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Saturday, October 31, 2020

Books I Did Not Finish - October Edition


 

Sweet Beginnings:  I was looking forward to starting a new (to me) romance series.  I ended up DNFing this one fairly early in the book.  .  The main character kept making stupid decisions regarding the bookstore.  I was really bored.  The romance was boring.  I doubt I will read any more books n the series.

Hello, Summer: I tried twice to get into this book.  I tried the physicals copy and then the audiobook.  I just couldn't get into the story.  I didn't like the main character.  I wasn't in the mood for a pity party story.  Maybe I'll try again at some point in the future.

The Devil and the Dark Water:
  I really liked The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, so I was excited for this one.  I ended up DNFing it at about 50% of the way in.  I was really bored.  There were too many characters to keep track of  Some of them seemed to go by more than one name.  
 I also wasn't sure really what was going on.  I didn't care for the setting or time period.  I wouldn't recommend it.

Sea of Tranquility:  This one had been on my TBR for a long time.  It should have stayed there.  Again, the book had unlikable characters.  I could tell there was going to be a lot of teen angst and I just wasn't in the mood for it.  

Friday, October 30, 2020

Spotlight: Blacklisted by Jay Crownover

We are so excited to celebrate the release of BLACKLISTED by Jay Crownover with you today by participating in the blog tour! BLACKLISTED is part of the Loveless, Texas series and you can grab your copy now. Join Jay's Group for details about all of her titles.

BLACKLISTED by Jay Crownover

Loveless, Texas #3 | Available Now

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Grab your copy of BLACKLISTED today!

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Kobo | Google

About BLACKLISTED:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a doctor who plays by the rules and the outlaw who breaks them in order to protect her.

Dr. Presley Baskin has always lived a quiet, calm life. Unfortunately, nothing about her life in Loveless, Texas -- especially not the wild, rowdy, and impossibly close-knit Lawton family who've claimed her -- is quiet or calm. Which is how loner Presley finds herself roped into patching up local bad boy Shot Caldwell against her better judgment. Presley wants nothing to do with the dangerous, brooding leader of the local outlaw motorcycle club. But when someone starts stalking her, Shot is the only person she trusts to help. Plus he owes her one . . .

Palmer 'Shot' Caldwell has always known his life isn't made for relationships. At least until shy, secretive, Presley reluctantly pulled a bullet out of him. He's oddly protective of the pretty doctor, so when she comes to him for help, hard-hearted Shot suddenly realizes there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe.

Add BLACKLISTED to your Goodreads TBR here!

Grab your copy of BLACKLISTED today!

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Kobo | Google

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About JAY CROWNOVER:

  Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road. Connect with her: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Reader Group IS-Blogger-1-1024x158

Cover Reveal: Second Start by S.E. Rose

 


We are so excited to share the cover for the upcoming release, Second Start by S.E. Rose. Check out the fantastic cover for Second Start, a must-read second chance romance from the upcoming Holiday Springs Resort series!
 
 
Title: Second Start
Author: S.E. Rose
Release Date: 11/20/2020
Series: Holiday Springs Resort, # 5
Tropes/Genres: Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance
 
Will a former Olympic athlete and budding musician get a second chance at their happily ever after?
 
Brittany Evans and Tyson Mitchell were the “it” couple in the Poconos. Until their own dreams and goals got in the way. With broken hearts, they both left their town while doing their best to never look back.
 
But, when a skiing injury and a failed singing career bring them both back home, they find that their feelings may not have iced over after all.
 
Fate has brought them together again, but if Tyson wants to win back Brittany’s heart, he’ll have to prove that she’s the only dream that matters.
 
Escape to the romantic paradise of Holiday Springs and warm-up with your next happily ever after.
 
