Book Blitz & Giveaway - Baby, It's Hot Outside: A Christmas Down Under

Baby, It’s Hot Outside: A Christmas Down Under

Publication Date: October 31st, 2021

Genre: Adult Contemporary Holiday Romance

Book Description:

Baby it’s Hot Outside – A Christmas Down Under

Seasonal Summer Multi-Author Novella Collection

100% pure SUMMER Christmas.

Come Down Under for a hot and steamy SUMMER festive season.

Escape those winter blues with 12 summer Christmas novellas.

A fabulous collection of sexy Down Under summer Christmas romances. Hot sun and hotter men, friends to lovers, reunion stories and more. Come visit a world of hot, sultry kisses and long, lazy days in the sun. It’s Christmas Down Under and just another day at the beach!

Join USA Today bestselling author, Bronwen Evans with ten of her fellow Australasian authors. Warm your heart, and maybe a little bit more, too, with 11 never before published sexy novellas of Down Under lovin’ in the Christmas sun. Only 11 – aren’t there 12? There are! The 12th story is a collaboration between the 11 authors in this boxed set. Each author is writing a chapter of THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

• Twelve standalone novellas (never before published)
• 99c Pre-Order Price rising to $4.99 week of release
• Only available until the end of January 2022 – get your copy today!

We are running a contest for this box set. You can win a Kindle Fire HD and a collection of stories…

https://www.bronwenevans.com/contest-time-baby-its-hot-outside-romance-collection-99c/

Twelve perfect indulgences to get you in the Christmas spirit:

ANNA FOXKIRK – The Worst Noelle

ANNIE SEATON – Her Christmas Star

BRONWEN EVANS – Fast Track To Love

JACQUELINE LEE – Unrequited Love

JAYNE KINGSLEY – Twelve Days Of Christmas

KENDRA DELUGAR – Something In The Water

KRIS PEARSON – Summer Santa

MEGAN MAYFAIR – The Season For Second Chances

RAY COLLET – Home For Christmas

SOFIA GREY – A Christmas Retreat (Falling For The Colonel’s Daughter)

SUSANNE BELLAMY – Red Dirt Christmas

COLLABORATION – The Week Before Christmas  – A collaborative novella with a chapter from each of the authors in this box set. We will be running a fabulous contest of guess who wrote what chapter!

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Blog Tour Spotlight - The Willing by Lindsay Lees

Welcome to Ovoidia where every woman can be approached for immediate sex by any man…

By Lindsay Lees

The Willing
Author: Lindsay Lees
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 299
Genre: Dystopian

In less than a year, fifteen-year-old Gypsy Capone will be considered a woman in Ovoidia, a “utopian” city-state where every woman can be approached for immediate sex by any man, where curving architecture adds weird whimsy, sporks are the only cutlery, and true intimacy between the genders is a sign of suspect subversion. After all, if a woman just plays along, she’ll also do her job and have children, with the reward of a fine home in the “Communities,” where she and the other “Mamas” live together in harmony with everything they need. Right?

The irony: Diam and Isis, the two leaders of Ovoidia, are themselves females. Fun, yes! And just below the surface, perversely sinister. They personally execute these precise sacrifices by women to establish their “happy,” absurdly totalitarian utopia, and are backed up by their chosen army of male “crusaders,” enforcing a crime-free, fully controlled society.

Men are relegated to work in the “City” where they may “enjoy”—right there on the street if they wish—any woman they want and are welcome to satisfy their sexual and emotional needs at establishments called Gaje Clubs where only the most “gifted” among women are chosen to work.

Not surprisingly, in Ovoidia women have evolved until they feel nothing of sexual pleasure. But in Gypsy’s deepest heart, she realizes her own dark secret: she is the exception. Next she discovers to her horror that her secret, if known, could result in the ultimate punishment—genital mutilation.

To save her body and even her soul, Gypsy chooses a dangerous path—to single-handedly confront this scary and absurd world. She has the support of her allegiant sister Sadie and Miles Devine, a rogue, secretly gay crusader, and also “Doctor,” a morally questionable physician to help her. But none of them fathom the levels of paradox, incongruity, and twisted evil they will soon face, and the ride becomes something even Gypsy could have never imaged.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | B&N | Kobo

PRAISE

“The Willing is stunning in its brutality as well as its sensitivity! Absolute must read. We all have a piece of Gypsy in us. We must consider our potential future as women now with eyes wide open.”–Amazon Reviewer

“The Willing is an unusually deep commentary on a malignant dysfunction in our society, dressed in fishnet utopian stockings. While the premise and its sensual details push the boundaries of belief, a community that is ostensibly focused on the greater good but is governed by fear and hypocrisy fits perfectly in the dystopian genre. Gypsy’s character is flawed and immature in many ways, but her shield-like honesty is refreshing among a sea of conformists. A rather feminist piece filled with satire on the state of equality, The Willing is weighty and serious in its message, and sad in its reflection of how women are treated in our modern world. For a change from the norm, Lindsay Lees provides a gripping story that will have you thinking deeply about the importance of the relationships in your life.”–Jennifer Jackson from IndiesToday.com

In a basement meeting room of the Head Gaje’s oval-spiral Headquarters, an arched doorway slid open. Doctor Gino’s tired, wrinkled eyes also bolted open; he had only been resting them. He’d practically been dragged from his bed, after all. Ovoidia’s Chief Crusader, Rigby Katz, entered the hermetical, bleach-white room holding his round helmet, nestled under his thick, toned arm. Eyes bright and vigilant—a caffeine glow—he must have only just finished his shift, Doctor thought. He had been a Crusader for over thirty years but had the good fortune of not appearing his age. Rigby scanned the room like a robot from Robocop or Terminator, one of the Pre-Ultimate Revolution movies. After completing a thorough assessment, he surveyed the white leather office chair where Doctor sat with his liver-spotted hands folded on the round table. 

"Oh good. I'm not the first to arrive." Crusader Katz clomped in wearing heavy black boots, clean as the day they were made. "Gives me anxiety waiting around, wondering if I'm at the right place. Easy to get lost down here."

A round clock above the arched doorway swept past the seconds. It was almost three A.M. Doctor hadn’t expected the tribunal meeting to take place so late.

"Do you know why we're having the meeting now?" Doctor asked, casually.

Rigby regarded Doctor with amusement, rather like the way a mama looks at her child when she asks where babies come from. "Yes, the Head Gajes had an inauguration party to attend.”

Doctor yawned. So much for not having time to get a coffee.

Crusader Katz removed a piece of spearmint gum and his cell phone from his utility belt. He owned the newest model, a razor-thin silver flip-phone with a peek window on the front. When he flipped it open, the interior buttons reflected electric blue on his milky eyes. Doctor didn't know why cell phones required upgrades. So long as they served their primary function who cared what they looked like?

Crusader Katz snapped the phone shut and shoved it back in his belt. "No service." He sighed.

"We're too far down," Doctor said, pleased with himself.

The steady hum of an air purifier oscillated from a corner. A few stray bubbles burped in a standing water cooler. Doctor eased a ballpoint pen from his lab coat and hovered it over the table, pinching the cap to make sure it was firmly secured. He was forever spilling ink or coffee on the ubiquitous white leather.

“I forgot my notepad,” Doctor said, surprised at his error. While most communications in Ovoidia were transcribed digitally, Doctor preferred to handwrite his notes for archival purposes.

He experienced nostalgia for the tactile fluidity the pen afforded the fingers. “Do you happen to have an extra pad or a piece of paper?” he asked Crusader Katz.

Just then, the meeting room door opened to the heady scent of a dozen steamed bouquets, as though the Head Gajes had bathed in the buckets of wilting flowers being sold on the streets in the mid-day heat. Diam, the eldest of the Head Gajes strolled, chin up, into the room. Her stilettos tapped like hail on glass as she walked across the marble floor. She wore a black satin skirt flared above her knee. Her skin shone, glossy and supple. Isis, the younger Head Gaje, teetered in behind her, gripping a round red lollipop on a white stick.

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3k2qbqC
Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/3yIQLZF
Kobo → https://bit.ly/3gujQBr

Lindsay Lees is originally from Los Angeles and holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, and while growing up and later in college, she split her time between the two countries. Lindsay earned a B.A. in 2008 from Manchester Metropolitan University, and next an M.F.A.in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts. 

The Willing is Lindsay’s debut novel. She currently lives a quiet Southern life with her husband and a houseful of pets. 

Visit her website or connect with her at FACEBOOK and GOODREADS.

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BOOK REVIEW: Girl Gone Mad by Avery Bishop

Girl Gone Mad

Author: Avery Bishop

Genre: Thriller / Crime / Mystery / Suspense
Publication Date: 1 September 2020

Book Description:

They say everything is fun and games until someone gets hurt. Well, someone did—and now the game has changed…

Emily Bennett works as a therapist in Pennsylvania, helping children overcome their troubled pasts—even as she struggles to forget her own. Once upon a time, Emily was part of a middle school clique called the Harpies—six popular girls who bullied the new girl to her breaking point.

The Harpies took a blood oath: never tell a soul what they did to Grace Farmer.

Now, fourteen years later, it seems karma has caught up to them when one member of that vicious circle commits suicide. But when a second Harpy is discovered dead shortly after, also from apparent suicide, the deaths start to look suspicious. And when Emily starts seeing a woman who looks a lot like Grace Farmer lurking in the shadows, she’s forced to wonder: Is Grace back for revenge? Or is Emily’s guilt driving her mad?

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but the Harpies are about to find out just how much words can hurt you. 

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Fourteen years ago, a group of school friends known as the Harpies tormented new girl Grace Farmer and now, after the apparent suicide of one Harpy, it appears as though the past has finally caught up with them. Following the death of a second Harpy, another apparent suicide, Emily Bennett starts to suspect foul play. When all the clues point to Grace Farmer, Emily realises their old friend is out for revenge. But is Emily's guilt of her involvement in Grace's torture leading her astray or is Grace Farmer really behind all the deaths?

I tried very hard to love this book, but no matter how much I stuck with it, I just couldn't connect with the characters or enjoy the way the plot was unfolding. I enjoyed the first quarter of the book, being introduced to Emily and her psychological imbalances and seeing how her relationships have been affected by past events. It was intriguing and had the qualities of suspense and mystery that I was looking for. However, the plot quickly started to drag, so much that it started to seem as though it was on a repetitive cycle. The one or two clues here and there took far too long to unravel, and even so, there were no surprises (or at least none that I didn't anticipate) thrown in the mix to add some excitement to the story.

Throughout the book, we get to see flashbacks of the Harpies at school and how they treated others and each other, which was insightful in terms of coming to an understanding of why Grace would be seeking revenge. These girls were more frenemies than they were friends. Their portrayal was very one dimensional, which made it difficult to empathise or sympathise with them or their situation. Their malevolence stemmed from wanting attention and wanting to feel important, but there was no depth to their characters. While Emily seemed remorseful for her part in their treatment of Grace, there wasn't much character development or growth from start to finish.

The story certainly dealt with serious subject matters that I really wanted to enjoy exploring, however, the story was just too cliche and stereotypical for me, and I just didn't enjoy it.

VERDICT:

Rating: 2 Star

Source: Amazon Prime Reading

Book Blitz & Giveaway - A Heart So Wild by Raine Thomas

A Heart So Wild

Author: Raine Thomas

Publication Date: October 12th, 2021

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Sports

Book Description:

He’s a sexy left winger for the NHL’s newest expansion team, the Atlanta Siege, and he’s a player in every sense of the word.

Callan Murphy’s on a mission: get his teammate laid.

A night out at Atlanta’s hottest nightclub is all he’ll need to find the perfect woman to blow his goalie’s … mind. But when he catches a glimpse of a dark-haired beauty standing across the dance floor, winging for his friend is the last thing on his mind.

She’s perfect, all right. Perfect for him. Now he just has to convince her of that, something he never expects to be such a challenge.

She’s a mysterious bombshell who’s about to teach him what it’s like to play in the big leagues of the heart.

Roxy Wagner’s on a mission: get her best friend laid.

When they head out to ladies’ night in search of Mr. Right Now, it doesn’t take her long to spot the two tall, dark, and stud-lies watching them from across the club. One look at the bearded hottie with the seductive heat in his eyes tells her she’s about to go up against a real player.

She should know … it takes one to know one. And she’s not interested in playing for keeps.

It starts with a night out winging for friends. How it all ends will depend on whether Callan can find a way to tame Roxy’s wild heart.

Game on.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Book Blitz & Giveaway - In the Echo of this Ghost Town by C.L. Walters

In the Echo of this Ghost Town

Author: C.L. Walters

Publication Date: October 12th, 2021

Genre: YA Contemporary

Book Description:

When everything in your life unravels and the future you imagined disintegrates into dust—how do you decide which way is forward?

Griffin Nichols has lost everyone close to him. Unhealthy choices rooted in unmet expectations have him feeling like he’s failing at being a man. Everything he thought he knew about being a good son, brother, and friend has him feeling as substantive as an echo.

He’s lost.

Then Maxwell Wallace walks into his life and teaches him that sometimes in the weakness of the echo is where he can claim his strength.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

BOOK REVIEW - Ékleipsis: the Abyss by Tamel Who

Ékleipsis: the Abyss

Author: Tamel Who

Genre: Short Story / Horror / Crime / Thriller
Publication Date: 29th October 2021

Book Description:

The seed of evil has been planted …

What will happen when its roots take hold?

Ékleipsis: The Abyss is the second short story collection by the award-winning author.

Tales of depravation and insanity are woven together with unrelenting style and depth, scrutinizing human nature’s degeneration when compromised by tragic, vicious circumstances.

These complex, wretched individuals and the irremediable conditions they are desperate to claw out of—or into—invoke the unfathomable question: What devastation are we truly capable of when left with no way out but down . . . into the obscurity of the abyss?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

After reading and enjoying the first anthology of short stories by Who earlier this year, I was happy to delve back into the dark and seedy reality that is Ékleipsis: the Abyss. This second collection of short stories takes readers on a journey into the seemingly bottomless pit of the greed and hunger of humanity. The collection explores various relatable themes and presents a very realistic portrayal of the dark side of human desires. The author explored various dark themes from suicide, kidnap, murder, serial killer to mental deterioration. It was an exciting and intruding collection that had me glued from start to finish. I especially liked how the way the stories ended in a chilling and unresolved way.

As much as I enjoyed all the stories, I have to say that two of the stories really stood out for me, and they were All Day and a Night, about an ex-con exacting revenge on his wardens and giving them a taste of their own medicine, and En Prise, about a young woman on her way to try her hand at a career in music and hitches a ride with a truck driver whose behaviour soon start to suggest a deadly intention. I did find some of the stories predictable at times, but that didn't bother me, because it's the way the stories unfolded and the authenticity of the portrayal that grabbed my focus and kept me entertained.

Another well-written collection from Who. I would highly recommend this book for all those looking for stories that will keep them on the edge of their seats.

VERDICT

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Author

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Calling Quarters by Jen Stevens

Calling Quarters

(Beacon Grove, #1)

Author: Jen Stevens

Publication Date: October 7th, 2021

Genre: NA Contemporary

Book Description:

I was raised to believe that towns full of witches were only in movies, and those spell books my aunt studied were just a silly pastime. I had no idea of the important role I play in a coven with zero knowledge of my existence, or the sacrifice my parents made by leaving behind everything they knew to protect me.

In the wake of my aunt’s mysterious death, I have no other choice but to return to my birthplace for answers. But Beacon Grove is a twisted place where distrust spreads like cancer, lies fester, and the truth is nearly impossible to find.

One thing I’m sure of is the danger that Remy Winters and our inexplicable connection pose to me as one of the Quarters of the Watchtower coven. Through painstaking research and placing my trust in this man who has been trained since birth to hunt me, I learn that my family is far more intertwined with the tight-knit town than I originally thought.

I could be exactly what they need to save their beloved Quarters, but admitting what I am to those who have been brainwashed into fearing me could put my life at risk.

Calling Quarters is a twisted tale of corruption, lies, and a love story written in the stars.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

Cover Reveal - Kisser of Death by M.H.B.

Kisser of Death

Author: M.H.B.

Publication Date: October 21st, 2021

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

One accident.

Two men.

Almost three years of despair.

Four beating hearts growing in pain.

Five lives forever changed.

Everything fell apart in the blink of an eye.

These days my own misery keeps me company.

I never thought this would be me—a twenty-four-year-old—stuck in a dead-end relationship.

Gone are the thrilling adventures with Harvey Stark.

Gone is his smile.

Gone is the sight of his dimples and the sparkle in his bright blue eyes.

He’s changed into a hollow version of himself and I’m just a shadow following him around our home.

Then I meet my new boss at a firm in Downtown Chicago. Damon Dreygon challenges me in ways I never knew existed and makes me believe in myself again. Our souls match instantly, and meeting Damon feels like a step towards peace.

Except it’s not. Because everyone grieves differently.

So while one man refuses to touch me, the other can’t love me.

And I’m crawling through the crippling chaos, barely holding on . . .

About the Author

M . H . B . graduated law from a Canadian University and loves spending time with her German Shepherd Dog. She has a passion for animals and enjoys the simple things in life: books, music, chocolate, sunny days and overall wellness. When she is not writing, her mind is in another world, with a book in hand.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - SOFIA by Summer Leigh

SOFIA

(Romanoverse, #1)

Author: Summer Leigh

Publication Date: October 4th, 2021

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

Sofia Romano, eldest sister of the tight-knit Romano family, was one to be envied. A posh society darling since birth, proudly sitting atop the highest pedestal. So high that no one could see the cracks in her perfect façade, including that of her marriage, which was nothing more than a shelter from her parents’ death a decade ago.

And she was perfectly content, until now.

It’s the holiday season and she’s left alone, forced to face the cracks in her picture perfect life—the husband who’s never there, the home that’s always empty, and the heart that never had a place in her marriage.

All this culminates when she has a chance encounter with her brother’s new neighbor.

Eric Walker had just moved to New York. A big-hearted country guy exploring the city for his next book. He had a zest for life, no cares about what others thought, and a heart that leapt out of his chest the second he saw Sofia Romano waiting in his hall.

First impressions go awry; second impressions fail just as miserably, but as they say, third time’s the charm.

That country boy with a heart of gold is about to show this uptight city girl how great love can truly be. This will be a Christmas & New Year’s Sofia will never forget!

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Book Launch Promo & Guest Post - Pets in Space 6: A Science Fiction Romance Anthology

Pets in Space 6: A Science Fiction Romance Anthology

Authors: S.E. Smith, Veronica Scott, Honey Phillips, Carol Van Natta, Cassandra Chandler, JC Hay, S.J. Pajonas, Greta van der Rol, Deborah A. Bailey, Melisse Aires, Kyndra Hatch

Publication Date: 5th October 2021

Publisher: Pets in Space Books for Chavanch Press

Cover Artist: Carol Van Natta

Pet Illustrations: Adrian DKC

Formats Available: eBook Only

Price: $4.99

ASIN: B0994RRBK2

Book Description:

Pets in Space® is back for a new year of adventures! 

Join the incredible authors in this year's Pets in Space 6 for another out-of-this-world adventure. This award-winning, USA TODAY Bestselling anthology is packed full of your favorite Pets in Space®. Featuring 11 original, never-before-released stories from some of today's bestselling Science Fiction Romance and Fantasy authors, Pets in Space 6 continues their vital support of Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that improves quality of life for veterans of the U.S. military and first-responders with disabilities. Don't miss out on this limited-edition anthology before it’s too late!

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Apple | B&N | Google Play | Kobo | books2Read

Book Links:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook Group

Book Launch Promo & Guest Post - Ardennia: The Unlikely Story of Cinderella's Prince by Bruce Calhoun

Ardennia: The Unlikely Story of Cinderella's Prince

Author: Bruce Calhoun

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Publication Date: 5th October 2021

About the Book:

A Cinderella story like no other, *Ardennia* is a young adult historical fantasy that captures the magic, brutality and earthiness of the medieval ages.  It chronicles the many adventures of Cinderella's Prince as he undergoes his baptism of fire in the Battle of Paris, is charmed by Cinderella at a masquerade ball, and sets off on a quest to find her after she flees the ball at the midnight hour.  The quest takes him through strange lands supposedly inhabited by ogres, pixies, hobgoblins, man eating plants and giants, and peopled by extraordinary characters that include an epileptic bard, a bean counter who wagers his gold tooth in a dice game, a merchant who can never be too prosperous, a little girl who has a running feud with three bears, pilgrims that argue over who is the most pious and a beggar who has been cursed with leprosy for committing all the cardinal sins.  Be on the look-out for a bit of Chaucer-like satire in this adapted fairy tale that is the first book in the *Ardennia* series.

Ten Reasons to read Ardennia

10. It has a kick-ass Cinderella

9. The elf and the dwarf story told by Sir Guy

8. The lusty free knights and their tales

7. The love affair between Cinderella's stepmother and the hunchback

6. The pixies that haunt the forests of Comte

5. The adoration of the buffoon for the Count's daughter

4. Captain Hugo and his story about the fairy and the firefly

3. The androgynous knight and the Battle of Paris

2. Prince Henry's tete-a-tetes with the 14 ladies who attended the ball

1. The happy ending, marred by the cruel fate of . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK