Cover Reveal: Like It’s Christmas by Diana A. Hicks
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Like It’s Christmas
Diana A. Hicks
(Like It’s Christmas, #1)
Publication date: November 26th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Like It’s Christmas (Book One) – a Steamy Grumpy Boss, Fake Dating Christmas Novel
At Winterstorm Village, a record-breaking blizzard always ends in a wedding before the season is over. This year promises to bring the mother of all snowstorms, and the residents couldn’t be more excited to see who’s next to tie the knot…
Rhett Parker hates Christmas. When the Mayor of Winterstorm has an unfortunate accident and ends up in a coma, Rhett is left hanging with the proverbial Santa Gift Bag. To make matters worse, the only one who can help him save their money-making tourist season is his office nemesis, Ms. Christmas cheer in a bottle, Parker Cruz.
Parker Cruz, the Mayor’s daughter, is determined to save Christmas now that her dad isn’t there to make it all happen. The only person standing in her way is the town’s Scrooge, the newly appointed Mayor, Rhett Parker.
She’s willing to do whatever it takes to make good on her promise to her dad. So, when a series of unlucky events strike, and the residents start talking about canceling Christmas, Parker does the unthinkable. She agrees to a fake date with her new boss.
Love is always in the air during the holidays at Winterstorm Village. So what if this year it’s all pretend? Or is it?
Author Bio:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Goodreads / Website / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon / TikTok / Bookbub
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One Bossy Disaster by Nicole Snow blitz with giveaway
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One Bossy Disaster
Nicole Snow
Publication date: September 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A wild twist of fate throws together two total opposites in this steamy and hysterical grumpy sunshine romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.
Trust me, I’m not falling for a human porcupine.
I don’t do older men with baggage a mile long.
Billionaires? Nope, I’m Miss Independence, thank you very much.
And when a man with the emotional intelligence of a cucumber decides to boss me around?
Hoo boy.
Shepherd Foster and I are utterly incompatible.
He still can’t get over the day we met when I questioned Mr. High and Mighty’s judgment.
He’s also holding the key—and the moolah—to my animal rescue dreams.
I’m only putting up with this torture for the cute otters, I swear.
And we’re only camping together so I can prove him deliciously wrong.
My ideas will outshine Seattle’s grumpiest egomaniac.
If only Shepherd’s scowls and barbed words weren’t attached to a body crafted for sin.
I still don’t know how it happened.
Don’t ask me why I let his cruel mouth kiss me into a smoldering wreck.
Don’t remind me that messy nights in Eden with my boss carry a brutal price.
I’m worried I’m feeling… things for a man I desperately need to keep hating.
Because there’s one way this ends if Shepherd damn Foster gets his hooks in my heart.
Disaster.
An enemies-to-lovers epic standalone! Huge heart, slow-burn steam, banter galore, plus a damaged grump who falls hilariously hard for the otter-loving brant who blows his life to kingdom come.
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EXCERPT:
“Um, a little help? I can’t get out.” I make another half-hearted attempt to stand up in my kayak and fail comically.
Shepherd stares at me for a second before he laughs.
He laughs—a real belly laugh—and it’s a happy sound that vibrates through me.
Not cruel, either, but warm and understanding.
There goes my heart again as he strides over to where the waves meet the beach.
He grabs the front of my kayak effortlessly and hauls it out of the water.
No sweat.
No big deal.
No small favor with bigger muscle.
Damn, I’ll admit it.
Right now, I am thirsty as hell.
I’ve been ogling him all day and he still hasn’t stopped getting hotter.
“There,” he says when I’m safely on the sand. “Can you get out now?”
I try.
I really do.
But my body simply won’t cooperate.
I guess my legs forgot they’re supposed to be a flesh and bone team, and my arms feel totally disconnected from my shoulders.
“This is so embarrassing,” I say, but he just releases the end of the kayak and steps closer.
“Save it, Destiny. You worked your ass off today and there’s no point in feeling shamed. Even if I’m going to carry you.”
What?
He bends down, and before I can register what’s happening, he does it.
Picks. Me. Up.
As in, I am in his arms right now, damsel in distress style, legs hooked over one arm while his other arm lends back support.
The world spins as I weakly wrap my arms around his neck.
And oh.
Oh.
He’s almost superheated with exertion through his wet suit.
The shelter of his arms makes me aware just how massive he really is.
I’m so used to being the same height as most of the men around me—often taller—but this guy makes me feel small.
That’s a miracle in itself.
And he’s breathing harder now.
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t when he dragged my kayak up onto the shore. His arms tighten around me, drawing me closer.
I’m not sure I’m breathing.
Scratch that, definitely not.
There’s a wild look in his eyes.
My arms are locked around his neck and we’re so close, I can feel his heart beating so, so fast.
He isn’t alone. Mine strums like a guitar plucked by a rock star belting out a nasty breakup ballad.
What is even happening?
“It’s normal for first-timers,” he says softly, and I blink up at him in confusion.
Shepherd Foster is never soft.
…and first-timers?
How do I explain that although I’m way younger, I’m not inexperienced. I’ve had my fair share of male attention, though none of the boys I’ve dated have ever swept me up like a storm.
“Kayaking,” he clarifies, eyeing my blank face.
Oh, crap.
Author Bio:
Nicole Snow is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She found her love of writing by hashing out love scenes on lunch breaks and plotting her great escape from boardrooms. Her work roared onto the indie romance scene in 2014 with her Grizzlies MC series.
Since then Snow aims for the very best in growly, heart-of-gold alpha heroes, unbelievable suspense, and swoon storms aplenty. With over a million books sold, she lives for the joy of making two people fight with every bit of their soul for a Happily Ever After.
Current fan favorites include her Enguard Protectors series, accidental love novels, plus long beloved MC romance thrillers like the Grizzlies and Deadly Pistols.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub
GIVEAWAY!
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Feeding My Addiction…
**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.**
Another quick post this week with not having much to share yet again. I’ve said it before but who would think I would behave for so many weeks in a row! I feel like I’m slacking in the tempt others department though with only three new titles to share.
As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**
New additions from Netgalley Sept 17th – Sept 24th
A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia.
Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father’s death five years ago called her home to run the family’s decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco’s Deli’s very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.
She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).
With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.
And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
No escape. Follow the rules. And don’t count on reality—in this uniquely vibrant romantasy from NYT bestselling author Pintip Dunn and daughter Love Dunn…
It looks like paradise…only it’s not.
This was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime family trip to Thailand. One last wish for my dying mama. Instead, we’re stranded on a lush, stunning island with ten strangers—held captive as Thai mythology unfolds around us…and within us.
Now we’re being tested. We’re expected to face our greatest fears—and possible deaths—in hopes of awakening some kind of dormant gift…or curse. One by one, we’re transforming, echoing the strange and sometimes wondrous abilities found in Thai folktales.
But my mama has only days to live, my papa is missing, and I’m forced to trust a group of strangers…including our evasive, dark-eyed tour guide, who resembles a minor god. Toss me in the ocean and feed me to the naga now.
Only I’m no hero. My days are managed by numbers and the compulsions that used to keep me safe.
I have to prove how far I can go. To survive. To protect my family.
And to find a way off this perilous island where everything is a lie…including reality.
From a Wyoming ranch to a New Jersey bookstore-café, when old-world demons, modern-day mages, and irresistible attraction collide, desire becomes the most powerful and dangerous weapon of all, in this spellbinding new series from the New York Times bestselling author.
There was a time when demons reigned. That was before they were forced to retreat to the shadows. Today, in hidden corners across the globe their evil blood still pools, and the authority of their new rulers—the Vampire Cabal—must never be challenged. Leave it to a Jersey girl to change ancient
history . . .
At sixteen, when Peri Sanguis’s wild magic first appeared, she was forced to flee her Wyoming ranch—and her suddenly murderous family—to save her own life. On the East Coast, tutored by mages who run the Witch’s Brew bookstore-cafe, Peri’s world seems magically tranquil—until her estranged mother and a coven of witches are slaughtered. Now, to solve the violent mysteries of her past, she must put her trust, body and soul, in a sensual immortal who is every woman’s darkest fantasy . . .
