A Harmless Little Game
Meli Raine
(Harmless, #1)
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Four years ago I lost my virginity on live, streaming television.
Too bad I wasn’t awake for it.
The video went viral. Of course it would. A Senator’s daughter on camera? Wouldn’t you click “share”? Besides, that’s what three of the four guys in the video did.
Share.
They shared me.
But that fourth guy? The nondescript one in the background in the upper left corner of the screen, just sitting on the couch? The only one who did nothing?
Not one single thing.
That was my boyfriend, Drew.
And that was the last time I saw him.
Until today, when my father—now on a path to the White House—hired him as head of security for my new team as I return home after four years of “recovering” in an undisclosed location that involved white lab coats, needles, pills and damage control.
You see, the other three guys never went to jail. Never had charges pressed.
Never faced consequences.
Until today.
Game on.
* * *
A Harmless Little Game is the first in this political thriller/romantic suspense trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine.

Short, clipped chestnut hair. Brown eyes the color of well-worn leather, eyes that blaze with intelligence and a guardedness no one could ever breach. He’s bigger than the last time I saw him, four years ago. Broader. More muscular. He’s a controlled, contained man who has a James Bond air to him.
And he’s looking at me right now with eyes so cold they might as well be icebergs.
“Lindsay, let me introduce you to Andrew,” Stacia starts.
Drew. Oh, God, it’s true.
“Andrew Foster will be your new security specialist. He and his team will keep you safe.”
I snort.
He stares.

Stacia’s eyes leap from Drew to me and back. “Is there a problem?” she asks, brows turning down. That’s more emotion than I’ve seen in her for four years. Her gaze darts between me and Drew, assessing the situation. No matter what, I lose if she decides something’s going sour here.
Even if Drew is the one gone bad.
“No.” Drew and I say the word at the exact same moment, in the same tone of voice. It sounds like a sharp clap, a single sound that shatters noise.
“You two know each other?” Stacia asks, her fingers caressing the paper. Without that discharge form, I can’t leave. If Drew ruins this for me, it will be the second time in my life he’s fucked up.
The first time was four years ago when he let three of our friends rape me.

Author Bio: Meli Raine writes romantic suspense with hot bikers, intense undercover DEA agents, bad boys turned good, and Special Ops heroes — and the women who love them.

Meli rode her first motorcycle when she was five years old, but she played in the ocean long before that. She lives in New England with her family.

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All We Want For Christmas Is You
Anita Maxwell
Publication date: December 20th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Hayden Halloway wants to see her name in print when she gets out of college, preferably in one of the big five newspapers in New York. She has everything lined up to make that happen, except for that one perfect story to finalize her portfolio.
Christian, Vinnie, and Justin, first string forwards on the college hockey team, all have their sights set on Hayden. But a situation involving her best friend and the Puck Games – the hockey team’s sex rating competition – ends up setting them on a collision course that could leave more than their reputations damaged.
Eggnog, coffee dates, and the Winter Wonderland all have Hayden losing bits and pieces of herself to the guys. Will Hayden sacrifice her integrity for her heart, or will she ruin the guys chances at going pro and any chance they have of being together?

Author Bio: Anita Maxwell is from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. She has one husband, one son, two dogs, one mean cat, and no kangaroo. She loves to be the center of attention, even when noone else wants her to be. She used to be a ballerina, but now does pole dancing. She is a massive I.T. nerd. She loves planning events. One of her favourite things to do is tell K.B. "No, the main character can't do that because...". Her favourite genres to read are Science Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Historical, Based on True Stories, and Reverse Harem of course. She has a book she carries with her called "My little book of big ideas", which is currently a quarter full.

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Hinder
Kristin Ping
(Guardian of Monsters #1)
Publication date: May 15th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

Ethan Sutcliff seems like a normal seventeen-year-old—at least that’s what he’s trying to portray. In a secret society run by the Supernaturals, Ethan is what witches call a Bender. Benders are Witches’ Guardians, who are able to control a witches’ ability, bend it, or move it away from harming humans. In Ethan’s case, he is able to bend the Earth element. But at the age of fifteen, he lost all connection to it, and the reasons behind it could only mean one of two things: His Wielder is either dead, or hiding out somewhere.
Alex Burgendorf has been living in her aunt’s locket for the past sixteen years with her mother—a Fire Wielder, and her father—a Water Wielder. For sixteen years, her parents vowed to protect her, and they have, as she is the last Earth wielding witch. However, time is running out. Alex must find her Bender, or the fate of the Supernaturals might be at stake.

