EXCERPT: Giving Kirk dirty looks is childish and annoying… Just as I think it, Brook approaches with a big smile on his face. “You look deep in thought, Mama.” He tilts his head sideways, grinning wider. “I’m just taking it all in. It’s been fantastic, no hitches whatsoever.” “Blake’s in her element,” he agrees. A few awkward moments pass before he adds. “So, where’s lover boy?” “He has a name, Brook.” “Uh huh, but if I were named Kirk, I’d be glad if someone changed it for me.” “Be nice.” “Oh, I am being nice. Where is he?” “He had to take a phone call. He’s very busy…” “I know, he’s a surgeon. You told me like fifty times already.” He’s such an exaggerator. I narrow my eyes. “Jealous?” “Of him?” he sputters. “I don’t think so.” He leans closer. “Though, I have to admit, him sharing your bed is a little hard to get my head around.” My eyes go wide. “You did not just say that.” “What?” “Brooklyn.” I lower my voice. “Please don’t start something.” “I’m not starting anything.” He holds his palms toward me. “But if I don’t think he’s good enough for you, I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut.” I put my hands on my hips. “It’s not up to you, Brook!” I point a finger in his face. “Just keep your unwanted opinions to yourself and let’s get through this.” “Uh, oh, speak of the devil.” He looks over my shoulder. I follow his line of sight and see Kirk coming toward us. My heart sinks. When I turn back to face Brook, his stance has changed. For one, he’s rigid and has his arms folded over his chest — very un-Brooklyn like. Secondly, he steals his jaw in a way that makes me want to close my eyes and have the ground swallow me whole. I know that look — it’s his protective stance. And while it’s sweet of him to care, it really isn’t his business…
With the power to take a ghostly form and target people using their mementos and heirlooms, Adina Venture is the invisible assassin you never see coming. She doesn’t do contracts. Just gruesome accidents, untraceable and custom-made. When the secret oversight organization know as the Order accuses Adina of murdering one of their own, she must find the real killer to get them off her back. Literally. Because until the case is closed, she will be magically bound to Chief Inquisitor Levi Breitling, an infamously powerful investigator with the ability to melt minds and a searing hatred for traitors. But what begins as a simple clearing of her name leads the pair deep into an unseen side of Sin City—one that’s rife with Operators of magic.
Club moguls who manufacture memories. Cutthroat businessmen who can stop time. And beneath it all lies a force that no one, not even Adina, can control. Suddenly, proving her innocence isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. And the longer it takes to find the culprit, the tighter the bond between her and Inquisitor Breitling seems to grow.
Full of gothic magic and simmering, slow-burn romance, Death by Miss Adventure is perfect for fans of snarky female sleuths, enemies-to-lovers banter, and a dash more spice than your average mystery.
From the author who brought you the Devil’s Reach MC and the Quiet Mafia series comes the next installment of the gritty, dark, billionaire romantic suspense series, Havoc of Sins.
Our empire has been infiltrated, turning it upside down.
Enemies are everywhere. No one can be trusted.
We’ve entered a dangerous game of traitors and pawns, attacked from all sides.
When Kenna arrives battered and bruised, my fury turns into an obsessive need to protect her.
A need that only enrages me since I seldom feel this way, not even for my own family.
They say keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
So what do you do when your carefully crafted world unravels at the sight of her?
An alliance is forced despite our mutual disdain, since the information she could garner could change the outcome of this brutal takeover.
If only I wasn’t blinded by her. Maybe then, I could’ve predicted the major loss that will leave us all reeling.
There will be blood—together with the Devil’s Reach MC,
The Strip will turn crimson until all those involved pay.
Zhar sensed I was awake and lifted his head, and his eyes glowed in the red lighting along the base of the wall. A moment later, he let out a low whine, and I strained to hear what he’d tuned in to. I’d locked the elevator and wasn’t concerned, as I was on the top floor and there was zero way anyone could break in through the elevator doors. They only opened if you had the right card.
“No!” Kenna shot straight up in bed, and both dogs leapt to their feet. She sucked in a breath.
I gave a command for the boys to stand down. They listened, but both kept their eyes on her. Kenna looked around then slowly turned to see me awake. It was dark, but I could sense her fear.
“Sorry,” she whispered as she rubbed her head like it hurt.
“I was awake, anyway.” I turned the low lighting up a bit so she could take in her surroundings.
“Maybe it’s best if I go.”
“No.” I yawned uninterested in the idea.
“And if I wanted to?” She raised her chin, and I saw a tiny spark in her eye. I missed that spark.
“I’d chain you to the bed.”
“Right.” I reached over and pulled a chain from the bedpost and let the cuff dangle from it. “Why does that bring me comfort?” She rubbed her arms uneasily, and I could tell it wasn’t from the idea of being bound but from what was weighing on her. She slowly lowered herself to the pillow.
“Reach out and feel the back of the nightstand.” I felt her reach over, and when she did, I rolled over and put my hand over hers. “Feel that buckle?”
“Yeah.” Her glossy eyes blinked up at me. I could see the nightmare still cling to her mind.
“Unsnap, pull down, and it’s ready to fire.” She nodded. I moved her hand up and under the headboard. “That’s a Talon knife, sharp as hell. Just pull forward and it will release.” She nodded again, and I stared down at her worried expression. “You’re safe.”
“Okay.” She nodded a bunch of times, then I ran my hand down her extended arm, across her collarbone, and up her neck. I brushed her jawbone, and her gaze dropped to my lips. I pushed my interest into her hip.
I leaned down and caught her mouth with mine. It was a slow kiss, just lips at first, then my tongue danced with hers. Her hand moved up my side and into my hair while my hand was under her chin gently holding her in place. It felt different. She tasted just as she smelled, fresh but fruity, and it was fucking with my head. My normal instinct was to ravish, to consume, flood her body with pleasure and take whatever I wanted at the same time. But I felt an unusual need to be careful. Her body still needed time to heal, and her head was in a bad place. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being split down the center. I pulled back and studied her. Her confusion on what just happened mirrored my own.
“You should sleep,” I said quietly.
“Yeah, I guess we should.” She waited for me to roll back, then she pulled the covers up to her chin. When my head hit the pillow, I came nose to nose with Leal.
“Jesus!” I mouthed then glared at him. He stared just as hard back. I swore he cocked a brow at me. I wondered what went through his brain in that moment. “Go.” I pointed. He waited for a beat then did what he was told. His typical huff as he plunked back down in his bed was louder than usual.
💙Review💙
Kenna is determined to keep her secrets but as the threats against her continue to escalate she might just have to put her trust in Grim to keep her safe but that doesn’t mean she is ready to trust him with her heart.
Grim is a man with powerful enemies who covet what he has, and they are determined to cause as much damage as they can which makes a dangerous situation even more dangerous.
Grim and Kenna take us on an action-packed ride that is filled with secrets, suspense and steam which leaves us needing more of these characters and their story.
Author J.L. Drake was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to Southern California where she lives with her husband and two children.
When she’s not writing she loves to spend time with her family, traveling or just enjoying a night at home. One thing you might notice in her books is her love for the four seasons. Growing up on the east coast of Canada the change in the seasons is in her blood and is often mentioned in her writing.
An avid reader of James Patterson, J.L. Drake has often found herself inspired by his many stories of mystery and intrigue.
She hopes you will enjoy her stories as much as she has enjoyed writing them.
Why you will love this book… 🔥Childhood rivals-to-lovers 🔥Jilted Groom 🔥Sports/Baseball 🔥Fake Dating 🔥Virgin Heroine 🔥He Falls First 🔥Small Town
Taking over the family farm in our small town was the only future I knew. But the never ending work left me with no social life and my virginity intact. Until my childhood rival graced us with his presence and was convinced he could help me with my…problem.
Owen Ramsey was an elite professional baseball player that left Ashfield without a backward glance. But when he was left at the altar, he sought refuge back in our town. I hated how he could simultaneously make my heart race and my hands fist. And I really despised how good he looked in a pair of baseball pants.
He needed my help just as much as I needed his. If I agreed to fake date him, he would help me snag the man I had my eye on and I would help convince his ex that he wasn’t heartbroken.
But with his return to baseball looming, we realized maybe the hate we felt was really something more like love.
The fear of disappointing my family was too great, even though I craved something different for the first time ever. Owen was used to hitting balls out of the park, but I wasn’t sure I was meant to be his home run.
✨TEASER: SINFUL VOWS: Extended Edition by @deborahgarlandauthor, available now on KU and coming to audio June 21 with the amazing DB West and Lexi Evan narrating and featuring Troy Duran as Lachlan O’Rourke!