                                                                                                                                                           
Pre-Order Second Start Today!
Amazon →      https://amzn.to/3moESlJ                                                                
Add to Goodreads!
Goodreads https://bit.ly/3omtMzi
 
About AUTHOR
 
USA Today & International Bestselling romance author, S.E. Rose lives near Washington D.C. with her family. When she's not wrangling her cats or keeping up with her kids, she's plotting her next story.
 
She loves all things wine, coffee, and cats. In her non-existent free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, binging on her favorite shows, and reading, especially if it's a good mystery or comedy.
 
 
Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub


About the Holiday Springs Resort Series

Nestled deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Holiday Springs Resort promises to bring the heat this winter!
 
Join Forever Write PR and seven amazing authors as they take to the slopes on the adventure of a lifetime and find their happily ever afters.
 
From hot bartenders to brooding exes, Holiday Springs Resort is the place to be. Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope to love from our amazing line up of authors including: second chance romance and best friend's sibling to jilted brides and friends to lovers. Your holiday wonderland won’t be complete without a widower, office, and enemies to lovers romance.
 
We’ve got a remarkable line of up must-read romance authors including, A.M. Williams, Julie Archer, Kim Bailey, Moni Boyce, S.E. Rose, Stacey Lewis, and B. Ivy Woods.
 
Follow the Holiday Spring Resort series on Facebook for more on release dates, cover reveals, and exclusive book news ➝ https://www.facebook.com/HolidaySpringsSeries/

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Review: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

Author
: T. Kingfisher
Publisher: Gallery
Publication date:  October 2020
 
Pray they are hungry.

Kara finds these words in the mysterious bunker that she’s discovered behind a hole in the wall of her uncle’s house. Freshly divorced and living back at home, Kara now becomes obsessed with these cryptic words and starts exploring the peculiar bunker—only to discover that it holds portals to countless alternate realities. But these places are haunted by creatures that seem to hear thoughts…and the more you fear them, the stronger they become.

With her distinctive “delightfully fresh and subversive” (SF Bluestocking) prose and the strange, sinister wonder found in Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, The Hollow Places is another compelling and white-knuckled horror novel that you won’t be able to put down.
 

After not really liking The Twisted Ones, I was a bit hesitant to go into The Hollow PlacesBut, I always like to give an author a second or third chance.  The Hollow Places features Kara, who finds a hole in her uncle's shop wall that leads to another world.  When she finds cryptic clues to previous visitors, she realizes the world she came from may be in danger.  

I wanted to love this one.  And while I did like it slightly more than The Twisted ones, I was still ultimately disappointed. The characters were supposed to be in their 30s, I believe. But they acted and spoke like they were in high school.   They also kept making dumb decisions.  I liked the idea of the hole that they found and what they encountered there, but I'm still not completely sure I "get" what it was.  In the last third of the book, I started feeling like I was reading yet another disappointing ending to the latest Stephen King novel. It wasn't creepy, spooky or thrilling.  It was OK.  Give it a try.  Maybe you'll like it more than I did.
 


Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Spotlight: Blood Demon by A.C. Wilds

 Forever Write PR is proud to present the release blitz for A.C. Wilds - Blood Demon!

Kill him or die…

Anima’s existence is about one thing ––exterminating demons. She’s an assassin for the black magic coven, Tenebris, and her next assignment is to kill the president of Hallowed Grounds MC. Except, when they meet, she can’t fulfill her task. Torque isn’t the ruthless princep of Bloods they declared him to be. Instead, he’s so much more.

But time is running out, and Anima knows what happens to assassins who don’t satisfy their contracts. She never meant to spare him, but if what he says is true, then her entire life has been a lie.

Two dark souls are now linked by a future neither saw coming. If they don’t get answers fast, it could be the end of New City. And the person who raised Anima, whom she thought she could trust above all else, is actually the one behind it all. Her mentor and the high priestess of Tenebris coven, Rahna, has been keeping secrets, the deadly kind that can ruin life as they know it.

Can two such opposite enemies join forces to take down a common foe, or will old habits prevent them from saving the realms they are both inextricably linked to?

