Saturday, May 27, 2023

Hidden Justice (Spy Makers Guild, #1) and Broken Promises (Bad Legacy, #1) by Diana Muñoz Stewart ~ Romance, Suspense @dmunozstewart @XpressoTours

Hidden Justice
Diana Muñoz Stewart
(Spy Makers Guild, #1)
Publication date: April 18th 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Justice
Saved from my not-so-stellar childhood and adopted into a wealthy, loving family of international spies, I’ve trained my whole life to rescue others––and to get revenge. Now, my latest mission has hit a snag. Okay, yeah, I’m the snag. Rash actions and all that. Point is, I need a new cover. Unfortunately, my best solution jeopardizes a good man. A man I can’t help but admire…in more ways than one.

Sandesh
After a loss too big to bear, I left Special Forces and dedicated my life to founding a humanitarian group. Helping others isn’t cheap, so when the wealthy and smoldering Justice Parish offers to fund my charity––as long as she’s in charge of PR––I barely hesitate. Still, I’m beginning to worry that what I don’t know about my sexy, new benefactor could save my company but endanger my heart, and maybe…even my life.

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Broken Promises
Diana Muñoz Stewart
(Bad Legacy, #1)
Publication date: July 6th 2021
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Eight years have passed. Now, what tore them apart takes a back seat to keeping her alive.

Felicity Shields spent a lifetime fleeing her notorious mother’s reputation. But when her mother’s killer marks her as the next victim, there’s nowhere left to run. Desperate, she turns to a man she once trusted completely. The same man who broke her heart long ago.

Private security expert Brooks Delgado knows how to stop a killer. He also knows Fee wouldn’t ask for his help if she had any other choice. As the man who once loved her, he’ll help her catch a murderer. As the man who loves her still, he’ll move mountains to keep her safe, and prove himself worthy of a second chance.

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Read an Excerpt:

Hidden Justice

In this excerpt our main character, Justice Parish, has been informed via email that the mission she’s worked on for years is being delayed for another two years. Furious, she charges into the Spy Makers Guild office to confront the boss of The Guild––her adopted mother, Mukta Parish.

Justice

Head full of steam, I march through the Parish empire’s headquarters in Philadelphia blowing past sharp corridors, glass walls, and attractive businesspeople in power suits.

I won’t let Momma put my mission on hold. I don’t care about a few complications. This is our best chance to take down a global trafficking ring. We find a way.

I near Momma’s office and her executive assistant—straitlaced Lorena of the cotton button-downs and starched pantsuits—blocks my path to the closed mahogany doors. She crosses her arms. “She’s busy.”

Huh. A human barricade.

Good thing I’ve been trained for such an event.

I run straight at her. She cries out for me to stop and holds her ground. Kind of what I wanted. Veering left, I lift my booted foot, plant the arch against the edge of Lorena’s desk, toe into a leap, and vault over her. She ducks and cries out. Instant classic.

I land with a thud. “Thanks, Lorena,” I say, pulling open the office door. She’s still sputtering vague threats as I close the door with a click.

The satisfied grin slips from my face.

Momma isn’t alone.

The man—built like a hot night of unforgettable, wild blond hair like a sandstorm, eyes the color of the ocean after a lazy day in the sun, and beach-bronzed skin—drives the air from my lungs.

Come on, give a lady a warning. I’m used to finding stodgy business-type people in Momma’s office.

Everyone, including blondie, is staring at me, expecting me to say or do something. Like a deer caught in beautiful blinding blue headlights, I stare at the man.

I’m usually more successful at hiding my feelings, trained in it and all. But this high-pressure situation—Jack-be-nimbling Lorena, barging into a business meeting, and finding this perfect hot stranger—has me off my game.

Sandesh

Hearing the administrative assistant’s loud objection and the thud of something I can’t puzzle out I go from corner-office mode to time-to-take-someone-down mode.

A woman burst through the doors.

First thought: I hope I do have to take her down because that body underneath me would make my day. Second thought: Sucks to be wearing a damn monkey suit. Third thought as her eyes sweep my body: There are no thoughts.

Her mischievous dark gaze and the fan and flutter of those thick eyelashes swallow every decent thought from my mind, replacing them with open desire.

Read an Excerpt:

Broken Promises

In this excerpt, Fee’s long lost love has returned home for her mother’s funeral. She’s in an emotionally difficult place—blaming herself for her mother’s death. Brooks is trying to comfort her, rescue her from her own harsh criticism.

Fee felt the warmth of Brooks’ hand reaching toward her, as if to coax her head up, but he didn’t touch her. She lifted her chin.

A knuckle of skin was pinched between his creased brows. “Why are you so hard on yourself?”

She was being hard on herself? “I’m being honest.” He should try being in her head for two seconds. “You can try it. I won’t break. Trust me, you can tell me whatever you think about me.”

She kept her eyes pinned to him, open, inviting, and waiting. Drawing in a deep breath, he reached forward, swept his finger lightly across her forehead, down her cheek.

His touch, electric and warm, sizzled through her with breathtaking speed. His pupils dilated. “Querida, you are a song that my heart never stopped singing. And when I’m with you, the music is everywhere.”

The rich tone of his voice caressed her senses. Warm delight prickled her skin. She’d meant mean stuff. Kind stuff… well, she had no defense for that. But she would not cry. Not in front of him. But maybe something else…

Tiptoeing, she did something that, an hour ago, would’ve seemed unforgivable.

She lifted her face to his and kissed him.

She’d intended to catch and release, but the second she met his smooth, full lips the need that had been burning in her for eight long years erupted. She fisted his shirt, pushed her tongue boldly through his wet lips and into his warm mouth.

A surprised pause was followed by him gently tugging her hands from his shirt.

She let go, put her arms around his neck, and held him in place. So good. So Brooks. So long denied.

The hot heavy length of desire unfurled inside her and she disappeared into that need.

With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her closer.

Their low sighs and grinding bodies left no doubt what would happen next if they kept it up. Maybe that’s what she wanted. Maybe, forgetting this way would be best.

He pulled back. “Fee…” Catching his breath, he disentangled her arms from his neck. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… I’m sort of seeing someone.”

Oh, my God. She snatched her hands from inside his. Of course, he was. He was a beautiful man. Kind and… beautiful and… Oh, my God.

She covered her hot cheeks with her hands. Why hadn’t she asked? Why had she just assumed it was okay to kiss him? “No. I’m sorry. I…”

His eyes filled with regret and maybe pity. Two things she frantically didn’t want to see. She didn’t know where to look. She snatched the coat he still held in his hand. “Let’s go.”

She raced down the hall into the foyer, head spinning.

Brooks caught up to her and grasped her arm. “Fee. Wait. Please.”

She pulled away. Held up her hand. Shook her head. That motion, along with the overwhelming scent of rose and lily condolence flowers, flipped her stomach. “I can’t, Brooks. Whatever it is you need to say about that kiss, about the woman you’re dating, about us….” She willed her voice not to break. “Not today. Let just go. Okay?”

Meet the Author:

#1 Amazon bestselling author.

Armed with a razor-sharp wit and a rolled-up MFA in Creative Writing, Diana Muñoz Stewart cartwheel-kicked her way into publishing with her fiery Black Ops Confidential series. Washington Independent Review of Books called the series’ award-winning debut, “original, impressive” a “rollicking good ride” and “high-octane.”

Of her writing Publishers Weekly declared, “Stewart plays adeptly with the reader’s emotions” and noted that in her series, “Stewart’s talent shines.”

Of her unflinching openness in taking on today’s relevant topics, Booklist said, “Munoz-Stewart discusses such sensitive topics as human trafficking, sexual violence, and sexism…while the diverse …Parish family and their mission to protect women everywhere give these topics…hope…”

Kirkus Book Reviews said her romantic suspense series, along with having, “Sizzling physical encounters” also “enables an emphasis on recovery and power.”

Munoz Stewart’s work has been a BookPage Top 15 Romance of 2018, a Night Owl Top Pick, A BookPage Top Pick, and an Amazon Book of the Month. A 2014 Pages From The Heart Winner, 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist, 2016 Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a 2016 Gateway to the Best Winner, Diana Munoz Stewart is a member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime.

Diana lives in an often chaotic and always welcoming home that—depending on the day—can hold husband, kids, extended family, friends, and a canine or two. A believer in the power of words to heal, connect, and distract from chores, Diana blogs regularly on topics near and dear to her heart, including spotlight pieces on strong women from around the world. When not writing, Diana can be found kayaking, doing sprints up her long driveway—harder than it sounds–attempting yoga on her deck, or hiking with the man who’s had her heart since they were teens.

Diana is represented by the wonderful Michelle Grajkowski of Three Seas Literary Agency.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter


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Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery (Annalisse Series) by Marlene Bell ~ Cozy Mystery @ewephoric

 

Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery (Annalisse Series) by Marlene Bell

About Copper Waters:

Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery (Annalisse Series)

Cozy Mystery

4th in Series

Setting - New Zealand - South Island

Ewephoric Publishing (October 7, 2022)

Paperback: ‎ 342 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 0999539493

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0999539491

Digital Print Length: ‎ 280 pages

ASIN: ‎ B0BL42NBFY

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

About Marlene M. Bell:

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep on a ranch in wooded East Texas with her husband, Gregg.

Marlene’s Annalisse series boasts numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romantic suspense are found at her websites or at online retail outlets.

She also offers the first of her children's picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

Author Links:


Purchase Links:

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

May 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
May 22 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
May 25 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 25 – Indie Author Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 26 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 27 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 27 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 29 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 29 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Some Day Soon by Anna Lindgren ~ Contemporary Romance, Romance @XpressoTours

Some Day Soon
Anna Lindgren
Publication date: May 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romance

About the Book:

Everyone wants something…

But why can’t I figure out what Noah James wants out of our relationship? His sister hates me hell, the whole town fears me, and if he knew what I’m capable of, he’d leave like everyone else.

I’ve terrorized the quaint town of Smugglers Cove, blazing a trail of self-destruction when anyone gets too close. So when Noah buys the cottage next door and finds out about my past, he creates a list of childish activities to complete together.

I try to keep him at arm’s length, but every-time I think I’ve scared him off, he’s back for more. He’s always there when I need him and even when I don’t.

One thing’s for certain, people like me don’t end up with Noah James.

***

Noah:

Samantha Simmons stole my heart the minute I saw her standing near the bar, in an off-white dress, at my little sister’s wedding. Everyone warned me about the infamous villain of Smugglers Cove, but I never thought it’d be impossible to stay away.

When I move in next door, she lets me in on some of her secrets and reveals a side of her few have uncovered. The more she lets me in, the more I want to defend her and prove there’s more to her than a bad reputation.

Each-time I think I’ve earned her trust, all hell breaks loose. She’s scared to let me in but I’ll wait until she sees,

She may be the villain in everyone’s story but I think she deserves a happily ever after.

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Read an Excerpt:

“Don’t do that,” I say. “Don’t shut me out.”

“Go away,” she warns.

“No,” I say. “Talk to me, Sammy.”

“I can’t!” she yells at me.

I step toward her, lowering my voice as emotion threatens to crack my voice. “I can’t help if you keep fucking pushing me away.”

“Stop it,” she spits the words.

“I’m not going to leave you,” I say, holding onto her hands before she rips them away. “Nothing you say to me, nothing you do is going to convince me you aren’t worth it.”

Her chest heaves as tears stream down her cheeks. Her lips are parted, ready to fight back, ready to tell me how wrong I am, how I won’t understand.

This moment is do or die, leave it all on the table.

I take another step toward her, and crush my lips against hers, showing her how I feel before I tell her.

“I love you,” I pant against her lips. “I think I’ve loved you since the first day I met you when you wore white to my sister’s fucking wedding.” I laugh. “I fucking love you, Sammy girl. Don’t push me away. You can shut the world out. Just leave me in this one with you.”

She leaves her forehead pressed against mine, our noses breathing in the smell of one another.

“I can’t,” she whimpers, swallowing down the building emotion. “I can’t love you, Noah. I can’t risk losing you.”

Her voice cracks with each word. My ears ring as though a bomb has detonated near us, and I guess, in some metaphorical sense, one has.

“You lose all the fucking time when you push everyone away,” I say, my voice cracking under the pressure of each word. “Isn’t it worth trying to stay for once? To work through it rather than shut me out?”

“I’ll never be what you need,” she says. “I’ll never be able to give myself to you completely, to trust you fully.”

“Bullshit,” I snap.

“It’s not bullshit. You made a mistake ever thinking you could change me.” She sighs before hammering the final nail in our coffin. Her eyes locked on mine full of honesty and meaning. “I was your biggest mistake. You’re just too stubborn to acknowledge it.”


Meet the Author:

In the 3rd grade, Anna won a notable mention for her holiday story in her small hometown's daily paper. Since then, no awards have been won but the writing has, fortunately (or not––depends on who you ask) continued. She is now the author of two small-town Alaskan romances with a third set to be released in 2022. Her stories feature tales of friendship, bouts of laughter, and lots of swoon-worthy moments. She shares stories of adventure, love, and loss all the while remaining true to the quirkiness of the loveable small town she grew up in.

Goodreads / Instagram / Bookbub / TikTok


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Friday, May 26, 2023

Excerpt Reveal ~ Bailout by M M Flynn ~ Celebrity Sports Romance @authorMMFlynn

MM Flynn is revealing an exclusive excerpt of BAILOUT, coming June 29th! Check it out and be sure to preorder your copy today! 



Title: Bailout 

Author: M M Flynn

Genre: Celebrity Sports Romance

Release Date: June 29th 


About Bailout


The instant connection that sparked in Booker continues in a way that no one expected…


This is the third time my life has fallen apart. 

What I had pretended to be in the past is now banging on the door of my present.

After living so many different lives, each one is a more faded version of myself. Who am I now? Who do I want to be?

Does Sam feel my body desperately reaching for his?


I don’t know who I am if I don’t mean anything to Kat.

After Kat dropped a bomb on my life, I’m filling my time with parties and fake shit. I need something else to keep me going. Something that won’t make me think about her.

I’m somehow still tied to her. Like our connection is too tightly knotted to be unwound.

I will always, always crawl back to her. Wherever she is.





Pre-Order Your Copy:

Amazon



Read an Exclusive Excerpt: 


I flick open my messaging app where Kat’s text still sits, unanswered. Like a ticking time bomb.

I’ve reread it over and over again, picking apart the five little words that glaze over absolutely everything. How dare she reach out to me? How dare she make me want to respond?

My body is reaching for hers, but my mind . . . I scrub the scar on my scalp in frustration . . . my mind is a fucking mess. I don’t know what I want. I want her to feel terrible for lying to me. I hate her for it. I want to know why she lied, if she has a kid somewhere, where her husband is.

I want her to feel as tortured as I feel. No. More tortured.

I also want to make sure she’s all right. That she’s safe. That the press have left her alone. That her husband hasn’t found her.


Catching Up with the Series with BOOKER today! 


About the Author: 


M M Flynn developed a passion for romance novels somewhere between her career as a textbook editor and the throes of motherhood.

She currently lives in the heart of the US with her husband, two kids and their pet doodle.

With each new book, M continues to captivate readers with her unique storytelling style and ability to create unforgettable, multidimensional characters. Her books have been praised for their ability to bring a fresh perspective to the romance genre, and have earned her a loyal following of fans.


Connect with the Author: 


Neptune’s Window: First Glance by L.L. Lewin (Neptune’s Window, #1) ~ #Mystery #YA Young Adult @LLLewin3 @XpressoTours

Neptune’s Window: First Glance
L.L. Lewin
(Neptune’s Window, #1)
Publication date: November 25th 2020
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult

About the Book:

What if you had a glimpse into what others are oblivious to? According to the zodiac, the planet Neptune represents illusions, mystery, and the unconscious mind. Aries Dade is a teenage medium who has the ability to look inside those illusions and speak to the afterworld. But for some reason, she can’t communicate with her recently deceased mother. With the help of a few spirits, she tries to discover the truth behind her mother’s death. But can she trust the spirits? Aries and her father move to Newport Beach, California to start over. Little do they know they are unlocking a world of lies, betrayals, and deception. And everyone they come in contact with is somehow intertwined with her mother’s death. When the star quarterback and a bad-boy senior vie for her attention, Aries senses something isn’t right. Meanwhile, the rich, popular girls make her life a living hell to keep her from finding out the truth. First Glance is the first novel in the Neptune Window’s trilogy. Do you dare to glance inside the window?

The complete trilogy

Add to Goodreads / Purchase from Amazon

Read an Excerpt (Book 1):

Demanding spirits barged their way into Aries’s mind, each voice trying to outdo the other.
“Please stop,” she said through clenched teeth.

For a moment they went away, allowing her to bask in the silence. But as soon as she took a step toward the school, their clamor started back up.

Aries ran behind a row of palm trees, shielding herself from streams of cars and pedestrians as the high-pitched aggravation attacked her senses.

“Not today…please not today,” she begged no one in particular.

Out of sight, she dropped to her knees and picked at the grass as the noise escalated.

“Dammit. I said stop.”

Giving in, she put her hands in her lap. With her index finger, she wrote the alphabet on her leg. She needed deep concentration to make the connection. She waited for a clear voice to come through, dreading – yet at the same time accepting – communication with the dead.

After tracing a Z on her leg, she started over with A as a faint whisper formed. Unable to make out any words, she slowed her pace and drew the letter B. She kept repeating this action, taking deeper breaths each time, trying to match the frequency of the spirit.

She’d almost given up when a clear voice said, “You need to find out the truth, Aries.”

Meet the Author:

LL Lewin is the author of Neptune's Window Trilogy. A native of Southern California, she was born in Los Angeles County and grew up in Orange County. She graduated from the University California, Irvine with a degree in psychology and social behavior, and holds a Masters in Social Emotional Learning. After teaching for several years and interacting with the youth almost daily, she was inspired to write a young adult mystery novel, which morphed into a little more. Since things happen in threes for her (her initials, triple Sagittarius, the third born) the novel turned into a trilogy and reaffirmed her belief that three’s a charm.

She loves all things astrological, metaphysical, and spiritual. With her Sun, Moon, and Rsing all in the sign of Sagittarius, She's as Sagittarius as they come, optimistic, freedom-loving, and ever so tactless.

Her three passions in life are writing, traveling, and soccer. You’ll either find her writing at the beach, on an island somewhere, or on a soccer field. And her three vices are chocolate, pizza, and champagne, and not necessarily in that order.

For more updates, photos, and videos follow LL Lewin on Twitter or Instagram @LLLewin3

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter


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The Keeper by Lynn Montagano ~ Contemporary Romance, Romance ~ @LLLewin3 @XpressoTours

The Keeper
Lynn Montagano
Publication date: May 23rd 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romance

About the Book:

It started in the English countryside when he stopped to see if I was having car trouble.
It should have ended there.

But it turned into three of the most intense days of my life. And guess what? It didn’t end there either.
His name is Xavier Maddox. Sexy, talented, athletic. A British soccer star. The enticing bad boy.
He should be off limits for me.

My name is Victoria Chase. Ambitious, successful, broken. I’m the media relations director for the most successful football team in the United States. I have this policy about getting involved with athletes…or as I call them, the product.

Xavier was only supposed to be a one night stand. A distraction for me while I dealt with a long ignored family situation.
But he had other plans…
If he finds out what I’ve done, what I’ve destroyed, he’ll leave. Broken people like me don’t deserve a happy ending.

Add to Goodreads / Purchase from Amazon

Read an Excerpt (Book 1):

“Victoria,” a sultry, baritone voice revealed my name.

I stilled. Its tone washed over me, quickening my pulse. Taking a deep breath, I glanced to my left. Getting caught up in Xavier’s heated blue stare was not something I thought would happen tonight, or ever again for that matter.

Dressed in gray pants and a white button down shirt, he stood with his arms crossed. The sleeves were rolled up to expose his defined forearms. And more tattoos, just like he’d hinted at. He was motionless except for the subtle way his ring-clad thumb stroked his lower lip.

He didn’t wear a tie and the shirt remained unbuttoned at the top, but my assumption that he’d look hot in a suit, or some variation of it, was correct. I finished the rest of my bourbon in one swallow and put the empty glass down.

“Nice to see you again,” Xavier said with a sly grin.

“Alright, wait a bleeding second,” Cade interjected. “How do you—” His eyes widened. “This is the one from the pub, isn’t it? The one that got you all hot and bothered.”

Bennet draped his arm over Cade’s shoulders. “How about you and me go downstairs for a drink.” Without waiting for a reply, Bennet guided him to the stairs, where they disappeared down into the crowd.

“You seemed pretty involved in your conversation with those two.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Did I miss anything good?”

“Not as good as what just walked into the room.” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Hitting on him wasn’t an option.

Or maybe it was.

Yep. It definitely was.

I’d blame it on the bourbon but that was a lame ass cop-out. He was hot and I felt more than a little frisky.

“I see.” He slid his hands into his pockets and before I knew it, stood inches away from me.

He smelled so good. Not of cologne or body spray or any of the manufactured crap some men seem to think they need. Just soap, shampoo and him. His scent reminded me of the outdoors. Fresh and earthy, like vetiver.

“Shouldn’t you be doing the rounds with your friends?” I asked.

“Not necessary.”

“Are you a soccer player too?”

“Soccer,” he mimicked with a grin. “Yes. I play football.”

I bit my lip to stifle a laugh at his correction.

He leaned toward me, invading my personal space the way a five star general crosses enemy lines, with precision and a healthy serving of arrogance. I was essentially caged between him and the railing.

It took quite a bit of effort not to slide my fingers up his chest and unbutton the rest this shirt. Or tear it open and watch all the buttons scatter.

“Did you come here with someone tonight?” he asked.

“Like a date?”

“Yes, like a date.”

“No.”

“Lucky me.” A mischievous smile pulled at his lips. “Guess that means we’re on a date now. Or at least picking up where our last date left off.”

“Hardly. I’m not so sure you’re my type.”

“I’m everyone’s type.”

“I’m not everyone.”

Meet the Author:

Lynn Montagano is a contemporary romance author, writing coach, podcaster and unapologetic football fan. When Lynn isn't writing or recording her weekly podcast, you can find her cheering loudly for her beloved New England Patriots or traveling somewhere new in this great big world.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / TikTok


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Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman ~ Private Detective Mystery, Cozy Mystery @CLFayman @partnersincr1me

Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Fayman Banner

Gillespie Field Groove

by Corey Lynn Fayman

May 8 - June 2, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

About the Book:

Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Fayman

An obscure rock'n'roll roadie dies under mysterious circumstances. A prized Jimi Hendrix guitar has gone missing. Can Rolly Waters save his new client from the ruthless collectors looking for it?

When nurse and fledgling pilot Lucinda Rhodes hires guitar-playing private detective Rolly Waters to track down a Stratocaster guitar owned by her deceased father, Rolly is thrilled to take on her case, especially when he learns the guitar’s original owner may have been Jimi Hendrix. But Gerry Rhodes’s reckless personal history leads to more questions than Rolly and Lucinda have bargained for, as an aging rock’n’roll impresario, his trophy wife, a Russian gangster and the FBI get involved. When a forty-year-old shooting accident reveals a surprising connection to a pop star’s hit record, Rolly sees darker forces at work. And his and Lucinda’s lives hang in the balance.

Praise for Gillespie Field Groove:

"Gillespie Field Groove hits all the right notes. Music fans and general mystery readers alike will enjoy this story’s irresistible beat."
~ blueinkreview.com

"Exciting, compelling, suspenseful, and reflective of the realities of the music industry and San Diego culture, Gillespie Field Groove is a thrilling mystery novel in which a man seeks to right the wrongs committed by greedy executives."
~ forewordreviews.com

"GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is a gripping mystery and a captivating ride through rock and roll history and San Diego’s music scene. It’s so authentic you can practically hear the fuzz and crunch of Jimi’s Stratocaster coming off the page."
~ Matthew Quirk, New York Times bestselling author of RED WARNING and THE NIGHT AGENT (now a Netflix series)

"Rolly Waters is back with a ripped-from-the headlines thriller custom made for music-lovers. Hired to hunt down a missing Fender Strat that may have belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Waters uncovers a series of intertwined mysteries with more twists than a crate full of guitar cables. Gillespie Field Groove is an uptempo page turner that shines a spotlight on the music industry’s darkest corners."
~ S.W. Lauden, author of BAD CITIZEN CORPORATION and THAT’LL BE THE DAY:A POWER POP HEIST

"Carefully crafted characters. Twists and revelations. Music and murder. A PI who plays guitar or a guitar player who dallies in detecting? Even Rolly Waters isn’t sure. Whichever it is, Corey Lynn Fayman’s latest gives you a real insight into what it means to be both. Like Don Quixote wielding a guitar instead of a sword. Awesome."
~ Pamela Cowan, author of COLD KILL

"GILLESPIE FIELD GROOVE is like an easter egg hunt filled with suspense and intrigue that also gives readers a straightforward look into the life of a working musician. I love this series."
~ Marc Intravaia, guitarist, RICHIE FURAY BAND; BACK TO THE GARDEN

Book Details:

Genre: Private Detective Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Published by: Konstellation Press
Publication Date: March 2023
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 0998748285 (ISBN-13: 978-0998748283)
Series: A Rolly Waters Mystery, 5th
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an Excerpt:

The Nurse

Just after two in the afternoon, Rolly Waters sat at a round concrete table in the courtyard of Alvarado Hospital, nursing a cappuccino to which he'd added five drops of artificial sweetener. He was trying to cut sugar out of his diet. The woman across the table from him smiled. Her name was Lucinda Rhodes. She was a nurse at the hospital. Two years ago, Lucinda had seen Rolly at his worst, in the emergency room of a hospital in Brawley where the doctors had treated him for a black widow spider bite. Nurse Lucinda had kept tabs on him through the night, checking his blood pressure, giving him pills, and had fitted him with crutches before he checked out. Rolly didn't remember much else about that night, except that it had been hot in the desert, and everything smelled like fertilizer. He didn't remember giving his business card to the nurse. But Nurse Lucinda had one of his cards in her hand today. She placed it on the table like a bridge player dropping a trump card.

"I don't know why I kept this," she said. "I guess I thought it might come in handy someday. I'd never met a private investigator before. You were funny, not like I thought a detective would be. You flirted with me."

"I did?" Rolly said, hoping he sounded more amnesic than incredulous. "I hope I wasn't out of line."

"I've dealt with a lot worse," said Lucinda. "Besides, I thought you were kind of cute."

"What do you think now?" Rolly said, unable to resist. Lucinda smiled and redirected the conversation.

"You're a musician, right?" she said. "You play the guitar?"

Rolly nodded. He didn't usually drive out to meet potential clients as soon as they called, but his detective work had dried up. The hospital was only a fifteen-minute drive from his house, east on Highway 8 near San Diego State University. He'd gotten to know any number of the local hospitals over the years, interviewing accident victims for their lawyers. Sometimes he'd been in the accident.

"Tell me what you're looking for again," he said. "You said something about your father?"

Lucinda nodded, glanced over at the coffee stand, then back at Rolly. She appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties, a little wide around the middle, with an honest, gentle face. She seemed more down to earth than most of the women Rolly had dated. He wasn't dating Lucinda, though. She was a potential client. He'd gotten too close to a client once, gotten involved with her while working on her case. That was how he'd ended up in the emergency room in Brawley.

"My dad died," Lucinda said. "Last week."

"I'm sorry."

Lucinda stared into her coffee cup, contemplating the black liquid inside.

"He's why I moved here," she said. "From Brawley. It was three months ago. I knew he needed some help. I didn't see my dad much when I was growing up. I lived with my mother after they got divorced. She died ten years ago. Cancer. I don't have any siblings, so my dad was all the family I had left."

"What did your father do for a living?"

"He was in the music business, like you. One of those guys that travels around with bands."

"A roadie?"

Lucinda nodded.

"That's how they met, my mom and my dad. She used to tell me the story all the time. It was at a Jimi Hendrix concert. Here in San Diego. Dad was in charge of those speakers they put in front so the singers can hear themselves?"

"The monitors," said Rolly.

"Yeah. My mom was sixteen. She'd won some contest on at a radio station. That's how she got backstage for the concert. She was supposed to meet Jimi Hendrix, but the radio people messed something up, I can't remember exactly what it was, but he wouldn't talk to any of them. Jimi Hendrix, I mean. She met him later, thanks to my dad."

"She met your dad backstage?"

"It was outside, after the show. There was a riot. The police were there. Dad helped Mom get away. That's how she ended up on the band's tour bus. And the rest, as my mom liked to say, was history."

"How old was your dad?" asked Rolly.

"Twenty, I think. Maybe twenty-one. Not that big a difference but . . ." Lucinda shrugged. "Times were different then, I guess."

"Yeah," Rolly concurred. He was not about to throw stones at glass houses. There'd been girls at the clubs where his bands played, girls with fake IDs who were younger than he'd been. He hoped none of the ones he'd taken home had been legally underage, but thinking about it now in his forties made him a little queasy. As Lucinda had noted, times had changed. Some.

"Mom was gone for five days," Lucinda continued. "Her parents didn't know where she was. It made all the papers. This guy at the radio station got fired. Two years later, out of the blue, my dad comes back to town and looks up my mom. She was of age then and they got married. I came along later. I think they were trying to save their marriage by having a baby."

"They wouldn't be the first," Rolly said. Lucinda's story about her parents was interesting and her way of telling it made him like her even more, but he needed to get down to business, keep it professional. "How can I be of help?"

Lucinda reached in the front left pocket of her scrubs and pulled out a photograph. She placed it on the table.

"It's this photograph," she said. "My dad left it for me. I don't know why. I don't even know who the guy is."

Rolly picked up the photograph. It was a black man, no older than thirty. He was dressed in a seafoam-green suit, something a Motown act might have worn in the early seventies. The comparison wasn't far off. The man was a musician, with a white Stratocaster guitar strapped over his shoulder, as if he'd just stepped off, or was preparing to step onto, the stage.

"He's not Jimi Hendrix." Rolly said. "I can tell you that much."

Lucinda frowned.

"I may be from Brawley, Mr. Waters, but I'm not a total hick. I know he's not Jimi Hendrix. The thing is . . . it looks like my dad's guitar. The one Jimi Hendrix gave him."

Rolly leaned back in his chair and reassessed the guitar in the photograph. It looked like thousands of others, but if Jimi Hendrix had touched that Stratocaster even once, it was more valuable than the rest.

"You understand why I thought you could help me?" Lucinda said.

Rolly nodded. He stared at the photo again.

"You think this guy in the photo still has the guitar?"

Lucinda shrugged.

"I don't know. I remember seeing one like it in my dad's apartment when I was a kid. I remember him saying he didn't have much to give me, except that guitar, the one Jimi Hendrix gave him. He said it would be my inheritance."

"Could be a pretty nice inheritance," Rolly said.

"That's what I thought," said Lucinda. She leaned back in her seat and tapped both hands on the table. "I looked up some things on the internet. One of Jimi Hendrix's guitars sold for almost two million dollars."

"Well," said Rolly. "That was the guitar from Woodstock, the one Hendrix used to play 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' I don't think this one would be worth that much . . ."

"It'd be worth something, though, wouldn't it? If it came from Jimi Hendrix."

"Yeah." Rolly nodded. Any guitar Hendrix had touched would be worth a considerable amount to collectors, if it had provenance. That wasn't Rolly's area of expertise, but he knew people who could help him out with the valuation. He'd need to have the actual guitar in his hands, though. This one was only a photograph. And Jimi Hendrix wasn't in the photo.

"Do you have any other documentation or photos?" he asked.

Lucinda shook her head.

"When was the last time you saw the guitar in your dad's possession?"

"Maybe ten years ago." Lucinda shrugged. "I haven't really been through his stuff yet. The church said they could let me into his apartment tomorrow."

"He lived at a church?"

Lucinda sighed. She surveyed the courtyard, then sipped her coffee a couple of times.

"My dad worked at this Russian Orthodox church," she said. "Over in Allied Gardens. He did some maintenance, ran the PA system, stuff like that. They let him live in this little apartment at the edge of the property, rent free, in exchange for his work. My dad was seventy- three, but he couldn't retire. He didn't have any Social Security. Not much, anyway. He was starting to lose it, mentally."

Rolly nodded again, trying not to think about where he'd be at seventy-three. According to the latest mailing from the IRS, he'd only be pulling in three hundred and twenty-five dollars a month from Social Security when he turned sixty-five. He'd never be able to retire.

"The first thing you should look for is a sales receipt," he said.

"Hmm?" Lucinda said, sounding distracted, as if she'd been thinking about something entirely different.

"When you go through his apartment," Rolly said. "Look for a sales slip. In case he sold the guitar to someone."

"He might have, I guess," Lucinda said. "Dad was always having money troubles. He wasn't the kind of guy who kept accurate paperwork. He always said if you couldn't do business on a handshake with someone then you shouldn't do business with them at all. I think it cost him over the years. Well, that and the drugs. He had substance abuse problems."

"Occupational hazard," Rolly said. "If he worked in the music business. I had to get sober myself."

"How long has it been for you?"

"Twenty years now, I guess, something like that."

"Sober people usually know to the day," said Lucinda. She didn't sound like she was challenging him, just stating a fact. Rolly shrugged.

"My father still drinks too much," he said. "That helps me avoid it."

Lucinda leaned forward again and rubbed her hands together, as if she were washing them.

"Maybe you could come with me tomorrow?" she said. "To my dad's place."

"I'd have to charge you for it," Rolly said.

"How much?"

"Fifty dollars an hour. Three hundred a day. Plus expenses," said Rolly. He liked Lucinda. Her case was already more interesting than most, but he still needed to get paid.

"I can do that," said Lucinda. "Maybe around ten o'clock tomorrow morning? Just a couple of hours. The church is just down the street from this nightclub you might know. Bump's?"

"Yeah, I know Bump's," Rolly said. "I used to play there sometimes."

"Great," said Lucinda. "I appreciate this. I didn't want to go there alone. I don't have any family or friends here in town I can ask."

Rolly placed the photograph on the table, pulled out his phone and took several pictures of it, checked them, decided they'd do, then passed the original photo back to Lucinda.

"I'll show your photo to some people I know," he said. "Maybe someone's seen this guitar before. They might know who the guy in the photo is, too."

"Are you going to charge me for that?"

"No," Rolly said. He shrugged. "It's on me. I was going to see a guy today anyway."

"Thanks," Lucinda said. "I'll see you tomorrow, at the church. Bring a contract if you need me to sign one."

They exchanged contact information and stood up. Lucinda turned to walk away.

"Wait," said Rolly. Lucinda paused. "Where did you find this photograph?"

"What's that?" she said.

"You said you hadn't been able to get into your father's apartment. Where did this photo come from?"

Lucinda took a deep breath, not quite a sigh.

"We'll have to talk about that, I guess. My dad called me the night that he died. I was working. When I stopped by after work, he was dead. He had an envelope with my name on it in his lap. The photo was in the envelope."

"Was there anything else?"

"No. Just the photo. I put it in my car and called nine-one-one. The paramedics came first, and then the police. They sealed off the apartment. I wasn't allowed to go back in."

"Did you show them the photograph?"

"No. I didn't think it was important."

"What do you mean?" Rolly asked.

Lucinda stared into her coffee cup again. She looked up at Rolly again. Her voice broke.

"The police think someone murdered him."

***

Excerpt from Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Fayman. Copyright 2023 by Corey Fayman. Reproduced with permission from Corey Fayman. All rights reserved.

 

 

Meet the Author:

Corey Fayman

Corey Lynn Fayman has worked as a musician, sound technician, and interactive designer. He holds a B.A. in English, with a specialization in creative writing and poetry from UCLA, and an M.A. in Educational Technology from San Diego State University. Fayman spent five years as a sound technician and designer at the nationally lauded Old Globe Theatre, where he received several nominations and a Drama-Logue Award for his theatrical sound design. He’s worked as an interactive designer for organizations both corporate and sundry and has taught technology and design courses at various colleges and universities. He lives in San Diego, California, and is the author of four Rolly Waters mystery series, including Blacks Beach Shuffle, Border Field Blues, and Desert City Diva (2015 Indiefab Book of the Year bronze award). The fourth in the series, Ballast Point Breakdown, was honored with the best-in-show Geisel Award at the 2021 San Diego Book Awards.

Catch Up With Corey Fayman:
www.CoreyLynnFayman.com
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BookBub - @clfayman
Twitter - @CLFayman
Facebook - @CoreyLynnFayman

 

 

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Thursday, May 25, 2023

Cover Reveal ~ Smooth Hoperator: A Fake-Relationship Romance by Sylvie Stewart (Love on Tap, #2) ~ Contemporary Romance, Romance @sylvie_stewart_ @XpressoTours

Smooth Hoperator: A Fake-Relationship Romance
Sylvie Stewart
(Love on Tap, #2)
Publication date: July 6th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romance

SMOOTH HOPERATOR: A FAKE-RELATIONSHIP ROMANCE

After tanking my career in politics, I’m looking for new direction. But my GPS must be broken because it keeps leading me to a kooky librarian’s front steps.

It’s not easy, but I’m doing my best to let go of my old ambitions and embrace the simple life of slinging beer at my family’s brewery. But some powerful players from my past are determined to cause problems for me and my family.

When a chatty local librarian with the wardrobe of a third grader and the optimism of Spongebob begins sticking her nose into my business, I want to tell her to get lost. As fate would have it, though, Sunny and her ill-tempered grandfather are my only remaining option to get free of my past for good.

It will take some convincing to get this goofy, goat-loving librarian on board with my risky plan. But if she’ll do things my way, I’ll return the favor by playing her fake boyfriend to make her true love finally take notice and fall head over heels.

But the deeper we get into this venture, the more I realize there’s nothing fake about Sunny at all. Including the way I’m beginning to feel about her.

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Meet the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Sylvie Stewart loves bad jokes, dirty rom-coms, country music, and baby skunks—preferably all at the same time. Most of her steamy contemporary and romantic comedy novels take place across her favorite state of North Carolina, and her characters never run out of snarky banter or snacks. When her laptop closes, Sylvie is a sucker for hugs from her twin boys and a good laugh with her hot-nerd hubby. If you love smart Southern gals, hot blue-collar guys, and snort-laughing with characters who feel like your best friends, Sylvie's your gal.

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Release Day Blitz ~ Rescuing Kenna by PJ Fiala ~ Small Town Steamy Romance @InkSlingerPR

RESCUING KENNA by PJ Fiala is out now! 

Check out the gorgeous series and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Rescuing Kenna

Author: PJ Fiala

Genre: Small Town Steamy Romance

About Rescuing Kenna:

USAT author PJ Fiala, brings you the next generation of GHOST operatives set in the small-town of Glen Hollow, Kentucky, where a long-standing rivalry is brewing into an all out war, and love comes calling even in the worst of times.   

GHOST: Government Hidden Ops Specialty Team.

They eliminate the threat when no one else can.

He’s a GHOST operative trying to keep the peace.   

She’s a process server determined to do her job.   

Together they are caught up in a war neither will back down from.  

Spencer Lawson has observed the criminal behavior of the people of Hickory Hills Kentucky and knows they are dangerous. When the police chief walks into the GHOST compound with a battered and bruised Kenna Lawrence, Spencer’s protective hackles raise. As he watches, Kenna’s determination to do her job is admirable, but he knows she’s in danger, even if the stubborn woman refuses heed his warnings.   

When Kenna comes to town and finds herself having to serve court documents to the leader of Hickory Hills, she learns quickly they want nothing to do with the US government. Not only that, they give her a small taste of what will happen if she ventures up their mountain again.   

With Kenna caught in a war between right and wrong, Spencer will do everything in his power to Rescue Kenna. 

*** USA Today bestselling author PJ Fiala brings you the GHOST Legacy series—heroes willing to sacrifice everything in service to their country, and for the men and women they love. A novel with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a happily-ever-after guaranteed.

Get Your Copy on Amazon

   

Catch Up with the Series:

Finding Lara

Saving Elana

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About the Author:

USA Today Best Selling Author, PJ Fiala, has independently published multiple romance novels over the years. Focusing primarily on romantic suspense, she weaves a little bit of reality with a little bit of make-believe to create stories with heat, heart and all the feels. PJ lives in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area but travels to destinations unknown via motorcycle. Spending time with her grandmother Ruth, in Kentucky has helped to mold PJ into a person who enjoys life on the farm as well as life in the burbs. But it was romance novels that took her to places she’d only dreamed of and solidified her love of all things romance and swoony. Her family keeps her feet on the ground when her mind travels too far from home, delivering both a reality check and a nudge to keep it real.  

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