Friday, December 28, 2018

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Release Blitz for Right Where I Want You




Title: Right Where I Want You
Author: Jessica Hawkins
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 28, 2018



Blurb

There’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and it cuts right through the middle of their office.

Bad boys? They run right over good girls like Georgina Keller.

But after a confidence-shattering breakup, she’s determined not to let anyone at her new workplace push her around—least of all the brooding creative director, a “bad boy of publishing” who’s made it clear she’s enemy #1.

Sebastian Quinn's taste for fast cars, late nights, and beautiful women may have gotten him to the top of a leading New York magazine, but the reputation that made him is suddenly threatening to end his career.

Georgina can help Modern Man shed its bad reputation, but in order to do that, she’ll have to start at the top—and no amount of rakish charm or inconvenient attraction will distract her.

Because if Sebastian gets her right where he wants her, it means she’s going down.






Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






Playlist



Excerpt

At the stadium’s concession stand, I took a tall stool, putting Georgina and I at eye level since she stood. “So, why didn’t you kiss François?” I asked. “Bad breath?”
She gasped into her hand. “My breath is fine.”
“I meant his. I’m sure yours is pure relish on a hotdog.”
She made a face. “Gross.”
“I happen to love relish,” I said. “But does François?”
Each time I said François with flourish, she flinched. I didn’t care. Something about him bugged me—I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
“We didn’t kiss because you interrupted us,” she pointed out.
“So? If I were in his position, and we both wanted that kiss, I wouldn’t let anyone stop me.”
Frank and I are clicking,” she said, scowling. “There was even mention of spending time at his summerhouse.”
“Hamptons?”
She coughed into her fist. “Boca Raton.”
The idea of Georgina spending a summer with him in Boca Raton was tragic enough that I almost smiled. I got the sense she was playing up the date. If it was so great, why wasn’t she sitting here with him? And why was I more relieved than smug about that? “Meanwhile, Justin and I will be clamming in Montauk.”
“You two should really just make it official and announce your love to the world.”
“But then I wouldn’t get to flirt with pretty girls.”
“For someone who pretends to have as much game as you,” she said, “I still haven’t seen you successfully flirt with any girls since I’ve known you.”
I smirked. “How do you know I’m not flirting with you right now?”






Author Bio

Jessica Hawkins is a USA Today bestselling author known for her "emotionally gripping" and "off-the-charts hot" romance. Dubbed "queen of angst" by both peers and readers for her smart and provocative work, she's garnered a cult-like following of fans who love to be torn apart...and put back together.

She writes romance both at home in New York and around the world, a coffee shop traveler who bounces from café to café with just a laptop, headphones, and coffee cup. She loves to keep in close touch with her readers, mostly via Facebook, Instagram, and her mailing list.



Author Links

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Check out the Grande Finale for Northern Deception and Enter the amazing Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for
Northern Deception
By Laurie Wood

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

I’m thrilled to bring you my first book from Anaiah Press: “Northern Deception: Heroes of the Tundra, Book One”. I’ve dreamed of writing Canadian stories and Anaiah Press made my dream a reality. Northern Deception takes place in Churchill, Manitoba which is aptly called the “Polar Bear Capitol of the World”. Canada has more to offer than ice, snow and polar bears but I wanted to catch an editor’s eye with our well-known Canadian icon, and I did!...


"The thrilling ride that is Northern Deception captures readers from the first word and keeps them riveted throughout the remainder of the story. Non-stop action, stunning twists and chilling suspense (quite literally) combine seamlessly with a sweet second-chance romance and poignant reflections on faith. Wood has skillfully created layered characters and a vivid setting, and I look forward to more books from her in the near future!"

Mythical Books - Excerpt

Kira Summers shivered as she stood beside her brother’s open grave. Winnipeg Memorial Cemetery stood bleak and empty. The November sky churned with rain clouds as purple as bruises.

Her fingers trembled on the handle of her black umbrella. Sleety snow swirled across the grass and lashed around her ankles in her short dress boots. Kira’s pulse roared in her ears, and for a split second she swayed, feeling light-headed. She stifled her sobs with a tissue.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“Oh,” she gasped. Her heart thrummed against her chest. She didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind her.


"I absolutely love this intense and truly romantic story. The story line is fantastic. Once I started to read I couldn't put it down. . . . I highly recommend this book!"

E-Romance News - Excerpt

A van screeched up beside her driver’s door, sliding sideways onto the grass as it came to a stop. She glimpsed a male driver with sunglasses and a ball cap just before her door was thrown open by another man.

“Out, out, out!”

The man wore a navy blue ski mask. He grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her halfway out of the car. Muscle memory allowed her to shove her right palm hard against his nose. It gave a satisfying crunch even as he pulled her from the safety of the driver’s seat. He clasped her arms like a vise, but she kicked hard and felt the solid heels of her boots connecting with his shins.


"I enjoyed the fact that the readers were brought immediately into the action, and it is great that realism is seen from page one and following. Sometimes these romance stories have little real conflict and they follow the same, exact formula. The author departed from the formula and added her own special touches thus making this book truly her own."

Wishful Endings - Guest Post

Interview with Character Ruby Gallagher

AUTHOR: Hello, Ruby thanks for taking the time to speak to us today. I guess you know plenty about Churchill, Manitoba, and Kira Summers and Lukas Tanner.

RUBY: Hi, thanks for having me. I was born in Churchill and I met my husband Rob when he came here as a commercial pilot in the early ’70’s. We bought a bakery on the main street and built on to it until we made it into a Café and a store for essentials like cold weather clothing and tourist gifts...

Remembrancy - Review

"Debut author Laurie Wood transports readers to the barren and dangerous Canadian tundra while delivering a story that doesn’t let up from the first page to the final one. . . . Great character development, intense action, and the unique setting make Northern Deception a debut you don’t want to miss."


"Ahhh … this was a great book. Mystery! Suspense! Dogsleds! Canadian spelling! LOL. . . . a fast-paced read that I’d happily revisit. I especially enjoyed the medical components, working in that industry myself, as well as the Canadian setting."

Colorimetry - Guest Post

The Story Behind The Story

To be honest, I decided to set my romantic suspense in a small sub-arctic Canadian town because polar bears are such a Canadian icon. And I had fun delving in to the research about Churchill, Manitoba, researching polar bears and the conservation efforts preserving their species...


"I loved Northern Deception! . . . The characters in this book are ones you’ll fall in love with….Kira, Lukas, Ruby, Sophie….even the minor characters are great…well not the bad guys. But, you probably won’t be able to figure out who the bad guys are…at least not all of them…until close to the end. . . . You won’t want to put it down once you start! I give this five big stars!"

Uplifting Reads - Guest Post

Kira Summer’s Fun Polar Bear Facts:

I love doing research and learning about polar bears was no exception. Some of these facts made it in to the book and some didn’t:

- Canada is home to about 15,000 polar bears
- Adult males weigh 772-1,543 lbs and measure 7ft 10in–9ft 10 in in total length...


Recurring Themes

NORTHERN DECEPTION is my first published novel but I’ve written three others which will never “see the light of day”, as the cliché goes. The recurring theme of what I write is loss and forgiveness and every novel has dealt with it in various ways. NORTHERN DECEPTION is no different.

Splashes of Joy - Review

"There is quite a bit of action going on here, several twists to the story that will have you wondering what is going on and the question of whodunnit! And you might just be surprised just who is behind all of the suspense! This debut novel is sure worth your read. Pick up this new thriller from new author Laurie Wood and have a seat for a few hours of thrills and chills!"

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...

Northern Deception
(Heroes of the Tundra #1)
By Laurie Wood
Inspirational Romantic Suspense
ebook, 170 Pages
December 4th 2018 by Anaiah Press

Reunions can be deadly.

After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.

Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.


About the Author


Laurie Wood has followed her RCAF serving husband across Canada, raising their two special needs children to adulthood, and "keeping the home fires burning" while she began her writing career. She's a member of Romance Writers of America, where she's finalled in several prestigious contests, as well as American Christian Fiction Writers. She writes romantic suspense and historical novels.

Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive a 100 page hardcover Journal + matching pen, magnetic bookmarks, wooden Christmas ornament, and Abalone and Silver Polar Bear necklace, ebook of NORTHERN DECEIPTION. (NOTE: wooden box holding up bookmarks and ornament pictured is NOT included.)
Open to US and Canada
Ends December 12, 2018

Grab Our Button!