Jewel of the Gods
Mary Bernsen
(Beyond the Gods #2)
Published by: CTP Pulse
Publication date: December 19th 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

Sold at the age of seventeen to the king of the realm, Ursula has spent the last four years serving as his submissive concubine. She has grown to love him with a fierce loyalty, but when he orders her to kill a spirited young girl, she simply cannot obey.Her master does not take defiance lightly, so Ursula must find the girl she spared and return her to the king—or lose her own head. Her search leads to the girl’s former employer, a handsome man who introduces Ursula to a world of experiences and freedoms she has never known. Though thrilling and intoxicating, she knows this new lifestyle is only temporary.She must finish her quest and return to her master…before this new, softer kind of love has her questioning everything.
Jewel of the Gods is the second novel in the fiery and passionate Beyond the Gods series by Mary Bernsen.

Hercules clenched his jaw and balled up his fists. “Do you even hear yourself?” He raised his voice into a mocking tone. “’Poseidon doesn’t allow this. Poseidon prefers that.’ Dear Zeus, Ursula. Have you ever taken a moment to think about what you need? How much longer do you think you will be able to survive under such stifling conditions?”
Suddenly, I was overcome with a sense of shame at myself. I had never taken a step back and thought about what it must seem like to others. There was no way to defend it, either. It was as it seemed. I was my master’s pet. He cared for me, ensured I had my necessities. All he required in return was obedience.
Still, I couldn’t deny Chiron’s earlier claim, either. I had become a stranger to myself in the time I had served Poseidon. There was a time not so long ago when I had harbored fight in my heart. I had to release that independence to save my life, and one way or another Poseidon’s shelter had consumed me until I loved him for it. I hated Hercules for making me question what I had grown so comfortable with. I didn’t want any further complications at the moment.
“It does not matter.” I lifted a chin. “I’m a servant. I have no say in it.”
“You do as long as you are here.” He nodded toward the food in the center of the table. “Eat, or I will starve as well.”

Author Bio: Mary Bernsen is a southwest Florida native currently living in North Port with her two beautiful children and a third, much larger child that she affectionately calls husband. She is the Amazon Best Selling Author of Healing The Bayou, The Ganga Shift, and Beyond the Gods series.

She also writes young adult romances under her pseudonym, M.E. Rhines.

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Vigilante
Summer Lane
(A Collapse Story)
Publication date: December 15th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Thriller

I swore to protect her before I even knew her.

Now, it’s the creed I live by.
Uriah True is a dangerous man. His past is cloaked in secrecy, and he writes his future in the blood of the people he kills. After the Great Global War, he leaves the militias behind to prey on the scum that remain loyal to the cruel and tyrannical regime of the defeated enemy Omega in this dangerous and new post-apocalyptic world.
Some call him The Hunter. Some call him Death.
He calls it vengeance for what the war took from him.
Hunt, kill, repeat.
When he uncovers a plot that could bring death to the only person he’s ever loved, he’ll do anything to stop it.
Anything.
The only problem? He may already be too late.
A thrilling novel from #1 bestselling author Summer Lane, creator of the smash-hit Collapse Series, Zero Trilogy, Bravo Saga, Unbreakable Seal, and the historical romantic thriller, Running with Wolves. Vigilante is a novel

The moon shone brightly above my head. I glared at it.
It reminded me of fighting, of using moonlight to snipe. Shooting targets in the dark with Cassidy, popping rounds downrange and smelling the fresh scent of hot brass and cold dirt. Good practice and good times.
“Got any gum?” Cassidy asked.
“Yeah. But it’ll cost you,” I replied.
“Seriously? You can’t let go of capitalism for even one second?”
There was amusement in her voice. I held the piece of gum between my fingers for a moment. She made a move for it, and I backed away.
“Predictable,” I said.
“Then show me how to bring a man down,” she replied.
“You already know how to do that. You’ve got a rifle.”
“I want to know how to do it without a rifle. With my bare hands.”
“That’s optimistic of you.”
She was strong—agility and speed packed into a slender body, all lean, tough muscle. She would have been a good cop, I guess. Of course, they said the same thing about me, and look what happened.
“I’ll teach you,” I agreed. “But first, the price for gum.”
Gum. It was stupid. Even gum was a precious commodity now. I was down to my last pack.
“All right. Name it,” she huffed, rolling her eyes.
A kiss. That was what I wanted. To pull her to me and hold her body against mine and feel, even for a moment, that I deserved to be loved by someone like her.
I hesitated for too long. She blinked, slowly, and I knew she could read my mind.
She always could.
“You can keep it,” she said, brushing off my solemn stare. “Whatever.”
I tossed the gum to her. She caught it, neatly. No hesitation. Pure reflex.
“Thanks, partner.”
She was relieved: I could see it in her face. She had been afraid I would try to kiss her. That wasn’t allowed. She knew it and I knew it, but the desire was there, and I wasn’t the only one who felt it. Not by a longshot. That was what scared her the most…and nobody knew her better than I did.
“Got your six,” I murmured.
Memories. They’re fatal. You can’t get away from them.


Author Bio: Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 19 hit books, including the Collapse Series and hotly anticipated Resurrection Series. She owns Writing Belle Publishing and Writing Belle Magazine. She is also an experienced journalist and creative writing instructor. Summer lives in California with her husband, Scott, and their German Shepherd, Kona.

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The Vixen’s Lead
Tate James
(Kit Davenport, #1)
Publication date: September 19th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

I want vengeance so badly that I can almost taste it. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. So, I did what any privileged, adopted boarding school girl would do. I slapped on a secret identity and became an internationally renowned thief, known as The Fox. Nobody knows me. Nobody can catch me.
Or so I thought…
It turns out; I have what they want. Special abilities. And trust me, these abilities are coveted–and dangerous. Now, I don’t know who to trust or where to go. Peril lurks on every corner as I try to uncover my past and origin. Teaming up with unlikely allies may be my only chance at survival or my biggest mistake. Only time will tell.
I’m Kit Davenport and this is only the beginning.

Forevermore
Cristiane Serruya
(Ever More, #2)
Publication date: December 7th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A father desperate to save his little girl. A doctor fighting for a cure. And two broken hearts that can only be healed together.Ava Larsen is too busy finishing her pediatric oncology residency to find love… and she knows what it feels like to have a broken heart. She assures herself that kissing the gorgeous alpha stranger the night before was nothing more than a dangerous yet delicious mistake— one she won’t repeat.

Widower billionaire Aleksander Maximilian is one of the most powerful men alive, but he’s helpless to save his daughter Olivia from cancer. Doctors have assured him it would be best to enjoy her last days at home. To make Olivia’s wish to spend her last Christmas on Lake Tahoe come true, he hires the best home care team in the business.
It turns out the head of the team is the breathtaking woman he shared an unexpected kiss which ignited sparks. But this is the worst time for Aleksander to have finally have passionate feelings for someone, not to mention it’s strictly forbidden to Ava to get involved with her patient’s father.
Tragedy brought them together. A miracle might rip them apart.
An emotional gripping love story of hope, redemption, and never giving up, Forevermore is the second book in USA Today bestselling author Cristiane Serruya’s EVER MORE Series. If you enjoy romances by Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, Sylvia Day, and Maya Banks, then you will cherish this heartwarming, steamy contemporary erotic novel.

Sequel to So Much More, FOREVERMORE stands on its own, but reading in order guarantees a more enjoyable time.
Hello and thanks for hosting me. I’m so happy to be here with you and your readers today.

Since 2011, I’ve been immersed in the written word—penning romance novels, to be exact. The process of crafting and getting a work through the publishing machine—especially the indie world—can be a lonely and hard path but when my new imaginary friends walk out of my romances, they’re worth all of grueling pain I submit my wrists and fingers to. Here are four reasons why I have been hooked by love stories.
1. The characters

The men! Handsome or scarred, funny or brooding, overbearing or supportive. Dark-haired, blond, paled skin, tanned and everything in between! Now put them together with blondes, brunettes or red-heads; thin or curved or toned; opinionated and bold or delicate and shy! Oh, my! To make it even better, throw in a couple of kids—I love stories with smart kids! Of course, makes it even funnier if we have a few criminals in the story, too. There, I have a bunch of new friends—and enemies—for me to play with for a while.
2. I get to create stories

Imagine those said characters meeting over a business meeting, as in The Complete TRUST Series; or fighting for a cure for a sick child, as in Forevermore, and the sparks flying over a heated argument or a nice gesture.

And then imagine them doing it. Yeah! And some revengeful ex-partner or dark secret, which threatens their relationship. I decide who loves and hates; who lives and dies! I can totally transform a person I know in a good or a horrible character. I can even take my revenge on the ones I don’t like much and create a whole new ending for a situation gone wrong. It’s freeing!
3. The research

Learning is a passion of mine. In order to create believable characters, research is necessary. For example, Tavish Uilleam MacCraig, the lead male character of Love Painted in Red, who appeared on my first release Entwined Fates, TRUST Series #1 and was supposed to be a secondary character, grew so much as a character during TRUST Series that he demanded his story to be told. As it unfolded, and from it I have already Damaged Love, which features Tavish’s best friend, Lord Richard Smith, and after comes the story of Richard’s older brother, Lord Hugh Smith.

