EXCERPT: Dirty Headlines by L.J. Shen

Dirty Headlines, an all-new sexy, enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen is coming September 7th and we have the first sneak peek!

Célian Laurent.

Manhattan royalty.

Notorious playboy.

Heir to a media empire.

…And my new boss.

I could have impressed him, if not for last month’s unforgettable one-night stand.

I left it with more than orgasms and a pleasant memory—namely, his wallet.

Now he’s staring me down like I’m the dirt under his Italian loafers, and I’m supposed to take it.

But the thing about being Judith “Jude” Humphry is I have nothing to lose.

Brooklyn girl.

Infamously quirky.

Heir to a stack of medical bills and a tattered couch.

When he looks at me from across the room, I see the glint in his eyes, and that makes us rivals.

He knows it.

So do I.

Every day in the newsroom is a battle.

Every night in his bed, war.

But it’s my heart at stake, and I fear I’ll be raising the white flag.

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Excerpt:

He had an American accent. Not French. American.Smooth. Familiar. Ordinary. He fired out sentences at the speed of light. I heard him, but I couldn’t listen. Shock gripped my body as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. My dirty one-night stand was my boss. My lying, American boss. And now I had to deal with that—hopefully for a very long time, because I desperately needed this job.

Someone snapped their fingers, and my gaze shot from Célian’s face to Grayson.

His forehead had crumpled into a frown. “You look like you’re trying hard not to cry or having a really intense orgasm. I’m hoping for you that it’s the latter and some kind of a weird-slash-awesome condition. You okay?”

I nodded, scraping up a smile. “Sorry. Zero orgasms happening under this dress. I just zoned out for a second.”Lies. I was about to orgasm just remembering how good Célianhad felt parting my thighs with his big, callused hands and dipping his tongue into my slit.

Then words stopped streaming down on everyone’s heads like a scalding shower, and I realized that indeed there was something worse than hearing Célianspeak in his perfect American English. And that was not hearing him speak at all. Because now the icicles were pointed at me like a cocked gun.

I glanced up to meet his gaze. He stared at me for exactly one second before his focus snapped to Grayson. “Am I understood, Gregory?” he asked.

Gregory?

“Crystal clear, sir,” Grayson bowed, his voice trembling at the edges.

Célian jerked his chin toward me. “Your cover girl material is going downhill.”

God. Damn. Bastard.

He recognized me, and I knew it. His eyes had kindled, melting the ice and growing darker the minute our gazes mingled. He remembered, and maybe it killed him that I was here in the same way it buried me.

I want my iPod back, my gaze told him. I had over three thousand songs on that thing, and they were all too good to be wasted on that jerk.

“Jude Humphry. Junior reporter. It’s her first day,” Grayson highlighted, almost pleadingly. He shifted in my direction, as if he might need to physically protect me from the sharp-tongued, suited monster.

I suppressed a smile when I realized I’d told Célianmy last name was Spears. Well, he certainly wasn’t a Timberlake. He was a Laurent. An American monarch through and through. A billionaire, a powerful force, and judging by our one and only encounter—a raging playboy.

This man was inside you, I internally shrieked. And not just once. His cock was buried so deep in you, you screamed. You can still taste the salty, earthy flavor of his cum.You know he has a freckle on his lower back. You know what sound he makes when he empties inside a woman.

I internally thanked my mind for ruining my panties in public, and nodded. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.” I offered him my hand, my face flushing with embarrassment at my choice of words.

Everyone was looking at us, and there were at least fifty people in the room. Célian—if that was even his name—ignored my outreached hand. Instead, he turned his face to the man beside him. “Mathias, any other words of wisdom?”

Mathias? Wasn’t that his father? Just how cold was the man with the icy blue eyes?

“I think you touched everything,” said the big boss—and he did have a heavy French accent, so at least the lie had a seed. Mathias stared at me placidly, like he could read the secret his son and I shared on my face.

Célian spun toward me, uncuffing his cufflinks and rolling his sleeves up his veiny forearms. “Accounting can go back to their unfortunate line of work. Couture is excused from this meeting—though not forgiven for their horrid blog. Miss Humphry?” He snapped his fingers impatiently.

He was already waltzing down the narrow hallway, knowing I’d chase him like a puppy, and no doubt taking pleasure in that fact.

“I have a bone to pick with you.”

Bone, boner—same difference, right?

I shot Grayson a please-save-my-butt look. His eyes said, I would but I still have a life to live.

