Book Tour Featuring *Inside Passage* by Burt Weissbourd @Weissbourd @partnersincr1me #giveaway

Inside Passage

Book 1 of the Corey Logan Trilogy

by Burt Weissbourd

November 1-30, 2020 Tour

Synopsis:

Corey Logan was set up. She knows Nick Season’s terrible secret. Coming home from prison, all Corey wants is to be with her son. To get him back, she needs to make a good impression on the psychiatrist evaluating her. Dr. Abe Stein doesn’t believe she was framed — until his well-heeled mother falls for the charming state attorney general candidate, Nick Season. As the dogs of war are unleashed, Corey and her son run for their lives — taking her boat up the Pacific Northwest’s remote Inside Passage.

“A stunning, fast paced thriller that took me on an intense ride and kept me on the edge of myseat the entire way through … If you love beautifully executed thrillers that will play with your mind as well as your heart, this is the book for you.” ~ Midwest Book Review

Inside Passage is the first in Weissbourd’s haunting, heart-stirring Corey Logan Trilogy.

Inside Passage

Teaser

Minos

Click here to find out more about the Corey Logan Trilogy.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Blue City Press
Publication Date: October 20th 2020
Number of Pages: 290
ISBN: 1733438246 (ISBN13: 9781733438247)
Series:A Corey Logan Thriller, #1 || STAND ALONE MYSTERY
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

“Wouldn’t you like to get married in your own backyard?”

“Of course I would. You know that,” she snapped. “But I can’t.”

“Why not? Because Nick Season says you can’t. You have the right to live the life you want to live. Don’t give it up for that son of a bitch. Hell no. You don’t have to do that.” Abe leaned closer. There it was, those laser-like light blue eyes. “It won’t be easy, but together, we can figure out what to do. You and I can do this. We have to.”

“My God, what are you thinking? This isn’t like psycho-therapy.” She held his eyes. “We can’t ‘figure it out’ or ‘work on it.’ It’s not a head game. We have no evidence. Nothing. Nick’s a foolproof liar and a stone-cold killer. And he’s going to be Washington’s state attorney general.”

“And he has to be stopped.” Abe looked into their fire. “It’s not just about what you’d have to give up … think about what he’ll do if he ever finds out that you and Billy are alive. And though you might be okay for a year, or even two, eventually, he’ll start to wonder. And then to worry. It’s who he is. You’ve told me that. And then he’ll never stop checking. He’ll have me followed. Every year, he’ll run your prints, and Billy’s, through some Canadian database. And that’s just the beginning … unless we stop him.”

“And how do you propose to do that?”

Abe’s bushy brows furrowed in a “V” until they almost touched. “I understand the problem now.” They touched. Corey had never seen that. Very cool. He meant business. He turned to her, full face. “To begin, I’ll comb my hair and look this devil in his shiny black eyes.”

What? What was that? Corey was dumbstruck. Eventually, she softly mouthed, “What?” And louder, before he could answer, “Aren’t you afraid of him?”

“He’s very frightening, and I’m painfully aware of what’s at stake. And of course I see how very dangerous he is and yes, that scares me.” He scowled. “But I have other feelings that are even stronger than my fear.”

“What does that mean?”

“What I’m afraid of, what keeps me up at night, is losing you. Nick wants to kill the person I love most in the world. That makes him my archenemy, my nemesis. What I feel for Nick is inexhaustible rage.” He tapped his pipe against the log, emptying it into the sand, then he carefully set it down. When he looked up, his expression had turned fierce. Abe took both of her hands. “Nick Season be damned!”

“You’re being crazy.” She had never seen Abe like this.

“No, I’m telling you how I feel. I want to marry you Corey. I want to live with you and Billy in Seattle. I want to go to parent night at Billy’s school. I want to take you guys to dinner at Tulio and for pizza at Via Tribunali. I want to fish at your favorite spots near Bainbridge —”

“He’ll kill us all.” And Abe was really scaring her.

“I have to keep that from happening.”

“This isn’t a storybook. Nick isn’t like anyone you know. And this isn’t an insight kind of deal. Look what happened the last time you tried to help. They almost got Billy, and I had to kill someone. Look what almost happened last night. This time you and Billy and I, we could all die. Do you understand that?”

“Yes, I do. But I won’t let that happen.”

“Won’t let that happen?”

“No, I won’t.”

“How?”

“I’m working on that. “

“Working on it? How? You’re going to comb your hair? Look this devil in his shiny black eyes? What is that about?”

Abe considered her question. “It’s a way of starting.”

Corey put her head in her hands. She didn’t know what to say.

***

Excerpt from Inside Passage by Burt Weissbourd. Copyright 2020 by Burt Weissbourd. Reproduced with permission from Burt Weissbourd. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Burt Weissbourd is a novelist, screenwriter and producer of feature films. He was born in 1949 and graduated cum laude from Yale University, with honors in psychology. During his student years, he volunteered at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris and taught English to college students in Thailand. After he graduated, he wrote, directed, and produced educational films for Gilbert Altschul Productions. He began a finance program at the Northwestern University Graduate School of Business, but left to start his own film production company in Los Angeles. He managed that company from 1977 until 1986, producing films including Ghost Story starring Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Patricia Neal, and Raggedy Man starring Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard, which The New York Times called "a movie of sweet, low-keyed charm." In 1987, he founded an investment business, which he still runs. Burt's novels include the thrillers Danger in Plain Sight, The Corey Logan Trilogy (Inside Passage, Teaser and Minos), and In Velvet, a thriller set in Yellowstone National Park.