The golden-eyed vampire, Valen, has never wanted more than to claim an untamed female like Peri. Lured into each other’s orbit, and working together against a resurrected evil brings them intimately closer—to danger, blood betrayals, all-consuming passion, and to sacrifices that must be made to save themselves and the world . . .
The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan Blog Tour
**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.**
Title: The Book Club Hotel
Author: Sarah Morgan
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Page Count: 385
About the book:
This Christmas, USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with another heartfelt exploration of change, the power of books to heal, and the enduring strength of female friendship. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Jennifer Weiner.
With its historic charm and picture-perfect library, the Maple Sugar Inn is considered the winter destination. As the holidays approach, the inn is fully booked with guests looking for their dream vacation. But widowed far too young, and exhausted from juggling the hotel with being a dedicated single mom, Hattie Coleman dreams only of making it through the festive season.
But when Erica, Claudia and Anna—lifelong friends who seem to have it all—check in for a girlfriends’ book club holiday, it changes everything. Their close friendship and shared love of books have carried them through life’s ups and downs. But Hattie can see they’re also packing some major emotional baggage, and nothing prepares her for how deeply her own story is about to become entwined in theirs. In the span of a week over the most enchanting time of the year, can these four women come together to improve each other’s lives and make this the start of a whole new chapter?
Find this book online:
Goodreads / Amazon / BookShop.org / Harlequin / Barnes & Noble / Books A Million
Excerpt:
Hattie
“Maple Sugar Inn, how may I help you?” Hattie answered the phone with a smile on her face because she’d discovered that it was impossible to sound defeated, moody or close to tears when you were smiling, and currently she was all those things.
“I’ve been planning a trip to Vermont in winter for years and then I spotted pictures of your inn on social media,” a woman gushed, “and it looks so cozy and welcoming. The type of place you can’t help but relax.”
It’s an illusion, Hattie thought. There was no relaxation to be had here; not for her, at any rate. Her head throbbed and her eyes pricked following another night without sleep. The head housekeeper was threatening to walk out and the executive chef had been late two nights running and she was worried tonight might be the third, which would be a disaster because they were fully booked. Chef Tucker had earned their restaurant that coveted star, and his confit of duck had been known to induce moans of ecstasy from diners, but there were days when Hattie would have traded that star for a chef with a more even temperament. His temper was so hot she sometimes wondered why he bothered switching on the grill. He could have yelled at the duck and it would have been thoroughly singed in the flames of his anger. He was being disrespectful and taking advantage of her. Hattie knew that, and she also knew she should probably fire him but Brent had chosen him, and firing him would have severed another thread from the past. Also, conflict drained her energy and right now she didn’t have enough of that to go around. It was simpler to placate him.
“I’m glad you’re impressed,” she said to the woman on the phone. “Can I make a reservation for you?”
“I hope so, but I’m very particular about the room. Can I tell you what I need?”
“Of course.” Bracing herself for a long and unachievable wish list, Hattie resisted the temptation to smack her forehead onto the desk. Instead, she reached for a pad of paper and pen that was always handy. “Go ahead.”
How bad could it be? A woman the week before had wanted to know if she could bring her pet rat with her on vacation—answer: no!—and a man the week before that had demanded that she turn down the sound of the river that ran outside his bedroom window because it was keeping him awake.
She went above and beyond in her attempts to satisfy the whims of guests but there were limits.
“I’d like the room to have a mountain view,” the woman said. “And a real fire would be a nice extra.”
“All our rooms have real fires,” Hattie said, “and the rooms at the back have wonderful views of the mountains. The ones at the front face the river.”
She relaxed slightly. So far, so straightforward.
“Mountains for me. Also, I’m particular about bedding. After all, we spend a third of our lives asleep so it’s important, don’t you agree?”
Hattie felt a twinge of envy. She definitely didn’t spend a third of her life asleep. With having a young child, owning an inn and grieving the loss of her husband, she barely slept at all. She dreamed of sleep but sadly, usually when she was awake.
“Bedding is important.” She said what was expected of her, which was what she’d been doing since the police had knocked on her door two years earlier to tell her that her beloved Brent had been killed instantly in a freak accident. A brick had fallen from a building as he’d been walking past on his way to the bank and struck him on the head.
It was mortifying to remember that her initial reaction had been to laugh—she’d been convinced it was a joke, because normal people didn’t get killed by random bricks falling from buildings, did they?—but then she’d realized they weren’t laughing and it probably wasn’t because they didn’t have a sense of humor.
She’d asked them if they were sure he was dead, and then had to apologize for questioning them because of course they were sure. How often did the police follow we’re sorry to have to tell you…with oops, we made a mistake.
After they’d repeated the bad news, she’d thanked them politely. Then she’d made them a cup of tea because she was a) half British and b) very much in shock.
When they’d drunk their tea and eaten two of her homemade cinnamon cookies, she’d shown them out as if they were treasured guests who had honored her with their presence, and not people who had just shattered her world in one short conversation.
She’d stared at the closed door for a full five minutes after they’d left while she’d tried to process it. In a matter of minutes her life had utterly changed, the future she’d planned with Brent stolen, her hopes crushed.
Even though two years had passed, there were still days when it felt unreal. Days when she still expected Brent to walk through the door with that bouncing stride of his, full of excitement because he’d had one of his brilliant ideas that he couldn’t wait to share with her.
I think we should get married…
I think we should start a family…
I think we should buy that historic inn we saw on our trip to Vermont…
They’d met in England during their final year of college and from the first moment she’d been swept away on the tide of Brent’s enthusiasm. After graduating, they’d both taken jobs in London but then two things had happened. Brent’s grandmother had died, leaving him a generous sum of money, and they’d taken a trip to Vermont. They’d fallen in love with the place, and now here she was, a widow at the age of twenty-eight, raising their five-year-old child and managing the historic inn. Alone. Since she’d lost Brent she’d tried to keep everything going the way he’d wanted it, but that wasn’t proving easy. She worried that she wasn’t able to do this on her own. She worried that she was going to lose the inn. Most of all she worried that she wasn’t going to be enough for their daughter. Now Brent was gone she had to be two people—how could she be two people when most days she didn’t even feel whole?
She realized that while she’d been indulging in a moment of maudlin self-pity, the woman on the phone was still talking. “I’m sorry, could you say that again?”
“I’d like the bedsheets to be linen because I do struggle with overheating.”
“We have linen bedding, so that won’t be a problem.”
“And pink.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’d like the linen to be pink. I find I sleep better. White is too glaring and drab colors depress me.”
Pink.
“I’ll make a note.” She grabbed a notepad and scribbled Help followed by four exclamation marks. She might have written something ruder, but her daughter was a remarkably good reader and was given to demonstrating that skill wherever and whenever she could, so Hattie had learned to be mindful of what she wrote and left lying around. “Did you have a particular date in mind?”
“Christmas. It’s the best time, isn’t it?”
Not for me, Hattie thought, as she checked the room occupancy. The first Christmas after Brent had died had been hideous, and last year hadn’t been much better. She’d wanted to burrow under the covers until it was all over, but instead, she’d been expected to inject festive joy into other people’s lives. And now it was the end of November again and Christmas was just weeks away.
Still, providing she didn’t lose any more staff, she’d no doubt find a way to muddle through. She’d survived it twice, and she’d survive it a third time.
“You’re in luck. We do still have a few rooms available, including one double facing the mountains. Would you like me to reserve that for you?”
“Is it a corner room? I do like more than one window.”
“It’s not a corner room, and there is only one window in this particular room, but it has wonderful views and a covered balcony.”
“There’s no way of getting a second window?”
“Sadly not.” What was she supposed to do? Knock a hole through the wall? “But I can send you a video of the room before you make your choice if that would help.”
By the time she’d taken the woman’s email address, put a hold on the room for twenty-four hours and answered the rest of her questions, half an hour had passed.
When the woman finally ended the call, Hattie sighed. Christmas promised to be a nightmare. She made a note under the reservation. Pink sheets. Linen.
How would Brent handle it? It was a question she asked herself a million times a day and she allowed herself to glance at one of the two photographs she kept on the desk. This one was of Brent swinging their daughter high in the air. Both were laughing. Sometimes, she’d discovered, remembering the best of times sustained you through the worst.
Excerpted from The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan. Copyright © 2023 by Sarah Morgan. Published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
About the author:
USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.
Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.
Author Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads
I’ve Watched You Die by Karina Banks blitz with giveaway
I’ve Watched You Die
Karina Banks
Publication date: September 22nd 2023
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
A young woman, cursed. A rebellious prince in hiding. A forbidden love that will threaten two worlds…
There are two main things I’ve learned since my life turned upside down. The first is, if you speak of someone’s death before it happens, you’ll be blamed for murder. The second? If the hottest guy you’ve ever seen kisses you, and thanks you for saving his life, don’t argue.
I watched him die, over and over. So many times. The vision is always the same and there is never one damn thing I can do to save him. I don’t know why I can’t dream about normal things, like going to school naked, or spiders. I hate spiders. No, I’m lucky enough to see strangers at the moments of their deaths.
The only thing keeping me sane is knowing the visions aren’t real.
Until the accident. The blood. He dies in my arms.
At least, I thought he did. But now he’s here, telling me I saved his life. Telling me unbelievable stories about monsters and gods and destiny. Promising to protect me.
If none of this is real, why am I afraid of the creatures hunting me? And if I saved his life, why are the nightmares back, stronger than ever? What is this thing lurking inside me, eager to strike?
I don’t know, but I’m freaking out.
I’m afraid what I think is real, isn’t. And what I know is not, just might be.
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EXCERPT:
The creature’s eyes dart back and forth between me and Ryker, as if taking its time, contemplating who to kill first. Ryker takes advantage of its hesitation, shoving me away. “Dani, go! Run!” The command is raw and guttural, impossible to ignore.
I take off, running as fast as I can toward the school. Adrenaline rushes through my bloodstream like a bomb went off inside me. There is no thinking. I have tunnel vision. All I see is the grass in front of my feet. The door that leads to sanctuary inside the school building. All I hear is blood pounding inside my skull and the rush of air as it bursts in and out of my lungs. It’s as if I’m breathing fire.
I’m halfway there. He said he’d be right behind me. I can’t hear him. Where is he?
I risk a glance back, over my shoulder. I expected him to follow. When I look behind me, I see he’s still staring the creature down. He has a dagger in one hand and he is slowly circling the monster, waiting for it to strike.
Shit. What is he thinking? Is he trying to buy me time? I don’t need more time. I’m almost there. Worse, that thing huge, easily the size of four large men. Maybe it is, because I count eight legs sticking out of the goo.
I slow to a jog, then stop, turning completely to watch him and the creature pace one another. As Ryker did with me, with each step he’s moving just enough not to incite an immediate attack, but positioning himself for a straight shot away, toward the school’s garden.
No. Oh, God. Shit.
I know how this ends. I just saw it. There are more of them, in the garden. Waiting. An ambush. They are here to kill him. Why? Why? Why?
I sprint toward him, away from the school. Away from safety. I can’t allow him to run for the garden. More of those things are waiting. They’ll gut him. Cut him open. He’ll bleed out, blood soaking the gravel path. Just like my vision. No. No. No.
“Ryker! Run! They’re in the garden! It’s a trap! It’s a trap!”
I scream at him, my legs pumping as fast as I can make them go, faster than any track meet or workout I’ve ever run. A terrified part of me knows it’s not fast enough.
I push my muscles to their limit, trying to reach him in time. I don’t know what I can possibly do to help him against that thing, but two is better than one. It has to be. We’ll run for the woods. Anywhere but that fucking garden. Literally anywhere.
“Dani, no! Get back!”
“The garden! It’s a trap!” I sprint, my gaze dropping to the abandoned high heels shoes on the grass. The four inch points aren’t exactly one of my grandad’s shotguns, but they’re better than nothing. That thing has eyes, doesn’t it?
I’m forty meters away when the creature lunges at Ryker. He is looking at me, yelling at me to run.
My heart stops dead in my chest. I yell out a warning, but it’s too late.
GIVEAWAY!
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