vrijdag 1 september 2017

Release Day Launch ~ MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY by Lauren Blakely #Giveaway

 

   

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the swoony and oh-so-romantic title…MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY.


In MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, the NFL starting quarterback Cooper Armstrong needs his best friend’s sister to pretend to be his girlfriend. Violet is willing, but neither one expects their boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage to turn into a full-contact sport so quickly. Find out if their fake play will become the real deal or if they can turn back the clock to when they were just friends in this sexy new standalone sports romance!


   

Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!


   

✮✮✮ MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮


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


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


Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.


She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we have to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is -- I've been riding the bench for years.


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


MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is a brand new standalone sports romance written in the guy’s POV!


   

 Amazon ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Audible ✦ Audio on Amazon


iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ Kobo ✦ Amazon PB ✦ Google Play 


Excerpt 

Always a bridesmaid.
No Action Armstrong.
Ball Cap Boy.
Mr. Clean.
The Unused Insurance Plan.

Oh wait. Here’s one more, a personal fave.

Best Butt in the NFL.
Those are just some of the nicknames I’ve been given in the last few years. They don’t bug me. Not one bit. They’ve all been true, especially that last one. You should see my ass. You can bounce a quarter off my cheeks.
Here’s the thing—when you spend the first three years of your career warming the bench for the best player in the league, you can’t get a chip on your shoulder. You have to stay sharp and be ready for that moment when you swap out a ball cap for a helmet and get your pants dirty.
My time has finally come this season, and so far, we’re winning.
But tonight isn’t about what happens between the opening kickoff and the end of the fourth quarter.

Tonight is about the one game I’ve always dominated.
For the last few years, I’ve been the highest ticket item in the players’ annual charity auction, and I can’t help enjoying that. Because the guy I’ve backed up has been called a lot of things—a legend, the greatest ever, a titan of the game—but the one I most enjoy is “second-best-looking quarterback on the Renegades.”
Hey, I didn’t give him that name. The media did, deciding the dude who play second-string—me—had a prettier face. Before this season, I’d seen a grand total of 120 minutes of playing time in my first three years, but I’ve taken home the top honors in the charity auction, where some of the loveliest ladies come to bid on the players they want to take out for a night on the town.
Ah, the memories of those dates have warmed my heart, and other parts, on the sidelines when the games were dull. Evenings in limos, testing the strength of the leather backseat, nights in hotels that lasted way past dawn, mutually and blissfully ignoring the no physical contact between the winner and the player rule.

Yeah, I’ve enjoyed the fuck out of being paraded on stage in front of hundreds of women, their slender arms lifted in the air, raising their bids higher on me than all the other guys. It’s been my one chance to shine, even to stand out.
Those days are behind me, though, now that I’m finally leading the team down the field every single Sunday. I still expect to rake in top dollar for the charity I gladly support, but this time, I won’t be living it up and letting loose after hours. I have a reputation to protect, and a season on the line.

The trouble is, the woman who has her eyes on me at the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction wants my full enchilada, and it’s not on the menu anymore.
Guess that means it’s time to call an audible on the line of scrimmage.


      
  

10% of the proceeds from the release day sales along with a portion of pre-orders across all retailers of MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY will be given to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Houston Humane Society to help those in need from the natural disaster.


     
    


✦The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber! Grab your copy today! http://adbl.co/2gbiHT2



 
      


"Lauren Blakely is a master at writing sexy, engaging stories that draw you in and make you fall in love with her characters. A definite go-to author for me!" - NYT Bestselling Author Melanie Moreland


   

“Lauren Blakely never ceases to amaze me with her sense of humor, her talent to write fabulous heroes and heroines and to pull an A game with a male POV. Most Valuable Playboy is a real treasure. - Becca at Little Read Reading Hood


 

 
   

“The slow burn, the teasing, the kisses, OH THE KISSES!!! MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY exceeded all of my expectations. Lauren Blakely has a knack for making a reader fall for her characters." - Jess at Jo and Isa Love Books Blog


 

Add it to Goodreads here!


       

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


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




About Lauren Blakely:

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

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads


 

donderdag 31 augustus 2017

Trailer Reveal ~ DESTINY DISGRACED by Carrie Ann Ryan

We're just under two weeks from the release of DESTINY DISGRACED by Carrie Ann Ryan - so we're going to share the trailer with you to celebrate! See the trailer below and preorder your copy now!



 About DESTINY DISGRACED


The Talon Pack continues with a new twist to the Packs and a revelation no one was prepared for.

Mitchell Brentwood is aware that others think he’s the harsh taskmaster Beta trying to keep his Pack alive, but they only see what he wants them to know. He’d once thought he had his path laid out before him, but when his future was violently ripped away, he vowed he’d never let anyone close again—especially not a young wolf from a traitorous Pack.
Dawn Levin may be younger than the war that destroyed her people, but she knows she must still pay for their sins. She’s ready to find her way in this new world where wolves and humans blend as one, but first, she needs to fight her attraction to the dark wolf that stands in her way.
While the two struggle with their feelings and burning attraction for each other, they can’t ignore the world that shakes beneath their feet. There is a new enemy on the horizon, one with revenge and the unknown on their minds. An adversary that might be closer than they realize.
Add DESTINY DISGRACED to your Goodreads list here!

DESTINY DISGRACED releases September 12th, 2017 - preorder your copy now!


✦Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2n1AC00 
✦Google Play http://bit.ly/2mL3EPq 
✦Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/2kr6P0O

See the DESTINY DISGRACED trailer!



About Carrie Ann Ryan


Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.


woensdag 30 augustus 2017

Harper Sloan Announcement ~ CORP SECURITY KINDLE WORLD


  It's not secret that the Corps Security and Hope Town crew are close to my heart. Not only did they begin it all, but they've continued to steal my soul since book 1. Because of this, I couldn't be more excited that some of my favorite authors in the world have joined in to give them a new and exciting breath. With them and these new stories, we get to jump back in with some of our favorite cast and crew. You never really know what you'll get, but one things certain, you'll be within the world we all know and love while enjoying a little sexiness from their own worlds. It's got me so excited, I can't handle it!  I hope you all enjoy this next step with the new Kindle Worlds branch; Corps Security in Hope Town COMING SEPTEMBER 26! 

 Love, Harper  


  JB Salsbury – Fighting For Honor New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author JB Salsbury brings her Fighting series to Harper Sloan’s Hope Town in this Kindle Worlds exclusive, Fighting for Honor. 

UFL fighter Caleb hasn’t been to Hope Town since he was eighteen.  His next big fight takes place in Atlanta and the serene lakefront home from his childhood is the perfect place to train without distractions. Until he stumbles downstairs to find a woman in his house. He’s met her before, and he’s never forgotten. Honor was raised by her grandfather, Crazy Colonel Cartwright. Ostracized at a young age she was an outcast. Combined with her awkward personality and she became the local bully’s favorite plaything. Honor and Caleb come face-to-face and feelings from fourteen years ago come rushing back—not all of them good. She prefers to remain unknown, but she’s seen in public with the world’s most talked about fighter and thrust into a national spotlight that catches the attention of her childhood tormentors. And they aren’t finished with her yet.  


  Felicia Lynn: How To Breathe 

I can’t go back to the man I was any more than I can forget the memories locked inside me. Few men qualified for the mission and even fewer were willing to accept the required life sentence. Counting the days, good and bad, I exist as the world keeps spinning. There’s a price to pay for a life with a greater purpose, but the healing of time is a damn liar. I’m supposed to be a dead man, and the silence couldn’t be more deafening. Even though I could never look back, I thought I’d taken enough out of that life to carry me forward. The success of the mission was meant to give the tragedy of my life meaning, but I’ve been stuck in this wreckage of my past . . . until now. One look into her eyes disarms me. These walls I’ve built shouldn’t break on their own, but they crumble whenever she’s near. I’ve spent years waiting for a reason to breathe again, and now that I have her within reach, I’m not sure I can keep her. Is it possible to find both the missing piece of my soul and the remedy to my healing in one set of bright green eyes?   
      

  JM Walker: For You 

Brogan Tapp tries to be strong. Guilt and fear that the man she loves will fall within himself and not know how to find his way out, haunts her. Coby Porter vows not to let the demons in his mind take over. He plans a trip to save his relationship, once and for all. Hope Town, Georgia is the saving grace for their love, before the nightmares consume them both.        











SR Watson – Deliverance

Bleu Loren
My life has never been my own. I've always been a rule follower—the obedient girl who always did what she was told. I played the part given to me and got engaged to the man my parents set me up with. He was supposed to be my Prince Charming. He promised me a happily ever after, only he delivered a nightmare instead. Now I'm on the run. No money. No plan. Just freedom. How ironic is it that my desperate escape lands me in a place called Hope Town? I lost hope a long time ago.

Beau Rivers Lair
I'm a manwhore. It's a known fact and exactly how I like it. I make my own rules and live without expectations. Returning to Hope Town to help the woman who raised me with her restaurant meant my past was here to greet me, but I refuse to allow the mirage of possibilities to engulf me a second time around. I don't believe in love or fairy-tale endings. There's lust, and there's screwing. I don't have time for anyone or anything outside of these two principles. There is no hope for me. Accept it or not ... you've been warned!    


  Somethin’ Bad by Cat Mason 

Tequila can make a woman do somethin’ stupid. Somethin’ bad… After celebrating my birthday with my best friends turns into the most embarrassing night of my life, the last thing I expected was to see him walk into my bakery. The sexy smile on his face lets me know that he has no intention of letting me off the hook either. He doesn’t want an apology or an explanation. He wants me. The way Matt Hudson crashes into my life and bosses me around as if he has known me all my life is frustrating. What’s even worse is the power he has to bring me to my knees with the flash of one his panty-melting smiles. He steals my control without even trying. Makes me want. Makes me need. Even when my life begins to unravel right before my eyes, there is a part of me hoping that the man my friends have dubbed Hunk P.D. may be something good to come out of all my heartache.  




















The entire Corps Security series is together for a limited time box set. Years after the Marines brought them together, the men of Corps Security are together again. These six novels follow their lives as they take a chance at love. Can love truly conquer all? From broken souls to broken hearts, they all will find out if they'll get their second chance at happily ever afters and that love really is worth fighting for.

 **Warning** 

These books are intended for a mature reading audience and aren't suitable for younger readers. There are some mild scenes of abuse that happen outside of the relationship of the H/h in some of the books. 






  AMAZON  |  iBooks    
  

harper1Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn't writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.














Release Blitz ~ Destined to Crave by Setta Jay #Giveaway




Fate gave them love… then tore them apart.
The descendant of two almighty Gods and a Guardian of Earth, Eirykr “Rykr” is born of immense power. Yet, no amount of strength or skill can save him from the curse that tore him away from his first and only love. Turned into a shadowy assassin, he wields the demons bound to his soul with the ruthlessness of a blade. For nearly a decade, he’s searched for the key to free himself, all the while watching over and dangerously craving the beautiful mate who believes she’s driven him away.
Lucy is a born protector, a trait of her Guardian lineage. When her greatest gift was torn from her, leaving a gaping hole in her soul, she refuses to allow a young Rykr, her known mate, to suffer the same dire consequences. Her fear forces her to make a haunting decision and with a grave threat, she crushes him, demanding they part for a decade. Yet, as the years pass she can feel him watching her from the shadows, conjuring wild fantasies that make her ache for him to finally end their torment.
As time ticks toward the decade mark, dark forces rush to descend. Will Rykr’s secret and relentless need to protect Lucy condemn them to a hopeless destiny of constant craving? Or will Lucy bind them for all eternity, no matter the violent threat to her very soul?
Warning: This title contains dirty talk, bad language and erotically charged scenes meant to scorch your eReader.

*The entire Guardians of the Realms series is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.*





☆Ecstasy Claimed is Free and is the second in series of the Guardians of the Realms Series!☆

Gregoire has spent centuries with his brother Guardians fighting for the safety and security of the Realms. Endless decades of battling mixed with bouts of mindless sex to sate his needs. Needs that haven’t truly been fulfilled since she was born. The one destined to be his bonded mate. For the last twenty five years Gregoire has kept his distance giving her time to grow into a female who is capable of handling his intense dominance.
Alyssa has done everything that was expected of her, until the day she finds out she has a mate who has left her unclaimed. Unheard of when mates are rare and coveted. Even worse is the fact that he is the most powerful of her race and a Guardian of the Realms. Furious at the rejection she decides she is now in charge of her life. No more will she allow others to rule her.
Against the backdrop of evil forces that are conspiring to topple the Realms, can Gregoire find his wayward mate before she is taken by corrupt Immortals? Can Alyssa forgive him and learn to exert her own female power while surrendering to his savage passion? And will the two of them be able to forge a mate bond that cannot be severed... or will they be forever cursed with an Ecstasy Unclaimed?
Warning: Dirty talking, possessive alpha male; scenes of sexual exhibition; an instance of f/f; spankings and more.






Setta Jay is the author of the popular Guardians of the Realms Series. She's garnered attention and rave reviews in the paranormal romance world for writing smart, slightly innocent heroines and intense alpha males. She loves creating stories that incorporate a strong plot with a heavy dose of heat.
An avid reader her entire life, her love of romance started at a far too early age with the bodice rippers she stole from her older sister. Along with reading, she loves animals, brunch dates, coffee that is really more French vanilla creamer, questionable reality television, English murder mysteries, and has dreams of traveling the world.
Born a California girl, she currently resides in Idaho with her incredibly supportive husband.
She loves to hear from readers so feel free to ask her questions on social media or send her an email and she will happily reply.
Subscribe to her newsletter for giveaways, exclusive excerpts and release information: http://www.settajay.com/



dinsdag 29 augustus 2017

Release Day Launch ~ THE TIME IN BETWEEN by Kristen Ashley #Giveaway

 

  

"She was the one then and nothing changed in the time in between." 


 

✮✮✮A story of past decisions gone awry, secrets that change directions, and emotional second chances, this gripping love story is what happens when two paths again collide. The final standalone title in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Magdalene Series, THE TIME IN BETWEEN is a rich, heartfelt love story available now!✮✮✮


 

Explore THE TIME IN BETWEEN and grab your copy today!


 

 

About THE TIME IN BETWEEN (Magdalene Series #3):


After a painful loss, Cady Moreland is coming to Magdalene to start the next chapter of her life. A chapter that began eighteen years ago but had a heartbreaking ending. The time in between was full of family and friendship, but Cady could never get the man she fell in love with all those years ago out of her heart.


Coert Yeager has learned to live without the girl who entered his life right when she shouldn’t and exited delivering a crippling blow he never would have suspected. The time in between was full of failing to find what he was missing…and life-altering betrayal.


But when that girl shows up in Magdalene and buys the town’s beloved lighthouse, even if Coert wants to avoid her, he can’t. A fire in town sparks a different kind of flame that won’t be ignored.


As Cady and Coert question the actions of the two young adults they once were thrown into earth-shattering circumstances, can they learn from what came in between and find each other again?


 

Grab your copy of THE TIME IN BETWEEN today!


 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay


 

Add to your Goodreads


   

5% of the proceeds from the first week of sales of THE TIME IN BETWEEN release will be given to HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix, a no-kill shelter. HALO stands for “helping animals live on” and is a shelter started by a mother/daughter team of committed animal advocates who have done a huge duty for animals in this area, and continue to do so with unwavering love, support and energy.For more information on HALO or to donate to the work they do, go to www.halorescue.org.


     
     

And don’t miss the first titles in the Magdalene Series!


THE WILL SOARING


  EXCERPT: 

Present day… I took in the mess of the large, circular room we were in and at first saw nothing but the mess—decaying furniture, a soot-covered stone fireplace, a kitchen that might have been put in in the forties but had not only not been touched the last nine years, it perhaps had not been touched the last nineteen (or more). Then I saw more. The extraordinarily carved railing to the sweeping wood staircase that ran the curved side of the house. The red brick walls. The plank wood floors. “Once upon a time, long ago,” the realtor was suddenly talking wistfully, “someone loved this place. Put that love into building it. Put that love into keeping it. Nine years and more when no one really gave a whit, and still you can see it once had a lot of love.” Oh yes. You could see that. “It’s got a basement, more like a big crawl space,” the agent declared, surprising me with his quick change in tone back to businesslike and informative. “The furnace is down there. You can get down there through a door in the floor. The furnace was put in a while back, and full disclosure, though an inspection will catch it, it probably needs to be replaced.” Through his words I stared at the fireplace, which scoured would be magnificent, and I noticed it didn’t have a chimney as such, but the smoke probably went out a vent in the wall. “This floor has a powder room under the stairs,” the realtor kept on. “You can look at it if you want, but if you wanna save yourself that, I’ll just tell you straight, it needs to be gutted.” I decided to take his word for it and told him that. He looked relieved when I did before he stated, “Place has a garage, two car. Not in good condition, but think you saw that. Still, it’s close to the house and there’s a covered walkway to that door over there.” He pointed at a door that was across from the door we’d walked in. “Means you might feel a chill but you won’t get wet, unless it’s raining sideways, which happens.” With a breeze that plastered my jacket to me on a sunny, early spring day, I did not doubt that. “Garage has a loft space above it, which could be renovated as a studio rental if you’ve a mind to do that sort of thing. As for the property itself, it also has a building where the generators are stowed,” the realtor carried on. “Hook up for a washer and dryer and good space in there. Lots of it for storage. Which is good because there’s not a lot of storage in here for tools and Christmas decorations and whatnot.” I glanced around seeing he was right. There wasn’t even enough cabinetry to house the things a decent cook would need in her kitchen. Though there was room for them. In fact, if you fought back the gloom, there was quite a bit of room. “And there’s a place outside, could call it a studio, could call it a mother-in-law house,” he shared. “Whatever, it’s got goodly space, two bedrooms, big kitchen. Could be renovated to be a guest house. Or like I said, a studio if you’re artsy. Or you could rent it out like a B and B. I’ll show you all of that after we have a look at the lighthouse.” “Thanks,” I replied. “Now, since I mentioned full disclosure, you have to know it all,” the realtor continued. Slowly, my eyes went to him. When they did, he launched in. “Like I said, it’s automated. And like I said, you won’t really have to concern yourself with the functionality of that unless the electricity goes out, but then the generators automatically kick in. There are two. But you’ll need to keep fuel on hand to keep them going in case a blackout lasts awhile. And just to say, this is coastal Maine. We get weather. Blackouts can last awhile.” When I nodded to share I took that in, he kept going. “And if you’re, say, away on vacation, you need to make sure someone is playing backup in such a case.” “Okay,” I replied when he stopped talking, thinking this probably wasn’t a good thing since I knew no one in Maine (or not anyone who wanted to know me) and thus couldn’t call on anyone to do something like that. I also didn’t hold high hopes I’d make friends and win people. I hadn’t had a lot of success in that in my life. And last, although Patrick believed it completely, I held no hope that the reason I was out there was going to come to fruition. That being me having a happy ending. That being what Patrick thought would be my happy ending. Which might mean I’d have someone, a certain someone, or actually two (at least), even though I knew I never would.

      
  


   
 


  About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing's changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.  



   

Release Day Launch ~ CAN'T HARDLY BREATHE by Gena Showalter #Giveaway

 

  

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!


Grab your copy today!


 

CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE Synopsis:


New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…


Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out...but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.


Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.


But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.


   

Get your copy of CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE here!


 

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Nook | Book Depository

Powell’s | iBooks | BAM | Kobo | Google Play | IndieBound


 

Audible


     


Add it to your Goodreads Now!


EXCERPT: 

Dorothea Mathis studied the last room on her cleanup schedule and groaned. The bed had been wrecked, the comforter and pillows tossed haphazardly on the floor. A pair of panties hung from a bedpost. The TV remote had been busted, the pieces scattered across the night­stand. Wet towels created a path to the bathroom door, and the trash can…
Oh, gag me! The trash can contained used condoms.
The place needed to be decontaminated by people wearing hazmat suits.
Am I up to date on my vaccinations?
With a sigh, Dorothea anchored earbuds in place, keyed up her iPod and donned a pair of latex gloves. One—germs. Gross! Two—she was protective of the green nail polish she’d applied only that morning.
She selected color based on mood. Green = irritated.
Somehow she’d known today would suck balls.
Her mom must have checked in Mr. and Ms. Pigsty last night after Dorothea had gone to bed. Since she had a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call, she tended to hit the sack by 9:00 p.m. Granny hours, her sister, Holly, liked to tell her.
Dorothea picked up the dirty towels, removed the panties from the post, emptied the trash, changed the sheets on the bed, straightened the pillows and covers, and tossed the remote remains, planning to bill the Pig­stys for a new one.
Time was limited this morning. She’d promised to drive her mother into the city in— Crap! Less than an hour. She rushed through dusting and began vacuum­ing. As the machine swallowed dirt and debris, she tried not to envy her mother. Carol would soon be enjoying her fourth “singles retreat” of the year. Her fourth, but certainly not her last. She stayed at the Michaelson, a five-star hotel owned by the richest guy in Strawberry Valley, Dane Michaelson. Dane was married to a local girl Dorothea had gone to school with, and he allowed Carol to stay free of charge. No doubt about it, she took full advantage, attending speed-dating sessions, mixers and a plethora of themed parties.
Her busy love life was just one of the many reasons she’d given the Strawberry Inn to Dorothea.
The wheels on her cart suddenly squeaked, the sound louder than her music. Yanking out the earbuds, she spun.
Surprise expelled the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping. This so wasn’t happening right now.
It couldn’t be happening.
Nightmares didn’t really come to life. Nor did pornos. Not that she watched those…very often. But dang it, this had to be one or the other.
The sexiest man on the planet had just stridden into the room. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his eight pack—and his name was Daniel Porter.
The Daniel. The childhood crush she’d never forgot­ten. The first boy to break her already fragile heart.
She gulped. What was he doing here?
Wait. Like she really needed to ponder this one. Wel­come back, Mr. Pigsty.
Her hands trembled as she yanked the vacuum cord from the electrical socket, the room descending into si­lence as the engine died.
I think you’re perfect just the way you are.
She smoothed her trembling hands down her “uni­form,” a pair of blue scrubs that could take a licking and keep on ticking. “Uh, hi. Hello.” Oh, wow. Could she be any lamer? Definitely in a nightmare, not a porno. “Welcome back.”
He pulled the earbuds from his ears and gifted her with a small smile that failed to hide the lines of strain around his mouth. “Sorry about the mess. I planned to clean up before I checked out.” His gaze darted through­out the room, and he cringed. “I also plan to pay for the remote.”
What kind of sexual acrobatics had placed the poor remote in harm’s path, anyway?
Oh, my stars. A warm flush poured over Dorothea, threatening to overheat her. She almost fanned her cheeks for relief, barely stopped herself.
Look away! She tried, she really did, but Daniel was just so freaking beautiful. He was even taller now, and stronger, with a rough, tough face. His cheekbones were sharp, and his nose boasted a small notch in the center. Been broken a time or two? Dark stubble dusted his an­gular jaw, though the shadows couldn’t disguise the fine tracery of scars on his left cheek.
He was a modern-day warrior—literally. After high school, he’d joined the army, defending the country he loved.
This wasn’t the first time Dorothea had seen him since his return to town a few months ago, but her body reacted as if she’d never seen any man, heating and tin­gling in all the naughtiest places.
Act naturally. He’s just a customer.
A customer who’d wrecked a room during his most recent stay, but whatever. He was waiting for her to re­spond to his offer.
Let’s do this. “Yes, thank you. Payment would be ap­preciated.” She wound the vacuum cord around her arm, her motions clipped. “As for the room, I just need to tidy the bathroom, and I’ll be done.”
With his back to her, he stuffed his toiletries into an overnight bag. “I’ll get out of your way, then.”
During his senior year of high school, he hadn’t just slept with Madison Clark; he’d slept with a string of beautiful, popular girls, as if banging-and-bailing had finally been dubbed a national sport.
Good thing Dorothea hadn’t pursued him. He would have taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage.
Instead, Jazz Connors had taken all her firsts and dis­carded her like garbage.
Anger boiled her blood until bitterness swept in, leav­ing a glaze of frost. Fire and ice. This wasn’t the first time they’d battled it out, and this wouldn’t be the last. The biggest downside? They ensured the wounds inside her hollowed-out chest never really had a chance to heal.
After graduation, she’d moved to the big bad city, enrolled in the University of Oklahoma’s meteorology program, met Jazz and gotten hitched, just as she’d al­ways dreamed…only to return home several years later with a divorce and no degree.
A washed-up has-been by the age of twenty-four.
Daniel, having served multiple tours of duty, had come back a hero.
His life had meaning, hers didn’t. He and two of his friends had started a security company right here in Strawberry Valley. He took care of his ailing father, and in his free time he dated a plethora of city girls.
Dorothea knew about the girls because he’d stayed at the inn every time a date had ended…successfully.
Her flush returned full force as she considered the other five rooms he’d wrecked since his return…all the pleasure he’d been having…all the pleasure she wished she could experience.
Not with him, of course. With someone she liked and respected. Someone who liked and respected her, too, despite the fact that she was still too round for society’s unhealthy standards, a lot too freckled and trapped in a dead-end job.
Daniel Porter would never qualify.
Dorothea found him attractive, yes, but to her, ap­pearance would never outshine personality.
My man must be my equal. She had a lot of love to give. She’d even grown to like herself…kind of. Maybe. Fine, she was trying to like herself.
Avoiding Daniel’s gaze, she said, “No, you stay. I’ll go.” Words her mother had drilled into her shouted in­side her head: the customer comes first. “I’ll finish your room later.” She rolled the vacuum toward her cart.
“You live here, right?” he asked. “You own the inn?”
“I… Yes.” Technically she lived in the attic. The more rooms she had available for guests, the more money she would make. At least in theory.
Money was the number one reason she cleaned the pig­sties herself, rather than hiring a maid. She was saving her pennies to turn every plain, ordinary room into a themed paradise. Then Strawberry Valley residents would hap­pily pay to stay just for fun.
Again, in theory.
So far she’d decided on six themes. (1) Four seasons—the weather, not the hotel chain. (2) An enchanted forest. (3) A techno dance club. (4) The underwater world of Atlantis. (5) A royal palace. And (6) an inner sanctum, aka a superhero’s wet dream.
Also up for consideration? A beach hut, an igloo, an insane asylum for her more daring patrons and a des­ert oasis.
With twenty-three rooms in total, she needed other ideas fast. And more money. A lot more money.
Maybe, when the transformations were completed, the feeling of accomplishment would finally chase away her anger and bitterness. Maybe she would feel alive. Happy.
“If any part of your stay was subpar,” she said, “I will personally—”
“No, everything has been great.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get into trouble with the boss.”
Every pulse point in her body leaped with excitement. He’d winked at her. Her!
I think you’re perfect just the way you are.
Red alert! She would not read more into his words than he’d intended. Not this time. He was a flirt, plain and simple. Always had been, apparently always would be.
“Why would I get in trouble?” she asked.
“For not finishing the room.”
Oh. Right. “Well, as long as you plan to come back to the inn, I won’t fire myself. Not because I’m desperate to see you or anything,” she added in a rush. “I’m not.” Dang it! “I mean, I’m always glad to see you here. I mean, I just want your money.” Okay. Enough!
He laughed, his amber eyes twinkling.
Air caught in her throat and sizzled. He had the sexiest laugh on the planet. His entire face softened. He pulsed with new life; fresh and vibrant, he was the epitome of spring.
Then he frowned, as if he couldn’t believe he’d found humor in, well, anything.
Her brow furrowed with confusion. Why the doom and gloom?
“In that case,” he said, his tone flat, “I think I’ll stay another night.”
“Really?” She licked her lips. “What about your girl­friend?”
He stiffened. “She isn’t my—”
“No, don’t tell me. I’m sorry I asked. Your love life isn’t my business.”
“I live in Strawberry Valley. My love life is every­one’s business.”
His wry tone made her chuckle, and he stiffened all over again. Great. What had she done wrong this time?
“I’ll be alone tonight,” he said, looking anywhere but at her. “Apparently I hover over my dad when I’m home, so he’s asked for another night off. But I swear to you, this room will be clean in the morning.”
She snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “Doubting Dot­tie.” A pause, then, “Would you like a cup of coffee be­fore you go?”
“Oh, uh, no, thank you.” While she no longer viewed Daniel through the wounded eyes of high school betrayal— he’d been a nice boy doing a nice thing for a vulnerable girl in desperate need of a white knight—she’d endured too much heartbreak over the years to risk getting to know him better and reigniting her crush.
Look at the way she’d reacted to him already.
He appeared…disappointed? No, of course not. A trick of the light, surely. “Well. See you around, Daniel.”
“Yeah. See you around, Dottie.” He returned his at­tention to his toiletry bag, dismissing her.
Irritation had her snapping, “My name is Dorothea.”
Before he could respond, she stepped into the hall and closed the door with a soft snick. Hands trembling, she hooked the vacuum to the cart and rolled the cargo to the supply room…where her younger sister Holly was smoking a cigarette.



 
   
 


About Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    




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Release Day Launch ~ 1001 Dark Nights Bundle



We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Eleven, brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. Introducing Discovery Authors Meghan March and Jessica Scott, the Bundle contains 6 novellas, including novellas from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Kristen Proby, Elisabeth Naughton, Laura Kaye, and Donna Grant! Grab your copy of this incredible bundle today!




About 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Eleven:


From New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Kristen Proby, Elisabeth Naughton, Laura Kaye, Donna Grant, and introducing Meghan March and Jessica Scott.


Six Dark Tales. Six Sensual Stories. Six Page Turners.


EASY FOR KEEPS: A Boudreaux Novella by Kristen Proby
Adam Spencer loves women. He’s comfortable with his lifestyle and sees no reason to change it. Sarah Cox has just moved to New Orleans, having accepted a position as a social worker. It’s a demanding, sometimes dangerous job, but Sarah can handle just about anything that comes at her, even the attentions of one sexy Adam Spencer. But the more time she spends with the enchanting man, the more he begins to sway her into believing in forever.

UNCHAINED: An Eternal Guardians Novella by Elisabeth Naughton
For thousands of years, Prometheus’s only certainty was his daily torture at Zeus’s hand. Now, unchained by the Eternal Guardians, he spends his days in solitude, trying to forget the past. He’s vowed no allegiance in the war between mortal and immortal, but when a beautiful maiden seeks him out and begs for his help, he’s once again powerless to say no. Soon, Prometheus is drawn into the very conflict he swore to avoid.

HARD TO SERVE: A Hard Ink Novella by Laura Kaye
When Internal Affairs investigates Detective Kyler Vance as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

DRAGON FEVER: A Dark Kings Novella by Donna Grant
Rachel Marek intends to expose the truth about dragons to the world – and her target is within sight. Nothing matters but getting the truth, especially not the ruggedly handsome, roguishly thrilling Highlander who oozes danger and charm. Asher is more than just a man. He’s a Dragon King – a being who has roamed this planet since the beginning of time. With everything on the line, Asher must choose to trust an enemy in the form of an all too alluring woman whose tenacity and passion captivate him.

BENEATH THESE SHADOWS by Meghan March
The only permanent thing in my life is the ink I put on my clients.
I drift from city to city, in and out of beds, from one tattoo shop to the next.
Every time I start to put down roots, I rip them up.
Until New Orleans.
Until her.
She’s everything I’m not.
Full of fire and life. An innocent where I’m a sinner.
I want to consume her. Protect her. Keep her.
But first, I have to escape from beneath these shadows.

BEFORE I FALL: A Falling Novel by Jessica Scott
Beth Lamont knows too much about the harsh realities of life. She’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her father, even if that means tutoring a guy like Noah. Noah Warren doesn’t know how to be a student. All he knows is war. But he’s going to college now to fulfill a promise and he doesn’t break his promises. Except he doesn’t count on his tutor being drop dead gorgeous.


Every Dark Nights tale is breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic.



Experience the 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Eleven Here…






Grab your copy today!


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About the 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Eleven Authors-



Kristen Proby was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.
During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.
Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

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Elisabeth Naughton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From Elisabeth: “I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be an author at the age of six. I didn’t have imaginary friends. I didn’t write stories in my journal or entertain my relatives by firelight after Thanksgiving dinner. For the most part, I was just a normal, everyday kid. I liked to read, but I wasn’t exceptional at it. And when my teachers complimented me on my writing abilities, I brushed them off. I did, however, always have a penchant for the unique and absurd. And as my mother told me all throughout my childhood, I should have been an actress—I was a drama queen before my time.
“Years ago, my husband bought me Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With The Wind. If you ever saw the book, you know it’s a long one. I sat and read that thing from cover to cover, and dreamed of one day being a writer. But I didn’t actually try my hand at writing until years later when I quit my teaching job to stay home with my kids. And my husband? After that week of reading where I neglected him and everything else until I finished Scarlett, he vowed never to buy me another book again. Little did he know I’d one day end up sitting at a keyboard all day drafting my own stories.
“My writing journey has not been easy. I didn’t just sit down one day, decide I was going to write a book and voila! sell my very first attempt. As most authors will probably agree, the path to publication is filled with hours of work, pulling all-nighters I thought I’d given up in college, sacrifices, rejections, but a love I discovered along the way I just can’t live without. Instead of a big, thick book to read by lamplight (I do read much smaller ones when I get the chance), I’ve traded in my reading obsession for a laptop. And I’ve never been happier.
“I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful family and fabulous husband who put up with my writing—and obsessive personality—even when life is chaotic. More than once my kids have been late to swimming or baseball because I needed just five more minutes to finish a scene. Their support and encouragement mean the world to me. I also have amazing friends and a support network I couldn’t survive without. So to all of you out there who have encouraged me along the way, sent me emails and fan letters, phone calls and congratulations, I just want to say, thank you. You make this whole writing gig that much more enjoyable. I truly wouldn’t be here without you.”

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Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Blasphemy, Hard Ink, and 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. Laura also writes historical fiction as the NYT bestselling author, Laura Kamoie. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.









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Donna Grant is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the sizzling Dark King series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.
She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.
Despite deadlines and voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two children, four cats, and one long haired Chihuahua.








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Jessica Scott is the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America's Army. She is an active duty army officer, a veteran of the Iraq war, is the mother of two daughters, far too many animals, and wife to a retired NCO.
She has written for the New York Times At War blog, War on the Rocks, PBS Point of View Women and War and has been featured in Esquire Magazine as an American of the Year in 2012. She has compiled two nonfiction projects about her time in Iraq and the return home.
She has recently completed a PhD in sociology from Duke University and also holds a a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Duke University, a Masters Degree in Telecom Management from University of Maryland University College, BA in Cultural Studies from State University of New York and an Associates Degree from Central Texas College.
She's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012. Learn More at http://www.jessicascott.net

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A USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had.







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