Blog Tour for Dianne Duvall’s The Pruveli: Top 5 Reasons to Love Ava

Dianne, we are super excited about your newest release (coming tomorrow Jan 18th). We are also very honored to let you take over the blog today to talk about Ava, your heroine, from The Purveli. For those who don’t know Dianne yet, please let me introduce you to our followers.

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, the Aldebarian Alliance sci‐fi romance series, and The Gifted Ones medieval and time‐travel romance series. The Lasaran, the first book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a #1 Audible Mover & Shaker. The Segonian, the second book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a Barnes&Noble Top Indie Favorite. Audible chose Awaken the Darkness as one of the Top 5 Best Paranormal Romance Audiobooks of 2018. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews).

Dianne’s books have twice been nominated for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. And her audiobooks have been awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence. Dianne’s books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and/or Kobo Bestseller lists. The first book in Dianne’s The Gifted Ones series, A Sorceress of His Own, is a prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A USA Today bestseller, A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that was awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence and was an Audie Finalist. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, is a time travel romance that won the GraveTells Readers’ Choice Award for Best Historical Romance. In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the psychotic vampires she creates in her books.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit DianneDuvall.com or sign up for her Newsletter.

With that Dianne that blog is all yours.

Hello! Thank you for joining us. I’m very happy to be here, celebrating the release of THE PURVELI, the third stand-alone novel in my exciting new Aldebarian Alliance series. If you like romance that features strong heroes, kick-ass heroines, and lots of action, passion, and humor, then I hope you’ll pick up a copy. If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, don’t worry. You won’t be lost if you dive in with this one. Today I thought I would help you get to know Ava, the heroine, by sharing five reasons Jak’ri falls in love with her:

Whatever her circumstances, she tries to be optimistic and not lose hope
(even though Evie, an escape pod’s computer, thinks it inadvisable)

“Any attempt to elude them will likely fail,” Evie informed her. “But if you order it, I will attempt to evade capture.”

“Yes! Yes! Do that! Get us the hell out of here!” Ava grunted as she was tossed to the left as if the pod had made a sharp turn. “What’s happening?” All she could see through the windshield was black space.

“I am attempting to avoid the Gathendien ship’s acquisition beam while heading for Asteroid Belt 116749,” The computer informed her.

“Excellent!” Surely it would be easier for a small escape pod to zip through asteroids than it would be for a hulking warship. “Let’s lose them in the asteroids!”

“Unlikely,” Evie said calmly as the pod swerved again. “Asteroid Belt 116749 is far enough away that we will probably be—”

“Just try, damn it!” Ava gritted.

The harness dug into Ava’s shoulders as she was jerked from side to side. She thought about asking Evie to turn off the artificial gravity but honestly didn’t know if that would make things better or worse.

“Asteroid Belt 116749 is now in sight.”

“Yes!” Ava cried triumphantly. “We can do this!”

“Unlikely,” the ever-unflappable Evie replied. “Though the pod can change direction faster than the Gathendien ship and I have eluded its acquisition beam, the ship is still pursuing us and—”

“Evie,” Ava gritted, “you’re killing me.”

She kicks ass.

One of the guards gave her a hard shove.

Stumbling forward, she scowled and stopped short again. Hands curling into fists, she turned suddenly and punched the guard in the throat.

Caught by surprise, the guard cupped his neck and began to wheeze.

Ava spun and delivered a hard kick to his belly, driving him back a step.

She can laugh at herself.

Ava motioned to the darkening passage that led from the cave. “This is the first time I’ve set foot on an alien planet. And even though it bears a general similarity to Earth, there are enough differences to make me want to walk around like this all the time.” Widening her eyes, she dropped her jaw until her mouth formed a large O and gaped at the walls around them in exaggerated amazement.

Jak’ri laughed.

“I’m serious,” she insisted with a grin. “I saw a butterfly today that was the size of a duck!”

She’s passionate

“We won’t let them take us,” he vowed.

Ava cupped his face in her hands. “I love you, Jak’ri.”

Dipping his head, he brushed his lips against hers in a tender caress. “I love you, too. More with every breath I take.”

Desire flared to life as she drew him down for another kiss, this one deeper, hotter, and pulse-poundingly arousing. “Make me forget,” she pleaded, between teasing strokes of her tongue. “Make me forget everything but us and the way I feel when I’m in your arms.”

She is fiercely loyal to those she cares about and will do anything to protect them.

“You keep saying you instead of we.”

Jak’ri closed the incinerator. A whoosh sounded. “I’m not coming with you.”

She stared up at him. “What?”

“I’m staying here. Keep me apprised of everything telepathically as you go. If you run into any trouble, I’ll start blasting things in here, then run and draw their fire.”

“Oh, hell no!” she blurted. “We leave together or we don’t leave at all.”

“Ava, you have a much higher chance of escaping if I keep them distracted long enough to—”

Closing the distance between them, she rose onto her toes, curled her free hand around the nape of his neck, and pressed a fervent kiss to his lips.

Startled into silence, he stared down at her.

“I’m not going without you, Jak’ri. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me. We either escape together or we die together. Those are your two options. Time is ticking. What’s it going to be?”

Thank you again for joining us! I hope you’ll enjoy THE PURVELI!

The next thrilling adventure in Dianne Duvall’s Aldebarian Alliance series is AVAILABLE NOW! Grab your copy of The Purveli at your favorite online book retailer today!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Purveli (Aldebarian Alliance #3)
by Dianne Duvall
Release Date: January 18th, 2022

𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝙐𝙎𝘼 𝙏𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗰𝗶-𝗳𝗶 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗹𝘆-𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Ava has always been different. Born with strong telepathic abilities, she lives a very isolated life until she is offered a job with an obscure network that aids powerful Immortal Guardians in their quest to protect humanity from the psychotic vampires who prey upon them. Suddenly, she doesn’t feel so different. For the first time in her life, Ava has found a place where she belongs. She’s happy. Life is good. And when her employers invite her to join a group of other gifted ones and a handful of Immortal Guardians on a journey to another planet, it becomes absolutely fantastic.

In no time at all, she is speeding across the galaxy aboard a Lasaran warship manned by two amazing alien races. It’s the dream of a lifetime… until a vicious attack by a mutual enemy of Lasara and Earth lands her alone in an escape pod with no habitable planet in sight and only one ship within range: one that carries the enemy who wants to know why the bioengineered virus they released on Earth long ago didn’t exterminate humanity and leave the planet ripe for their claiming.

Jak’ri doesn’t know how long he has been a prisoner aboard the Cebaun, but he fears the enemy’s twisted experiments will soon lead them to a virus that will eradicate the Purveli people. Despair grips him until a female from Earth is taken captive and reaches out to him telepathically. The gift that Ava said caused her such misery in the past soon becomes his salvation as the two of them form a fast friendship. Determined to distract each other from the horrors of their existence, they immerse themselves in telepathic communion during the day, then seek solace and adventure together in shared dreams. As their friendship deepens into love, the two hatch a daring plot to escape their captors. But the enemy will not let them go without a fight. Can Ava and Jak’ri stand against so many and emerge victorious?

AVAILABLE FOR ORDER

Don’t miss the first two books in the Aldebarian Alliance series!

The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) The Segonian (Aldebarian Alliance #2)

TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of The Purveli, Dianne Duvall will be giving away a The Purveli Prize Pack to (2) two separate readers (US only please) AND a $25 Amazon Gift Card to (2) two separate readers! To enter, follow the link below to fill out the Rafflecopter form. Follow along with the Blog Tour for more chances to win daily. Good luck!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cceafca166/

February 19, 2018February 18, 2018

Authors… See what B-n-K has to offer!!!!!

