New Release Feature: Redeemed by author Maggie Blackbird

•.☆.•Redeemed by Maggie Blackbird•.☆.•

There’s nothing he isn’t willing to do to win back his son–and Bridget…

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Maggie, a talented author I met during my journey! Her new erotic multicultural romance novel, Redeemed, book two of the The Matawapit Family Series, officially released a few days ago!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Maggie is giving us a look at her steamy multicultural romance, Redeemed, today.

Great cover!

This is the blurb for Redeemed:

A single woman battles to keep her foster child from his newly-paroled father—a dangerous man she used to love.

Bridget Matawapit is an Indigenous activist, daughter of a Catholic deacon, and foster mother to Kyle, the son of an Ojibway father—the ex-fiancé she kicked to the curb after he chose alcohol over her love. With Adam out on parole and back in Thunder Bay, she is determined to stop him from obtaining custody of Kyle.

Adam Guimond is a recovering alcoholic and ex-gang banger newly-paroled. Through counseling, reconnecting with his Ojibway culture and twelve-step meetings while in prison, Adam now understands he’s worthy of the love that frightened him enough to pick up the bottle he’d previously corked. He can’t escape the damage he caused so many others, but he longs to rise like a true warrior in the pursuit of forgiveness and a second chance. There’s nothing he isn’t willing to do to win back his son–and Bridget.

When an old cell mate’s daughter dies under mysterious circumstances in foster care, Adam begs Bridget to help him uncover the truth. Bound to the plight of the Indigenous children in care, Bridget agrees. But putting herself in contact with Adam threatens to resurrect her long-buried feelings for him, and even worse, she risks losing care of Kyle, by falling for a man who might destroy her faith in love completely this time.

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

Adam took another drag. “I’m talking now, ain’t I?”

“True.” The heat in his gaze seemed to touch Bridget’s cheek. She rubbed the purse strap.

“I don’t got nothing to hide. ’Kay?”

“You were hiding something last time?”

“Nope. But I know my not speaking pissed you off.”

“There’s no reason to bring up the past. I told you I’d help and that’s what I’m doing.”

“Yeah, you agreed to help…” His gaze roamed around her face.

Bridget recoiled and glanced away.

“Y’know, kwe, we’re doing a lot of dancing.”

“Dancing?”

“Lookit me.”

She forced herself to raised her head.

His dark eyes smoldered. He leaned forward. His hand stretched out, and he ran his strong fingers along her braid.

Sensuous heat and angry lightning erupted under Bridget’s skin. “Don’t you dare.” The words hissed from her mouth.

“What’re you afraid of, kwe?”

“Quit calling me that.” The order snapped from deep inside Bridget’s constricting chest. “You have no right calling me by that name. Not after what you did.” She stood and yanked her purse off the bench.

He tilted his head up, his jawline tightening. “I know what I did, kwe. You remind me all the time.”

“I do no such thing.” How dare Adam turn this around as her fault.

“Yeah, you do. It’s in your eyes. They hang me like a noose. It’s in your lips. They condemn me like a villain. It’s in your voice. You slap me with your tone.”

“What’d you expect after what you did?” she huffed out. “You were charged with aggravated assault. The judge had every right to throw the book at you.”

“I know what I did, kwe.” Adam’s voice remained flat. “I live with it every day. I don’t take the easy way out and blame it on the booze.”

“You were skidding around for months. I can only imagine what else you did.” And no, she wasn’t jealous.

“I drank. I drank some more. I did something really bad to another human being. Got arrested. Sat in remand until my trial. I won’t say he deserved it. I won’t say anything. I did it. I went to prison for it.”

“And did you only drink?” She silently cuffed her rear end for continuing to poke at the damned same question.

Adam’s thick lips tugged at the corner. “If you mean was I out screwing around? Nope. You’re the only woman for me, kwe.”

Delight exploded through Bridget’s veins. Then she clamped a lock on her heart. Only a moron bought his answer. He’d been drunk for four months in Winnipeg. He must have picked up some woman in a bar.

“I was hurting bad.” His voice sagged. “You think I was happy when you told me to fuck off? You killed me, woman.”

The sharp tone of his last statement was pure insult, an affront to the feminine strength that had dragged Bridget up from the depths of Hell where Adam had stuck her. “If you want to continue speaking, tell Dirty Harry to leave. I only deal with Mr. Darcy.”

Adam stood and set his enormous hands on his hips. “Mr. Who—? Look, I’ll tell Dirty Harry to take a hike if you call off Sarah Conner. I’m not the Terminator sent back in time to harm you.”

At his full height, Adam towered over Bridget, made her five-nine stance shrink to a doll. He’d reduced her to a doll, helpless in the possession of his hands, made to dance, talk, or walk under his orders.

Heat built in her lungs. She was too independent to draw back and scuttle away. No man provoked fear in her. The worst part was, she didn’t fear Adam’s physical presence, she feared the thick, steamy aroma of testosterone he forever used to challenge her, weaken her, seduce her. The masculine aroma dripped from the pits of his arms, his thick chest, and the bulge of his biceps.

“Out of my thirty-eight years, I fucked up thirty-seven of ’em. I ain’t fucking up again.”

“Thirty-seven?” His scent kept assaulting Bridget’s knees, swirling around her, until she wobbled.

“Yeah. Thirty-seven. I can’t count the year the three of us were a family. Me. You. Kyle.”

Bridget’s resolve continued to crumble. Adam kept dusting her femininity with his husky declarations, fierce scent, and sensual stare.

She pivoted on her heel and bolted for the truck. She’d dump him off at the halfway house and go home. If he wanted to tease and torment her during their drive, he could, but she’d don her mask of hate-fueled resentment created by him.

She pushed the button on the keys, and the locked doors opened.

Purchase Links:

Publisher link:  https://www.extasybooks.com/product/product/?series_id=1534&product_id=6400

Publisher: EXtasy Books

Nice tension! Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It sounds fabulous! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this intriguing read! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes.  When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

Author Links

Website:  https://maggieblackbird.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18176196.Maggie_Blackbird

LinkedIn:  https://bit.ly/2Ut8kbY

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird

Publisher:  https://www.extasybooks.com/maggie-blackbird/

 

Thanks again, Maggie! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

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New Release Feature: The Impaler’s Wife by author Autumn Bardot

•.☆.•The Impaler’s Wife by Autumn Bardot•.☆.•

Marriage to a man tortured by his past comes with a price…

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Autumn, a talented author I met during my journey! Her new historical fiction novel with a romance angle, The Impaler’s Wife, officially released last week!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Autumn is giving us a look at her gothic romance, The Impaler’s Wife, today.

What an intriguing cover!

This is the blurb for The Impaler’s Wife:

A young woman is swept into a life of intrigue, revenge, passion, and betrayal when she falls for the world’s most notorious prince.

The year is 1464 and young King Matthias controls Hungary, his family, and the fate of the world’s most notorious political prisoner, Prince Vlad Dracula.

Ilona Szilágy, the king’s cousin, is young and ambitious. Dracula is determined to marry into the Hunyadi family. It is love at first sight, but the king has other plans. The Impaler Prince, however, never takes no for an answer.

This begins Ilona’s journey into the treacherous world of court intrigues, family betrayals, and her husband’s dark desires. Eager to become Vlad’s trusted confidante, Ilona soon discovers that marriage to a man tortured by his past comes with a price.

Woven throughout is a peek into the life and times of one of the world’s most enigmatic and maligned rulers…the man before the legend.

With Bardot’s decadent period detail and a cast of gritty, evocative characters, The Impaler’s Wife offers a fierce yet sensuous glimpse into the violent 15^th century.

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

Prince Vlad rests his hand on the small of my back. “Come, Lady Ilona, look at the faces of anarchy and villainy, and see how much they resemble your friends and family.”

“I will not.” I back away from the entrance where moans rise from the bowels of the labyrinth like a demon’s song.

“The choice is yours, of course.” His tone is low and gentle, but in the lamplight his stare is wolf-like.

I shift from foot to foot, look away, only to glance back. Does he hear my heart knocking against my breast? Can he smell my fear as it beads wet on my neck? Do I want to rise to this challenge? Or am I a fool for allowing him to bait me?

My fingers tighten around the lamp’s clay handle. “I will humor you, my lord, but only because Father taught me courage and graciousness.”

“Mihály taught you well.” He holds out his hand. “My lady.”

The lamp divides the darkness like a saber, each foot forward lighting our descent into hell. Ghostly groans from below seep through the rock. I sink into Vlad’s fur-lined coat as though their suffering will soak into my soul.

Vlad pauses before descending the narrow rock steps leading into the labyrinth’s deepest level. “Are you certain?” His eyes glint with challenge. “A weak constitution is nothing to be ashamed of.”

I lift my chin and glare with pretended insult. “I am the daughter of Michael Szilágyi and Margit Báthory. Iron courage flows in my blood.” I push back my cuff and show him the blue-forked veins in my wrist. “I am as brave as Hadak Ura, our ancient pagan warlord.”

“I believe you, my lady. I will not doubt again.”

The clanking chains and eerie moans get louder with each step down, the noises merging into a demonic choir like that of Ördög’s requiem to the Underworld. My legs shake, my neck wet with icy prickles, and my skin tightens around my chest.

I lift the lamp into hell.

The circle of light shines upon a pockmarked man stretching his arm between the bars, his fingers curled like claws. “Bless me, good sister.”

In the cell next to him, a naked wretch spits onto the ground. “Menj a fenébe!”

“I am innocent!” A third prisoner grabs the bars and presses his wild-bearded face against the iron. “Tell His Highness there is a Turkish spy in his court. He is in danger! You must warn him!”

My head swivels toward Prince Vlad.

“There are always spies,” Vlad whispers.

I walk with measured pace and let the lantern reveal each doomed prisoner. Most stare, empty-eyed; the whips, chains, skin shredders, bone crushers, and strappado take away all hope and spirit. Others shout obscenities. One man kneels, hands in prayer, and mutters the Hail Mary.

The weight of their misery crashes down, squeezes my heart, and crushes my breath. This place must be worse than hell’s torments because these wretches yet live, have all their faculties! No one deserves this! It is inhumane! Sadistic and depraved!

My breath comes in shreds and clumps. I cover my nose with Prince Vlad’s cape, the stench of rotting flesh enfolding me in its putrid embrace. My pace quickens. It is time to end this test of my courage.

“You!” A milky-eyed wretch points to Prince Vlad and begins chanting in a foreign tongue.

Prince Vlad guides me away from the cells. “You have thrice over proven your courage tonight.”

“What language was that man speaking?”

“He recites from the Corpus Hermeticum.” Dracula takes the lantern and illuminates the stairwell. “It’s a pagan book of alchemy, astronomy, and metaphysics.”

“It sounded like he cursed us.”

“Pay no attention to a madman’s rants. That particular book is nothing but Egyptian and Greek nonsense.”

I tread upwards, evil’s chill clinging to my limbs. At the top, I try to purge the dungeon’s misery, malice, and madness with a long exhalation. Yet the horror sticks like nettles in my soul.

“This way.” I move past the dark tunnel and enter the lighted one, relieved to put space and distance between the prisoners and me.

The tunnel ends at a large grotto where Prince Vlad pauses to light the ring of torches affixed to the walls. I wait on a stone bench near the baptismal fount, sighing with relief as the golden glow of the church-like arches infuse peace into my troubled soul.

Prince Vlad sits beside me. “We go from hell to heaven.”

I tuck a stray lock behind my ear. “This was Father’s favorite grotto. God’s Buried Cathedral, he called it. His second favorite has a Titan-sized head emerging from the ground—like a god got stuck in molten rock. I was only in that grotto once. It reminded me of an insect trapped in tree sap that ages to amber—the insect forever entombed—never aging, almost alive in its resin grave.”

“Do you find that horrific or beautiful?” His eyes search mine.

“Both, I suppose.” My shoulders move into my sigh. “Caves are dreary places.”

“I rather enjoy them. Tunnels have saved my life several times.” Dracula stands. “I think we are both ready for fresh air.” He offers his hand, its warmth a familiar comfort.

Together we walk through the tunnel lit by small lanterns that flicker like fireflies all the way to the exit.

Prince Vlad gives the stubborn iron-crossed door a hard yank and it groans open. Outside, a sapphire dawn drapes over Buda.

“On no.” My hands fly to my face. “It’s so late it’s early.” Were we in the tunnels that long? If my aunts discover I never returned to my room…I spin about, my voice edged with panic. “I have to go back. Now.”

Vlad’s brows crease with concern. He tugs a handkerchief from his robe and touches it to my lips as though dabbing at a smudge. “There’s something I must do first.” He lays the linen over my lips and sets his mouth on mine.

Even through the thin fabric, his lips sear my own. I part my lips, feel the linen moisten with the breath of our lust. I collapse into him, my body sizzling with desire. I am about to rip away the fabric and taste his lips when he breaks the kiss.

Vlad Dracula steps back, the handkerchief between thumb and forefinger. “If you marry Luigi della Scala, you will still be chaste.” He drags the handkerchief across his mouth. “I will always have this.”

Chaste? Prince Vlad just violated my heart and corrupted my flesh!

Back in my chambers, I touch my lips that still burn with the memory of our kiss—my first kiss—and groan. Vlad Dracula used my virtue, conceit, and fears to study the labyrinth’s secrets. He took advantage of my desire for romantic adventure to learn the escape route.

Purchase Links:

Universal Reader link:  https://books2read.com/u/3ygVlv

Publisher: Flores Publishing

Nice! Great tension. Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

Let’s check out an intriguing book trailer!

Awesome!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It sounds fabulous! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting read! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

Autumn Bardot writes erotica and historical fiction about sassy women and daring passions.

