PRE-ORDER INCENTIVE & CHAPTER REVEAL: Moonlight Seduction (de Vincents #2)

Recently, I raved about how much I loved MOONLIGHT SINS, the first in Jennifer L. Armentrout's new de Vincent series. Book 2 in the series - MOONLIGHT SEDUCTION - is on its way, but you'll have to wait until June to get it. I know! I hate the wait too.

But, here are two things to help ease the blow.

First, I have the first chapter for you to sink your teeth into. And then, since I know you'll love it so much that you won't want to forget to own it the day it comes out, I have an awesome Moonlight Seduction pre-order campaign for you!

Read on for the deets...

Moonlight Seduction (de Vincent #2), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: June 26, 2018
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Nicolette Bresson never thought she’d return to the de Vincents’ bayou compound. It’s where her parents work, where Nikki grew up... and where she got her heart broken by Gabriel de Vincent himself. Yet here she is, filling in for her sick mother. Avoiding Gabe should be easy, especially when so much of Nikki’s time is spent trying not to be stabbed in the back by the malicious hangers-on who frequent the mansion. But escaping memories of Gabe, much less his smoking-hot presence, is harder than expected—especially since he seems determined to be in Nikki’s space as much as possible.

Gabriel spent years beating himself up over his last encounter with Nikki. He’d wanted her then, but for reasons that were bad for both of them. Things have now changed. Gabe sees more than a girl he’s known forever; he sees a smart, talented, and heartbreakingly beautiful woman... one who’s being stalked from the shadows. Now, Gabe will do anything to keep Nikki safe—and to stop the de Vincent curse from striking again.

CHAPTER 1
Six years later . . .

It took every ounce of self-control for Gabriel de Vincent to stand back and do nothing. Just stand there and watch him being led away, but that’s what he had to do, because that’s what he’d promised and Gabe tried to be a man of his word.

Sometimes he failed at that. Failed at that in ways that haunted him late at night, but he wouldn’t go back on this.

He’d promised them three uninterrupted months. That’s what he was going to give them. His jaw ached from how hard he was clenching it as the Rothchilds walked back into the restaurant. He didn’t take his eyes off them, not until he couldn’t see them anymore. Only then did he look at the slip of paper.

Looking down at the drawing of puppy on a piece of blue construction paper, he felt the worst mix of emotions. Sadness. Pride. Helplessness. Hope. Fury that he’d never tasted before. He had no idea how one person could feel all of that at once, but he did.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. There was definitely talent in the drawing. Real skill. The de Vincent knack for the arts was still kicking around it seemed.

His gaze flickered over what was written in a blockish handwriting. He’d already read in three times, but couldn’t bear to read it a fourth time. Not right now. He didn’t want to fold the paper and created creases in it, so he was careful as he carried it back to where he was parked.

“Gabriel de Vincent.”

Frowning at the vaguely familiar voice, he turned around. A man stepped out from behind a truck. Dark, square sunglasses shielded half the man’s face, but Gabe recognized him.

He sighed. “Ross Haid. To what do I owe the honor of seeing you in Baton Rouge?”

The reporter for the Advocate gave one of what Gabe assumed was a trademark half grin; the kind that probably got him into a places and events he sure as hell didn’t belong in. “Headquarters are here. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you work out of the New Orleans office, Ross.”

He shrugged a shoulder as he neared Gabe. “I had to come up to headquarters. Heard through the grapevine that a de Vincent was in town.”

“Uh-huh.” Not for one second did Gabe believe that. “And you just happen to hear that I was at this restaurant?”

The smile kicked up a notch as he ran a hand over his blond hair. “Nah. Seeing you here was just luck.”

Bullshit. Ross had been sniffing after his family for about two months now, trying to get to one of them when they were out at dinner or at an event, showing up at nearly every damn function one of them was attending. But back home, in New Orleans, Ross had trouble getting near them. Well, he had troubled getting to the one he really wanted to talk to which was Gabe’s older brother.

Didn’t require any leap of logic to figure out what was going on. Somehow Ross had heard that Gabe was here, and that’s why Ross conveniently ended up here. Normally he could tolerate Ross’ incessant questioning. Hell, he sort of liked the guy, appreciated his determination, but not when Ross was here and something he didn’t want a reporter finding out mere feet away.

Lowering his sunglasses, Ross eyed Gabe’s ride. “Nice car. Is it one of the new Porsche 911s?”

Gabe raised his brows.

“Family business must be going well. Then again, the family business is always going strong, isn’t it? The de Vincents are old money. The one percent of the one percent.” Gabe’s family was one of the oldest, linked all the way back to the days the great state of Louisiana was being created. Now they owned the most profitable oil refineries in the Gulf, coveted real estate all around the world, tech firms, and once his older brother married, they’d be in control of the one of the largest shipping industries in the world. So, yeah, the de Vincents were wealthy, but the car and nearly everything Gabe owned, he bought it with the money he worked for. Not the money he was born with.

“Some say that your family has so much money, that the de Vincents are above the law.” Ross straightened his sunglasses. “Seems that way.”

Gabe really didn’t have time for this. “Whatever you want to say, can you stop beating around the damn bush and get to it? I’m planning to head home sometime in the next year.”

The reporter’s smile faded. “Since you’re here and I’m here, and it’s damn hard to talk to you all any other time. I want to chat about your father’s death.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“I don’t believe it was a suicide,” Ross continued. “And I find it also convenient that Chief Cobbs, who openly and publicly wanted your father’s death investigated as a homicide ended up dead in a freak car accident.”

“Is that right?”

Frustration hummed off Ross about as loud as the damn locusts. “Is that all you got to say to me about this?”

“Pretty much.” Gabe grinned then. “That and you have an overactive imagination, but I’m sure you’ve heard that before.”

“I don’t think my imagination is nearly vast enough to compete with all the things the de Vincents have had their hands in.”

Probably not.

“Okay, I won’t ask you about your father or the chief.” Ross shifted his weight as Gabe opened his driver’s door. “Also heard some interesting rumors about some of the staff at the de Vincent compound.”

“I’m started to feel like you might be stalking us.” Gabe placed the drawing facedown on the passenger’s seat. “If you want to talk about staffing, then you need to have a chat with Dev.”

“Devlin won’t make time to talk to me.” “That doesn’t sound like my problem.” “It seems like it is now.” Gabe laughed, but the sound was without humor as he reached inside, grabbing his sunglasses off the visor. “Trust me, Ross, this isn’t my problem.”

“You may not think so now, but that’ll change.” A muscle twitched along the man’s jaw. “I plan to blow the roof of every single damn secret the de Vincents have been keeping for years. I’m going to do a story that not even your family can pay to keep quiet.”

Shaking his head, Gabe slipped his sunglasses on. “I like you, Ross. You know I’ve never had a problem with you. So, I just want to get that out of the way. But you have got to come up with some better material, because that was cliché as shit.” He rested his hand on the frame of the car door. “You’ve got to know you’re not the first reporter to come around thinking they’re somehow going to dig some skeletons out of our closets and expose us for whatever the hell you think we are. You’re not going to be the last to fail.”

“I don’t fail,” Ross said. “Not ever.” “Everyone fails.” Gabe climbed in behind the wheel. “Except the de Vincents?” “You said it, not me.” Gabe looked up at the reporter. “Some unasked for advice? I’d find another story to investigate.” “Is there where you’re going to tell me to be careful?” He sounded oddly gleeful by the prospect. “Warn me off? Because people who mess with the de Vincents end up missing or worse?”

Gabe smirked as he hit the ignition key. “Doesn’t sound like I need to tell you that. Seems like you already know what happens.”

Nikki stood in the center of the quiet and sterile kitchen of the de Vincent mansion, telling herself that she was not the same little idiot that almost drowned herself out in the pool six years ago.

She sure as hell wasn’t the same idiot who had spent years making an utter fool out of herself, chasing after a grown man. An act, which resulted in one of the worst ideas she’d ever had in the history of bad ideas.

And Nikki had a remarkable history of making not the brightest of all decisions. Her dad said she had a bit of wild streak in her, taking after Pappy, but Nikki liked to blame the de Vincents for the recklessness. They had this really bizarre talent of making everyone around them stick one toe into Recklessville.

Her mother claimed that most of Nikki’s bad decisions came from having a good heart.

Nikki had the habit of picking up strays—stray cats, dogs, a lizard here and there, even a snake, and humans, too. She was a bleeding heart, hating to see anyone she cared about in pain and she was oftentimes a bit overly affected by the troubles of strangers.

It was why she avoided the TV around the holidays, because they always played those heart-wrenching videos of freezing animals or children left to starve in war-torn countries. She hated everything about New Year’s Eve because of that and spent the week between Christmas and the first of January moping around.

There was a lot of Nikki that was the same as she was the last time she walked through this house. She still got emotionally invested in animals that didn’t belong to her—that was why she volunteered at the local animal shelter. She still couldn’t turn away from someone who needed help, and she still found herself in weird situations but reckless? Wild?

Not anymore.

Not since the last time she’d been in the house, right before she left for college. That had been four years ago and now she was back, and nothing and everything had changed.

“You okay, hon?” her father asked.

Turning to find her father standing just inside the large kitchen, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and smiled widely for him. Goodness, her dad was starting to look his age, and that scared her—truly terrified her. Her parents had her late in life, but she was only twenty-two, and she wanted another fifty years or so with them.

Nikki knew that wasn’t going to happen. Especially now. She forced those thoughts from her head. “Yes. I’m just . . . it’s weird being in here after being gone so long. The kitchen is different.” “It was remodeled a few years back,” he replied. The mansion was constantly being remodeled it seemed. After all, how many times had this place caught fire since it was built? Nikki had lost count. Her father drew in a deep breath, and the lines around his mouth became more pronounced. He looked so tired. “I don’t know if I’ve said this to you or not, but thank you.”

She waved him off. “You don’t need to thank me, Dad.”

“Yeah, I do.” He walked over to where she stood. “You went away to college to do something better than this—better than cooking dinners and running a household. To become something better.”

Offended on his behalf, she crossed her arms and met his weary gaze. “There’s nothing wrong with cooking dinners and running a household. It’s good, honest work. Wok that put me through college. Right, Dad?”

“We take great pride in our job. Don’t get me wrong, but what your mother and I did all these years was so you could do something else.” He sighed. “So, it means a lot that you would come home to help us out, Nicolette.”

Only her dad and mom called her by her full name. Everyone else called her Nikki. Everyone except a certain de Vincent who shall remained nameless. He and only he called her Nic.

Her parents had worked for the de Vincents, one of the wealthiest families in the States and possibly the world, since long before she was born. It was weird growing up in this house, being privy to a lot of strange stuff—things the public has no idea about and would probably pay a large sum of money to learn. And personally? It was like she had a foot in two different worlds, one absurdly wealthy and the other middle working class.

Her father was basically a butler, except she always had a small suspicion that her father had . . . taken care of things for the de Vincents that no normal butler did. Her mother ran the day-to-day functions of the house and prepared the dinners. Both her parents loved working for the family and she knew both had planned to continue to the day they died, but her mom . . . .

Nikki’s chest squeezed painfully. Her mom was not well and it had happened so fast, coming out of nowhere. The dreaded C word.

“Honestly, this is perfect. I got my degree and this will give me time to figure things out.” In other words, figure out what the hell she wanted to really do with her life. Get to work or go for her master’s? She wasn’t sure yet. “And I want to be here while Mom is going through everything.”

“I know.” His smile wobbled a little as he brushed a strand of blondish-brown hair out of her face.

“We could’ve hired someone else to step in while your mother—”

“No, you couldn’t have.” She laughed at the mere thought of that. “I know how weird the de Vincents are. I know how protective you two are of them. I know how to keep my mouth shut and not see what I’m not supposed to. And you two don’t have to worry about someone new not keeping their mouth shut and not seeing what they’re not supposed to.”
Her dad arched a brow. “A lot of things have changed, honey.”

She snorted as she took in the white marble countertops with gray veining. Mom had filled her in on some of those changes during one of her chemo treatments. After all, what else did they have to talk about while she was being pumped full of poison that would hopefully kill only the cancer cells building in her lung?

Things in the de Vincent mansion that had changed.

For starters, the patriarch of the family, one Lawrence de Vincent, had hung himself a few months back. An act that had shocked her because she figured that man would’ve outlived a nuclear bomb. And Lucian de Vincent apparently had a live-in girlfriend and they were about to move into their own place. That was even more insane, the idea of Lucian settling down.

The Lucian she remembered put the play in player. He’d been an incorrigible flirt, leaving a string of broken hearts across the state of Louisiana and beyond.

She hadn’t met his girlfriend yet since they were away on some kind of trip; the rich rarely seemed to have much of a schedule. She just hoped whoever his girlfriend was, she was nice and nothing like Devlin’s fiancé.

Nikki might not have been around the de Vincents in four years, but she remembered Sabrina Harrington and her brother Parker.

Sabrina had just begun seeing Devlin the year before Nikki had left for college and that had been a year’s worth of snide comments and rather impressive disdainful looks. Nikki could deal with Sabrina though. If she was the same woman as she was before, she could be as mean as a cornered rattlesnake, but Nikki normally didn’t even register on her scale of people to pay attention to.

Parker though?

Nikki suppressed a shudder, not wanting to worry her father who was watching her like a hawk.

Parker had often stared at her the way she’d wanted Gabe to look at her, especially when she had grown brave enough to move from a one-piece bathing suit to a two-piece.

And Parker . . . he had done more than look.

She drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t going to think about Parker. He wasn’t worth a single thought.

What happened to Lawrence, and Lucian’s new romance weren’t the only things her mom had told her. She filled Nikki in on the whole sister reappearing and then disappearing again thing. Something that she knew the general public had no idea had even happened. She didn’t know the details around it, but Nikki knew that in typical de Vincent fashion, it had to the most drama-llama-est thing possible.

And she also knew better than to ask questions about it. Her father stepped back. “The boys are all out.” Thank God and baby Jesus. “Devlin should be back this evening for dinner. He likes dinner to be ready at six. I believe Ms. Harrington will be joining him.” Well, thanking God and baby Jesus lasted all of five seconds. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and make a gagging sound. “Okay.” “Gabriel is still in Baton Rouge, or at least, that’s the last I heard,” her father continued, ticking off the brothers’ schedules while she wondered what Gabe was doing in Baton Rouge. Not that she cared. She totally didn’t care whatsoever, but she wondered if it had anything to do with his woodworking business.

The man was talented with his hands. Really talented. Her cheeks flushed as an unwanted memory of how his calloused palms felt pierced her straight through the chest. Nope. Not going there. Absolutely not. There were examples of Gabe’s skill all around the house—the furniture, chair rails, and trim, even in the kitchen. All of the woodwork was designed and created by Gabe. As a little girl, she’d been fascinated with the idea of picking up a piece of wood and turning it into something that was truly a work of art. That fascination had turned into quite the hobby for Nikki.

It had started one long, fall afternoon when she was ten and she’d found Gabe outside, whittling away on a piece of wood. Out of boredom, she’d asked him to show her how he did it. Instead of shooing her off, Gabe had given her small scrapes of wood and showed her how to use a chisel.

She’d gotten pretty good at it, but she hadn’t picked up a chisel in over four years. Nikki refocused on what her dad was telling her. “We’re a little understaffed right now,” her dad continued. “So there’s a lot of dusting in your near future. Devlin is very much like his father.”

Great.

That was not a compliment in her book. “Is it the ghosts?” She half joked. “Scaring off the staff?” Her father shot her a look, but she knew damn well that her parents believed this

house was haunted. Hell, they wouldn’t even come here at night unless it was a dire emergency. None of the staff would and everyone in town knew the legends about the land the de Vincent mansion sat on. And who hadn’t heard about the de Vincent curse more than a time or two?

Being in this house as much as she had been in the past, she had seen some weird things and heard some stuff that couldn’t be explained. Plus she grew up within minutes of New Orleans. She was a believer, but unlike her friend Rosie, whom she met in college, she wasn’t obsessed with all things paranormal. Nikki operated on the whole if- you-don’t-acknowledge-ghosts-they-can’t-bother-you theory and so far it had worked so far wonderfully.

Then again, Nikki had only come here at night once in her life, and that had not turned out well at all. So maybe ignoring ghosts didn’t work, because she liked to think

she was possessed by one of ghosts that supposedly wandered the halls, and that was what provoked her to do what she’d done that night.

Nikki was well aware of how the house was run because she’d spent most of her summer vacations in the house watching her mom, so she got to work pretty quickly once her father left her.

First thing first was tracking down what staff they did have at the house. Understaffed her butt! The only staff they had left was her dad; the landscaper who was constantly mowing grass it seemed or re-mulching; the de Vincent driver; and Mrs. Kneely, an older woman who’d done the laundry services since Nikki was a little girl.

Beverly Kneely actually owed her own laundry business and only came to the house three times a week to take care of the linens and clothing.

According to Bev, whom she found in the large mudroom at the back of the house, packing up clothing that needed to be dry-cleaned, over the last couple of months, nearly everyone had quit.

“So, let me get this straight.” Nikki smoothed back a few strands that had escaped the knot she’d pulled her hair up in. “The waiters are gone, as are the maids?”

Bev’s buxom chest heaved as she nodded. “It’s just been your parents for the last three months. I think all that work was wearing poor Livie down.”

Anger flashed through Nikki. Hadn’t the de Vincents noticed how thin and tired her mom had been getting? How quickly she got out of breath? “Why didn’t the de Vincents hire someone to help?”

“Your father tried, but no one around here wants to come close to this place, not after what happened.”

She frowned. “You’re talking about Lawrence? What he did?”

Bev tied up the bags. “Not like that wasn’t bad enough, but that wasn’t the straw the broke the camel’s back around here.”

Nikki had no idea what she was talking about. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve been updated on all the crazy. What else happened?”

Looking around the room, Bev arched her brows as she headed toward the side door. “Walls got ears. You know that. You want to know what’s been going on here, you ask your father or one of the boys.”

Her lips pursed. She was so not asking the boys.

Bev stopped at the door and looked back. “I don’t think Devlin is going to be happy when he sees what you’re wearing.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” It was jeans and a black tee shirt. No way was she going to dress like her mom or her dad. Her willingness to help her parents did not extend to wearing uniforms.

She looked down at herself and saw the hole just below the knee. Nikki sighed. Devlin was probably going to have a problem with the hole, but what Nikki wanted to

know was what the hell had happened in this house to drive almost all the staff away? It had to be something. Not just because the de Vincents paid extraordinarily well, but also because her father hadn’t told her. And that meant it was something really bad.

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# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance.

She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. She is also the creator and sole financier of the annual Write Your Way To RT Book Convention, a contest that gives aspiring authors a chance to win a fully paid trip to RT Book Reviews.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Mine For The Week (Wild Love #2)

Mine For the Week (Wild Love #2), by Erika Kelly
Publish Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) From the award-winning author of MINE FOR NOW comes the next sizzling story in her Wild Love series, about a chance meeting that changes the course of two people’s lives.

As the top collegiate shortstop in the country, Ryan O’Donnell’s life is about discipline. But a growing restlessness causes him to bail on his baseball team over spring break to join his buddies at a singles resort. He just needs one week to escape his life, and then he’ll get back on track. But moments after arriving he meets HER, and the world as he knows it changes irrevocably. It should only be a hookup—that’s what spring break’s all about—but one taste of this sexy, vibrant woman isn’t enough. He has to have her. Even if it’s only for a week.

Sophie Valentine—yes, that Valentine—just found out her siblings want to sell off Crazy Hearts—the Peeps of the Valentine’s Day world. Upset, she takes off with her friends on their spring break vacation. She only wanted an escape—she never imagined meeting HIM. But he’s about to start a Major League Baseball career, and she’s launching a fight for her family legacy. They have no future. It’s just…she’s never felt this way for anyone before.

Are they really going to walk away from this kind of connection…this passion?

I feel like I've been waiting forever for the second book in Erika Kelly's Wild Love series, and I'm so glad it's finally here. Ryan was the strong, silent type in book 1, so it was great to get a glimpse inside his head to see why. 

Ryan and Sophie found each other at the perfect moment in their lives. They were both under extreme amounts of pressure and needed a break from it badly. Sophie's siblings are pressuring her to sell off a part of her family's company, and she can't bring herself to agree with that decision. Ryan is on the cusp of baseball greatness and he's just not sure if it's absolutely what he wants to do with the next 10 years of his life, despite being strongly encouraged to stay the course by everyone in his life.

These two meet while on spring break in a tropical location and sparks fly. But, it's a bad time for a new relationship for both of them, and neither of them are the casual hook-up type. Despite that, they have a hard time staying away from each other. And Ryan and Sophie have great chemistry when their lives weren't invading their vacation time, so I was all for them giving in to their baser urges. 

Unlike in most books, these two were prone to talk a lot. There was a lot of communicating going on - at times, it almost felt like too much. Or, rather, I think my problem was with the fact that their conversations were repeated several times with several people. Sophie calls her older sister three or four times, and every single time Sophie tells her she doesn't want to sell part of their family's company. Her sister proceeds to treat Sophie like crap while blaming it on being tired because of just having a baby. Nothing gets resolved.

Sophie repeatedly tells Ryan he has to stop bottling up his thoughts and feelings. He needs to stop being so agreeable and do what he wants. Believe me - it was good advice, even though every time she told him, he humored her for a while, and then blew her off. And Ryan has several convos with both his dad and his coach where they ask him to come home, and he tells them no. Ryan didn't seem to know what he wanted, but he kept calling them to tell them as much.

The times when Ryan and Sophie weren't talking were some of my favorites. They really were great together. And when they weren't internalizing all their troubles or being angry at each other (well, Sophie was mad at Ryan a lot - he was mad at himself a lot), their banter was snarky and cute.

Despite the repetitive dialog, I really did like this book a lot. It was great getting to know where Ryan was coming from and how the situation with his mother and father affected him. It was a completely different experience from his sister, whom we met in book 1. Incidentally, it was also awesome to catch up with her and Dylan at the end of the book. I'm really looking forward to reading Brandon's book next. 

“What’re you thinking about?” she asked.

His attention remained focused on the road. “I’m not.”

“You’re not thinking?”

“Nope.”

“Who doesn’t think? You’re driving along, but you’re not thinking?”

“Nope. I’m just enjoying being with you.”

Warmth flooded her. She looked away from him, letting it spread through her, thick and sweet as caramel. He’d seemed at peace when they’d first started out and she’d told him about the island, the superstitions. She’d even told him about her conversation with her sister. He’d gotten angry at Abby’s attitude, and she’d appreciated his support.

Up ahead she noticed a stand of trees. “Here we go. It’s getting more wooded. We’re close.” She read the information she’d printed out. “Pretty soon we’re going to see a big rock with some graffiti on it, and then we enter a forest.” She leaned into him, their arms brushing, as she reached for the control panel.

“What’re you doing?”

“Resetting the odometer.” She looked for the button. “The path’s exactly two point four miles from the rock.”

He batted her hand away, leaned forward, and hit the button.

“Awesome. I can’t wait.” She gestured to his lap. “You can go in your shorts.”

“That’s okay.”

“Oh, you have to go in. The water has magical properties.”

“So you said.”

“You don’t believe in it?”

He shrugged. “I believe telling people water has magical properties is a great way to get tourists to come out here and spend money. Do they sell it in bottles in roadside kiosks?”

“Well, hello to the itty bitty cynic who lives inside you. Does he come out often? I don’t think I’ve met him before.”

He slowly leveled her a look that said he wasn’t amused.

So she met his with one of her own. “This isn’t a tourist attraction. The islanders actually believe in it.”

“And a tourist guide book told you that?”

“I didn’t buy a tourist guide book.”

“You learned it from an islander?”

“I got it from the Internet.”

And then that serious face blew wide open with laughter. “Okay then.” And that right there was the man she’d fallen for.

And, yep, no doubt about it. She’d fallen for this complicated, moody, sexy man. “You can fester in your cynicism. I choose to believe in magical properties.”

“And what do you hope to get from the magic?”

She quickly turned away from him. “I don’t know.”

“Wait, did you just blush? Are you…embarrassed?”

“Just drive the freaking car. I’m not embarrassed.”

He took his foot off the accelerator, shifting gears. “Not until you tell me what you want the magic for.”

She shoved his thigh. “God, Ryan. I want to eat whatever I want and not gain weight. I want to meet the man of my dreams and drive off into the sunset in a convertible. I want to find my passion and earn a living out of it. What does anyone want?”

And from his very intense expression she had a strong feeling he wanted her.

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life--she just didn't know it. Raised on the classics, she didn't discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she's been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she's written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women's fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she's lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW & EXCERPT: Stud Finder

Lauren Blakely's newest addition to the 1001 Dark Nights collection was the perfect bite-sized fairy tale. Check out my review and an excerpt...

Stud Finder, by Lauren Blakely
Publish Date: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Man seeking woman: Hot, rich, smart, witty, self-made multimillionaire Internet genius seeks classy, intelligent, sexy, fun-loving woman who’s interested in settling down and sharing all the good things.

There. Best. Ad. Ever.

I will absolutely find the woman of my dreams, someone who’ll love me for me. Even if my sister thinks I need help dating, I’m confident I can pull this off, courtesy of the great worldwide web.
Let me just hit the upload button right now...

***

No. Just no. As a woman and a professional matchmaker, I can’t let Dylan Parker run this ad. He’s the catch of all catches. That’s why his sister has asked me to help her ridiculously good-looking, insanely rich, but socially clueless brother find a woman. As a broker of happily ever afters, I’m known as the Stud Finder since I make a great living pairing wildly successful women with men who won’t fleece them but will adore them. After all, what woman in her right mind wouldn’t fall in love with Dylan?

I mean, besides me. It totally won’t be me.

Stud Finder was the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon. It allowed me to return to this Big Rock world that Lauren Blakely has created, if only for a short while. The story went by pretty quickly (it IS a novella, after all), but the humor, heat and heart that I've come to expect from Lauren Blakely was still there. 

Dylan is the most adorable rich nerd. He's this tech genius who has made millions and is now looking to find someone to share it with. This guy is not your typical guy. He's actually looking for a commitment - a wife even. But, wading through the gold diggers is more than he can handle. So, his sister enlists the help of her BFF - the so-called "Stud-Finder." 

Evie has made a living out of being a professional matchmaker. Although she usually works with women, she's willing to do a favor for her best friend and try and match Dylan up with the perfect woman. Shouldn't be hard since he's rich, nice, funny AND totally hot. Evie is in denial from the very beginning - it's adorable. She tells herself all the right things - I don't want a relationship. He's my BFF's brother. He's a client. But, when it's right, it's right. And Dylan and Evie are RIGHT. 

Theirs is a slow, sweet burn. Although Evie and Dylan know each other when he hires her, it's only peripherally. As Evie gathers details about Dylan so that she can match him with the perfect woman, they both have the chance to get to know each other without all the usual pressure. 

Stud Finder was a sweet and sexy addition to the awesome Lauren Blakely line-up. 

What am I doing?

Dylan is my client’s brother.

Dylan is now my client.

I’m not interested in a match for myself. I’m not looking for love. I’m focused on work, and Dylan is my work.

The trouble is, my work turns me on more than I expected, and that’s for one elemental reason—I like him.

I like him so very much.

That’s why I jerk this conversation back to the purpose of these get-togethers—prepping him for his princess charming, whoever she may be.

I brush one palm against the other. “The big question is—are you ready for me to set you up on your first date? Or do you think the fall in yoga has set you back?” I wink.

“You think falling in yoga means I’m not ready to date?”

I laugh. Nervously. “Well, not entirely. But it did remind me what we talked about before we had tea. That we all have a bit of dork in us. So, I didn’t know if you wanted to walk through all the potential topics, moments, pitfalls, and so on.”

“Like a pre-date prep? Or maybe even a practice session?”

“Sure, we can practice now if you’d like,” I offer.

He doesn't answer right away. When he does, he takes his time, like he’s making an offer. “Or maybe we can practice in a true date simulation.”

Tingles race over my shoulders. “Like a practice date?”

His eyes twinkle like stars. “I need a practice date badly. Can I take you on one? It would be so helpful to review everything. Make sure I’m ready.”

When he puts it like that… “Yes, of course.”

I want him to put his best foot forward. I didn’t say yes because I want to date him. I wouldn’t do that, even though when he walks away, all I can think is how on earth did I wind up with a pitter-pattering heart for a man I’m handing off to another woman?

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In October she'll release HARD WOOD, a sexy, standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

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RELEASE DAY REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Most Valuable Playboy

Lauren Blakely does it again. Another touchdown.

Most Valuable Playboy, by Lauren Blakely
Publish Date: September 1, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and InkslingerPR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns.

Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long -- and it has been long -- because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who's dead set on winning more than a date with me.

Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.

She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we've got to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. 

Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is -- I've been riding the bench for years.

How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she’s most valuable to his heart?

Lauren Blakely's male POV rom-coms are absolutely my jam. Not only are they funny, sweet and sexy, but I just love how she writes from the guy's POV. And how she cleverly captures bits of the girl's POV in round-about ways. 

Cooper is a star in the NFL and has always had a crush on one of his best childhood friends, Violet. When she bids on him during a bachelor auction to save him from a potentially bad situation with his team owner's sister, Cooper finally get what he's always wanted - to be Violet's boyfriend. Even if it is only fake for the press. But, for him, it's more real than anything else in his life.

Most Valuable Playboy takes a few of my favorite tropes - friends-to-lovers, fake relationship, secret crush, best friend's sister - and mashes them all together in such a perfect way. They're all things we've read before, but with the all-male POV and Lauren Blakely's special brand of humor and heat, it makes this particular story super special. 

Cooper is the sweetest beta hero ever. He's polite to a fault and treats women - even those he can't stand and who don't give him the same in return - with the utmost respect. Violet has been in his life since she was in second grade and he became best friends with her brother. They would do anything for each other, so when Cooper asks her to save him from the barracuda that is his team owner's sister, Violet doesn't hesitate. But, up on the stage after she wins him, things go a little sideways, and suddenly, Cooper and Violet are forced to spend a lot more time together. Which ends up being just the shove both of them needed.

Cooper is a famous NFL player and Violet is the owner of a beauty salon. He's used to fame and fortune and she is not. That's only one hurdle these two have to overcome in order to make the HEAs in their heads a reality. Misconceptions, miscommunication and good intentions also cause trouble for these two, who really are perfect for each other.

Most Valuable Playboy is told entirely from Cooper's POV, but with strategically placed text conversations between Violet and her BFF Holly, we can see where Violet's head is at during the whole "fake girlfriend" gig too. But, honestly, even without those texts, I could tell from her interactions with Cooper and their super steamy sheet time that she was totally into him.

Things are set up for a new story between the team's PR manager and one of Cooper's fellow team mates, and I'm already chomping at the bit for that story!

The business suit woman raises a hand, offering forty-one hundred.

Maxine’s eyes laser in on me, and she slashes an arm through the air. “Five thousand dollars,” she says, jacking the price up by nine hundred and staking her claim. I shudder inside.

The guy’s eyes widen, and he holds up his hands. “I’m out.”

My stomach plummets when the business woman shakes her head.

“Going once?” Sierra asks, scanning the tables, looking for perhaps one last big spender. My eyes scan the crowd, too. Hell, maybe I’ll find an escape hatch. A trapdoor to drop into and disappear like in a magic act. Maybe Trent will learn to read my mind. Trent, I’ll cover you for anything you bid. Just raise that hand, name a price, and save me.

My best friend’s expression is merely curious now as he watches Maxine and Sierra, waiting for the verdict. My opportunity to play yard boy slips through my fingers.

The look in Maxine’s eyes is pure satisfaction as she waits for the final word. She winks at me, as if we have a secret. Holy shit. She thinks I want this. She thinks I want her to win me.

A flash of chestnut brown hair in the back catches my attention. A flurry of silver. It’s Violet, hands in the air, wildly flapping over her head in the middle of the ballroom. She brings her finger to her nose. And she’s tapping it, like fucking Santa Claus coming down the chimney, and Harlan tapping his nose to signal his agent, and all the greatest solutions in the universe at once.

My heart goes crazy.

It hammers in my chest. This is like finding an open receiver a second before you’re sacked.

“Going twice,” Sierra says, trailing off as she waits.

I raise my arm and tap my nose, too. Violet is the only one who knows I need to get out of this jam. She’s the only one I mentioned it to. And she’s the only one now who can save me.

“Ten thousand dollars.”

Holy shit. Violet does not mess around with my money. Her eyes widen, as if she’s surprised she bid that high.

My gaze finds Trent. He’s staring at his sister, slack-jawed.

Sierra’s smile is bright and wide. “Ten thousand dollars. Do we have ten thousand, one hundred?”

The room is hushed. Maxine’s expression is blank. She must be shocked. She probably didn’t expect anyone to vie with her to this extent.

I tap my foot, willing Sierra to close this quickly. Just slam the door shut, please, fucking please.

“Going one. Going twice.”

I say a silent prayer. I cross my fingers. I hope.

Maxine blinks, opens her mouth, and I steel myself for a disgustingly high counter bid.

But there’s only silence. No words come. Violet has shocked her speechless. This type of bid wasn’t in Maxine’s playbook.

Sierra raises her arm. “And a night with the quarterback is sold for ten thousand dollars.”

Talk about a Hail Mary.

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In September she'll release MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, a standalone sports romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Learn more about Lauren --> Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

✮✮✮ Enter to win this amazing MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY GIVEAWAY! ✮✮✮

Lauren’s Most Valuable Playboy Team Spirit Prize Package Giveaway! This bundle is valued at $450 and includes a Coach Handbag ($300 value) and $150 Stub Hub Gift Card to use for tickets to the game, your favorite concert, or theater performance.

http://laurenblakely.com/valuable-playboy-giveaway/

EXCERPT REVEAL: Blood Guard (Mission #1)

If you haven't heard by now, let me be the first to fangirl all over you when I tell you that Megan Erickson has a new vampire book releasing in just a few short weeks. She only recently crossed into the paranormal world with her Silver Tip Pack series, and I have to tell you - if she does vampires half as well as she does shifters, we're all in for a real treat.

Today I have an excerpt for you from the first book in her Mission series, BLOOD GUARD.

Blood Guard (Mission #1), by Megan Erickson
Publish Date: September 12, 2017
Publisher: Loveswept
Genre: adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Tendra: One minute, I’m a bartender in gritty Mission City; the next, I’m whisked away by a vampire named Athan who tells me that I’m the lifeblood of his clan. It sounds unbelievable, but he’s got evidence I can’t deny. Turns out, Athan belongs to an underground society of vampires who feed only on humans with their consent. Their enemies have no such qualms, and they want me dead. The only thing standing in their way is strong, sexy Athan. And the closer we get, the more tempted I am to let Athan feed. . . .

Athan: How could I have known when I snatched this snarky, beautiful human off the streets that she would change mydestiny? As a loyal soldier, I must deliver Tendra to our future king—my brother. Empowered with the blood of ten generations of the Gregorie breed, she is fated to rule as our queen. But there’s something between us that’s so intoxicating, so carnal, I can’t help wanting Tendra for myself . . . even if it’s treason.

The panic welled in my chest. I was trapped in a strange apartment with a strange man who probably outweighed me trifold. I opened up my mouth to scream but he held up his hand and said in a deep voice. “You scream, and I’ll just put you to sleep again.”

My jaw snapped shut. I focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. I wanted to thrash and yell, and holler, but he’d somehow knocked me out before and I would be useless if he did it again.

I glanced around. The only light was from a small, dim bare bulb above us. The rest of the room was in shadow. There was nothing I could use for a weapon, not even my shoes. I focused back on the man in front of me. “How’d we get here?”

“I carried you,” he answered, his voice a rumble that I felt down to my bones.

Something moved in the corner of my vision and I peered into the dark. A form materialized, and I must have been dreaming still because Brex was there. He stalked toward me, rubbed against my leg, then sat down by my feet like a feline guard. I tried to be calm, but I was close to losing it. I didn’t date. Was this how people dated now? Maybe it was a thing. “Why is my cat here?”

My captor didn’t move, and half of his face was in shadow. “I brought him.”

“I don’t keep my ID on me, so how’d you know where I live?”

“I didn’t need your ID.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ve been watching you.”

Oh, just fucking great. A stalker. I’d be lucky if I made it out of here without him wearing my skin like clothes and my head in a freezer. “Okay, cool. Well, uh, hi. I’m Tendra. I applaud you for your unconventional, um, greeting. Want to untie me? We can go for a drink. I make a mean screwdriver.”

Confusion flickered over his face, then his scowl deepened, like uncertainty angered him. “No.”

I didn’t want to make him mad, but I’d never been great at keeping my mouth shut. Sometimes me opening my mouth was the reason we had to move. “Do you want money? Because I’m sorry to say, you kidnapped the wrong girl. Especially because I just paid rent. I’m eating peanut butter out of the tub for the next week.”

Again with the angry confusion. He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t want your money.”

I gritted my teeth. “Well, now you have me here. What do you plan to do to me?” The panic was slowly switching over to anger, the fight instinct my mother instilled in me strong as ever. If he was going to kill me, maybe I could piss him off enough that it would be quick. “Because I’ll tell you right now, I will fight you to my dying breath and then come back from the dead and haunt you until I convince you to cut your own dick off.”

His expression didn’t change. “Charming.”

I was signing my death warrant, but I couldn’t resist getting a shot in. “Fuck you, you creeper.”

His chest rose as he inhaled sharply. “Right, so let’s have it out. I’m your guard, because you’re destined to be delivered to my older brother in order to make our clan stronger.”

I didn’t move. Not an inch. Because holy shit, not only was he a creepy stalker, but he was out of his gourd, too. I couldn’t just have an evil stalker. Oh, no, I had to have a lunatic one, too. Zero of what he said made sense, so I focused on one thing at a time. “Excuse me? Clan? What are you, cavemen?”

I thought he’d take offense, but instead he just looked bored. “No, not cavemen. Vampires.”

I blinked.

And blinked again.

But nope, he was still there. This was still happening. Only me. If I made it out of here alive, what a story I’d have to sell about my stalker who thought he was a vampire. I had visions of the guy trying to bite my neck with his blunt teeth. Which made a giggle bubble up in my throat, which turned into a laugh, which turned into me throwing my head back in hysterical laughter until tears streamed down my cheeks.

When I dropped my head and focused on him through my tears, he was watching me carefully, that impassive expression still on his face.

He reached down and picked up Brex by the scruff of his neck, which immediately ceased any and all amusement on my part. “If you hurt my cat, swear to God—“

Brex yowled and swiped a paw across the man’s face. A thin line of scarlet bloomed on his cheekbone before the man dropped Brex, who scurried off to hide under a small table near an old couch. “Good job, Brex!” I shouted after him. “Now come back and finish the job!”

I turned to my stalker, and whatever I was about to say died in my throat. I watched as the cut sealed up and vanished before my eyes.

Gone.

No mark, no blood. No nothing.

And those dark eyes were still trained on me.

Megan Erickson is a USA Today bestselling author of romance that sizzles. Her books have a touch of nerd, a dash of humor, and always have a happily ever after. A former journalist, she switched to fiction when she decided she likes writing her own endings better.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her very own nerdy husband and two kids. Although rather fun-sized, she's been told she has a full-sized personality. When Megan isn't writing, she's either lounging with her two cats named after John Hughes characters or... thinking about writing.

Connect with Megan:

Website: meganerickson.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormeganerickson/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MeganErickson_
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2wlessh
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2voYMHc

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

Another one bites the dust - Riley's in love! Check out my review of THE BEAUTY OF US and an excerpt from the book. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!

The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date: August 22, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and InkslingerPR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Riley Gibson is over the moon at the prospect of having her restaurant, Seduction, on the Best Bites TV network. This could be the big break she’s been waiting for. But the idea of having an in-house show on a regular basis is a whole other matter. Their lives would be turned upside down, and convincing Mia, her best friend and head chef of Seduction, that having cameras in her kitchen every day is a good idea is daunting. Still, Riley knows it’s an opportunity she can’t afford to pass on. And when she meets Trevor Cooper, the show’s executive producer, she’s stunned by their intense chemistry.

Trevor’s sole intention is to persuade Riley to allow Best Bites TV to do a show on her restaurant. But when he walks into Riley’s office, he stops dead in his tracks. The professional, aloof woman on the phone is incredibly beautiful and funny. But can he convince her that he’s interested in Riley for himself? Or is he using the undeniable pull between them to persuade her to agree to his offer?

I've so enjoyed reading Kristen Proby's Fusion series. The story arc surrounding Seduction and its five owners has seemed real and organic. In the first book, the restaurant was brand new and trying to carve out its own niche. The success was evident in the second book as the restaurant expanded into new space. In the third book, the girls started offering Seduction as part of city tour groups. And now, in the fourth book, a popular television show wants to do an episode on the success these five beautiful women have found in the restaurant business. And, that's where Riley and Trevor's story begins. 

The big drama in The Beauty of Us isn't in the "will they or won't they" between show producer Trevor and Seduction marketing guru Riley. They are very honest about the fact that they are very attracted to each other, and despite the show, they get together fairly quickly and easily. No - the big question here is, how can a new relationship survive when the two people involved have lives in different states. 

It's a very real concern - Trevor's got an established career in Los Angeles and Riley and her restaurant are in Portland, Oregon. Despite how hot and heavy they are for each other while he's in Oregon, they're only together a few weeks before he has to return home and they have to learn how to do the long-distance thing.

There's no denying that Trevor and Riley are perfect together. Despite her lack of Star Wars knowledge, they have a mutual understanding of the publicity business, and she's definitely willing to learn all she needs to about Star Wars, Star Trek, video games and all Trevor's other loves. The one thing Riley does NOT like is the drama that seems to follow Trevor around. He has an ex-wife who has decided she made a mistake and an online gaming friend who has decided to go a little psycho possessive. Those two women plus the distance push Riley to her limits of tolerance, despite what she feels for Trevor, and it's up to him to find the solutions. 

I love that we get time with all five women in The Beauty of Us. We do get a little more Mia time than anyone else, since she's the last one to get a book in this series, and it's coming up next. In fact, that Seduction success arc I was talking about earlier stays on track as we head into Mia's book, and it's pretty awesome that it's related to Trevor and Riley's story. Be prepared for a pretty big surprise in the last few paragraphs of the book in relation to Mia. 

I love the stories that have come out of this awesome restaurant owned by five best friends. Each one has been fun and sexy and special. And now, there's only one left.

Preorder THE BEAUTY OF US, fill out this form, and receive an email with a sneak peek of the cover and first chapter from CHARMING HANNAH, the first book in Kristen Proby’s upcoming Big Sky series!

~TREVOR~

“So, THIS WAS a good date,” Riley says later as I drive her home. She rode to work with Addie so I could take her home after our date.

“I’m glad you approve,” I reply, and kiss the back of her hand. “Now, I won’t be calling or texting for three days.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s how it’s done.” I sigh and shrug, as if to say, What can I do? Riley chuckles.

“Well, then I’ll text the girls ‘I hate this guy,’ and then you’ll text and I’ll be all, ‘Never mind. He just texted.’”

“Yes, I believe you’re familiar with how this works.”

“Well,” she says. “I’m not really much of a drama girl. You should just go ahead and call or text whenever you want to.”

“Really? You’re not one for drama? I seem to remember someone barging into my apartment last night, yelling at me, because her date didn’t go well.”

I’m only human, Trevor,” she says with a smile. “I never claimed to be perfect.”

I laugh as she points out her driveway and I pull in, then escort her up to her door.

“I had fun,” she says.

“You sound surprised.”

“Pleasantly surprised,” she says. “Do you want to come in?”

“yes,” I reply, and cage her in against the door. “But I’m not going to.”

She swallows hard. “You aren’t?”

“No.” I kiss her forehead.

“Why not?” It’s a whisper now.

“Because this is the first date,” I remind her, and kiss her cheek. “So I’m going to be a gentleman and say good night right here on your porch.”

“Well, damn.”

I grin and nudge her face up to mine, and let myself sink into her, our lips tangled. She fists her hands in my shirt at my sides, holding on tight, and giving back as good as she gets. She lifts up higher on her toes and presses her breasts to my chest, and fuck me, it’s all I can do not to scoop her up., take her inside, and fuck her into the mattress.

Instead, I pull back gently, regretfully.

“Thank you for tonight,” I murmur, and watch with humor as she struggles to open her eyes. The attraction is definitely not one-sided.

“Okay,” she says, and touches her lips with her fingertips. “I mean, you’re welcome. And thank you.” She smiles, opens her door, and slips inside.

And just like that, she’s gone.

But I can faintly hear her say, “Holy shit,” on the other side of the door.

No, she’s not immune to me either.

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

Links:  Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Sign Up ** Kristen Proby Goodreads

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Royally Endowed (Royally #3)

Royally Endowed (Royally #3), by Emma Chase
Publish Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and InkslingerPR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Logan St. James is a smoldering, sexy beast. Sure, he can be a little broody at times—but Ellie Hammond’s willing to overlook that. Because, have you seen him?? 

Sexy. As. Hell.

And Ellie’s perky enough for both of them.
For years, she’s had a crush on the intense, gorgeous royal security guard—but she doesn’t think he ever saw her, not really.

To Logan, Ellie was just part of the job—a relative of the royal family he’d sworn to protect. Now, at 22 years old and fresh out of college, she’s determined to put aside her X-rated dreams of pat-downs and pillow talk, and find a real life happily ever after.

The Queen of Wessco encourages Ellie to follow in her sister’s footsteps and settle down with a prince of her own. Or a duke, a marquis…a viscount would also do nicely.

But in the pursuit of a fairy tale ending, Ellie learns that the sweetest crushes can be the hardest to let go.
***Logan St. James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a family on the wrong side of the law. But these days, he covers his tattoos and scars with a respectable suit. He’s handsome, loyal, brave, skilled with his hands and…other body parts.

Any woman would be proud to call him hers.

But there’s only one woman he wants.

For years he’s watched over her, protected her, held her hair back when she was sick, taught her how to throw a punch, and spot a liar.
He dreams of her. Would lay down his life for her.

But beautiful Ellie Hammond’s off-limits.

Everybody knows the bodyguard rules: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love.

Everyone knows I'm a total sucker for royal books. They are my jam. So, of course - OF COURSE - this entire series has been nothing but heart eyes and swoony sighs for me. In book 1, Prince Nicholas fell in love with a New York diner girl. In book 2, Prince Henry fell for the quiet, awkward girl. And present through all of it was royal guard Logan St. James. He's in sort of a "always a bridesmaid, never the bride" type of situation. He's witnessed his charges find the loves of their lives, and because of his job and having to remain detached and preferably unattached, Logan has never thought he could find his. 

Then there's sweet, girlie Ellie, sister to the aforementioned NY diner girl. She has loved Logan from afar ever since he was assigned to guard her as well when she was only 17. For five long years, she's carried this torch for him with almost no hope of having her affections returned. Talk about dedication to the cause. Logan has been a singular presence in her life for some of the most momentous occasions - high school and college graduation, the marriage of her sister, her boyfriends and hook-ups and everything in between.

Royally Endowed is truly the story of Logan and Ellie. It backs up the timeline to near the beginning of the events that unfolded in Royally Screwed (book 1). Ellie was only 17 then, so of course a relationship with Logan who is in his early 20s would've been a little inappropriate. But, it was so important to begin at the beginning, so I'm so happy that Emma Chase took the time to take us back so we could see how this relationship evolved. 

And it absolutely evolved. Certainly there was physical attraction from the beginning, but what Ellie and Logan build over five years of being together - even as bodyguard and charge - goes so far beyond lust or objectification. They learn each others' secrets, help each other through tough times, and celebrate each others' victories. Every time we jump ahead a few months or a few years, we're taken to a point in their relationship that seemed significant as their attraction grew for each other. Until finally we find ourselves at present day when Ellie returns to Wessco for the summer. 

Ellie is now in her early 20s and Logan just can't keep his hands to himself anymore. And thank freaking goodness for that. As you can imagine, the sexual tension ramps up and up and up until you are practically DYING for them to just kiss already. But, it's against Logan's moral code and could endanger his job - one that he truly loves - if he gives in. It's a big deal. And it makes that moment when they finally throw caution to the wind so much more amazing.

A lot happens in Royally Endowed. Like, A LOT. We witness major events in the lives of all three couples in the Royally series. And each event is incredible in its own right. The epilogue puts the perfect final touches on this series that has held me captive from the very beginning. This series will go down as one of my all-time favorites.

Ellie

But then the mood shifts, as if the air becomes thicker, weighted, more . . . sultry.

Because slowly, Logan sinks down to one knee in front of me—looking in my eyes the whole time. In this position, I could touch his shoulders, comb my fingers through his thick, dark hair. He’s the perfect height for me to bend down and kiss his mouth—the perfect height for him to kiss me back . . . in a lot of places.

My breath hitches. And I wonder he feels it too.

There’s a sound of tearing Velcro, and Logan takes something off his ankle—a holster, with a small silver knife, about three inches long.

“Keep this on you all the time,” he says seriously. “Just in case. If you wear a skirt, the strap will fit around your thigh.”

And I almost laugh. Most girls get a ring from a guy on his knees. I get a murder weapon. But still, it makes me feel safe . . . watched over. Like I’m something precious that deserves to be protected.

I take the knife from him, testing the surprisingly solid, heavy weight of it in my hand. I press my index finger to the tip.

Logan grabs my wrist tightly. “Careful. It’s sharp.”

There’s a small, painless nick, a tiny bead of blood, so I put my finger in my mouth, sucking.

And Logan’s watching me again.

Watching my mouth.

His chest seems to rise just a little faster, and his throat ripples when he swallows. He bends his head, curves his strong back, and then I feel his hands on my ankle, securing the strap. His touch is warm and self-assured. It’s the way he always moves—confident and experienced. Logan knows his body and he knows how to use it, in every way possible.

I almost moan. The sound is in the back of my throat, but I keep it trapped. I never knew the ankle was an erogenous zone, but it sure as hell is now. A hot pulse of pleasure streaks from Logan’s fingers on my bare skin, up my thigh, between my legs.

And I throb there, growing swollen and heavy as he keeps his hands on me.

Can he tell? Does he know? He’s so aware of everything, always so attuned, I wonder if he can sense my arousal . . . feel it in the air that clings between us.

Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

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