Check out Wicked Origins! A YA Reverse-Harem Fantasy Retelling of L. Frank Baum’s original Oz tales

Wicked Origins by Paula Black I have no idea what’s happening to me. When a tornado dropped my car in a land of short, wild people, I was shocked. With no way to get home, no idea where I was and no clue how to communicate with the muchkins, I was completely out of luck. Then I found out that my car had landed on someone and killed them. Supposedly she was the Wicked Witch of the East. If that wasn’t bad enough, now her ruby slippers magically appear on my feet, and slowly, I’m becoming her. Now I need to get to Emerald City and see the Wizard if I want to stop the transformation and return home. But the yellow brick road is no cake-walk, and I don’t know what I’ll find at the end of this journey. Luckily, I have three brothers I meet along the way to help me on my journey. Each of them is vying for my affection, as if it doesn’t matter that my skin is turning green. Wicked Origins is a modern YA Reverse-Harem Fantasy Retelling of L. Frank Baum’s original Oz tales.
Buy on Amazon 
Available in Kindle Unlimited  
Paula Black is a USA Today Bestselling Author who wears many hats - and none of them is a night cap. Running on tea, Kpop, and sheer adrenaline, she battles monsters and witches with little to no sleep. She is the sleepy panda who loves to cuddle with boys, dogs, cats, and other pets. If you want to know her other identities or when she will release the next book in series, subscribe to her mailing list: http://subscribepage.com/paulablack

Monday, December 10, 2018

Check out Song of Sacrifice. What a beautiful Cover!


Song of Sacrifice
Janell Rhiannon
(Homeric Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: December 26th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical
The heart of the Trojan War belongs to the women.
Mothers and daughters; wives and war prizes, whisper to us across time…
…remember our songs alongside the mighty men of myth.