I followed Célian down the hall, my Chucks slapping the floor in a hurry. He sliced through the throng of accountants, then stopped at a corner office, opened the door, barked “Out!” to the man inside, and tilted his head for me to go in. I did. He closed the door, and it was just the two of us.

Two feet of empty space between us.

About LJ Shen:

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets people's’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

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REVIEW: Over the Edge by C.D. Reiss

“This series grips you by the throat and refuses to let go—and you’ll be begging for more the entire time.” — Sierra Simone, USA Today Bestselling Author

Over the Edge, the stunning conclusion to the “intensely sexy” and “mind-blowing” Edge Series by New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is available now!

OUR REVIEW:

The newest series by C.D. Reiss is now completed and I made it out alive and mostly mentally intact. The entire series was intense and edgy (sorrynotsorry for the word play) and it was one of the most interesting things I read this summer. But y'all--none of those words I just typed really do this series justice and they especially don't do the last book justice. Over the Edge had me on the edge! With every page I was antsy and worried and amped up just trying to figure out how Greyson and Caden were going to make to the end. As the pages sped by and I got closer to the end, I was DYING--it felt like there was too much that could happen and how in the hell could it all happen in the few remaining pages?! Well, like the interesting writer that she is, Reiss figured it out and made an ending I really hadn't anticipated. She also left a nice gap between the ending and the epilogue that could one day be filled in with some of their story? (fingers crossed. Or maybe Ronin has more story to tell?!!).

If words and novels could be impressionist paintings, that's how I'd describe this final book, maybe. The scenes were impressions and fleeting and yet when you stepped back, you could see a picture forming right before your eyes. SO.INTERESTING. 

I know I'll be thinking about this series for a while, while impatiently waiting for whatever she writes next. 

The epic conclusion to the intense and dark Edge Series.

Limits tested.

Boundaries shifted.

Descend into sanity.

------

This is Caden and Greyson's final story.

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Start the Edge Series today FREE with Cutting Edge!

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About CD Reiss:

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets. Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels. She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood. If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Connect with CD Reiss:

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REVIEW: Confessions: Priest by Ella Frank

Confessions: Priest, book three in the steamy contemporary MMM Confessions Series from Ella Frank, is available NOW!

OUR REVIEW:

Isn't funny how a writer can take a character and develop them from someone who could be problematic, albeit intriguing, into someone who is noble and tender and sweet?! I mean, gah. Priest was so much more than I initially thought (many books ago) and to really get to know him and understand him was a fulfilling journey. 

The third, but not final, novel in the Confessions series was intimate and romantic and funny and ended in a flurry of actions. Now that we know all of the backstories to these characters it'll be interesting to see how, exactly, the get to their forever-ever-after. Hopefully, since they've been through so much, Ella Frank won't give them too hard of a time in their final book. Annnnnd, wouldn't it be interesting if a certain Henri made an appearance :) ?!

I am complex.

My love is all-encompassing.

And when it comes to my heart, there is only one rule:

Don’t mess with what’s mine.

Until the age of seven, I was Joel Alexander Donovan, son of Jimmy.

The man who terrorized a town and made its citizens fear

the very ground he walked on. Including me,

the day I realized that ground ran red with blood.

At age eighteen, I became Priest.

A man without a past.

A man determined to right the wrongs of my father.

A man who never believed anyone could love the son of such a monster.

But then a thief stole my heart.

A sweetheart lit up my world.

And I forgot for a moment you should never turn your back on your enemy.

And thus begins a lesson to those who would seek to harm: Never underestimate what the Priest will do to protect the Princess and the Prick.

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Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

CONFESSION

My name is not Joel Priestley.

My name is Joel Alexander Donovan.

And a long time ago, I was taught that things

aren’t always what they appear to be—and neither are people.