Catch Up With Burt Weissbourd:
BurtWeissbourd.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:

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

 

 

Enter To Win!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Burt Weissbourd. There will be 5 winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on November 1, 2020 and runs through December 2, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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Book Tour Featuring *The Flame Game* by R.J. Blain @RJ_Blain @xpressotours #giveaway

The Flame Game
R.J. Blain
(Magical Romantic Comedies, #12)
Publication date: November 24th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Bailey and Quinn are back for one last action-filled adventure!

A corrupt police chief is on the loose, and it falls to Bailey and Quinn to put an end to him before he finds some way to weaponize the spreading rabies virus, create yet another batch of potent gorgon dust, and otherwise wreck Bailey’s happily ever after.

With a pair of orphaned gorgon whelps to care for, more animals she can shake a stick at, and her husband’s determination to make the world a perfect place for her, Bailey has her hands full. To protect everyone she loves, she must embrace her dubious role as the Calamity Queen and rain hell down on those who stand in her way.

The Flame Game is on.

Warning: this novel contains two fire-breathing unicorns on a napalm bender, action, adventure, chaos, mayhem, humor, and bodies. Proceed with caution.

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

—

EXCERPT:

The father I hadn’t met until this morning walked me down the aisle, but Quinn’s hands holding mine kept me from running in terror at so many people witnessing me marrying someone like him. I questioned everything about my odd life. Me, the Calamity Queen, marry him? It took a few moments to remember I’d already married him once. I’d asked that same question then, too. He’d laughed, and then he’d goaded me until I’d done what he wanted, which involved me marrying him.

Crazy man.

There’d been a bunch of witnesses to that courthouse madness, too, and I’d survived through it mostly unscathed. Most of the witnesses to our first wedding had been too busy brawling with each other to pay any attention to me signing the papers that gave Samuel Leviticus Quinn certain rights to me, but that didn’t matter.

Reminding myself his signature on the same papers meant I got rights to him did a good job of steadying my rattled nerves.

No matter how many times I failed to tell him properly, I loved him.

To endure so many people staring at me, all I needed to do was remember a few key things. After the vows came the food, after the food came a show of gorgons petrifying each other during a brawl, and after the brawling came the pampering in our suite, which would be devoid of children for at least twenty-four hours, courtesy of an assortment of parents and grandparents.

I needed a lot longer than twenty-four hours to come to terms with having two pairs of parents.

One set hated me.

The other, who I’d learned about just yesterday, loved me.

I needed a lot longer than twenty-four hours to adjust to my life’s new circumstances.

First, I needed to survive through my second wedding. Tomorrow, I would resume my quest to be the best mother possible for our pair of orphaned gorgon children, who would spend the rest of the day and most of tomorrow socializing with the other gorgons in attendance, most of whom were related to my husband in one way or another.

Staring at Quinn and refusing to acknowledge anyone else in the Venetian’s canals would help with that, at least until we made it to the food portion of our wedding day. Once the food came around, I didn’t care who watched me devour steak, steak, and even more steak.

The fire-breathing, meat-eating unicorn in me loved steak almost as much as I loved the man who’d turned my life upside down on me.

My husband made no effort to hide his amusement, and he squeezed my hands while we both ignored the minister, who did a pretty damned good job of impersonating Elvis while reading the scripted sermon. He went on and on about the responsibilities of married couples, husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers, along with the death-do-we-part stuff I doubted applied to us at all thanks to our mishmash of crazy relatives, most of whom were in attendance.

A few too many gods and goddesses for my comfort joined almost every damned cop in our precinct to witness us confess our love to each other. Or, at a minimum, blurt ‘I do’ in some horrifically embarrassing fashion.

I had trouble with the basics, and nothing had changed since I’d married my gorgon-incubus doohickey the first time.

“You can look somewhere other than me if you want,” Quinn whispered, leaning closer to me.

I debated stealing a kiss before the official kissing portion of the ceremony, although the dumb veil kept getting in my way. Quinn had already shunted the damned thing back, but it kept falling wherever it wanted, to the point I wanted to light it on fire.

Nobody had warned me how much of a pain in the ass wedding dresses could be. And the heels? The heels might do me in. What had I done to deserve the damned heels, especially with the asshole pair of parents uninvited from the ceremony? While inserting my heels into their asses would have made my day, having a pair of parents who actually wanted me trumped my petty desire for revenge.

Huh. Somehow, I’d grown up since meeting Quinn, although only a little.

I forced my attention back on my husband. “If I look anywhere other than at you, I will see them staring at me. You’re prettier than they are, and I absolutely refuse to be ashamed of this.”

A few months ago, I would have gone and cried in the bathroom had I said that where anyone might hear me.

The Elvis impersonator grinned. “He really is prettier than everyone else here. You’re a very lucky woman.”

Oops. I shrugged, but I also smiled. “It’s true. I can’t help it. He’s in a suit. He can’t wear dress uniforms at home. I get ideas. I am enjoying this while it lasts. Someone is going to take a picture of him in his suit, and I will end up being bribed for copies of the pictures. I’ll have to ration the pictures out. I make him late for work if he wears anything other than his normal uniform. He has to change at work.”

Well, maybe I couldn’t keep my blabbering mouth under control, but I could make people laugh. The entire audience had a field day with my runaway commentary, but beyond blushing over my nervous tendencies, I resisted the urge to dash for the door. If I bolted, Quinn would catch me, drag me back, and laugh about it for the rest of eternity.

It amazed me how much could change in such a short period of time. Six months ago, I’d been bitter, alone, tired, and hungry more often than not. I no longer worried about what I’d eat; if I skipped a meal, Quinn chased me down and hovered until I did what he wanted, which involved eating whatever offering he had brought for me.

Greasy fries and burgers showed up almost as often as healthier fare. He even tolerated me trying to shove fries down his throat, as he deserved to enjoy greasy goodness, too.

I had issues.

I had a lot fewer issues than six months ago.

I deserved a gold star and an entire bucket of napalm for how much progress I’d made.

Quinn chuckled, which captured my attention, and he stole a gentle kiss. “Don’t worry. I’m going to have as much trouble as you when I get you into a dress uniform.”

I loved my gorgon-incubus doohickey. “Serves you right, you freak.” Aw, damn it. There I went, calling my husband a freak on our second wedding day. “I’m blaming the absurd number of cops in this building for my inability to behave like a normal adult.”

The cops snickered, which helped mitigate most of my urge to run away and hide from my ability to thoroughly embarrass myself. Then again, if I did run away and hide, Quinn would cheat and use his body to lure me to our room. Running so he’d chase me tempted me, but I stood my ground for a rare change.

Sometime within a few hours, he would lure me to our room, and I would be rewarded for handling our second wedding with a little more grace than our first. Mostly. Maybe with less grace but properly dressed. I could work with properly dressed for our second wedding.

Author Bio:

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Book Tour Featuring *Bones of the Redeemed* by Kari Bovee @kariBovee @iReadBookTours #giveaway

Join us for this tour from Nov 9 to Dec 4, 2020!

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Bones of the Redeemed (A Southwestern Mystery) by Kari Bovee
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 + yrs), 298 pages
Genre:  Historical Mystery (1952)
Publisher:  Bosque Publishing
Release date:  November 2020
Content Rating:  R for abuse, does contain the f-word a few times,

Book Description:

A pit of corpses. An ancient cult. A quest for redemption that could leave her dead… New Mexico, 1952. Archaeology grad student Ruby Delgado is plagued by guilt after losing her son. So when her latest excavation drops her down a sinkhole filled with suspiciously mutilated bodies, she’s driven to bring the murderer to justice. But when digging deeper brings her dangerously close to a sinister religious sect, she could be their next sacrifice… Discovering some of the victims were crucified, Ruby pushes hard to give the evidence to the authorities. But when her trail crosses the path of a beaten man left for dead in the desert, she realizes she may be the only person who can save the community. Can Ruby stop the sacrifices and slay her inner demons, or will hers be the next body laid to rest? Bones of the Redeemed is a hair-raising standalone Southwestern mystery. If you like complex heroines, cult conflict, and hard-won redemption, then you’ll love Kari Bovee’s grisly tale.

Buy the Book:
Amazon

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovee is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined, and helping them to find order in the chaos of her action-packed novels. Empowered women in history, horses, unconventional characters, and real-life historical events fill the pages of Kari Bovée’s articles and historical mystery musings and manuscripts. An award-winning author, Bovée was honored with the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for Southwestern Fiction for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards, as well as the Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings is a Finalist for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards and the International Chanticleer Goethe Awards. Her novel Peccadillo at the Palace is a Finalist in the 2019 International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards and the 2019 International Goethe Awards, as well as a Finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category. Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant. She and her husband, Kevin, spend their time between their horse property in the beautiful Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, and their condo on the sunny shores of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

​Connect with the author:  Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
~ Pinterest

 

Tour Schedule:
Nov 9 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 9 - Elizabeth McKenna – Author – book spotlight
Nov 10 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
Nov 12 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 12 - _Fan_of_Books_ - book review
Nov 16 – 100 Pages A Day – book review / giveaway
Nov 17 – Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
Nov 18 – PuzzlePaws Blog – book review / giveaway
Nov 18 - Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review / giveaway
Nov 19 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 23 – I'm Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 23 - Splashes of Joy - book review / author interview / giveaway
Nov 24 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 24 - Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Nov 25 – Bigreadersite – book review / giveaway
Nov 25 - 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Nov 26 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
Nov 27 – JBronder Book Reviews – book review / author interview
Nov 30 – Rajiv's Reviews – book review / giveaway
Nov 30 - Sadie's Spotlight - book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 1 – Pine Enshrined Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 2 – Celticlady's Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 3 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway
Dec 4 – Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway
Dec 4 – High Society Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
 

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Book Tour Featuring *Evil Queen* by Rebel Hart @xpressotours #giveaway

Evil Queen
Rebel Hart
(The Royal Court, #2)
Publication date: November 20th, 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

I thought The Royal Court was everything I needed, but now it’s shattered and I’m lost.

My mother is dead, my brother is missing, and my father is on the run.
I don’t recognize the monster my ex has become and my friends all blame me for what I did.

The only thing I still have is Nikita.

Our circumstances finally stood aside so I could tell her how I feel.
But I betrayed her when I did the one thing she can’t forgive.
Our souls drag us together no matter how hard she tries to force us apart.
I’ve had to shed my arrogant ways and practice humility to try and earn her forgiveness.

Will I be able to drag my friends and family back from the gates of hell, or am I going to lose everything, including the one person I love the most?

Goodreads / Purchase Book 1 / Purchase Book 2

Author Bio:

Rebel Hart is an author of Dark and Contemporary Romance novels. Her debut series is a #1 Amazon Bestseller called Diamond In The Rough. It's a High School Bully Romance with four books and a novella. Book one is Play With Me.

Text REBEL to 77948 to don't miss any of her books (US only) or sign up at the bottom of the page to get an email alert when her next book is out.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Bookbub

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Book Tour Featuring *Night Watch* by Annie Anderson @annieande @xpressotours #giveaway

Night Watch
Annie Anderson
(Soul Reader, #1)
Publication date: November 17th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Waking up at the foot of your own grave is no picnic… especially when you can’t remember how you got there.

Cursed with powers she can’t name, Sloane Cabot has vowed to catch the Rogue who turned her into a monster and killed her family. Too bad a broodingly hot mage is bound to keep her on the straight and narrow.

Whether she likes it or not…

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Thomas warned me about this, you know,” Bastian began, his voice pitched low, his booted feet striding close but not piercing my bubble.

I kept my gaze latched onto his feet and refused to look up. If I caught sight of his neck, of his blood pulsing in that lovely vein, I’d lose it. I wasn’t hungry yet and I wanted to keep it that way.

I cleared my throat, an action that took far too much effort and hurt for some reason. My throat was dry. Why was it so dry? “Warned you about what?”

“He said that, in time, I would want to be bitten. That the thought of you hungry or in pain would make me want to serve myself up so you didn’t suffer. That it was dangerous and blissful and would likely cause you to leave us.”

His feet moved closer, piercing my bubble. The heat of him washed over me, even though he was a few feet away.

I shook my head, which I instantly regretted because blood loss was a thing and I was losing a lot of it, the healing process taking far too long. Booth must have hit an artery.

“I don’t want to be tied to anyone. I don’t want a home. I don’t want friends.” It was a lie—a whole mountain of lies—but it was the truth, too. I didn’t want a tie to someone who was going to leave me. I didn’t want a home if I was going to lose it. I didn’t want friends that would die on me.

“Too bad.”

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

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Book Tour Featuring *Damned When I Didn’t* by Cherie Colyer @CherieColyer @xpressotours #giveaway

Damned When I Didn’t
Cherie Colyer
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: November 18th, 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Death isn’t the end for eighteen-year-old Avery Williams, and her final resting place isn’t beyond the Golden Gates. No, the Queen of the Damned has plans for her and, unbeknownst to Avery, fought hard to gain possession of her soul.

As Hell’s newest succubus, Avery is expected to siphon life from the living. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss, but for a virgin like Avery, kissing guys she barely knows isn’t something she’s comfortable doing. Avery focuses on the upside of her fate—she’ll be returning home, or so she thinks. When the Queen of the Damned cuts her off from her old life, Avery is determined to find a way back to her family and friends, even if it means facing Hell’s fury if she’s caught.

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

—

EXCERPT:

I kicked my sneakers off near the kitchen stools and dropped my purse on the floor.

“What’s your problem?” Cole asked. He stood a few feet from me, eyes narrowed.

“Nothing.” I breathed in deep, trying to calm myself. The stench of cheap perfume invaded my nostrils. I covered my nose with my hand. “You reek of imitation lavender and…and…onions.”

Cole tossed his keys onto the counter. Obvious confusion flittered over his features only to be replaced with the realization that I was referring to the scents of the waitress.

“You’re one to talk!” he spits back. “You stink of Sport Goofy.”

“Sport Goofy, I mean Marcus, barely touched me.” Cole gave off such a strong odor, I was sure the waitress had put her hands all over him.

Cole stepped closer, placing his hands on the counter on either side of me, caging me in.

“And I barely touched her,” he growled. “When a human’s life force flows from them to us, our souls grow brighter and—”

“We smell like them,” I said, finishing his sentence. He’d told me that once.

“And because our senses become sharper, we know when our kind renews.” The blue in his irises was more pronounced than I’d remembered. I bit my lip to keep from asking him if that was because of my heightened vision or because he’d renewed, as he called it. “Now, do you want to tell me what’s really bothering you?”

I felt my face warm, and I had to fight to keep my gaze from traveling to his lips. Did I want to admit that I was irrationally jealous that he’d kissed another girl? Nope. So, instead, I said, “Her smell makes me want to puke.”

“Eau de Jock is doing the same to me.”

“You’re the one who called Sport Goofy,” I reminded him.

He smiled, clearly happy that I’d called Marcus by the nickname.

“You’re the one who pissed off the Queen of the Damned,” he countered.

I twitched a shoulder. “I still can’t stand how you smell right now.”

“Fine!” He grabbed me just under my butt and lifted me over his shoulder. I screamed. He held my legs, keeping me from falling.

“What are you doing?” I grabbed his waist from my upside-down position.

“You think I smell?”

“Reek. And you said I do, too! Now put me down!”

“Let’s fix that.”

He marched to the bathroom with me slung over his shoulder. The next thing I knew we were standing in the tub. He continued to hold me like a sack of rice.

“Cole?”

He slid me down his chest so I stood in front of him with his arms keeping me from moving.

“Cole?”

He reached behind me.

I glanced up at the showerhead, then to the knob next to me. “You wouldn’t!”

“Want to bet?”

Author Bio:

Cherie Colyer is the author of Challenging Destiny and the Embrace series. When she's not getting the fictional people in her life into trouble, she can be found solving network issues at work, spending time with family and friends, reading, or exploring the great outdoors.

Cherie lives in Illinois with her family.

To learn more about Cherie and her novels visit www.CherieColyer.com

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Book Tour Featuring *Saving Bonnie: A Dark Mafia Romance* by Sahara Roberts @SaharaRobertsBK @xpressotours #giveaway

Saving Bonnie: A Dark Mafia Romance
Sahara Roberts
(Blood Ties, #2)
Publication date: November 17th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance

I live by three rules.
Don’t trust anyone
Don’t get involved in other people’s shit.
Don’t get tangled up with a woman.
The day I met her, I broke all three.

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

—

EXCERPT:

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

Tino

Lightning streaks across the night sky, illuminating a nervous face at the café across the street. As the storm continues to turn night into quick flashes of day, his gaze repeatedly darts around, searching for what he can feel but can’t see. He leans over to whisper to his partner before checking again. Fool doesn’t realize the danger isn’t on the street. I’m on the second floor of the church directly in front of him.

“What’ve you got?” Marshal Cord Marson’s voice comes across the radio.

“Burglary in progress,” his partner, Frank, replies from a car parked a block away. “Two males, mid-twenties.”

Burglars. Fumbling around in the dark, giving away their presence with every move. The skinny one moves like he’s got some experience. The heavy guy still has his cherry.

“Hold position.” Law enforcement, always dealing with nonessentials.

“What the hell, Tino?” Frank barks over the radio. “These guys are about to break into the café.”

“Aww, shit,” Cord cuts in. “What’s the status, Frank?”

“Suspects checked the door and windows. Now they’re in front of the gate, trying to look inconspicuous. Gonna wait for one to go over the fence so I can move in,” Frank reports.

“I’m on my way.” Cord’s voice comes across, a slight huff breaking his words. He’s already on the move.

“Hold. Your. Position,” I order.

“Criminal or fugitive apprehension is one of the most dangerous parts of law enforcement,” Cord starts.

Spoken like a true marshal.

“One man can’t—” Cord continues.

In the years I hunted men, tracking those who carried out atrocities, I always hunted alone. Partners get in the way, chatter creates distraction, and there’s always a clash for position. Cord thinks I’ll get involved in apprehension—this is exactly why he’s sitting on the south side of town. He’s better off watching the apartment where Conrado Villa’s buddy lives while we look out for his mother at Bomberos Café.

I’m not used to working with law, at least not honest law. With their nonstop chatter, to “keep things lively,” I’m ready to cut them both loose.

“Hold on, man,” Frank interrupts while the skinny guy goes over the three-foot fence, nearly losing his pants as he lands. The heavier one uses the chain-link as footholds and gets his shoe stuck. Hanging on the fence creates enough pressure to lift the latch, letting the gate open. Just then, Skinny realizes the gate isn’t locked.

Damn stupid criminals. Still, I can’t complain. If they weren’t so common, high-end services like the one I work for wouldn’t exist.

Frank scoffs into the radio. “I think we’re good.”

“Suuure.” Cord’s got that note in his voice that makes me want to punch him. “What’s a little B&E among friends, right?”

This stakeout is a test of my patience. If it weren’t for Dante, I’d do the world a favor and get rid of this asshole. Three days of his shit. I should put in for sainthood! If God existed, I’d believe he was fucking with me, I muse while lying in the balcony of the Catholic church across the street from the café. Thanks to a “generous donation,” the area has been blocked off, so I can stay hidden while waiting. Intel has Olga Villa coming by at least once or twice a week, but so far, she’s a no-show.

“Building’s empty,” I remind them. Bonnie Bustos, or Bunny, as Iris and Dante call her, is out. She’s not due back for at least a couple of hours. “They’re gonna head toward Frank. He can stop ’em then.” Though Frank’s got a badge, he understands what goes on at the border and why we do the things we do. “Just don’t fuck with my stakeout.”

“Yes, sir, sir,” Cord replies with condescension.

Great. Now I’ll have to deal with Cord being an asshole for hours.

“You call if you need a hand, bud.” The last part is obviously not for me.

“Nah, they’re punks,” Frank adds, dismissing the offer. “Shouldn’t need more than a Taser.”

“Great. Don’t want Ms. Bonnie Boo-hooin’ if they take anything.”

The first inklings of exasperation hit me. I’ve spent three days listening to his bullshit about Bonnie. He’s been playing up her name way past the joke dying. It started with Busty then Busty’s got back. Frank had to tell him her name’s pronounced boo-stows. So he started on Bonnie Boo, needing a boo, and now he graduated to Busty’s got boo-ty. Not that the guy’s wrong—on any account. Just the sight of the woman will remind any man he’s alive.

Though if he figures out she goes by Bunny and starts on that, I’m going to kill him.

A light suddenly stretches along the ground like a beacon in the pitch-black night. Dumb and dumber must have gotten through the door.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I have half a mind to ignore it, but Frank may want to go offline. Reaching for it, I pull the screen around to see who’s on the line. Kassy, our IT and security specialist. Frowning, I hit the home button.

“You all right?” she asks, getting straight to the point.

“Yeah.” I check the area again, in case I missed something. “Why?”

“Montoya got one of his vibes, and—”

“Oh-oh,” Frank exaggerates the syllables. What the hell is going on now? “We got a problem,” he confirms.

Gathering patience, I force a question between clenched teeth. “What?”

“She’s back.” Grabbing the binoculars, I focus on the car coming in at the end of the street. Sure enough, the electric-blue Mini Cooper has a damn Uber sticker on the windshield.

It’s times like this where Montoya disturbs my goddamn calm. How the hell can Dante’s business partner be ahead of us when he’s on the ranch a couple hundred miles away?

“I have movement,” Frank announces. “They left a lookout in the car. Guy’s on the phone, likely giving a heads-up.”

The Uber stops in front of the café, and the driver fully turns in his seat. The door opens, and a pair of white, high-heeled sandals pops out above the door, held by Miss Bonnie herself. White ruffled top, little peach shorts that hug her ass, and some lime-green foam sandals they use for pedicures.

Goddammit.

The fucking driver takes his time pulling away, checking his mirrors for one last look at Miss Bustos’s assets. Fuck if I don’t want to just go push the car down the street on my own.

“What’s happening?” Kassy whispers.

“Two guys in the building, and she’s back early.”

“Oh damn. Why is she early?” Her nails do a rapid-fire tap across the keyboard then come to a sudden stop. “Baka! Forgot, there’s no security system. I’m blind,” she finishes, sounding helpless. Kassy did the research on Bonnie. Every Sunday, Bonnie takes an Uber to her mom’s house, coming home after ten o’clock. For whatever reason, she chooses today to break routine.

“So what are we doing?” Frank drops a tangled mess on my shoulders.

I don’t break protocol—ever. It’s kept me alive, and from being discovered, for all these years.

A shadow of unease settles over me, driving me to check on Miss Bonnie. She’s Iris’s best friend, practically a sister. And Iris, one of the few people I give a damn about, lost her mother and still has to deal with her missing father. Not sure how she’ll take losing someone else, especially when I could prevent it. Instinct kicks in as I spring up, turn on my heel, and fly down the stairs then jump across to the next landing.

“Got your back.” Frank’s voice comes in low and meaningful. I know I can count on him to watch what he says around Cord.

I’m breaking cover. If this goes wrong, neither of them can be involved. I jam the earbud in as I bust through the door and streak across the street. “May need you.”

“Got ya,” Kassy gives a curt acknowledgment as a disgruntled cat complains in the background.

I grip the top bar and kick off of the body of the fence. Redirecting my momentum, I’m in the air, hurdling the fence. Gravel. Unexpected, but I stick the landing, and I’m clear. Drizzle starts to fall. Perfect, what else can go wrong? Hopefully, with the rain, anyone in the area will decide to stay in tonight. If not, Frank’s gonna have to step up for as long as he can.

“Maybe they’ll hear her and run off,” Kassy suggests hopefully.

I dash along the side of the building, through the parking area, but somehow I know that isn’t gonna happen. The closer I get, the more my gut is screaming at me that things are gonna go sideways.

I sidle along the edge of the kitchen, blending into the darkness, and peer into the corner of the window. The jerkoffs are across the building, in the dining area, facing me. Bonnie’s in the kitchen, frozen in place as Skinny raises a Beretta nine mil, by the looks of it. “Never killed anyone before.” He grins and looks Bunny over as if he’s got a prize coming.

“Call maintenance,” I mutter to Kassy. “I’m going to work.”

Author Bio:

Sahara Roberts caught the writing bug early in life. She enjoys writing Dark Romance and Romantic Suspense. Her days are filled with international trade issues (the legal kind) and her evenings writing steamy romance.

She is currently working on Blood Ties, a Dark Mafia Romance series, along with a Contemporary Romance series due out in 2021.

When she's not at her usual hangout, Savvy Authors, she enjoys socializing on Facebook and Instagram or watching The Blacklist, Pure, and My Hero Academia.

Sahara lives in South Texas with her beloved husband and their three furry overlords. She enjoys cooking, baking, and cake decorating, but she would certainly prefer to have someone else do the dishes.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Book Tour Featuring *Betrayed* by Jacklyn Daher @jacklyn_daher @xpressotours #giveaway

Betrayed
Jacklyn Daher
(The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone, #2)
Publication date: November 19th, 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

With the revelation Luxor Everstone is the daughter of the Prince of Darkness, an entirely new door fraught with danger is opened. As Cane is lying in wait, Luxor is forced to have constant protection, leaving her suffocated.

When new help arrives in the form of a witch, and a mysterious and dreamy boy who seems to soothe her more than anyone else can, she doesn’t hesitate to invite them into her life despite her growing affection for Hunter.

As fresh dangers loom on the horizon, she begins to unravel different details about her past, while greater powers are introduced, and the others continue to evolve. Conflicted between the pull toward her darkness and her desire to be good, Luxor juggles the priorities—and her opinionated guardians—while trying to find some semblance of balance.

When the darkness returns to claim her completely, can she trust herself to make the right choice?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Luxor inhaled the crisp fresh air, the potent aroma of pine, and the thick smell of nectar. O Theós eísai ómorfi, she mumbled, a smile creeping up on her face. Everything was blanketed in darkness, but she continued to breath in nature as if it was her lifeline.

“Angel,” Hunter called out. “Angel, wake up.”

Where is he?

The forest came closer, overwhelmingly her senses. “Wake up.” A warm hand touched her face in the darkness, it’s spark jolting her.

Luxor flinched, her eyes snapping open, the darkness giving way to the last person she’d expected to see. Dressed in a hoodie covering his head, he sat on the edge of the bed by her side.

The room came into view; it was different than the last one. This one was a padded enclosure; walls and ceiling, the only thing that wasn’t was a metallic door, with a sliding opening.

I’m institutionalised.

“Hey, how are you?” His toffee eyes, usually full of life and effervescent, were a murky brown, matching his hoarse voice.

“What are yo—? How do you kno—?” Luxor struggled to form sentences. Her head pounded as if skewers dug into her temples.

“I’m staging a loony bin break out,” he stated nonchalantly, his gaze fixated on the door. “I’m sure you’re capable, but it appears you’re all tied up at the moment.”

“How did… I don’t understand.”

Keys jangled at the door, and Luxor froze, expecting to be drugged, or gassed again. Still restrained, she wiggled her fingers. Hunter reached out, his fingers entwined with hers, and she winced. A burn struck her side and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from yelping. Luxor leaned her head against his back, concentrating on her breathing. Instead of a nurse, a familiar lanky boy also in a hoodie stomped in.

“Castor, what took you so long?” Hunter moved forward, giving his brother a bro hug followed by a fist pump.

Castor?

“How are we going to do this?” Castor said.

Before they could decide on a form of action, the door swung open, and sure enough, a stocky woman, with oily slicked black hair and white uniform entered.

“What the hell are you doing in here? This is a restricted area,” she growled, waggling her fingers.

Author Bio:

A mother of two boys, I’m a self confessed nerd who loves to write dark and twisted characters in modern settings. You could find feisty MC’s and bad boys with filthy mouths. Doesn’t mean I don’t love to read or write saucy romances too!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub

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Book Tour Featuring *Cupcakes & Crumbs* by Melissa McClone @melissamcclone @prismbooktours #giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops

you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Author Interview

What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope readers will feel like they made new friends they want to know them better, want to eat a cupcake, and plan a visit to Berry Lake, Washington.

Bookstagram Tour

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"This was a delightfully fast paced beginning to an exciting new series . . . The [writing] is exceptional, the [characters] feel real and "draws" the reader into the group. . . . Surely this series will become a favorite and it is "clean"!"

Baroness' Book Trove - Review

"Cupcakes & Crumbs by Melissa McClone is a new book and a series that is a wonderful read for fans of women’s friendship and a clean romance. These girls are all about being friends and helping each other out instead of dragging them down. Ms. McClone is a brilliant author, and I like her writing style as well. . . I am recommending it."

Hallie Reads - Review

"Melissa McClone’s Cupcakes & Crumbs is a deliciously sweet story of friendship. While I did have a hard time with all the characters at the beginning, I did settle into the story well and enjoyed their various perspectives and circumstances. I look forward to reading more of McClone’s Berry Lake Cupcake Posse series."

Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt

As Top 40 hits from the seventies and eighties—Elise’s favorite music—drifted in from the front of the shop, Missy filled baking cups with vanilla batter. The scent tickled her nose. The grumbling of her stomach reminded her she’d skipped her break and lunch. And her tastebuds whispered mine at the same time she imagined Elise shouting, Why eat plain vanilla when there are more flavorful combinations?

Missy laughed. Even though plain vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing were foundations for other flavors, Elise hadn’t sold them except for special orders. Missy, however, enjoyed vanilla cupcakes. Dare she say they were her favorite? The simplicity appealed to her in a way the more creative fillings and toppings didn’t.

ItaPixie's Book Corner - Review

"I've really enjoyed this book, I was entranced from the beginning and I was really invested in the lives of this diverse group of friends that try to support each other even if many years has passed from last time they have seen each other.

Melissa McClone did an excellent job of depicting these characters and [tying] their lives to one [another], her writing was easy to read and that ending made me so curious I can't wait to get next book in this series."

Two Points of Interest - Excerpt

As Juliet’s upper teeth sunk into her lower lip, she stopped herself. That would ruin her lipstick, and if Ezra happened to arrive home, he would notice.

She glanced at the messages again. If she didn’t plan on going, she should let Nell know.

I want to go.

The thought resonated through Juliet. She didn’t ask for much these days—other than a kind word from her husband and time with her grandmother—but she wanted tonight with her former coworkers and friends.

Read Review Rejoice - Excerpt

Some claimed there were no stupid questions, but Bria disagreed. How did people think she was doing when her heart was in pieces, as if sliced and diced by a skilled teppanyaki chef?

Forget replying with anything other than an “I’m fine” or “I’m okay” or “I’m doing better.” No one wanted to hear the truth about how angry she was at cancer, at the doctors, and at her aunt. Especially Aunt Elise for stopping her treatments, throwing herself an over-the-top goodbye party, and leaving this world on her terms.

So typical.

reviewingbooksplusmore - Review

"Cupcakes and Crumbs is a book full of friendships with a little mystery throw-in. I loved Bria and how she wants to save her aunt’s bakery shop. . . . I recommend reading the book to see what happens to all the characters."

Loraine D Nunley, Author - Review

"This is a new to me author and I loved that I was pulled into the world of these five women and their home town of Berry Lake. . . . The push and pull of all the relationships within this town were enough to make me keep turning the pages to see what would happen . . ."

Paper Ink & Lizard - Review

"There’s just something about the combination of cupcakes and friendship that bring a warm, comforting feeling to a book. And such a feeling was stirred when I picked up my copy of Cupcakes and Crumbs by Melissa McClone. . . . I appreciated the fact that romance was not the central plot point, but friendship was. There aren’t enough books out there in the adult genre that focus solely on friendship and not on romance, so I loved that small touch. . . . Overall, Cupcakes and Crumbs is a beautiful balance between light and heavy, charming and serious, and friendship and romance."

Christy's Cozy Corners - Review

"These characters have so much depth. I appreciate how diverse the author made them. . . . Fair warning: Cupcakes & Crumbs isn’t a stand-alone story. It’s just the beginning, and it’ll leave you hanging on lots of things! However, you just have to read it. I had tears in my eyes more than once while I was reading. It’s not all sunshine and roses but neither is “real” life. . . . I can’t recommend Cupcakes & Crumbs enough! Anyone who loves women’s fiction with lots of real life issues, a little romance, and a lot of heartwarming moments will love this book."

Splashes of Joy - Review

"I did love the friendship coming back to life as the ladies worked together to save this special bakery Bria’s aunt loved so well. The characters were well created, and interesting to say the least. As the story unfolds, the characters develop well, and I could feel a definite change in their attitude. . . . I am eager to find out what happens to this group of friends, as well as Bria and the difficult person her dad hires to get the Bakery back in order."

Reading Excursions - Review

"I found this a sweet, charming, and quick little read. It didn’t hurt this was written in short chapters which made reading it quite the breeze as I kept moving along. McClone really kept the pacing going and didn’t “bog” down the story at any one point. I was over 100+ pages in the first sitting. So, it was difficult to put it down. I wanted to devour and yet savor this sweet read and that was about the only conflict I had with it."

Jorie Loves A Story - Review

"What pulls me into the writing style of Melissa McClone is her realistic approach to telling Bria's story - this is why I love reading Women's Fiction because at the heart of the genre itself is a threading of a woman's life from all aspects of how she lives it. . . . These kinds of stories are a refreshing read . . ."

Beauty in the Binding - Review

"Cupcakes & Crumbs by Melissa McClone is clean, women’s fiction that will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of female friendships. Though there are some budding romances, the story focuses on the power of friendship and how it can support, encourage, and enhance life. In several ways, this novel’s ending was left open and served as set up for the rest of the series."

Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, & Characters - Excerpt

Goose bumps covered her arms. Her muscles bunched. “Dalton.”

He covered her hand with his. “Relax, Bri.”

No one else had ever called her that. And forget about relaxing when her pulse shot off the charts. “I’m not sure I can.”

"Try.” Dalton lifted his hand, and a chill rushed up her arm as if missing his touch. “Tonight is dinner with an old friend. Nothing more.”

Pause for Tales - Review

"I enjoyed watching these once upon a time work friends spend time together. True friendship is what they had, and Elise brought them together in her life and in her death. . . . I enjoyed getting to know each one of these women. I would not say this is a stand alone story as it ended on a bit of a shocker for one of these women, and I would like to see to see a resolution there."

Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

"Cupcakes & Crumbs was a pure delight to read and exactly what I would expect from Melissa McClone. I have loved reading her books in the past and this one does not disappoint. . . . I can not wait to get my hands on the second installment from the Berry Lake Cupcake Posse series, Tiaras & Teacups, to see what happens next. I recommend this one for readers who enjoys a good, clean and heartwarming read."

Remembrancy - Review

"I was not ready for this book to end (so it’s a good thing this is the first in a series). Cupcakes & Crumbs follows five women who formed friendships as teenagers while working at a local cupcake shop. . . . While this is a quick women’s fiction read, there is a little something for all readers mixed in—a light touch of romance, some mystery, and lots of conflict."

Reading Is My SuperPower - Review

"Cupcakes & Crumbs is a well-written novel that fills you with all the feels. A dash of romance, mystery, and small town charm round out the conflict that leaves none of the friends untouched. Readers become emotionally invested in these main characters, and I’m very glad to see that this is the beginning of a series because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. . . . McClone’s writing voice is smooth and relatable, making this a quick and engaging read"

Bookworm Lisa - Review

"I don't read a lot of women's literature. After reading this book, I think I have been missing out.
The story follows five friends who worked at a cupcake store together as teens and young adults. . . . I look forward to reading more about these women. The story left at a good spot for closure, but there is a lot left to tell."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

Cupcakes & Crumbs

(Berry Lake Cupcake Posse #1)

By Melissa McClone

Women's Fiction

Paperback & ebook, 237 Pages

November 17, 2020, by Cardinal Press, LLC

After life takes five women on different paths, a death brings them home. But friendship might not be enough to keep them together.

When Bria Landon and her estranged father each inherit fifty percent of a small-town cupcake shop, her dad hires her worst enemy, and first love, to turn the place into a soulless franchise…or sell it.

To save her aunt’s legacy, Bria needs the help of people who love the bakery as much as she does—her old friends who worked there fifteen years ago. Except each woman is dealing with her own problem:

Juliet, who's trying to prove she’s more than a trophy wife; Missy, a widow who fears losing the job she loves; Nell, who's meddling mother won't stop playing matchmaker; and Selena, a life coach who excels at fixing everyone else's lives...but hasn't a clue what's missing in her own.

Each woman wants to believe their friendship can overcome anything. But as the Berry Lake Cupcake Posse reunite to save their beloved cupcake shop, they soon discover the undertaking will bring more trouble than they expected.

(Affiliate links included.)

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Bookstagram Tour

Check out the Bookstagram Tour here, which has its own giveaway!

November 16th:

@christina.marie.reads

@maiaisreading

November 17th:

@hellobookstash

@beautyinthebinding

November 18th:

@lovemybooks2020

@lawnchairbookworm

November 19th:

@fierymermaidbooks

@adventurous.bookworm

November 20th:

@_ebl_inc_

@nicole_book_nook

About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Melissa McClone writes heartwarming women’s fiction and sweet contemporary romance novels for Cardinal Press, Tule Publishing Group, and Harlequin Books. When she’s not writing relatable characters and sigh-worthy happy endings, she spends rainy Pacific Northwest reading from her Kindle’s ever-growing TBR, napping, and decorating her Happy Planner. Melissa lives in Washington state with her husband, three children, a Norwegian Elkhound, and three cats who think they rule the house. They do!

 

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Tour Giveaway


A Cupcakes & Crumbs Prize Pack, which includes:

A $10 Amazon gift card, cupcake makeup bag set, cupcake charm, cupcake socks, set of magnetic clips, lip gloss, key chain, sticker, swag pack, and bookmark (US only)

Ends November 25, 2020

ENTER HERE

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