AUTHORS:
Do you have a new release coming out soon?
Would you like to have a cover reveal?
Having a release day blitz?
Would you like to share an interview?

Check in with Books-n-Kisses to see how we can help!

May 22, 2017May 17, 2017

Rebecca Zanetti’s Lethal Lies Tour + a giveaway

In celebration of Ms. Zanetti’s newest release we are letting her take over the blog to share her playlist for Lethal Lies.

LETHAL LIES PLAYLIST (HERE)

All Beauty Fades: One Less Reason
Fire Breather: Laurel
Kiss Me: Ed Sheeran
Come Over (Acoustic Mixtape): Sam Hunt
When I Was Your Man: Thomas Rhett
Crazy In Love (2014 Remix): Beyoncé
I Lived: OneRepublic
I’m Comin’ Over: Chris Young
Gonna Wanna Tonight: Chase Rice
Dangerous: Shinedown
In Ruins: Theory of a Deadman
If You’re Gone: Sam Thacker
Full of Grace: Sarah McLachlan
For Those Who Wait: Fireflight
Figured You Out: Nickelback
Devotion (Demo): Hurts
Collide: Howie Day
Carolina: Parmalee
Brothers In Arms: Celtic Thunder & Ryan Kelly
Broken Girl: Matthew West
Anything Goes: Florida Georgia Line
Here Without You (Acoustic Version): 3 Doors Down

*****

LETHAL LIES

Blood Brothers, #2

On Sale: May 16, 2017

Trade Paperback: $14.99 USD | eBook: $5.99 USD

A deadly secret can’t stay buried forever . . .

Revenge. It’s the only thing that will help Anya Best sleep at night. The serial killer who murdered her sister is on the loose, and Anya will stop at nothing to put him behind bars—even use herself as bait to lure him out of hiding. But she can’t do this alone.

Private investigator Heath Jones’s job is to bring bastards to justice. This time it’s personal. He knew the Copper Killer’s latest victim so when her sister asks for his help, he’s all in. But when Anya uses the media to taunt the killer, she exposes Heath’s identity, putting them both in jeopardy. Now, secrets buried long ago are coming to light and the forces determined to destroy him are watching Heath’s every move, waiting to exact their own revenge. And they’ll use anything and anyone to get to Heath.

Add to Goodreads

“4 1/2 stars! Top pick! This is a true thriller that will keep readers frantically flipping the pages as death and danger come at the protagonists from several directions. Zanetti’s brilliance at storytelling is on full display…When it comes to high-octane thrillers, they don’t get better than Zanetti!” —RT Book Reviews on LETHAL LIES

“Zanetti’s stories are always woven with vivid detail and a breakneck pace. As a reader, there’s really no time to draw a peaceful breath until the story ends. Lethal Lies is another winner.” –Heroes & Heartbreakers on LETHAL LIES

“Zanetti balances the adventure and menace of Zara and Ryker’s lives with a relatable romance. The result is a story that’s sexy and emotional, and filled with a rich look at love in all its forms.” —The Washington Post on DEADLY SILENCE

“Budget your time, readers, because this is one that’s hard to put down.” — Heroes & Heartbreakers on DEADLY SILENCE

**Pick up the print edition for exclusive bonus content!**

THE BLOOD BROTHERS SERIES

DEADLY SILENCE, #1

LETHAL LIES, #2

TWISTED TRUTHS, #3

Series Page on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five romantic suspense, dark paranormal, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestseller lists. She has received a Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review for Wicked Edge, Romantic Times Reviewer Choice Nominations for Forgotten Sins and Sweet Revenge, and RT Top Picks for several of her novels. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out.

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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March 24, 2017March 22, 2017

Amanda Carlson’s Top Five Must Haves

Five Must Haves While Writing:

Coffee: While this is totally a cliché, it holds true for me. I gave it up for about a year and missed it daily. Once the hot up is in my hands, I feel like the days starts and my mind kicks in.
Word Count notebook: It’s a mini-notebook with a minion on the cover. I kid you not. I have to have it. I’ve tracked every single book I’ve written in this notebook with daily word counts.
Trusty laptop: I’ve had this since the beginning (2011). It’s a Sony Viao. They don’t even make them anymore! I’ve only ever used it for writing, so it gets easy use.
Reading glasses: I just started needed them this year. I caved, and now I’m a prisoner to them. My phone vibrates and I have to pat the area around me to find my glasses first. Total hassle, but at least I can see!
Headset: Ta-da! I’m dictating now. I use Dragon software and a headset that makes me look like a telemarketer. I love it. I feel like my writing is more conversational with an easier flow. Plus, dictating is so much faster than typing. It helps me imagine Phoebe’s world even better, making the adventure that much more enjoyable.

EXILED

Book Three in the Phoebe Meadows series

Release Date: March 24, 2017

Amazon

Blurb:

Phoebe Meadows is on trial for her life.

After freeing her half-brother, Baldur, Phoebe is set to stand before the Council in Asgard to answer for her actions. The threat of exile if she’s found guilty looms, not to mention the added stress of meeting her real father for the first time.

Upon entering Asgard, Phoebe discovers new allies in a half-brother she’s never met as well as an oracle who is in possession of valuable information. A little added help couldn’t have come at a better time, because when Phoebe is tossed into an unknown realm, she’s only armed with Gundren, a jewel, and her wits.

When Loki shows up, all bets are off. The trickster god throws a wrench in Phoebe’s plans and kidnaps Fen, her only ally. And just when she thinks she sees the light at the end of the tunnel, Phoebe finds she has to defeat one last obstacle: The Norns.

And they aren’t planning to go down without a fight…

Excerpt

“Sweet mother of all that’s holy.” Sam coughed violently into the bucket positioned in front of her. “Please tell me we’re here. My body can’t take much more of this.” She lifted her head, dragging the back of her sleeve over her mouth, wheezing. “I’m pretty sure my tank is finally dry, but bile is a tricky thing, as my body is making more of the hot, searing liquid as we speak.” Tyr stood next to her holding a clean pail, his face a mask of concern.

“Aye, we’re here,” Tyr answered solemnly, bending down to place the new container in front of Sam, who was promptly in need of it.

We all stood on the deck of Ringhorn, my half brother Baldur’s boat, which had been gifted to Tyr upon Baldur’s untimely death. We’d arrived in Asgard less than five minutes prior, so I could face the Council and Frigg, Baldur’s powerful goddess mother, to receive punishment for freeing her beloved son.

I’d broken Baldur out of a dark elf prison—the very place his mother had placed him for protection—only to watch him die a short time later at Verdandi’s hand.

It had been awful and heartbreaking.

The boat had just taken us through an insane vortex. One that had hauled us up in the air at breakneck speed, only to drop us the next instant. I’d lost count of how many times my stomach had hit my knees.

But I’d fared better than poor Sam, who was now huddled on the deck spilling her guts.

“Are we really here? In Asgard?” I asked, squinting into the darkness, trying to discern a single shape on the horizon, but coming up empty. The boat had lurched to a full stop in what looked to be a solid void. “I was expecting it to be a little more…vibrant?”

“We’ve landed in a holding bay,” Fen answered, his frame tense beside mine, his arm tight around my waist. This was the first time he’d been back to his home in many years, and he was poised for any threat that might come our way, his nostrils flaring, his sword at the ready.

My mother came up beside us. “There are various ways in, but if you take magical transportation, like Ringhorn, you must wait to be inspected before accessing the city.”

“Yep,” Ingrid added, moving toward a gated opening that would lead us off the boat. “Lots of nooks and crannies on a big boat like this. We might be harboring unknown aliens. We’ll have to wait for the inspectors to clear us.”

“Why is it so dark?” I asked. The only illumination we had came from the boat itself.

Before anyone could answer, a loud grating noise filled the air. All at once, the scene before us began to change as bright light pierced the space like a dazzling spotlight.

We were in a large cylinder of some kind.

As light penetrated the tunnel, my eyes adjusted, and I began to get my first glimpses of Asgard beyond the tunnel. I noticed blue sky right away. It was cobalt, a deep, resplendent tone that seemed impossibly rich for a sky.

“Brace yourself, kiddo,” Ingrid said as she removed her spear from her waistband. “Along with the inspectors, there will be guards.”

“Why are you drawing your weapon?” I asked, alarmed. “Isn’t this your home?”

“Because I’m getting ready to argue, and I do it best with Betsy at the ready.” She shook her trusty spear, and it seamlessly morphed into an eight-foot killer with a razor-sharp edge.

“Betsy?” Ingrid had never shared her weapon’s pet name before. “You named your spear Betsy?”

“Yep, she was christened my ‘Best Bet’ when I first got her. Found her in a pile of discarded old weapons and never looked back. If these guards try to separate us, Betsy will have her say. And I can guaran-damn-tee”—she waved her spear in the air—“there is no argument we can’t win.”

Author Bio:

Amanda is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a BA in both Speech and Hearing Science & Child Development. She went on to get an A.A.S in Sign Language Interpreting and worked as an interpreter until her first child was born. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three kids.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway:

One $25 Amazon gift card

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June 1, 2016May 31, 2016

Guest Blogger: Lara Adrian talks about her new book For 100 Days.

Today is the release day of For 100 Day by Lara Adrian! I am so excited to share this fantastic new contemporary romance with you! Check out the excerpt Lara is sharing and be sure to enter her giveaway!

Thank you for inviting me to guest post on your blog today!

Avery and Nick have been living in my mind for a quite some time now, waiting (not so patiently) for their turn on the page. The series began in a Paris cafe in June 2014 while I was on book tour in France. As my husband and I were having lunch, I told him about a Cinderella-with-a-twist story idea I had that centered on a struggling artist who gets a temporary housesitting gig at a posh Manhattan highrise and finds herself swept into a glamorous, sensual world with a handsome, powerful man whose secrets run as deep and dark as her own.

John and I had planned to visit a bunch of museums that day, but instead we spent the next several hours obsessed with Avery Ross and Dominic Baine’s story. By the time we left Cafe Mucha, we had sketched out the bones of all three books in the series. I couldn’t be more excited to finally share Nick and Avery’s story!

FOR 100 DAYS is the first in the trilogy, which will continue with FOR 100 NIGHTS later this year, and FOR 100 REASONS in early 2017. Be sure to sign up for my VIP Reader List at http://bit.ly/LaraAdrianNews to get notified of all my new releases!

Happy reading!

Lara Adrian

www.LaraAdrian.com

Pleasure has a price . . .

Just when everything in my life is falling apart, I find a chance to turn it around–to step into someone else’s glittering world, if only for a little while. I become someone new, no longer the woman defined by an ugly past, but a woman freer and bolder than myself. A woman who isn’t afraid to explore every passion, even at its darkest, with a mysterious and seductive man who believes my mask is real.

Handsome and commanding, enigmatic and irresistible, billionaire Dominic Baine is an obsession I cannot afford and should not risk. He ushers me into consuming new pleasures and addicting new desires, until the line between my real life and the fantasy one I’ve stolen with him begins to blur.

I know I cannot keep my truth from him. I know my past will not stay buried forever. But before I can make it right, everything comes crashing down. I have deceived this powerful, dangerous man . . . and now there is a price to be paid.

Make sure to check out Kelly’s review of FOR 100 DAYS here

* * * * * * * *

FOR 100 DAYS is the first novel in a passionate new contemporary romance trilogy from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Lara Adrian. Coming soon: FOR 100 NIGHTS and FOR 100 REASONS.

Grab your copy of For 100 Days: Kindle US | B&N Nook | iBooks | Kobo

Exclusive Excerpt:

Tasha and I head for the elevators. Neither of the two cars are parked on the ground level, so, as we wait for one to come down, I can’t resist pivoting for another look at the opulence of the lobby.

A moment later, a soft chime sounds behind me as the elevator comes to a rest. I wheel back around and step toward the doors as soon as they slide open.

I don’t even register that the wall I’m facing is human until I’ve almost crashed right into him.

I stop short and lift my head with a half-formed apology on my lips. The sound evaporates on my tongue as I glance up and my gaze collides with a pair of cerulean blue eyes. They skewer me from under the slash of inky black brows.

Brows that are furrowed into a deep scowl at the uncouth clod who nearly body-slammed her way onto the elevator.

“Um, sorry.”

No reply from him. Not even a flicker of polite response in his handsome, sharply cut features. Under a crown of dark hair that’s neatly trimmed, fit for a boardroom, but thick with rebellious waves that catch the light in a glossy, raven’s wing sheen, his face is a blending of hard, chiseled angles. With his high cheekbones and square jaw, I’d be tempted to call his face brutal if not for the supple line of his mouth.

And he’s tall and muscular too, dressed in a dark gray track jacket and pants that do little to disguise the physically fit body within. Despite his athletic appearance, I can tell immediately that he’s not some meat-head gym rat who’s more brawn than brain.

No, this man’s eyes blast me with the kind of intelligence and seriousness—a powerful confidence—that I can’t ignore.

A shocking and inexplicable heat pours through me as he holds my gaze. His stare is bold, unflinching, as if he’s accustomed to taking his fill of anything in his sights. That air of assumption should offend me for many reasons, but as his brilliant blue eyes travel the length of me, all I feel is the rapid igniting of every cell in my body.

Tasha clears her throat when my muteness appears to be permanent. “Pardon us, please.”

He barely acknowledges her comment, nor her huff of indignation that follows. No, those piercing eyes staying rooted on me alone. I feel stripped bare under that hard gaze, as if he can see right through me with a single glance and knows I don’t belong here. Even worse, the barely imperceptible twist of his lips seems to say that he’s very much aware of the effect he has on me.

He doesn’t move, then I am mortified to realize it’s because I’m standing in his way.

I wince inwardly and step aside, wishing I would just melt into the crack between the marble floor and the elevator shaft before I embarrass myself any more.

His path cleared, he steps into the lobby without a word.

I follow Tasha into the elevator, but all of my attention is on the dark-haired stranger now prowling across the marble with fluid, almost urgent strides.

I hear Manny greet him as the elevator doors slide shut, blocking my view.

“Evening, Mr. Baine. Enjoy your run, sir.”

Once we’re sealed inside the car, my breath leaks out of me on a groan.

Tasha arches a brow. “Hot as sin, but obviously a superior prick. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of that one, honey.”

As if I need the warning.

Whoever he is, I doubt I’ll be seeing much of Mr. Baine. In fact, I’m already promising myself I’ll head in the opposite direction if I ever see him in the building again while I’m here. God knows, I don’t need to relive tonight’s awkward semi-introduction with the man anytime soon.

I push the button for the fifth floor, wishing it was as easy to push the memory of those searing blue eyes from my mind.

Lara Adrian Bio:

LARA ADRIAN is a New York Times and #1 internationally best-selling author, with nearly 4 million books in print worldwide and translations licensed to more than 20 countries. Her books regularly appear in the top spots of all the major bestseller lists including the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Indiebound, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. Reviewers have called Lara’s books “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “extraordinary” (Fresh Fiction), and “one of the best on the market” (Romantic Times).

Writing as TINA ST. JOHN, her historical romances have won numerous awards including the National Readers Choice; Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice; Booksellers Best; and many others. She was twice named a Finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, for Best Historical Romance (White Lion’s Lady) and Best Paranormal Romance (Heart of the Hunter). More recently, the German translation of Heart of the Hunter debuted on Der Spiegel bestseller list.