Her erotica includes Legends of Lust (Cleis Press), and Confessions of a Sheba Queen (Cleis, Jan 2020).  Autumn has a BA in English literature and a MaEd in curriculum and instruction. She’s been teaching writing and literary analysis for fourteen years. Autumn lives in Southern California with her hubby, rescue pooch, and ever-increasing family.  Her favorite things include salty French fries, coffee, swimming, and a great book.

Author Links

Website:  http://www.autumnbardot.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AutumnBardotAuthor

Club Autumn

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AutumnBardot

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Bardot/e/B07DMC7ZB6/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17725628.Autumn_Bardot

Newsletter Sign-up here (right side of page)

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/autumnbardot/

 

Thanks again, Autumn! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

Vote for This Cover Please!

Vote for a paranormal romance cover! 😉

Marie Lavender- Multigenre Author

I was just informed that Blood Instincts, my paranormal romance and book two of the Blood at First Sight Series, was nominated for the Cover of the Month Contest on AllAuthor. Yay!

Please, whenever you get a chance, go to the site and cast your vote for this stunning cover designed by SwoonWorthy Book Covers! There are only five days left in this round…

So vote, vote, vote! ♥

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New Release Feature: Meant to Be Kept by author Amelia Foster

•.☆.•Meant to Be Kept by Amelia Foster•.☆.•

“She’s my wife, and I’ll do anything to keep it that way.”

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Amelia, a debut author I met during my journey! Her new second chance romance, Meant to Be Kept, officially released at the end of January!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Amelia is giving us a look at her contemporary new adult romance, Meant to Be Kept, today.

What a great cover!

This is the blurb for Meant to Be Kept:

One night. One too many drinks. One mistake. That’s all it took to derail my marriage.

Now, all I can do is beg for a second chance. To try and redeem myself in a bid not to lose the love of my life.

I’m determined to use every second, every moment I have to show my wife how much she means to me—to rebuild the trust I shattered.

But the harder I try, the more I start to realize our marriage had fallen into a routine of complacency and misplaced priorities long before my indiscretion.

Isabelle is a strong, passionate, beautiful woman—a wife who has sacrificed so much for me. I just hope it’s not too late for us, and that I’ll be able to convince her that our love is meant to be kept.

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

All the air left her body in a whoosh and Izzy blinked a few times, certain she was seeing things. When the telescope and the mountain of blankets and pillows filling the bed of Tanner’s obnoxious yellow truck didn’t disappear, she spun around to face him.

“Tanner.” She breathed his name and lifted her hand to his cheek. So many thoughts ran through her mind, but none forming into coherent words. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling closer to him than she had all week. Closer than she had in years.

His deep chuckled vibrated against her and she closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation. “I’m glad you like it, but we haven’t even gotten to the surprise yet, sweetheart.”

She pulled back, but held on to his shoulders. “What do you mean? We’re going to lie under the stars together on a huge pile of pillows, and you even got a telescope which is something we never had before. . . Tanner, what more could there possibly be?”

“Well, I’m glad you asked, sweetheart.” He stepped away from her with a grin and pulled something off the driver’s seat of his truck. When he turned back around her eyes widened at the present wrapped in dark blue paper. “A little something for you.”

Izzy shook her head, not accepting the proffered gift. “It’s not my birthday.” Her brow furrowed. “And it is still, what thirty-six days until our anniversary? So why am I getting a present?”

A brief flash of disappointment flitted across his face and served to only deepen Izzy’s confusion. But just as quickly as it had come, it disappeared. “No, it’s not your birthday or our anniversary or Christmas, even. You’re getting this because you deserve to get something you love simply because you love it, not just because I’m sorry for what I did. Which I am. Extremely.”

She couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips when she finally took the nearly flat rectangle from his grasp. She took a few steps closer to the truck, needing the help of the interior light. Izzy’s breath caught when she pulled the paper away. She looked from the gift she held in her hands to Tanner’s expectant face and back several times before jumping in his arms, still clinging to the picture frame. “Tanner.” She choked his name past the tears clogging her throat.

His grip on her tightened under her thighs, holding her close.

Izzy put her hands on his shoulders and pushed back enough to look in his face, tears streaking down her cheeks. “You bought me a star.” A bubble of laughter escaped past the happy tears. “First you bring the sky inside and now you buy me a star.”

He grinned and carried her around the bed of the truck, setting her down on the tailgate before climbing up beside her. “Come on sweetheart, let’s lay down for a bit. Unless you want to look for your star. I got the telescope to see if we could find it. Or we could look for what-”

She put a finger against his lips silencing the stream of words. A tiny part of her enjoyed seeing always confident and capable Tanner just a little nervous. She slid back on the inflatable mattress and laid down on the pile of pillows. “Being right here sounds perfect.”

Izzy had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing at how quickly he scrambled up beside her. He stretched out next to her, sliding his hand in hers and intertwining their fingers. “Belle, being anywhere with you is perfect.” He whispered the words, but they had the effect of a powerful windstorm.

“It’s been way too long since we’ve done this.”

Tanner stayed silent for a long time after her comment and part of her wondered if she shouldn’t have said anything. She chewed on her bottom lip and tried to think of anything she could say to ease the sting.

Finally he propped himself up on an elbow. “How long, Belle?”

She turned her head slightly and the earnest look on his face made her scoot closer to his side. “At least three years,” she said softly. “With the kids and work…we were just too busy.”

Tanner leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. “Not we. Me. Dammit, Belle, I’m sorry.”

She reached up to bury her fingers in his hair and pull his mouth more firmly against hers. The taste of him drove her to wiggle her body beneath his. His scent wafted over her and she barely contained a groan. She was finally surrounded by Tanner in every way and she never wanted it to end.

“Belle.” He murmured her name against her lips and began to kiss down her jaw, planting moist kisses along the column of her neck.

Izzy pulled Tanner until he was fully on top of her and her thighs were locked around his waist. When she lifted her hips and pressed against the evidence of his need she felt a gasp against her neck where Tanner had been licking and biting softly.

His hands slid under her shirt, caressing her back and drawing her closer to him. Tanner lifted the shirt over her head and began making a path of hot kisses across her bare chest. She arched into him again, her fingers tugging on his hair to bring his mouth back up to hers.

“Tanner.” She whimpered his name in between kisses, the soft cotton of his shirt rubbing against her skin, teasing every overly sensitized inch.

She’d always loved playing with Tanner’s hair and gave her fingers free reign to get reacquainted with each strand. When his hands skimmed down her sides and flicked the button open on her waistband she couldn’t help but shiver against him.

His mouth curved against hers. “You like that, sweetheart?”

She hadn’t realized until this moment just how much she missed his hands touching her and his lips leaving a scorching trail along her body.

His hands.

His mouth.

And one week ago they had been kissing someone else. Holding someone else. Touching someone else.

Izzy felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her, freezing her movement. She pushed Tanner away and scooted to the far corner of the mattress. She grabbed her shirt and held it against her chest. Why didn’t I put on a bra, she chastised herself.

Even in the darkness she could see his face fall. “Belle, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t.” She sobbed and gripped the shirt tighter against herself. She waved her free hand in a sweeping gesture. “Tanner, this is beautiful and perfect and you gave me the most amazing gift. . . but I can’t stop thinking about her. And you.” Her heart splintered. “And you don’t feel like mine anymore.”

She tugged her shirt on over her head, jumped out of the truck, and ran towards the dimly lit house in the distance as fast as she could.

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link: https://books2read.com/u/38xrJw

Publisher: http://www.limitlesspublishing.com/product/meant-to-be-kept/

Nice! Great sexiness and drama. Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

So, what are people saying about this book?

“A beautiful established romance with an HEA to make you swoon. While we watch Tanner fight for his wife in the present, we also see the sweet evolution of their love from their college-aged POVs. It’s one helluva ride, and one I highly recommend you take for yourself.” – Evie Drae, Amazon

“Fantastically emotional debut. This past to present, heart-wrenching, beautifully written story drops us into the action from page one. It took hold of me and had me flipping through the pages to see how Tanner and IF Tanner could rekindle the love that was threaded through. I loved the idea of this story, that we get into the grind of daily life and need to remember to cherish what’s precious.
Izzy is the perfect lead, flawed, a little broken but wonderfully relatable. Tanner, despite his mistake, is swoon worthy. And their chemistry leaps off the page.
This book has everything: The feels that run the scale of tears to joy. Hot sex between a married couple – THANK YOU, Ms. Foster. A believable and deep plot. And two characters who grow and learn on an unstable path.” – MaritT, Amazon

“It’s so rare to read a romance about an established/married couple, which makes this one extra-special. Meant to be Kept is a heartwarming story of a couple who experience a crisis in their marriage and must determine how to move forward, not just to keep their relationship as-is but to strengthen it.” – Michelle O, Amazon

Awesome!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It sounds fabulous! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting book! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

Books, coffee, and chocolate make up both the heart and body mass that is better known as Amelia Foster. She has been a lifelong lover of the written word, both as a reader and an author, and completed her first manuscript at the ripe old age of five complete with illustrations. Sadly, her art was a medium that never improved over time, although thankfully her writing has.

From sweet to salacious the only requirement Amelia has in books she reads – and definitely in the ones she crafts – is an excessively satisfying happily ever after… and then a little bit more.

Author Links

Website:  https://ameliafosterauthor.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/amelia.foster.1213986

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/afosterauthor

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Amelia-Foster/e/B07MG7YBF7/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18784552.Amelia_Foster

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/ameliafosterauthor/ 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ameliafosterauthor/

Publisher:  http://www.limitlesspublishing.com/amelia-foster/

 

Thanks again, Amelia! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

New Release Feature: Even At Your Darkest by author AJ Love

•.☆.•Even At Your Darkest by AJ Love Release Day•.☆.•

AJ Love brings you a contemporary romance with a dark twist. This shady romance will take you on a rollercoaster as Layton and Kane fight their way through the bad, the tragedy, to find each other as well as their own peace.

Check out the info below and get that one clicking finger ready!

I am pleased to announce a great book release by AJ Love, an author I met during my journey! Her new dark romance, Even At Your Darkest, officially released today!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

AJ is giving us a look at her modern romance with a dark angle, Even At Your Darkest, today.

Great cover!

This is the blurb for Even At Your Darkest:

Life being Layton Parks isn’t easy. Everything she touches seems to just fall apart at her fingertips – the air conditioning, the coffee maker, her ability to say no. A pushover at heart, Layton does what she’s told, when she’s told. With two jobs bleeding her dry, she barely has time to register the rut she seems to have fallen in. Despite this, she’s okay with her life. It’s simple and uncomplicated.

Until it isn’t. Kane Thatcher doesn’t need any help in being broken because he’s already a walking mass of shattered shards. Unlike Layton, Kane is no one’s Yes Man. After a split decision three years previous turned his world upside down, he’s finally living independent, with no one to worry about but himself. Until he isn’t. He’s curious about her, and determined to make her stand up for herself and be who she wants to be. She’s a little scared of him, yet knows there’s a softer side of him hiding behind all the hate. Will they bring out the best in each other, or will outside obstacles force out the worst? Will hate win over love, or will they be able to navigate their way through it together?

Here are some teasers to entice you with!

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link:  https://mybook.to/EAYDarkest

Nice! Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥So, what are people saying about this book?

 

Head on over to AJ’s Facebook page to enter her giveaway for a chance to win a $10/£10 Amazon Gift Card.  She’s also hosting a release party with some fabulous authors and incredible prizes – https://www.facebook.com/events/2171112543130639/?ti=ia

Awesome!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It looks great! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting book! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

AJ Love has been writing since she was a little girl, never leaving the house without a notebook. She spends all of her free time reading, writing and drinking too much coffee (wine). Annie has a strong passion for the literary world and before writing a book, spent all of her time reviewing others. She also enjoys talking with all that read her book(s), her philosophy being that readers and authors are all part of the same world – a world where they are all enthusiastic about words.

Annie is a single mum, full time working author from a small town in the North West of England. When she’s not busy with mum chores or writing, she can be found curled up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and a book. She likes to read from any genre, her favorite being YA or crime stories. She eats too much Chinese food and has an extremely unhealthy addiction to Shemar Moore.

Author Links

Website:  http://www.andiemlongwriter.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AJLoveAuthor/

https://www.facebook.com/andiemlongwriter/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AnnieBean_xo

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/AJ-Love/e/B079T5BHZM/

https://www.amazon.com/Annie-Hughes/e/B00MUHI896/

https://www.amazon.com/Andie-M-Long/e/B00HP5D2NK/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7111673.A_J_Love

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/anniebean91/

 

Thanks again, AJ! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

New Release Feature: Undercover Siren by author Ellen Mint

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Ellen Mint, an author I met during my journey! Her new romantic suspense, Undercover Siren, officially released last month!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Ellen is giving us a look at her romantic suspense, Undercover Siren, today.

Great cover!

This is the blurb for Undercover Siren:

He was only supposed to be a job. Why can’t she walk away?
Colton Davies, an ex-Marine turned cop, stumbles across a damsel in distress while working the beat and rushes to her aid. Unbeknownst to him, Kristen Trevelyan isn’t an old classmate who accidentally locked her keys in the car, but a spy working for a classified agency. She’s tasked with getting close to the police officer, but she never anticipated how close they’d become.
Action, adventure, dangerous gun battles, sizzling romance scenes, tender words of affection, and more await you in Undercover Siren.

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

Colton snapped off the radio and tumbled back into his seat. From God-awful love songs to burnt corpses, oh and dragging her into a rainstorm. He was a real pro at dating, as she could no doubt tell. Glaring out the windshield, watching the bounce of rain pinging off the rusted hood, Colton kept whipping himself for things beyond his control. He was so far gone, it wasn’t until her hand shifted higher up his arm that he realized Kristen was touching him.

Twisting his head towards her, he found those dazzling eyes burning directly into his. She stared at him as if…as if she couldn’t see anyone else. As if she’d never seen anyone else. Soft pink lips glistened with fresh rain, parting like she yearned for a drink. Colton dove towards her, his mouth puckering up just before it plunged against hers. Warmth erupted down his spine, the woman melting from his kiss. He let go of the arguing in his brain to fall into this moment. Fingers lifted off his arm to thread through his hair, gently guiding him deeper into her trap.

He was greedy to fall into it, their first kiss turning hotter than he’d ever have expected. Kristen tipped her head, her tongue darting up and down his scar before she tugged his bottom lip deep into hers. The nibble was little more than a whisper, but it broke down a wall inside Colton and a moan escaped from his throat.

Sliding back as if to catch her breath, those dazzling eyes darted up to his. The bliss of touching her dilated his pupils so much he had to blink a moment. As she focused into view, her cheeks bright from a flush and cleavage beaded in droplets, there was no denying how badly he wanted to take this further.

How in God’s name did he do that?

“You’re so…” he mumbled, his tongue clogging in his mouth as the words all stuck together, “pradortty.”

“Pradortty?” her eyebrow lifted in surprise, but a smile stretched across her lips. The ones that tasted of hunger and the thrill of the run.

“I, uh…” Colton absently wiped the back of his neck.

“Is that some kind of word only you people in Sky City use?”

“Ye…yes,” he sputtered out. “It means, it means a very beautiful woman.”

The blush burned brighter on her cheeks and she turned to stare at the dashboard. “Oh. Well, you’re handorablesome.”

Colton chuckled at her catching him, but with a grateful nod said, “Thank you.”

Her sparkling eyes darted around the truck, seeming to take in the state of it before landing upon the clutch. “This is a stick? You can drive a stick?”

“Sure,” he shrugged, “I’m from the country. Who couldn’t back in Winterset?”

“Right, right, just…surprised to see one here in the city,” she smiled. “Isn’t it hell on stop and go traffic?”

“Not if you’re good,” Colton said without a thought before wincing. “Did you never learn?” It seemed odd to the man who cut his teeth on tractors, but not everyone was a farmer. There had to be townies in a town after all.

“A little,” Kristen admitted, “but I’m happy with my automatic. When I don’t lock myself out anyway.”

“Until a helpful policeman comes along,” Colton said as if he had nothing to do with it. She smiled sweetly at him, but silence threaded through the cab. Only the bounce of rain thudding into the metal over their heads filled the air. All the unsaid words grew thicker than the humidity, both people staring at each other not knowing what to do next.

He could take her back into the bar. To talk more. Or have another drink. It was getting kinda late. Maybe he should offer to take her home. Or that they wait out the rain here. She could snuggle up next to him and…

“Colton?” Kristen whispered, her eyes darting up to him, “do you want to get coffee?”

“Uh…sure,” he spat out, his brain trying to rack up what place would be open this late aside from a fast food joint.

Her ravenous smile nearly knocked him over, when she shrugged. “I’d say we could go back to my place but I’m all out of filters, and grounds, and a coffee God.” Slowly, her fingers cupped against his knee and worried their way up the wet jeans clinging to his thigh. He blinked at her, his brain-jarring apart as it tried to piece together what she was asking. Or telling him. Saying that she wanted.

Sweet God.

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link:  https://bookgoodies.com/a/B079QZPN5V

Scorching! Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

 

What are people saying about this book?

“I am so happy that Ellen Mint wrote this amazing page turner. This book will keep your eyes glued to the pages.” —Penny L, Amazon

“This story reads like an action movie, gripping you from the very first page as Kristen tries to get close to Colton. It takes you on this amazing emotional roller coaster ride where you can’t wait for the next thing to happen in the story!” —Merry Jelks, Amazon

“The well written story line pulled me in right from the very first page, and the interaction and chemistry between Kristen and Colton kept me totally glued to my kindle until the turn of the very last page!” —Pat W, Amazon

 

Awesome!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It looks great! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting book! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She recently won the Top Ten Handmaid’s Challenge on Wattpad where hers was chosen by Margaret Atwood herself. Along with her husband and black lab, she spends a lot of time with her skeletons — don’t worry, they’re just Halloween props.

Author Links

Website:  http://blablover5.wixsite.com/sezbasnik

http://www.dwarvesinspace.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sezbasnik

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/introvertedwife

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Ellen-Mint/e/B07B44TK45/

https://www.amazon.com/S.-E.-Zbasnik/e/B00UG9UBOK/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17700737.Ellen_Mint

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8088107.S_E_Zbasnik

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5049373.Sabrina_Zbasnik

 

Thanks again, Ellen! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

New Release Feature: Never Retreat by author Bonnie McCune

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Bonnie McCune, an author I met during my journey! Her new clean contemporary romance with a touch of suspense, Never Retreat, officially released last week!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release!

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Bonnie is giving us a look at her suspenseful, inspirational romance, Never Retreat, today.

Nice cover!

This is the blurb for Never Retreat:

A feisty single mom clashes with an ex-military, macho corporate star at a business retreat in the wild Colorado mountains, where only one can win a huge prize. But when a massive flood imperils their love and survival, they learn the meaning of true partnership.

Years ago, Ramona (‘Raye”) Soto faced harsh reality when a roving con man knocked her up. Now at thirty-something, she’s concentrating on her career in a major telecommunications firm and funding college for her teenaged son. Enter Desmond Emmett—a fast talker and smooth operator. New to the office, the ex-serviceman possesses every negative quality for a guy Raye should avoid. Thrown together at a corporate retreat in the wilderness, the reluctant duo struggles to complete management’s extreme mental and physical tests for a huge reward. But only one can win the prize, and Des needs the money to underwrite medical treatments for his adored younger sister.

See-sawing between attraction and antagonism, the mismatched couple, Raye and Des, face their biggest challenge: learning the meaning of true partnership. When a massive flash flood sweeps down the rocky canyon and threatens their love and survival, they must put aside their difference to rescue their colleagues—and their future as a couple.

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

“I won!” Raye’s handful of lottery scratch tickets, fanned out on the staff room table in front of her, glowed in a multitude of bright colors. She plucked the one nearest to her. “Forty dollars!”

Julia failed to respond. “He’s gorgeous. Just gorgeous.” Her unfocused eyes and neglect of the bear claw pastry in one limp hand showed how absorbed she was in telling Raye Soto about the new man striding around corporate headquarters in Denver.

“Didn’t you hear me? My winning ticket must be an omen I’ll get a big prize. You know how much I need it to cover Andy’s college. No student loans! Whoo-ee!”

“Not necessarily. You’ll have better odds at happiness if you notice a male hunk in front of your face. You haven’t even had a date in years.”

“Wouldn’t start with a good-looking guy. He’d be the most dangerous type. Anyway, you’ve never won awards for your taste in men,” Raye teased back. Her quick survey of the modest dining area showed no other people on break, so she geared up her joking. “Wasn’t your last crush the barista over at Java Hut? The one who drew your initial with cream on the top of your cappuccino, then pocketed the change you were due? And the one before rode a motorcycle and crashed at least once a month?”

“You’re one to talk!” Julia returned to consciousness, leaning back in her chair and tapping her index finger, this week manicured in turquoise blue with tiny spangles, on the veneer-topped table. “Your ex-, who hardly qualifies as an ex since he was only around for a few months, partied so hard and so often, he forgot to come home at night.”

“Let’s not get into odious comparisons. I got Andy from the experience, and that’s enough for me.” Raye pushed back her chrome-wire chair, stood, and began wrapping the remains of her meal.

“This guy, his name’s Des Emmett, would be perfect for you. If you’d drop the attitude.”

“How old do you figure he is?” I can’t possibly be considering Julia’s suggestion, can I? Raye thought.

“I’d say thirty-six, thirty-eight. He mentioned eight years in the service, and I know from his resume, which passed through my grubby paws when he transferred here, that he has a solid ten years in the corporate world. Most recently, at the highest levels.”

“And he’s not married?” With her free hand, Raye stuffed the winning lottery ticket in her pocket, then grabbed the remainder in a fistful jumble.

“No.”

“Why not? What’s wrong with him? Is he gay? Abusive?”

“Wait a minute,” Julia said. “You’re thirty-four and not married.”

“But I have been.” She considered the super-sized fruit yogurt she now balanced. The treat wasn’t finished yet, so she covered the container to tote to the staff refrigerator. “I admit he’s good-looking. Those ice-blue eyes, the casual dark curls.” In fact, he’s too good-looking. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, she thought.

“Those molded lips, the bottom one a little fuller than the upper. The brooding brow.” Julia gathered her snack leavings, then walked to the refrigerator and leaned against the open door next to Raye to continue. “I think you’re ticked off because he treats you like an employee, not a woman. He shouldn’t be snubbed for that.”

“Absolutely wrong! I learned long ago not to trust charm and good looks. Anyway, why are you pushing him on me? Don’t you want to try your luck?”

Julia looked up at the ceiling tiles. “I haven’t told you, but things are getting serious between me and Eric. We’ve been talking about marriage.”

“Eeek!” Raye’s shriek echoed from inside the refrigerator. She pulled her head out. “That’s wonderful.”

“Nothing’s definite yet, so don’t mention it. I’m entertaining the idea because I hate to see a guy as nice as Eric go to waste. Or get picked off by a sneaky man-eater, like Krystle.”

“I remember two years ago when Krystle got tipsy at the holiday party. She kept rubbing her hands all over Eric, then tried to pull him into the hall for a necking session,”

Julia sniggered. “Fortunately he refused to surrender. That’s when I first guessed I could trust him.”

“Yeah, and he’s been hanging around you ever since,” said Raye. “That’s going somewhere permanent?”

“I sure hope so. The huuuge barrier right now to any kind of development is that car loan my folks took out and now can’t pay. Can’t get married, can’t even move in together because I have to help the family out. Anyway, a more cheerful subject, I first saw the new director of security this morning before he even got in the office. I was walking down the sidewalk past the entrance to the parking garage when he buzzed by on a motorcycle, tall and solid as a soldier. . .”

“A motorcycle!” Raye slammed the refrigerator door closed. “You know how much I hate those. You’re not building a case for my becoming besties with Mr. Desmond Emmett with that bit of information. Smelly, noisy, dangerous machines.”

A stricken look passed over Julia’s face. “I’m so sorry. I totally spaced on what happened to your brother.” Wrapping both arms around her friend, Julia hugged hard, and Raye let her. “You still miss him, don’t you?” Julia whispered.

“Like the devil. Every day. Even though it’s been years. Damn his infatuation with motorcycles! I hear about the Broncos winning, and I think, ‘boy, that’ll make Carlos happy,’ then I remember he’s not here. Or the first snow, I want to run in and wake him up so we can walk in the park, until I remember there’ll be no more times like that. He’ll never know his nephew graduated at the top of the class, or that Dad and Mom both have new romances going.” Raye stepped back after a final squeeze. “Thanks for not hesitating to mention him. That helps. Many people act like he never existed.”

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link:  http://getBook.at/NeverRetreat

Publisher:  http://www.imajinbooks.com/bonnie-mccune/

Intriguing! Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

 

What are people saying about this book?

“A breathtaking page-turner that will leave you exhausted but wanting more!” —Corinne Joy Brown, award-winning author of Hidden Star

“Likable, relatable characters…a real treat!” —Cindi Myers, author of The View from Here

“Intriguing…engaging…A great vacation read for sure!” —Meg Benjamin, author of the Brewing Love Trilogy

“A compelling story about a hard-working single mom who faces adversity head-on, learns from her mistakes, and perseveres.” —Kim McMahill, author of Marked in Mexico

“Few novels operate on such different levels, moving their characters to challenge not just each other, but their own perceptions…McCune provides just the right blend of comic relief, interpersonal encounters, and outside environment changes to make her story a powerful blend.”—Midwest Book Review

Awesome!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It looks great! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting book! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

Bonnie McCune has been writing since age ten, when she submitted a poem about rain rushing down the gutter to the Saturday Evening Post (it was immediately rejected). This interest facilitated her career in nonprofits, doing public and community relations and marketing. She’s worked for libraries, directed a small arts organization, and managed Denver’s beautification program.

Simultaneously, she’s been a freelance writer with publications in local, regional, and specialty publications for news and features. Her civic involvement includes grass-roots organizations, political campaigns, writers’ and arts’ groups, and children’s literacy. For years, she entered recipe contests and was a finalist once to the Pillsbury Bake Off. A special love is live theater. Had she been nine inches taller and thirty pounds lighter, she might have been an actress.

Her true passion is fiction, and her pieces have won several awards. Never Retreat is her third novel and her fifth book of fiction. For reasons unknown (an unacknowledged optimism?), she believes one person can make a difference in this world.

Author Links

Website:  www.BonnieMcCune.com

Facebook:  facebook.com/authorBonnieMcCune

Twitter:  twitter.com/bonniemccune

Amazon author page:  http://amzn.to/2DE5dW1

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6436876.Bonnie_McCune

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/117106546075845481531

https://plus.google.com/u/0/111883621680717398231

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/BonnieMcCune

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bonniemccune/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/bonniebmccune/

Publisher:  http://www.imajinbooks.com/bonnie-mccune/

 

Thanks again, Bonnie! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

Book Feature: The Maze Effect – Finding Mr. Right by author Majel Jay

I am pleased to announce a great book by Majel Jay, an author I met during my journey! She’s stopping by to tell us about her awesome modern multicultural romance, The Maze Effect: Finding Mr. Right, which released back in January!

Woo hoo! It’s always fun to discover new authors and books. 😀

Majel is allowing us a look at her cool contemporary romance, The Maze Effect: Finding Mr. Right, today.

Nice cover!

This is the blurb for The Maze Effect: Finding Mr. Right:

Every woman wants the perfect man… or at the very least, a decent man.
“Mr. Right”
How do you find him?
What does he look like?
Is there a formula to know who he is?
Just ask Kimberly Kay Nezda, a successful young diva with a budding career in a big city. She had it all, or so she thought. She had many encounters and was confident she had finally found Mr. Right.
A rich, handsome suitor, the mark of perfection, but did she let him walk “The Maze?”
Was it the perfect love story or the perfect storm?
The Maze Effect is a steamy, riveting short story about dating, sex and falling in love. You’ll be captivated as you read Kimberly’s story of an epic life-changing journey into love and finding Mr. Right.

And here are some excerpts to tease you with.

EXCERPT 1

I caught myself and regained my focus quickly just in time to check him out from head to toe without being obvious. He wore a well-tailored, ash blue suit, custom made, I’m sure. The material was of excellence and so was the stitch work. Under his jacket, he wore a light, smoky baby blue shirt that was missing a tie and had the first three buttons open, exposing a bit of his neckline. His shoes were a mixture of ostrich skin and what appear to be soft baby calf leather and another skin I couldn’t decipher. Damn! I thought… his shoes looked as if it cost my whole entire wardrobe collection. He smelled divine. Without skipping a beat, I replied to his question.  “Sure, I have a little time. Jaz, do you mind?”

I turned to look at Jaz who was already prompted and ready to go.

“Yup!” she stated.

That’s my girl, I thought. I can always count on my ace to be down when need be.

He gently held my hand and beckoned for us to follow him. Through the crowd and back into the now emptying dining hall we went. He led us to a quiet corner where he proceeded to properly introduce himself.

EXCERPT 2

We stood outside the door bidding each other a good night, but neither of us moved. I looked into his face; he was pure perfection. The intense chemistry between us pulled us close without me even noticing it. Our lips touched and fireworks went off inside me. His lips were soft and full. I gently slid my tongue into his mouth and he willingly received it. He slowly cupped my tongue in his and sucked gently. Chills went down my spine. My body shivered as he pulled me into the warmth of his body and clasped me up in his arms. It was beautiful… He was beautiful. After our lips separated, I quickly sucked in a gulp of air. Marcus had officially taken my breath away.

He tenderly caressed my face and, looking deep into my eyes, he said, “Good night.”

I stayed up the rest of the night as I couldn’t sleep. The scenes of the day we spent together played in my mind like a looping video clip.

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link:  https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0792656KC

B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-maze-effect-majel-jay/1127960722?ean=9781983975929

BAM:  http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Maze-Effect/Majel-Jay/9781983975929?id=7205747130327

IndieBound:  https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781983975929

Wow! ♥♥♥ Love the steamy tension. This looks like quite a tale!

Thank you for telling us about your book, Majel! I know I can’t wait to read this romance!

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this awesome book! 🙂 Or you can add it to Goodreads!

Author Bio

I grew up in a big city, where I currently reside with my husband and dogs. I’m an all American girl that enjoys traveling and experimenting with different foods. I love life and believe in enjoying it to the fullest.

My writing was inspired by the way I was brought up. My mother spent a lot of time teaching me how to love myself and others. I wanted to bring this across, in a simple way, to women of all ages. I want all women to know that they are precious, priceless and irreplaceable.

Author Links

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/100197961282853855523

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Majel-Jay/e/B079FYMWFJ

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17627975.Majel_Jay

 

Thanks again, Majel! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

New Release Feature: Saving Him by author Bry Ann

I am pleased to announce a great book release by Bry Ann, an author I met during my journey! Her new adult romantic suspense, Saving Him, officially releases tomorrow!

Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release! And it’s just in time for Valentine’s Day! 😉

When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!

Bry Ann is giving us a look at her suspenseful romance, Saving Him, today.

Intriguing cover!

This is the blurb for Saving Him:

Gunner:

All I’ve seen my entire life is their cold, dead lifeless eyes. It’s made me who I am.
Ruthless. Heartless. Business.
Until her.
It’s time I sought revenge on the men who haunt my nightmares.
Then a sweet girl with blonde hair and enough scars to rival my own decides she’s in love with me.
I’d break her.
… but it turns out she’s going to break me first.
And revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Dana:
I’m worthless.
My brother’s famous.
His girlfriend, my best friend, is a badass who risked her life to save mine.
I’m a treatment junkie.
Not that you’d know by looking at me. I keep my body covered and my thoughts to myself.
Until him.
A drug dealer. A crime lord.
He’s one of the bad guys.
… but his scars draw me in. I fall. Hard.
Until the day his past comes back to haunt him and I decide I’m gonna save him.
Why’s the guy always gotta be the hero?

Trigger Warning: Disturbing Scenarios and Sexual Content

Here is an excerpt to entice you with!

As I sat in the waiting room right by Sam’s mom’s room, I saw a large man head for her door. I immediately hopped up. It couldn’t be him. No fucking way. I sprinted down the hall and slid, blocking the door before he could enter. He cocked an eyebrow at me and crossed his arms over his chest. He was wearing a burgundy shirt and tan cargo pants that fit him well.

“You need to move, little girl.”

“No! You are not going near Sam’s mom!” I snapped. “Leave her alone.”

He smirked. “Are you her bodyguard or something?”

Then his face hardened. “Move. Now.”

I don’t know what the hell came over me, but I lifted my hand and slapped him square across the face. Hard. He looked absolutely shocked. “You move.”

He busted out laughing and took a step back and lifted his hands in surrender. “I’ll just wait here then,” he laughed.

I stared at him for a second.

“I’ll text Sam.”

I whipped out my phone, staying in the doorway, and let Sam know he was here.

“She’s on her way,” I said, turning to him.

He nodded and stayed quiet. I couldn’t. I wanted to understand this man, and why I was so brave around him.

“So, are you like a drug dealer or something?” I whispered.

He laughed to himself. “Why would I tell you that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, to fulfill my curiosity.”

“You’re curious about me?” he teased.

“Honestly. Yeah.”

He stared at me for a second.

“Yeah, something like that. It’s good money.”

“Why? There are other ways to make money.”

He just shrugged. “What do you do? You seem like an interesting person to have around.”

My cheeks immediately turned red. Oh yeah, big hot drug dealer, I’m just a treatment junkie. I do nothing, and I am nothing other than Logan Prescott’s fucked up little sister.

“Just stuff,” I mumbled. He narrowed his eyes and then I heard footsteps. “Here comes Sam.”

“I still want to know what you do.”

“No time,” I said quickly.

Then he forcefully grabbed my hand and stuck a card in it. “Then we make time. Text me.”

I was so confused as Sam whipped around the corner. Both Gunner and I did everything we could to act nonchalant, but Sam knew something was up. She just didn’t know what it was yet. Neither did I. It was the beginning of a very long, very intense friendship that I later found out I would be willing to die for and, worse, willingly hand over my already broken heart.

When I knew it would only be broken again…

Purchase Link:

Universal Amazon link:  https://bookgoodies.com/a/B078VCKWXY

Whoa! Love the tension. Gotta love this sneak peek. ♥♥♥

Nice!

Thank you for telling us about your new book! It looks great! 🙂

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this riveting book! Or add it to your Goodreads bookshelf!

Author Bio

Bry Ann is a psychology student at Arizona State University. She currently lives up in the Rocky Mountains in Granby, Colorado. She spends most of her free time reading dark romance books, writing anytime she can get her hands on a computer and doing homework anytime she can squeeze it in. Bry Ann has been writing for as long as she can remember. Even from the youngest of ages, she was writing about characters with dark pasts and shady stories. As she got older, she decided everyone should get a love story so soon her dark stories got happy endings. She loves to hear from her readers and talk all things books, so feel free to contact her on any of her social media pages.

Author Links

Website:  www.authorbryann.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/authorbryann

Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/authorbryann

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Bry-Ann/e/B077MHVFDF/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17095210.Bry_Ann

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/109937895438594736337

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/authorbryann

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/authorbryann

 

Thanks again, Bry Ann! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂

Book Feature: Sweet Reunion by author CJ Warrant

I am pleased to announce a great book by CJ Warrant, an author I met during my journey! She’s stopping by to tell us about her awesome modern romance, Sweet Reunion, which released back in November!

Woo hoo! It’s always fun to discover new authors and books. 😀

CJ is allowing us a look at her cool contemporary romance, Sweet Reunion, today.

Great cover!

This is the blurb for Sweet Reunion:

On the brink of losing her bakery, Beth Monroe must accept help from Bryce Landry, the college love who broke her heart, or watch her dream fail.

After a broken engagement, Bryce gave up on the idea of real love until he walks into Beth’s bake shop. He has no clue why she is curt with him. But to get into her good graces, Bryce gives her an offer she can’t refuse, which opens up both their hearts and exposes the love they had for each other.

And here is an excerpt to tease you with.

BETH

Beth Monroe thought it was a joke when she got a call from the bank saying that her business partner, Hannah Larson, had emptied out their business accounts.

Not believing for one moment that her friend of seven plus years could betray her, Beth tried numerous times to contact Hannah on her cell phone, but her calls went straight to voice mail.

Worried that it could be foul play—that someone actually forced her take the twenty thousand of their hard earned cash, Beth contacted the police. If there was foul play involved, she hoped Hannah was alive and safe. Money could be replaced, but not a friend.

Beth trusted her partner wholeheartedly. She never thought Hannah would do something so terrible as stealing. They’d each put their heart and sweat into Sweet Cupids, a bake shop they had opened up in the South Loop of Chicago three years ago.

They were equally passionate about the bakery. Or so Beth thought until the cops confirmed that Hannah had in deed acted on her own accord.

After the police ran through the security cameras, which showed her walking into the bank alone and withdrew all of the money, they checked Hannah’s apartment. It was empty with all the furniture gone, except for a broken coffee table and the fridge.

Beth hadn’t thought twice and filed a police report. Although she was baffled—and angry for what Hannah did. How could she not see the signs? If Hannah wanted out of the partnership, all she needed to do was open her mouth and say something. No, instead she stole the damn money—all of it. There was no money to pay for any additional needs for the shop. Nothing.

After leaving the station that morning, Beth had opened a new account at a bank down the street from the shop. She had to transfer some money from her personal account—which wasn’t much, but barely enough to cover the bills. Thank God, she hadn’t had a chance to deposit what the weekend had brought in, but Beth knew it wasn’t enough.

Rent was due, plus the upcoming expenses of supplies and employees salaries had to be paid, leaving only a few hundred dollars for Beth’s personal needs. What was worse? Christmas was less than two weeks away and she wouldn’t have enough money to cover their supplies through the New Year.

“God, why, Hannah?” Beth leaned against the black marble frosting bar at the back of the bakery. She contemplated on what she had done to deserve this lousy crap happening in her life.

Beth assumed their friendship was tight. They had been friends since their NIU days. How could she not know, or see through Hannah’s treachery?

Yet, it didn’t matter anymore. Twenty thousand dollars were gone, and Beth couldn’t get it back. Well, not right now anyways.

She wiped a runaway tear from her cheek.

What the hell was she going to do if she had to close the shop?

Get a grip. You know you can do it.

Yes. Beth knew what she needed to do. Sweet Cupids had to survive. Her livelihood hung in the balance. And there’s no way in hell was she going to run back to her parents and ask them for help either. They would only sneer at the news about Hannah stealing the money.

They were against the partnership from the beginning, but I had calmly explained to them that Hannah had the revenue while Beth had the ingenuity to get the business to take off.

Beth thought it was a perfect partnership. What did they see that she didn’t?

“Damn it, Beth. Stop blubbering,” she scolded herself while wiping away the tears with her not-so-clean floured apron. It had been four days since Hannah split, and not a single word or update from the police on the whereabouts of Hannah. And, every night Beth worried the shop wouldn’t earn enough revenue to stay afloat.

A chime from the front door caught Beth off guard. Crap. She forgot to lock it again. She rushed to the front of the shop and said, “Sorry, we’re closed. We’ll be opened tomor…” Beth’s words faltered the second she locked eyes with the and only, Bryce Landry.

Oh. My. God. Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart thrashed against her chest so hard that it hurt to breathe. Her college love stood just inside the doorway with a tentative smile across his handsome face. Even more attractive than when he left for Harvard four years ago. Bryce was the one who got away. Or actually, she ran away so she wouldn’t have her heart broken by this man.

Oh, boy, he was still beautiful. Sun-kissed blond hair, combed back as though he’d used his fingers. Beth always loved that disheveled look on him. His strong, squared jaw showed a five-o’clock shadow. And his beautiful full lips were still very much kissable. She had dreamed many times of his mouth bearing down on her, on her body, and her sex.

“Hey, Bethie.” Those two words pulled her out of her revelry. How she hated him calling her that.

His voice was the same. Just as deep and hypnotic as ever. His glorious blue eyes instantly woke the side of her she had hidden—no, packed up with duct tape and thrown into the deepest recesses of her mind.

Purchase Links:

Universal Amazon link:  myBook.to/Sweet_Reunion

Wow! ♥♥♥ Love the tension. This looks like quite a tale!

Thank you for telling us about your book, CJ! I know I can’t wait to read this romance!

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this awesome book! 🙂 Or you can add it to Goodreads! And by the looks of things, we have sequels to look forward to as well. 😉

Author Bio

CJ Warrant is an Award Winning Author for dark romantic suspense and contemporary romance.

A lover of strong coffee, baking and family, but not in that order.

She’s a wife, a loving mother of three and worked in the beauty industry for many years until the stories in her head took over. Now she’s a full time author, CJ brings her dark gritty stories to life.

Author Links

Website/Blog:  www.cjwarrant.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/cjwarrantauthor

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/cjwarrant

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/cjwarrant

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cjwarrant

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/CJ-Warrant/e/B01BTK1T40/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14714883.C_J_Warrant

 

Thanks again, CJ! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