Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Sign Ups Open ~ 1-Week Virtual Book Tour Invitation for It Hurts Every Time by L.P. Mills @MirrorWorldPub ~ SciFi, Speculative Fiction, Political, Multiverse, Mystery #SapphyriasBookPromotions


1-week tour invitation for It Hurts Every Time by L.P. Mills. The tour is December 1-7, 2023.

About It Hurts Every Time:

“Death is not the end, sir,

No, sir, not the end of the line,

Just remember what I say to you;

It hurts, baby,

It hurts every time.”
Pluto Garcia is a lieutenant in the Community Militia of Morrisette, a post-communist city-state where a miracle drug has advanced enough to allow the dying a second chance at life by launching them into the nearest available universe in which they are still alive.

In his latest incarnation, Pluto is tasked with investigating the death of Krishna Klein, a brilliant but troubled philanthropist who has been found with a bullet in his head following a week-long bender. With the aid of his assigned partner, Esther Dupont, Pluto uncovers a techno-fascistic plot to plunge the flawed Utopia of Morrissette into authoritarian control once and for all.


To learn more and to sign up to host, please visit this link:

ReBirth (Zodiac Series, Book One) by Azshure Raine ~ Romantic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Mythological ~ @Azshure13


ReBirth 
Zodiac Series
Book One
Azshure Raine

Genre: Romantic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Mythological
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Date of Publication: 7/25/23
ISBN: 979-8853443730
ASIN: B0C97CSLTJ
Number of pages: 389 pages
Word Count: 103k
Cover Artist: Azshure Raine

Tagline: One more, one last time

About the Book: 

Time is something we all have too much of and too little. Our world turns at the mercy of the clock. Gaea is one of those worlds. The world has been reset Twelve times.

ReBirth: Zodiac Book One is a romantic fantasy novel with “Final Fantasy” level storytelling. It tells the tale of the Gaea’s thirteenth cycle through multiple POVs, energetic prose, and deep world-building.

If Titans, Zodiac, Star-Crossed lovers, and villains you love to hate are your thing, then grab an apple, pick up a copy, and may Fate smile upon you.

Threads of gold, ancient and dangerous, pull them together; a bond neither can deny.

Jase Raion receives an unexpected assignment—locate and retrieve a girl he was certain was dead.

Expecting nothing, he goes to Brighton—a port town on the island of Aria—and finds her.

The girl who escaped the fall of Aria.

The girl who bears the symbol of Eternity.

The girl whose blood the Titan of Time thirsts for.

Liya Fairaway, the Princess of Aria, and his target.

The moment he sees her, he knows she is not safe, from the Zodiac meant to protect her, the Titan of Time, nor his father—the King of Chall.

Purchase Links:


Read an Excerpt:

Time gripped the spear’s shaft in her chest until her hand bled. A thousand years of being left pinned to the roots of the Mother Tree by Fate gnawed at her.

Groaning, she threw her head back, her long white hair dingy from the dirt and overgrowth. It stuck to the bark and pulled, causing stinging to roll through her skull.

Her chest heaved in frustration as she let out a primal scream before releasing the blood-red metal of the weapon. The tips pierced between her navel and breasts. She drew up the length of the captured arm with her free hand, tracing the tattoos with her blood. The red contrasted magnificently with the pale blue of her skin.

Throughout the twisted root cave, slivers of her power, thin golden threads, glittered across everything, waiting to catch prey in its nets.

Light at the end of the tunnel flickered, causing Time’s lips to curl into a devilish smile. Come to me. I could use the entertainment.

A rush of wind filled the hollow space, feathers scattering toward her in a kaleidoscope of black and white.

Time chuckled, low and deep. It’s her.

Her ex-lover stepped into the curtained sunlight and took slow, purposeful steps forward. Fate held her head high. Long black and white hair hung over her shoulders; the two colors parted directly down the middle. Time’s lip quivered as Fate ran her hand through her hair. Irresistible as ever. Her still gorgeous wings—one white, one black—spread behind her shoulders. Fate paused in the cavern and dismissed her wings with a flick of her wrist. Feathers rained down, disappearing into dust.

Time moved, her joints popping and her face twisting into a sinister grin. “Fate, my love, you’ve finally come,” she paused as a cloaked man peered into the cave, “to visit.”

So, she brought the rabble. How quaint.

Fate squared her shoulders. “I came to end this.”

“Is that so?” Time went slack; resting her free hand on the shaft of the Spear of Souls, tracing the metal with her gaze, she recalled the betrayal. How Fate and the Keepers cornered her, impaled her to the Mother Tree, and how the look of fear in the Keeper of Stars’ eyes when she sought her revenge before succumbing to the weapon and shattering him into twelve still gave her satisfaction. Like Mother Urth and Father Sky, he would never walk Gaea again. Time’s neck cracked as she focused on the man huddled at the entrance. The threads stretching through the darkness shifted as he entered. Time’s lips parted as she slid her tongue behind her teeth. “Then why did you bring him?”

The Prophet.

He was the key to her chains, as foretold by the Eternal Clock. The Prophet flinched at her low chuckle.

“Stay back,” Fate snapped before he could push past. “Whatever you do, don’t touch her.”

“Oh, please?” Time moaned, running her hand over her throat. “It has been so long.”

“Silence.” Fate placed her hand on the spear’s shaft, remaining out of Time’s reach. Thin wisps of charcoal smoke rolled over Fate’s shoulder, cascading down to the weapon, the ends darkening as death’s power inched toward Time. Resting her head on the bark, Time stared at the stray white hairs caressing her breasts. Slow, agonizing death was in her future.

The flash of blues and reds of the Prophet’s cloak caught her gaze as he paced uneasily behind Fate, his hand worrying at his chin.

Letting her head roll to the side, Time said, “I felt it, you know. When your daughter was born.”



About the Author:

Azshure Raine is a mostly stay-at-home mom of 3. She and her husband, Ryan, have been happily married for 13+ years and originally met in a MMO.

Her day job is sticking things to newborns, and by sticking things to newborns, she means hearing screens.

In her free time, she hangs out with her black cat, Luna, and keeps three small humans from killing each other. To maintain her sanity, she now writes. And she may or may not have a thing for apples.









Release Blitz ~ blackloop by Sarah Holding ~ @SeaHolding @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #Blackloop #SarahHolding #YAScifi

 

blackloop by Sarah Holding

YA Sci-Fi Romance

Date Published: 10-31-2023

Publisher: Firehorse


photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

 

About the Book:

A freak electro-magnetic pulse leaves 17-year-old Bo and six other teenagers trapped inside a building in the British seaside resort of Blackpool, desperately trying to work out what just happened, why they can’t get out, and how to survive the weirdest weekend of their lives.

Dealing with each other’s egos and issues is nothing compared to the fallout unleashed by the solar event, because hidden beneath the building they discover it has activated a powerful energy device called blackloop.

As blackloop starts affecting everyone and everything in its vicinity, can Bo, who’s still grieving the loss of her mum, summon the courage to confront her fears, realise she’s falling in love, and make a move on Karim before it’s too late?


About the Author:


Sarah Holding is a children's and YA author and poet, known primarily as a climate fiction writer. She is the author of six books: SeaBEAN (2013), SeaWAR (2014) and SeaRISE (2014), Chameleon (2020), How to Write a Poem (2021) and blackloop (forthcoming, 2023). She has been featured on Guardian Children’s Books, BBC Radio Scotland and given over 500 talks and creative writing workshops. Her books are now being taught in primary schools across the UK.


Contact Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Publisher Links:

Amazon

Publisher

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

RABT Book Tours & PR

Amazon links are affiliate links.

Monday, October 30, 2023

Spend a night in the land of the dead with DEAD ‘TIL DAWN…by Kelli A. Wilkins ~ #Halloween ~ Civil War Horror Novella @KWilkinsauthor


Spend a night in the land of the dead with DEAD ‘TIL DAWN

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

 

Happy Almost Halloween Everyone,

I hope you’re ready for the scariest night of the year! To get you prepped for the holiday, I’m sharing something spooky — a look at my Civil War horror novella…

DEAD ‘TIL DAWN

Disturbing the dead doesn’t prove you’re brave – it proves you’re stupid.

After touring Gettysburg battlefield, Jessica, Tim, and Steve decide to sneak out to the Devil’s Den for some late-night fun. Jessica’s friend Kathy objects, and warns them about trespassing where they’re not wanted.

Undaunted by ghost stories and fueled by his own arrogance, Tim races toward the Devil’s Den. When the group drives through mysterious battlefield fog, they find themselves surrounded by Civil War soldiers looking for a little fun of their own.

Kathy leaves the others to fend for themselves and flees to Little Round Top. Although she’s rescued by a kindhearted Union solider named Charlie, she refuses to believe that what she’s experiencing is real. As the nighttime battle rages on, Charlie introduces Kathy to other weary soldiers, and she quickly realizes she’s trapped in the land of the dead until dawn.

***

So how did this story come about? Well, if you know me, you know I love writing psychological/creepy/spooky horror stories. And I also love traveling to historic places—especially if they’re haunted.

This novella was inspired by actual events that happened to me in Gettysburg, PA. My husband and I had a very unusual experience with battlefield fog and I wanted to use it in a story. Here’s the short version:

It was around 11:30 pm and we wanted to explore. Since you can’t go onto the battlefield at night, we decided to drive around it. As soon as we got outside of town we came upon a wall of fog. You could literally see the line where it started. (I incorporated this into the story.)

I thought that was strange–but what the heck–we’d drive through it and come out the other side. Wrong. The thick, swirling fog completely engulfed the car. We couldn’t see more than two feet in front of us, and saw nothing but fog on all sides.

We figured the fog would dissipate or…something. Nope. The further we drove, the thicker it got. From time to time I swore I saw shadows in the fog, but I figured it was my imagination.

Robert was getting a little nervous because it was pretty obvious this wasn’t normal. He was worried about another car coming down the street (there weren’t any, who else would drive around in creepy fog?) and hitting us. I told him I was more worried about what we’d do if a Civil War soldier on a horse ran in front of us.

Although I don’t consider myself a “paranormal investigator” I love exploring haunted places and taking ghost tours. Historic houses and basically “anything old and creepy” appeal to my imagination. Is it any surprise that I love Halloween?

Here’s an excerpt from Dead’ Til Dawn, featuring the infamous battlefield fog. I’m happy to say that the book got several great reviews on Amazon!

***

Steve leaned forward in the back seat and tapped Tim on the shoulder. “You think we can get to the Devil’s Den now? Won’t they have security guards?”

“Who’d guard a battlefield at night? Ghosts?” Tim chuckled.

“The ghost stories we heard today were cool,” Steve replied. “I wanted to take that ghost tour at the orphanage. They let you investigate and try to contact dead soldiers. Maybe tomorrow–”

“I told you, that was a rip off,” Tim interrupted. “Who cares who died out here, anyway? It was over a hundred and fifty years ago. I don’t know why you keep wasting your time and money on that paranormal crap. There’s no such thing as ghosts. People in town made up those stories to rake in tourist money and sell costumes to idiot reenactors. If playing dress-up… Whoa!”

Tim stopped the car. A wall of white mist covered the road ten feet ahead of them.

“Is that fog?” Jessica asked, brushing her long red hair over her shoulder.

“Yeah,” Steve answered. “But why is it there and not anywhere else?”

Kathy peered out the side window. The two-lane road was crystal clear on both sides of the car, but the line of fog blocked their path. It’s waiting for us to advance. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Let’s go back.”

Tim stomped on the gas and plowed into the fog.

“Check it out. We’re surrounded,” Steve exclaimed.

Fog engulfed the car, blocking out the fields, trees, and fences along the road. Every so often Kathy thought she saw a glimpse of movement in the misty darkness, but it was hard to tell with Tim speeding like a maniac.

Steve pointed behind them. “Look back there. The town’s gone, swallowed up,” he said.

Kathy gazed out the rear window. Steve was right. Behind them, Gettysburg lay sleeping, wrapped in a blanket of milky whiteness.

***

Wanna find out what happens when they get out of the car? Order your copy of Dead ‘Til Dawn here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Til-Dawn-Civil-Horror-ebook/dp/B015LHI08A

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4X9aLb

Want more horror stories for Halloween? Like mysteries? Visit the Horror, Mysteries & More section of my site: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/horror

Have a creepy Halloween!

Happy Haunting,

Kelli A. Wilkins

Get Out and Stay Out (Make Room For Yourself, Book One) by Shavonne Bulmer ~ Memoir and Biography




Get Out and Stay Out
Make Room For Yourself 
Book One
Shavonne Bulmer

Genre: Memoir and Biography
Date of Publication: 16 August 2023
ASIN: B0CFZQDS39
Number of pages: 60
Word Count: 19661

About the Book: 

This is a story of my journey of getting out an abusive relationship and the emotional and mental challenges I faced when deciding to do so and trying to remain out.

If you are someone who wants to get out or have got out an abusive relationship, this eBook brings awareness to the challenges you will face when doing so. I am someone who successfully got out and stayed out of an abusive relationship, I share my journey, pain and start to recovery within this book.

May this bring awareness, hope and encouragement!

Purchase from Amazon



Read an Excerpt- Cracked Heart

My heart is cracked, as the warmth of my love starts to seep through the wounds of my heart it is being replaced by the chills of the cold wind forming tiny icicles along the openings of the cracks. The warm song of my heart is being replaced with the cringing howl of the wind, the howl that carries the message of hurt and brokenness. My heart was once full but now it is hollow allowing the howl of the wind to echo through my empty chambers of my heart as it becomes the Grim Reaper, blowing away any fragments of shattered memories and hope.

My heart that was once Summer is now Winter, Autumn was skipped which has resulted in my heart not being able to adapt to the rapid drop in temperature and now has the appearance of a glittering glass web spun by the black widow spider of hurt. The cracks shimmer from the light dancing off the icicles as the light tries to leave an encouraging promise of hope… hope that my heart will beat again. My heart is so empty that the emptiness creates a burden of heaviness that slows down the beat of my heart to a loud thump.

Winter brings about comfort of rest, I need to rest now in hibernation. I will rebuild what is broken, revive what it dead and fill what is empty, this will take time. The Winter season of my heart will eventually pass into Spring allowing my heart to adapt to the increase in temperature and no longer resemble the cracked glass of sadness.


About the Author: 

Shavonne is an abusive relationship survivor who decided to leave her abusive relationship at 34 weeks pregnant, move towns and restart her life. She has written about her journey to bring awareness to the challenges she faced both mentally and emotionally to bring encouragement and hope.








Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes Recipe ~ AISLING: In the Land of Wolves Aisling Trilogy, Book One by Eileen Sheehan ~ Haunted Halloween Spooktacular ~ Paranormal, Thriller, Romance #PNR



Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
 


Ingredients

CRUST
graham crackers (full sheets)
1/4 tsp. salt 
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
8 oz softened cream cheese
3 tblsp packed brown sugar
2 tblsp maple syrup
1 lg egg
1 egg yolk
1 can pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

For the crust: 

Preheat the oven to 350˚. 

Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with liners. 

Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. 

Add the brown sugar and salt and continue to pulse. 

Drizzle in the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moist. 

Scoop a heaping tablespoonful of the graham cracker crumb mixture into each muffin liner. 

Press the crumbs flat into the bottom of each cup with the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass. 

Bake the crusts for 5 minutes, until golden. 

Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the filling.

For the filling: 

Beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until combined and fluffy. 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 

Lower the mixer speed and beat in the egg and egg yolk just until incorporated. 

Beat in the pumpkin, and vanilla until combined. 

Beat in the cornstarch, spices, and salt. 

Divide the cheesecake filling evenly among the 12 cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and dry, and centers are slightly jiggly.


Cool the cheesecakes in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. 

Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, until cooled completely. 

To serve, remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel away the liners. 

Arrange cheesecakes on a serving platter and garnish with whipped cream.


AISLING: In the Land of Wolves
Aisling Trilogy  
Book One
Eileen Sheehan

Genre: Paranormal, Thriller, Romance
Date of Publication: 6-17-2023
ISBN: 979-8398829426
ASIN:  B0C8GFMT74
Number of pages: 486
Word Count: 67,137
Cover Artist: Eileen Sheehan

Tagline: Join Aisling as she navigates a world filled with magic, love, and danger.

Book Description: 

Join Aisling as she navigates a world filled with magic, love, and danger. A victim of bullying, Aisling is transported to a land and time she knows nothing about. 

But with the help of a community of powerful witches, she discovers a strength within herself that she never knew existed. 

As she faces challenges and falls in love, Aisling becomes a fearless and self-assured woman.
 
Amazon     BN     Kobo     Apple



Read an Excerpt:

Prologue

I have come to the conclusion that there can be mean girls in any species. They are not just amongst the humans. They are not limited to the teen years, either.  Although, they seem to be more prevalent during that time. What led me to this conclusion was simple experience.  You see, I was a victim of mean girls of the worst type starting at a rather sensitive age.

The mean girl abuse didn’t start until I was in my mid-teens and my mother moved us from a small West Virginia township with a population of twenty-two that was located about two hours from Washington, DC to a community that just managed to qualify as a city with its population of twenty-five-thousand and ten. It was located just over the Virginia border, which shortened my mother’s drive to her monthly meeting of the witch wannnabes in downtown DC by an hour.

The little township of Bloomsburg, West Virginia consisted, mostly, of my blood relatives which were either the Loftus or the O’Shea - all of whom were fascinated with witchcraft.  To my knowledge, however, none had been able to truly master it.

The small city of Meddleson, Virginia was void of any of my kin other than those in my household - my mother, one older half-brother, and one older half-sister - both of whom left for college before we were even settled in. It did, however, possess a closely knit community of actual practicing witches. It was my mother’s hope to be able to rub elbows with these magic practitioners and finally learn the art. She insisted that witchcraft was in our blood and it was simply lost to time and oppression. If we could mix and mingle with those who had not lost it, we would surely get it back.

At the time, I had no interest in learning or practicing magic, nor could I understand why my family felt it was such an important talent to possess.

My half-siblings’ father died in a car accident when they were quite young. He was the love of my mother’s life. No matter what room in our home that you might venture into, you  were sure to find at least one photo of him.  

I never knew my own father. Nor was there a photo of him for me to see. Whenever I would ask my mother to tell me about him, she would insist that he was nothing more than a sperm donor who had passed through our little borough in the night and I was to give him no more thought than that.

Although I found it disappointing, it didn’t bother me nearly as much as the intense emotion that I would sense pouring from every pore of my mother’s body whenever I brought up the subject of my father.  She would visibly tremble with what I had assumed was the desire to see him dead, or, at the very least, castrated and paraded, naked, through the streets.


About the Author:

Sitting at her antique rolltop desk in her home in upstate New York, Internationally Published and Award Winning author, Eileen Sheehan, writes steamy romance thrillers for the mature adult with a sexy male and strong female. The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are just plain novels about people in love. As the years progressed, so did her writing style. Although she still includes romance and has a happily ever after ending, her stories tend to have more mystery, thrills, and horror in them.

She makes it a point to write a novel length that will allow the busy readers to be able to sit down in an evening (no more than two) and be taken on a journey that was created by her active imagination without having a week go by before they gets to the end of the story.

An incurable romantic, she has a love affair with at least one of her characters... one book at a time. She hopes the same thing happens to you.

Eileen started out as a freelance writer for periodical magazines and newspapers. From there, she tried her hand at writing screenplays. Her screenplay, "When East Meets West" was a finalist in the 2001 Independent International Film and Video Festival at Madison Square Gardens, NYC. Finally finding her niche, she lets her imagination loose with paranormal romance/thrillers. 

If you want to see more quality writings at a reasonable price, please support her efforts by leaving a review and becoming a follower










a Rafflecopter giveaway



Sunday, October 29, 2023

Spooky October Spotlight on… Nightmare in the North by Kelli A. Wilkins #Horror #Novella

 


Spooky October Spotlight on… Nightmare in the North

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com


Hi everyone,

Happy October! Today I’m sharing a look at my horror novella, Nightmare in the North. Think of it as a pre-Halloween treat!

Some of you may know me as a romance author, but I also write short horror fiction. I originally started out as a horror author, and nowadays I divide my time between romance, horror, and mysteries. (My latest mystery is The Route 9 Killer.)

Nightmare in the North is a cautionary tale about traveling alone in the winter and trusting strangers. Travel takes a deadly turn in this story!

So… how did this novella come about? Believe it or not, I wrote a version of this story for my eighth grade English class. The assignment was to write a short story – and boy, did I! The original version was much shorter and less detailed, but the basic premise was there. I’m not sure what my English teacher thought when she read it, but I got an A.

I grew up in upstate New York where winters can be brutal and last a long time. It can be an isolated place, and sometimes you could be snowed in for days. I used that as the backdrop to the story, threw in some strange characters, and added a little mystery. After I submitted the story for my English class, I pretty much forgot about it.

Then, one January I drove to Vermont in a snowstorm. I was in the car for 12 hours, and naturally, my mind started to wander… I wanted to write a horror story, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write. As I was driving, I thought back to that original story and decided to rewrite it – to tell the story the way it needed to be told.

I changed the opening, moved the setting to Vermont, and filled in all the details and backstory that set the tone. The ending of the new version is slightly different from the original, but it’s not off by all that much. I added an epilogue (of sorts) to the end, and spent about twenty minutes getting the last line just right.

After reading Nightmare in the North, my husband said that it was well written and it drew you in, but it was “twisted” and “disturbing” — I consider that high praise!

 

Here’s the summary and links…

NIGHTMARE IN THE NORTH

Stranded during a violent blizzard, Mark hikes to the only house nearby. George, a well-mannered University professor, welcomes Mark and gives him shelter from the storm.

By morning, Mark suspects that everything isn’t what it seems. George’s adult daughter, Kate, who also lives in the house, shares a disturbing and unsettling tale. When questioned, George insists that Kate has a psychological issue and can’t be trusted to tell the truth.

Mark quickly finds himself caught in a game of cat and mouse. Who should he believe? Is Kate’s desperate plea for help sincere? Should he be suspicious of George? Or are both of them plotting something together?

Isolated from everyone, Mark is forced to wait out the storm—and find a way to escape—if he hopes to make it out alive.

Order it here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G9QD45X  

All other platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/m2vqOk  

I hope you’ll check it out. If you like horror fiction, visit the Horror, Mystery & More section of my site: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/horror

Happy Reading,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, and 6 mystery/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories.

Her latest release, The Route 9 Killer, was published in May 2023. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ.

Kelli’s paranormal/mystery romance, In Another World, was released in 2022. She released two horror shorts, More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Bourbon Street Bachelor Melissa Chambers (Broussard Brothers, #3) ~ Contemporary Romance, Romance @MelChambersAuth @XpressoTours

Bourbon Street Bachelor
Melissa Chambers
(Broussard Brothers, #3)
Publication date: October 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romance

Calliope’s been hurt too many times to let another man in, but Quentin Broussard’s about to turn her world upside down.

About the book:

Calliope Koch sat on top of the world back in high school. Her dad treated her like a princess, so she believed she was one. Every guy wanted to be with her and every girl wanted to be her. But oh, how the mighty do fall…

Fast forward fourteen years, and Calliope has lost her father to another family. She’s been dumped more times than she can count. The only thing keeping her going is the dream of running her own clothing boutique. But the same guy who caused one of those breakups is taking that dream from her.

It’s Quentin Broussard, the older, artistic, mysterious Broussard brother who left home when he was eighteen. Three years ago, he called her quirky and convinced his brother to break up with her. Now he’s back in New Orleans and trying to take something from her once again.

She won’t fall victim to another Broussard brother’s smooth moves, no matter how hard this one’s knocking on her door. And she’ll try to ignore the fact that he’s making her feel like the princess she once believed she was.

Add to Goodreads 

Purchase from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Read an Excerpt:

He narrowed his gaze. “I remember something from that night we first met.”

She gave him a look like she was warning him not to go there, but there was also something in her eyes that told him to proceed forward.

“We had a connection.”

She gave him half a smile through pursed lips. “Oh, okay. Sure. Is this the same connection you have with those repeat customers you were talking about before?”

“I think you felt it, too,” he said, taking a risk.

“I was dating your brother at the time.”

“I know. That’s why I excused myself from our conversation.”

She furrowed her brow.

“I’m not making this up. I felt something.”

She rolled her eyes, and then gave him a look, trying to hold back a smile.

“Didn’t you feel it, too?” he asked.

“You’re calling me a cheater?”

“It’s not cheating to feel a spark with someone else.”

“With your boyfriend’s brother? I’d say it is,” she said.

“Then would you say you cheated on Braxton?”

She huffed a laugh. “You’re insane.”

“I might be a little bit.”

She shook her head at him. “I don’t know why you’re trying so hard here. I told you I’m a mess.”

“Maybe that’s what I like about you,” he said.

“Is that your thing? Fixing the wings of broken little birds?”

He considered her. “I’m not aware that I have a thing. I just know I was really disappointed when you didn’t show up over there today.”

She stared at him a bit longer and then stood up. “I think you should go.”

He stayed seated, looking up at her, trying to stop himself from saying the next words that were begging to come out of his mouth, because he never did this, but he actually wanted to this time. “Let me take you on a date.”

She motioned toward the door. “Go back to your party.”

“I’m having way more fun here.”

She rubbed her forehead. “Seriously, Quentin. Nothing ends well where I’m involved. Now’s your chance to run.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Mull this over. Think about it for a month. If after a month, you’re still interested, give me a call.” She held out her hand. “I’ll give you my number.” He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and handed it to her. She typed into it and then handed the phone back to him. “Now will you leave?”

He looked down at the table like there were options for him sitting there. “What if I wanna call you tomorrow?”

“One month. You can call me in one month and not a day before.”

That actually worked out perfectly for him. He was getting ready to head back to Colorado for a few weeks to close up his business with his partner, Steve, and get the rest of his stuff moved back to New Orleans. This would give him something to look forward to when he got back to town.

He stood up. “I guess I’ll take the deal.”

She walked to the front door and opened it, standing with her hands behind her back, messing with the door knob, looking both confident and vulnerable all at the same time. He’d never wanted to kiss a woman more in his life, and he wasn’t about to wait a month to do it.

He walked over to her, slid his hand around the back of her neck, and then planted one on her. She made a noise like she was taken by surprise, but then she settled in, sliding both of her hands into his hair. She pulled him to her as she settled against the door, perking up his midsection. He was about to sport wood right there on the streets of New Orleans. He pulled away while he still had control.

She put her hand over her mouth, touching her fingertips to her lips like she was checking that they were still there. So it wasn’t just him who had felt chemistry like an erupting volcano.

He leaned in. “How about you think about that for the next month.” He backed away, giving her one last glance before heading to his truck. How he was going to make it thirty days was beyond him.


Meet the Author:

Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She has served as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of the Love Along Hwy 30A series, the Before Forever series (YA), and Courting Carlyn (YA).

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Twitter / Bookbub / Instagram / Amazon


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Amazon links are affiliate links.

Friday, October 27, 2023

A Patch of Romance by J.C. Valentine (A Coffee Break Mystery, #4) ~ Mystery, Romance @XpressoTours

A Patch of Romance
J.C. Valentine
(A Coffee Break Mystery, #4)
Publication date: October 25th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance

About the Book:

Callie’s status as a single mom is about to end when she meets up with local dad, Scott Prince, at the pumpkin patch. Love is definitely in the air…or is that just pumpkin spice? Either way, Callie is about to embark on a seriously satisfying journey. That is, until the mystery knocker comes knocking. Is it just a Halloween prank, or is someone trying to send her a message—the deadly kind?

As Callie and Scott traverse the dating life with one another and ring in the holidays with the hope of uniting them all as one big, patchwork family, the lingering question of who keeps knocking and what they want looms in the shadows, waiting to be answered. Will Callie and Scott reveal the truth behind the eerie knocking before something it’s too late? And will they ever get their happily ever after?

Follow Callie and Scott’s journey from wary strangers to soulmates in this feel-good holiday romance. With a friends-to-lovers romance, family bonding moments, cozy Christmas traditions, and a found family trope, this wholesome love story will get you in the holiday spirit. Curl up with a mug of hot cocoa and let the magic of the season bring this unlikely pair together one knock at a time.

Add to Goodreads / Purchase from Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

“Okay, you wild banshees, costumes are ready to go!” I called up the stairs. Instantly, I heard the pounding of little feet as Lily and Ethan raced down the stairs, with Lily predictably in the lead, eager to transform into their Halloween alter-egos.

“Beware the Headless Horseman!” Lily cried, tossing her hooded cape dramatically over her grinning face. Next to her, Ethan was assembling his white boxy Minecraft costume, complete with pixelated foam sword.

I knelt down and made the final adjustments, securing Ethan’s headpiece and Lily’s belt, then ushered them toward the door. “Let’s hit those sidewalks before all the good candy is gone!” I declared.

It was still light outside when we stepped out onto the porch. Ghosts, superheroes, princesses, and witches were already parading up and down the street as families got the trick-or-treating underway. The crisp air twinkled with magic and excitement as neighbors called out compliments on costumes, and I inhaled the heavenly, smoky scent of burning wood that several people were using to keep warm as they passed out candy.

We weren’t far into our route when I heard rapid footsteps approaching. Lily and Ethan’s faces lit up as Scott and his son came into view dressed in matching blow-up dinosaur costumes. I couldn’t help laughing as I watched their giant dino heads bobble to and fro as they swished toward us.

“Hey, guys!” Scott greeted, slightly out of breath. Since our pumpkin carving hangout, we’d been planning for the kids to do Halloween night trick-or-treating together too. I was relieved he was making it easy for me to take this second opportunity with no strings attached.

“Dad, can we go show Ms. Molly our costumes?” Lily asked eagerly.

I nodded indulgently, enjoying seeing my kids having a good time. After waiting a few moments for Lily, Ethan, and Stanley to run up the walkway to show off their costumes to their principal, we began a slow, easy walk from house to house, stealing pieces of candy here and there, as the kids ran back and forth down driveways and bonded with each other more.

Meet the Author:

J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn't sorry.

Living in the Northwest, she has three amazing children and far too many pets. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor's in English and when she isn't writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.

Sign up for J.C.'s newsletter and never miss a thing! http://bit.ly/1KxXWWB

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Amazon links are affiliate links.