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, the author lives with her husband in New England.

Visit the author’s website and sign up for new release announcements at http://bit.ly/LaraAdrianNews

Enter Lara’s Giveaway:

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May 17, 2016April 28, 2016

Guest blogger: Terry Spear talks about her trip to a Wolf reserve + a giveaway

A Note from Terry Spear:

When I was writing Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, I went with some of my friends, who are also big-time fans of my wolf series, to stay on a wolf reserve in a cabin complete with solar lighting. Which meant we had a tiny bit of light at night, and then we were using flashlights or camp lights. Water was restricted, so we used an outhouse until it grew dark, and two of us slept on mattresses on the attic floor, the others in rooms on the first floor. We had a blast.

Every morning and night and sometimes in between, we heard the wolves howling in the reserve a short distance away. The cabin is also owned by the wolf reserve and all the land around it. But what made the trip extra special was when Rory, one of the wolf handlers, brought two of the wolves, ambassador wolves, to meet with us up at the cabin.

If you’ve been around dogs, that’s what they’re like—sniffing to learn more about you. Checking you out to see if you’re female or male. You have to wait to let them accept you before you can make contact. Zoerro was the gray timber wolf, male, alpha. He’s been in promotional advertising for Game of Thrones. How cool is that to pet the wolf who was in the ads? He allowed me to pet him and stood by me for some time while I asked Rory about their behavior. He raised him from a pup, but said how wrong it was to raise wild animals like that, and he now educates people on not doing so.

The other wolf was an Arctic wolf, Sabine, and sadly she has passed away. She and Zoerro were fast friends, and the staff has no clue why she had suddenly become sick and died. But she was so sweet. She tried to give me a kiss. I wasn’t quite ready for that! Rory told me she loved to be petted from behind on her legs underneath her. I sure hoped he knew what he was talking about as I reached between her legs and petted her!

Like dogs, they have their own likes and dislikes, and that was hers.

As an alpha wolf, Zoerro had to scent mark. He claimed the tire on my Escort, and after we went driving all over a Native American reservation seeing ruins that dated back to 1100 AD, we returned and Zoerro came back to see us. He smelled the tire, satisfied it was still his, and re-scent marked it.

But that wasn’t all he scent marked. We had filled a water dish for him on the patio. After he drank from it, he lifted his leg and peed in it, not missing a drop. We all laughed and said if only husbands could be that accurate!

The morning before we packed up and left, we all went down to the compound in the car, parked before the sun began to rise and readied ourselves to record the howling. With a picture of the sunrise, I recorded the wolves, wolf dogs, dogs, and New Guinea singing dogs all adding to the chorus. It was a thrill of a lifetime. And perfect for writing about those sexy alpha wolves.

What would you do if you had a chance to pet a wolf?

*****

Series: Silver Town Wolf, #6

Pubdate: May 3^rd, 2016

ISBN: 9781492621867

An alpha werewolf meets his match in this sizzling paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear

THERE’S A NEW WOLF PACK IN SILVER TERRITORY

Wolf shifter and park ranger Eric Silver is committed to his job policing spectacular San Isabel National Forest, and he’s hot on the scent of some mysterious wolves who are up to no good. When Eric’s investigation leads him to cross paths with forester Pepper Grayling, he’s fascinated to learn this she-wolf is her pack’s leader—strong, independent, and definitely not looking for a mate.

AND THIS TIME THE LEADER’S A SHE…

With unknown dangers on the prowl, Pepper is tempted to give in to her attraction to Eric and align her pack with his. But Pepper’s been pursued by many an alpha male out to take over her pack and gain her hard-won territory—and Eric is a born leader. How does Eric earn the trust of a she-wolf who’s been betrayed so often in the past?

Excerpt:

Pepper Grayling couldn’t believe it when she heard two wolves fighting in the woods. She’d caught a glimpse of both male wolves, the snarling, big tan and gray that bit at Waldron Mason, and Waldron himself, a beige wolf with a white front and a smattering of gray hairs. The mystery wolf had snapped at Waldron before he raced off. The way he didn’t tuck tail meant he wasn’t cowed by the aggressor. And that had intrigued her.

She was furious that Waldron was pulling her away from her own pack to deal with him when she wanted to ensure Susan was properly cared for. As quickly as she was able, she stripped off her clothes, shifted, and ran like the devil to chase Waldron down. Whoever the other wolf had been, he had posed no threat to them. When she ran after the two wolves, she smelled their scents. The mystery wolf was indeed Eric Silver. No way would she want Waldron to hurt Eric after he’d helped Susan!

She was so angry, she could have killed Waldron for his unwarranted actions.

When she spied Waldron still chasing after Eric, she tore into him, growling and snapping to let him know just how angry he’d made her. He whipped around as if to attack, then recognized her and realized that by attacking, he’d lose any chance of courting and mating her—not that he had any—so he backed off. From his narrow-eyed, harsh gaze, she could tell he was irritated to the max with her. If he could have, he would have continued to hunt the other wolf down and finished him off. She worried about Eric—she smelled his blood on Waldron. How badly had Waldron hurt him?

But she knew Eric had been injured even before this because she’d smelled both an antiseptic and blood on him when she first met him.

She listened but didn’t hear any sign of Eric. Growling at Waldron again, she turned and ran off. She continued to pay attention to the sounds around her, making sure he wasn’t following her back to their campsite. She didn’t want to have to say a word to him about any of this when she reached camp. All she wanted to do was see that her cousin Susan was taken care of.

When she didn’t hear Waldron following her, she wondered if he had gone back after Eric.

As for Eric, she already had trouble with one alpha male wanting to court her. She sure didn’t need a second one bugging her, if Eric had any such notion. Still, she felt bad that Waldron had attacked him, and she really hoped he wasn’t hurt too seriously.

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over fifty paranormal and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world and is raising two Havanese puppies. She lives in Crawford, Texas.

Visit Terry’s website for more sizzling werewolf romance!

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May 10, 2016April 28, 2016

Guest blogger: Lynnette Austin is talking about Happily Ever Afters + a giveaway

Hints for Reaching that Happy-Ever-After: Advice from an Author to Her Characters

By Lynnette Austin

When we love someone, don’t we want—so badly—to save them from hurt and heartbreak? It doesn’t matter if it’s our children, our spouse, our parents, siblings, or friends. To watch them stumble and occasionally fall is difficult, but we stay close, don’t we, so that we’re there to pick them up and brush them off? We’re there to offer a warm hug and a willing ear.

As an author, I fall in love with my characters. And, hey, I write romance! I want that happy-ever-after. But a satisfying read needs conflict and lots of it. That soul-deep love the hero and heroine might or might not want at the beginning of the book has to come at a cost. It’s my job to put these two wonderful people through the wringer before they earn that lifelong love.

In my newest release, Every Bride Has Her Day, the second book in my Magnolia Brides series, I do just that to Cricket O’Malley and Sam DeLuca. Cricket, eternal optimist, has moved back to Misty Bottoms, Georgia, to open The Enchanted Florist and help Jenni Beth Beaumont with her Magnolia Brides wedding business. She’s there for the long-haul, to plant roots. New York City Detective Sam DeLuca has run away to the small Southern town for solitude and healing. Unlike Cricket, his life has been consumed by the dark side of human nature. He’s in town short-term and wants only to be left alone.

My optimist and my pessimist, my country gal and big city guy, the Yankee and the Dixie-to-her-toes across-the-street neighbor. Oh, boy! With all this in mind, I sat down at my keyboard and gleefully went to work to bring these two together, anticipating the sparring matches to come!

But had this been real life, I know the nurturer in me—okay, okay, the meddler in me—would have a hard time watching this play out without stepping in with some advice. So what would I tell these two? What bits of advice could I give Cricket and Sam to make their road a little smoother (without any story spoilers)?

Since this wasn’t real life, and I wasn’t there to advise, the two of them had to slog their way to their own happy ending. I did, though, give Sam help in the form of an adorable stray dog that I lost my own heart to, a teenage boy who needs support, and an eccentric old man who fills an emotional void Sam doesn’t even realize he has. Cricket has her cousin Beck, along with Jenni Beth Beaumont and her fiancé. And, let’s be honest here, this is small town Misty Bottoms, so everybody in town feels free to put in his two cents.

If I’d had a chance to sip sweet tea with Cricket and Sam’s at Dee-Ann’s Diner, I’d have told them that sometimes opposites are simply two parts of a whole. At first blush, the very traits that seem to clash are actually complementary.

Both Sam and Cricket are in situations that are foreign to them. She’s starting a new business in a town she’s not lived in since she was five. Sam’s a city Yankee in a small Southern town. Neither is looking for love. I’d encourage them to stay open to the new, to embrace things out of their comfort zone. Some of the very best things in life come out of accidental happenings when we stray outside the lines of the box we’ve put ourselves in.

The most important piece of advice I’d give my hero and my heroine, though, is that it’s okay to need help, to ask for it. Both Sam and Cricket are strong, self-dependent individuals, and neither finds it easy to admit to any perceived weakness. Yet don’t we all need a supporting hand at times to get us through the difficult? Two individuals cannot meld into a couple until they’re able to both lean on each other and hold up the other.

Cricket and Sam have lessons to learn in Every Bride Has Her Day, and they have some tough times to get through—together. But isn’t that happy-ever-after worth it?

*****

Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin

Magnolia Brides, Book 2

ISBN: 9781492618003

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

CAN LOVE REVIVE A WILTING HEART?

Cricket O’Malley can’t wait to plant roots back home in Georgia, where she’s returned to restore an abandoned flower shop to its former glory. The only blemish? Her neighbor’s house is even more neglected than her old flower shop, and its occupant seems as surly as he is darkly handsome.

Devastated body and soul after a tough case went south, New York City detective Sam DeLuca thought he’d have no trouble finding solitude in the quiet Georgia town of Misty Bottoms, but his bubbly neighbor seems determined to shine happiness into Sam’s life. Sam is equally determined to close himself off, but his heart says otherwise…

About the Author

The luxury of staying home when the weather turns nasty, of working in PJs and bare feet, and the fact that daydreaming is not only permissible but encouraged, are a few of the reasons middle school teacher Lynnette Austin gave up the classroom to write full-time. Lynnette grew up in Pennsylvania’s Alleghany Mountains, moved to Upstate New York, then to the Rockies in Wyoming. Presently she and her husband divide their time between Southwest Florida’s beaches and Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart Contest, PASIC’s Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Contest, she’s published five books as Lynnette Hallberg. She’s currently writing as Lynnette Austin. Having grown up in a small town, that’s where her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows everybody…and all their business, for better or worse. Visit Lynnette at www.authorlynnetteaustin.com.

Connect with Lynnette: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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May 6, 2016April 28, 2016

Spotlight Tour for M.L. Buchman’s Flash of Fire + a giveaway

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the latest in my Firehawks world.

Flash of Fire posed an interesting challenge for me right from the first page. There is a balance in building a romance world: I want it to be big enough to be interesting and small enough to be cozy.

In Pure Heat, Full Blaze, and Hot Point I had focused on the fliers of the three big Firehawk helicopters. But I didn’t want my little Mount Hood Aviation heli-aviation wildland firefighting group to get much bigger. Another consideration was that the series name is Firehawks and I wanted to honor that with another story using a pilot of one of the converted Black Hawk helicopters.

The challenge was that I already had married couples in each of the three pilot seats: Emily Beale, Jeannie Clark, and Vern Taylor.

And then I remembered a little scene in the Night Stalkers Bring On the Dusk.

Emily hadn’t eaten breakfast and only picked at her lunch complaining of a queasy stomach from the flight.

“Either that or you’re about to have another kid,” Claudia teased her.

Emily looked down at her perfectly flat stomach and then began swearing. “I’m going to kill Mark. I’m just going to kill him.”

“You don’t want another kid?” Claudia didn’t know whether to laugh or be shocked.

“The man is so insatiable, not that I’m complaining. We ran out of protection and figured one time without wasn’t going to…” She sighed and then rubbed her belly gently. “It’ll be alright.” She told her midriff. “You just won’t have a father.”

The goofy smile that bloomed on the woman’s face did something to Claudia.

Well, crap! I’d made poor Emily pregnant back in March, a year ago. So apologies for the 15-month pregnancy (no wonder she’s so pissed off by the time she’s too pregnant to fly in Flash of Fire).

With her seat now open, I needed someone who could fill it. Fill Emily Beale’s seat? Who was I kidding? She was the most kickass heroine I’d ever written. Well, I wasn’t the only one feeling daunted, the poor character I put in her place was plenty overwhelmed as well.

But then Robin Harrow never met a challenge she couldn’t face down…at least not until she met Mickey Hamilton, the pilot of a smaller Bell Twin-212. Which also solved my initial problem of transitioning from the big Firehawks to the smaller birds in the fleet.

I always love it when the characters take the story right out of my hands and run with it and Flash of Fire was certainly one of those.

Hope you enjoy the flight,

L. “Matt” Buchman

M.L. Buchman has over 40 novels in print. His military romantic suspense books have been named Barnes & Noble and NPR “Top 5 of the year” and twice Booklist “Top 10 of the Year,” placing two titles on their “Top 101 Romances of the Last 10 Years” list. He has been nominated for the Reviewer’s Choice Award for “Top 10 Romantic Suspense of 2014” by RT Book Reviews and is a 2016 RWA RITA finalist. In addition to romance, he also writes thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction. He is constantly amazed at what can be done with a degree in geophysics. You may keep up with his writing and receive exclusive content by subscribing to his newsletter at www.mlbuchman.com.

*****

Flash of Fire

Pubdate: May 3^rd, 2016

ISBN: 9781492619192

Fourth in M.L. Buchman’s critically acclaimed Firehawks romantic suspense series

When former Army National Guard helicopter pilot Robin Harrow joins Mount Hood Aviation, she expects to fight fires for only one season. Instead, she finds herself getting deeply entrenched with one of the most elite firefighting teams in the world. And that’s before they send her on a mission that’s seriously top secret, with a flight partner who’s seriously hot.

Mickey Hamilton loves flying, firefighting, and women, in that order. But when Robin Harrow roars across his radar, his priorities go out the window. On a critical mission deep in enemy territory, their past burns away and they must face each other. Their one shot at a future demands that they first survive the present—together.

An Excerpt:

Best buddies Mickey and Gordon have been jostling for attention from Vanessa, one of the other helicopter pilots. Gordon and Vanessa are assigned off to one fire, Mickey and the new pilot to another. They’re standing on the airfield about to part ways.

Mickey almost left Gordon to his own devices, but he’d be bound to screw it up. Just as he was duty bound to try to cut his friend off from any attractive woman, he also had to help him if he could.

“Gordon?”

“What?” his friend still looked a little overwhelmed.

“With Vanessa, just be yourself. Don’t gum it up with trying to be charming; it doesn’t work for you.”

“Sure it does,” he protested. “I’m a charming kind of guy.” He shot Mickey a grin.

Then he looked more carefully at Mickey’s expression and sighed. Mickey didn’t have to say a word.

“Okay, maybe not so much with the charm. Thanks, Mick,” and he turned for his helo.

Mickey caught his sleeve before he could move off, “Her name?” he nodded back over his shoulder toward the newbie.

“Robin something.”

“Like the bird?”

“Like,” that smooth female voice sounded from close behind him, “Robin Hood who will put an arrow in your ass if you say Robin Red Breast.”

Mickey turned to face her. He decided that all of his first judgments at a distance were accurate, and at this close range they were ten times more powerful—both the fine looks and the serious dose of attitude.

“Hi! Mickey Hamilton,” he held out a hand. “As long as it’s not a Firehawk you’re trying to ram up my ass, I’m fine.”

That earned a half smile; nice on the lips, not touching those crystalline pure blue eyes. Her hand was fine-fingered yet strong, like she did a lot of lifting with it. A lot. She glanced over his shoulder.

“He’s Gordon Finchley,” Mickey filled in before Gordon could speak and get a foot in the door. Helping him with Vanessa was one thing; easing his access to this pretty unknown was not going to happen. “Yeah, Finch just like a little Tweety bird. Don’t pay him any mind.”

“Hi, Gordon. Good luck in Leavenworth,” she leaned around Mickey and reached out a hand, which Gordon shook as he mumbled something unintelligible. Or perhaps it was intelligible and Mickey just couldn’t hear it.

He was struck by several things at once. It was the first time he’d actually seen Robin move, and both of his first guesses of ballerina and workout diva were equally justified. Her simple move was both lithe and powerful. Martial arts student perhaps. If so, it was a different form than his Taekwondo, something with more grace and flexibility.

Also, her lean toward Gordon had placed her so close that he could smell her. Her Nomex flightsuit was brand new and the woman wearing it smelled of clean soap and…cool ice—that impossible clarity of air when snow skiing. As if—newborn was the wrong image—newly wrought.

# # #

Gordon actually wasn’t fluttery like a Tweety bird, but he was also clearly a sweet man—a major mark against him in Robin’s book.

She knew from past experience that she tended to scare the shit out of men like him. They wanted her, but she would run over them roughshod, even on the rare occasions when she was trying not to.

This Mickey on the other hand, she had been able to feel him watching her from the moment she’d hit the line. He hadn’t shifted away as she reached past him to greet Gordon, letting her lean right into his personal space.

Guys named Mickey were supposed to look like hoodlums or something. Instead Mickey Hamilton looked like a cop…or a firefighter. The trustworthy kind, not the sneaky shit she’d always pictured slipping from her mother’s bed in the dark of the night and never coming back.

Up close she could appreciate how nicely broad his shoulders were. And he had the kind of blue eyes that could see through any fog or other BS—far away the best feature on a very handsome face. He was an inch taller than she was but looked bigger and more solid than his taller finch-friend.

Robin knew that—because her heritage was half firefighter and half truck-stop mama—she was a pushover for Mickey’s type. Now she had to ask if she wanted to be a pushover this time, or not.

She rocked back onto her heels and Gordon slipped out of her attention. Mickey didn’t fade in the slightest. He had a slow smile, a real one that showed beneath the quick grin he’d been using to tease his buddy.

He didn’t blink, squint, look away…or look down toward her chest. Mickey faced her eye to eye and offered that easy smile.

Summer is definitely looking up, she thought to herself. Most definitely. Didn’t mean she was going to make it easy for him.

“Mickey? Like the mouse?”

Gordon snorted out a laugh, slapped Mickey on the back, and headed away.

“Not Mickey Rooney either,” he offered in an unperturbed tone, showing no desire to hurry off to his aircraft.

“Not short and round?”

“Nor likely to break into a song-and-dance routine. And Mickey Mantle died about the time we both entered grade school, so I’m not him either.”

“How about Mickey Blue Eyes?”

“Well, my name is Mickey. Eyes are blue.”

“You don’t strike me as the Hugh Grant romantic comedy type.”

He shrugged noncommittally, “You the type to watch them?”

“Not so much,” Robin admitted. Astute question. “So, Mick Blue Eyes it is.”

At that he smiled and those blue eyes lit and sparkled with laughter that was only suggested by the sudden curve of his lips.

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April 28, 2016April 27, 2016

Guest Blogger: Laura Kaye is celebrating her newest release HARD RIDE + a giveaway

I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of my 25^th novel, Ride Hard, the first book in my Raven Riders Motorcycle Club series about a new kind of MC with a protective mission. You might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! I can’t wait for you to get to know Dare, Haven, and everyone in the Raven world! And see down below for a giveaway and a bonus story offer!

One of the things that surprised me about Ride Hard was that food became a major theme throughout the book. Haven suffers from insomnia and baking is one of the things that calms and distracts her, so sometimes she sneaks down to the clubhouse’s kitchen in the middle of the night and bakes whatever sweet thing comes to mind. Cinnamon rolls and peanut butter cookies are two of her favorites (and Dare’s, too!), and she loves leaving these treats for the guys in the club to devour in the morning. Because you might find yourself hungry while reading *winks*, I thought you might enjoy Haven’s recipe for cinnamon rolls—and since I am not much of a cook LOL, I turned to my good friend and fellow author Christi Barth, who is an excellent cook, for her take on cinnamon rolls, very similar to what I describe in the book:

Haven’s Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe from author Christi Barth

Check out her new Risking It All (Naked Men, Book 1) Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Find Christi at: Website /Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Blog

What makes these cinnamon rolls super easy is that they have to sit overnight – which means you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to start cooking for a crowd of hungry bikers.

Ingredients:

1 package quick rise yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup warm water

4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces evaporated milk (I like to use evaporated skim milk – it won’t change the texture or flavor, just the guilt you feel for eating a second roll)

1/4 cup water

1 egg

Filling

1/4 cup softened butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Dissolve yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar & the warm water in a bowl and let stand for five minutes or until small bubbles foam on the top of it. In a large bowl, blend flour, 1/4 cup sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and salt. In another bowl combine 2/3 cup milk, water and egg. Once thoroughly mixed, add yeast and flour mixture (1 cup at a time) into it until it forms a dough ball.

Lightly flour your counter, and then knead dough on it for about 6 minutes. Coat a bowl with non-stick spray, put dough in it and cover. Let dough rise until doubled (at least an hour).

Roll dough out to an approximate 10″ x 20″ rectangle. Gently spread the butter over the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. If you like nuts, you could add 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Roll up, starting with the long side. Slice roll (a bread knife works best) into 12 1″ thick pieces. Put in two buttered cake pans, with 1 slice in the middle and 5 ringing it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator at least overnight, but up to an entire day ahead. Bake at 375 degrees for 24 minutes.

Whisk together powdered sugar and milk with a fork. Drizzle over rolls while still hot.

Who can say yum????? Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!
Laura

*****

The first book in Laura Kaye’s hot new Raven Riders Motorcycle Club series, RIDE HARD, is finally here! RIDE HARD is about a new kind of MC with a protective mission. You might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! So read on for a taste and grab your copy of the first book in this sexy new series!

Order on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

Get a FREE bonus story from Laura’s Hearts in Darkness world for buying RIDE HARD before April 30!

About Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1):

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

These are the Raven Riders…

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before…

Don’t forget you can grab HARD AS STEEL, a Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover Novella out now and pre-order RIDE ROUGH, book 2 in the Raven Riders Series (out April 25, 2017)!

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Newsletter Sign Up | RIDE HARD on Goodreads

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December 8, 2015December 7, 2015

Guest Blogger: M.L. Buchman talks about his new release Target Engaged

This December starts off with a bang as M.L. Buchman kicks off the start of his brand new (and action-packed) Delta Force series! To celebrate his new release, Sourcebooks Casablanca is sharing the first six chapters of Target Engaged for FREE! Click here to download the first six chapters and check out a special note from M.L. Buchman below.

A Note from M.L. Buchman

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my newest series: the first women of Delta Force. I can’t begin to tell you how much fun this was to write.

Most of us know little more about Delta Force than the Chuck Norris movies (which leave a lot to be desired) or perhaps we only know the name. In researching my Night Stalkers series, I kept running into these guys. They are the elite of Special Operations Forces. They are at a level of SEAL Team 6, and most would argue they were even beyond that. They are the ghost and shadow warriors who helped take down drug lord Pablo Escobar, capture Noriega, were undoubtedly behind the locating of Saddam Hussein, and are the main reason that Al-Qaeda abruptly stopped being a topic in the Iraq War when over three thousand of their leaders were swept off the board.

Yet the Pentagon states that they don’t exist. Fascinating.

And while they often work with undercover female operatives, no woman has yet managed to kick in the front door on one of the most arduous selection programs in the military.

I decided to change that.

Carla Anderson stepped forward to take the challenge. She is a not a woman out to prove she can match any man, she’s out to prove that she can beat them at their own game. And that was the first thing that I loved about writing this series.

In the Night Stalkers, the women were strong, excellent, and determined.

To be a Delta Force woman, Carla had to add enough attitude and drive to plow through all obstacles which just made her so much fun. Nothing was off the table when it came to her attitude or her actions.

And that was the second thing I came to love about this series launcher, Target Engaged. Being Delta Force, they really do operate outside so many bounds. They are sent to do the tasks that no one else can. To that I added the additional challenge that Robert Ludlum gave to Jason Bourne (though I’m quoting the movie): “I don’t send you to kill. I send you to be invisible. I send you because you don’t exist.” I’m pretty convinced that this is part of Delta’s mission.

It is occasionally said by retired Delta Force operators (as the on-duty ones never speak): “If we’d been sent in to take down bin Laden, you still wouldn’t know how it was done.” To bring that to life gave me a permission as a writer to run my characters into hard and strange places and be just a little gonzo doing it.

But writing is a give and take, and I can’t begin to tell you how much the characters I created shaped my telling of this story. I like to think that they had as much fun as I did bringing this story to life.

I hope that you enjoy the reading even half as much as I enjoyed the writing!

M.L. Buchman (the Oregon Coast, November 2015)

Get to know Carla, and the entire Delta Force team by reading the first SIX chapters of TARGET ENGAGED for free! Just click here to download them!

*****

Target Engaged

Series: Delta Force, #1

Book 1 in M.L. Buchman’s thrilling NEW Delta Force series

Delta Force: The most dangerous elite counter-terrorism force on the planet

• The deadliest shooters •

• The most out-of-the-box thinkers in any military •

• Will die to get the mission done •

Sergeant Kyle Reeves: The premier soldier of the new recruits

Sergeant Carla Anderson: The first woman of Delta Force

If the training doesn’t kill them, their passion may—but Kyle Reeves and Carla Anderson blast right in. Show no fear. Have no fear. Then they get the call. The most powerful drug-smuggling ring in Venezuela needs a takedown, and Delta’s newest team leaps into the deep jungle to deliver. Giving their all? Not a problem. Giving their hearts? That takes a new level of courage.

A little about M.L. Buchman:

M. L. Buchman has over 40 novels in print. His military romantic suspense books have been named Barnes & Noble and NPR “Top 5 of the Year,” nominated for the Reviewer’s Choice Award for “Top 10 Romantic Suspense of 2014” by RT Book Reviews, and twice Booklist “Top 10 of the Year” placing two of his titles on their “The 101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” In addition to romance, he also writes thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction.

In among his career as a corporate project manager he has: rebuilt and single-handed a fifty-foot sailboat, both flown and jumped out of airplanes, designed and built two houses, and bicycled solo around the world.

He is now making his living as a full-time writer on the Oregon Coast with his beloved wife. He is constantly amazed at what you can do with a degree in Geophysics. You may keep up with his writing by subscribing to his newsletter at www.mlbuchman.com.

Learn more about M.L and his books here: Website| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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November 16, 2015November 4, 2015

Guest Blogger: Laura Moore talks to us about Once Touched

The Story Behind The Story: Creating Quinn Knowles in Once Touched

Hi everyone! I’m so thrilled to be back at Books-n-Kisses! Thank you Kelly & Co. for having me here today. So you know that authors pretty much live with their characters in their heads, right? And when it comes to series–such as my Silver Creek Series–by the third book, those characters have been camping out for a long, long time.

That’s the way it was with Quinn Knowles, who now has her own story in Once Touched. I liked Quinn from the very first. I knew she was a great sister to her older brothers Ward and Reid, able to take their teasing and dish it out as well. I liked her sense of humor and how big her heart was when it came to rescuing animals–her first an injured bunny she found when she was a little girl. I loved that she was a bit of a tomboy who didn’t obsess about her looks and who cared more about her cowboy boots than any dresses hanging in her closet. I liked that she had a posse of girl friends who she was there for when they needed her. I especially liked that she knew how great her life was working on Silver Creek Ranch, the sprawling guest ranch run by her family.

But then I started wondering why Quinn didn’t have a boyfriend. She’s twenty-four, attractive, and gets along well with guys. And why, whenever Quinn thought about having a man in her life, did she immediately start making up excuses why she had no time to devote to a relationship? Guys were so darned needy. It occurred to me she might be protesting too much.

When I realized that Quinn’s life wasn’t quite as perfect as it seemed from the outside and that maybe in spite of seeming so well-adjusted and happy, Quinn harbored some secret fears. A deep-seated anxiety was holding her captive.

And that’s when Quinn Knowles actually became interesting. So then I had to find the right guy for her. But since I liked Quinn so very much, I decided to give her two guys and let her discover for herself who was the man of her heart.

Once Touch

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The youngest of the three Knowles siblings, Quinn has in her blood the love of the land and its beautiful creatures. Raising enough money to build an animal sanctuary is a dream Quinn lives every day—while fending off her family’s well-intentioned matchmaking schemes. Though harboring secret fears about intimacy, Quinn soon realizes she cannot fight her growing attraction to a man who has suddenly entered her life.

Scarred by his months in Afghanistan and the violence he witnessed there through his camera lens, photojournalist Ethan Saunders throws himself into hard ranching work as a prescription for healing. But falling for Quinn has given him the one thing he thought he’d lost forever: hope. Ethan discovers that Quinn, like the innocent animals she rescues, is shy, and afraid of entrusting her heart to a man. Passion soon awakens Ethan’s strength, and his tender seduction may be just what Quinn needs to believe in herself—and in his love.

Here’s an excerpt from Once Touched:

Since it was Friday, the place was crowded. People were kicking back and relaxing, racking up the pool balls, twisting to Fats Domino, or leaning against the zinc countertop, sampling the new Harvest IPA that Beau had on tap this week. Everyone looked like they were having a fine time.

Quinn had never been more twitchily claustrophobic.

That’s what came from feeling like some sort of trophy a certain eager and too charming Texan wanted to bag. At a table with Mia and Tess, she sat hunched over her beer, trying to make herself invisible.

“You could just dance with him, you know,” Mia observed.

She scowled at the burl of the tabletop. “Right. You know where dancing leads.”

“To a lovely dark corner?” Tess said.

Quinn’s tension ratcheted up a notch. “Not helpful, Tess. Don’t you have a wedding to go plan?”

“Afraid not. Mine’s all set to be absolutely beautiful, and Mia and Reid want to wait until after next year’s harvest—”

“And I already know where I want to have the ceremony. On the terrace that Reid built for me,” Mia interjected.

“So we’ve got plenty of time to work out the remaining details for Mia’s special day. Although I’ve already found a dress I think you’ll love,” Tess said, her expression becoming animated. “It’s made of vintage lace.”