Lovers of Ilona Andrews and Kim Harrison will devour A.C. Wilds’ new Demon Assassin Series.


One-Click

mybook.to/BloodDemon




About the Author
A.C. Wilds was born and raised in New York City. She lives in an outer borough with her husband and two girls. She loves horseback riding, mythical creatures, and everything books. When she isn't at her desk writing the next great escape, she can be found with the blankets over her head reading a steamy paranormal tale.

Stalker Links
https://linktr.ee/acwilds

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Blog Tour: Review & Excerpt of It's Always Been You by A.M Williams

 


When my ex decided to leave me just three weeks before our wedding, I did the only thing a girl could do. I grabbed my best friend and headed for the mountains to celebrate my newfound freedom and get over my broken heart while taking full advantage of all of the pre-paid amenities that should have happened on my honeymoon. There's just one problem: Holiday Springs Resort is booked solid and I may have forgotten to change our reservations. Now Zeke and I are forced to share a bed, but am I ready to share my heart again so soon?
 
Delaney always seemed to be the right girl at the wrong time. With her ex-fiance out of the picture, it's up to me to mend her broken heart. There's just one problem: I've been in love with her since the day we met. With all the romance in the air, it's hard to fight back the tension between us. What was supposed to be a fun-filled rebound trip between friends suddenly heats up to so much more.
 
Falling in love could mean risking our friendship. Are we both willing to take that leap? One thing is for sure - this trip changes everything.
 
If you like snowy locales, sizzling romance, and a scene with a hot tub, then you'll love It's Always Been You, the first book in a new series.

 
Escape to the romantic paradise of Holiday Springs and warm up with your next happily ever after.
Amazon https://amzn.to/2FvT0ty                       
Goodreads https://bit.ly/2FBpIcO
 
My thoughts:

It's Always Been You is the first book in the Holiday Springs Resort Series.  It's a sweet friends to Lovers story and a great way to kick off the series.  Zeke and Delaney have been best friends for a long time.  When she is stood up at the alter, Zeke offers to go on her honeymoon with her for some fun.  Watching this couple realize they both have harbored feelings for the other for years was a lot of fun.  They were a little frustrating in the communication department at times though. The conflict toward the end was wrapped up fairly quickly, which was nice.   I have a feeling this will be one of my favorites of the series.  




Enjoy this excerpt:

A few minutes later, we were parked outside the cabin, and Zeke had our bags in hand while I swiped the keycard for the room. It took several tries to get the lock to open, something that annoyed me to no end.

After discovering everything with the reservation, the door not working was just one more thing to add to the list of why I was upset with my life.

Once the door was open, I stepped to the side and allowed Zeke to go in first before flicking the light switch by the door and letting the door fall shut behind me.

I turned toward the main part of the cabin and drew up short when I noticed Zeke standing frozen with the bags still in his hands.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, walking closer.

“Uhh…” Zeke said, shifting his weight from side to side. “Is there supposed to be only one bed?”

I cringed. I didn’t tell him what happened with the reservation while we were in the car. He deserved to know that I hadn’t changed it like I told him I would.

“Well…I didn’t realize until I went to check in that I forgot to call them to let them know that the reservation needed to be changed. I couldn’t change it today because it was too late.”

Silence greeted my words, and I worried my bottom lip and dropped my gaze to the floor. “I’m really sorry,” she said when Zeke continued to say nothing. “I thought I’d called, and I didn’t. I can’t believe that I forgot to do that simple thing. Don’t even get me started on the excursions we have booked because—”

I jumped when Zeke pressed a finger to my chin and tilted my head up. He was grinning. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to sleep in the same bed as the Delaney Carrigan.”

My face heated. “Oh, uh…”

“Come on!” Zeke said, pulling me into a hug. “It’ll be fine. Nothing to worry your pretty little head about.”

He released me and turned back to pick the bags up and stepped further into the room.

With him out of the way, I could see what gave him pause. It wasn’t just the single king-size bed in the room. It was the rose petals that were littered all over the bedcovers and on the floor.

They were everywhere. As I stepped closer to the bed, I cringed as I realized they were even in the shape of a heart with a small card in the center. Though I knew I shouldn’t, I picked it up. It read “Congratulations on your marriage!”

I stared at it for several long moments, my mind flashing back to when Josh told me he couldn’t marry me.

“Whatcha got in your hand?” Zeke asked.

Before I could crumple the card, Zeke plucked it from my fingers. I watched as his expression darkened. “Fuck him.”

He ripped the card in half, then ripped it again before tossing the pieces in the air. I watched them flutter toward the floor.

“You’re better off without that douche-canoe. Seriously. What guy breaks up with the supposed love of his life only days before their wedding? Asswads, that’s who. Don’t waste another minute worried about him.”

I nodded. What could I say to that? It wasn’t anything I didn’t already know and that Zeke and my family hadn’t already said. Josh was an asshole of the first order for what he did to me.

It didn’t make it hurt any less, though.

“Right, let’s get unpacked and look over what we’ve got going on this week. Maybe we can add some things to do instead of what we’ve got on there. What do you say?”

I nodded and felt myself relax. “Sounds good.”

Zeke turned and grabbed his bag, unzipping it while I stood there, frozen.

While he’d made me feel better about the rose petals and the asshole ex-fiancé, we hadn’t addressed the elephant in the room: the single bed.

Yeah, Zeke joked that he’d always wanted to sleep in the same bed as me, but I knew he said that to make me feel better.

How were we going to make this work?



About A.M. Williams
 
A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
 
Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub | Twitter | Instagram | Reader Group
 



Monday, October 26, 2020

Review: Happily This Christmas by Susan Mallery

Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Publication Date: September 2020

There’s no place like Happily Inc for the holidays…

Wynn Beauchene has a thriving business, a great kid and a mildly embarrassing crush on the guy next door—local cop Garrick McCabe. She’s a strong, independent woman who can’t help dreaming what-if about a man she barely knows. Until he needs her help…

Garrick’s pregnant daughter will be home for Christmas, and his house needs a woman’s touch. Garrick and his little girl were tight once and he’s hoping a small-town Christmas will bring her back to him. But thawing his daughter’s frosty attitude will take more than a few twinkle lights. Maybe sharing the holiday with Wynn and her son will remind her of the joy of family.

As the season works its magic on these wounded souls, Wynn realizes it’s time to stop punishing herself for a painful secret, while Garrick remains haunted by the ghosts of past mistakes. Will he allow Wynn to open the only gift she truly wants—his heart?


I know that it is almost Halloween, but who doesn't love a Christmas book anytime of the year?   Happily This Christmas is the 6h book in the series but works well as a stand alone. Out of the six books, this one is probably my favorite.  I have been looking forward to Wynn's story from the beginning.  She is a single mom who has never seemed to want a permanent relationship and has been very protective of her son.  Garrick is the cop who lives next door and recruits Wynn to help him get his home ready for his pregnant daughter's visit.  

I loved this friends to lovers story.  Wynn and Garrick made wonderful friends.  They had great banter and it just came so easy for them. I just really enjoyed watching these two fall in love with each other.  Both had baggage from previous relationships and were wary to get serious.  I was ready to shake Garrick and his clueless self toward to end.  There HEA was very sweet.

The rest of the characters added  a lot of flavor to the story,.  It was nice to catch up with the couples from the previous books.  Garrick's daughter was very annoying for a large part of the book, but I ended up loving her growth in the end.  I was rooting for she and her father to make amends and heal their relationship.  My favorite was the relationship between Wynn and her son.  I loved the the way they interacted.  It's been fun watching him grow up over the series.   I highly recommend this one.  I look forward to the next book in the series.



