aggression? Sienna rolled her eyes. Erin didn’t have an aggressive bone in her body.

Erin surprised her again by throwing the pillow to the floor. “Yes.”

 

Courting Innocence

Erin starts using matchmaker Luxxor Limited, not realizing that the company is truly an escort service.  She gets more than she bargained for when she’s set up with another client, lawyer Colton King. Her big brother’s best friend.

Excerpt from Courting Innocence…

Setup – The women of Luxxor are trying to figure out who to pair Erin up with, while keeping the real nature of the company secret from her.

“Omigosh. He’s a client?”

Both Nina and Rielle swiveled their heads around fast. Sienna had grabbed the paper and jumped to her feet. “That’s it!”

“Who?” Rielle asked. “What’s it?”

“Him.” Sienna slapped the piece of paper back down on the desk and pointed at the first name on the list. “Set her up with him.”

“Colton King?” Rielle pulled back. “He’s sexy and you know—huuuh—but for Erin?”

Nina’s eyes narrowed. “He’s too tall, and, if he has a sense of humor, I’ve never seen it.”

Yet she could practically see the energy that was flying off Sienna in a ray of colors. Surprise and excitement tingled in the air. The icy blonde was usually much more contained. “What is it you’re not telling us?”

Her employee sat down fast.

“Erin has wanted him forever,” she shared conspiratorially. “He’s her older brother’s best friend, but also the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Her parents would never let her see him.”

The three of them leaned in like girls around a campfire sharing stories about the cute boys at school.

“Did he want to see her?” Rielle asked.

“Does it matter?” The gears in Sienna’s brain were turning fast. It was clear on her face. “You’ll either give Erin the thrill of her lifetime, or he’ll put an end to her using a matchmaker so fast, her head will spin. I know he will.”

*~*~* 

Like best friends who always do things together,
both books are on sale through May 31!

Courting TroubleFree through May 31
Amazon  /  Apple  /  Barnes & Noble  /  Google Play  /  Kobo

Courting InnocenceOnly 99 cents through May 31
Amazon  /  Apple  /  Barnes & Noble  /  Google Play  /  Kobo

A.C. Dawn: Stay With Me (Excerpt & FREE in KU!)
Friday, May 14th, 2021

StrandedIn my upcoming release for the anthology, Stay With Me, I revisited my first published work that was under my own name (I’d been ghostwriting before this). “A Stranger’s Kiss” first appeared in Delilah’s Boys Behaving Badly, Stranded anthology. It gave me a massive boost in confidence and helped me launch my author career. A quick, heartfelt THANK YOU to Delilah for that opportunity!

Has anybody experienced the magic of a fresh off-the-line HOT Krispy Kreme donut? When I was a paramedic in Atlanta, we routinely dropped in for one in the wee hours of the morning. Nothing helped get you through the night like a sticky, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth donut from the original Krispy Kreme store in downtown Atlanta. Side note- I just found out that this store was not the original store. The company actually started in the 1930s in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I also discovered that the building burned a few months ago.

When I first moved to Atlanta, I’d just turned 20 and had the world by the tail. I was also a country girl in the big city and walked around with my eyes bugging out and my mouth hanging open. I desperately wanted to experience all the city had to offer. I had big dreams and a head stuffed full of romantic nonsense—thanks to my obsessive reading of all things romance. Since I wasn’t 21, I couldn’t go clubbing with the crew from work, and after months in the city, I still hadn’t managed to have a night on the town. I was a little discouraged, but finally, a firefighter I met through work asked me out.

A tall, hunky guy with blue eyes and biceps that strained the limits of his uniform shirt, I had a serious crush on him. Due to my limited access to the adult world, we spent our evening at a taqueria that had an outdoor dance floor, and all my girlish fantasies of dancing into the night came true. Afterward, we ended swinging by Krispy Kreme and, over a dozen donuts, talked for hours. It didn’t end up going anywhere, but for a country girl with limited experience with men and the city, it was more than enough to make me feel like I had finally arrived.

That simple, sweet memory came to mind as I reinvigorated “A Stranger’s Kiss”. The story was initially an erotic short story. I wanted to use it for a romantic anthology, so I went back and focused on building the romance between the characters that includes bonding over hot donuts! I’m thrilled with how it turned out!

Here’s a tidbit from “A Stranger’s Kiss”. This story will be part of a charity anthology benefitting a good friend and Indie publisher, Sosha Ann, with BBB Publishing. Her mother is battling breast cancer, and we’re trying to support her as she takes care of her mom. The anthology, Stay With Me, is up for preorder and releases June 10th!

Stay With Me

Steaming hot to sugary sweet and everything in between. Join these amazing authors as they delve into worlds of romance. This anthology will be filled with short stories, prequels, and maybe a few surprises along the way. Please beware there maybe cliffhangers and some stories may come with a trigger warning

https://books2read.com/stay-with-me-anthology
The anthology is only $1.99 and is FREE in KU!

Excerpt from “A Stranger’s Kiss”

“The hot sign is on!” Jordan suddenly came alive next to me.

Ahead of us, the Krispy Kreme Donut sign glowed with HOT NOW illuminated in red neon. Stuart laughed and made a quick turn into the parking lot. Jordan hopped out of the car before it even came to a stop and was at my door in a blink. He opened it and held his hand out for mine.

“Come on. There’s nothing better for a late-night snack than a Krispy Kreme hot off the line.” He grinned at me like an excited little boy.

The scent of hot fried dough filled the air. My mouth watered. I grabbed his hand and laughed as he practically ran to window to order. A few minutes later, after Jordan took Stuart a cup of coffee and a box of donuts, we sat on a concrete picnic table beneath the city lights with a dozen hot glazed donuts and two chocolate milks.

As we clogged our arteries and skyrocketed our glucose levels, we talked. Small discoveries, like our common love for chocolate and classic literature, revealed themselves quickly. By the time I was licking my sticky fingers clean, we moved past small talk, revealing bits about ourselves.

“So, if you’re not Batman, heir to the Wayne family fortune, what do you do?” I asked, sipping my chocolate milk, thinking I should have stopped at five donuts instead of splitting the dozen evenly. My mind buzzed with a pleasant sugar high as my tired body asked what it had ever done to deserve such abuse.

Jordan popped the last bit of his final donut in his mouth and chewed before answering my question. “I own several tech companies.” He shrugged and gathered up our trash.

I grinned, liking how he hadn’t taken the opportunity to launch into a dissertation on Jordan Campbell the man, the myth, the millionaire. I hated it when someone’s favorite subject was themselves.

“I thought you were going to say you were a YouTube sensation and donut critic.”

Jordan laughed and again offered his hand. “Are you up for a bit of a walk?”

I hesitated. Going for a walk in an un unknown city after dark with a stranger sounded like a great way to end up on the morning news, but even as I thought it, I put my hand in his. I couldn’t find the tiniest spark of fear for this man.

Jordan pulled my hand through the crook of his arm as we walked down the well-lit sidewalk. Stuart drove behind us, creeping along with his flashers on like a hovering dowager aunt chaperone. The stillness of the city felt odd. I assumed all big cities constantly buzzed with activity.

“Where is everybody?” I asked as we strolled along. I liked how he put himself between me and the street and matched his stride to mine.

“Atlanta’s a weird city. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people flood in from the suburbs and desert it eight hours later. They’ve done a lot of revitalization to help draw people live in the city, but it still feels like a ghost town after dark. What’s Kansas City like after dark?”

“I honestly don’t know. I avoid it at all costs. I live like a hermit in the middle of nowhere about an hour north of the city.”

Jordan stopped and faced me. “A writer. A recluse.” He tucked my hair behind my ear and studied me in the under the streetlight. “You’ve got too much to offer to hide away.”

I averted my gaze and looked up into the twinkling lights of the city. How did he know just what to say to disarm me? It was like he could see straight into me and flip whatever switch he wanted.

“Not everyone thinks so. Besides, you don’t even know me,” I said quietly, thinking of Dilan and what he said when he left me.

Kinsey, you just don’t do it for me anymore.

That short sentence shredded my heart and cut the moorings to my center. Over the last year, I tried to reconnect to my drive, my mojo. My editor forced me to go to this conference to get me out of the house in hopes it would jar me out of my funk. A few hours ago, I would have said it hadn’t worked, but now, I wasn’t so sure.

Jordan studied me for a moment before he continued our stroll. We walked the next block in silence until he stopped at the entrance of a high rise building that jutted up into the dark sky.

“This is where I live.” Jordan paused and looked over my shoulder into the night. Indecision played out on his face.

I jumped in. “I don’t know how to thank you. Seriously. Not just for saving me from sleeping in the airport, but everything.” He had no idea how much he had done for me in the last couple of hours.

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

*~*~*

With her author career in flames, all Kinsey wants to do is go home and nurse her wounds. When sparks fly between her and a hunky millionaire, will Kinsey grab a chance at rejuvenating her writing or will fear and self-doubt hold her back?

About the Author

https://linktr.ee/andycarley

A.C. Dawn is an active and enthusiastic author and reader of short stories, novellas, and novels. She enjoys bringing her characters to life and strives to stir the imagination of her readers. She believes the best writing touches the reader in ways they hadn’t expected and will never forget!

So, that’s the official bio…

Really, I’m a lover of chocolate, a strong jawline with a 5 o’clock shadow, and romances that make your heart pound and your middle get all squishy. I love quiet country living on my north Georgia farm with my family and fur babies of all shapes and sizes. I think the scariest things in life are how fast my daughter is growing and an empty coffee pot. I can’t stand slow drivers in the fast lane and wimpy handshakes.

I have endless stories rumbling around among the rocks in my head. I can’t wait to share them with you!

 

Kayelle Allen: Forever Love — Out Now! (FREE books & Excerpt)
Thursday, May 13th, 2021

Readers, have you ever wondered what happens when an author doesn’t finish a book? Because sometimes we don’t, and it’s not because we don’t try. Maybe you’ve been waiting for a sequel to a beloved book but the author hasn’t completed it. Could be, the author is stuck like I was.

My book Surrender Love was a huge hit when it came out, and I told everyone I was writing a sequel, which I planned to call Surrender Trust. But it never materialized. Fans loved book one so much I got emails eleven years later asking me about it. One reader said she had reread her copy of Surrender Love multiple times and just had to know if the next story would ever come out.

I had been stymied by this story for years and had rewritten it nine times, but I got stuck every time. I didn’t know why the antagonist would do what he was doing. None of it made sense, but for the story to work, X had to happen. How could I write the story when there was no viable reason for the antagonist to do what he did?

Not having an answer frustrated readers and me, too. I had to find a solution.

So, I took a step back and tried writing about the antagonist himself. I called it Origin of Pietas. He’s the immortal king, and he’s a character in a ton of books. Pietas has always been a bit crazy to my way of thinking, but when I started writing his book, I got into his psyche and realized why I didn’t understand — because I was writing him doing things his deep sense of honor would never permit him to do.

After I wrote that book, its sequel, Forged in Fire, came quickly. I wrote a short story in the same series. Lights Out is free when you sign up for my newsletter. I see the possibility for at least two more books in the Bringer of Chaos series. I shifted to the Antonello Brothers series and wrote two others with Pietas in them. I began the Antonello Brothers: Immortal series to work up to the story that had stymied me.

First, I rewrote Surrender Love, and then added Ring of the Dragon to the series. When I was ready to start on Surrender Trust, I gave it a new name, Forever Love. What a great title for a book about immortals falling in love, right?

A full seven books after I started, I finally finished the book that had frustrated me. It has a gloriously happy ending and answered so many questions! I uploaded it to Amazon with a huge sense of accomplishment, and an equally big sigh of relief. It comes out May 13th.

To celebrate, on May 12th and 13th, Surrender Love is free on Amazon and it’s free on Kindle Unlimited every day. There is a not-to-be-missed book between these called Ring of the Dragon. Read that to soak up every single luscious detail. These books each come with a bonus story available only to readers of that book.

Here’s a short excerpt from the opening of Forever Love. The young hero is a newly made immortal named Izzorah, who’s a Kin, one of a feline-human race with catlike eyes and ears, fangs, claws, and the ability to purr. He and his soon-to-be spouse, Luc, are standing at the door, saying what I call a Southern goodbye. You know the type; someone’s leaving and you keep trying to let them go but then they say this and you say that… Luc and Izzorah do not want to part even for a minute.

Excerpt from Forever Love

Luc braced one hand against the open door, body to body with his lover. “You look like you need one more kiss.”

“No, kahmay t’hahr, lord of my heart.” A purr rumbled in Izzorah’s chest, and he tilted his head. The late afternoon sun streamed through the door, lighting his glorious green eyes. His pupils altered, widening like a cat’s, until only a rim of emerald remained. Izzorah focused on Luc’s mouth, then shifted his gaze back up. “I need a lot of kisses.”

“I should have left an hour ago, but with you, I want one kiss after the other.” And instead of walking through the door, he captured Izzorah’s mouth once more.

His lover arched against him, arms around Luc’s neck. When the kiss ended, Izzorah drew back, sliding gentle claws through Luc’s hair, then down his chest.

Luc’s skin tingled from the erotic touch, the raging heat of his inner beast eager for release. He refused to allow his fiery nature the control it craved. As much as he desired another hour with Izzorah, duty called.

He caressed Izzorah’s face. “I love you, Rah. And your cute little cat ears.”

“You’re trying to distract me, calling me a cat. I’m not a…”

Luc stroked one of Izzorah’s ears between fingers and thumb.

“…um… I’m… Ooh, yes, like that…” Izzorah rubbed against Luc’s hand.

Continuing to play with Izzorah’s ear, he smiled. “Is it working?”

Izzorah arched his back, pushing that ear into Luc’s touch. “What?”

With a chuckle, Luc released him. “Distracting you.”

“No. I’m not a cat. I’m Kin.” Izzorah rubbed his head beneath Luc’s chin.

“Rah.” Luc pulled back. “You just marked me, didn’t you?”

Izzorah looked up at him through dark lashes. “I am yours, lord of my heart, but I want other Kin to know you are mine.”

*~*~*

Forever Love – Antonello Brothers: Immortal

For their love, forever isn’t long enough.

Izzorah has always been a Kin, part of a human-like race of fierce, rugged felines. Now he’s also a brand-new immortal.

When he learns the truth about his fiancé’s immortality–and his own–the familiar world he knew vanishes. He must pass a test designed by the immortal king to reveal his gifts and weaknesses.

Pass and he’s accepted into a warrior society he wants no part of. Fail and he’s cast out, away from the man he loves.

As if that’s not bad enough, his lover is also the king’s ex, and the king refuses to part with anything–or anyone–he loves.

Fair test? Not in this immortal lifetime…

Forever Love, a hot MM Sci-Fi romance, is third in the explosive Antonello Brothers: Immortal Science Fiction series.

Amazon worldwide / Kindle Unlimited https://books2read.com/forever-love-immortal

Full series, Surrender Love, Ring of the Dragon, Forever Love https://amzn.to/2N4d7lX

Desiree Holt: New Book and FREE book!
Tuesday, May 11th, 2021

Today Book #6, PROTECTING SUSAN, in The Protectors, my series in  Susan Stoker’s Special Forces World, is live! The book is dedicated to Susan who is such a genuine person and so supportive of authors as well as being an incredibly talented author herself. I hope you will join the fun and grab a copy.

What’s it about?

For Susan Stryker, the chance to start a new life with a new name, halfway across the country from her abusive ex, was like a miracle. Determined to give back, she opens a self defense school for women, reaching out especially to those in shelters. Although her ex destroyed any desire to connect with someone else, she can’t help what she feels for former SEAL Levi Hawke, a man with his own troubles. A man she met halfway through her journey on a rainy night who hooked her up with someone who could make that new life happen.

Two years later she’s about to spend two weeks on a farm where she will teach self defense and gun use to abused women who want to protect themselves. Tex Keegan, who helped her create her new life, insists she take a bodyguard with her, despite her objections. But when that bodyguard turns out to be Levi Hawke, all those buried emotions come raging to the surface. And then, just as the classes are going smoothly and the chemistry between Susan and Levi is taking them places they never thought they’d go, all hell breaks loose, from both the past and present.

For Levi this is a must-succeed mission, to save the woman he admits he loves. For Susan, it’s a chance to finally bury the past. But are two people, no matter who they are, enough to do it? Together?

https://desireeholt.com/books/protecting-susan/

Free Book

To celebrate, for a limited time only – May 8-12, Book #1 in the series, PROTECTING MADDIE is FREE! If you have not read any of the books yet, this is a great introduction and hopefully will lead you to the rest of the books.

When Maddie Winslow talked a student out of his gun in her classroom, she never figured it would set off a chain of events that put her life in grave danger, and the lives of her parents.

Hiding in WitSec for thirty years, her parents thought they had beaten the odds—until the image of Maddie, an identical replica of her mother—hits the television airwaves and the people who have been seeking revenge all these years find her. Intent on learning where her mother is hiding, they break into her home and then try to kidnap her. Frightened, she goes to her friend, Zee, who once dated someone in Delta Force. She calls him to explain her friend’s situation, but he’s prepping for a mission and can’t leave the base.

Hunter “Hawkeye” St. John, a Delta Force team member, is on medical leave recuperating in Tampa and chafing for some action. When he and Maddie meet, the sparks flying between them sizzle the air. But if Hawkeye wants to move forward with Maddie he first has to keep her safe and then eliminate the bad guys.

https://desireeholt.com/books/protecting-maddie/

And find the entire series here: https://desireeholt.com/the-protector-series/

Want more? Come join Desiree’s Darlings, where every day is a celebration. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DesireesDarlings

N.J. Walters: Netflix and Chill — Top 5 Picks! (FREE Book)!
Monday, March 29th, 2021

The explosion of streaming services—Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, or any of the many others—has changed how we watch shows, miniseries, and movies. With so many options to choose from, there really is something for everyone.

This past year, many of us have been isolating more due to the pandemic. Until this happened, I never really binged on shows. It’s fun to not have to wait to see an entire season, or an entire series.

My Personal Top 5 Picks

The Mandalorian—The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the epic adventure of a lone gunfighter—the Mandalorian. When a job goes sideways, he’s left with the care of a baby Yoda. (There are currently two seasons.)

WandaVision—If you’re a fan of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) this series is a must-see. It takes place after the movie Endgame and gives us a glimpse into the life of Wanda Maximoff and Vision. If you’ve watched sitcoms from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, there’s pure magic in the early episodes. If you find it confusing at first, hang in there. It will all make sense in the end. Absolutely brilliant! (There are 9 episodes in total.)

(Both the above series are on Disney Plus. I don’t have this service, but my brother and SIL do. Thanks to several snowstorms and overnight stays, I was able to watch both series.)

The Witcher—This series follows the adventures of solitary monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. In his world, it’s sometimes the people who are more dangerous than the monsters.  Henry Cavill is spellbinding as Geralt. (There’s one season, so far, with more to come.)

Bridgerton—Like so many people, I was curled up this past Christmas Day binging on the series that brought to life The Duke and I, the first book in the historical romance series of the same name, by Julia Quinn. I devoured all 9 episodes in two days. Brilliant ensemble cast! I can’t wait for season two!

The Old Guard—This original Netflix movie, starring Charlize Theron, follows a group of immortal assassins who are trying to protect their identity at the same time as a new member is uncovered. Action-packed and original, I can’t wait for the sequel. I love a movie where a badass woman kicks butt.

I’ve watched many documentaries, series, and movies. There really is a lot to explore. I’m looking forward to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney Plus. What have you been watching?

Blood of the Drakon Series

And if you feel like binging on a paranormal romance series, why not check out my Blood of the Drakon series. Drakon’s Promise, the first book in the series, is FREE.

SERIES: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Drakon-7-Book/dp/B07R2FL7J4/

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

FREE READ! Get your copy now!
Tuesday, March 9th, 2021

Handymen

This novelette (it’s a little longer than a short story) is FREE for the next few days only! Get your copy! But be warned—it’s a menage, and it’s hot!!

Get your copy here!