As the Age of Heroes wanes, the gods gamble more fiercely with mortals’ lives than they ever have before. Women must rely on their inner strength and cunning to survive the wars men wage for gold and glory.
Clytemnestra of Mycenae struggles for control of her life after Agamemnon ruthlessly rips it apart. Leda of Sparta survives a brutal assault by Zeus, shouldering a terrible secret in silence. Penelope raises Ithaka’s sole heir alone, praying for Odysseus’ swift return. Thetis, the sea nymph, despairs of her son’s destiny and resorts to forbidden magic to save him. Hecuba of Troy mourns the loss of her second son to a dark prophesy. And Shavash of Pedasus prepares her daughter to marry the greatest warrior who ever lived.
In a world where love leads to war and duty leads to destruction, the iron hearts of heroines will conquer all.
Sing, Muse, sing their song of sacrifice…
Replaces Song of Princes as the first book in the Homeric Chronicles.
EXCERPT:
LYRNESSUS
THRITY FOUR, Briseis and Mynes
1262 BCE
“YOUR KINGDOM SOMEDAY, little one.” Briseis rested her hands beneath her round belly, as the child stretched against her ribs. Leaning to the side, she attempted to avoid the uncomfortable tightness building at her lower back. The ache eased and she breathed easy again. Standing from the reclining couch, Briseis walked to the balcony overlooking Lyrnessus’ fields. If she squint her eyes, she could just make out the pale blue of the horizon across the Bay of Edremit. Much farther to the north, she knew Troy stood as the shining citadel of the East. “In another time, that would’ve been yours. I’d thought it mine, before―” Another pain doubled her and she gripped the banister. “By the balls of Zeus! What’s happening?”
Your daughter seeks the light …
Briseis looked around the chamber. “Who’s there?”
Have no fear, daughter, I am with you.
Another pain, this time much sharper and stronger, ripped across her belly and a gush of bloody water splashed at her feet. “Bree! Come quickly! Bree!”
The princess’ chamber door flew open, as the maid servant took in the scene before her. “My lady! By the gods, it’s your time!”
Briseis’ eyes widened in fear. “So soon? I’m not ready. I have―” Her knees buckled.
“My lady!” Bree swept to Briseis’ side, lifting the princess to her feet, half carrying her to the chamber bed.
“The pain. By the … balls of … Zeus. I.can.scarce.breathe.”
There is glory in your pain, Briseis.
“Bree, who else is here?”
“No one, yet,” she said, tucking a sheet about the princess. Bree ran to the door, yelling down the cavernous hall for the midwife. Within moments a gaggle of women flew through the door clucking about the impending royal birth.
Briseis’ scream startled them all. The midwife was at the princess’ side in the blink of an eye, pulling back the privacy sheet. Her hands firmly palpated Briseis’ belly. Without a word, she pushed Briseis’ thighs apart. Her eyes widened.
“What’s wrong?” Briseis asked, tears spilling down her hot cheeks.
The midwife pressed her lips together in a grim line. “My lady, this will be a difficult birth. I must put my hand inside of you to confirm my suspicions.”
“Do it!” Briseis screamed as another pain wracked her body. She groaned in agony as the midwife’s hand pressed into her. “By the gods …”
Bree pressed a cool cloth to her lady’s forehead and cheek.
“The child is breech,” the midwife pronounced, wiping her hands on a towel. A hush settled around the chamber. They all knew it was likely a death sentence to mother, child, or both.
Briseis wept. “No. No. By the gods, no!” Another pain tore through her.
Bree dipped the cooling cloth in the water basin again. “Can nothing be done? Can you save Princess Briseis?”
Briseis rolled back against the cushions. “Save my child, please.”
If that is your wish …
Yes, save my child. “Save my child. Take me instead.”
Bree’s face whitened. “What’s she saying?”
The midwife answered, “What all women say, when faced with such a choice.”
A dusty swirl of air blew into the chamber, snuffing out the oil lamps. The women froze, as a tall, glittering woman emerged from the small storm. Her gown flashed silver and gold. They fell to their knees, heads bowed, the goddess’ name on their lips … Eleithyia.
The goddess glided to Briseis’ side, stars blinking along the hem of her gown as she moved. She reached out a pale, cool hand to Briseis’ forehead. “Calm yourself, daughter. I’m here.”
Briseis smiled weakly. “Gratitude, Goddess.”
Eleithyia signaled to Bree. “You appear a strong maid. Help me set her onto her knees and place her hands on your shoulders.” She looked to the midwife. “Watch. Learn.”
The midwife nodded, as Briseis was placed into position.
The goddess moved her hands on either side of Briseis’ hard belly, running her palms flat against the lower abdomen. “Now, push your daughter to the light. Push like a warrior afield. Push for your life and for hers.”
Briseis cried out in agony, her limbs shaking with effort. Blood spilled as the child’s buttocks crowned.
“Hold your lady tightly.” Eleithyia’s voice was steady, as her hands worked calmly. Gently, she pulled each leg to length. “Push, Briseis.” The goddess, holding the babe with both hands, slightly turned the torso, releasing a shoulder blade and freeing the arm. Then, repeated the same for the other arm. The women gasped as the child hung half-suspended, face down, from Briseis’ body. Eleithyia positioned one hand on the baby’s chest, while the fingers of her other hand cradled the neck and head. “One last push, Briseis. Victory is yours with this battle.”
Briseis’ fingers dug into Bree’s shoulders. She screamed with her final effort, as the goddess guided the slippery child to the light. The princess collapsed against her maid, weeping with her exertions and aching body. Gently, Bree lay Briseis down.
Eleithyia handed the limp newborn to the midwife. “Rub the baby with clean linen, until she cries.” Turning to Briseis, she said, “You’ve won this battle, but you’ll lose the war.”
“What do you mean? What war?”
The goddess stood to her full height, sparkling in the dimly lit room. “The one inside of your heart, daughter.” With the ominous words still hanging in the air, Eleithyia’s image shimmered to nothing.
The midwife stared at the spot the goddess had stood. “By all that is sacred, I never thought in all my days to witness this. Blessed be our princess and her child.”
“Bring me my daughter,” Briseis said, proudly. Once the weight of her baby was settled in her arms, she smiled and joyful tears filled her eyes. “Phila, for love conquers all.”


Author Bio:
In graduate school, Janell focused on the ancient history of Greece and Rome. Hooked by the “sword and sandal” world, she studied everything she could about mythology and Alexander the Great.
The Homeric Chronicles series is dedicated to merging dozens of Greek myths, including Homer’s epics, with plays, history, and archaeology. Her intent is to raise the heroines’ voices equally alongside the heroes, opening up a traditionally male focused genre to a female audience.
She lives in CA and enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren. She has a pack of two big dogs and two cats.

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Sunday, December 9, 2018

Check out This series and enter and amazing Giveaway


The Purple Haze (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters Book 1) Being a princess is hard. Especially when you're just a little OCD. And your twin goes missing. Sure, Princess Eloise is Future Ruler and Heir to the Western Lands and All That Really Matters. And yes, her life is structured by Protocol and full of little "habits" that help her get through the day. But none of that matters when her twin sister disappears. Eloise has to suck it up to try and get her back. She sets out with her champion (a nervous, yammering chipmunk), her guard (the human incarnation of rectitude), and two horses (one an equine perfection, the other on a vow of silence). Like a kind of fantasy-world Gilligan's Island meets Discworld, a quick little two-day jaunt turns into traipsing across realms. sniffing out a trail that is getting colder by the minute. The Purple Haze is a humorous novel set in a world of weak magic, talking animals, and wäÿ töö mänÿ ümläüts. If you like quirky, clever characters, lively dialog, and fun, ripping yarns, then you'll love this fabulous debut novel from Andrew Einspruch.
Get The Purple Haze today and dive into the freshest fantasy series in years. ON Sale for $.99 

The Star of Whatever (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters Book 2)
The slightly OCD princess was doing just fine, thanks. Then she got thrown to her death. That might have put a crimp in things. Princess Eloise, Future Ruler and Heir to the Western Lands and All That Really Matters, swallowed back her "habits" and went after her missing twin sister. She found her. Awesome! And then they both got chucked into the mysterious, magical, deadly Purple Haze. Less awesome! While her champion (a nervous, yammering chipmunk) and her guard (the human incarnation of rectitude) rot in prison and her two horses desperately try to find some way to help, Eloise and her sister go deeper into the Purple Haze to discover the source of the inner tug they both feel. The Star of Whatever (book two of The Western Lands and All That Really Matters series) is a humorous, Discworld-ish novel set in a world of weak magic, talking animals, and wäÿ töö mänÿ ümläüts. If you like quirky, clever characters, lively dialog, and fun, ripping yarns, then you'll love this fabulous second novel from Andrew Einspruch. Get The Star of Whatever today, and dive into the freshest fantasy series in years. Get this new release on Amazon also available in Kindle Unlimited
Andrew Einspruch is the author of the humorous YA fantasy series The Western Lands and All That Really Matters. He's also had more than 120 children's books published, both fiction and non-fiction, that have sold around the world. Starting with the four-book "Dunkin' Dazza" series in the 1990s, Andrew's work has covered everything from basketball to DNA, biographies to histories to mysteries, outback heroes to Christmas Island red crabs, and from how the rides work at amusement parks to how the Australian Government works (perhaps the greatest mystery of all). Andrew is the co-founder of the not-for-profit charity the Deep Peace Trust, which fosters deep peace for all species. Based in rural New South Wales, Andrew, Billie and their adult daughter Tamsin run the Trust's A Place of Peace, one of Australia's largest farm animal sanctuaries. The cows, sheep, horses, goats, dogs, cats, and geese, as well as local wildlife including kangaroos, wombats, and cockatoos, are a constant source of inspiration. If you ask, he'll deny he ever programmed in COBOL for a bank. Enter to win a set of The Western Lands and All That Really Matters Series in print. A great gift for any child in your life. Fill out the form to enter

Check out Days of Fantasy for Christmas

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Launch for
Days of Fantasy for Christmas

We're excited to be sharing books from 13 fantasy authors with you this holiday season! Each
day different author and book or series will be featured. There is also a fabulous giveaway!
If you love reading fantasy, or are looking for a gift for someone who does, join us on this tour!

Tour Schedule
(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch
December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles
December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven
December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio
December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison
December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark
December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers
December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood
December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper
December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown
December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen
December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow
December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root
December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series
December 15th: Grand Finale

Books on Tour




Blogs Participating

Among the Reads
An Indie Adventure
Andi's Book Reviews
Angela Walker's Reviews
Book by Book
Bri's Book Nook
Brooke Blogs
Coffee Books and Cakes
Colorimetry
Cover Lover Book Review
Deal Sharing Aunt
Declarations of a Fangirl
Heidi Reads...
Jorie Loves A Story
Locks, Hooks and Books
Mythical Books
Nicole's Book Musings
Reading On The Edge
Remembrancy
SilverWoodSketches
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Teatime and Books
We Write Fantasy
Wishful Endings

Tour Giveaway


Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):
- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark
- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison
- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory
- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane
- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross
- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood
- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):
- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams
- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse
- SPARK by J.M. Hackman
- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig
- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano
- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Book Blitz for The Seal's Contract Baby


The SEAL’s Contract Baby
Katie Knight
Publication date: November 29th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
After an “incident” on his last SEAL mission, Zachary “Z” Raybourn has been relegated to babysitting duty. He’s spent the last six months guarding the daughter of a small foreign nation, a girl so valuable to the US that she apparently can’t buy milk without him trailing along like a lost puppy. He’d joined the military to make a difference and stayed enlisted because of the SEAL team he considers family. Now all he wants is to get back to them ASAP.
Esme Hollycombe is her country’s last hope. Her father the King controls a very important port that serves as a naval base for the US. But with her father’s rapidly declining health, and her US-hating cousin next in line for the throne, Esme has been frantically searching for a loophole in her country’s law that says only a man can rule. The only thing she finds is that she can rule in the stead of any male heir she gives birth to. Unmarried and certainly not pregnant, the loophole isn’t of much use to her. Until her attention turns to the hot SEAL protector who has been pacing the palace for the last six months like a caged animal. He’d do anything to get back to his squad; and she’d do anything to keep her cousin off the throne, leaving him unable to evict the US and all their military protection from her country.
Esme offers a contract to Z: get her pregnant, marry her so the heir will be legitimate, and he can have his life back. Z eventually agrees. But being the partner of a princess comes with far more action and intrigue than he’d ever dreamed. He also finds that making a baby is an easy way to fall in love. Now, Z will have to choose: the military family he misses, or the nuclear family he’s creating.
EXCERPT:
“I’m twenty-eight years old. I don’t need a babysitter.” Her Royal Highness, Princess Esme Hollycombe of the tiny southern European country of Prylea, squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I’ll take a regular security team with me to Washington, DC and be done with it.”
Her father’s intelligence advisors exchanged a look, then the head of security—a slightly hunched older man named Greaves who’d been hired by her father before Esme was born—gave her a quizzical stare. “Yes, your grace. But please remember that this trip is not only about you. Your ailing father, the king, will also be making the journey to get a second opinion on his condition. We cannot afford to leave either one of you unprotected during these turbulent times.”
Darn it. He had a point. And he knew just the right buttons to push. Esme would do just about anything for her father, as Greaves was well aware. Never mind the fact that the king was dying. This new opinion he was seeking in Georgetown would only slightly prolong his life, at best, or put another nail in his already well-sealed coffin. But she couldn’t turn down the chance to extend her time with him, even by one more day.
She swallowed hard against the lump of sorrow that had been lodged in her throat since her father had first been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years prior. Since then he’d been in and out of treatments, traveling the world to seek a cure for what was, as of yet, incurable. Still, if it gave her father some small measure of hope, she’d do whatever she could to ensure he got to see the specialist in DC.
Her fingers itched to pull out the knitting she’d brought along in her purse, but she clenched her fists instead. The hobby kept her busy and sane during these dark times and also helped her with one of her dearest charitable causes. All of the blankets she made were distributed to a charity for Prylea’s poor—under a fake name, of course. It wouldn’t do to have the royal family seen as nothing but a bunch of crafters, even for a good cause.
Esme took a deep breath and looked across the room to where her usual contingent of security guards stood. Most of them were middle-aged and indistinguishable from the others. They blended into the background as their job demanded. Silently watching and waiting for danger to rear its ugly head, then they’d spring into action to defend and protect.
One man, though, a relative newcomer, stood near the window, the sunlight striking his blond hair and making it look like spun gold. After six months of service, he was still an enigma to Esme. She was intrigued by him, watching him as closely as he watched her, and not because he was gorgeous either. Sure, the guy had the ripped physique of an ex-military man. He was a former Navy SEAL after all. But there was something more about him, a lingering haunted look in his gray-green eyes that had her wondering exactly what had happened to him during his time as a SEAL. She’d tried to find out by snooping through his employment records, but with everything else going on, she hadn’t had time to do a proper in-depth search.
“Your highness, we need an answer before you leave tonight,” Greaves said, his stern, jowly look setting her nerves on edge again. She didn’t like being forced into a corner. “We must insist on the security detail, princess. If you refuse, we’ll be forced to send your cousin Silvester in your place.”
Oh, he was good.
Silvester had once been a friend who’d now turned rival. The guy was only interested in power—namely the throne of Prylea. Unfortunately, Esme’s father had failed to secure her place in the line of succession for the country by changing the outdated rule in the Prylean constitution that said a woman could not rule. So very nineteenth century. So very irritating.
The last person on earth she’d want representing her or her country in the United States was her cousin Silvester. Esme was having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to get around her country’s antiquated rules without thrusting her power-hungry cousin out on the world stage to strut about like the overblown peacock he’d become.
“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “But I choose the team lead.”
“Fine.” A muscle ticked in Greaves’s cheek, but otherwise his face remained stoic. He leaned closer to whisper to his cronies then turned back to Esme. “We agree. But you must choose from the current team members already in the room.” His beady black eyes glittered behind his wire-rimmed glasses, as if he’d just pulled off some wonderful coup. “May I suggest Sutherland. He’s quite accomplished and has long served your father with loyalty and distinction.”
Sutherland was a short, stout man of brisk manners and few words. He and her father were old friends. “He’s fine to guard the king. I’ve got someone else in mind for head of my detail.”
Greaves raised a bushy white brow but remained silent.
“I want him.” She pointed to the blond Adonis still leaning against the wall by the window, looking for all the world as if he were bored to tears. “Zachary Raybourn.”
“But, your grace—” Greaves sputtered. “He’s not even been with the team for a year yet. And he’s not a Prylean citizen. He’s American.”
“All the better.” Esme bit back a smile at the way the old man said that last word, more like an unsavory curse than a nationality. She pushed to her feet, blood pounding and knees wobbling. Her late mother had always said that being a good monarch demanded firm judgment and a will to succeed. Esme had the drive to become the next queen down pat. The judgment part was still in question. But Raybourn was really the only choice she had. All the other men were loyal to the Prylean constitution. At least Raybourn didn’t give two hoots about her country or its dark-age ways. He was here for the job, at least from what she could tell. And he kept his mouth shut, which was even more important. Heck, he’d barely said more than two words beyond the normal civilities to Esme the entire time he’d been in the family’s employ. “I want him to be the lead of my personal team or no deal.”
She gave a quick side-glance to see Raybourn had straightened and was looking as stunned as she felt. Good. She raised her chin to him. “Do you accept the position?”
Raybourn hesitated, then smoothed a hand down the front of his black suit coat. “Yes.”


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Wednesday, December 5, 2018

April in Atlantis Book Blitz


April in Atlantis
Alyssa Day
(Poseidon’s Warriors #4)
Publication date: November 5th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
She’s Poseidon’s first and only female warrior…
When April, Poseidon’s first-ever female warrior, meets Pine–“don’t call me a werewolf” — prince of the European wolf shifters, she saves his life and then gives him the finger, because the sound of his sexy Scottish accent when he said “I think I’m in love, lass” gave her shivers in places shivers had no right to be. She’s a warrior, not a werewolf groupie. But now she’s trapped between the werewolf who wants her and the werewolf who wants her dead.
He’s Europe’s werewolf prince…
Pine wanted April the moment he saw her, just before she saved his life. Then he knew he must make her his. But the appearance of his long-lost and presumed-dead twin complicates Pine’s plans, and this time it’s April’s life at stake. Together, April and Pine are so much stronger than they are apart, but the heat between them may be enough to burn down the world.
Can two such unlikely allies find their way past danger to love? Or will mutual seduction be the beginning of the end?
Warning: This book contains magic, Atlantis, Poseidon, warriors, a wolf shifter, an evil twin, archery, wolf cubs, Europe, Scotland, Scottish accents, a king and queen, sibling rivalry, a black sheep, bad boys, paranormal romance, fantasy, matchmaking, laughter, danger, kisses, and a happily ever after. Read at your own risk!
You can also grab book 1 – January in Atlantis – for FREE!
Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
EXCERPT:
Atlantis, the war room adjacent to the throne room, April 1st…
April stalked back and forth past the scarred wooden table that dominated the room, fists clenched at her sides, muttering creative suggestions under her breath in ancient Atlantean as to what the king and Denal could do with their idea. She’d expected to be kicked off the team after she’d been so rude to the man she’d only later found out had been an actual freaking prince. Instead, they’d hit her with this.
King Conlan, tall, dark, and gorgeous in that uniquely Atlantean royalty lineage way, leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure the throne would fit up my ass, and if Cerberus ripped my arms and legs off, my wife and son might be rather annoyed with you.”
She froze. “You heard that?”
Denal, one of the king’s elite fighters and now the leader of her team of Poseidon’s Warriors—or Denal’s Desperate Dozen, if you hung out in taverns for any time at all—blew out a sigh and shoved his hands into the pocket of his faded jeans. “You see, Conlan? Hopeless. This is a terrible idea. Also, April, I know you haven’t spent much time around royalty–”
“Try none.”
He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “But a little respect might be nice. Or I’ll take you to the training grounds and kick your ass.”
She scowled. Unfortunately, this was a threat that carried some weight. Denal had been a warrior for longer than she’d been alive, because Atlanteans lived very long lifespans. He was unbelievably hot, in that “look at me and I’ll kill you” feral kind of hot way, but she hadn’t the slightest interest in bedding him. She just wanted to impress him.
To impress the king.
Great start, fool.
She abruptly knelt and inclined her head. “My apologies, your highness, if I have offended you. Well, of course I offended you. Gah. I mean, the throne up your ass thing might have come across worse in translation…”
She smacked her forehead. After muttering dire insults to the king, she was now questioning whether he could understand ancient Atlantean, the language of his royal ancestors.
Maybe she could stab herself in the kidney next and get the pain over with faster.
Conlan laughed.
He laughed?
“April. For Poseidon’s sake, get up. And if you call me ‘your highness’ again, I’ll be the one kicking your ass on the training grounds. My sword play is a little rusty these days, but I can take on a youngling like you.”
She leapt to her feet, a hot rush of denial searing up her throat, ready to boil forth in a mass of words, when her brain kicked in: He’d said a youngling.
Not a female.
She was a youngling, compared to his five hundred or so years, so it would be ridiculous to be offended, and she was getting tired of looking for offense from every corner. She’d made it—she’d been accepted into Poseidon’s Warriors, even if on a misfit kind of team.
“Look.” Denal strode over to her and poked her in the shoulder. Hard. “Try not to be a jerk. I’m telling you, as the head of this insane team of misfits, that you’re going to be an ambassador to the wolves.”
She refrained from poking him back and gave herself a hundred points for her massive amount of restraint. “For how long?”
“A year.” Denal studied her face and then glanced at the king, whose face was impassive. This was Denal’s decision, then.
“Six weeks,” she countered, without much hope, but it was fun to watch that nerve in Denal’s jaw jump.
“Six months, and if you argue with me again, it’s going to go back to a year,” he said, his eyes narrowing.
“I’ll take it.”
“Good call.”
The king stood up and stretched. “I have politics to play, crushing boredom to endure. Or maybe I’ll go chase my son around the garden for a while. April, do a good job. If you put me in the middle of the wolves’ civil war, we’re going to have a problem.”
His eyes darkened, and the genial king façade disappeared, so that April saw the dangerous predator lurking beneath. Conlan had been a fierce warrior for hundreds of years before he took the throne, and she could tell that nothing had changed.
“Yes, your highness,” she stammered, taking a step back.
Conlan’s face lit up with a huge grin. “You did it! I warned you. Now you can meet me on the training grounds in an hour for a bout. You’d better warm up your sword arm, warrior, because I’m not holding back.”
Denal groaned. “Don’t hurt my newest team member, Conlan. Do you know how hard it is to find good fighters?”
April blinked. He thought she was a good fighter?
“It’s not hard at all,” the king said, his calm voice completely at odds with his narrowed eyes. “Or else somebody at the younglings’ training academy needs to lose his or her job.”
Denal raised his hands. “Fine. It’s not hard to find good fighters, but it’s hard to find people with the skills and temperament to be one of Poseidon’s finest, as you well know.”
He thought she had the skills and temperament to be one of Poseidon’s finest?
April swallowed. This meeting hadn’t gone at all like she’d imagined. She’d thought she was going to be booted off the team. Instead, she found out she was one of Poseidon’s finest, who was going to be an ambassador to the European wolves, after she sparred with the king.
She needed a drink.
Conlan pointed at her. “One hour. Be there or I’ll track you down.”
She nodded to them both and then walked out of the room. Maybe she’d have that drink after her sword fight…
With the king.
Of Atlantis.
In one hour.
She started running.


Author Bio:
Alyssa Day is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels filled with kissing, laughter, mystery and magic. Alyssa's paranormal series include the Poseidon's Warriors and Cardinal Witches paranormal romances and the Tiger's Eye Mysteries paranormal mysteries. In an Alyssa Day book, the good guys (and gals!) always win and happily ever after always prevails!
Alyssa's many awards include Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award for outstanding romance fiction, and the RT Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance novel of 2012. Her books have been translated into a zillion languages but she's still holding out for Klingon.

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