Sunday, October 25, 2020

Review & Excerpt of Home for Baby''s Sake by Christine RImmer



Author: Christine Rimmer
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: October 2020 

He’d do anything for his son…including returning to the town he left behind.
Valentine Bay’s the perfect place for real estate developer Roman Marek to raise his infant son. But when he snaps up the charming local theater, he doesn’t bargain for tempestuous director Hailey Bravo. Hailey won’t let Roman wreck the thing she holds most dear—and she’s certainly gotten under Roman’s notoriously thick skin. As the duo spar and sparks fly, Roman’s surprised to find that Hailey’s the perfect missing piece for his family. But how can he convince her that this partnership’s for keeps? 

Sales links:
B&N  Amazon  Google  Indie Bound  Harlequin  Goodreads 

My thoughts: 

Home for Baby's Sake is the 8th book in the Bravos of Valentine Bay series.  This one worked very well as a stand alone.  I am intrigued enough by some of the things that Hailey said about her siblings that I want to go back and read the earlier books.  This one was the perfect book to read on a chilly Sunday morning with a cup of tea.   I loved Hailey and Roman together.  I loved that they took time to be together before jumping to a sexual relationship. The chemistry was off the charts with these two.  I also loved that there wasn't too much angst in the book.  Roman's relationship with his mother, Sasha was very sweet.  I would have loved to get a sneak peek into her surprise relationship.   I highly recommend this one.



Here's a sneak peek:

Excerpt, HOME FOR THE BABY’S SAKE by Christine Rimmer

When she arrived at the fish place on Ocean Road, Roman was waiting outside for her, leaning against a sleek black sports car—the famous one made in Italy, with doors that opened upward, like wings.
“This car,” she said, shaking her head, trailing a finger along the gleaming hood. “You’d better write the arts council a check, Roman Marek.”
He put his hand to his broad, hard chest, right over his heart. “You have my solemn word on that.”
They went inside. The food was excellent, as always, and being with Roman was easy and fun. Even the silences were comfortable. He said he’d moved back to town from Las Vegas and bought a house on Treasure Cove Circle. Hailey knew the house. It was a mansion nestled in its own private oceanfront reserve, surrounded by beautiful old-growth forest, overlooking a secluded stretch of beach.
“I want to see you again,” he said as he walked her back out to her car. She gave him her number and when he gathered her close, she didn’t resist.
The kiss was just right, a tender, sweet getting-to-know-you kind of kiss. His lips felt so good brushing against her own, and excitement sizzled through her. They both pulled back slowly and just stood there at the driver’s door of her Kia Sportage, grinning at each other for a long string of lovely seconds.
“See you soon,” he said as he pulled open the driver’s door for her.
She climbed in and he shut the door. Then he stood there, the afternoon sun gleaming on his dark brown hair, as she backed from the parking space and drove away.
For the rest of the day, Hailey felt like the living, breathing representation of some old romantic song. She walked on air and danced on clouds. She’d met a guy she wanted to see again. That hadn’t happened since Nathan.
She couldn’t stop smiling as she sat at the kitchen table in the family cottage she shared with Harper and worked on her plans for the Christmas show—which desperately needed an actual name. Later in the afternoon, she was back at the theater, greeting the parents as they dropped off their children for Fall Revue rehearsals.
It was the usual circus, corralling all the kids, giving them instructions that they immediately forgot. There was some pushing and one of the little girls cried. Hailey consoled and coaxed and loved every minute of it—she always did. But somehow, more so today.
Because she kind of had butterflies over Roman Marek, and for three long years she’d honestly believed that all her butterflies had shriveled up and died.