JOEL PRIESTLEY, A.K.A Priest, sat behind the wheel of his Aston Martin with his hands at the ten and two positions and his seatbelt fastened. He’d been sitting like that for the past thirty minutes or so. Ever since he’d pulled the vehicle into its designated parking spot alongside his and Julien’s—his husband’s—black Range Rover. Sinatra had been keeping him company, as Priest tried to block out the phone call he’d made back in his office to Henri. But no matter how loud he played the charismatic crooner, nothing seemed to lessen the impact of Henri’s words and the way they had made Priest’s stomach coil. “Nice to know you can at least follow an order if it’s to keep those you love safe… Be careful; keep an eye out…” And that was what he’d been doing for the past thirty minutes or so. Sitting in his car, with his eyes trained on the rearview and side mirrors, as his paranoia over what used to only exist in the shadows began to slowly creep back out into the light of day. Priest gritted his teeth and reminded himself that Jimmy wasn’t out of prison just yet and likely wouldn’t be for some time. He wasn’t about to appear out of thin air to exact absolution for what he believed was Priest’s biggest crime—abandonment. But that didn’t mean Jimmy hadn’t reached out to the others to find him. To track down the son who had turned his back on his family if, and when, he walked free. Priest cursed and slammed the heel of his palm against the steering wheel, then he reached for the seatbelt’s release, and as it retracted across his chest, he reached up and shoved it off his shoulder where it caught. As it snapped into place, Priest pulled the handle of the door and got out of the car. He needed to get upstairs. To get inside a locked lobby, where a security guard walked the halls, and his condo had a deadbolt on the front door. It was one of the main reasons he’d been interested in Logan’s place to begin with. The additional barriers between him and those he loved—and anyone who may want to hurt them. Julien had already texted to let Priest know he and Robbie arrived home safely. But as of yet, Priest hadn’t heard anything from Robbie, their boyfriend. Not that he’d expected to. The last image Priest had of their princess was an ashen face and betrayal in those usually bright blue eyes, and Christ, Priest wished he could erase that picture from his mind. The three of them had been making such headway lately. They had moved past the getting-to-know-you, comfortable stage of their relationship, and had been thisclose to slipping into that space where the heart and soul of the one whose body you were worshiping was coveted. But that had all changed now. The truth about his father having wiped out any trust he may have built with Robbie, judging by the expression on his face before Priest had left the brewhouse. All the joy, and all the happiness, the closeness the three of them had been reveling in, had been smothered by the dark cloud that descended on them, and Priest had a feeling it was going to take a lot of explaining on his behalf before they could get out from under it—if they ever could. Priest jabbed the button of the garage elevator, and when the doors slid open, he ran his key fob over the panel and hit the floor button. He leaned against the back wall and shut his eyes, and as the elevator ascended, he wondered how he was going to explain all of this to Robbie. He’d only ever had to do it once before. Only ever found one other he deemed important enough to share this side of himself with. And he’d been just as apprehensive, just as sick to his stomach, at the thought of revealing all to Julien, as he was heading up to face Robert Bianchi. Priest walked down the hallway toward their condo like a man heading toward his execution—or the execution of their new relationship—and when he got to the front door, he paused before entering. Scanning the hallway, he looked to his left, where their neighbor lived on the other side of the corridor, before he took a final glance back in the direction he’d come. Once he was satisfied there was no one about, he unlocked the door and headed inside. The first thing he noticed upon entry was how quiet it was. Lately, when he’d arrived home from work, the TV was on and there was the sound of someone doing something or other in the living room or kitchen. But not this afternoon. Right now, the place felt more like a library. The kind of space where you should tiptoe and whisper in case you offended whoever was inside—provided there was someone there to offend in the first place. But that was just his paranoia creeping in again. Of course someone was inside—two someone's, in fact. Julien had told him so, and when Priest stepped out of the short hallway, he spotted his husband immediately. Julien was curled up on the couch with a blanket over his legs and his phone in hand, and the second Priest moved into view, Julien’s legs came out from under him and he got to his feet. He dropped the phone on the cushion beside him, and as the blanket fell from his lap, it crumpled to the soft rug without a sound. Julien rushed around the couch and hurried over to Priest, and when he reached him, Julien took his face between his hands and pressed a hard kiss to his lips. “Mon Dieu, Joel,” Julien said. “I’ve been a mess worrying over you. I’m so glad you’re home.” Priest wound his arms around Julien’s waist, anchoring himself to the man who understood him in ways Priest had never imagined possible. “You don’t know how much I needed to hear that.” Julien trailed his fingers down the scruff on Priest’s cheek and frowned. “Was there really any doubt?” Priest shut his eyes and let Julien soothe him in the way that only he could. His touch, his words, this man’s mere presence—they were all vital to Priest’s survival. Priest let go of Julien’s waist to cover the hand still cradling his cheek. There were so many things he needed to say: “I’m sorry”or “You were right.I should’ve told Robert about this the second I found out.”But right then, all Priest could manage was: “There was no doubt. Not about you. Neverabout you.” Julien’s eyes softened as Priest’s shifted over his husband’s shoulder to the closed door of their bedroom. “Is he still here?” “Oui.” “I…” Priest paused as he searched for the words. “I wasn’t sure that he would be.” “I wasn’t either,” Julien admitted, and when Priest locked eyes with him again, Julien added, “He’s been in there since we got home. Hasn’t said a word.” “That was more than an hour ago.” Julien nodded. “I know. But he made it very clear he wasn’t ready to talk about things yet.” Not knowing what to say to that, Priest put his keys on the coffee table, and Julien placed a hand on his back. “Listen, he’s processing right now. What he found out about Jimmy… It’s a lot, mon amour.” “It’s more than that, Julien. You saw his face when he found out.” “Oui, I did. I also spoke to him in the car on the way home.” “He thinks I lied to him. Doesn’t he?” When Julien didn’t reply, Priest ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck,” he said. “Fuck. I should’ve told him about all of this before he moved in.” “And when should you have done that? At CRUSH? On our first date with him? Or maybe the second, when he had dinner here? I’m surethat would’ve made him feel right at home. There hasn’t been a good opportunity. You know that,” Julien reminded him, and touched his fingers to the sleeve of Priest’s jacket. “He just needs time to—” “No,” Priest said, shaking his head. “Time gives people a chance to distort things. To make them doubt what they once believed. You and I know that better than anyone. I won’t have him doubting this. Doubting us, Julien. Not because of fucking Jimmy. I’m going to go and talk to Robert, and he’s going to listen, and then the three of us are going to sit down and discuss this.” Something flashed in Julien’s expression, but instead of saying what was on his mind, he let go of Priest’s arm and said, “Okay.” Priest narrowed his eyes in question, but Julien remained quiet. So Priest turned on his heel and headed toward their bedroom to track down their boyfriend and try to make things right again.

About Ella

Ella Frank is the USA TodayBestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!” Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.

Connect with Ella:

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REVIEW: Shimmy Bang Sparkle by Nicola Rendell

       

Shimmy Bang Sparkle by Nicola Rendell

Release Date: August 21st Genre: Contemporary Romance

             

OUR REVIEW:

OMG, what do I have to do to get Nicola Rendell to feed me a constant diet of her brand of romantic comedies?! She ALWAYS delivers a great read and makes me insatiable for more. In Shimmy Bang Sparkle, I wasn't quite sure what I was in for because the title was a bit unusual but knowing that I'd love anything she wrote, I went in totally blind...and within a page I was totally hooked. I needed to know more about Nick (my god, his inner monologues were the absolute best and his observations about Stella were hilarious and sweet) and Stella and how these things was going to go down. 

Needless to say, I loved how it all worked out from meeting Stella's friends to hating the Texan and even the OH CRAP! I'm going to die how is this happening point in the book--it was a fun read that has me grinning all these hours later.

Every time I finish a Nicola Rendell novel I'm convinced that that couple is my favorite and Shimmy Bang Sparkle is no different. I adore everything about this sweet and sexy romance and I'm selfishly hoping against hope that her next novel comes out sooner than later. 

AVAILABLE NOW & FREE IN KU!!

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Add To Goodreads:

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BLURB

To catch a thief…or fall for one?

All Nick Norton wants is to stay on the straight and narrow…and never get caught stealing again. Then he lays eyes on her: Stella Peretti—100 percent sexy and absolutely irresistible. Especially when he sees her smooth moves lifting a two-karat diamond. Nick realizes he’s found the sparkling woman of his dreams—one so perfect for him it’s almost criminal.

The Shimmy Shimmy Bangs are master jewel thieves who are planning the heist of the century. And Shimmy leader, Stella, isn’t about to let anyone—even if he is a hunky, tatted-up studmuffin—get in her way. But when two of her girls are put out of commission, Stella realizes that Nick isn’t just a red-hot distraction. He might be the answer to her pilfering prayers.

Now, Nick and Stella are putting everything on the line for one last job. But when two thieves have this much chemistry, it’s only a matter of time before somebody’s heart gets stolen.

     

       

EXCERPT

“Niiiiiiick!” came her voice, more of a growl that an actual word. “Get me out of here. My legs are going numb!” To the bathroom I went, where I was met not only with Stella’s pinch-worthy ass in the window, but also an explosion of towels and makeup, shampoos and lotions, on every flat surface, and all over the floor. Dozens of makeup brushes poked out of an old coffee can by the sink, which was encrusted with jewels like Stella’s phone. Stella had managed to tangle her legs up with toilet paper like the back end of a sloppily wrapped mummy, so I pulled that off her first. She’d also gotten her belt loop hooked over the lock on the window, so I unhooked that too. But I didn’t pull her out quite yet, because her ass was just too hot to ignore. She was still in the same jeans she’d been wearing last night, and I took the chance to run my hand up the back of one thigh. I leaned down, and gave her a kiss on the small of her back. Her body went limp in the window, and she let out a moan. Once I’d had my fix, I hooked my arm underneath her hips and gave her a tug. I absolutely loved the way her skin felt next to mine, especially like this, when she was way too out of her element to feel self-conscious. The muscles of her stomach weren’t flexed, and I felt the soft curves and lines like she hadn’t let me feel them before. The narrow strip of skin where her T-shirt had ridden up made all those cliché terms make sense. Soft as silk. Sweet as cream. Fucking heaven.

       

       

About the Author

Bestselling author Nicola Rendell loves writing naughty romantic comedies. After receiving a handful of degrees from a handful of places, she now works as a professor in New England. Nicola’s work has been featured in USA Today’s Happy Ever After and the Huffington Post. She loves to cook, sew, and play the piano. Her hobbies might make her sound like an old lady, but she’s totally okay with that. She is represented by Emily Sylvan Kim at the Prospect Agency.

       

Connect with Nicola

Website: http://nicolarendell.com

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nicola-Rendell/e/B01JCVXOAU/

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REVIEW: Bring Down the Stars by Emma Scott

 

  

OUR REVIEW:

I knew going into this novel I’d be in the throes of allll the emotions, and I was right. What I forgot I knew was that Emma Scott is so freaking multi-talented. I knew her writing always left me feeling ...well, just feeling, but I think I forgot how she can write anything. She can write anything, y’all. 

Bring Down the Stars covers a large span of time and friendship. It shows the power of the true love of friendship and what friends will do for each other, without a blink of an eye. Conner and Wes have a connection that seems at once simple and yet so complex. One gives, the other gives, and what they each get in return sustains them and fills them with what they needed—at crucial times in their lives. It’s their absolute devotion to each other that helped me get through a love and unrequited love that was so filled with yearning and confusion and complications that I ached for all involved. I wanted to blame or be mad or take a side or ...something when it came to Conner and Autumn and Wes but because of the way these characters were created, I got why things happened the way it did—and while I definitely had a wish for all those involved, I also wanted them to all walk away friends at the end. 

As of now, I have some hopes but no idea how they're going to make it through. Especially Autumn. She’s going to have a tough road ahead. I can only imagine how emotional the next book is going to be. 

Jesus take the wheel because I don’t think I’m going to be okay for a vast majority of that book!

I absolutely know that this book, this take on Roxanne and Cyrano de Bergerac, will be one of my top favorites for the year. It spoke to my poet’s heart. It filled me with a yearning and heartache that few writers do—it was absolutely perfect and sad and has me looking forward to the journey the last book will put me through. 

BUY IT ON AMAZON.

I fell for Connor Drake. I didn’t want to; I fought against it, but I fell in love with him anyway. With his words. With his poetry. With him. The gentleness and beauty of his soul that speaks directly to mine. He writes as if he can feel my heart, hear its cadence and compose the exact right lyrics to accompany every beat and flow. I’m in love with Connor…so why do I feel an inexplicable pull to his best friend, Weston? Grouchy, sullen, brooding Weston Turner, who could cut you down with a look. Fiercely intelligent with a razor sharp wit and acid tongue, he’s the exact opposite of Connor in every way, and yet there’s electricity in the air between us. The thorny barbs Weston wraps around himself can’t keep me away. But the more time I spend with these men, the more tangled and confused my emotions become. When they both sign up for the Army Reserves during a time of increasing strife in the Middle East, I fear I’ll never unravel my own heart that sometimes feels as if it will tear straight down the middle…for both of them. ********** Bring Down the Stars is an emotional, angst-filled novel of unrequited love by bestselling author, Emma Scott, and is inspired by the classic tale, Cyrano de Bergerac. (Roxanne) It is Book I in the Beautiful Hearts Duet, coming this summer. Book II, Long Live the Beautiful Hearts, to be released a few weeks later. #lovetriangle #confusedhearts #notamenage  

           EXCERPT:

Later that night, Connor lay sprawled on the couch with SportsCenter blaring, scrolling his phone. I sat at the kitchen table, tapping my pen against an empty page in my notebook and contemplating running as my Object of Devotion. I couldn’t muster the blood and guts to put it to paper. I liked running. It served a purpose, but did I want to make it my life?

“Oh shit,” Connor cried from behind me.

“What is it?”

“I accidentally texted her.”

“Who?” I said, knowing damn well who.

“Autumn. I was fucking messing around and I hit that stupid predictive text thing, then panicked and hit send.”

“So what?”

“I don’t text or call a girl until at least three days have passed.”

I set down my pen and turned around. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. It looks desperate to text her the same day.”

I hid a smile. “What did you text?”

“Just ‘yes’.” His eyes widened. “Shit. She’s texting me back.”

Connor jumped up from the couch and came to where I sat, standing next to my chair as we both watched his phone.

Yes…? J

Connor typed, Hey.

I smirked. “Really?”

“Yeah, so?”

A pause, then a new text bubbled up. What’s up?

“Now she’s annoyed,” I said. “Or impatient.”

Connor looked to me. “What do I say?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“You’re good at this shit. How many papers did you write for me at Sinclair?”

“This is not the same thing.”

“Ballpark.” Connor made a face. “Dude, she’s waiting.”

I frowned, thought for a moment. “Tell her the truth.”

“Hell no—”

“Tell her the truth but make it better. Tell her you were messing with your phone while thinking about her. Tell her that you wanted to talk to her so badly, your subconscious made it happen.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Connor’s fingers flew, and then he hit send.

There was a pause and no answer.

Connor frowned. “What’s this mean?”

“It’s good. I mean she’s thinking about what you said.”

The rolling dots of Autumn’s reply came in.

The old ‘accidental text’ move? I feel like I’ve seen that before…;-)

“She’s not letting you off the hook so easily,” I said, smiling despite myself. “Don’t deny. Tell her she’s one hundred percent right. You’ll make any excuse to talk to her.”

“That’s perfect, man.”

Connor typed and hit send.

I like your honesty, came the reply.

“Hey, it’s working.” Connor beamed. “Now what?”

It was working, and I didn’t like what it was.

“I don’t know, man,” I said, waving a hand. “Type something. Whatever you’re thinking.”

“I want her to go out with me.”

“Then ask.”

With a horrible fascination, I watched Connor type, So, dinner?

“Jesus, dude,” I said.

“What? That’s exactly what you told me to do.”

“Not like that,” I said. “I told you she needs romance.”

I don’t know, she wrote. I have so much work to do already.

“Fuck,” Connor said. He nudged me with his phone. “Wes, man, you do it.”

I blinked. “Do what now?”

“Ask her out for me. The right way.”

I stared.

“Look, this girl is special. I’m not too proud to admit I need back-up getting things rolling with her.” He grinned that winning smile. “C’mon. Just this once.”

“But…”

Connor shoved his phone into my hand. “Come on, man. Do what you do. Write something witty and poetic. Something that’ll impress her enough to get me another text. Another…anything.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Write something that knocks her on her ass and gets me in the door. That’s all I ask.”

I looked at Connor's phone in my hand and Autumn Caldwell’s text, waiting for an answer. I felt my best friend’s expectations literally breathing down my neck as he leaned over me.

Ignoring the small ache in my heart, I thought about what I would’ve said to Autumn had it been my phone in my hand, and began to type.

    

 

Emma Scott is a bestselling author of emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy thoughtful, realistic stories with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy my novels. NEWSLETTER | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK READER GROUP | AMAZON PAGE

COVER REVEAL+ GIVEAWAY: Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Block Shot, a standalone enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance from Kennedy Ryan is coming September 10th!

Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publishing Date: September 10th, 2018

Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs

Photographer: Nikki Ormerod

Model: Arsenii Savitckii

JARED

If I had a dollar for every time Banner Morales made my heart skip a beat...

The heart everyone assumes is frozen over.

Her anger is...arousing.

Every glare from those fire-spitting eyes, every time she grits her teeth,

gets me...well, you know.

If I had a dollar for every time she's put me in my place, I'd be an even richer man.

I'm a successful sports agent because I assume "no" means you'll think about it.

I'm sure what you meant to say is "Coming right up.”

They say even rich men don't always get what they want,

but those men don't know how to play the game. The trick is to keep them guessing.

Take Banner. She assumes she's winning, but this game?

She doesn't even know how to play.

BANNER

If I had a dollar for every time Jared Foster broke my heart, I’d have exactly one dollar.

One night. One epic fail. One dollar...and I'm out.

I've moved on.

I’ve found success in a field ruled by men.

Anything they can do, I have done better.

They can keep the field while I call the shots, blocking them when I have to.

And Jared has the nerve to think he gets a second chance?

Boy, please. Go sit down. Have several seats.

I'll just be over here ignoring the man carved from my fantasies with a lust-tipped chisel.

Oh, I didn't say the struggle wasn't real.

But I've got that one dollar, and Jared won't have me.

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Enter the Giveaway!

($50 Gift Card + Signed BLOCK SHOT Paperback):

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About Kennedy

A Top 30 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes about women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine and Frolic, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta Autism families, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.

Connect with Kennedy

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REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid

Dr. Strange Beard, an all-new standalone in the bestselling, romantic comedy Winston Brothers Series by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Penny Reid, is available NOW!

OUR REVIEW:

I love the Green Valley universe that Penny Reid created and so reading about Roscoe and Simone's love story was something I've been looking forward to--and it lived up to my hopes. Dr. Strange Beard had everything I look for in her novels: smart, funny, sexy reads.

Interestingly, I fell instantly in love with Simone and didn't really connect with Roscoe as quickly. Then, at some point I had the heart-eyes for Roscoe and found myself aggravated with Simone. These two were so interesting and quirky and just so much fun to read. Simone and her nerdisms and Roscoe and his memory (I have no idea how THAT be to live in all the time!) and their stubborn natures had me smiling and shaking my head and the build up to their ohcrap! moment and the HEA--and that last part had me alllll up in my feelings.

Additionally, having Cletus (my all time fave) continue to show up and be so ornery?!!! IT.WAS.THE.BEST. So were Simone's family (and I'm so glad we'll be seeing more of them). And the Billy storyline. So many interesting things going on in this novel has me eager to see who's next in this family.

Grab this second chance at romance + romantic comedy, with a side of deep feels and you've got yourself days worth of good reading! 

Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.

Download your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2KqqV41

iBooks: https://apple.co/2twGVeA

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Excerpt:

“Simone, this is not one of our adventures from when we were kids. This is not finding Blithe Tanner’s cat. These men are murderers, drug dealers, thieves.” “I know.” Boy oh boy, did I know. I didn’t want to be here anymore than he did. I was frightened. Yet allowing Roscoe to be taken on his own hadn’t been an option. “I can handle myself, and I can provide backup for you, if you need it.” Roscoe gripped my shoulders. “Nothing can happen to you, do you understand?” His words were emphatic, his gaze disoriented, desolate, frantic. “If anything happens to you, I’ll . . .” He swallowed, apparently unable to finish the sentence. My heart twisted to see him like this. I wished there were some way to show him what I could do, what I was capable of, so he would stop seeing me as a liability. Well, why can’t you? “Huh.” Now there was a thought. Stepping out of his grip, I walked backward to the other side of the room and took a deep breath. “Okay. Come at me.” He blinked. “What?” “I want you to come at me.” “Simone,” he seethed. “Come at me, bro.” I did that little movement with my fingers, my palm turned upwards. “Come at me or I’ll start singing again.” “I’m not doing this.” “Fine.”Frustrating. “I’ll come at you.” He stood there, features set, looking raw. Moving quickly forward, staying light on my feet, I faked right and then went left, hooking him behind the back of his leg, catching his arm to twist behind his back, and sending him to the ground—face-first—with a thud. I winced as he grunted, my knee at the base of his spine, his arm restrained behind his back. “Sorry! But you wouldn’t listen to me.” Leaning forward, I whispered in his ear, “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Roscoe’s back and shoulders rose and fell with an expansive breath, like he was about to respond, but in the next moment he’d spun his legs to the right, leveraged my knee on his back to throw me off-balance, and slipped his wrist from my hold. In my defense, my grip had been lax as I was purposefully trying not to injure him. The next thing I knew, Roscoe had me pinned to the ground, air knocked out of me, him hovering above, and my gun digging into my ribs beneath my shirt. He’d been careful to subdue my legs, likely so he wouldn’t end up with a bruised ballsack. His stare more probing than angry—which I took as a good sign—he said, “I didn’t teach you that. Where’d you learn that?” Even though I was still coughing, I smiled and rasped, “Since college, take judo.” He nodded faintly, his eyes moving between mine, looking concerned. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” “No.” Endeavoring to catch my breath, I said, “I took it easy on you because I didn’t want to hurt you either, but I’m an asset, not a liability.” “You’re definitely an asset.” Roscoe frowned, his gaze dropping to my mouth. “And a distraction,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m a distraction?” I asked, my words still breathy. I bucked, but he held me fast. “Yes. . .” His stare turned inward. “You are most definitely a distraction.” Even though I’d had plenty of time to recover and we’d been holding still for close to a minute, I was still breathing hard. This might have been because of my lingering irritation. Or, maybe it was because the length of Roscoe’s lean body was lying on mine. He held my hands on either side of my head, our faces even, his mouth just inches away. Was it insane that I hoped he kissed me? Yes? No? Let’s go with no. He gave me his eyes again and I saw something there, a battle. He looked undecided, at war with himself, straining against something I couldn’t see. “Roscoe?” I whispered. Roscoe closed his eyes, and I thought he was going to let me go, but in the next second his lips descended, capturing my mouth in a tender kiss. I moaned. I kissed him back. That’s what one does when Roscoe Winston kisses one. Moan and kiss. Repeat. Because not doing so would be a travesty. His hold on my hands slacked, his fingers seeking and threading with mine. He settled his hips between my legs, his form relaxing. The weight of him was different now, warmer somehow. At least I felt warm. I also felt cherished as his tongue sought mine, again tenderly, stroking, causing my abdomen to twist and tighten into delicious knots. He broke the kiss and a protest died on my lips as his mouth trailed down my jaw to the sensitive skin of my neck, sucking, licking, savoring me. What had felt warm and cherishing heated, and my hips tilted reflexively as he nibbled on my ear, cradling his rapidly growing erection. We both gasped as his hips rocked in an answering yet inelegant movement. It felt perfect and essential in the moment. “Oh God.” His hot breath spilled against my jaw, a ragged sigh. “What are we doing?” “I don’t know, but don’t stop.”

Enter the Giveaway!

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Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny:

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

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Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

www.pennyreid.ninja

REVIEW: Trick Play by Max Monroe

OUR REVIEW:

I freaking love this series of books. Each one has me laughing and swooning and devouring it within hours (kinda feel bad about inhaling it when I know it took hours and days and weeks and months?) I can’t help it, once I start I cannot for the life of me stop.

Trick Play features Lana (aka Trixie) an undercover detective working a case in a strip club, and Cam Mitchell—my new book bf and player on the Mavericks. These two together were so much fun to read. Lots of sweetness coming from Cam and snark coming from Lana and their chemistry?!!! Gahhh. Sexy. Throw in my constant worry about Lana’s cover being blown and her deceptions and I was allll in until I hit The End. I loved them and their families so much I’d love to see some bonus scenes of them all ribbing each other.

I’m excited to read more about Mr. Landry and I am hoping there are a zillion more of these players who need stories becaus I cannot get enough!

BUY IT:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2BeuYjS
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_auk
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_aau
Amazon CA: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_aca
iBooks: https://apple.co/2DDdV8w
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2DJ21NH
Nook: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_Nook
GP: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_GP
Paperback Amazon: http://bit.ly/TrickPlay_anpaper

Blurb: 

Booze, women, and brotherhood—that’s what my good friend Quinn’s bachelor party should have been.

Booze, one mysterious raven-haired woman, and an arrest—that’s what it was.

As Cam Mitchell, a New York Maverick and one of the best tight ends in the professional football league, my to-do list should be pretty simple.

Play ball.

Get laid.

Have fun.

But after one hour with a stripper named Trixie, that list of mine has shifted dramatically.

Tell Quinn to call my lawyer.

And, for the love of God, don’t get fired from the Mavericks.

I swear, I tried to make it stop there.

But one tiny thing keeps finding its way to the very top…

Find out more about the dark-haired beauty with the big blue eyes and make her mine.

Too bad it’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that.

How do you fall in love with a woman whose real name you don’t know?

Well, ladies and gentlemen…I’m about to find out.

Disclaimer: 

*Television and film producers have been contacting us anxiously in anticipation of buying the rights for Trick Play: The Screenplay. We're not sure how they got the script, or even the original book manuscript, but we expect a vicious bidding war to ensue shortly.

**There are currently no talks for the distribution of Trick Play for the big screen. But after seeing how good we are on camera, we're certain they'll be contacting us shortly. We're also sure they'll try to cast us as actors.

***There's no way they'll cast us as actors.

****We're far too important* to the production process.

*****Important*= Detrimental

******We can't believe you read this many disclaimers. Thank you for your loyalty.

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY (goes live 8/14 at 8am EST): https://goo.gl/739dwL

TRICK PLAY SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: https://goo.gl/Nf4T8A