Thursday, November 29, 2018

Changes Are Coming...


It's honestly hard for me to write this.

Not because I'm unsure of my decision but because it's a decision that I didn't think I'd be making for years, if ever. When I first joined the book blogging world my life was in a hard transitional period. My husband and I were going through a tough time financially, were living in his friend's parent's basement, and were recovering from the devastation of an ectopic pregnancy after attempting to get pregnant for over a year. That time in my life was one of pain, insecurity, and unknowing. We didn't know what we were going to do next, what step we were going to take, and I found myself struggling deeply with my anxiety and depression. It was at this time that I discovered the book blogging world and it brought such a light to my life. I've always been a huge reader and I always wanted to do more with the books that I read. I've always wanted to be an author but, in the meantime, I wanted to be a part of it in a different way. I wanted to read books and help authors and spread the word on amazing stories.

From that day forward, I have thrown myself into blogging about books and making it a huge part of my life. There's been ups and downs over the years, moments of inconsistency and a lot of changes to my content. But I always made it a priority.

Almost eight years later, I've come to a standstill.

I've recently dedicated myself to fixing myself, working on my anxiety, changing parts of my life that no longer align with my goals and the things that are no longer a part of my dream. I'm working on my faith, working towards becoming a better mom, a better wife, a better person in general. I'm working on me and the things that I want my life to have.

Unfortunately, book blogging is no longer at the top of that priority list.

My life was in a transition point when I first started blogging and now I find myself myself in a similar - yet strongly different - situation. I am changing and evolving and growing as a person and my life is starting to align with that. My anxiety is heightened by clutter (both physical and mental) and stress. I'm a mom of two, I'm homeschool my five year old, I babysit for a family that we love, I'm journeying down the path of minimalism, all while working towards my goal of publishing my first book.

Although I love spreading the word about great books and helping out authors, I no longer enjoy the act of blogging. It's become more of a burden instead of a pleasure and there are other, more precious and important things where my time could be better spent.

I'm ready to tackle my own goals and dreams and put my energy into my family, my life, and my own writing career. I will still be sharing on the Rainy Days and Pajamas Facebook page and sharing my thoughts on books that I read but I will no longer make reading such a job. Reviews that I have promised will still be posted, ARCs will still be read, but this blog, until further notice, will officially be on hiatus. When it will become active again, I'm honestly not sure. It honestly may never be active again. I have events scheduled from December and throughout February but that will be it guys.

It's been a great run but here's to the future!
I hope to see you again soon - holding my own book in my hands.
If you've read this far, I give you a big high five and you're freakin' awesome.

If you'd like to follow along with my writing journey and want to help spread the word about my future books, click the graphic below.

Peace out, guys.

- Darcus.


Excerpt & Giveaway: Scythe by Christina Bauer


Scythe
Christina Bauer
(Dimension Drift Worlds, #1)
Publication date: April 24th 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult
“Fans of A Wrinkle in Time can’t missDimension Drift!” – Christina Trevaskis, The Book Matchmaker
Truth time. I go to a Learning Squirrel High School. Don’t judge.
On second thought, judge away. Learning Squirrel is one step above attending class in a junkyard. But what do you expect? Everything’s made out of garbage these days. At least, I have my freelance work to keep Mom and me housed, clothed, and fed. How? I’m your regular high school science geek for hire, except my work manipulates space-time. The good news is that these gigs pay really well; the bad news is that the government likes to kill people like me. Whatever. I’m not worried; hiding from their detection systems is easy for me.
Then I screw up one of my illegal projects. Badly.
In fact, things go so sideways that my house slips into two-dimensional space-time. The shift only lasts for a few seconds, but that’s long enough to set off a dozen government alarms. If those goons track me down, Mom and I are as good as dead. Long story short, I need to pay someone off, hide the evidence, and keep us safe.
Unfortunately, that means asking the Scythe for help. He runs the local underground crime scene and has absolutely no conscience…Or at least, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. It’s hard to think straight when a guy’s that hot in an ‘evil Mafioso kingpin’ kind of way. Most importantly, the Scythe is a crime lord who can conceal my slip-up with a few clicks on his minion’s computer keyboards. But the man has his price. In this case, the Scythe wants me to finish a certain dimensional prototype for him in twenty-four hours. I can do it, but it might mean Learning Squirrel High gets blown up in the process. Oh yes, and there’s also my new hot classmate who may or may not be an alien…and he says he’ll do anything to help me.
This job won’t be easy, but I’ve gotten out of worse scrapes. Maybe.


EXCERPT
SCYTHE
Dimension Drift, Prequel 1
Chapter One

Not long now.
Up ahead, a tiny concrete tower rises from the darkened hilltop. Guardhouse #83. I scan the gravel road before me. Everything is deserted, quiet, and perfect. Despite the chilly night air, a rush of excitement warms my limbs. Most days, I’m a teenage she-hermit who lives for my basement laboratory. But in this moment, I’m my best self: a science prodigy-for-hire whose inventions secure my family’s safety. And if a little thievery is involved? Well, that just makes me a lot badass.
In other words, time to steal for Mom and science.
Marching to the guardhouse, I stop before the intake window. There’s no need to announce myself; motion detectors will activate the auto-guard. Seconds later, a mechanical buzz sounds as florescent lights click on, revealing an animatronic woman sitting at a fake desk. Like most auto-guards, this one is less than perfect, what with her
chipped plastic skin, frayed blue uniform, frizzed-out hair, and single functioning eye. Raising her head, she addresses me through the Plexiglas.
“You have reached guardhouse #83 for Reclamation Center Massachusetts-1,” she says. “The manufacture of new goods is reserved for the military, so we sort, clean, and refurbish old items from landfills.”
To kill time, I adjust the loose straps on my backpack. This auto-guard won’t interact with me until her welcome spiel is over. Sadly, animatronic speeches at Reclamation Center Massachusetts-1—also called RCM1—always take a while.
With jerky movements, the auto-guard gestures to the monitor embedded in the outer concrete wall. Here comes the slide show. Images appear on the screen, showing endless rows of long metal buildings stretching off to the horizon. “Since our founding in 2107, RCM1 has processed more than three million objects across two thousand warehouses. It is now 11:43 pm. How may I be of service?”
That’s my cue. All the blah-blah-blah is done.
“I need to check in for my shift,” I say.
Which is a total lie.



Author Bio:
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!

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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Excerpt & Giveaway: Love Over Logic by Diana A. Hicks


Love Over Logic
Diana A. Hicks
(Desert Monsoon #2)
Publication date: November 15th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Attorney, Emilia Prado has been living in hiding, ever since the local cartel killed her dad and left her and her mom for dead. But when her long lost cousin needs help leaving her drug lord husband, Emilia knows her time for justice has come.
Hot shot lawyer, Dom Moretti never met a case he couldn’t win. Each win puts distance between him and an old life he wants to forget. But when Emilia, a crush from law school, asks for his help, the life he worked so hard for hangs in the balance.
Out to even the score, Emilia is ready to enact revenge on her father’s killer. But will she risk losing Dom to a side of himself he thought was dead and buried?



EXCERPT
“You never asked me out.”
“Are you kidding me? I sat across from you at the library and asked if you wanted to get coffee. You were so quick to put me in my place. It took me days to recover from the whiplash.”
Did I do that? I scoured my memory for the details of that day. He hadn’t asked me out. “You didn’t ask me out. You asked me to get you a coffee.”
“Why would I do that? That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It kind of did. You walked around campus like you were God’s gift to women.”
“Believe me when I tell you I’m no gift from God. Quite the opposite. You were right to turn me away. That day had been especially bad for me. I’d asked you out in a moment of weakness. I wanted to get close to you so badly.” He gripped my waist tighter, his lips ghosting mine. The same way he’d done after I told him he could get his own coffee. When in my haste to get away from him, I’d tripped over my computer bag and he caught me. I hadn’t imagined it. He’d meant to kiss me, or at least thought about it. His ragged breath brushed against my cheek. “I still do. You have no idea how much.”
I tugged my hand from under his and kneaded the hard ridges on his stomach. He wanted me to make the choice for us. After the last two nights, I didn’t think I had the willpower to push him away anymore.
“Things are different now. There are no more secrets between us. We decide what we do with our lives. So I’m asking again. You and me…why the hell not?”
“We decide.” I echoed his words.
“I want to kiss you.”
I nodded because I’d been dying to kiss him too. He shoved his hand into my hair and crushed his lips against mine. His tongue, laced with wine, urged me to let him in. When I did, he let out a groan that sent a desire-induced surge through my body. I melted into him, letting his hand guide me into his kiss. He switched between treating my mouth to his soft lips, and the expert thrusts of his tongue. My pulse quickened, pumping hot blood through every fiber of me.
“God, Emilia, you taste so fucking good.” He released the grip he had on my waist and skimmed his fingers up my back. Their warmth rushed down my spine and settled at my core. How was it possible to want someone this much? With a snap, he unhooked my bra, while his other hand made quick work of my buttons. Something like a moan escaped my lips. If I hadn’t been so subdued by his heated touch, I would’ve been embarrassed.
“Maybe your battery-operated Dom can make you come, but I can do so much more for you. You and I, we fit so well. I felt it the first time I saw you.” His hand settled on my scars, and I rocked my hips against him, running my fingernails across his chest and his scar.
Yeah, I’d felt it too. The electric charge in the air every time he was near. It was why I’d kept my distance all this time. Dom was so much more than I imagined. The intensity of his words, the hardness of his body, and that sinful mouth of his surpassed any fantasy I’d ever had of him.
Jesus. This guy was so out of my league.
“Wait,” I whispered.
He groaned into the soft spot between my neck and shoulder and sat up, holding me tight. “Are you sure?”
No, I wasn’t sure.


 Author Bio:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance and science fiction. Her latest release LOVE OVER LATTES, Book 1 in her Desert Monsoon Series, is a 2018 Readers' Favorite Honorable Mention in the Romance - Contemporary genre!
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys 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.

GIVEAWAY!
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Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Excerpt & Giveaway: The Viking’s Captive by Quinn Loftis


The Viking’s Captive
Quinn Loftis
(Clan Hakon #2)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: November 27th 2018
Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Prophecy spoken.
Alliances broken.
Will duty come before love?
The Viking’s Captive is the exciting sequel toThe Viking’s Chosen by USA Today Bestseller Quinn Loftis.
Two worlds collide in this epic historical fiction centered on an undeniable chemistry that smolders against the odds. Richly written and injected with moments of humor, this action-packed romantic tale will leave you breathless.
Novels in The Clan Hakon Series Include:
The Viking’s Chosen (February 12, 2018)
The Viking’s Captive (November 27, 2018)
The Viking’s Consort (Fall 2019)

EXCERPT:
“If you vomit on my lap, I will most likely throw you overboard,” Dayna, my incredibly helpful sister, told me for the fourth or fifth time.
“If you hadn’t come running after me like a sodding fool, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself captured. Then you wouldn’t even be on this boat, and you wouldn’t have to worry about me vomiting on you, now, would you?” I asked as I clutched my midsection. My stomach seemed to think it should take its cues from the ocean upon which we sailed. It rolled and flipped just like the waves.
“First, if I hadn’t come after you, then that would make me a coward and not much of a sister, so that was never an option. Second, if I hadn’t gotten captured, then you would be all alone with no one to hold your hair while you vomit, now, wouldn’t you?”
“Do we have to use the term vomit in every sentence?” Hilda, the Hakon clan Oracle, healer, and Torben’s mother, asked dryly.
“Apparently, we do since you just used it yourself,” Dayna pointed out.
Hilda shot me a sly grin, with one eyebrow raised, asked, “You don’t mind if I just put a small hex on her, do you?”
“She is my sister, so I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Thank you,” Dayna said a bit smugly.
“But if you feel it’s absolutely necessary, I guess I could overlook it,” I added, earning me a pinch from said sister.
I had no idea how long it had been since Magnus, Torben’s jarl, had captured us. On one hand, he’d done me a favor. I certainly wasn’t going to have to marry Cathal now. On the other hand, my sister and I were now the prisoners of a man who was slowly losing his mind. I wasn’t sure which was worse, being married to a madman or being stolen by one. For whatever reason, I seemed to have suddenly become a hot commodity to lunatics. I chuckled to myself.
“Pray tell, sister, what is so funny?” Dayna asked.
“Madmen want me,” I said as I groaned and shifted my head, which was indeed lying in my sister’s lap, where I very well might have been sick at any second.
“Do you think she’s already delirious from being at sea?” Dayna asked Hilda.
Hilda snorted¾a most unladylike sound. “We’ve only been at sea for half a day at most. If she’s already delirious, then we are going to need to shore up her constitution.”
I was just about to tell her where she could shove her shoring up when I quickly covered my mouth and sat up. I refused to vomit. If I did, it would feel like Magnus was winning in some bizarre, silent game between the two of us. Once I was sure I could open my mouth without anything but words coming out of it, I addressed Hilda. “I am feeling more than just my own illness, worry, and fear.” I pressed my hand to my heart and rubbed it as if that could somehow remove the ache. “There’s a pain deep in my breast.”
Hilda nodded. “That would be the anchor bond between you and my son. You are feeling his worry and fear as well as your own. And knowing how deeply Torben feels anything, I imagine he is in quite a bit of distress, though he won’t show it on the outside.” She shook her head. “No, he’s a warrior through and through. On the outside, he will look as though he could slit your throat without a second thought. But on the inside, he is frantic to get to you.”
“Is that why you weren’t wailing about the possibility of Torben being dead when Magnus said he was?” Dayna asked.
“I would know if he were dead. A part of me would die inside as well.” I looked back to Hilda. “Will he kill Magnus?” I asked.
She nodded. “It is his destiny to become jarl of the Hakon clan, as it is your destiny to rule at his side. For that to happen, the old jarl must die. Magnus will never relinquish power willingly. Our two nations will grow stronger, not only because they embrace one another’s differences, but because they need new blood. Your offspring will be strong.”
The boat gave a mighty heave, and Dayna and I both nearly fell off the small bench upon which we were perched. Hilda didn’t appear bothered at all by the motion. She noticed the expression I was giving her and shrugged.
“I’ve lived at sea a long time. She and I are well acquainted.”
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn,” Dayna said, gripping the seat beneath her as though it might try to toss her into the bottom of the boat, “but your life has been about as fun as a house rat’s on cleaning day if you’ve spent that much time on the ocean.”


Author Bio:
Quinn is an award winning author who lives in beautiful Western Arkansas with her husband, two sons, Nora the Doberman, and Chewy the Cat who thinks he's a dog. She is the author of 17 novels, and 2 novellas, including the USA Today bestseller, Fate and Fury. Quinn is beyond thankful that she has been blessed to be able to write full time and hopes the readers know how much all of their support means to her. Some of her hobbies include reading, exercising, crochet, and spending time with family and friends. She gives all credit of her success to God because he gave her the creative spirit and vivid imagination it takes to write.

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Saturday, November 24, 2018

Excerpt & Giveaway: Love, Music, Madness by Tabitha Rhys


Love, Music, Madness
Tabitha Rhys
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication date: April 25th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Songwriting partners Lawson Harper and Jessa Warlow’s musical ambitions are derailed when their so-called relationship ends disastrously. However, neither Lawson nor Jessa are willing to give up on the album’s worth of soul-searing songs they wrote together—songs they’re sure are good enough to change both their lives.
Will the chemistry that fuels their creativity drive them to make the record of a lifetime, or only to absolute madness?






99¢ today only!
BOOK TRAILER:
EXCERPT:
I opened up the program Tim favored and selected a file I had created in the days since our meeting at Musso. A slamming four-on-the-floor beat filled the room. It was a simple starter beat I’d created for the first song Jessa and I had written together, from scratch.
Jessa turned to me, chin cocked, guitar at the ready. “What do I do?”
“Play Estrella. Jump in whenever you’re comfortable.”
Jesse took a deep breath and began to strum. In no time, she was locked into the beat. Clearly, she hadn’t abandoned our songs the way I had. She wasn’t rusty in the least.
When Jessa added her vocals, I shivered. I’d forgotten how full and warm her voice was. How it rattled with just a touch of gravel on the high notes. I had also forgotten just how good our songs were. All through the cold Gunther winter, Jessa and I had altered them and played them back over and over, making sure the flow was just right. The arc. The mood.
While Jessa strummed and sang, I made adjustments to the beat. I switched up the bass tone so it was even more thudding and added a ghostly echo to the snare. At first, I wasn’t sure how to approach the toms, but I ended up dialing them back by removing a few hits from the loop.
By the time Jessa hit the bridge, I was just listening. Layered over the beat, her voice took on a haunting quality. The result really was just as I’d imagined. A strange, but synergistic juxtaposition.
After Jessa’s last note, I hit the spacebar and halted the beat.
In the sudden silence, Jessa’s eyes widened. “Lawson. I can hardly believe it. That was our song. But it was so much more.” She shook her head.
“Should we try out a few more options? You know, keep searching for our sound?”
“Searching for our sound? Lawson, we just found it . . .”


Author Bio:
Tabitha Rhys is a writer and mom with a passion for music, misfits, and subculture. She grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs and now resides in Riverside, CA with her husband and son.



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Friday, November 23, 2018

Cover Reveal: Lines by Anna B. Doe

Lines by Anna B. Doe is LIVE and $2.99 for a limited time or #FREE in Kindle Unlimited!


"Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down." - Goodreads reviewer

"I just absolutely loved this book! It made me remember why I love YA Romance so much!!!" - Under cover book blog

"Lines is the first book of the Greyford High series and it starts off with an amazing enemy to lovers story that will leave you anxiously awaiting to see what happens next." - Goodreads reviewer

"It has been a while since I’ve read a YA romance but Lines made me remember why I love the genre so much. I experienced all the feels while reading this book; the good and bad." - Yasmin's Bookish Things

BOOK INFO
Title: Lines
Author: Anna B. Doe
Series: Greyford High, book 1
Genre: YA sports romance
Release date: November 23rd
Cover Designer: Najla Qamber from Najla Qamber Designs
Graphic Design: Little Miss Tease



Blurb:
Senior year.
Three girls. Three guys.
Hockey and rivalry.
Mean girls and friendships.
Old loves and new chances.
One more year of being invisible.
One more year to win it all.
The countdown begins.

Senior year can’t come or end fast enough for Amelia Campbell. For the shy, nerdy girl-next-door that she is, high school is torture and all she wants is for it to be over. Having her heart broken by a popular, womanizing boy all those years ago doesn’t help the matters. Nor does his best friend who still has a habit of mercilessly teasing her. Now, she only has one year left, one year to be invisible before she can move on with her life.

Derek King doesn’t do drama, but his life is all about drama once Maximillian Sanders steps foot into his town, his school, and into Amelia’s life. Max is always around, and he is making her smile again. But the boy who once broke her heart isn’t ready to let her go. Older and wiser, Derek isn’t about to let someone take away what he wants, and he wants Amelia.

She's set on not believing in him and on not getting her heart broken once again. He is set on showing her wrong.

She says she hates him, but maybe the line between past and present, love and hate is thinner than she ever realized.





Read & Review Lines for a chance to win a signed paperback!



Thursday, November 22, 2018

Sneak Peeks & Giveaway: Cowboys for Christmas by Kim Law, Liz Talley, Terri Osburn


Cowboys for Christmas
Kim Law, Liz Talley, Terri Osburn
(A Holly Hills Anthology)
Publication date: November 19th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
3 cowboys…2 weeks…1 wedding!
Claire, Georgia, and Mary Catherine couldn’t be more different, but they promised they would be there for one another no matter what. And when they all gather in Holly Hills, Texas, for Mary Catherine’s Christmas wedding, they’ll find they have one thing in common: hearts that are about to be branded—by unforgettable cowboys.
In “Love Me, Cowboy” by Terri Osburn, wallflower Claire would be more excited about the wedding if it didn’t mean running into Mary Catherine’s brother—the bull rider she once had a scorching one-night stand with…
Ivy League volleyball coach Georgia never wanted to see Holly Hills—or another cowboy—again. But a sexy veterinarian is making her rethink her vow to never marry a Texas man in “Kiss Me, Cowboy” by Liz Talley.
Claire and Georgia both think that Mary Catherine is getting hitched to the wrong man, despite
how perfect he is. And in “Marry Me, Cowboy” by Kim Law, a local rancher with a wild reputation gives Mary Catherine a glimpse of what might have been—and what could still be…
SNEAK PEEKS!
Love Me, Cowboy by Terri Osburn
Crossing the short distance to where he’d left his tools near the back of the truck, Tyler bent down and lifted with his left arm, only to have the box drop back to the floor with a crash. He gripped his left shoulder as his face contorted in pain.
“Tyler? What’s wrong?” Claire was afraid to touch his arm for fear of hurting him more. “Tell me what to do. I don’t know how to help.”
“It’s fine,” he said through a clenched jaw, then took several deep breaths, keeping his eyes closed. “I just forget sometimes.”
Claire caught herself taking deep breaths with him and had to make herself stop. “Forget what?” she asked.
Dropping his hand, Tyler opened his eyes and slowly lowered his shoulders. “The face wasn’t the only thing damaged in the accident. As I said at the Thirsty Cowboy the other night, my shoulder got torn up pretty bad, too. Doc has me in physical therapy and it’s mostly healed, but the weight of the toolbox was too much, I guess.”
He guessed? The man had taken years off her life with that reaction. The pain must have been excruciating to take his breath like that.
“Thank goodness you won’t be doing that anymore.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, working his shoulder up and down. “Picking up the toolbox? Not with that arm, I won’t.”
“Not the toolbox,” Claire said with a roll of her eyes. “Riding bulls. No more climbing onto the back of a beast that would rather kill you than let you stay there.”
Tyler’s face turned serious. “I have every intention of getting back on a bull.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Dead serious.”
Claire threw a hand on her hip. “If that’s supposed to be a joke, it isn’t funny.”
“I don’t make jokes about my life.” His eyes darkened. “My life. I’m a bull rider, and I’m going to continue being one. No matter what you or my sister or anyone else says.”
Jerking the toolbox off the ground with his good arm, Tyler slammed it onto the truck bed, then hopped up after it. Claire had to shuffle around to the back so she could use the bumper to climb up, but she wasn’t about to let this stubborn cowboy walk away from this argument.
“Your sister loves you,” she yelled, storming across the empty flatbed. “And I . . .” She what? Loved him? Unfortunately so, but she wasn’t about to tell him. “I care about you, too. That bull could have killed you.”
“And I could get hit by a truck tomorrow. Doesn’t mean I’m going to hide in my house.”
“That isn’t the same and you know it.” Why couldn’t he see what getting back on a bull would do to the people around him? How they’d feel if the worst happened?
Tyler turned so quickly, Claire nearly charged into him. “What if someone told you to stop teaching?”
“What?”
“Didn’t your parents push you to be a lawyer? To do your civic duty and join the family business of running towns and making decisions for other people?”
Her situation was nothing like his. “Being a teacher isn’t going to get me killed.”
“No? How many school shootings have we had in the past few years?” Tyler asked. “Life is random, Claire. A meteor could kill us all tomorrow. You have to live while you can, the way you want.” His voice dropped as his eyes held hers. “I’m a bull rider. That’s what I do.”
Claire felt deflated. He was right. It was his life, and only he could decide how he wanted to live it. But that didn’t stop her from wishing he would choose another way.
“It’s going to kill your sister when you climb back on one of those bulls.”
And it will kill me, too, she thought.
“I can’t do what she’s done, Claire. I can’t walk away from the thing I love because it’s what other people think I should do.”
The need to grab him and hold on was so strong, Claire did the only thing possible.
She backed away.
“That banner probably needs to dry before being hung up. I’ll get someone to help me with it tomorrow.”
“Claire, don’t—”
“Mom’s expecting me for dinner.” Claire looked at her watch. Then at her feet. Anywhere but at the cowboy with his hand out. “You should head out, too. Thanks for helping the kids.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, but she barely heard the words as she hopped off the truck and stepped through the open warehouse door into a chilly December evening.
Kiss Me, Cowboy by Liz Talley
Reed didn’t say anything. Just watched her. The way her glossy lips shone in the neon glow, the way her eyes roved over the dance floor, the way that dress hugged every curve of her body.
Georgia’s gaze returned to his, and she must have seen the glint in his eyes. “I’m not going to sleep with you, you know.”
“What?”
“The way you’re looking at me, breaking in on my dance with Rusty, I can tell.”
“Rodney.”
“Who?”
“His name was Rodney. Not Rusty.”
“Oh,” she said.
“And I never said I wanted to sleep with you,” he said, hoping she couldn’t see straight through his bullshit. “I said I wanted to dance with you. See, those are two different things. For dancing, you usually keep your clothes on.”
“Depends on how you dance,” she said, cracking a smile. In her gaze he could see her trying to gain control. Her boldness seemed part of her protection. After Paul Milligan made the comment about Georgia growing up next door, he’d asked Tyler about his fiery damsel in distress. He now better understood the BMW, the fancy boots and jacket. He’d never been poor—quite the opposite—but he could imagine coming home to a town that had pigeonholed her. Not easy.
“Well, I suppose I could be talked into naked dancing by the right girl.”
“Too bad I’m not the right girl.”
Marry Me, Cowboy by Kim Law
Mary Catherine glanced causally around as she headed back to the bar, and this time she found Jax leaning against the far side of the counter.
He’d also found her.
His hat was pushed back on his head and those blue eyes she remembered so well were trained on her. And they didn’t seem anxious to move on anytime soon. Her breath hitched in her throat.
“Buy you a drink?” A dark-blond cutie asked when she stopped by an empty stool. “You’re the one getting married, right? I’m Tony. Me and my buddies here would be glad to protect your integrity tonight.” All five men gave her wide smiles.
She laughed with good humor. Her integrity didn’t need protecting, but she was there for some fun. And these guys were harmless. They’d been at the bar for a while now and didn’t seem to be looking for more than an entertaining Friday night off the ranch. “You and your buddies good at protecting a girl’s integrity, Tony?” she teased.
“The best.” He motioned for the bartender, and when asked what she wanted, she took another peek at Jax.
“Tequila,” she said. She winked at Tony. “Top shelf.”
Cuervo was her go-to for forgetting denim blue eyes.
Her brother came in then and caught her eye. He scanned the men now surrounding her and gave a wink—probably after also concluding that her integrity was intact—then turned his gaze away to take in the remainder of the crowd. Tyler was two years younger than her and was most definitely a town heartthrob. He’d been gorgeous for most of his life. Now he had a nasty slash across his left cheek.
It had only made him more good-looking.
A gaggle of women made their way over to him, and his broad face broke into a wide grin. The poor rodeo star, recovering from a bad throw from a bull. He didn’t seem to be suffering too much, that was for sure.
Mary Catherine shook her head at the unfairness of it all. If a woman came in with a scar like that, men would turn the other way. She rolled her eyes and leaned back against the bar, enjoying the night. The back of her neck suddenly tingled, and she knew without looking that he was looking at her.
The bartender set down the shot, and she tossed it back in one quick motion. It burned all the way down. She hissed in a breath between her teeth then took another peek at Jax.
Yep. Still looking. One eyebrow lifted subtly. That pissed her off. The man hadn’t spoken to her in ten years—other than to offer a foursome with two other women the night she’d been in here after her college graduation—and now, of all times, he showed up and wouldn’t look away.
As if something about her interested him.
Too damned bad. And ten years too late. She was an engaged woman now.
She motioned to the bartender for another drink.
“A girl who likes her tequila,” Tony muttered, leaning into the counter beside her. His eyes glowed with delight. “That’s pretty hot.”
Mary Catherine gave him a toothy grin. “Down boy. I’ve just decided I’m going to be drinking a lot tonight. Which means you have to behave.” She patted his shoulder. “I’m not expecting you to buy what I’m about to put away, though, so that’s the bright side. But I will take you up on that integrity thing. You keep me safe, okay? At least until my girls get back.”
She motioned to the dance floor with the second shot, where Georgia was dancing with Reed McCormick, and Claire was once again running from a handful of men. They’d been following her around all night as if she were a dog in heat.
“You got it.” Tony nodded like an obedient puppy and scooted in closer. He was taking the job seriously. The other four followed suit. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw no less than three women now crowding around Jax.
Maybe the four of them would have a foursome tonight.
Probably it was his regular Friday-night routine.
She downed the second shot and one of the guys ordered her a third, and then she returned to that night ten years ago…

Liz Bio:
A finalist in both RWA's prestigious Golden Heart award and RITA award, Liz Talley has found a home writing sassy contemporary romance. Her stories are set in the South where the tea is sweet, the summers are hot and the men are hotter. Liz lives in North Louisiana with her childhood sweetheart, two handsome children, three dogs and a mean kitty. You can visit Liz at www.liztalleybooks.com to learn more about her upcoming books.


Terri Bio:
Author of the Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestselling Anchor Island Series, Terri Osburn started putting words on the page in 2007. Five years later she was named a finalist in the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest for unpublished manuscripts. That led to signing with an agent in June of 2012, and the publication of her debut novel, Meant To Be, with Montlake Romance in May 2013. Since then Terri has gone on to sell more than a million books worldwide, and her work has been translated into German, Turkish, Italian, Spanish, and French. Ms. Osburn resides in middle Tennessee with her college-student daughter, four frisky felines, and two troublesome terriers. When she isn't writing, she's either traveling the world to meet new readers, or taking on a home improvement project to justify the purchase of all the power tools now filling her garage.


Kim Bio:
As a child, award-winning author Kim Law cultivated a love for chocolate, anything purple, and creative writing. She penned her debut work, "The Gigantic Talking Raisin," in the sixth grade and got hooked on the delights of creating stories. Before settling into the writing life, however, she earned a college degree in mathematics and worked as a computer programmer. Now she's pursuing her lifelong dream of writing romance novels. She has won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award, has been a finalist for the prestigious RWA RITA Award, and has served in varied positions for her local RWA chapter. A native of Kentucky, Kim lives with her husband and an assortment of animals in Middle Tennessee.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Review: The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner

The Wrong Game
Cover Source: GoodReads
Title: The Wrong Game
Author: Kandi Steiner
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook
Website: www.kandisteiner.com
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

GoodReads Synopsis:
From the bestselling author of A Love Letter to Whiskey and the What He Doesn't Know Duet comes an angsty, emotional, and fun sports romance.
Two season tickets.
One genius idea.
Zero interest in a relationship.

The plan is simple: a brand new, hot, preferably funny, definitely single male will fill one of those seats for every Bears game at Soldier Field. And I’ll fill the other.

I can’t think of a better way to use the season passes I’d bought for my ex-husband. I am a woman of plans, and this one’s foolproof.

Until Zach Bowen offers to be my practice round.

He’s infuriating. Presumptuous and overbearing. And absolutely, undeniably gorgeous. Any woman with a heartbeat would be attracted to him, and mine picks up speed every time he speaks.

But as I said, I’m a woman of plans — and I’m not backing down on this one.

One night. One game. And then, his time’s up.

He can try to change the rules, but here’s the truth: he can’t win if he’s playing the wrong game.
Review:
I was so excited when this book landed on my Kindle. I've only read two books by Kandi Steiner in the past but I instantly fell in love with her work! Girl is darn good at the romance and the angst and I knew that she had pretty much become an insta-buy author for me.

I was hooked on The Wrong Game as soon as I began reading. It was definitely hard not to.  Even in the very beginning, Gemma was a very poignant character that made me feel for her on such a level that it honestly hurt my heart to read her story. The things that her husband put her through were so terrible and it wasn't hard, as a married woman, to relate and empathize with her and how the events left her broken on the inside. My husband and I have an amazing relationship and we're a really strong couple, just like Gemma and her husband. Her entire world turned upside down so quickly and everything that she thought was perfect turned her on her head. Just the idea of my relationship with my husband turning out the same way makes me want to cry.

Enter The Game. Gemma's best friend was an amazing character. She was smart, sassy, and broken in her own way. I was deeply intrigued by her character and I hope that someday Kandi will allow us a story of her own. I loved that she challenged Gemma and knew what her friend truly needed in order to grow and heal.

I'm not a crazy sports person but I occasionally enjoy reading sports romance, just to enjoy something different outside of my norm. The football aspect of this book was great and you could really tell that Kandi is a fan herself. The games were a lot of fun and it was great to witness the growth of Gemme and Zach's relationship and how football played a role in it.

Zach himself was a truly great, swoon-worthy character. He seemed different than a lot of the male protagonists in romance books today and I loved that he wasn't exactly like all the others.

I couldn't get enough of this book and I honestly could easily see myself rereading it again in the future. Great, heart-wrenching story with amazing characters.

Rating: 5 Stars

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Excerpts & Giveaway: Christmas With You by Heidi McLaughlin, LP Dover, Cindi Madsen, RJ Prescott & Amy Briggs



Title: Christmas With You 
Authors: Heidi McLaughlin, LP Dover, Cindi Madsen, RJ Prescott & Amy Briggs
 Genre: Holiday Contemporary Romance 
Release Date: November 20, 2018 



Bestselling authors Heidi McLaughlin, L.P. Dover, Cindi Madsen, R.J. Prescott, and Amy Briggs invite you to celebrate Christmas in Friendship, Massachusetts, where small-town values mean that everyone gets into the holiday spirit and lends a helping hand. When an unlikely newcomer decides to join in and play matchmaker, five couples—each a complete love story by each of our five authors—get their happily ever afters during the happiest time of the year. And these authors share what the season truly means to them.




Read an Excerpt from Heidi McLaughlin's Story

The mid-afternoon holiday shoppers walk by the large picture window of my office. The blowing snow, which piles up on the window ledge like a quintessential painting from Norman Rockwell, gives the town of Friendship a classic New England feel.
Like most storefronts in town, the Bank & Trust building has large picture windows that look out onto the town square. Sighing, I stare out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gwen coming out of a store, parking her car, or even walking down the street. I haven’t seen her since I moved out.
The blotter on my desk, with its sporadic notes and dates, piques my attention. Leaning forward, I push a small pile of papers out of the way so I can read what today says. Meet divorce lawyer.
Instant melancholy sets in as I frown at the calendar and what my life has become. A divorce is the last thing I want, but I haven’t done a very good job of showing Gwen that she and our daughter Ruby were important. Are important.
My sports coat hangs on the back of my chair. I grab it, slip my arms into it, and take my long winter coat off the rack. A quick glance at the clock shows me I’m about out of time and need to leave now if I’m going to make my appointment.
It seems colder than when I was outside earlier, and I find myself pulling my coat closer and pushing my hands deep into its pockets. Despite the coat’s thickness, it does nothing to take the bite out of the air or keep the wind from stinging my cheeks.
I cross the street and head up the granite stairs leading to my attorney’s office. The heat inside the building is stifling, and my frozen fingers work to undo my coat. Taking the staircase two steps at a time, the old wood creaks under my weight.
The law office is small but has an odd homey feel. I hang my wool coat and give a slight nod to the receptionist. She smiles, sort of. It’s more like a half smile-half grimace. Living in a small town, everyone knows your business.
“Mr. Sutton, please come in.” Terence Sims has been an attorney longer than I’ve been alive. My parents used him for a few legal transactions, and it only made sense I seek out his help as well. “Have you given much thought to how you want to respond to Gwen’s proposal?” he asks. He swivels in his chair to look at me over the rim of his glasses.
“Honestly, I haven’t looked at it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want this divorce.”
Terence leans back, and his fingers form a steeple. “Divorce is hard, especially when one party is blindsided. Do me a favor. Talk to Gwen. See if you can work something out that benefits the both of you.”
He has given me an idea. I’ll talk to Gwen, but it won’t be regarding a settlement. I’m going to do what I should’ve done all along, be the husband and father I’m supposed to be.
I’m going to get my family back.

 

Meet the Authors by Visting them at one of their online sites

Heidi McLauglin

L.P. Dover

Cindi Madsen

R.J. Prescott

Amy Briggs