All the three of them are veterans of war—I am always in awe of those men and women who sacrifice themselves to make this world safer.

We don’t have a strong military here in Brazil and I wanted them to be believable veteran dealing with PTSD, living with disabilities, having invisible scars, for the readers to feel their pains. So I interviewed many veterans online. It was an enlightening and heartbreaking experience and it helped me make Tavish and Richard come out beautifully—or so I like to think—with their physical and psychological scars and yet full of life strength and vigor.
4. The happily ever after

With all the horrible things happening in the world, unnecessary killings, religious and racial strife, it’s great to be able to escape to a world where my characters have survived bad things and are still able to find a fulfilling and healing relationship with a happy ending—and don’t forget the steamy sex I got to create. But sometimes, I get out of a story emotionally tired; so tired, I need a break.

It was exactly the case of Forevermore, Olivia, Alek, and Ava’s heart-wrenching and heart-warming story that I needed a break before I jump into the skin of Benedict, who is blind, and Natalya, from Evermore. Ah, what did I do during my break? I wrote a light, funny and suspenseful romance. So, pre-order already Royal Love, Last Royals Series #1.
Last, I want to share some good news. Almost all my books are on KindleUnlimited, so visit Cristiane Serruya’s Amazon Page and read them for free!

I love to connect with readers, so feel free to stalk me online: Facebook Author Page, Twitter, Instagram, Instagram. And follow me on BookBub, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Those who want to receive my very, very sporadic emails about new releases and promotions can sign-up here: Cristiane Serruya Website and win a free romance, free cookbooks, and so much more!

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts here and helping me promote my work.

Love,

Cris, author

Author Bio: USA TODAY and AMAZON best-selling romance author, Cristiane Serruya lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with her six-foot-six husband, two teenage daughters, and Loki, her Shetland sheepdog. Cris is a writer, a lawyer, a reader; a woman, a mother, and a wife. Not necessarily in this order. Or in any order…

She has a Master's in Business Law and a BA in Fine Arts. In 2012, after twenty-two years of practicing law, Cris decided to give writing a go. And--amazingly--it was just the piece that was missing in the puzzle of her life.
She loves to hear from readers so fell free to stalk her online and visit www.crisserruya.com to win a freebie left there only for you.
Those who want to receive Cris's very sporadic emails about new releases, giveaways, and promotions can sign-up on http://bit.ly/CS-VIPlist

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Dragon Guardian
Ophelia Bell
(Immortal Dragons, #5)
Publication date: December 8th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Time isn’t on Aodh’s side when he gets trapped in a magical prison on an island thousands of years in the past. The only people who can save him are an old lover he didn’t exactly part on good terms with, and the innocent ursa female whose true power has yet to be unleashed as long as she remains a virgin.
Aodh’s Fated Mates, Neph and Vrishti, have never met. When the ancient satyr and ursa princess finally do, they aren’t quite sure they can trust each other. Will they be able to overcome their misgivings enough to pool their powers and rescue the man they both love?
But even reunited, their journey isn’t over. Their mortal enemy is on the loose, and her hunger for power threatens to tear their entire world apart.

Vrishti took another long swallow of wine, her eyes wide and intense. “What if I told you I could give you a link to the Source? I know an ursa spell that lets me access that power.”
The hesitance in her voice was the only thing that kept him from jumping up and demanding that she show him now. He spread his fingers and pressed his palms flat on the surface of the table, staring across at her.
“If you have a spell that does that, I want to see it. Then we can decide if I can reach Aodh.”
“I can’t,” she said. “Not yet. I haven’t reached my estrous yet, and I won’t have enough power for the spell until I do.”
“The spell is tied to your fertility, isn’t it?” he asked, beginning to understand her fear of divulging all the details. If she hadn’t reached her estrous, there was a strong chance she was a virgin. More than strong, judging from her behavior. The power wasn’t just the simple command of the life energy that permeated the world and all living things—a power even a male ursa like Cade could access at will, if they were trained for it.
“I have to … um,” she began, then shot a fearful look at them both as though she’d just realized she was sitting in a room alone with two very virile males.
Cade was the first to break the silence, and he did so with a loud laugh. “Kiddo, you’ve dug yourself into a nice little hole here, haven’t you? I’ll help you out, since you’re very new to the whole ursa gig. All that sweet power that builds up inside females before their estrous comes straight from the Source. That’s why it’s so damn dangerous. But the only way to let it out is for you to have an orgasm. Or even better, a whole lot of orgasms. I never knew it could be harnessed and reused … Mostly us males just channel it back to Gaia. So you’re telling us that you have a spell that lets you do that?”
Cade’s clinical explanation did nothing to cool Neph’s rising lust. Vrishti had come to him with this request, one that she knew required her to give herself to him. Or did she know?
“You understand this means we’ll have to fuck?”
Gaia’s tears, simply saying the words made his cock painfully hard.
Cade cursed. “Let the kid get her bearings, for fuck’s sake. Nobody’s fucking anybody.”
“It’s all right, Cade,” Vrishti said. “I … I’m aware of how I access the power. I only had an idea of how you would access it, but now I know. If it means rescuing Aodh, then I’m prepared.”
Neph let out a sardonic chuckle. “I don’t think you are.” He stood up from the table. “Let me show you exactly what you need to be prepared for, because the only way for me to use my full power is in my primal form.” He swiftly unbuttoned his shirt, then his jeans, stripping deliberately out of each item of clothing, ignoring Cade’s fountain of profanity. She had to see.
Vrishti sat stock still, her mouth slightly open and her eyes growing wider.
“You don’t have to …” she started. “I mean, I get it …” She raised a hand when he stood naked in front of her after walking around the table.
“This isn’t what I need to show you,” he said, then summoned his primal shape and shifted. In a smooth flow of magic, his body grew. Giant horns sprouted from his head, curving back from his temples in coiling ram’s horns, and his lower body spawned a coat of thick, black fleece. “This is.”
Even in his human shape, it’d been impossible not to be aroused by her. His simple nakedness a moment earlier had heightened her reaction to the point that he could easily scent her desire. But now his cock had grown in both size and need with the surge of his primal instincts. The thick length protruded from its nest of fleece at his groin, massive shaft curving up in a smooth arc that pointed directly at Vrishti.
“Are you prepared for this, girl?” he asked, voice dripping with every ounce of lust that filled him. He gripped his shaft and gave it a long stroke, enjoying how she licked her lips. He’d happily bend her over the table and fuck her now, but despite that wild craving, he still knew better—though he would have tormented her more with his satyr shape if Cade hadn’t stepped between them and shoved Neph backward.
“You fucking son of a bitch! Get yourself under control, man. I said, nobody is fucking anyone in this house. Not tonight. Not after all that goddamn wine, and especially not without her saying she’s good and goddamn ready for it.” He turned to look at Vrishti, and in a more comforting tone said, “He is right, though, kiddo. You are far from prepared for his crazy ass.”

Author Bio: Ophelia Bell loves a good bad-boy and especially strong women in her stories. Women who aren't apologetic about enjoying sex and bad boys who don't mind being with a woman who's in charge, at least on the surface, because pretty much anything goes in the bedroom.

Ophelia grew up on a rural farm in North Carolina and now lives in Los Angeles with her own tattooed bad-boy husband and four attention-whoring cats.
If you'd like to receive regular updates on Ophelia's publications, freebies, and discounts, please subscribe to her mailing list: http://opheliabell.com/subscribe/

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The Second Window
Erica Kiefer
Published by: CTP Pulse
Publication date: December 5th 2017
Genres: Romance, Suspense, Young Adult

As her senior year flies by on cruise control, seventeen-year-old Olivia Cole yearns for excitement—something her upscale private school no longer provides. Her job as a grocery store bagger isn’t much help…until the day she has a bizarre exchange with the cagey town recluse. When the woman abruptly surrenders to the police, Olivia feels compelled to dig deeper into her perplexing story. But the investigation stalls when Olivia receives another piece of news—Andre Steele, the golden boy of Westmont and her previous tormentor, has unexpectedly returned from his four-year stay in Brazil—and the whole school is buzzing! All at once, Olivia’s dull and predictable life is uprooted, and she wonders if “boring” was so bad after all.

A stranger to me, I knew nothing about Jodie except that she lived on the outskirts of town. People referred to her as a hermit because she rarely ventured from her home, and when she did, it seemed only long enough to purchase groceries. She was nobody important to me—just the occasional name carried through the wind when there was nothing else to talk about. However, like clockwork, I bagged her scant items every Thursday at four PM. The odd interactions I’d have with the woman would sometimes be the most interesting part of my shift at Wayland’s, a discounted store that served as employment during the summer, and now into my senior year.
I met her eyes again, which seemed to never leave mine, peering at me with an intense silence that I couldn’t explain. She didn’t frighten me, exactly. On the contrary, there was a meekness about her that suggested her gentle nature. While she hardly smiled, she didn’t have a mean face. It was more like the bland expression of a person who had little to smile about. Yet I wondered at her reservation, certain she had more to say than she ever allowed.
Jodie’s slender fingers pulled cash from her wallet and she handed over the bills. When she turned to me once more, her teary eyes alarmed me. She swallowed hard, like she was washing down emotions that rose against her will.
“Are… are you okay?” I asked, hesitating as I placed her grocery bags into the cart. Her hand fell swiftly on top of mine, squeezing my palm. Startled by the sudden physical contact, I jerked my hand away. I regretted my actions the moment her expression shifted.
Eyes wide, she shook her head, her mouth opening as though horrified by her behavior. A tear slid down her cheek, and she brushed it away in haste. “I’m sorry.” Sniffling, she snatched her three bags from the cart and scurried toward the exit. “Hey!” I called after her. I exchanged a look of confusion with Marlene before following Jodie to the automatic sliding doors. “Wait! It’s Jodie, right?” She paused, sniffing once more. She looked back at me over her shoulder, eyes red and sorrowful. “Um, can I help you to your car? I really should have double-bagged that one.” I pointed to the bulging bag containing the heavy soups, grasping for an excuse to stall her from leaving.
The tiniest smile crept along the corners of her mouth. Her green eyes brightened beneath the sheen of tears. Relieved, I smiled back. Her next words fell from her lips in a low, quiet tone. “You take care of yourself.” Then she walked out into the cool air.
I stood there perplexed, watching this strange woman escape to the parking lot. Jodie had been a consistent presence in my life for months now, a once-a-week visit in which she spoke no more than a murmured, Thank you. Why did I feel a sudden permanence to her goodbye?
A familiar female voice called out from behind me. “I need a bagger on lane three please!”
I rolled my eyes and flipped around to see my friend Jordyn standing at the other end of the store, hollering into her cupped hands. I glanced at Marlene. My grey-haired co-worker pushed out her lips with a frown, throwing a hand onto her plump hip. I cringed and held up my index finger. “One minute,” I mouthed, and hurried toward Jordyn before she could garner anymore unwanted attention from my employers.
“You know Marlene hates when you stop by, right?” I said to my best friend. She beamed confidence at me with her wide smile, her lips stained in a bright coral that I could never pull off. Though only one-eighth Native American, the tan skin she’d inherited helped her get away with wearing colorful makeup combinations that I would never attempt on my fair skin. Jordyn also relished in the theatrics that I shied away from.
“I’m a paying customer,” she said, grabbing a box of powdered donuts off the shelf. She held them up to make her point, waving wildly at Marlene’s scowling face. Jordyn raised her voice again, like she was hollering at the deaf elderly. “She’s just gonna bag these for me and I’ll be on my way!”
I shook my head at her. “You’re going to get me fired.”
“You’ve got other problems to worry about.” Jordyn put her hands on my shoulders, and spun me around.
“What am I looking at?” I asked, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Leave it to Jordyn to make me guess, rather than just tell me. She rotated me forty-five degrees.
“Not what. Who.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Past the cashiers. Aisle twelve.”
I loved her to death, but sometimes her games were a bit much. “Jordyn, come on—” I stopped, suddenly very aware of just who she was pointing out to me. I caught a glimpse of his smile first, gleaming brightly against his bronzed skin—a deeper brown than I remembered, and a compliment from his Brazilian mother. I’d almost missed him, hidden behind the cluster of kids clamoring for his attention. But then I heard his laugh, boisterous and infectious. Unique.
And stirring memories I resented.
I crossed my arms over my black apron. “What is Andre Steele doing back in Arizona?”
Jordyn inhaled noisily, letting out her breath as she spoke. “I don’t know, but Brazil sure did a nice number on him.”
I scowled and nudged her with my elbow.
“But we still hate him,” she corrected, giving a nod of solidarity.
“Of course we do.” We watched him disappear down aisle nine with his posse. Another burst of laughter trailed behind him, coupled with giggles from the girls hanging on him and the other guy slapping Andre’s back like they’d never heard someone so funny.
“Then again,” Jordyn added, “Four years can change a person. Maybe he’ll surprise you.”
I stepped away from her, returning to my position at the end of the register. I grabbed the boxes of toothpaste and floss sliding past Marlene and tossed them into a fresh bag. “I never liked his surprises.”

Author Bio: Erica Kiefer’s debut novel Lingering Echoes was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November 2013. She continued the series with Rumors (A Lingering Echoes Prequel) and her newest release Vanishing Act. All of her books can be read as stand-alone contemporary YA fiction, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.

Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. Now and then, she dusts off her collegiate rugby skills and dives back into the game.

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Unearth
Tricia Barr
(The Bound Ones, #3)
Publication date: December 1st 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Our heroes erased themselves from the Four Corners’ histories and thought they were finally free…until Lily burst their bubble and told them they have to get involved with the cult one last time to stop them from unleashing a great evil buried thousands of years ago. But they fail, and the fifth Bound One is released, fulfilling his vengeful dreams formed over his long imprisonment. Phoenyx and her friends band together for one last fight, and one of them will pay the ultimate price.

Unable to tolerate his intrusion on her personal space any longer, she grabbed his wrist and pushed her will into him.
“Where is Ayanna?” she demanded with all the authority she could instill.
Joran closed his eyes and moaned. “Oh, now doesn’t that feel amazing! I am going to have so much fun with you.”
In one swift motion, he twisted his arm out of her grasp and grabbed both her wrists, holding them against the wall on either side of her head. And then something happened. Lust unlike anything she’d ever experienced seeped into her forearms and spread like venom through her veins, burning her to her core with desire.
“Kiss me,” Joran whispered.
A small voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her to fight, but every other part of her, body and mind, wanted nothing more than to obey him. She did as he asked, pressing her lips against his. When he pushed his hot tongue into her mouth, she opened it to welcome him, allowing him full access to whatever he wanted. Joran, she swooned inwardly.
His hands roamed across her body, pressing and grabbing. Her body responded heatedly to his touch, but something in her mind told her this was so very wrong. Shut up, voice, she said internally, swatting away those pesky thoughts that tried to keep her from enjoying this.
Joran broke the kiss and smiled down at her triumphantly. “Oh yes, we will have so much fun. I love having access to your powers. Ayanna might be my queen, but you will be a delightful toy.”
“Yes, I’m your toy,” she said mindlessly, desperate to please him.
“What the hell!” another familiar voice shouted from the doorway.
Irritated at the interruption, Phoenyx rolled her lusty eyes in that direction. When she saw Sebastian standing there, fuming with territorial rage, the spell she’d been under lifted. The pleasure she had taken in Joran’s large body pressed against hers now turned into disgust and violation, and she used all the physical strength she could muster to shove him away from her.
Joran seemed unphased by her rejection, smiling smugly at Sebastian.
“Ah, Water, welcome to the party,” Joran said. “I was just about to enjoy your mate. Would you like to join us?”
“Don’t you dare touch her,” Sebastian threatened in a dangerously low voice.
“Or what? You’ll splash some water at me?” Joran taunted.
Scared for Sebastian’s safety, Phoenyx pushed off from the wall and darted for him. When she reached him, the two of them fought to put themselves protectively in front of the other as they stared at Joran.
“Aww, isn’t that sweet,” Joran said. “But pointless. I have not come here to hurt you, my Bound Ones. I have merely come to extend an invitation. I am hosting a coronation ball tonight at Bodiam Castle to celebrate my return to the world, and I would like the four of you to attend. I know you are not yet ready to swear fealty to me, but I trust that in time, you will come to your senses. Consider this ball a temporary cease-fire.”
“Why should we come?” Sebastian snarled, wrapping Pheonyx in a possessive embrace.
“Because you want to see Ayanna,” Joran replied.
“What have you done with her?” Phoenyx barked, hating the taste of him that filled her mouth.
“If you want to know what has become of your friend, you will just have to come and see for yourselves,” Joran shrugged. “I don’t think you’ll recognize her, or is it that she won’t recognize you?”
He laughed sadistically and walked toward the door.
“I’ll see you tonight,” he said, slapping a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder fraternally as he passed and went out the door.
The two of them watched him as he went around the corner and the sound of his footsteps disappeared from earshot down the stairs. Now they were alone, and they were still hugging each other for dear life.
Phoenyx met Sebastian’s gaze, his blue eyes a storm of turmoil and conflict.
“I’m so sorry, Sebastian,” she pleaded, all the strength she had seconds again melting under Sebastian’s eyes. “He used my own compulsion against me. I had no choice—”
“I know,” he said, his expression stony, his jaw clenched. “I know.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her in a way that attempted to mark her as his. Then he rested his forehead on hers. “I hate him. He can take you away from me any time he wants.”
“No, he can’t,” she said, shaking her head fervently. “He can take my soul, and he can control my mind and body, but he can never take my heart, because you already have it. I will always be yours.”
“I love you,” he said.
Now it was her turn to mark him as hers. She kissed him just as hard, no tongue, no passion, just pure possession.


Author Bio: Tricia Barr is a Professional Engineer and award-winning author. Her novel WYNDE earned a Gold Medal in the 2014 Independent Publisher Awards for Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror e-Book. She co-authored DK Publishing’s ULTIMATE STAR WARS (2015), which compiled all canon material moving forward prior to the release of “The Force Awakens.,” followed by the new STAR WARS: THE VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA (2017), which includes content from “Rogue One.” An expert on storytelling, Barr pens a regular series on the Hero’s Journey for the print publication Star Wars Insider magazine. She founded the respected website FANgirl Blog, and her writing can be found on a variety of websites, including Lucasfilm’s StarWars.com, and PopSugar, and Random House’s SUVUDU. She provided editorial services on Del Rey’s STAR WARS: THE ESSENTIAL READER’S COMPANION (2012).

Tricia Barr is an accomplished podcaster, co-hosting the popular Star Wars podcasts Fangirls Going Rogue and Hyperspace Theories. In her spare time, she competes as an amateur equestrian, earning top ten spots three times in national finals.

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Bad Princess
Julianna Keyes
Publication date: November 27th 2017
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Notorious for leaping off roofs, maiming foreign royals, and that twerking incident, Brinley Cantrella of Estau is nobody’s definition of a good princess. She’s fearless and bold, not good and gracious. And after a lifetime of being told she’s unfit to be queen, wearing the crown and helping to usher Estau into a new era is the one dream she’s never dared chase.
But when her older sister abdicates the throne, all Brinley has to do to inherit the role is not twerk, not maim anybody, and definitely not get caught fooling around topless with Prince Finn, her childhood crush, the only man she’s ever loved…and her sister’s former future husband.
Finn embodies the definition of good. Tall and handsome, serious and honorable, he always does the right thing—including agreeing to marry his ex’s sister to cover up this latest scandal. Brinley has fallen down stairs, broken teeth and broken bones, but this is the first time her heart has ever been broken. She now has the crown and the prince, and on the surface, life is good—but is being married to a man everyone swears could never love her back good enough?

For Brinley, the girl who had spent her life exploring every forbidden nook and cranny, crawling under desks and peering behind paintings, the castle was very much her home. For Elle it had been a jail cell. Her perfect behavior had been that of a model prisoner, biding her time, waiting to break free. And now she had fled and left the world with—
“Brinley,” King Edric said. He rose from his seat where he waited with her father in the formal sitting room. He buttoned his perfectly tailored jacket and nodded politely. “How lovely to see you again.” The words were polite, but the man himself was cold and impersonal, his pale hair and eyes a visual representation of the permanent frost in his voice.
“And you,” Brinley replied, extending her hand for him to kiss. No matter the modern ideology of the kingdoms, some traditions never waned. She kept her eyes on his, her crooked smile bright and cheerful, even as she almost died from the effort required not to look at Finn, who stood just behind his father, calmly waiting his turn to greet her.
Edric finally released her and Finn took his place, taking her hand and pressing his lips to her knuckles. A roaring fire burned brightly behind him, but that was not the thing that made Brinley’s cheeks flush.
“Princess,” he said formally. Everything Finn did was formal. Everything about him from his carefully coiffed hair and his straight features to the brass buttons on his jacket and the tassels on his epaulets was formal. He was so stiff and handsome, but instead of off-putting Brinley found it incredibly tempting, the way she found the castle’s forbidden secret passageways tempting. She wanted to explore him. She wanted so desperately to see those carefully chiseled features crack a smile when it was not called for, to hear him laugh, curse, moan.
But even as she wished for it, she knew it would never happen. Elle may not have reciprocated his feelings, but Brinley had little doubt that he had cared deeply for her sister. It was mandated, after all, and Finn was very much a dutiful prince, one who always followed orders and never his heart.

Author Bio: Julianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She’s been skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, but nothing thrills—or terrifies—her as much as the blank page. She loves Chinese food, foreign languages, baseball and television, though not necessarily in that order, and writes sizzling stories with strong characters, plenty of conflict, and lots of making up.

Excerpts, giveaways, behind the scenes tomfoolery - sign up for her very sporadic newsletter: http://juliannakeyes.com/newsletter.html.

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