Quinn groaned. The noise reminded her of the one Ethan had made when she inflicted the Bee Gees and Neil Diamond on him during the drive from the airport. In hindsight she realized how unusually cruel she’d been. But at least she’d relented and put him out of his misery before subjecting him to Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.” Tess could go on about wedding dresses forever.

“No wedding dress talk, please,” she begged.

Tess leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her black scoop-necked sweater. “Then how about you explain why you’re hanging with us—not that we don’t love you—instead of letting Josh dance with you? He keeps glancing over, by the way, so I’d say your minutes are numbered.”

Quinn slumped deeper in her chair. “I thought Maebeth was doing her best to distract him.”

“She is,” Tess said.

“She should try harder,” Quinn muttered.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading Once Touched and Quinn’s happily-ever-after!

Happy Reading!

~Laura

Author Bio:

Bestselling contemporary romance author Laura Moore’s first story filled a coffee stained notebook before she realized she might actually have written a love story that others would enjoy. Ride A Dark Horse was published a year later.

An accomplished equestrian and lifelong animal lover, Laura Moore lives in Rhode Island with her husband, two children and their black Lab. Their cat, Zevon, keeps them all in line.

There are plenty of places you can find me! My website is www.lauramoorebooks.com. I have a newsletter that you can sign up for. You can like and follow me on Facebook or on Twitter

*****

Giveaway Alert!

I’d like to give away an e-book copy of Once Tempted.

Books-n-Kisses will choose a winner at random from readers who leave comments.

Here’s a question to get the ball rolling:
One of the scenes in Once Touched takes place during Thanksgiving. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

November 13, 2015November 14, 2015

Guest Blogger: Grace Burrowes + a giveaway

The Joys of True Gentlemanliness… by Grace Burrowes

About twenty books ago, I lamented (whined) to one of my brothers that coming up with ways to challenge a romance hero into facing his worst fears and risking all to win the heroine’s heart was taxing my imagination. My brother, without a heartbeat’s pause said, “Make him choose between the competing demands of honor.”

THAT was great advice. Make the hero choose between the woman who needs him, and the military unit depending on him. Make him choose between avenging injustices from his past, or respecting the wishes of the pacifist woman he loves. Make him decide whether to be publicly vindicated or privately forgiving… Delightful stuff, for an author!

And yet, to travel along these brilliant character arcs, our hero must have one characteristic: He must have a well-developed sense of honor. To me, that means this fellow must be honest and kind. He can be poor, grouchy, lacking in charm, without prospects, unlucky in love—Daniel Banks is nodding his head—but ideally, he will still be a true gentleman at heart.

The true gentleman, alas for him, can be tormented from page one by the author and by the story, but from the start, the true gentleman will play by the rules of decency.

Rules are tough. The true gentleman will never misrepresent himself, which means Daniel Banks must inform Lady Kirsten that a) he’s married, and b) he won’t disrespect his vows. Too bad for Daniel, this honesty only raises him in the lady’s esteem, when he’s trying to emphasize his unsuitability.

The true gentleman will lend a hand—or an ear—to those in need. When Daniel Banks realizes that Lady Kirsten has been overlooked by her entire family, and is as lonely as an earl’s daughter can be, the least he can do is listen when she explains the misery in her past. Again, his respect for, and understanding of her increases, but what else could a gentleman have done?

The true gentleman is kind. He does not ignore the suffering of others, even if that means, he’s left with a bigger helping of suffering on his own plate. When Lady Kirsten needs a champion to fight her battles with an overbearing brother, Daniel steps up, though it might cost him his position. Once again, Daniel’s decency only gets him in hotter water, because now Kirsten’s brother is also viewing the impecunious, reserved, sometimes grouchy, vicar with renewed respect.

This business of being a true gentleman is darned hard, and darned heroic. What Daniel has to learn, though, is that true gentlemanliness begins at home. When he’s honest with himself, and shows himself the compassion we all deserve, all the inconvenient rules, tough choices, and honorable standards turn out to have been his second-best friends.

Lady Kirsten is, of course, his very best friend, being a true lady. But that’s another story…

*****
Title: Daniel’s True Desire
Author: Grace Burrows
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

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An honorable life
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman’s collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the urging of family, Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish town of Haddondale, family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.

Challenged by passion
Lady Kirsten Haddonfield has resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood. Then the handsome new village vicar, Reverend Daniel Banks, becomes a guest of the Haddonfield family while the vicarage is being renovated, and Kirsten finds herself rethinking her position. Lady Kirsten does not know that Daniel’s past is about to cast a shadow on love’s future.

Excerpt from Daniel’s True Desire

Daniel Banks is the new vicar in Haddondale, temporarily a guest of Lady Kirsten’s family. They’ve dragooned him into tutoring some of the local boys, and Kirsten is managing the staff who’ll turn the dower house into a place of learning. What Daniel doesn’t know is how a married man, even one estranged from his unworthy spouse, can resist the allure of friendship with Lady Kirsten…

“I dread crossing the garden,” Lady Kirsten said. “Susannah has taken up reading old issues of La Belle Assembleé, Della is memorizing DeBrett’s, and the countess talks only of fashion. Nobody does anything.”

“Most would envy them their idleness,” Daniel said, though he did not. The earl gave a good account of himself, tending to significant acreage and mercantile interests, but the women were bored.

One of the women was mortally bored, though never boring.

“I want to take the vicarage in hand,” Lady Kirsten said, marching from the pantry. “I doubt I’ll have time before we leave for Town the week after next. Lemon and beeswax won’t cure rising damp any way.”

Nothing cured rising damp save for replacing every scrap of affected wood. “You’re leaving soon, then?”

The prospect of distance from Lady Kirsten should have been a relief. She was unconventional, discontent, and unpredictable. Worse yet, she was patient with small boys, had a strong streak of domestic competence, and could not dissemble even to appease appearances.

Most troublesome of all, Daniel liked her. A lot.

“I smell fresh bread.” Lady Kirsten’s pace increased, then she halted to twist a sachet from behind a curtain. “Nicholas told George that in addition to Digby and the Blumenthal brats, you’re to take on both of Squire Webber’s sons. He aspires to send them to public school, but they lack a foundation.”

And years of dedicated tutors had been unable to remedy that lack? “I think you had better join me for lunch,” Daniel said resuming their progress toward a hot meal.

“I believe I shall. I adore a hearty beef stew with bread and butter on a cold, rainy day. Cook uses Mama’s recipe, and I’m partial to it.”

Peasant fare, for an earl’s daughter. Daniel liked her entirely too well.

A scullery maid set places for them at a wooden table heavy enough to double as a threshing floor, while Lady Kirsten served up bowls of steaming stew and Daniel sliced the bread. Daniel held the lady’s chair, and then, without even a nod in the direction of further small talk, took shameless advantage of his companion.

“I want to know every detail you can share about my scholars, Lady Kirsten. They’re shaping up to be a pack of ne’er-do-wells, scamps and scapegraces. One wonders if the parish isn’t attempting to run me off rather than welcome me.”

She snapped her serviette across her lap. “They’re out and out rotters, every one save for Digby, but George says he’s showing dubious potential. Don’t steal all the butter.”

Daniel passed her ladyship the plate of butter, small golden molds in the shape of roses.

“Your butter, and Lord-we-thank-Thee-for-this-food, amen. Now tell me about these scoundrels.”

Lady Kirsten sat back, her smile indulgent. “I’ve known them since they were babies, Mr. Banks. They’re full of energy and mischief, and there’s not a Latin scholar among them. They are truly, truly awful.”

She loved these rotten boys, and—greatest possible inconvenience—Daniel regarded this her most attractive quality of all.

Author Biography

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes’ bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish and Lady Eve’s Indiscretion. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

Find Grace here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

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