Ball Peen Hammer by Lauren Rowe

Ball Peen Hammer by Lauren Rowee http://amzn.to/2aabXNx

Lori DeSisto-Sarat

Keane and Maddy have the funniest adventure EVER. I laughed so much I had tears in my eyes and my sides were aching. BPH is full of fun witty banter that kept a smile on my face throughout the whole book. If I could give this book 10 stars I would, it just made me feel so light and happy.

The journey of hilarity starts off with Maddy moving to LA to go to college. She is moving in with her big sister Hannah. Hannah is nervous about Maddy traveling so far by herself, and since Hannah’s neighbor Dax has a brother that lives close to where Maddy is currently she asked him to have his brother travel with Maddy.

Keane is bad about answering his phone either text messages or voicemail and misses the message from his brother Dax telling him to travel with Maddy. So when Maddy calls leaving messages and texts Keane has no idea who this chick is. Together with his best friend he calls his “other half” they begin to “suss” the mysterious Maddy out. By sending an dirty photo.

So now is where all the fun begins. Crazy travel buddies the joining of straight laced Maddy and stripper Keane known as Ball Peen Hammer. What starts off as mutual distain ends with a super fun friendship road trip!

“What? You haven’t named your wahoo?””No” She giggles again. “Well, Maybe you should. Start calling your bat-cave She-Ra Princess of Power and you’ll jumpstart that motor of yours in record speed. Or maybe Hello Kitty? Delilah? Jaws? Any of those speak to you?”

With suggested vagina names like that how can you go wrong?!! Although Jaws does sound painful

BOSSMAN Vi Keeland

BOSSMAN Vi Keeland…..http://amzn.to/29FaYZA

Ok so now where do we start with Vi Keeland, oh wait I know!

and

That pretty much sums up the greatness of Vi Keeland, because not only has she given us more men to fawn over, but she did it in the biggest way. Ladies Bossman!

Let’s just take a minute of silence while we stare deep into his eyes, hoping to everything that he actually blinks at me.

The first time I met Chase Parker, I didn’t exactly make a good impression.
I was hiding in the bathroom hallway of a restaurant, leaving a message for my best friend to save me from my awful date.

Ok perhaps there could have had better ways to how they met. I mean she could have been a damsel in distress. Oh wait a second she was. here she was minding her own business out on a blind date. Not just any blind date but a date where he spoke about his mother. If that wasn’t good enough this hot as sin stranger proceeded to offer her advice on how to handle her date.

So I told him to mind his own damn business—his own tall, gorgeous, full-of-himself damn business—and went back to my miserable date.
When he walked by my table, he smirked, and I watched his arrogant, sexy ass walk back to his date.

He’s lucky he’s hot and swoony, and hot, and sexy and holy mother of greatness he’s hot. LADIES

So of course she does what any woman would do. She tell s her to pfft off. and then she sways her hips right back to her table, where she steals glances of him all through the night. Till he catches her, one time, two times, three time. And then

So it’s at this point I’ve been put under the spell of Vi Keeland and Mr. Bossman

When the gorgeous stranger and his equally hot date suddenly appeared at our table, I thought he was going to rat me out.
But instead, he pretended we knew each other and joined us—telling elaborate, embarrassing stories about our fake childhood.

I swear this part made me snort out loud, it was so funny. He literally made up their whole childhood.

SO her boring as nails date, just took on a whole new meaning. The sparks were there, the banter was there, the question of what happens now was all I could think of!

When it was over and we parted ways, I thought about him more than I would ever admit, even though I knew I’d never see him again.

I mean, what were the chances I’d run into him again in a city with eight million people?
Then again…

It’s New York City, there are a billion people there, a billion, it’s really impossible for you to run into the same man again, right? A MILLION PEOPLE.

But sometimes fate has other plans, sometimes the universe spins and knocks everything off it’s axis,, and sometimes just sometimes you have to take what the universe is giving you. You take a hold of it, you hold it, you cherish it, you protect it.

Don’t focus of the what ifs, focus on what is.

In a book where I laughed, I swooned, I had butterflies in my stomach, I had my heart bursting wit love, I had my heart hurt with pain and I had my OH My God I don’t think it gets better than this.

And that is what VI Keeland did, she did all that because she’s the BOSS!

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Something So Right Excerpt Reveal Natasha Madison

BLURB

Coming August 1, 2016

The moment everything changed didn’t happen in that cliché rockets-red-glare kind of way, it happened in the form of a waking nightmare. I caught my husband, my high-school sweetheart, the father of my children, balls deep in a sordid affair.
That was when I gave up on men and love. 
I didn’t count on the NHL’s golden boy, the beautiful, arrogant Cooper Stone turning my life and my hockey rink upside down.

My kids are why I wake up in the morning.

Hockey is what Cooper breathes for.

We’re from different worlds and places in our lives but when our hearts collided something so wrong and different turned into something so right.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

We pull up to the house way after everyone’s bedtime. Allison was asleep
even before we pulled out of Meghan’s driveway. It’s been a long time I’ve felt
this content.

I look over at Cooper, who looks far away in his thoughts.

He’s been like that all evening.

Once we get home, he quickly takes Allison out of her seat. Luckily she
changed into her pyjamas before we left Meghan’s.

“I got her, babe, get the bags.”

Matthew is continuing his ‘celebrating’ by staying over at his friend’s
house. Usually I would say no, but like Cooper said, it’s like he just won the
cup.

“Okay.”

By the time I get inside and sort through all the wet things, I sense
him before I feel him wrap his hands around my waist.

“Babe, come outside with me.” Something in his voice makes my heart
pound. My hands are getting clammy just walking outside with him.

We get to the hammock, and he sits down on it, making it like a swing.
His feet are on the ground in front, and the back of the hammock against his
back halfway. “Sit on me,” he demands.

“I can’t. I’m going to throw you over.” I stand there in front of him.
He rubs his hands up and down the back of my legs, kissing my stomach. I’m
still wearing my sundress from this afternoon.

“I won’t make you fall, I promise.”

I comb my fingers through his hair, looking down into his blue eyes.
They’re like the key to his soul, always bright. Tonight they look clouded,
like a storm is brewing.

“Okay,” I whisper and straddle his lap. I’m surprised we don’t topple
over, but Cooper has his feet planted on the floor, so we aren’t going
anywhere.

“Baby.” I look at him. “You’re scaring me.” I’m sure he can hear my
heart beating in my chest.

“I’ve never felt like this.” He whispers, “I’ve had women, many women,
but none were like you.” He kisses my chest right above my breast.

“Okay.” I twirl his hair through my fingers.

“When I looked over at you today and saw you sitting with James, my
breath caught in my throat.”

“Honey.” I pull his hair so he looks up at me. “James and I, we are the
past. Way, way in the past.”

“You made a life with him, you made a home with him, you have kids with
him.” His voice trembles.

“I had all that, I made a home with him. I had kids with him. He threw
that away. He tossed it aside.” I’m trying to calm my nerves. I’m scared that this
is it. This will be the last time that I hold him. “Cooper.” He looks up at me,
and I snap, my heart snaps. “No, you don’t get to decide this, you don’t get to
toss me aside because you think you know what I want or need.” My heart is
literally hurting. It’s aching. I blink away the tears that are forming in my
eyes, continuing what I have to say. “If you don’t want me, just say it, but
don’t you dare try to cop out of this giving yourself a clear conscience.” I
drop my hands to my sides, looking into his eyes. I lean forward, kissing his
eyes. “I’ve had many years with a man who not only looked through me, he passed
by me, not stopping to look at me. But you, you see me.”—I kiss his cheeks—“I’ve had many years not smiling. Now I smile so much my cheeks hurt. I
smile for no reason at all. I smile at you and because of you”—I kiss his lips—“I’ve had many years of little kisses, but none of them made my heart
flutter like yours, none of them left me breathless because of them, none of
them I longed for.” I can’t stop the one tear that has rolled down my face. “I
want you, I want this”—I point from him to me with my hand—“I want this more than I care to admit”—I put my forehead on his, our eyes watching
each other—“I want you to want me,” I whisper the last part, my heart hoping that
he does pick me, that he picks us.

“I want you,” he says softly. “I want all of you. I want your mornings.
I want your afternoons. I want your nights. I want your tomorrows, baby. I want
it all. I was so scared you would want what you had, and not want what we
have.”

I don’t say anything anymore. I just lean in, kissing his bottom lip,
hoping he opens up for me, and he does. He opens so our tongues touch each
other, and I know I’m home.

I want to get under his skin and it still wouldn’t be close enough. I
fumble with his shirt, trying to rip it off his body. When my hands touch his
chest, I make little traces of imaginary infinity signs all down his chest,
hoping he feels it. He pulls down the tube part of my dress, bringing my bikini
top with it. My nipples peak with the cold air on them. Cooper’s
thumbs circle around my nipples, then he places his finger in the middle of my
chest, making an infinity sign, all while looking into my eyes.

My need for him is all-consuming. He
squeezes my breast, rubbing down to my ass. When both his hands cup my ass, he
just palms it, pushing me more to him.

“Honey.” I’m stopped by his tongue
invading my mouth. I’m invaded by his scent. His hand makes its way under my
dress, moving my bikini bottoms to the side.

He enters me easily with two fingers,
making me gasp. “Always ready for me, always.” With my head tossed back, he
kisses down my neck with his tongue all the way to my nipple.

He takes it into his mouth, sucking
deeply, sending shock waves all down to my core. “Honey, please.” I look down
at him. “Be with me.”

He withdraws his fingers from me, then opens
his shorts, freeing himself.

“Be with me, baby.” I lift myself till I’m
positioned over him where I slowly slide all the way down, one inch at a time.
I feel him stretching me open while he invades me.

I look into his eyes, hoping he sees
what I feel. I move up and down again, all the while looking at him. He’s
beautiful. He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of, and he’s mine.

He picks me up by my hips, bringing me to
the top of his dick before bringing me down again.

“Honey.”

He lifts his feet off the ground, making
us swing back and forth, putting him deeper into me. It’s like we are on a
swing, so I push back, making him go back, him pushing forward, both of us
wanting to go deeper and deeper. I’m close, so close. I know he is too because
I feel fuller.

“Honey, I want you with me.”

“Babe, I’m there.” He grabs both my
shoulders, thrusting down on him where I come apart. I squeeze him, taking him
with me. He is groaning out his release, all the while we look into each other’s
eyes. His blue eyes are clearer than before, more at peace, more calm. He
kisses me deeply while still in me, the aftershocks of my orgasm still
squeezing him.

“Stay with me tonight?” I ask him.

“What about Allison?” he says, knowing
that I never want to cross that line.

“It’s okay. We can set an alarm, wake up
together. Say yes, please.”

“As long as I’m with you, it’s yes, it’s
always yes.”

 

About Natasha Madison

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

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BOOK TOUR: Filthy English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

FILTHY ENGLISH by Ilsa Madden-Mills http://amzn.to/29uLkSn

 

Filthy English By Lori Jean DeSisto Sarat

What can I say, hmm this book has left me with a gigantic book hangover. I was sucked in from the very first page. This is definitely a MUST READ. You will fall in love with Remi, Dax and their not quite Romeo and Juliet love story. You will shed tears for all they have dealt with. All of the emotions coming from this book make it one of my favorites of 2016.

Remi, after her fiancée called off the wedding, went on her honeymoon with her best friend Lulu. They decide to have a blast and go to a masquerade.

“Dang, the men in here are hotter than a Billy goat with a blowtorch,” 

Remi lets it all hang loose, well ummm she is clumsy and face plants directly into Dax’s lap. (I’d face plant there any time) little did she know it was the man she had a three night stand with freshman year of college. Dax knows who she is from the moment they kiss. The girl who stole his heart, and never looked back.

“A toast to friendship with a guy I once had a three-night stand with” 

These two have a history of love – hate and this is their journey to find out if it can be love or does it need to stay a mutual hate. There is no room for in between because one or both will get hurt.

“I want to own you, body and soul” 

I loved finding out if they could make it work or were they destined to be enemies from different houses.

BOOK TOUR : The Drifter by Kathy Coopmans

The Drifter by Kathy Coopmans http://amzn.to/29yQDlI

4 emotional stars! by Diane Sullivan 

Kray’s life on the outside looks perfect, but he has been living with a controlling and abusive father and a mother who has stopped caring. The only light in his dark world is his girlfriend Rori, but he doesn’t want to drag her down to his darkness. Believing that Rori, who’s future looks so promising, will be able to flourish without Kray holding her back, he takes off and becomes a drifter, trying to support himself with his music.

“The first time I felt loved was the only time I was at fault for loving too much, for wishing things could be different. That one day, she and I would live a life where we tripped over each other’s love because it was so strong, so incredibly rare that we vowed to never let it get extinguished. She will always own my heart. But she isn’t the one who eventually broke it. I did.” 

Rori must pick up the pieces of her shattered world when Kray disappears. She is left with so much to deal with, but is such a fighter, such a strong heroine. I admired her extremely kind and giving heart. Rori builds her future but never really moves on with her life as she still pines for her true love.

“I have never gotten over Kray Brooks. I never will. He’s embedded into my soul.” 

There was more introspective inner dialogue and not as much communication as I wanted and Kray was a bit needy and overly emotional and not quite the alpha that I usually look for in a hero, but his strong feelings of love for Rori held the story together.
The Drifter is an emotional tale of a true second chance. A story of two people who lives and loves and worlds seemed shattered beyond repair until they drifted back together.

“…a person’s past may define them, but a person’s future is solely up to them. I determine my fate from here on out, and I plan on taking the gift of a second chance at life and letting it outline what is yet to come for me. For Rori. For us.” 

I really struggled with this book at the beginning and all throughout I was sure I was going to rate it 3 – 3.5 stars… But the last chapter and epilogue really redeemed it for me.

“You’ve always held my heart, Kray Brooks. I’ll hold your hand through the good and the bad times. I’ll look at you this way for the rest of my life and I will stand with you while you save yourself. I’m not going anywhere, not without you by my side.”

Blog Tour – Stealing Home by Nicole Williams

  

 

Amazon US  Amazon UK  Amazon CA  iBooks   

 

 

MY REVIEW 5 STARS

I’ll start off by saying I’m not a baseball fan. I know it’s America’s past time, but I’m Canadian and well also it’s a long game.

But I will say that after this book I’m just saying batter up, because this may be the book that changes me.

This story starts off with Allie, the only woman on a MLB team. The hours are long, she’s always on the road and she’s trying to move up the ladder without having to do it on her knees!

Given she’s already the subject of a handful of rumors about how “lucky” she was to have earned such a coveted position, she can’t so much as flutter an eyelash a player’s way if she wants to be taken seriously.

Luke Archer, came out of left field. I can tell you without a doubt I was expecting the absolute worse when it came to him. I thought that he was going to be a womanizer, with women in every single town. Boy did I assume wrong. He was by far one of my all time heroes.

He’s a player, and in Allie’s experience, they’re all the same. She won’t risk her job or her heart to another one, no matter how different this one claims to be.

There is one thing you can’t call Luke and that is a quitter. He sees what he wants, he waits for the perfect ball and then he knocks that shit right out of the mother freaking park. And that is exactly what he did to Allie. He bidder his time, stayed in the back shadow till the perfect ball was pitched and then swung.

Allie will have to confront the stories attached to a player of Luke Archer’s stature and decide who she’ll put her faith in—The man she’s falling for? Or the rumors?

It wasn’t easy, he had to go to first base, round up to second and slide into third. Then he waited for the perfect opportunity to slide into home base which was her heart. And once there he scored the biggest hone run of his carrier.

Stealing home never felt so good!

In a book that I could not put down. It just kept me hooked, I just kept flipping pages till there were no pages left to flip. My heart was overflowing with love.

 

“Shouldn’t you buy me dinner first or something?” Archer smirked at me when he lifted up onto his elbows as I tugged his sweats down his legs.

“Tell you what,” I replied after I gave one last pull, freeing the dark gray sweats from him. After handing him a towel, I waited for him to drape it over his lap. Instead he curled it up and tossed it across the hotel room. “How about I draw you a nice, soothing, relaxing bath? Full of ice.”

As I came around the side of his bed, it took all of my concentration to focus on the compress I needed to unwrap instead of what was resting just a little higher. At least he had underwear on, but it wasn’t like they provided much coverage. Especially when what was tucked inside them looked about ready to burst free.

And dammit. I’d looked. From the way I could feel him watching me, he knew I’d looked too.

“Another ice bath. Sounds perfect. Since my balls aren’t already blue enough.” Archer spread his legs open farther as I reached down to unwind the compress circling his upper right thigh.

“Yeah, well, that’s what you get for not listening to the recommendation of your athletic trainer to take it easy.” I unwound the bandage slowly, not wanting to further inflame the area. “Every three hours, we’ll alternate fifteen minutes of ice and heat.”

“Yay.” He cleared his throat when my fingers brushed his inner thigh as I unwound the last of the compress Shepherd had wrapped back in the locker room after his first ice bath. “Since you got to decide on the ice option, how about I decide on the heat option?”

From the low notes in his voice, I knew exactly what he meant. “The plan is to calm the tear. Not further aggravate it.”

“Okay. I can work with that.” When I exhaled, he added, “I’ve got ideas.”

“Ideas that involve what you have in mind and not using your groin muscles?” My gaze wandered back to that part of his anatomy. Right before moving onto a different part of it. Holy shit. Something about knowing he wanted me and wasn’t concerned with hiding that desire made me dizzy. “Good luck with that.”

Archer watched me as I disappeared into the bathroom to turn off the water filling the tub. “Never underestimate the ingenuity of a desperate man.”

After testing the temperature of the bath, I grabbed one more bag of ice and dumped it in. I’d arranged to have four new bags arrive every few hours through the night so I could mitigate the damage Archer’s pulled groin muscle would have on his season.

The team doctor had done an exam in the locker room and assured Coach Beckett that with aggressive care these first twenty-four hours, Archer should be able to play the game in New Orleans three days from now.

From my own exam, I knew the doctor was giving Coach a serious case of lip service. The only way Archer would be able to play the Shock’s next game was if we injected him with every illegal substance in this sport and on the market in general. It was a class two pull—no amount of walking off would fix this in a couple days’ time.

“Are you hungry, Doc?” Archer called from the other room.

“That depends on the context of that question.”

His laugh carried into the bathroom. “You know me too well. However, in this instance, I’m referring to hunger as in for food. The room service type specifically. I can order something for us so we can eat once you’re done cryogenically freezing my gonads.”

Wandering back into his room, I dried off my hands with a towel. “Hey, this isn’t my fault—I warned you to take it easy.”

I ceremoniously waved my arms toward the bathroom, feeling nervous. I’d given so many ice baths I could have filled an entire ocean with them, but this one was different. It was for Luke Archer. In his hotel room instead of the locker room. Plus, back there, the entire coaching and medical staff had been present, pow-wowing a plan of treatment. No one else was here now though.

Just me. Just him. And a locked door.

“Dinner?” Archer waved the room service menu at me.

“I’ll order it for us. We need to get you in the tub before you get any more swollen.”

Archer’s gaze swept down his body, landing on the very part of him I was trying not to inspect. “I can think of something to help with the ‘swelling.’”

Crossing my arms, I gave him an unfazed look. “I’m here to see to your leg. Not your dick.”

“I think that by taking care of one, you’ll be taking care of the other.”

“True. Ice baths are up to the task of tending to torn muscles and swollen dicks. So let’s get started.”

Archer lay stretched out in bed for another minute, calling my bluff, but when I made no move to throw myself at him, he sighed. “The ice bath it is.”

“Good choice.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

 

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THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR Lauren Blakely

✮✮✮ THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR is here! From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely’s new contemporary romance Jewel Novel series, this enemies-to-lovers series is filled with sex, wit, glamour, and high stakes, with a rugged, ex-military, dirty-talking alpha hero! Don’t miss this explosive and passionate series! ✮✮✮

 

 

✮✮✮ “The Sapphire Affair is a high-stakes, adventure-filled romance that starts with a bang and keeps you on your toes until the very last sentence.” ✮✮✮ ~ Nose Stuck in a Book

 

Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hires him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.

Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.

Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.

But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs…

THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR & THE SAPPHIRE HEIST are being released by Montlake, which is an Amazon publishing company, and will only be available for sale at Amazon. You can download a free Kindle reading app for any smartphone or tablet here: http://amzn.to/1MIyrHi

THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR is available for free on Kindle Unlimited!

Add it to Goodreads here!

 

✮✮✮ Grab your copy of THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR today! ✮✮✮

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA

✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)

 

And Don’t Miss the Second Book, THE SAPPHIRE HEIST, releasing August 16th! Preorder your copy today!

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA

✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)

 

✮✮✮ Check out this excerpt from THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR! ✮✮✮

He’d have to get to the bottom of this on his own, and figure out if he was being played by the woman with the starfish belly ring. He wasn’t going to let last night’s kiss cloud his focus. He wasn’t going to let that blue bikini that hugged her hips, and had the good fortune to snuggle up to her breasts, distract him. Absolutely not.

“I’m glad you made it. I thought you’d get a kick out of Happy Turtle Cove, since you named me Happy Turtle,” she said, then dropped her voice to a faux whisper. “But it’s really a cove for turtles. I was just swimming with them.”

Stop. Just stop.

Swimming with turtles was too adorable. Especially when her nose crinkled. A constellation of freckles was splashed across her nose. He hadn’t noticed them yesterday. Briefly, he wondered where else she might be hiding freckles that he’d uncover on a proper and thorough investigation of her fantastic body. Preferably with his tongue, across every inch of her skin. “You were actually swimming with turtles?”

She tapped the mesh bag on her shoulder. “My snorkel gear is in here.” She gestured to her body. “Sorry, I’m still in my bathing suit. I’ll put on a sundress as soon as this is dry.”

“Or just remove the bikini entirely so it’ll dry faster. It’s not ever necessary to put on a dress on my account. I’m completely OK with the bikini as a sole item of clothing on a woman like you,” he said, then nearly smacked himself. He had to stop thinking with his dick. He had to use that head on his goddamn shoulders.

Cover up that body. Put a paper bag over your face. Stop being so damn sexy and sweet. Stop making me think about taking you back to my hotel room and peeling off that bikini and tasting how sweet your sun-kissed skin is.

“I’m glad to know that both nudity and skimpy bathing suits have your sartorial approval. But I actually hope to look somewhat decent when you take me to the Coconut Iguana. My friend Sandy runs it.”

He arched an eyebrow in question.

She tapped her wrist, even though it was bare. She didn’t strike him as a watch wearer. “Lunch time. I’m hungry. So I decided to let you take me out to lunch as a reward for your showing up and following my napkin instructions. Plus, they have the best fish tacos on the Islands, and absolutely amazing coconut drinks,” she said, stepping closer and bumping her hip against him.

A groan rumbled in his chest. Why was the universe torturing him?

He forced his brain to take over. To focus on facts, not lust. Because it made no sense why she’d be hungry, since he’d seen her at a restaurant two hours ago, and she didn’t look like she noshed around the clock. This was another sign that she might be working for the enemy.

“I’m hungry, too. Let’s head to the Coconut Iguana.” He held out a hand, telling himself that lunch was the perfect opportunity to get to the heart of who this woman was. Since she knew Eli, she might be a valuable asset. And if this woman was playing him, he could play her.

 

✮✮✮ Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and signed set of the THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR and THE SAPPHIRE HEIST! ✮✮✮

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About Lauren Blakely:

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With ten New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than fifty times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone romantic comedies like BIG ROCK and MISTER O, which were both instant New York Times Bestsellers. In the fall she’ll release WELL HUNG, another romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter: laurenblakely.com/newsletter.

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This is an exclusive sneak peek of: BOSSMAN VI KEELAND

This is an exclusive sneak peek of:

(A standalone novel)

Release date July 18th

A Contemporary Romance novel

New York Times & USA Today Bestseller

Vi Keeland

 

***

What a waste of smooth, shaven legs.

“Jules? It’s Reese. Where the hell are you? I need you. This is the worst date I’ve ever been on. I’m literally falling asleep. I’ve considered smashing my head on the table a few times to keep awake. Unless you want me bloodied and bruised, I need you to call with a fake emergency. Call me back. Please.” Pressing end call, I blew out a frustrated breath as I stood outside the ladies’ room in the dark hallway at the back of the restaurant.

A deep voice from behind me caught me off guard. “Unless he’s also an idiot—in addition to being boring—he’s going to know.”

“Excuse me?” I turned to find a man leaning against the wall, his eyes pointed down as he texted away on his phone. He continued without looking up.

“It’s the oldest trick in the book…the emergency phone call. The least you can do is put in a little more effort. It takes two months to get a reservation at this place, and it’s not cheap, sweetheart.”

“Maybe he should be the one to put in more effort. His sports jacket has a giant hole under the arm, and he’s done nothing but talk about his mother all night.”

“Ever consider that your snobby attitude makes him nervous?”

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “You want to talk about snobby? You eavesdrop on my call and give me your unwelcome opinions, all while staring down at your phone. You haven’t even made eye contact with me while you’re speaking.”

The jerk’s fingers froze mid text. Then I watched as his head rose, eyes following a leisurely path starting at my ankles, up over my bare legs, and lingering at the hemline of my skirt before continuing to trace their way over my hips, coming to rest briefly on my breasts before finally settling on my face.

“Yes, that’s right. Up here. These are my eyes.”

He pushed off the wall and stood tall, catching the lone ray that had been lighting the hallway. The streak illuminated his face, and I could see him clearly for the first time.

Really? Not what I was expecting. With that deep, raspy voice and attitude, I assumed I’d find someone older, probably dressed in a stuffy suit. But this guy was gorgeous. Young and gorgeous. Dressed entirely in black—simple and sleek, yet there was an edge to the way he looked. Golden brown hair tousled in that sexy I don’t give a shit way, but still looked perfect. Strong, masculine features—a square, rugged jaw coated with day-old stubble on sunkissed skin, a straight, prominent nose, and big, sexy, sleepy eyes the color of chocolate. Those were now staring intently at me.

Without dropping my gaze, he lifted his arms from his sides, holding them up over his head. “You want to check me for rips before you decide if I’m worthy of speaking to?”

He was gorgeous all right, but definitely an asshole. “That’s not necessary. Your attitude has already decided that for me, and you’re not.”

Lowering his arms, he chuckled. “Suit yourself. Try to enjoy the rest of your evening, sweetheart.”

I huffed, but stole one last fleeting look at the beautiful jerk before I walked back to my date.

Martin was sitting with his hands folded when I returned to my seat at the table.

“Sorry,” I told him. “There was a line.”

“That reminds me of a funny story. This one time, I was at a restaurant with my mother, and when she went to use the ladies’ room…”

His voice faded away while I stared at my phone, willing it to ring. Damn you, Jules. Where are you when I really need you? Around the middle of the story—at least I think it was the middle—I noticed the jerk from the bathroom walking past our table. He smirked at me after taking a look at my rambling date and my disinterested face. Curious, I followed his path to get a look at who he was here with.

Figures.

Dyed blonde, pretty in a slutty sort of way, with a heaping amount of boobage falling out of her low-cut dress. She made googly eyes at her date as he returned; I rolled mine. Yet…I couldn’t help but glance over at their table from time to time.

When our salads arrived, Martin was talking about his mother’s recent appendectomy, and I grew particularly bored. My eyes must have lingered a minute too long, because the guy from the bathroom caught me staring at him. Across the restaurant, he winked, arched an eyebrow, and tipped his glass in my direction.

Jerk.

Since I’d been caught, why bother to hide my watching him? He was certainly more interesting than my date. And he wasn’t shy about looking my way either. When a waiter stopped by his table, I watched as beautiful bathroom guy pointed in my direction and spoke. Martin was still telling some mommy-dearest story as I glanced behind me to see what the attractive jerk across the room could’ve been pointing to. When I turned back, the jerk and his date were standing. Reading his lips, I could make out some of what he was saying…something about joining an old friend, I thought. Then suddenly, they were walking right toward our table.

Is he going to say something to Martin about what he overheard?

“Reese. Is that you?”

What in the hell?

“Umm…yes.”

“Wow. It’s been a long time.” He patted his hand on his chest. “It’s me, Chase.” Before I knew what was happening, the jerk (who was apparently named Chase) reached down and gripped me in a bear hug. While I was in his arms, he whispered, “Play along. Let’s make your night more exciting, sweetheart.”

Dumbfounded, I could only stare as he turned his attention to Martin, extending his hand.

“I’m Chase Parker. Reese and I go way back.”

“Martin Ward.” My date nodded.

“Martin, mind if we join you? It’s been years since Buttercup and I have seen each other. I’d love to catch up. You don’t mind, do you?”

Although he’d asked a question, Chase definitely didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he pulled out a chair for his date and introduced her.

“This is Bridget…” He looked to her for help, and she filled in the blank.

“McDermott. Bridget McDermott.” She smiled, undaunted by our new double date or Chase’s obvious inability to remember her last name.

Martin, on the other hand, looked disappointed that our twosome was now a foursome, although I was certain he would never voice it.

He looked to Chase as he sat. “Buttercup?”

“That’s what we used to call her. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. My favorite candy.”

Once Chase and Bridget were seated, there was a moment of awkwardness. Surprisingly, it was Martin who broke it. “So, how do you two know each other?”

Even though Martin asked the question looking at both of us, I wanted to make it clear to Chase that he was the one on the hot seat. This was his little game.

“I’ll let Chase tell you about the first time we met. It’s really a funny story, actually.” I propped my elbows on the table and rested my head on my folded hands, turning my full attention to Chase while batting my eyelashes with a sly grin.

He didn’t flinch, nor did he take more than a few seconds to come up with a story. “Well, it wasn’t really the first time we met that’s the funny story—more like what happened after we met. My parents split up when I was in eighth grade, and I had to transfer to a new school. I was pretty miserable until I met Reese here on the bus the first week. She was the off-limits pretty girl, but I figured I had no friends to bust my balls if I asked her on a date and she turned me down. So, even though she’s a year older than me, I asked her to the eighth-grade dance. Surprised the shit out of me when she agreed to go.

“Anyway, I was young, with a healthy dose of testosterone, and I got it into my head that she was going to be my first kiss. All of my buddies back at my old school had already gotten theirs, and I figured it was my time. So, when the dance was coming to an end, I tugged Buttercup out of the crappy crepe-paper-and-balloon-decorated gymnasium and into the hall for some privacy. Of course, since it was my first time, I had no idea what to expect. But I went for it—got right in there and started to suck her face.”

Chase paused and winked at me. “It was all good up until then, wasn’t it, Buttercup?”

I couldn’t even respond. I was so floored listening to his story. But again, my lack of response didn’t seem to bother him because he went right along, weaving his tall tale.

“Anyway, this is where the story gets good. Like I said, I didn’t have any experience, but I dove right in—lips, teeth, tongue, and all. After a minute, the kiss started to feel awfully wet, but I was into it, so I kept going and going, not wanting to be the first one to pull away. Eventually, when we came up for air—literally since I’d almost sucked her face off—I realized why it had felt so wet. Reese had gotten a nosebleed in the middle of the kiss, and both of our faces were covered in smeared blood.”

Martin and Bridget laughed, but I was too stunned to react.

Chase reached out and touched my arm. “Come on, Buttercup. Don’t get embarrassed. Those were some good times we had. Remember?”

“How long were you two a couple?” Martin asked.

Just as Chase was about to respond, I reached over and touched his arm in the same patronizing way he’d touched mine. “Not too long. Right after the other incident, we broke up.”

Bridget clapped her hands and bopped up and down in her seat like an excited child. “I wanna hear about the other incident!”

“I’m not sure I should actually share it, now that I think about it,” I mused. “Is this your first date?”

Bridget nodded.

“Well, I don’t want you to assume Chase has the same problem anymore. Since our little incident was so long ago.” I leaned over to Bridget and whispered, “They gain better control as they grow older. Usually.”

Instead of being upset, Chase looked thoroughly pleased with my story. Proud, even. In fact, the rest of the evening went on pretty much the same way. Chase told elaborate stories about our fake childhood, unafraid to embarrass himself in the process, and kept us all amused. I sometimes added to his stories when my mouth wasn’t hanging open at the crap he’d made up.

I hated to admit it, but the jerk had started to grow on me, even while telling stories about my bloody nose and the “unfortunate bra-stuffing incident.” By the end of the evening, I was ordering coffee to stall the night’s end—a far cry from our exchange in the bathroom hallway.

Outside of the restaurant, Martin, Chase, and I all handed the valet our tickets. I preferred to be in control of when a first date started and ended, so I’d met Martin at the restaurant. Of course Bridget had come in Chase’s car like a normal date. She was also practically rubbing up against his side as she clung to his arm while we waited for our cars. When my shiny red Audi pulled up first, I wasn’t sure how to say goodbye to…well…anyone. I took the keys and lingered with the door open.

“Nice car, Buttercup.” Chase smiled. “Better than that hunk of junk you drove in high school, huh?”

I chuckled. “I suppose it is.”

Martin stepped forward. “It was nice seeing you, Reese. I hope we can do this again sometime.”

Rather than wait for him to attempt to kiss me, I went in for a hug. “Thank you for a nice dinner, Martin.”

As I stepped back, Chase stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. Unlike the friendly back-pat I’d given Martin, Chase plastered me against his body. God, it felt good. Then he did the strangest thing… He wound my long hair around his hand a few times and closed it into a fist, using it to tug my head back. His eyes lingered on my lips as I looked up at him, and for a brief second, I thought he might kiss me.

Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead. “See you at the reunion next year?”

I nodded, feeling almost off-kilter. “Umm…sure thing.” I glanced to Bridget after he released me. “Nice to meet you, Bridget.”

Reluctantly, I folded into my car. Feeling eyes on me, I looked up while putting my seat belt on. Chase watched me intently. It looked like he wanted to say something, but after a few heartbeats, it felt strange to sit and wait any longer.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled away with one last wave, wondering why it felt like I was leaving something important behind.

★★★★

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Blurb

The first time I met Chase Parker, I didn’t exactly make a good impression.

I was hiding in the bathroom hallway of a restaurant, leaving a message for my best friend to save me from my awful date.

He overheard and told me I was a bitch, then proceeded to offer me some dating advice.

So I told him to mind his own damn business—his own tall, gorgeous, full-of-himself damn business—and went back to my miserable date.

When he walked by my table, he smirked, and I watched his arrogant, sexy ass walk back to his date.

I couldn’t help but sneak hidden glances at the condescending jerk on the other side of the room.  Of course, he caught me on more than one occasion, and winked.

When the gorgeous stranger and his equally hot date suddenly appeared at our table, I thought he was going to rat me out.

But instead, he pretended we knew each other and joined us—telling elaborate, embarrassing stories about our fake childhood.

My date suddenly went from boring to bizarrely exciting.

When it was over and we parted ways, I thought about him more than I would ever admit, even though I knew I’d never see him again.

I mean, what were the chances I’d run into him again in a city with eight million people?

Then again…

What were the chances a month later he’d wind up being my new sexy boss?

 

Release Blitz – Stealing Home

 

 

 

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Being the only woman working for a professional baseball team isn’t easy. As the San Diego Shock’s newest athletic trainer, Allie knows all about long hours, endless travel, and warding off players’ advances. Given she’s already the subject of a handful of rumors about how “lucky” she was to have earned such a coveted position, she can’t so much as flutter an eyelash a player’s way if she wants to be taken seriously.

 

But number eleven is doing more than fluttering eyelashes Allie’s way. Far more. Luke Archer is at the top of his game and doesn’t let the fear of striking out keep him from swinging. This is a motto he applies both on and off the field, but Allie appears immune, seeming to view Luke as nothing more than caution tape on legs.

 

He’s a player, and in Allie’s experience, they’re all the same. She won’t risk her job or her heart to another one, no matter how different this one claims to be. But as Allie gets to know him, she discovers the number eleven the public thinks they know is very different from the real Luke Archer. He seems too good to be true.

 

And maybe he is.

 

Allie will have to confront the stories attached to a player of Luke Archer’s stature and decide who she’ll put her faith in—The man she’s falling for? Or the rumors?

 

 

When the photographer announced he was going to commence shooting, I turned my head away, focusing on the space just over Archer’s shoulder. “You didn’t know I existed before last night,” I said quietly, so no one else in the room could hear.

           “I’ve known you’ve existed from the first day you walked out onto the diamond at spring practice.” He was back to barely moving his lips, managing to hold a sexy-as-hell smirk as he stared at the camera.

           “And why was last night the first time you ever said anything to me?”

           His eyes darted my way for a moment. “Because you didn’t seem like the type who was open to mixing business with pleasure, and I respected that.”

           “That’s why we’re in our present situation?” I glanced down at myself, where his jersey was floating a good foot above my knees. “Because you respected my policy on that topic?”

           The corner of his mouth twitched, the lights of the camera flashing in his eyes. “Hey, even a patient man has his limits.” With that, the position of his bat moved so the end of it was nuzzled into my backside. Which meant his fist curled around it was all up in my butt’s business too.

           His crooked smile became more pronounced.

           The photographer whistled, I guess approving of whatever feedback he was getting on his end of the camera. “Every woman in America wants to be you right now, sweetheart.”

           Archer grunted, his knuckles digging a little deeper into my ass. “More like every guy in America wants to be me right now.”

           I did my best to stay still and, you know, keep from hyperventilating. The heat from the lights, combined with the heat spilling from his body, was stifling. With his cleats on and me being barefoot, Luke Archer seemed that much taller. With my petite body pressed up against his, his frame seemed that much more imposing. With his arms snug around me, I could feel the strength he possessed. It was the kind that was meant for power. The kind that told me he could do anything he wanted to me and I’d be helpless to stop it. It was thrilling at the same time it was terrifying.

A few minutes later, my heart still thudding so hard I prayed he couldn’t hear it, the skin between Archer’s brows creased. “When will the magazines go up for auction?”

“In two months. Don’t worry, we’ll send you one.” The photographer continued to snap photo after photo.

“Yeah, I’m going to need more than that.”

“How many more?”

The crease deepened. I was trying to keep my head turned away from him, but my eyes weren’t so capable of the task.

“Eh, thirty? Maybe forty? Just enough for every wall in my apartment. Don’t worry, I’ll pay whatever the auction price winds up being.”

My forehead creased. “Every wall in your apartment?”

“I like my name on your back.”

The way he said it, like it should have been obvious and required no explanation, made me smile. “Such a caveman.”

“If I was a caveman, I’d tell you where I’d rather have my name on you.” Archer’s fist pressed into my backside enough to smash me closer to him. “Tattooed on you so you couldn’t just take it off or wash it off.”

“Wow, okay, so I retract my former accusation in favor of labeling you some barbarian-Neanderthal-caveman hybrid.”

“Before you form any more unfavorable opinions of me, let me just remind you that I’m a baseball player.” When I arched a brow at him, he continued, “I’m good with my hands, know what to do with a big stick, and am used to getting dirty.”

I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I didn’t want him to think I found any of what he’d said endearing, even though I kind of did.

With my hand tucked behind his back, I pinched at his side. “Only in baseball is someone highly skilled if they hit one third of the balls thrown in their direction.”

His plastered on smolder fell when he shot me a wounded expression. “Sure Coach doesn’t have you around to keep our egos in check?”

“A pro baseball player’s ego? No amount of insults could keep that in check.” I felt my straight face falter as he threw me another injured look.

“Triple ouch.”

“Oh, please. You like it.”

“Yeah”—he tipped his hips into me just enough—“I do.”

I nearly leapt through the ceiling when I felt him hard against me, but I recovered. Eventually.

“Everything okay?” the photographer asked, not sounding like he really cared.

Archer waited for me to answer.

“Everything’s great,” I muttered.

“Thanks. I get that a lot.” Archer’s eyes were spilling amusement.

Grumbling under my breath, I did my best to stay cool and collected through the remainder of the shoot. I felt the opposite though.

After a minute, Archer must have noticed the frustrated look on my face. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“Sorry for what?” I asked. “That I’m wearing nothing but your jersey? That I somehow wound up in this photo shoot when I had no idea I’d be posing for Sports Anonymous with Luke Archer? Or are you sorry for your erection you clearly can’t control when I’m stuck sandwiched between you and a baseball bat?”

Archer lowered his head so his mouth was beside my ear. “I’m sorry if my ‘erection’ makes you uncomfortable.”

“But not sorry because you have one, right?”

His head shook slowly. “No, not sorry for that.”

“Of course not.”

When he shrugged, the band of muscle beneath his chest moved against my hand. “At least now you know.”

“At least now I know what?”

“How I feel.”

I blew out a breath. “Yeah, I have a really good idea how you feel. Thanks for clearing it up.”

The harder Archer fought his smile, the more pronounced his dimple became. The auction price for these issues just spiked a grand or two. The children’s hospital could thank me later.

“You know how this game works. I know how.” He paused, letting that settle in the space between us. “You just have to decide if you want to play.”

“Because you have decided?”

His bat pressed deeper into my back, drawing me impossibly closer to his body. His arousal settled hard into the side of my stomach. “Doc, I’m already playing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

 

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NEIGHBOR DEAREST PENELOPE WARD

NEIGHBOR DEAREST

(A standalone)

A Contemporary Romance Novel

New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

Penelope Ward

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, r.b.a designs

Cover Model: James Joseph Pulido

Cover Photography: Cory Stierley

Release Date:  August 15th, 2016

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Blurb

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy new STANDALONE novel.

After getting dumped, the last thing I needed was to move next door to someone who reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, Elec.

Damien was a hotter version of my ex.

The neighbor I’d dubbed “Angry Artist” also had two massive dogs that kept me up with their barking.

He wanted nothing to do with me. Or so I thought until one night I heard laughter coming through an apparent hole in my bedroom wall.

Damien had been listening to all of my phone sessions with my therapist.

The sexy artist next door now knew all of my deepest secrets and insecurities.

We got to talking.

He set me straight with tips to get over my breakup.

He became a good friend, but Damien made it clear that he couldn’t be anything more.

Problem was, I was falling hard for him anyway. And as much as he pushed me away, I knew he felt the same…because his heartbeat didn’t lie.

 

I thought my heart had been broken by Elec, but it was alive and beating harder than ever for Damien.

I just hoped he wouldn’t shatter it for good.

Author’s note – Neighbor Dearest is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Meet Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

 

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