About the author:


A New York Times bestselling author, Christine Rimmer has written over ninety contemporary romances for Harlequin Books.  Christine has won the Romantic Times BOOKreviews Reviewers Choice Award and has  been nominated six times for the RITA Award. She lives in Oregon with her
family. Visit Christine at http://www.christinerimmer.com.   Author links Website: https://www.christinerimmer.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinerimmerauthor/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/RimmerChristine  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinerimmerauthor?ref=hl  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21949.Christine_Rimmer  

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Spotlight: Excerpt of Rescue You by Elysia Whisler



Author: Elysia Whisler  
ISBN: 9780778310082
Publication Date: October 27, 2020
Publisher: MIRA Books

She needs a fresh start. He’s got scars that haven’t healed. With the help of some rescue dogs, they’ll discover that everyone deserves a chance at happiness.

After a year of heartbreak and loss, the only thing keeping Constance afloat is the dog rescue she works at with her sister, Sunny. Desperate for a change, Constance impulsively joins a new gym, even though it seems impossibly hard, and despite the gym’s prickly owner.

Rhett Santos keeps his gym as a refuge for his former-military brothers and to sweat out his own issues. He’s ready to let the funny redhead join, but unprepared for the way she wiggles past his hard-won defenses.

When their dog rescue is threatened, the sisters fight to protect it. And they need all the help they can get. As Rhett and Constance slowly open up to each other, they’ll find that no one is past rescuing; what they need is the right person—or dog—to save them.
Enjoy this excerpt:

One

Constance slammed on her brakes. Steam rose from the street as rain gurgled through the ditches. She killed the engine, stepped into the pattering droplets and scanned the shoulder of the road. Nothing there but the remains of a goose carcass. “Where are you, boy?” Constance gave a low whistle. 

It hadn’t been her imagination. The picked-over goose only made her more certain she’d seen a dog, weaving through the foggy afternoon air like a phantom. A lost dog, with his head bent against the rain as he loped along the muddy ditch. 

Constance whistled again. Silence, but for the sound of rain hitting the trees that lined the road. “Maybe I’m just tired.” She’d done a lot of massages today, which made her feel wrung out. Constance almost ducked back into the van, but halted. 

There he was: a white face with brown patches, peeking at her from behind a bush. “Hey, boy.” Constance squatted down, making herself smaller, less threatening. The dog watched, motionless. Constance drew a biscuit from her coat, briefly recalling the cashier’s amusement at the grocery store today when she’d emptied her pockets on the counter, searching for her keys. Five dog biscuits had been in the pile with her phone, a used tissue and the grocery list. 

“Dog mom, huh?” the elderly cashier had said.

 “Something like that.” More like dog aunt, to all of the rescues at Pittie Place. Her sister, Sunny, had quite the brood. 

Constance laid the biscuit near her foot and waited. A moment later, the bush rustled and the dog approached. He had short hair and big shoulders. He got only as close as he needed to, then stretched his neck out for the prize. As he gingerly took the biscuit, Constance noted a droopy abdomen and swollen nipples, like a miniature cow.

 So. He was a she. Constance inched toward her. The dog held on to the biscuit, but reared back. Constance extended her fist, slowly, so the mom could smell her. “You got puppies somewhere?” 

The dog whimpered, but crunched up the biscuit.

 “Where are your puppies?” 

The dog whimpered again. Her legs shook. Her fur was muddy, feet caked with dirt. She had blood on her muzzle— probably from the dead goose. By her size and coloring, Constance decided she was a pit bull. 

Constance rose up, patted her thigh and headed toward her van. She slid open the side door, grabbed a blanket and spread it out, but when she turned around, the dog was several yards away. Her brown-and-white head was low as she wandered beneath a streetlamp, the embodiment of despair in the drizzle that danced through the light. 

Constance followed, slipping on the leaves that clogged the drainage ditch. The dog glanced once over her shoulder, but her pace didn’t quicken. Constance decided her calm demeanor was working, keeping the dog from fleeing. And let’s be honest: the biscuit hadn’t hurt. Chances were, the dog would be happy to have more as soon as she got wherever she was going. “Let’s see where you’re headed, then. Show me if you’ve got a home.” 

Constance followed her across the road, around the curve and down the narrow lane. Frogs popped like happy corn all over the slick street, but the chill of the oncoming winter slithered through Constance’s blood. 

She followed the dog for a good quarter mile. Even before she hooked a left down the unpaved road hidden behind the trees, Constance had figured out that the mama was headed to one of the handful of empty places that sat decomposing on the hundred or so acres the Matteri family owned. Constance paused only long enough to squelch the sizzle of anger that bubbled up inside before she pressed on, determined to know if the dog was a stray or a neglected mother from Janice Matteri’s puppy mill. 

Constance took the same turn and watched as the dog neared the abandoned house up ahead. Nobody had lived there in years. It was only a matter of time before it became condemned. The dog bypassed the crumbling porch of the old colonial and went around back. Constance knew little daylight was left, and she hadn’t brought a flashlight. She broke into a trot, clutched her coat tighter around her and didn’t slow until the dog came back into view. Constance followed her, her heart thumping harder with each step. 

The dog passed the rusted chain-link fence and disappeared over a rise in the property, near an old shed so overgrown with trees it was only recognizable by a pale red door. Just as she reached the hill, Constance heard a squeak. The sort of high-pitched noise that echoes from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Another squeak came. And another. She crested the hill and saw the dog slink inside the shed door. Constance got to the shed and pushed inside. The dog had reached her destination: a battered old mattress, three shades of brown, lying a few feet inside. The mewls, now loud and hungry, came from a shredded section of the mattress.

 Constance narrowed her eyes. At first, she counted only two bobbing, brown heads, but as she drew closer there was a third. Then a fourth. The last one didn’t move nearly as much, just sort of waded on his stomach. The puppies had cocoa-colored fur and black muzzles. Eyes open. The ones that moved didn’t really walk, just stumbled into each other, like drunks. Mama dog curled around them and they all wiggled toward her abdomen. 

Constance knelt down next to the mattress and watched the suckling puppies. She decided they were about two weeks old. The air in the shed smelled of sour milk, poop and urine. She dug out another biscuit and reached, slowly, her hand in a fist to protect her fingers, her gaze on the mama for any sign she was upset, such as pinned ears, bared teeth or a raised ridge of fur down the back. The energy around the mom and her pups was calm, to the point of exhausted. Constance had certainly helped with enough of Sunny’s dogs over the years to know. She offered the biscuit and the mom took it. With her mouth busy, Constance carefully touched the smallest puppy, who shook so hard the tremble came from deep inside, beneath his skin and fur, straight from his bones. 

Constance rose slowly and did a quick search of the vicinity for more puppies, which turned up nothing but trash, vermin and an old orange crate, which she brought over to the mattress. 

Now to see if Mom was going to accept help.

 Though daylight was precious, Constance waited until the pups were done suckling before she offered a third treat. “Let’s go back to my place,” Constance said as Mom accepted the biscuit. “My sister has a rescue for critters, just like you. And I help her all the time. You’ll be safe there. Does that sound okay?”

 While Mama crunched, Constance reached for the two pups closest to her and, keeping an eye on Mom the whole time, she lifted them and settled them in the crate. Mom’s chewing quickened, so Constance acted fast, lifting the last two pups swiftly but carefully. She rose to her feet, crate in her arms. The mother dog was on her feet almost ahead of her, pointing her muzzle at the crate and whining.

 Constance knew the mom would follow her anywhere she took those pups, but she also lacked any signs of aggression, almost as though she knew that this was their only chance. Or as Pete, owner of Canine Warriors and Constance’s longtime childhood friend, would put it, “You just got something about you, Cici. Everybody trusts you. People. Dogs. The damn Devil himself.” 

Constance headed back to her van, chasing the sunset. As expected, the mother followed. Once to the vehicle, Constance opened the van and set the crate full of pups next to the blanket she’d spread out earlier. The mama dog leaped in after them. 

Constance slid the door closed, settled behind the steering wheel and let out a great sigh. Mission accomplished. She edged down the long, lonely road. The rain pattered on the windshield and the scent of dirty puppies hit her nose. She’d take them home tonight and get them settled in, see how they reacted to a new environment, then text Sunny in the morning. Constance had worked with enough dogs, and people, to know that introducing another new person this evening was bad news. Let Mama get used to Constance first, and get some good food and rest, before she was moved to Pittie Place. 

Tonight, at least, this girl and her babies belonged with Constance. 


Excerpted from Rescue You by Elysia Whisler Copyright © Elysia Whisler. Published by MIRA Books.


About the author:


Elysia Whisler was raised in Texas, Italy, Alaska, Mississippi, Nebraska, Hawai'i and Virginia, in true military fashion. Her nomadic life has made storytelling a compulsion from a young age. 
She doubles as a mother, a massage therapist and a CrossFit trainer and is dedicated to portraying strong women, both in life and in her works. She lives in Virginia with her family, including her large brood of cat and dog rescues, who vastly outnumber the humans.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Cover Reveal: Stuck with You by Moni Boyce

 


We are thrilled to share the cover for the upcoming release, STUCK WITH YOU by Moni Boyce. Check out the stunning cover for STUCK WITH YOU, a must-read enemies to lovers romance from the upcoming Holiday Springs Resort series!
 
 
Title: STUCK WITH YOU
Author: Moni Boyce
Release Date: 11/13/2020
Series: Holiday Springs Resort, #4
Tropes/Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance
 
 
Can enemies turn into lovers over the course of a week?
 
Maddie
When I decided to attend my high school reunion, I knew I’d run the risk of running into
Jack Carter. Mr. Big Time Country Music Star. The same guy that broke my heart in
high school. What I didn’t expect was that the resort would mess up our reservations,
and we’d end up roommates.
 
Now I’m stuck sharing a cabin with him for the next week, and I don’t know whether I
want to kill him or kiss him.
 
Jack
What are the odds I would end up sharing a cabin with my ex-high school sweetheart,
Maddie Grace? The woman was a sweet tomboy back then, now she’s a knockout,
uptight lawyer, who loves to argue. Even though we fight like cats and dogs, I’m feeling
that familiar old spark and the more time I spend with her, the more I’m beginning to
think letting her go was my biggest mistake.
 
Thanks to a little mix-up at the resort, I’ve now got a week to prove to her that we belong
together and you can bet I’m going to give it my best shot.
 
Escape to the romantic paradise of Holiday Springs and warm up with your
next happily ever after.

 
 Pre-Order Stuck With You Today!
Amazon                                             
Add to Goodreads!
Goodreads→ 
 About ATUHOR
 
Moni Boyce is a writer, filmmaker, poet and Award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance. After working in the film industry for fifteen years, helping others bring their visions to life, she now creates characters and worlds of her own. She considers herself a bookworm, film buff, foodie, music lover and an avid world traveler having visited 33 countries and counting. She lives a bit of a nomadic life, but considers Los Angeles her hometown.
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Nestled deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, Holiday Springs Resort promises to bring the heat this winter!

Join Forever Write PR and seven amazing authors as they take to the slopes on the adventure of a lifetime and find their happily ever afters.

From hot bartenders to brooding exes, Holiday Springs Resort is the place to be. Each story features a brand new couple and a fun trope to love from our amazing line up of authors including: second chance romance and best friend's sibling to jilted brides and friends to lovers. Your holiday wonderland won’t be complete without a widower, office, and enemies to lovers romance.

We’ve got a remarkable line of up must-read romance authors including, A.M. Williams, Julie Archer, Kim Bailey, Moni Boyce, S.E. Rose, Stacey Lewis, and B. Ivy Woods.

Follow the Holiday Spring Resort series on Facebook for more on release dates, cover reveals, and exclusive book news ➝ https://www.facebook.com/HolidaySpringsSeries/

 This series and all promotional events are brought to you by Forever Write PR - Forever your source for all your writing needs. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverWritePR/