Friday, September 30, 2022

Book Blitz & #Giveaway ~ Green House Haunting: An Andy Watts Ghost Column by Olivia York ~ Mystery, New Adult, Supernatural, Suspense @XpressoTours

Green House Haunting: An Andy Watts Ghost Column
Olivia York
Publication date: September 29th 2022
Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Supernatural, Suspense

A terrible tragedy dead and buried. Can a young woman dig up the haunted truth without falling into madness?

About the Book:

Andy Watts needs a break. So when the struggling journalist is asked to revisit a fifty-year-old mystery, she jumps at the chance to move into an abandoned house and honor her long-gone mom by becoming a respected reporter. But she’s shocked when she discovers not only did a polio-stricken boy disappear from within its rooms, but his mother took a fatal tumble down the stairs.

Stonewalled by the locals and unnerved by unexplained events in the eerie home, Andy fears the town would rather bury evidence than admit one of their own could commit murder. And with the ghostly image of a youngster in leg braces persisting, she’s terrified by hints that the awful answer is calling from beyond the grave.

Can Andy deliver justice for the voiceless before she becomes the next victim?

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Purchase from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Read an Excerpt:

Green house stood solemnly in a noiseless field of overgrown vegetation. The dim rays of daylight disappeared in the distance beyond, darkening the front while sharpening the jagged exterior outline with a looming violet glow. It rose above the ground, perhaps two floors high, but a lack of windows at the top told Andy it may not have an attic to speak of.

The house drew her closer. The windows appeared somewhat new, the lining freshly painted white. It contrasted the worn, splintered wood on the verge of collapsing from the weight of a perched bird. At the base of the sagging stoop was the frame of a crumbling, rusted bicycle, rendered useless by the rain and condensation.

Andy climbed the front steps. Two, three, four steps upward, each one creaking an undecipherable note of an ominous melody. An unraveling front door mat read “Home” in tattered, fading letters.

This isn’t so bad.

Andy winced, unable to swallow her own lie. Quickly, she found the key in the envelope before she could change her mind and turn back. The shiny silver looked brand new compared to the decrepit bronze lock on the door. Studying the door closer, she spotted the new keyhole. A stern-looking deadbolt glinting a couple of inches above what must have been the original lock.

She pushed the door open, and the weight dragged it all the way open to gently bounce off the interior wall. Andy peered inside, but her feet stayed glued to the mat outside the door. The interior contents were fuzzy in the fading light, yet she could spot the three glinting hooks on the wall for sweaters and hats. A little deeper inside was one wing of the house, and to the right was another. In the center was a semi-carpeted staircase leading upstairs, where what followed remained unseen around the corner.

There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the home. She was no expert on houses made in the ’30s and ’40s, but it looked about how she’d expect. The ceilings were low, and the wooden floor was dull. However, Andy couldn’t help but feel something was different. That there was something in plain sight she couldn’t see. She stood motionless at the door, searching for what she thought was missing. The house stood, too, waiting patiently.


Meet the Author:

Olivia York writes supernatural suspense novels with family drama woven throughout (and hints of mystery). After a stint working for a local news station as reporter/anchor in the Midwest, she decided to make the switch to her imaginative side and write.

She is a lover of cats, road trips, and visiting old fashioned candy shops along the coast. Olivia lives with her husband and two cats, who are kind enough to humor her love of paranormal TV shows and never-ending collection of horror films.

Sign up for Olivia York’s Newsletter to find out about new releases, updates, cover reveals, and more!

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Preorder Blitz ~ Naughty or Nice Anthology ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #NaughtyorNiceAnthology #HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance

 

Naughty or Nice Anthology

Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Steamy Romance, Sweet Romance

Published Date: E-Book releases October 18, 2022

Publisher: WOLF Publishing


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 About the Anthology:

This wintery holiday collection of seven never before published Regency romances by seven of your favorite historical romance authors will bring you dreamy gentlemen and fierce ladies that share swoon-worthy kisses, heart-pounding nights, and magical happily-ever-afters.

On WOLF Publishing's Naughty or Nice list, you'll find captivatingly sweet tales that melt your heart as well as sizzling romances that heat up your nights!

Find out who's been naughty and who's been nice this year, in...

 

Bree Wolf's: Once Upon an Aggravatingly Heroic Kiss

Once upon a time, our beloved Grandma Edie began her career as the best matchmaker in known history by using her extraordinary talent to bring about her own happily-ever-after...

Determined to perform a Christmas miracle by seeing her friend wed to the man she loves, Edith finds herself distracted from her task by a teasing gentleman with wicked eyes and a devilish smile.

 

Sydney Jane Baily's: A Diamond for Christmas

In a Regency Romeo and Juliet, heady desire blossoms between a lord and a lady from warring families.

Lord Geoffrey Diamond is the heir to an earldom with dash-fire to spare. There is no lady in London he ought not to be able to woo and win. Except one. Lady Caroline is vexed to learn the only man who makes her tingle is prohibited. Forbidden even to dance with Diamond, she finds herself breaking all the rules in order to follow her heart.

When they take a desperate chance on happiness, will it lead to a Christmas miracle or a Christmas calamity?

 

Tracy Sumner's: The Governess Gamble

He's a devil of a rake. Can an accidental governess teach him life's most important lesson?

To repair her scandalous reputation, American heiress Franny Shaw flees to London in search of a desperate nobleman with a title for sale. An impulsive decision places her in the path of lonely libertine, Chance Allerton, at Christmastide. Can a make-believe governess teach a wicked viscount a sizzling lesson in love or will it take a holiday miracle?

 

Fenna Edgewood's: The Countess's Christmas Groom

She is his ideal match. The woman he has been waiting for all of his life. The only problem? He's her servant.

This Christmas, two very unlikely individuals are about to realize they are one another's ideal match. And once mutual desire has been sparked, they will never be parted, no matter the price they must face.

 

Charlie Lane's: A Very Daring Christmas

Christmas is the most daring time of the year.

Crowded London streets, eccentric shop keeps, violent-minded maids, and chaotic coffeehouses. A daring but reluctant debutant and the steward who adores her will brave it all to find the elusive perfect gift that could win their hearts desires.

 

Jennifer Monroe's: Gentleman of Christmas Past

A lady determined to find love. A gentleman wanting her hand in marriage. A Christmas story you will never forget.

Miss Agnes Fitzimmons and Mr. Phillip Rutley each have a Christmas wish—to marry one another. Yet with financial burdens threatening to keep them apart, it will take a Christmas miracle to have the happily ever after they deserve.

 

Meredith Bond's: Christmas Intrigue

Can the joy of Christmas, and a beautiful woman, distract him from his duty?

Is it a recipe for disaster? Not even close. Whether Markgraf Alexander Kottenfurst thinks the spirited Prudence Torrington is naughty or nice will determine if this Christmas intrigue will lead to something wonderful.

 


Meet the Authors:

Bree Wolf, Sydney Jane Baily, Tracy Sumner, Fenna Edgewood, Charlie Lane, Jennifer Monroe, Meredith Bond

 

Contact Links:

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Preorder Links:

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Cover Reveal ~ ClickMate by Tia Kelly @tiawithapen ~ Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance @XpressoTours

ClickMate
Tia Kelly
Publication date: January 24th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

About the Book:

After a public and very messy divorce nearly drained his bank account, Cole Howard is too focused on trying to save his basketball career to even think about shooting his shot outside of the arena, especially with women like his uptight neighbor, Bella Barnes. Despite being beautiful and intelligent, she’s no stranger to drama, one thing he’s desperate to avoid.

His only escape is an online culinary covert persona he uses to share his passion for all things food with a stranger who’s only interested in what he can do in the kitchen and not on the court.

After having a problematic entanglement with a very famous and still married celebrity aired out on a nationally syndicated radio show, being unceremoniously fired, and moving in with her sister, Bellamy Barnes is too focused on trying to get her life back together to even think about getting herself entangled with another emotionally unavailable man. This especially includes men like her sister’s annoying neighbor, Cole Howard.

Despite being gorgeous and charming– though she wishes he would stop calling her Bella because he knows she hates it—he’s exactly the kind of rich, thinks-he’s-God’s-gift to women player (on and off the court) she’d spent her entire life avoiding.

Her only refuge is visually indulging in the culinary masterpieces cooked up by her online crush and confidante.

Cole and Bellamy have sworn off love IRL but on BeyoncĂ©’s internet, cupid plays by a different set of rules.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order https://amzn.to/3SGpAIX


Author Bio:

Tia Kelly is the author of contemporary and women's fiction. She is known for her candid way of capturing life, love and relationships… one story at a time.

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Book Blast ~ Forever Askole by Gail Koger ~ @Askole #SciFi #RomCom #Romance @Askole @GoddessFish

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Koger will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

About the Book:


My name is Ella McAllister, I’m a psychic witch and a healer. My life is kinda nuts. Not only do I have the Coletti hunters chasing me, but now I also have a very determined Askole High Commander after me. Why? I shot his ship down and it crash landed, and it blew up. Yep, itty-bitty pieces everywhere. My bad, but his ship was a dead ringer for a Rodan Marauder, and it was my civic duty to blow the enemy spacecraft out of the sky. Wasn’t it? Any hoo, I healed his owies and boogied.

I thought that was the end of it, but oh no. For some unknown reason, Sariel, the Askole High Commander, decided I would make him the perfect mate. As if. I think the blow to his head made him completely bonkers.

Sariel informed me the mating dance had begun and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The idiot had obviously never dealt with a witch before. I didn’t have the time to play games with him, so I did a little abracadabra alakazam and ran.

Sigh. The persistent Askole found me. Now I have a decision to make. Keep running or surrender to the High Commander. He is a damn good kisser.

Would the mating dance bring two lonely souls together? Who knew?

Read an Excerpt:

“He was your lover?” Sariel queried in disbelief.

I cringed with embarrassment. “Briefly. I fell for his lies and didn’t see his true nature until he tried to sell me to the hunters.”

“I will never betray you or lie to you,” Sariel stated.

“So, you keep saying, but I’m not looking for a mate nor do I need one.”

Sariel’s tentacles stood out from his head. “A lie. Your loneliness drove you to bed a traitor.”

Ouch! “Okay, fine. I’m lonely, but…”

“I.”

“Am.”

“Not.”

“Mating with you,” I enunciated clearly.

“As a warrior, you can challenge me to combat to stop the mating dance.” Sariel’s rather toothy grin was alarming. “Do you dare duel with me?”

In hand-to-hand combat I wouldn’t last ten seconds. “How about I teach you a little-known fact?”

Sariel’s helmet formed over his head, and he asked warily, “What would that be?”

“Never mess with a witch. It doesn’t end well.” I shouted my power word, “Sufflamine!” A thunderous cracking boom rent the air. A second later, a shockwave of energy hit Sariel and flung him out into the ocean.

He hit with a big splash and sank beneath the surface. “Excellent tactical move.”

Seriously? He sounded almost proud of me. “Stay away from me or next time I won’t be so gentle.”

“There is no where you can run that I cannot find you,” Sariel replied.

About the Author:

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

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Ghost Cat on the Midway (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery) by Mollie Hunt #CozyMystery @MollieHuntCats

 

Ghost Cat on the Midway (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery) by Mollie Hunt

About Ghost Cat on the Midway:

 

Ghost Cat on the Midway (A Tenth Life Cozy Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Independently Published (August 29, 2022)

Print Length: ‎ 195 pages

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0B8WGLNMT

This summer, there’s trouble brewing at the Cove County Fair. 

Camelia Collins, Ocean Cove’s most recent resident over seventy years of age, is all set to go to the fair! The smell of the popcorn, the roar of the crowd, the Ferris wheel and the pony shows—things she remembers from childhood and looks forward to experiencing again. 

But something’s up at the Cove County Fair. When Camelia meets the keeper of a rescued tiger, she could not have predicted that keeper would soon be dead and the tiger gone missing. A rogue band of aggressive animal activists seems the obvious culprits, but they deny the act.

  Only one entity knows the truth—the ghost cat Soji, but will the capricious spirit decide to come forward before someone else dies?

About Mollie Hunt:

Cat Writer Mollie Hunt is the award-winning author of two cozy series, the Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries and the Tenth Life Mysteries. Her Cat Seasons Sci-Fantasy Tetralogy features extraordinary cats saving the world. Mollie also pens a bit of cat poetry.

Mollie is a member of the Oregon Writers’ Colony, Sisters in Crime, the Cat Writers’ Association, and Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA). She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and a varying number of cats.

Author Links Purchase Link - Amazon https://amzn.to/3SYwY2T 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

September 26 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 26 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 26 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 27 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
September 28 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW
September 28 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
September 28 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
September 29 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 29 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
September 29 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 30 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 30 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
October 1 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 1 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

Book Blitz ~ Call to a Nightmare by Jim Lester ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #CalltoaNightmare #JimLester #mystery #thriller

 

Call to a Nightmare by Jim Lester 

Mystery, Thriller

Published Date: August, 2022

 

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About the Book:

It was the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, the era of Model T Fords, bootleggers and G-men. Spiritualism was all the rage. Everyone wanted to talk to the dead. Except Dr. Alex Gabriel, who thought talking to the dead was ridiculous. Until he met Savannah Bishop, the country's most unique medium. Using Savannah's contacts with the World Beyond, Dr. Gabriel and Miss Bishop set out to solve a series of brutal murders that range from the glitz of Hollywood to the backwoods of Arkansas and eventually to the bohemian Left Bank of Paris and finally to pre-Nazi Berlin.


About the Author:

Jim Lester holds a PhD in history an dis the author of the historical novel, The Blind Boxer and a successful mystery novel called Deadline: New York about the early years of the paperback book industry. He is also the author of four young adult novels and a non-fiction book entitled Hoop Crazy: College Basketball in the 1950s.

 

Contact Link:

Website


Purchase Link:

Amazon https://amzn.to/3SmwzY8

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Teaser ~ Chase by Marteeka Karland ~ #MC #Romance @marteekakarland @changelingpress @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #ChaseBonesMC #MarteekaKarland #MCRomance

 

Chase by Marteeka Karland

Bones MC


Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Action & Adventure

Date Published: 09/30/2022

 

About the Book:

Cotton: When I avenged my sister’s murder, I knew the consequences. I didn’t expect anything less than prison. I got it. In spades. I survived ten years of hell. I was just fifteen when I was sent away but I never regretted taking the law into my own hands. But the father of the man I killed is now a judge, and the ten years I gave the state might not be enough.

I thought I could disappear into the little Kentucky town and keep my head down and keep my nose clean. What could be so hard about that? But I'm on parole and everything is stacked against me. When the only place that will hire me happens to be a biker bar, staying out of trouble might be too much for me to manage. Then Chase steamrolls into my life and I know I have much more than my freedom to lose. This man has the power to tear out my heart.

Chase: I’ve spent the better part of my life in the shadows. Before Bones MC, my team worked for some shady people -- as assassins. I thought I was sacrificing for the greater good. Turns out I was just one more bad guy working for more bad guys. I can’t seem to atone for the sins of my past. No matter what I do, those demons still haunt me.

The second I spot Cotton, everything changes. Everything about the girl screams “battered woman,” but she’s more than that. There is death in her eyes. She’s killed, but she’s not a killer. No matter what, no matter who comes after her, I will protect her till my last breath. Because she is my only salvation. She’s my woman.



Read an Excerpt:

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2022 Marteeka Karland


“Let me go. Now.” That was another thing I’d learned in prison. You put up or shut up. Once I’d set a boundary, I had to follow through or this would never end. And this guy would get what he wanted.

He squeezed my arm harder, this time standing and pulling me against him. “You’ll get under that fuckin’ table and suck my fuckin’ dick like the good little whore you are, or I’ll carry you outa here and we’ll all have a fuckin’ go.”

His buddies laughed and clinked beer bottles like it was one big party. There was no way I could keep these guys from doing whatever they wanted unless someone came to my rescue. Which this guy had obviously planned for. It was a dark corner fairly close to the door. All he had to do was get me outside before anyone noticed. Assuming anyone cared. But I had the feeling the guys from Bones might take exception to anyone outside their territory taking an employee out of their bar. That’s the way it was in prison. Bones may not claim me as one of their own, but they would absolutely not allow another gang to disrupt their business or mess with their employees. At least, that’s what I was counting on.

The second the words were out of his mouth, my hand shot between his legs and grabbed his crotch. I squeezed his balls as hard as I could, thankful he’d grabbed my left arm and not my right. He gave a strangled cry and doubled over, letting go of my arm, trying to pry my fingers loose but unable to do more than weakly tug at my wrist. I squeezed just that little bit tighter, putting every ounce of strength I had into hanging on and tugging with a sharp jerk. The big guy fell to his knees and I let go, stepping back quickly. I gripped my heavy serving tray in both hands, bringing it back like I was readying myself to hit him with it even as I continued to back away.

I bumped into someone and a big palm landed on my shoulder. I thought I was in big trouble, but the hand pulled me back gently, and a huge guy stepped in front of me, putting himself between me and the three men at the table.

“There a problem here?”

“Yeah, there’s a fuckin’ problem! Bitch threw herself at me then tried to back out. Tried to crush my fuckin’ balls for no fuckin’ reason!”

“In my experience, women like Cotton don’t put their hands on men like you willingly.” Oh, my God! Could this night get any worse? The man who’d come to my rescue was Chase Dutton. I knew he was a member of Bones, but I tried to stay away from him as much as I could. It was no secret his brother was a police officer and the last thing I wanted was to have another set of eyes on me. I had no idea why Pops and Cain had hired me, but I didn’t want any complications in case they changed their mind.

“Why, you son of a bitch!”

The big guy lunged at Chase, but Chase simply caught him by the throat, pulling a gun and bringing it to the man’s temple in one smooth move. The second the barrel touched his head, Chase cocked it.

“No one touches the servers. Especially when they don’t want it.”

“But she --” He was cut off when Chase brought the butt of the gun down on his head once before putting the barrel back to his temple. The guy’s knees threatened to buckle, but he kept his footing. Barely.

“Don’t matter if she did. When you touched her, she changed her mind. That’s all that counts. So you and your buddies here are all gonna fuckin’ leave the bar. Now. Don’t come back.”

“You can’t throw us out!” One of his buddies had stood but made no move to get help. In fact, he had his hands up and backed up a couple steps, belying his statement.

“He can,” Pops said, coming up behind me. Again, he moved me gently out of the way, putting himself between me and the three men. “So can I. We both say to get the fuck out.”

The bar had quietened near us, but the other side seemed oblivious. I looked around to see a couple at my tables raising nearly empty glasses or bottles wanting refills. I desperately wanted to duck my head and just go on about my job, but I had no idea what was expected of me.

“You good, Cotton?” Chase asked, not looking back at me but still eyeing the men who’d yet to leave.

“Yes,” I said softly. Automatically. My arm hurt, but I wasn’t about to draw more attention to myself. “May I go back to work?”

He glanced at me then and I quickly looked away. Chase Dutton was the sexiest man I’d ever seen. And a man I had no business even looking at. He also seemed to hate me on sight. Cain and Pops both assured me they would keep my incarceration to themselves, and I didn’t want to take a chance on anyone else finding out. Which Chase likely had. Things always changed when anyone found out. People I thought were friends suddenly wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn’t really blame them, but it hurt that no one thought me important enough to find out my side of the story. I’d kind of been crushing on Chase from a distance, and to have him affirm that I wasn’t worth befriending -- even though I already knew that’s what he thought -- would hurt worse than when it had happened before. Because I was stupid to let my emotions get the better of me like this.

“What?” Chase glanced back at me, then snapped, “No you can’t go back to work! Get your ass to the office! I’ll talk to you after I’ve taken out the trash over here.”

 


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Book Blitz & #Giveaway ~ Magic and Mayhem by Annie Anderson (The Wrong Witch, #2) ~ @AnnieAnde #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy #UF @XpressoTours

Magic and Mayhem
Annie Anderson
(The Wrong Witch, #2)
Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

All it took was one bite.

A week ago, I was the perpetual screw up of the Bannister coven and a probationary agent for the Arcane Bureau of Investigation. Somehow, I’ve managed to get myself mated to an Acosta Alpha, pissed off my family, and gotten on the radar of a dark Fae.

As much as I’d like to bury my head in the sand, I have a badge to secure—and with a new case on my proverbial desk—a job to do. Because I’m not the first witch that the Fae has tried to steal, but I will definitely be the last.

Just as soon as I get this curse under control…

Add to Goodreads / Purchase from Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

A knock came at the bathroom door. “Wren, honey? You all right?”

I whipped that door open so fast an avalanche of steam billowed out of the bathroom to smack Fiona in the face. I hadn’t seen her since Serreno hauled me to Nico’s cabin for questioning. She appeared far better than the last time I’d seen her, all healed up by the med clinic and in fresh clothes.

Wrapping her in a hug, I was glad I’d managed to get dressed before her knock. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“And let you take that fool test by yourself? Please.”

Shoving her away, I gripped her shoulders with a little too much gusto. “What? No. Please don’t tell me Serreno is making you test out, too.”

Fiona frowned before giving me a winning smile. “If I want the charges against Girard to stick and a real investigation to be had into this place, then the both of us need to be agents, Wren. It just makes sense for us to do it now. Plus, it’ll be a snap.” She waved a hand as if it was so simple as she plopped onto the edge of the couch. “Hannah told me you blew them out of the water during your practical.”

But Fiona was forgetting a particularly important facet of that event—not that she was around for it, but whatever. Namely, the null ward I wore around my neck like my own personal good luck charm. It kept me from fucking up—kept everyone safe.

And to save us, I’d tossed it away. To save her.

How was Nico going to get me a new one? He didn’t have time to trek down to Savannah and back. How was I going to pass this damn thing? Luck and blind optimism? I hadn’t been lucky a day in my life.

“What about when Nico saved you?” Fiona replied to the thoughts I must have said aloud. “That seems pretty lucky to me. Of all the people to pull you from the burning wreckage of Azalea Apothecary, you got the super-hot shifter dreamboat with the giant dick and an unrelenting urge to keep you safe. If that ain’t luck, I don’t know what is.”

“Whoa, who told you he had a giant dick?” Yes, that was what I latched onto, and yes, that sentence actually came out of my mouth.

Fi speared me with a sharp glare. “No one had to tell me that boy is packing a damn cannon in those pants. He just walks like he’s got a monster in there. Like I told you before, I’ve got eyes, don’t I?”

She wasn’t wrong.


Meet the Author:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.

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Book Spotlight & #Giveaway ~ Darkness Above (A Jordan Korento Novel, Book One) by J.D. Brown ~ #UrbanFantasy #UF


Darkness Above
A Jordan Korento Novel 
Book One 
J.D. Brown

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date of Publication: September 12, 2022
ISBN: 9798844461750
ASIN: B0B7FS53VQ
Number of pages: 500
Word Count: 115k
Cover Artist: BZN Studios

Tagline: Her parents are legends but they’re losing the war. Now it’s her turn.

About the Book:

Her parents are legends, but they’re losing the war.

Now, it’s her turn.

Jordan Korento spent her life training for the vampire war, but no one will give her a chance to prove she’s more than just a princess.

When Jordan learns of a twin brother who was sent to live in hostile territory, she takes destiny into her own hands, determined to save the sibling she never met and make her family whole.

Joined by her vampire ex-girlfriend who she still has feelings for—and the mysterious Sergeant who steals her breath with a single glance—Jordan embarks on a rescue mission to Bavaria, where nothing is what it seems. Will she find a kindred spirit in her twin or an enemy lying in wait?

Darkness Above (A Jordan Korento Novel 1) is an adrenaline-fueled urban fantasy full of dark magic and deadly creatures that are as sensual as they are bloodthirsty.

Purchase Links:

Amazon     AmazonUK     AmazonCA     AmazonAU

Kobo     BN     Apple


Read Excerpt 1:

Chapter Two

Torrance’s tone—half cheerful, half serious—cut through the bliss of a deep sleep as she shook me awake. “Rise and shine, birthday girl.”

My temples throbbed as I squeezed my eyelids tight and groaned into the pillow. “Ten more minutes.”

“Sorry, no can do.” Torrance yanked the covers away, and I curled into the fetal position against the sudden chill. “I already let you sleep in. Up and at ’em, soldier.”

“Ugh.” My eyelids peeled open, and I blinked to bring the room into focus. The angles confused me for a moment.

“Not my fault you insisted on working. I told you to take the night off.” Torrance offered me a paper cup of water and two generic brand pain reliever tablets. She wore her usual black tank top, cargo pants, and steel toe boots. Her dark shoulder length hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail at the nap of her neck. Torrance was unfairly beautiful with pouty lips, angular cheekbones, and a jawline that gave her features a touch of androgyny.

I sat upright and accepted the pills, swallowing them both in one go before gulping the water. The tip of my tongue ran across my chapped lips as I patted a hand against my auburn curls. My hair was doing that gross thing where half of it stuck flat against my cheek, glued to my drool, while the other half puffed into the air like a poodle’s ass.

“Why am I in your bed?” I asked while handing her the empty cup.

Like all the rooms in the Sword of Somnus Brotherhood dormitories, ours was tiny with two twin-sized beds, two narrow dresser drawers, and a single writing desk between them. I’d fought tooth and nail for this room, though, so I wasn’t about to complain. I just didn’t understand how Torrance’s navy-blue sheets had wound themselves around my legs. My bed stood directly across from hers, with its Buffy the Vampire Slayer comforter neatly tucked into the cheap faux wood frame.

Torrance tossed the paper cup into the wastebasket under the desk and then opened a drawer in my dresser. “You mean you don’t remember climbing in and saying we should be friends with benefits before passing out like a corpse?”

She pulled a pair of clean olive-green cargo pants and a matching t-shirt from the drawer and threw them at me. Since my reflexes were still steeped in alcohol, I didn’t catch the standard issued uniform in time and the clothes hit my face before falling to my lap.

“Sorry,” I murmured.

“No you’re not. Now go take a shower, you smell like vomit.”

I touched a hand to my cheek, where my hair was plastered to my face by something that might have been a little too thick to be drool. “I didn’t actually vomit though, did I?”

Torrance crossed her arms and arched her brow. “What do you think I’ve been doing all day? Mopping the floor because it was dusty?”

My gaze went to the mop and bucket in the corner. Neither of us owned cleaning supplies, so she obviously took it from the janitor’s closet at the end of the hall.

Even though vampires didn’t sleep, and Torrance had to occupy herself while I snoozed, she wasn’t my maid. It wasn’t her job to pick up after me. Especially not bodily fluids.

I winced and apologized again. “Sorry.”

Torrance pointed to our shared bathroom. “You can make it up to me by not being late.”

I nodded and then trudged into the facilities where I tiptoed over the cold tile and stepped into the single-person shower stall. I stripped and washed quickly but took a moment to examine the bruises over my ribs and thighs. I doubted Torrance would have let me fall on my ass during last morning’s party, so they must’ve been from training. None of them hurt. Much.

I dried and dressed, adding underwear, socks, and combat boots to the uniform. After applying ample leave-in conditioner, I used my fingers to separate the soft curls and then pulled them back into a ponytail, securing the locks with my favorite rainbow sequin scrunchie.

Torrance knocked on the door. “Done yet?”

“Just a sec,” I called out.

“We literally have three minutes to get to the Hall. I mean, I’m fast but ….”

I looked at my reflection in the mirror above the sink and sighed. I hadn’t meant to be hungover tonight. The party was supposed to be a small gathering, but every senior cadet and half the faculty had shown up. These days, people were encouraged to find happiness wherever they could, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be consequences. I could only hope that talk of last morning’s festivities didn’t reach Head Huntsman Chayton.

Or worse, my father.

“Jordan Korento, I will leave without you!”

I chuckled at the empty threat. Torrance was my bodyguard. She couldn’t go anywhere without me. But for some reason she always acted as though keeping me punctual was part of her job description.

Looking at my reflection again, I drew a deep breath and released it slowly. To be honest, being late to my shift was the least of my worries.

“This is it,” I murmured to myself. “Tonight, I meet my mother.”

I haven’t seen Mom since I was baby, which meant I had no real memories of her. I should be more excited. Other girls would be. Normal girls. But my family wasn’t normal. My father was a vampire king. My mother was a legend; a vampyre queen who’d done some badass shit in her lifetime. And now she was an elite assassin on her way home after twenty years of training.

No pressure, right?

 


About the Author:

J.D. Brown knows that vampires exist because she dated one, and no he didn't sparkle. A magnet for subcultures and weirdness, J.D. was that socially awkward girl with more fictional friends than real ones. As a child battling a hearing loss and a medical condition called Muckle-Wells Syndrome, J.D. found comfort in books where strong women always saved the day and got the guy. An obsession with Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer lead J.D. to believe that her mutated genes made her something more, not something less. Thus her stubborn flare to persevere was born.
 
A lover of fine cuisine, coffee, and shoes, J.D. never understood why shoe stores don’t serve Starbucks and soufflĂ©. She resides in Illinois where she writes urban fantasy - aka vampires for adults - and has political debates with her dogs. She loves to hear from fans and is active on Facebook.com/AuthorJDBrown











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Book Blitz & #Giveaway ~ Escape Room Tango by CC Bridges ~ Contemporary Romance ~ @XpressoTours @ccbridgeswriter

Escape Room Tango
CC Bridges
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: September 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance

About the Book:

David never expected to fall for his rival. After getting fired and dumped, he wasn’t even looking for a relationship. But she’s the one woman he can’t have—his business is the reason hers is failing.

Elena built her escape room like she rebuilt her body after the accident—piece by piece with determination. And this guy thinks he can show up and put in the minimal work? He deserved to have the fire inspector called on him.

But Elena can’t ignore the connection between them. Will she have to sacrifice her dreams for a chance at love?

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Read an Excerpt:

“My name is David Brant. I’m the owner.” He didn’t know why his words made the dark-haired woman glare at him, but David didn’t really care.

He only had eyes for the redhead. She had stolen his attention from the moment she walked into the lobby. He’d been excited about welcoming his first customers, his intro speech on his lips. Every word left his mind the moment he saw her.

She held herself differently than the other two women, with her shoulders back and neck extended. Her cinnamon-colored hair hung over her shoulder in a long braid. He wanted to pick up that braid and tickle her nose with it to make her laugh, anything to see what her smile might look like. Her green eyes speared him with their gaze, rendering him temporarily mute.

He held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you…” He trailed off, hoping she’d take him up on the offer.

She took it, her grip firm and decisive. “Elena.”

“That’s a lovely name.” He grinned, realized he was acting like an idiot, and stepped forward to greet the other two women in the same way. They were all his customers and deserved the same courtesy. “Can I take your coats? There are hooks back here.”

He’d designed the lobby to be comfortable but clearly a place of transition. With any luck, his customers wouldn’t spend much time here at all before being escorted into one of the three escape rooms in the back. If he wanted to be successful, he needed to have a constant flow of customers.

That didn’t mean his lobby couldn’t be fun. He’d placed Rubik’s cubes and other mind-teasing puzzles on the coffee table near the chairs along one wall. He included a water cooler for those who arrived thirsty. If they were hungry, he’d happily direct them to Spano’s Pizza next door, owned by the family of his best friend, Tony.

Without Tony, he didn’t think he’d have ever pulled the trigger and made this fresh start by opening his own business.

“Of course, thank you.” Elena handed over her coat.

David collected it and those belonging to the other two before hanging them.

“Have you ever done an escape room before?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“A few. But this place is new to us.” Elena seemed to be the only one willing to speak.

Not that he minded, he liked the sound of her voice. Man, Tony was right. Before the ladies had walked in, he’d been telling David he had to get back in the dating scene, go on the rebound, get it out of his system. Clearly, his words held some truth if David had immediately started checking out his customers. Well, one notable customer in particular.

Meet the Author:

CC Bridges spent her childhood visiting other worlds in books, comics, and the starship Enterprise. It's no surprise that she ended up a librarian, being surrounded by the books she loves so much. She writes about amazing worlds with honorable heroes. Her hobbies include paying money to get locked in a room for an hour so she can solve puzzles to escape, along with the aforementioned reading. She lives with her husband and son on the Jersey Shore. She is currently pursuing an MFA from Southern New Hampshire University.

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