Why you need the brand new extended edition… 🗝️Grumpy Irish Mob Hitman 🗝️Sunshine Single Mother 🗝️Secret Child 🗝️Age Gap (38/23) 🗝️He Brokers Her Marriage to His Boss 🗝️Forbidden/Taboo 🗝️One Bed 🗝️Mobster at a Tea Party 🗝️Found Family 🎧Recorded in Duet and featuring sexy Irish accents
It was supposed to be a one-night stand with a sinfully gorgeous stranger. A man I’d never see again. I was stranded, he had a hotel room (which I had broken into), and the rest is history. Until he shows up at my doorstep five years later with a marriage proposal. Not to marry him, though. Turns out he’s a hitman for the Irish Mob, and his boss needs a wife. The man I’d been dreaming about for years has chosen me. For someone else. He thinks he’s too broken and doesn’t deserve love. But when the roads flood, we’re trapped, and there’s only one bed. I’ll prove to him he’s worthy and we belong together. All of us. Me, him, and our daughter…
I only have room for two things in my life: football and my daughter.
At least until my brother’s ex-girlfriend shows up at my team’s stadium needing a white knight.
When I find out she’s also got a secret summer checklist that I’m uniquely qualified for?
I’ve forgotten all the reasons she should be off limits, and I’m signing up to be more than just her part-time bodyguard.
But when the threats she’s receiving escalate and the danger is at our doorstep, we have to decide if more than one summer is worth fighting for—whatever the cost.
Why you will love this book… 🔥Fish out of Water 💕Female Millionaire 🔥Former Marine MC 💕Grumpy Hero and Heroine 🔥Enemies to Lovers 💕He falls first 🔥Small Town 💕Found Family 🔥Family Secrets
One letter changed my life.
One night with him might change my forever.
Inheriting a beach house in a small town you’ve never heard of is less than ideal.
Falling for the broody bar owner who hates me because he wants the house? Even worse.
I came to Carrington Cove for one reason—to renovate the home I knew nothing about, sell it, and get back to my life in D.C. and my multi-million dollar business.
There was nothing on the agenda about falling for Dallas, the sexy former Marine who chastises me about my manners and withholds how to fend off the murderous geese on my property.
Fighting with him becomes our own messed up form of foreplay. But his tongue? Turns out it has other talents than just sparring with me verbally.
Our banter turns to moans in the dark, our arguments turn to learning more about each other, and the closer we get, the more I question whether I’m meant to stay here with the man I’m falling for.
Until one night, I realize that he and I share a connection neither one of us could have seen coming.
Would I leave this town feeling more lost in my life than ever before?
Or was it possible that I finally found somewhere I belong?
Series: Book 3 of the Oakmount Elite series – Complete Standalone
Release date: July 12th
Genre/Tropes: Forced Proximity / Tortured Hero / Boss x Employee / Enemies to Lovers / Primal Play / Who Hurt You? / Dark Romance / Found Family / Amnesia
Exciting news!
Check out this teaser reveal for The Prey by JL Beck, coming July 12th!
Preorder this enemies-to-lovers, dark romance TODAY!
Sebastian Arturo isn’t just cruel, he’s downright terrifying.
With piercing green eyes, a body made for doing very bad things, and a charming demeanor, it’s no wonder everyone thinks the world of him… everyone except me.
When I wake up with pieces of my memory missing he’s the only one who can give me answers.
But he doesn’t give me answers, instead he tells me to stop asking questions, or else…
I heed his warning and do my best to avoid him but since he’s my boss and I live in his house that’s kinda difficult.
Then one night his hate for me reaches its breaking point…and the lines blur.
Hate twists into lustful obsession.
His cruel words become seductive praises.
One touch sparks a raging inferno of desire, and I find myself burned to ash beneath his fingertips.
Just when I think I’ll finally find happiness my memories return bringing with them a vicious truth.
Turns out the man I’m falling for isn’t who I thought he was… and escape isn”t an option. He has me right where he wants, caught in a trap, just like prey.
**This is a standalone, however for better reading enjoyment please consider starting with The Wallflower before reading The Prey. Again this is a dark romance novel, but does contain a happily ever after. It also contains triggering material, and adult content. Please do not start reading till you check the trigger warning at the beginning of the book.**
About JL Beck:
Beck writes steamy romance that’s unapologetic, meaning it makes no apologies for the way it rips you open and makes you crave more. Her heroes are alphas who take what they want, and she pairs them with heroines that bring them to their knees.
She loves writing about darkness, passion, suspense, and of course, steam.
Leaving her readers gasping and asking what the hell just happened is only one of her many tricks.
Her books range from morally grey to dark and spicey but always end with a happily ever after. She loves to write across numerous tropes, but her favorite is enemies to lovers.
She started her writing career in the summer of 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Wisconsin and is a mom to two, a wife, and likes to act as a literary agent part-time.
The Woman by the Lake, an all-new page-turning enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, opposites-attract, small town romance from New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley is now live!
Nadia Williams needs somewhere peaceful to sort through her grief after her mother is brutally murdered. She finds a cozy cabin at the side of a tranquil lake in the quaint town of Misted Pines in the Pacific Northwest.
The minute she arrives, she knows it’s perfect.
The very night of her arrival, however, someone—or something—is scratching at her window.
The next morning, she meets her one and only neighbor, Doc Riggs. He’s a rough, good-time guy who rubs Nadia wrong immediately. They clash, and neither of them are happy to be sharing their lake.
But soon, Nadia learns the lore around her cabin, and how the townsfolk are certain it’s haunted by the ghost of the man who was murdered there fifteen years before.
Riggs and Nadia are suddenly thrown into a tangled web of history, betrayal, grief, secrets, with only one thing certain.
Someone—or something—wants them off that lake.
Dive into the third standalone novel in the Misted Pines Series today! Available in Ebook, Print & Audio→ https://bit.ly/4aEcvcI
I’ve had a crush on my best friend, Alex Mendoza, for years, and I was finally going to tell him how I felt. But instead, I got cold feet. And now he thinks I’m interested in his teammate—my ex.
Of course, being the good friend he is, Alex has offered to make my ex jealous. What’s wrong with a little play flirting?
Well, for starters, I’m not playing.
Alex’s mom and mine are best friends, soul sisters forged together by growing up in the same small town. They say they didn’t plan it, but the fact that Alex and I were born two weeks apart has always felt very much part of their plan. Our birthday parties were always together. First days of school were the same. And when Alex got his own car, the passenger seat was literally labeled with my name—Nikki Thomas. Convenient since we were inseparable.
For most of my life, Alex has been like the big brother I never had. He’s always been my protector. And he’s always made me feel safe. But somewhere along the way, he started to make me feel other things too.
Now it’s his senior baseball season, and he has the talent to go pro. His dreams are all coming together. My life, on the other hand, is falling apart. I know Alex would support me if I told him my secrets. After all, that’s what best friends do. But maybe it’s my turn to be the protector. And if that means all I can have are a few pretend kisses, then perhaps that will have to be enough.
Unless it turns out Alex has been keeping secrets of his own.
Start the series with The Tomboy and the Captain Now!
I never looked back the day I left Sunset Drive. If I did, I knew that I would never leave the hellhole I had grown to despise, a place I began plotting my escape from as a child. The only difference was that I always thought she’d be by my side on the day I was finally free.
The day I left it all behind was the day my hatred for the entire Wilson family was born. Poppy included. After all, she had lied to the police just to protect her monstrous father after he got my parents killed. From that day forward, I decided she needed to be dead to me. They all did. The only thing that mattered from then on was the one thing that had never let me down. Hockey.
She may haunt me in my dreams during those three years we were apart, but that was nothing compared to now when I’m forced to see her at Brooks University. Slowly, my grip on everything else in my life begins to slip away as she becomes the only thing that matters. And when I find her in an alleyway, battered and bruised from two attackers who vow to return for her…I decide right then that I am going to protect her at all costs.
But protecting her means making a deal with the devil, also known as my rich uncle. A deal that will mean I will never get the chance to spend forever with the only girl I’ve ever loved. Poppy Wilson.
It’s a high price to pay, but when it comes to her safety, I have no limits.
Genre/Tropes: grumpy x sunshine / small town / hockey player turned bar owner / innocent heroine / opposites attract / obsessed hero / touch her and be unalived / neighbors to lovers
Score on You by Harloe Rae is NOW LIVE!!
Don’t miss out on this captivating tale of choice, courage, and unexpected love!
I used to believe the decision to choose didn’t belong to me.
This existence I’m living passes alongside the bars of an invisible cage.
Until one night when there’s a choice for me to take.
The adjustment is a steep incline.
Unknown dangers lurk in every direction.
But those turns are part of my journey, which makes them treasures to cherish.
The most priceless of them all is crossing paths with Ridge Carter.
The former hockey star is intimidating but irresistible.
He’s the opposite of the men I’ve been raised to fear.
Rather than restrain my newfound freedom, he shows me what it means to thrive.
That gives me the courage to wade deeper.
Ridge’s stony exterior rarely cracks, except for me.
He’s different when I’m nearby and I like that. A lot.
It has me seeking him out, but I never have to look far.
Maybe I should question his close proximity that has little to do with him living next door.
I choose to trust instead.
Ridge acts like I’m a bigger score than any goal he made on the ice.
But the experiences he’s giving me are just the beginning.
And once again, a single choice has the power to change everything.
🏒Review🏒
Even though the feelings that Ridge has for Callie are undeniable and intense he is willing to give her the time she needs to realize it as well. When events unfold that have them being neighbors, he is all in as it will allow them to spend time together with no pressure while he shows her what they could have together.
The life that Callie was living was crushing her spirit and didn’t allow her to have any of the experiences that most people take for granted. She doesn’t have the best experiences when it comes to men but with Ridge it feels different as he values her for who she is.
I really enjoyed the pace of the relationship as Ridge understood how inexperienced that Callie was in life and love. Despite the depth of his feelings and the chemistry between them e was downright swoony as he took the signals from Callie to determine when she was ready to move forward with their relationship.
About the Author:
Harloe Rae is a USA Today & Amazon Top 5 best-selling author. Her passion for writing and reading has taken on a whole new meaning. Each day is an unforgettable adventure.
She’s a Minnesota gal with a serious addiction to romance. There’s nothing quite like an epic happily ever after. When she’s not buried in the writing cave, Harloe can be found hanging with her hubby and kiddos. If the weather permits, she loves being lakeside or out in the country with her horses.
Broody heroes are Harloe’s favorite to write. Her romances are swoony and emotional with plenty of heat. All of her books are available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
I swear, one minute I’m dozing off during the night shift—don’t judge me—and the next I’m being told I’m Fate Mated to an ancient dragon.
An ancient dragon I couldn’t help but save when he woke me up out of the aforementioned slumber—again, don’t judge me.
Now this same ancient dragon—that I’m apparently destined to be with—is doing everything he can to win me over, because it’s up to me whether or not he’ll live the rest of his life in absolute agony or absolute bliss.
Oh, and let’s not forget the fact we’re being chased by elves, working with a grumpy Griffin, and have to rescue some poor kidnapped dragon before an evil corporation kills it.
Ugh.
Any chance this is all some crazy dream that I can’t wake up from?
Fall for the hot and hilarious grumpy-sunshine romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author, Lila Monroe! Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Emily Henry.
Duke Hendricks is grumpy, infuriating… and my new fake boyfriend?!
I never figured running out on my Hollywood wedding in search of true love would put me on the tabloid hit list, but with my reputation up in smoke, I need to lay low for the summer in Blackberry Cove. The quirky small town would be the perfect spot for a relaxing summer… if it wasn’t for the hunky local craftsman cursing my name at every turn.
Duke’s shaping up to be the bane of my existence — and the object of some unwelcome late-night desires. I’m determined to keep my distance… until the paparazzi catch him sucking snake venom from my thigh at the worst possible time.
My inner thigh.
Now I’ve got an(other) epic scandal brewing, and the only chance to turn my career around is pulling off the Oscar-worthy performance of a lifetime:
Faking a relationship with the man who can’t stand me.
Who says I don’t suffer for my art? The rules should be simple, but it turns out, Duke’s hiding a heart of gold under all that flannel. You can’t fake chemistry like this, and soon, those staged PDAs are turning into sizzling secret hook-ups. But between small-town gossip, rapid paparazzi, and Hollywood drama, Duke and I might be heading straight for a very real heartbreak.
Can we change the script and find our happily-ever-after? Find out in the sizzling grumpy-sunshine romance with all the small-town fake dating fun! New from USA Today bestselling author, and the ‘reigning queen of romcom’ Lila Monroe!
Avery knows that not going through with her wedding was the best decision she could have made but now she finds herself on the receiving end of negative publicity. She escapes to Blackberry Cove but not only do they follow her, but they find her in what appears to be a compromising position.
Duke and Avery don’t get off to the best start and it doesn’t get any better when his attempts to help backfire and he now finds himself pretending to be in a relationship with a woman he wants nothing to do with. Let the fun begin!
The encounters between them are humorous as well as the situations that they find themselves in. They each believe that they know who the other however they are about to realize how wrong they are as they take us on a journey filled with romance and great chemistry.
Combining her love of writing, sex and well-fitted suits, Lila Monroe wrote The Billionaire Bargain. Lila enjoys writing, as it gives her a flexible schedule to spend time with her kids and a wonderful excuse to avoid them. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, who strips out of his well-fitted suits nightly.
Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations 