Book Tour Featuring *Lethal Intent* by Cara Putman @Cara_Putman @partnersincr1me #giveaway

Lethal Intent

by Cara Putman

January 11 - February 5, 2021, Tour

Synopsis:

If they expected silence, they hired the wrong woman.

Caroline Bragg’s life has never been better. She and Brandon Lancaster are taking their relationship to the next level, and she has a new dream job as legal counsel for Praecursoria—a research lab that is making waves with its cutting-edge genetic therapies. The company’s leukemia treatments even promise to save desperately sick kids—kids like eleven-year-old Bethany, a critically ill foster child at Brandon’s foster home.

When Caroline’s enthusiastic boss wants to enroll Bethany in experimental trials prematurely, Caroline objects, putting her at odds with her colleagues. They claim the only goal at Praecursoria is to save lives. But does someone have another agenda?

Brandon faces his own crisis. As laws governing foster homes shift, he’s on the brink of losing the group home he’s worked so hard to build. When Caroline learns he’s a Praecursoria investor, it becomes legally impossible to confide in him. Will the secrets she keeps become a wedge that separates them forever? And can she save Bethany from the very treatments designed to heal her?

This latest romantic legal thriller by bestseller Cara Putman shines a light on the shadowy world of scientific secrets and corporate vendettas—and the ethical dilemmas that plague the place where science and commerce meet.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 0785233318 (ISBN13: 9780785233312)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook.com | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Caroline shifted in the high-backed chair. The massive conference room table made her feel more petite than usual. Quentin Jackson, the man propelling Praecursoria through its rapid growth, vibrated with energy as he studied her.

“We are on the cusp of amazing developments and a transition from the lab to trials. We have a few CAR T-cell therapies in early stages now with more in our pipeline.”

She racked her mind for the importance of T cells, and he gave a hearty laugh.

“Don’t worry if the science overwhelms you. We’ll have you up to speed in no time. All you need to know right now is that T cells are one of the two cells that make up white blood cells. The treatments we’re working on could be the difference between life and death for young cancer patients. We need your legal expertise and quick mind to synthesize the science with the map to market.”

“I’ve overseen several court trials related to patents, which should help with that process.” It had been an unforeseen aspect of her days clerking for Judge Loren. She swallowed against the lump in her throat that still welled up when she thought about his untimely death from pneumonia. A month ago she couldn’t imagine interviewing for a job somewhere else, even if a part of her knew that she should stretch her wings.

“When can you start? Today?”

She felt rooted to the chair. Everything was moving so fast. Could she really transition her experience managing clerks for a judge into managing patents and contracts for a start-up? While Praecursoria had been around for a decade as a cancer research lab, about eighteen months ago Quentin sold off its lucrative genetic testing branch to focus exclusively on the development of cutting-edge CAR T-cell therapies. Starting over that way was a bold if risky move.

She lifted her chin and forced a smile that didn’t waver. “If that’s what you need. First we have a few details to work out.”

He laughed. “I like the way you tackle issues head-on. That will be key in this role. I know how to steer the ship, and my chief scientist can navigate the research, but you’ll keep us on the legal straight and narrow.” He tapped his pen against the legal pad in front of him. Then he picked up her résumé and named a salary that pressed her against the chair. “There will be performance bonuses tied to the successful conclusion of trials. We want to look into stock options as well. That will be one of your assignments in conjunction with HR.” He slapped his hands on the table and she jumped. “My enthusiasm gets away from me sometimes.” He shrugged but never wavered as he examined her. “Let’s start with a field trip. The best way for you to understand why we’re doing this work and research is to show you.”

***

Excerpt from Lethal Intent by Cara Putman. Copyright 2021 by Cara Putman. Reproduced with permission from Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Cara Putman is the author of more than twenty-five legal thrillers, historical romances, and romantic suspense novels. She has won or been a finalist for honors including the ACFW Book of the Year and the Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Cara graduated high school at sixteen, college at twenty, completed her law degree at twenty-seven, and recently received her MBA. She is a practicing attorney, teaches undergraduate and graduate law courses at a Big Ten business school, and is a homeschooling mom of four. She lives with her husband and children in Indiana.

Visit Cara Putman:
CaraPutman.com
Goodreads: caraputman
BookBub: @CPutman
Instagram: caracputman
Twitter: @Cara_Putman
Facebook: Cara.Putman

 

 

Lethal Intent Tour Participants:

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Enter To Win!:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Cara Putman. There will be three (3) winners of one (1) physical copy of Lethal Intent by Cara Putman (US ONLY). The giveaway begins on January 11, 2021, and runs through February 7, 2021. Void where prohibited.

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Book Tour Featuring *Fetching* by Kylie Gilmore @KylieGilmoreToo @xpressotours #giveaway

Fetching
Kylie Gilmore
(Unleashed Romance, #1)
Publication date: January 12th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

He’s her knight in shining armor. Only she’s no damsel in distress.

Wyatt
I’m a self-made billionaire with a soft spot for damsels in distress, so when I move to the quirky lakeside community of Summerdale, I immediately zero in on the woman I most want to…ahem, rescue. Only the stubborn woman refuses to cooperate.

Sydney
When Satan, aka Wyatt Winters, moves to town, I do my best to be welcoming. After all, I’m the owner of the historic restaurant and bar that he keeps showing up at, despite criticizing nearly everything about it. Deep breath. I might’ve lost my cool and made a rude gesture in his direction. And told him off. How was I to know he was considering investing in my place?

Did I mention I’m in debt up to my eyeballs and every bank has turned me down?

Still, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell I’d ever work with him. Or admit he fires me up in every way.

And then a snowstorm traps us together and—

I’m melting.

This romantic comedy stands alone with a swoonworthy happy-ever-after! No cliffhangers.

NOTE: A portion of Fetching’s book sales will go to Pets for Vets, a nonprofit that trains shelter dogs to be therapy companions for military veterans with PTSD.

Unleashed Romance Series
Fetching (Book 1)
Dashing (Book 2)
Sporting (Book 3)
Toying (Book 4)
Blazing (Book 5)

Goodreads / Bookbub / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Sydney

Wyatt catches my eye. “Appetizers are good.”

Pleased that he finally said something positive about my place, I close the distance, stopping at his table. “Glad you’re enjoying them.”

He leans back in his chair. “Have you ever thought of upgrading the dinner menu?”

My temper flares, but I manage to keep a civil tone. “No. Locals love it.”

“Not saying it’s bad, just unoriginal. I mean, every meal comes with either French fries or baked potato. A new chef might bring some life to the place. Isn’t that what tonight’s fundraiser’s all about? Keeping this place open?” He taps the table. “With the right management, a better chef, this place has potential.”

I manage this place, and the chef is a family friend. I bare my teeth. “Seems you know a lot about the restaurant business.”

“Not at all. I just appreciate a good one.”

I jam my hands on my hips and glare at him. Obviously he thinks we’re a bad one! I’m so furious I can’t even speak.

He cocks his head. “Cindy, are you cross with me?”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” I snap. “Coming in here and insulting my place left and right! If you don’t like it, don’t come back.”

He arches a brow. “Since you own the place, maybe we could talk about some serious improvements. You don’t know what you don’t know, am I right?”

I bristle. “This place was my great-grandfather’s, passed down the generations, and now it’s mine.” I leave out that Drew is the one who actually inherited it and declared it a lost cause because of the debt dragging it down. I took it over rather than let him sell it. “It’s an institution in this town, and we’re doing just fine without your city snark. How dare you walk in here and spew your judgment over all of us!”

He smirks. “I don’t recall spewing.”

My heartbeat roars in my ears, anger clouding all good reason. I desperately want to smack that smirk off his face.

He gestures to his ale, which he barely touched. “I didn’t like this one. Could I get one of those local Connecticut ales you mentioned?”

I stare at his glass of ale. I want to throw it in his face and watch his shock as it drips down his beard, fancy sport coat, and dress shirt.

He chuckles. “That’s an evil look in your eye, Cindy. You’re thinking about dumping this drink on my head, aren’t you?”

How did he know? “Not at all,” I lie.

He leans close and smirks. “I dare you.”

Author Bio:

Kylie Gilmore is the USA Today bestselling author of the Unleashed Romance series, the Rourkes series, the Happy Endings Book Club series, the Clover Park series, and the Clover Park STUDS series. She writes humorous romance that makes you laugh, cry, and reach for a cold glass of water.

Kylie lives in New York with her family, two cats, and a nutso dog. When she’s not writing, reading hot romance, or dutifully taking notes at writing conferences, you can find her flexing her muscles all the way to the high cabinet for her secret chocolate stash.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Pinterest / Newsletter

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Book Tour Featuring *Smoke Screen* by K. Nilsson @kimber_nilsson @xpressotours #giveaway

Smoke Screen
K. Nilsson
(The Blue Trilogy, #2)
Publication date: October 29th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

She was a distraction. He was a mistake.
Now they’re in each others’ way.

Rookie investigator Devyn Foster knows the pain of losing family. It’s what drives her to do what she does – finding the missing and the lost and returning them to their families.

Her latest assignment is no different, finding the computer a whiz who disappeared while working on a mysterious project. Even though his case has gone cold, she won’t let his elderly parents suffer. She will find him and return him back to them.

But that was before the one-night stand that changed everything…

Private Investigator Max Carson has never let anything—or anyone—stop him from getting the job done. So when he’s hired to track down a software program that could change the world, that’s exactly what he’s going to do… until he finds himself in a dead heat with a woman who’s just as determined as he is to get the job done on her own terms.

Now Max has to deal with two problems: how to get Devyn out of the way… and out of his heart.

Goodreads / Amazon 

__

EXCERPT

Ben Rosenberg

Malibu

After Devyn told me about being chased home, I needed to see she was unharmed and determine if someone exposed her cover.

Heading south on the coastal highway, I wove my way through traffic to the flat I got for her. The building was a monstrous high rise overlooking the marina. The car park was multi-level and I had a key card to enter.

Swapping out her registered license plates for the dealer plates was a brilliant idea. She didn't want a hire car when she changed flats for the job. Parking next to her, I checked the MINI Cooper's tire wells for tracking devices and found none.

The lift was steps away and I took it to the top floor. I knocked three times—it was our code. There was movement behind the peephole. Good girl. She waved me inside with an empty wineglass. Devyn coiled her curls into a messy bun and held it in place with a chopstick.

The little spy gave me a brief hug and locked the door behind me. "Can I get you something?"

"The usual," I replied.

Padding to the kitchen, Devyn put her goblet in the sink and got a bottle of water for me. I twisted off the top and took a few swallows. "So, you had a James Bond chase scene."

"No. There were no missile-equipped motorcycles or bullet spraying helicopters. But I wish I had a Lotus," she cracked.

She had circles under her eyes.

"Did you recognize anyone inside it?"

Devyn shook her head. "Not with the blackout windows."

"When did you notice the automobile?"

"Soon after I left headquarters."

"Did you recognize the car?"

"No. It was my second day."

Did someone suspect she was a mole, or was it random?

"Do you think it a stalker?"

She hesitated for a heartbeat, "I don't know, maybe?"

"Did you spot anyone familiar?"

The little spy fell silent, then she shook her head.

She just lied to me.

I sat next to her on the couch.

The laptop was open on the coffee table and the glasses were on the floor. I picked them up.

"Oh, you used these. May I?"

She gave me a quick nod. I sent the images to my cell phone.

While I sorted through the files, my trainee fidgeted.

The clips began with her orientation class. I had questions about the people she met, some of whom she liked.

I pointed to a man with a plaid shirt and gelled hair. "Who is this? You two are rather friendly."

The corners of her mouth tilted. "That's Sam. His office is next door. He's a brilliant guy, but also a space cadet."

Her running commentary amused me. The videos included an attractive redhead, a convincing hologram, and people around a conference table.

The day's clips captured her trip through security. One man was familiar. I pointed to the suited shark in the images. "Who is he?"

"Oh, him? He's a security guy," she replied.

Hmmm.

I replayed the clip, then noticed the collection of photos she had of him. Devyn's cheeks reddened. It was a romantic attraction—the connection was mutual. It would be better if I didn't comment on it. I could do something about the situation without my protégé's knowledge.

Despite the temptation, Devyn proved her worth to Leslie while capturing screen images of the computer and a preview of the servers' contents.

I moved away from the photos. "One last question about the chase. Did you get the license number?"

Devyn sat up straight, reached for her briefcase, and removed a note from the side pocket.

"I forgot all about this," she said, sheepishly handing it to me.

The note mentioned the make of the automobile and included a plate number. The writing wasn't hers.

"Well—I darted into a carport…"

When she finished, I wanted to throttle her.

Devyn yawned. "It's been a long day."

"Tomorrow, I'll run down the plate. I'm glad you're okay."

I reminded her to engage the deadbolt and secure the jammer.

I walked through the door, closing it behind me.

"Always the mother hen," she chided.

I didn't leave until I heard her turn the bolt and flip the latch.

Mother hen? Me?

When I arrived home, I inspected the images, the workplace, her co-worker, and—The Praetorian, a guarded man with a dangerous persona. The way he watched Devyn was worrisome. Heat burned in his eyes when he stared at her. Devyn was not unaffected. He would point his cock elsewhere and leave my beautiful, contrary, protégé, alone.

I looked up a contact number I hadn't used in years. The person would get my message across to the mercenary.

"Hello," said the voice on the other end of the phone.

"There's an overgrown wolf-pup stalking my ward. I believe he's yours. Call him off."

Click.

Author Bio:

K. Nilsson's love of reading began with the Bobbsey twins. When she ran across some Italian True Romance novellas stashed in the attic, the musty serials hooked her on adult fiction. Though black and white photos were dramatic enough to know what the stories were about, she taught herself to read in Italian and translated them to her friends. She's an unapologetic reviewer of books, restaurants, and vacation destinations. An amateur photographer, K. loves taking editorial photos and documenting her travels. Her personal philosophy, sleeping is a waste of time.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Book Tour Featuring *Restless* by Kaylene Winter @kayleneromance @xpressotours #giveaway

Restless
Kaylene Winter
(Less Than Zero Rockstar Romance, #0.5)
Publication date: January 15th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

My mistakes nearly cost me everything, including my life.

Carter Pope is a rock superstar on the rise.
His band Limelight catapulted him into a world of fame and excess.
Meeting his soulmate was not in his plan.
Neither was having a son at age 19.
When he succumbs to a crippling addiction?
It’s all gone in an instant.
Now he’ll do anything to redeem himself and reclaim his family.

I got off the merry-go-round to protect my son.

Stunning prima ballerina Lianne Rocks is taking the ballet world by storm.
Coveted, worshipped, she has her pick of suitors.
But she only has eyes for one man.
Guitar superhero, Carter Pope.
Caught up in a merry-go-round of addiction and fame.
She leaves to create a stable life for herself and Zane.
Her son, the musical prodigy who really needs his dad.

When Carter gets clean, Lianne reluctantly lets him back into their lives.
Only so he can reconnect with his son.
Little did she know.
A restless soul can always be tamed by true love.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

(Warning Explicit Language, If You Are Offended Easily Do NOT Read)

Prologue

CARTER

Present Day

History never repeats itself.

That’s a motherfucking lie.

It’s also the motherfucking truth.

It all depends on your perspective.

“Holy shit, Carter. It’s like déjà vu.” My best friend Gus Reynolds stood next to me, slack-jawed. “It’s like seeing you play here for the first time all those years ago.”

Gus owned The Mission, Seattle’s most enduring and iconic live music venue. We were watching my son Zane shred through one of the most intricate yet nuanced guitar solos I’d ever heard. Lost in the music, his face contorted with each note. Expressions mirroring the emotions he squeezed out of his instrument.

Bliss.

Rage.

Sorrow.

How I loved my son.

How I’d let him down.

Too many times to count.

Now, Zane’s band, Less Than Zero—or LTZ as they were more affectionately referred to—was poised to steal my band Limelight’s rock-and-roll crown. At least, if I had anything to say about it. “Yeah, they’re good,” I finally answered Gus. Little had changed in the twenty-plus years since Limelight had played the same sticky stage. The club was perpetually dank and dark and smelled of old beer and Pine-Sol.

My neutral observation masked my total and utter excitement. The kids on stage were poised for true greatness. I felt it in my bones. The energy throughout the club was electrified. Intense. Every single person here tonight knew they were witnessing something special.

My son’s mop of dark, unruly hair hid his infectious grin and dark-brown eyes while he bounced all over the stage. A natural performer, he engaged everyone in the crowd. Drew them in. He’d learned from the best—me, but somehow for him, it was effortless. At an early age, his mother Lianne and I realized he was a musical savant. Tonight, I was in awe, just as I had been from the day and hour he was born.

His other band members were spectacularly talented too. Lead singer Tyson Rainier had been Zane’s best friend from the time he’d moved back in with me at age sixteen. They’d bonded over their love of guitar, but Ty’s voice was like the second coming of Chris Cornell mixed with Geoff Tate and a little Johnny Cash in between. Ty was practically homeless when Zane first brought him over to our house. After hearing him sing just once, I took it upon myself to secretly ensure he had proper training. Like Zane, Ty was a musical unicorn, he’d deserved my investment.

Rounding out the band were bassist Conner McLoughlin and drummer Jace Deveraux, who played the Seattle college circuit for years. They also had my stamp of approval. Solid, hardworking, and talented, the duo provided a steady backdrop to showcase the two virtuosos in the band.

Gus handed me a Diet Coke. “What did your management office say?”

“They’re in.” I took a sip, simultaneously wishing it were a beer and lamenting I’d never have a taste of the hoppy beverage ever again. “I’m having this show recorded to send over for final vetting. The social numbers are out of this world. There shouldn’t be a problem.”

A tiny, dark-haired pixie came up behind us. “Dad, let me settle the show on my own tonight. I won’t ever be able to take over this place if you don’t let me handle some of this stuff.”

“Fine, Fiona.” Gus booped his daughter on the nose, causing her to wrinkle it in protest. “If you want to fuck around with Zane’s ego, offer to settle up with Ty.”

I laughed. Fiona rolled her eyes and resumed her position behind the bar.

Zane had become the de facto business manager of the band. Ty was too shy, he really only came alive on stage. Connor was distracted by family stuff. Jace had his hands full with LTZ’s social media. Leaving my son, a man of little attention span, to handle the money. Surprisingly, he took the job very seriously. And, like everything else he put his mind to, he knocked it out of the park.

He’d shit a brick to have Fiona in a room alone for ten minutes. She was a few months older, but they’d been playmates since they were born. Throughout high school and into adulthood, Zane had an unrequited crush on the gorgeous girl who was like a daughter to me. She’d been very careful not to lead him on, but he was determined to win her heart.

Luckily, I’d set up a six-month tour for the band. None of these guys needed the distraction of a girlfriend when their career was just getting started.

I was living proof.

LTZ started one of their newer songs, a slow, sultry groove. Ty stood at the front of the stage like he owned it, scanning the crowd. His duct-taped Doc Martin tapped the beat. His eyes fixated on something in the crowd and in an instant, his entire demeanor changed. Almost like he’d been struck by lightning. The expression on his face was dreamy when his eyes locked on someone close to the stage.

I made a move from the back of the club, wanting to see who caught Ty’s eye. Down in front were two young blonde girls, the shorter girl with loads of wild hair seemed to be the object of his fascination. She looked like a deer in headlights when Ty made eye contact with her. Ty was a very good-looking dude, which was another reason he made such a compelling frontman. Many girls tried to get his attention, but his focus was on the band. Survival. Getting his life on track. He never took the bait.

Until now.

Moving stealthily closer, I dodged a couple of fans and kept an eye on Ty and the girl throughout the rest of the show. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, though she was more demure about it. After the show, I observed Ty approach her and have an awkward interaction. It didn’t surprise me, seeking out a young lady was unprecedented for LTZ’s singer. When he disappeared with her moments later?

Also unprecedented.

Unacceptable.

The last thing any of the guys in LTZ needed were distractions, especially Ty. Connor was already practically married, though I didn’t foresee that relationship lasting long. Jace had no interest in a girlfriend, only a good time. His crush on Fiona aside, my son was a horndog who’d never shown interest in a longer-term relationship.

Which was good.

Over the next few months, the guys were recording their first album then going on tour. With a distribution deal, my management team behind them and social media numbers that grew stronger every day?

LTZ was poised to be the biggest band out of Seattle since Limelight.

Fuck, yeah.

Even though I was barely past forty, I made the guys suffer through my endless old-man lectures about keeping their cocks wrapped up, so I wasn’t worried about mistakes or diseases. Tonight, I was more concerned about my pseudo-son Ty’s fragile heart. After the considerable personal currency—both financial and industry—I’d put into LTZ, there was no way I’d allow the band to be derailed by some girl trying to get her hooks into one of them.

I’d already been there and done that.

With disastrous results.

Motherfucking history would not repeat itself in this case.

Author Bio:

When she was only 15, Kaylene Winter wrote her first rocker romance novel starring a fictionalized version of herself, her friends and their gorgeous rocker boyfriends. After living her own rockstar life as a band manager, music promoter and mover and shaker in Seattle during the early 1990's, Kaylene became a digital media legal strategist helping bring movies, television and music online. Throughout her busy career, Kaylene lost herself in romance novels across all genres inspiring her to realize her life-long dream to be a published author. She lives in Seattle with her amazing husband and dog. She loves to travel, throw lavish dinner parties and support charitable causes supporting arts and animals.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Book Tour Featuring *Happily Ever After* A Contemporary Romance Boxed Set @xpressotours #giveaway

Happily Ever After A Contemporary Romance Boxed Set
Publication date: January 12th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

These heroes and heroines are lost without each other … but obstacles stand in their way.

Inside the pages of this steamy, limited edition boxed set created for you by your favorite romance authors, you’ll find sexy, funny, heartwarming, and red hot romance reads, where characters navigate their love through all the twists, turns, and ups and downs required to reach a happily ever after.

Which passionate romance will be your favorite? The enemies turned to trusted lovers or the rock stars who know exactly what they want? Best friends who wish they could be more, forbidden love, or second chance at forever?

No matter what you love – enemies to lovers, second chance romance, a forbidden tale, vacation fling, opposites attract, comedy, or contemporary romance – every story in this limited edition boxed will deliver the satisfying end you crave.

One-click now to discover your new favorite ending with twenty-one happily ever afters guaranteed.

Fans of Abbi Glines, Jill Shalvis, and Lauren Landish will swoon for Happily Ever After.

Authors included in this set are:
Piper Rayne, Erin Lee, Mandy Melanson & Elle Ryan, Sophia Henry, Lena Bourne, Selene Drake, Joanne Dannon & Faith Summers, Mallory Fox, Kathryn C. Kelly, Dakota Davies, Evie Wilde, D. R. Love, Mckenna James, Debra Elise, Heather Wynter, Mary E Thompson, Ann C. Orlandi & Riley James, Marie Skye, Olivia Marie, Maria Ann Green, and Aria Rae Blossom

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEKS:

My Twist of Fortune (The Greene Family #0.5)by Piper Rayne

Driving up their long driveway through the forest of trees, I realize the worst part about my parents’ remote location is that if someone stops by to see me, I can’t just keep driving until they leave. I’m stuck.

So as my van pulls up to the house and a dark gray truck comes into view, I curse to myself. I already know who it is and my stomach sinks. I calculate my chances of pulling down the driveway and acting as though I didn’t see him, but that’s shot to hell when the driver’s side door opens.

I say one last prayer that Hank has apprentices working under him and it’s one of them in the truck. He must have employees. I’m sure he wouldn’t be too keen on seeing me either.

But just like every other facet of my life lately, this situation doesn’t go my way either. Two long legs attached to work boots hit the pavement as Hank unfolds himself from the truck. He’s bigger than I remember. Taller, broader. There’s scruff along his face that’s darker than his honey-blond hair, which is longer than I’ve ever seen it as if it’s weeks past a haircut but not so unruly he looks unkempt.

Just like all my friends in Arizona thought all men in Alaska looked like, he’s wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, and brown work boots. He pushes his sunglasses up to rest on top of his head and offers me a wave.

I can only smile. Nausea hits my stomach as I turn off the ignition and slide out of my minivan.

“You didn’t have to come,” I say immediately.

He side-glances me, getting something out of his truck. “Your mom called me this morning.”

“I’m sorry. I told my dad I would get someone else. I’m not even sure…”

He pulls a toolbox out of the back and looks at me. His gaze slithers across my body side to side, up and down, and when his gaze meets mine, the hazel eyes that would pierce me from across the room in high school make me want to sigh. Hank Greene.

“Hey,” he says in an easy way. As if it hasn’t been twenty years since we saw one another face to face.

“Hi.”

He nods. “Welcome back.”

I fidget with my hands and balk when I look down at my feet. I have on my mom’s flowery rain boots, my dad’s too-big flannel pants, and oh my God. I cross my arms over my chest. His chuckle says he wondered when I would figure out how I look.

—

Falling for my Fling by Dakota Davies

“You going to the carnival tomorrow?” I ask.

She grins. “I heard that I’ll have the opportunity to dunk you in the dunk tank.”

“Would you like that?” I ask the energy inside me surging to life.

She cocks her head in a way that makes her silver earrings flash with light. It’s so sexy that I have to hold in my groan.

“I would,” she says, her eyes sparkling.

“There’s a pie-eating contest too. You up for a challenge?” I say, practically vibrating right off the roof because pie and eating combined with her scent and the way her body warms the space between us is putting all kinds of dirty thoughts in my head.

“Sounds messy,” she says. The spark in her eyes is still there, but there’s something else there, too, something serious. It’s like looking into the depths of a churning hole, knowing that if you get sucked in, you may never come out.

“It can be,” I reply as the sparks zip between us. “If you do it right.”

Her breath catches, and suddenly, I don’t care about the consequences.

I need to kiss this girl.

Now.

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Book Tour Featuring *Dirty Deeds* by Devon Monk, Diana Pharaoh Francis, Faith Hunter, R.J. Blain @xpressotours #giveaway

Dirty Deeds: An Urban Fantasy Collection
Devon Monk, Diana Pharaoh Francis, Faith Hunter, R.J. Blain
Publication date: January 12th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

When the going gets tough, the tough get their hands dirty. Join NY Times Bestselling author Faith Hunter, USA Today Bestselling author R.J. Blain, and National Bestselling authors Diana Pharaoh Francis and Devon Monk on a wild romp where the damsels bring the distress and what can go wrong will go wrong.

Venture into a thrilling spinoff tale from the world of Jane Yellowrock; join vacationing gods in what appears to be a quiet, ordinary town; visit a supernatural hotel where the bedbugs could very well eat you; and dive into the zany, deadly world of the Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) series.

In this collection of all-new urban fantasy novellas and other stories, no job is too big or too small — if the price is right.

Goodreads / Amazon 

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EXCERPT

From R.J. Blain’s Doggone Mess:

After a long week of work, I couldn’t really blame anyone for grabbing fast food on the way home, but did everyone in Long Island have to visit my specific branch of McDonald’s? From vanilla humans, lycanthropes, practitioners, and centaurs, to devils, demons, and even an angel, everybody wanted a hit, and they wanted me to give it to them.

I questioned the angel. How could they eat without a head? Did they eat? Why did an angel want nuggets? Why did everyone want nuggets today?

While all the lines were busy, mine had twice as many people, and I doubted I’d survive to the end of my shift in an hour.

I considered asking some divine for help, but I opted against the idea. With my luck, the devil would join the mayhem and give me one hell of an order.

The nuggets held the place as the day’s reigning champion of sales, with the smart people ordering twenty, as it was approximately fifty cents more expensive than ordering ten. Burgers took the second spot of the day, and the underdog salad came in a close third, resulting in general mayhem in the back, as we hadn’t prepared for a salad bender.

Oddly, the lycanthropes led the charge on the unexpected salad bender. Had someone slipped pixie dust into our dressing when I hadn’t been looking? While filling an insane order consisting of a hundred and sixty nuggets, ten fries, and enough soda to float a boat, I checked one of the labels to make sure.

Nope, no pixie dust.

I could’ve used a hit of pixie dust, but for some damned reason, the CDC got cranky when those infected with a contagious life-altering disease became snuggle fiends. My driver’s license specifically barred me from ingesting any pixie dust without a prescription, the cruelest of blows in my life outside of my accidental infection with lycanthropy. Pixie dust turned me into a snuggle fiend out on a mission to love everyone, making me a high infection risk.

They would consider removing the flag after I mated, as they believed I would become a snuggle fiend with my mate, something they viewed to be acceptable.

I hated the CDC, especially as my virus agreed with their idea. I bet my terrorist virus just wanted me to settle down and used pixie dust to its advantage, although I’d resisted its wicked ways thus far.

Damn it, I needed a vacation.

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Book Tour Featuring *Simply You* by Maggie Wild @xpressotours #giveaway

Simply You
Maggie Wild
Publication date: January 12th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She needs someone she can count on. He’s gun-shy after being hurt. Can a brush with fate in a rained-out English village turn into enduring love?

Sarah Tildon thinks she’s found the perfect man. But after her overbearing future mother-in-law insists her quiet country wedding become a high-society shindig, she sets out on a two-week ride to rethink her plans. Stranded when her bicycle is stolen in a picturesque hamlet, she’s touched by the kindness of a handsome young farmer who comes to her rescue.

The big city failed Michael Marsden’s ample ambitions. After his fiancée cheats on him, he turns his back on the hustle and bustle and takes on a farm to prove he can lead a self-sufficient life. And taken by surprise when a charming outsider helps sing his hens into laying, he realizes his newfound Eden is missing its Eve.

Unexpectedly falling for the sweet homesteader, Sarah is torn between the security of a gilded cage and the precarious freedom of raising chickens. And when her fiancé arrives to bring her back to London, Michael fears she’ll leave him with yet another shattered heart.

Will this unlikely couple throw caution to the wind and embrace a destined second chance?

Simply You is the first book in the heartwarming Hope Valley Romance series. If you like fun heroines, pastoral backdrops, and endearing courtships, then you’ll adore Maggie Wild’s sweet tale.

Read Simply You to start fresh today!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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EXCERPT:

Six eggs. Six measly eggs.

“Ladies,” Michael said to the cluster of chickens scratching around at his feet. “I could use some help if you don’t mind. What will it take to get a few more eggs, eh?” By way of response, a fat black-and-white speckled hen clucked, fluffed her feathers, and pecked at the toe of Michael’s work boot. “Watch it, Beatrice,” he said, “or I’ll put you in the pot.”

The chicken looked at him, cocked her head, and pecked his boot again. Michael sighed as he gathered the basket of eggs to his chest and closed the door of the chicken coop behind him. His chickens knew he was a soft touch. Even if he hadn’t gone against the advice of everyone he knew and given his girl's names, they’d never see the inside of a stew pot, and they knew it.

Trouble was, this self-sufficient lifestyle relied on trading what he needed for what he produced, and six little eggs didn’t give him much to barter with. An image popped into his mind of Caroline’s face, that pitying look she’d give him when he failed at his dream of a simpler life. Perhaps he could hire her to give that same look to his chickens, guilt them into laying. But Caroline wouldn’t settle for being paid in eggs. Especially not now she was marrying an accountant. How would “Mr. Dotted I’s and Crossed T’s” classify eggs on his profit and loss spreadsheet?

Michael pushed the image of his smug ex-fiancée and her pompous husband-to-be from his mind. He’d been in a grumpy mood all week, ever since she’d called with the news of her impending nuptials. She was history and he didn’t need her—or anyone else—to live the life he’d always dreamed of. He transferred the six eggs to an egg box designed for a dozen. The six empty cardboard cups glared up at him like round laughing mouths. He sucked up his pride and pushed open the garden gate.

He cut down a narrow cobbled alley that led to the back of his sister Nicki’s B&B and smelled sizzling bacon before his hand even touched the gate. He followed the scent through the neat back garden, his deprived senses picking up freshly-baked muffins, toasted bread, and dark French-pressed coffee. His stomach growled, but he shook off the feeling and fixed a cheery grin on his face.

“Morning!” he said, as he pushed open the back door. The kitchen was a whirl of people, sounds, and smells, but as always, under Nicki’s management, it looked like a perfectly coordinated ballet. Jennie, the student Nicki had taken on for the busy summer months, was juggling pans of eggs made to order—fried, poached, scrambled, and hard-boiled. She looked up as Michael came in and grinned wickedly. “Hello, gorgeous.”

Author Bio:

Maggie Wild lives in California Wine Country with her own Mr. Right and a small collection of furry friends. A native of Yorkshire, England, she returns “home” every day through her fictional worlds. When not writing her fun, contemporary romance stories, she loves to watch the birds in her garden and hike through the local redwoods.

Website / Facebook / Instagram

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Book Tour Featuring *Up the Creek* by Alissa Grosso @alissagrosso @partnersincr1me #giveaway

Up the Creek

by Alissa Grosso

January 11 - March 12, 2021, Tour

Synopsis:

An unsolved murder. Disturbing dreams. A missing child.

Caitlin Walker hasn't had a dream in nine years. But now nightmares torture her son Adam and awaken in Caitlin buried memories and a dark secret. Her husband Lance has a secret of his own, one that his son's nightmares threaten to reveal.

In Culver Creek newly hired detective Sage Dorian works to unravel the small town's notorious cold case, the grisly murder of a young girl.

How are Caitlin and Lance connected to the horrific crime? And how far will they go to make sure their secrets stay hidden? Find out in this riveting thriller.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Thriller
Published by: Glitter Pigeon Press
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 356
ISBN: 9781949852080
Series: Culver Creek Series, Book 1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Caitlin emerged from a black, dreamless sleep to screams. Adam’s tortured cries sounded almost otherworldly. They turned her blood to ice and made her heart race. She sat straight up, then bolted from bed, blinking sleep from her eyes as she raced toward the door, banging her shin on the dresser as she went. She yanked on the doorknob and almost toppled over when it didn’t yield as she expected. Goddammit. Lance had locked the door again.

She spared a glance toward the bed, but her husband wasn’t there. Instead he was standing, looking out the window. For a moment she thought she was mistaken. Were the screams coming from outside?

“Lance?” she asked.

He turned to her, but his eyes looked past her at some point on the wall.

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, barely awake.

“Adam’s having a nightmare,” she said.

“Again?” he asked. “Maybe we should just let him sleep it off.”

The screams had subsided now, but she could still hear her son’s whimpers from down the hall. Sleep it off? Could Lance really be that clueless? She unlocked the door and flung it open. It bounced almost silently off the rubber doorstopper, which didn’t really give her the dramatic exit she was hoping for.

She still couldn’t quite wrap her head around her husband just standing there looking out the window while Adam cried for them. Usually Lance was the one who woke up first. Maybe he had already gone to comfort Adam and came back to their bedroom by the time she awoke. He seemed so out of it, though. Well, that’s what a lack of sleep could do to a person.

Adam sat on his bed in a nest of tangled sheets. His face was damp with tears and sweat, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. The hippo nightlight cast large, ominous shadows when she stepped into his room. He looked up with a start, then relaxed when he saw it was her.

She sat down beside him and pulled his small body to her, wrapping her arms around him and rocking him gently back and forth. The tears subsided, but he still felt tense.

“Mommy, I’m scared of the bad boy,” he said. “The bad boy’s going to hurt me.”

“Nobody’s going to hurt you,” she assured him. “You’re safe. It was just a dream. Look, you’re safe in your bedroom.”

At this, Adam pulled away from her a little to study the dimly lit bedroom. Maybe they should get a different nightlight. She had never realized how spooky that hippo light made everything look.

“There were trees,” Adam said, “and a river. She was playing in the river.”

Caitlin stiffened. Adam noticed it and looked up at her. She smiled at him.

“It was just a dream,” she said, as much to reassure herself as him. “It wasn’t real.”

There were lots of rivers out there, and wasn’t Adam just watching a cartoon show with cute animals that had to get across a river? That was probably where that detail came from. Plus, she reminded herself, it hadn’t been a river. It had been a creek. She wasn’t sure Adam knew the difference between a river and a creek, though. But a little girl playing in a river? No, wait, was that what he had said? He said only “she.” For all Caitlin knew, this she could have been a girl river otter. Maybe he had been having a cute dream about river creatures.

And a “bad boy,” she reminded herself. She remembered his bloodcurdling screams. There was nothing cute about the dream he had. Still, she clung to the “bad boy” detail. Was he talking about a child? If so, then the river was just a coincidence. She wanted to ask him more about the bad boy, but this was the worst thing she could do. He was already starting to calm down, starting to forget the details of his nightmare. She couldn’t go dredging things back up again.

“Mommy, can I sleep in your room?” Adam asked.

#

Lance was fully awake and in bed when Caitlin returned with Adam in her arms.

“Hey there, champ,” Lance said. “Have a bad dream?”

“Daddy, he hurt her,” Adam said. “He hurt her head. She was bleeding.”

Her son’s tiny body stiffened again in Caitlin’s arms, and she gave Lance an exasperated look as she set Adam down in the middle of the bed.

“We’d already gotten past that,” she said in a whispered hiss.

“Obviously,” Lance said with a roll of his eyes, “which is why he’s sleeping in our bed. Again.”

She slid into the bed beside Adam and adjusted the covers, ignoring her husband. She petted Adam’s head and made soft, soothing noises.

“Remember, that wasn’t real, just make believe, like a movie.” She didn’t want him to get himself worked up again talking about the dream, but it wasn’t just that. She didn’t want to hear any more details from the nightmare because the bit about the bad boy hurting the girl’s head and the blood felt a touch too familiar.

She stroked his face, and his eyelids slowly drooped closed. He looked so calm and peaceful when he slept.

“I thought we said we weren’t going to do this anymore,” Lance said. Even whispering, his voice was too loud. She held her finger to her lips. He continued more quietly, “I’m just saying, I think it would be better for him if he sleeps in his own bed.”

“It’s already after three,” she said. “It’s only for a few hours.”

“That’s not the point,” Lance said. “He’s nearly five years old. We can’t keep babying him.”

It was like the school argument all over again, and Caitlin didn’t want to get into it. Not now. She was still tired and groggy and needed more sleep.

“I want to get him a new nightlight,” she said to change the subject. “The one he has makes these creepy shadows.”

“A new nightlight,” Lance repeated in a skeptical voice. “Sure, that will solve everything.”

“The important thing,” she said, “is that we have to remind him that his dreams are not real. That they’re make believe. We have to be united on this.”

Lance made a dismissive noise and lay back down on his pillow, turning his body away from her and Adam. He muttered something, but his voice was muffled by the pillow.

“Lance, this is important,” she said. “We have to make it clear that his dreams are not real. He has to know they aren’t true.”

He sighed. “What kind of moron do you think I am? Do you really think I’m going to start telling him his dreams about boogeymen are real?” He squirmed around and pulled the covers up in an attempt to get comfortable. She thought he was done, but he stopped shifting around long enough to add, “It’s not exactly like you’re the foremost expert in dreams.”

***

Excerpt from Up the Creek by Alissa Grosso. Copyright 2021 by Alissa Grosso. Reproduced with permission from Alissa Grosso. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Alissa Grosso is the author of several books for adults and teens. Originally from New Jersey, she now resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Find out more about Alissa Grosso and her books at:
AlissaGrosso.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Twitter
Facebook

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

 

 

Giveaway!:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Alyssa Grosso. There will be two (2) winners each receiving one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on January 11, 2021, and runs through March 14, 2021. Void where prohibited.

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