Breaking Point by Bailey Thomas blitz with giveaway
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Breaking Point
Bailey Thomas
(Mill Creek Mystique)
Publication date: October 9th 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
FBI analyst, Noah Parker, receives credible intelligence on a kidnapped woman from a ghost in his past who happens to be the man who shot him. The catch, he must act alone to obtain the geographic coordinates of her location.
Terrified and alone, Jasmine West doesn’t know if she’ll survive another day. When a lone man appears in her makeshift prison, they forge an alliance to survive.
Can they find the middle ground between analyzing and action when corruption and deceit surround them?
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Author Bio:
Bailey Thomas lives in the beautiful but hot southwest with her husband and their adorable four-legged children. An only child, Bailey’s active imagination and adventurous nature always kept her busy. Now, she channels those creative powers into storytelling.
Her wonderful husband encouraged her to chase her dream of becoming an author and continues to be her greatest champion. Being able to write these stories has been a thrilling experience that is truly special to her.
When she’s not behind a computer working on her next deadline, she’s reading her favorite authors, playing with her fur babies, and spending time with her husband. They love to watch movies and sports and play all types of games.
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Mysteries of Mystic Hills Series by Chris Cannon blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Murder in Mystic Hills
Chris Cannon
(Mysteries of Mystic Hills, #1)
Publication date: March 27th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Paranormal
All she wants is a break from adulting… then she rediscovers a world that’s been wiped from her memory.
Preschool teacher Belinda Harbinger’s summer vacation is going off the rails. After receiving a letter stating she’s inherited a tearoom and home, she’s shocked it’s from a beloved aunt she can’t remember… who could speak to the dead. And finding out she has the same power, it’s up to her to solve her mysterious relative’s murder.
Moving to the mystical town, Belinda takes up with a talking cat Familiar and learns she’s the only one who can help her aunt cross over before she becomes a vengeful spirit. But while searching the house for her lost memories, she faces heated magical politics, fresh bodies popping up, and a hidden evil threatening to make her the next victim.
Not knowing who to trust, can she expose a killer and rescue everyone from deadly plays for power?
Murder in Mystic Hills is the spellbinding first book in the Mysteries of Mystic Hills cozy paranormal series. If you like feline sidekicks, quirky characters, and winding trails of clues, then you’ll love Chris Cannon’s humorous hunt for justice.
The complete series:
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EXCERPT:
We crowded around my butcher block table and my mom said, “You need to know that we love you more than anything or anyone else in the world.”
And there went my appetite. I set my fork down. “This is going to be bad, isn’t it?”
“Not bad,” my mother said. “Just sad in places. I grew up in Mystic Hills. It’s a town situated above an intersection of ley lines, meaning it’s a nexus for magical energy. Most of the population has some sort of gift or magical power. I didn’t. Citizens without magic are encouraged to leave, so I went to college and met your father. When you were born, we knew there was a chance you’d inherited the Harbinger family gift. I took you home to be baptized as Belinda Harbinger. In the rest of the world, you’re Linda James. Every year, on your birthday we took you to visit my family.”
“No, we had birthday parties at home.” I’d been there, I should know.
“You have two birthdays. The date of your birth we celebrate here, and the date of your Christening in Mystic Hills which is the anniversary of when you turned six months old.”
“Like a half birthday?” That would fall in the summer. “You’re saying every June you took me to a town called Mystic Hills to stay with an Aunt I can’t remember, who you never told me about until after she died?”
“The bracelet contains your memories,” my mom said. “Teresa collected them at the end of each visit and stored them away in case you ever wanted them.”
“I need more wine.” I went to the fridge and filled my glass before offering it to my guests. “Anyone else?”
My mom smiled. “Yes, please.”
I poured a glass for my mom and grabbed a beer for my dad. “Victor? Cat? Any beverages?”
“I’ll take a beer,” Victor said.
“Do you have any flavored creamer?” the cat asked hopefully.
“You mean like French vanilla coffee creamer?”
“Yes. In a bowl if you don’t mind.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have milk?”
“I’m lactose intolerant,” the cat said.
“Creamer it is.” After passing out drinks in various forms, I said, “Okay, go.”
“First,” my mom said, “I need to know how Teresa died.”
Victor scowled. “It was labeled an accident. But Teresa did not fall and break her neck in her own house. Someone or something pushed her. No one will help us. They are all frightened. Afraid something might happen to them. We need Belinda to come home with us so she can speak to Teresa and find out what happened.”
Wait. What? “If Teresa is dead, how am I supposed to talk to her?”
“That’s your gift,” Victor said. “You see spirits and speak to the dead.”
“Nope.” I pushed my chair back from the table. “I’m a teacher. My gift is teaching preschoolers that they have to share and take turns. I do not talk to dead people.”
“It’s in our blood,” my mom said. “Believe me there are worse gifts.”
“Put on the bracelet,” Victor said. “You’ll understand your duty.”
I pulled the bracelet out of my pocket. “Mom?”
“It might help with the transition. Please remember, we did what we did out of love and concern for you. If we let you remember your time in Mystic Hills, your gift would have blossomed. If you weren’t prepared…well it’s hard to explain to a six-year-old why ghosts are talking to her.”
I’d been about to slide my hand through the bracelet but stopped. “Wait. Ghosts can just talk to me?” I thought I’d need to hold a seance or say a spell.
“Think of yourself as a ghost magnet,” the cat said.
“I’d rather not,” I shot back. “What do the ghosts want?”
“Some have unfinished business, problems they need to solve before they can move on,” Victor explained. “The recently dead don’t always realize what’s happened. It’s your job to help them accept their new reality.”
“If what Teresa told me is true, it can be overwhelming at first.” Mom touched my arm. “You can learn to control it, but you’ll have to do that in Mystic Hills.”
This house and business no longer seemed like such a good deal. Seeing dead people hoping to settle a score didn’t sound fun. “Can I just ignore all of this? Send Victor and the cat back to Mystic Hills with the bracelet?”
“You could,” my mom said.
“But you shouldn’t,” Victor said. “Teresa has been knocking paintings off the walls trying to get our attention. No one will help her. The longer she’s distressed the more vengeful and unstable she’ll become. She won’t be able to cross over if you don’t help. She’ll be stuck here, and all her humanity will drain away. She’ll become a leech.”
“She’ll become a blood sucking bug?” That didn’t make sense.
“No.” Mom wiped at tears sliding down her cheeks. “A leech sucks the life force from its victims trying to gain power. The stronger it becomes the more dangerous it is. The Mystic Hills elders would hunt her down and damn her to hell for eternity.”
Author Bio:
Chris Cannon is a speech therapist by day and the award-winning author of the Going Down In Flames series, the Boyfriend Chronicles, the Dating Dilemma series, the Demon Bound series, and Mysteries of Mystic Hills series by night.
She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sipping coffee and writing fire-breathing urban fantasies, sweet snarky romantic comedies, or paranormal cozy mysteries. You can check out her website at http://www.chriscannonauthor.com.
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The Total Knockout by Cookie O’Gorman blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
The Total Knockout
Cookie O’Gorman
(Southern U O’Brien Brothers, #4)
Publication date: September 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Maisie Hawthorne doesn’t do boyfriends.
Or girlfriends. Or relationships. Burned in the past, the scrappy bartender knows better than to trust a pretty face. Dex O’Brien is gorgeous (with or without the scar). Pierced, tatted, annoyingly attractive. She knew he was trouble even before she saw him fight. Her mind told her to stay away—but her heart wouldn’t listen.
Dex O’Brien doesn’t do love.
Not the romantic kind anyway. Sure, he loves his family, would defend them with his dying breath. And yeah, he loves baseball and fighting too. But falling in love? No thanks. Too messy. Dex couldn’t care less, especially about the bookish bartender with the smart mouth and beautiful eyes.
She needs money to pay the bills. He needs a tutor to keep playing ball—even if he’ll never admit it.
When the Southern U Wolves recruit Maisie to tutor Dex, tempers flare and sparks fly.
This new adult sports romance features two scarred souls, one hot-and-hilarious case of enemies-to-lovers, and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.
The #1 lesson they’ll both learn?
Love is the total knockout you never see coming.
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EXCERPT:
I was doing a third pass of the crowd, trying to keep my anxiety in check, when I felt a presence behind me.
“Looking for someone?” a deep voice said.
Smooth like silk.
Edged with a hint of sarcasm.
The sound settled over me like a caress. A totally inconvenient caress. I knew who it was. Recognition came quicker than it should have, wasn’t like we’d talked a lot. Still, I knew the owner of that voice and decided to ignore him.
Or I tried to.
“No answer, huh? Guess I have to assume you’re here to see me.”
“In your dreams, O’Brien,” I said.
“Nah, in my dreams we’re alone, and there aren’t as many clothes.”
I bit back a laugh. “Nice. You practice that one?”
“Didn’t have to. Unlike how you must practice pretending not to like me.”
Again, I ignored him.
“Seriously, what’re you looking for?” he said.
“None of your business,” I replied.
“You just have to ask nicely.”
“I don’t need your help, O’Brien.”
“Suit yourself,” he said, and I could hear the grin in his voice, “though I got about a foot on you, shorty. Good luck finding anything in this crowd without me.”
The fact that he was right just made me loathe him more.
Begrudgingly, I turned…and found Dex O’Brien staring back at me. Piercing gray eyes. Granite cheekbones. Full lips. The grin was there as predicted, so was his ever-present scar that should’ve made him less attractive but didn’t. Yet another injustice in a world brimming with them.
“Okay, fine,” I said and crossed my arms. “Since you offered, I do need your help.”
“Sorry, can you repeat that?” he said.
My scowl deepened.
“Thought I must be hearing things.” He shrugged, crossing one arm over the other. That’s when I noticed the beer he was holding. Of course, he had a drink. Nearly everyone did. He was probably one of those guys who couldn’t have a good time without one. “It’s not every day the Maisie Hawthorne says she needs me.”
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Forget it, Dex. Sorry I asked.”
His lips stretched into a full-blown smile.
It should’ve been illegal for someone with Dex’s bad boy rep to have a smile that pretty.
“And she used my first name,” he said. “Sounds serious.”
“Whatever,” I muttered. “I should’ve known better. You wouldn’t lift a finger if I was dying in the middle of the street.”
He cocked his head. “Depends. What finger and what street?”
Before I could walk away, he placed a hand on my arm. I looked at it, taking in the blood-stained tape wrapped around his knuckles from the fight, then lifted my eyes to his.
“It was a joke, Hawthorne.”
Pulling back and rubbing away the warmth his touch left against my skin, I sighed. “I don’t have time for your jokes, O’Brien. I lost something important tonight.”
“What’d you lose?” he asked.
“My sister,” I said miserably.
Dex nodded. “What’s she look like?”
“Like a younger, happier version of me, I guess.”
“Ah Hawthorne, you’re breaking my heart.”
“Ha ha.”
“So, she’s pretty,” he said.
I blinked. Did he just…call me pretty? Dex “I hate everything about you” O’Brien? Maybe he got hit in the head one too many times.
Seeing my look of surprise, Dex lifted a brow. “I meant in an uptight, straight-laced, no-fun-ever kind of way. Don’t read more into it.”
“I wasn’t,” I lied.
“Sure, you weren’t.”
Author Bio:
Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad, WALLFLOWER, CUPCAKE, FAUXMANCE, and BOOKWORM are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake, The Perfect Play, The Sweetest Game, and The Total Knockout.
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House of Vampires and Flame by Meg Xuemei X blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
House of Vampires and Flame
Meg Xuemei X
(Shades of Ruin and Magic , #1)
Publication date: October 2nd 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
My name is Barbie, but they call me “Little Bob,” mistaking me for a boy.
I roll with the punches and pose as a servant boy in Shades Academy to hide from my father, the God of Ruin.
That’s how I bump into Killian, the enigmatic, ruthless billionaire heir.
I want him, but he’s the forbidden fruit.
He’s drawn to me too, like a moth to a flame.
When he doesn’t like the burn, he rips off my bodice to betray my secret and forces me to enter the cutthroat game of the Brides Selection.
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EXCERPT:
“Killian, I see that you’re stalking my new servant boy. He’s tried to run away from me twice today.” The vampire prince swept me off my feet and tossed me over his shoulder, all in a swift move.
I’d been so captivated by Killian that I’d forgotten everything else, so now I was caught in my pursuer’s net again.
Louis shot toward the end of the woods before the stumped Killian could demand an answer. Trees and bushes blurred by as the vampire sped on, carrying me like I was precious cargo.
“You’ll regret kidnapping me, vampire!” I issued a threat.
“What if I give you a promotion in my house?” he offered.
I stopped punching the vampire. “What promotion?”
“You’ll be my squire instead of a servant,” he said. “It’s a very big promotion.”
“Does it come with good pay and decent health insurance coverage without co-pay for every visit?” I asked, intrigued.
Not that I needed any health coverage, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t being taken advantage of. I didn’t want my new boss to be a cheap scumbag like some human employers.
“That can be arranged.” But his voice was laced with disdain, as if talking about money was beneath him.
“Why squire? You aren’t a knight, and you certainly don’t look like one, sir.”
“I’m a prince!” He sounded offended.
“So, you want me to carry your shield, accompany you to tournaments, and ensure your honorable burial if you’re killed?”
“Your most important duty is to provide me with nutrition,” he hissed.
I blinked. “You want me to hang out in the kitchen, swing my cock around, and order the chefs to bring you daily meals with sufficient protein and vitamin C?”
“You’re the nutrition,” he said shamelessly. “I’ll drink your blood daily.”
“Bloody hell! No way!” I shouted.
“We can do it the hard way or the easy way,” he threatened. “For your contribution of blood, you’ll receive good benefits besides my protection, food, shelter, and good pay.”
“I don’t need your protection, sir,” I said. “There’re beings much worse than you out there, but I can protect myself well.”
He dropped me like a sack of potatoes, a magnificent maroon building looming ahead. We stared at each other. I massaged my stiff hip, and he narrowed his eyes in displeasure.
He snorted. “I’m one of the most powerful, terrifying superior beings in this realm.”
“No offense, sir, but I’m not interested in whose dick is the biggest,” I said, then hurried on at his scowl. “Let’s get down to business then. You won’t drink from me daily. My blood is very precious, and I don’t give it away easily. We can try for once a week.”
“Twice a week,” he said firmly. “That’s my final offer.”
“Fine, but I must insist on you not taking more than necessary during each session, sir.”
“You drive a ridiculous bargain, little Bob,” he growled. “If other servants dared to be so insolent, they’d be dead at my feet by now.”
He meant it. I should never forget for one second that he was a predator.
“You said you promoted me to squire,” I argued. “Besides, I have a rare commodity that’s worth more than gold.” I pumped my fist to drive the point home. “I get to call the shots!”
“Do you now?” he asked drily.
“Being fed upon isn’t my favorite,” I said testily. “I can’t believe that I’m even agreeing to this!”
“Then I must have one more test run and see if this commodity is worth all the trouble,” he said, and he brought my wrist up before I could pull away and sank his fangs into my throbbing vein.
Author Bio:
Join Meg’s mailing list for new releases, giveaways, and fun stuff: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a0q6z0
Meg Xuemei X is a USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She loves writing badass heroines and hot psycho alphaholes.
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Cover Reveal: The Doomsday Code by Sara Yager
The Doomsday Code
Sara Yager
Publication date: November 14th 2023
Genres: Thriller | Suspense | Sci Fi Thriller
The greatest discovery in human history . . . OR OUR LAST?
In an artificial intelligence lab in Shanghai, something has gone terribly wrong. Days after a major breakthrough in machine learning, CyberGen Industries ’lead AI scientist is dead—and their precious prototype has vanished into the ether. An investigation reveals that, against all odds, the lab’s “unhackable” system has been breached.
The discovery, an algorithm mimicking human intelligence, is growing quickly—becoming more cunning and unpredictable with each passing hour. Soon its capabilities will eclipse its creators entirely.
Who stole it? And more troubling, what do they plan to do with it?
Ex-NSA hacker Adrian Pryor may be the only person on the planet capable of reining it in. He spent his career keeping the world safe, a vigilance for which he paid an enormous, personal price. Adrian knows there are people who will stop at nothing to control the powerful technology. He must find a way to do the impossible: to stop them, and to outmaneuver a rival more clever, more powerful, and more alien than anything he has ever seen.
Grounded in real-world science, Sara Yager’s wildly inventive debut brings advanced AI to life, illuminating a frightening, all-too-real truth about the future: we are one breakthrough away from inventing ourselves out of existence.
Author Bio:
Sara Yager built a successful ten-year career in the semiconductor industry before leaving to care for her children full time. With a unique perspective as a mother and former tech professional, she brings a fresh and insightful voice to the world of speculative fiction.
A mom of two young boys, Yager came up with some of her best concepts for The Doomsday Code while waiting in the elementary school pickup line. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is her first novel.
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