Love in Overtime by Melissa Baldwin blitz with giveaway
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Love in Overtime
Melissa Baldwin
(Love on Thin Ice)
Publication date: September 19th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Playing hockey in Maple Falls was meant to be just a charity gig, but then my new publicist showed up, melting the ice—and my heart.
Cooper
I never anticipated being roped into a charity hockey game during the off-season. But here I am, heading to Maple Falls, all because my publicist decided to retire. Change was inevitable, but I didn’t foresee it coming so soon.
Getting assigned a new publicist, Blair Radcliffe, didn’t sit well with me at first. However, there’s something about her – a fierce determination that’s both intriguing and challenging. I wonder if she’s ready for the whirlwind that is Cooper Montgomery. One thing’s certain– I can’t afford to fall for my publicist.
Blair
I still can’t believe I landed my dream job. The excitement is overwhelming, and I’m determined to carve out my path in the industry. But there’s one obstacle standing in my way– Cooper Montgomery, the seemingly uncooperative hockey star. Nevertheless, I’m ready to tackle the challenge head-on, and perhaps some time away in a quiet town like Maple Falls will work wonders.
What I didn’t anticipate was developing a crush on my own client. It’s the ultimate taboo in my profession, a mistake that could jeopardize everything I’ve worked for. I’m at a loss on how to navigate this newfound attraction, especially when it appears that Cooper might feel the same way. I’m not sure what to do next.
Love in Overtime is part of the Love on Thin Ice sweet small town hockey romcom series. It’s slow burn, grumpy-sunshine, workplace romance set in this small town with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.
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EXCERPT:
“Today should be relaxing,” I tell him. “At some point I want to have a meeting to go over a few things. Practices start in a few days, as you know.”
“Yes,” he says.
“It’s going to be a great event,” I continue. “And the town is so pretty and quaint. Their fall events are popular, they’ve made the place famous.”
Cooper makes a face. “I doubt Pine Falls is famous.”
“Maple Falls,” I say with a giggle. For some reason he can’t remember the name of the town.
He groans. “Crap, you’re right. I don’t know why I keep doing that. You’ll have to keep me on my toes over the next few weeks. The last thing I need is to meet the mayor and call his town by the wrong name.”
“Oh, don’t you worry, I’ll definitely keep you on your toes,” I exclaim.
“Yes, I can tell,” Cooper replies, the corner of his mouth turns up slightly which unexpectedly makes my stomach do a flip.
Ugh. What was that?
Thankfully we arrive at the baggage carousel at the perfect moment. I conveniently excuse myself to contact our driver while Cooper waits for his bag. As soon as I’m a safe distance away from him, I let out an exasperated sigh as I call for our car.
“Hello.”
“Hi, this is Blair Radcliffe. Just confirming our pickup at the airport.”
I glance back to where Cooper is standing and meet his gaze almost immediately. I give him a quick wave and point to the phone.
“Yes, ma’am. Your driver is on his way—ETA ten minutes.”
“Wonderful. Thank you,” I gush.
I exhale slowly after I end the call. I’m not sure why I feel so frazzled. I’m usually calm, focused, and professional.
Seriously, Blair, get your head in the game. Cooper Montgomery may be attractive, but he’s my client, which means we work together. These next few weeks could make or break my career. The last thing I need is to be swooning over a professional hockey player and his tall, muscular physique. In my defense, it’s kind of hard to ignore. Cooper stands out, and I’m only human.
Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin always dreamed of sharing her stories with the world. She brought this vision to life, becoming an award-winning, bestselling author of over thirty romantic comedies and cozy mysteries. Melissa is also a wife, mother, new empty-nester, and travel advisor.
Her books feature charming, ambitious, and real women, whom she considers part of her tribe. Although she rarely takes a day off, when she’s not writing, she enjoys quality time with her family, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and booking Disney vacations. Melissa still uses a paper planner, and her guilty pleasures include Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital.
Visit authormelissabaldwin .com to sign up for her newsletter.
Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe on Facebook.
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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.*
New week and new titles add to my ever towering TBR that I just couldn’t resist of course. Not too bad a week with only three new titles to share and tempt others to fill their own shelves with!
As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**
New additions from Netgalley Sept 15th – Sept 22nd
What would you do if you caught your brother cheating on your best friend?
While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she’s even prouder of her charismatic brother, Rick, who rose from foster care all the way through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Things takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days…and nights.
But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.
Love and loyalty collide with secrets and betrayal in this witty and emotional tale about the lengths we’ll go to for family, from Susan Mallery, bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of They Wish They Were Us and The Counselors, comes a page-turning murder mystery set at a prestigious New England boarding school about the importance–and price–of telling the truth.
Secrets don’t die.
It’s the first week of senior year at Meadowbrook Academy. For Amy and her best friend Sarah, that means late-night parties at the boathouse, bike rides through their sleepy Connecticut town, and the crisp beginning of a New England fall.
Then tragedy strikes: Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in their dorm room. Now the week Amy has been dreaming about for years has turned into a nightmare, especially when all eyes turn to her as the culprit. She was Sarah’s only roommate, the only other person there when she died—or so she told the police to cover for her own boyfriend’s suspicious whereabouts. And even though they were best friends, with every passing day, Amy begins to learn that Sarah lied about a lot of things.
Liz, editor of the school newspaper and social outcast, is determined to uncover the truth about what happened on campus, in hopes her reporting will land a prestigious scholarship to college. As Liz dives deeper into her investigation, the secrets these murdered seniors never wanted out come to light. The deeper Liz digs, the messier the truth becomes – and with a killer still on campus, she can’t afford to make any mistakes.
The Meadowbrook Murders is a gripping mystery about the inextricable way power, privilege, and secrets are linked, and how telling the truth can come at a deadly price.
From New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde comes her newest story about three generations of women, an island with an air of mystery and magic, and one summer that changes everything—perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery.
In the Gulf of Mexico, near South Padre, sits a private island with a bit of a magic about it: the colors are brighter, the food tastes better, and turtles and cranes find sanctuary there. The billionaire heiress who built the thriving resort on Hobby Island exclusively for crafters, Eloisa Hobby, is as much a mystery as she is a mentor. Those with troubles are invited in the aftermath of an emotional turmoil, and with help from the other crafters on the island Eloisa acts as a sounding board while she gently and unobtrusively guides the visitors toward healthy resolutions in their lives. Only a few receive the honor of a golden ticket.
Luna, ever the pragmatist, is reeling in the wake of tragedy: she’s just moved with her fierce, opinionated teenage daughter Artemis to her mother’s house, after they lost their husband and father. But her mother, Jeanie, artistic and sensitive, has faced her own troubles recently, and her home may not be the stable sanctuary the three women so desperately need.
When Jeanie receives one of the coveted tickets, inviting her and her family to Hobby Island, the blessing is one they can’t turn down, though both Luna and Artie remain skeptical of their eccentric host and benefactor. Together, the three of them will have to learn to trust one another again, accept help from those who love them, and embrace life—during a summer they’ll never forget.
Somebody To Love by Mariah Ankenman 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.**
Somebody To Love
Mariah Ankenman
(Jackson Family Distillery, #2)
Publication date: September 19th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Penny Williams is a lot of things; intelligent, shy, socially awkward, but the one thing she wants to be most is a mother. Unfortunately, she’s never been very lucky in the dating world. Men rarely go for quiet nerds, but that won’t stop her. Being an independent woman of the 21st century, she decides to forgo traditional methods of baby making and try for a medical option. Only, she doesn’t want a random donation. She knows the perfect candidate. The only problem? It’s her best friend.
Bravo “BJ” Jackson would do anything for his best friend, but her latest request has him stumped. He knows Penny would make a great mom. Problem is, he never imagined himself as a dad. She says she wants nothing from him except his little swimmers. The real question is can he step away from a child who would technically be a part of him?
She promises nothing between them will change. But life gets complicated when they discover hidden feelings for each other that go beyond friendship. This deal could destroy what they have. Or it could reveal that what they really want has been in front of them the whole time.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
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EXCERPT:
“Hey, BJ.”
“Hey, BJ. You send me a 911 text, took forever to answer your door and all I get is a Hey BJ?”
Her brow furrowed. Nose wrinkling. The small, upturned tip rising even higher. “I didn’t take forever.”
Felt like it to him. Every damn second had stretched into an eternity as he hauled ass over here. The worst of the worst running through his mind. Placing a hand on the door, he pushed slightly. Penny automatically stepped back, allowing him entrance. Once inside her house, he headed straight for the living room. The sound of the door closing, and her soft footsteps followed him.
Normally he’d sit on her couch, make himself at home, maybe turn on the TV. Tonight, he didn’t do any of those things. He stood in the middle of her living room and turned to face her. “Penny, what is going on?”
Long, thin fingers tapped against her thigh. “Um…well, you see, the thing is…do you want to sit?”
No, he didn’t want to fucking sit. He wanted to know what the hell was wrong with his best friend. Crossing his arms over his chest, he remained where he was.
“Right, okay, no sitting. Um, I…kind of need…oh! How rude of me. I haven’t offered you a drink, or are you hungry? I bet you’re hungry. I can make you a sandwich. I got those bread and butter pickles you like and—”
“Penny!” The woman was killing him. He reached out, grabbing her wrist in a firm, yet soft grip before she could turn tail and run off to the kitchen. Tugging on her arm, he gently pulled her to him. “I don’t need anything except for you to tell me what’s wrong.”
She tucked her chin into her chest, refusing to look him in the eye. “Nothing is wrong.”
“Bullshit.”
At that, her face rose. He rarely swore around her, but he was done playing or whatever the hell they were doing. Something had been bothering her for days. He knew it, knew her. He’d tried to let it go, allow her to come to him in her own time, but he was tired of waiting. Tired of her almost coming out with it, then retreating into herself. They were friends, dammit, best friends. She didn’t get to hide her problems. Not from him. Not when he could help.
“Please.” He brought his hands up, cupping her face, stroking the soft skin in a soothing manner. “Tell me what you need.”
“I need your sperm.”
His hands fell from her face. Shock dropping his hold. Hazel eyes grew impossibly wide as she blurted out words he’d never imagined coming from her lips. His brain tried to come up with something, anything, but surely, he’d misheard her. Penny couldn’t have possibly asked him for his sperm. Had she?
“I…what?”
A loud groan left her pink lips. Stepping out of his touch, she brought up her own hands to cover her face. He thought he heard her let out a muffled scream, but he couldn’t be sure of anything his ears were hearing tonight.
Dropping her hands, she turned and paced back and forth across the living room floor. “Okay, remember a while ago when we were talking about me wanting to be a mom, but being too socially awkward to attract any kind of decent man—”
“You mean you being awesome and the entire male species being too stupid to realize it?” Ableists fucks. He knew a lot of Penny’s relationship woes came from her partners not bothering to understand autism or even trying to learn more about it.
She waved away his sentiment, continuing, “Anyway, I was remembering your offer and—”
“Wait, wait, what offer?”
She stopped pacing and turned to face him. “Remember, we were talking about how adoption wouldn’t work, and you suggested I use, um, some guy’s stuff and then said I could even have yours?”
His jaw literally dropped. He would even swear he heard it crack. “Penny…I was…I didn’t mean…I didn’t realize you were serious about it.”
She lifted her chin. “Well, I am, and I really want the second set of DNA to come from you.”
He’d sampled too much of the latest gin batch and was currently passed out in the office having a wild, booze induced dream. That could be the only explanation for what was currently going on because there was no way he stood here, in the middle of Penny’s apartment, talking about her need for his sperm. Nope. No way in hell. This was all some weird, messed up gin fever, and he’d be paying for it in the morning with a hangover from hell.
Author Bio:
Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her.
Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books visit her website http://www.mariahankenman.com.
GIVEAWAY!
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The Button Collector by M.M. Cochran 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 Button Collector
M.M. Cochran
Publication date: September 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller
When Chicago journalist Jessica Knight is linked to a string of odd murders happening across the country, her life takes a turn for the worse.
She is left wondering why her relatives are the ones dropping like flies under the signature mark of a serial killer . . . why she can’t stop thinking about Michael Bradley, the appealing detective assigned to protect her . . . and most of all, why, despite being the Button Collector’s prime target, she’s still alive at all. One thing she knows for certain: the killer is always watching. As the line between truth and deception begins to blur, Jessica crumbles under the dense web of lies she’s trying to keep straight–especially once the police start questioning more than just her sanity. With pressure mounting, Jessica must navigate being under the watchful eye of the police–and the killer–while risking it all in a dangerous game to make up for the mistakes of her past.
Her days are numbered…one way or the other.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
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EXCERPT:
Chapter 1
The first thing I feel when I step outside my apartment building is his eyes on me.
They burn. They haunt. They’re always there, somehow finding me almost every day since the first murder.
Long shadows stretch over the brown patch of grass before my building. They’re soft on my boots and heavy on the winter flowers that need sun. Rain pelts down the petals, but I’m too cold to get my fingers wet and shake the water off the weak flowers.
The thick weather clouds the feeling of his surveillance, but I still close my eyes to escape it.
Count backwards from ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Okay, it’s gone.
Now open your eyes, I instruct myself.
It’s time to catch a cab. “Time to catch a cab,” I say.
Leave me alone. “Leave me alone,” I say.
The office buzzes with fluorescent lights over rickety desks made for half-hearted journalists. I slide between their narrow spaces and make my way to the associate editor’s desk. The editor in chief smokes in his office, and Della can tell me everything he knows, so I avoid him and his stench. It’s not something I can handle this morning, though on a good morning, I’d crave the smell of his cigarettes.
“Della, John wanted to see me? Why?” The tip of my umbrella taps the ground, sprinkling cold drops of leftover rain onto my pant leg.
She doesn’t even look at me, doesn’t even jump at the opportunity to comment on my red lipstick that’s too dark or my unshapely long coat. “He’s in his office.”
“But—”
“Jessica.”
The smoke in John’s office rolls onto me in waves of foggy white. My automatic response is to cough, clear my throat, but it would be nothing more than for show. He knows I’m used to it.
“Knight. Come here, I’ve got somethin ’for you.” He fingers me in and motions for me to take a seat. The dark leather on the chair does everything but absorb the moisture from my wet thighs.
He nudges a stack of papers in my direction. “Here’re some stories for the week that I came across over the weekend. Fire and Crime section looks like it’ll be good and full next issue, but I’d like you to start on this Button story. A profile about him to follow-up his murder we reported on last week. It’ll take some research, so I want your time and attention on this one. All week.” He taps the folder with his index and middle finger, keeping his cigarette in place between them. “Make it good. If you need me to get some intern on the other stuff, you just let me know, Knight. Let’s focus on this Button profile, and make sure to really center it around the freakshow killer more than the victims.”
John takes a long, focused drag off the cigarette. Blows it in a thin streak over his shoulder. Eyes me with a glare that’s crimped with sixty-year-old crow’s feet.
“You alright, Knight?”
“Fine. But why do you want me for this? I’m not investigative, just—”
“A hard crime reporter. I know. But you really proved yourself with investigative journalism skills after you covered that murder trial last month. I want to spread your wings a little more. Cover this Button story, Knight. It’s going to sell a lot of papers. Keep it up, and we’ll change your title to Investigative instead of just Crime Journalist.”
“Thanks, John, but I’m comfortable with my position.”
“I’ll give you a little raise, dear.” He wraps his lips around his cigarette and blows the smoke over his shoulder again. “And I’ll hire one of those interns to take over hard crime. Okay?”
“Alright. Thank you.”
“Well, we’ll see how this Button story goes.”
I nod.
“You sure you’re okay, Knight?”
“Yeah, fine.”
“Then shake that look off your face and get to work. I’d like to have that story by Thursday; I want the designers to arrange A1 layout around it. This’ll generate a lot of attention, you know. People are all over this Button Collector thing.”
“The word count?” I ask. I usually don’t have to talk word counts with him, but with big stories like this—like that trial—he always has some requirements to meet.
“Give me nine-hundred, no less.”
A knock on the door diverts his attention to behind me. “John,” the receptionist says, “a young lady would like to speak with you about advertisement.”
John pushes back his chair and stands, surrendering his cigarette to the dusty ash tray. “Stay here, Knight. I’ll be right back.”
My next breath is stifled by the smoke that folds into my face when he walks by. He leaves the door cracked behind him.
Author Bio:
As both a self-published and traditionally published author of YA fiction and a thriller, I know how vulnerable and scary handing your manuscript to an editor can be. . . But it is my job to take care of my clients and their stories, cherishing them as my own.
My novel, Between the Ocean the Stars, was ranked #2 at the worldwide distributors center upon publication and later named a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. My next novel, The Button Collector, releases in 2024.
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Never Date the Minister by Julia Kent 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.**
Never Date the Minister
Julia Kent
(Whatever It Takes, #3)
Publication date: September 10th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Accidental poisonings. Unexpected tidal waves. Jealous stepsisters. Brides caught cheating in the coatroom at the reception.
Just a typical day at work, when you’re a wedding protector.
And Nessa Martini, the newest and youngest member on staff, is doing her best to fix it all.
Starting with her own chaotic life.
A one-night stand with a hot bodybuilding social media influencer who turns out to be a minister is not Nessa’s idea of personal growth, no matter how much she enjoyed it.
She’s trying so hard to be mature, grounded, responsible, and to get ahead in her career working for Wedding Protectors, Inc., where they guarantee your perfect day – whatever it takes.
But when she ghosts on Mr. Perfect after one night of pleasure and he turns out not only to be the TikTok sensation known as “God’s Gift,” but is also the minister at the wedding she’s assigned to for work, all of Nessa’s careful plans go out the window.
She can’t date a man of the cloth.
Or can she?
Matt Draper knows he’s a study in contrasts. A bodybuilder who makes sweaty, shirtless weightlifting videos for millions of followers – and a minister? He didn’t pick the nickname “God’s Gift,” but he’s stuck with it now.
And he’s stuck on gorgeous Instagram influencer Nessa, too.
It may have been only one night, but it was a phenomenal night, and Matt wants more. Way more. When coincidence works in his favor and they meet at a wedding rehearsal, he takes his chance. She’s slow to warm, and so mysterious, yet social media perfect.
Too perfect.
For a guy who is all about depth and connection, can he break through her surface and find more?
Welcome to the Whatever It Takes series, where every book is a complete HEA and a standalone within the same world, with one couple per book:
Every bride needs something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue –
But you know what brides don’t need?
Complications.
Welcome to Wedding Protectors, Inc. Have a spritzer or a latte or some lovely Zen tea and sink into a comfortable chair in our sunlit offices as we listen to your wedding problem – and form the perfect solution to every possible contingency.
We plan for everything.
Except our own love lives.
But that’s not your problem.
Book 1: Never Plan a Billionaire’s Wedding
Book 2: Never Fall for the Bride’s Father
Book 3: Never Date the Minister
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
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EXCERPT:
“Truffle,” Nessa murmured, rousing a bit but not opening her eyes. “Good boy.”
Her family’s chocolate brown standard poodle was snuggled against her back, breathing steadily in her ear, one paw resting on her hip. She should probably get up and get ready for school, but she was so warm and cozy under the covers…
Behind her, Truffle stirred.
Wait a minute.
“I don’t have any truffles,” said a sleepy male voice behind her. “I could make mocha coffee, though.”
Someone kissed her ear, and that definitely wasn’t a poodle tongue.
Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.
From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).
She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.
She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com
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