REVIEW/RELEASE BLITZ: Cockpit by Joanna Blake

~Synopsis~

She's the one who got away. But I live for the chase…

I'm a thrill seeker. I fly the fastest jets in the world, and ride my motorcycle when I'm on the ground. The only thing that matters to me is speed. Why would I ever think about settling down?

Jenny Reeds, that's why. One look in those hazel eyes and I found a thrill no dogfight could match. For one wild, unforgettable night, she was mine. I wanted to keep her close but she disappeared without even telling me her last name.

I did my tour and flew combat missions in desert skies. But I never forgot her.

Now they have me pushing papers and training new pilots. I thought I'd be bored to tears. Guess who I run into my first night back?

It's her, my wild-eyed, fiery-haired beauty. Turns out she's the General's daughter. But that won't stop me. I'm persistent and it doesn't take too long before she's back in my arms.

Only one problem. She's kept one hell of a secret from me. She had a baby while I was overseas. My baby.

Now I want them both under my roof. Permanently. I've never failed a mission yet and I don't intend to start now.

Cockpit is a standalone novel with a guaranteed HEA and no cheating. This edition includes bonus materials and will end before 100%!

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Cover Designer: Mayhem Cover Creations

Photography: James Critchley

Cover Model: Andrew England

~Book Review~

4.5 Stars

Derek Jagger has a reputation as “Sergeant Panty Dropper.”  Jenny Reeds is looking to sow her oats during an impulsive wild streak. And their one night together before he ships out leaves Jenny in a completely new role.

Despite his old playboy ways, Jagger is all in once he meets Jenny.  He can’t get her out of his mind during his time deployed, and he’d like very much to find her. If only he knew her last name.  And then of all of the bars in the world, he walks into hers. And their second chance comes full swing.

“He was kind and gentle and sweet and passionate…and filthy. Very, very filthy.”

Jagger and Jenny have quite the chemistry and their encounters are pretty sizzling. There’s no shortage of heat in this story.

“He grunted like an animal as his tempo increased. I was still coming, still feeling the electricity that passed between us when we came together.”

It’s definitely a sexy story, largely light-hearted though there’s a bit of angst/drama around the middle.  Jenny didn’t always make the best choices, and Jagger didn’t always react the best, but it was also clear they had good reasons for their mistakes and being told via their dual first person point of view helped with understanding their dilemma and actions.  Overall though, I liked Jenny, especially so when she had no patience for old fashioned ideas.

“My father was an idiot. My fiancé was an idiot. Basically I was surrounded by idiots. Sweet, handsome idiots.”

I adored Jagger for the fact that he was so enamored of Jenny and the ways he went about winning her heart. It was clear that they had something he hadn’t had before and that she was special to him. While the virgin/manwhore and secret baby troupes are not typically my go-to reads, the story really pulled me in right from the start and characters made it work.  I was engrossed and reading into the wee hours of the night. The fact that both of them were celibate during their time apart, and there was very minimal OM/OW drama really helped seal the deal on the romance, keeping the story sweet and focused on the issues solely between them.  And Jenny’s father and fiends made humorous additions to the story.

~Excerpt~

I sat back and waited for her shift to end, enjoying the memory of the way her luscious body had melted against me. It was getting close to time when she asked me if I wanted anything else. I took my time, staring up and down her body.

"Oh yeah honey, I can think of a lot of things."

"I'm not a piece of meat, Jagger!"

"No, you're definitely not a piece of meat. But you do look tender."

She threw my check at me and turned tail to see to her other tables. I made my last beer count, sipping it slow as molasses until I was the last guy in the place. She started mopping up. She 'accidentally' mopped over my boots.

I smiled and stood up, throwing a fifty dollar tip on the table. Her eyes widened. She stared at me as I walked out of the bar.

'Course I was waiting out front for her when she came out fifteen minutes later.

She stared at me. I stared at her. Then she walked up to me and tossed that fifty dollar bill in my face.

"I'm not for sale, you sonofabitch!"

I looked right at her. She was angry. But she had mistaken my meaning.

"I didn't say you were."

"Then what are you doing tipping like that?"

"I took up a seat in your section all night. Seemed fair."

She stared at me belligerently.

"Well, I'm not taking it."

"How about a twenty?"

"What are you, a cash machine?"

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Her glorious, perfect, mind bending chest. I pulled out a ten and a five.

"Fifteen?"

She yanked the money out of my hand so fast I got rug burn. Then she stomped off. The woman had a pair of legs on her. And she made good use of them.

I was whistling as I followed her home.

AMAZON

Joanna Blake loves good old fashioned romance, men who open doors and work with their hands. Hot Blooded Heroes is a series of sizzling stories about True Blue American men and the women who love them. She's thrilled to be collaborating with Pincushion Press on her new series! Come along for the ride!

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RELEASE BLITZ: Stay the Night by Cora Cade

Series: A Day of Pleasure #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

~Blurb~

She's everything he wants. Even when she can't see it.

After her last relationship ended in the hospital, Lainey Eversman ditched Ohio to start fresh in a sleepy North Carolina town. Her tiny apartment above the Drunken Duck may be cramped, but she’s ready to let her big dreams erase those bad memories.

When she sprains her ankle, she reluctantly accepts Chris Harper’s help to cut her last few ties to Ohio, though she dares not accept anything else from the sexy architect. The last thing she can trust is her instincts when it comes to men.

Chris knew the fiery Lainey was his one and only the moment he set eyes on her. If only she’d let him get closer than arm’s length. But their trip to Ohio cracks the walls shielding her vulnerability, and she finally, hesitantly, takes that last step into his arms.

It’s still going to be tough to convince her to give love a fighting chance—especially with an ex who won’t take “go away” for an answer.

Warning: Contains a small-town hero who’ll do anything to convince a skittish big-city girl that he’s a safe bet. Expect loyal friendships, sweet kisses, and hot, dirty sex in the great outdoors.

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~Excerpt~

Chapter One

The idyllic countryside of Lainey Eversman’s new home left a lot to be desired when you were under attack by mutant country spiders. Four weeks ago she’d purchased ten lakeside acres in the lush mountains of North Carolina. Currently she was standing on a rickety kitchen chair swatting at a horde of massive spiders crawling through a crack in her cabin’s ceiling. All the while wishing desperately she’d never left the confines of city life.

She was trying admirably to not freak out like a total pansy, but when a shower of leggy spiders fell in her hair she gave up the fight. Giving a little squeak she launched herself from the old wooden chair and began to dance around like a lunatic while brushing her hands madly through her hair.

After a brief tussle with her own ego, she finally gave up and headed for a real shower. The kind with water and soap. No one had to know she’d nearly had a meltdown over a few spiders. Those ten acres, so happily purchased a few weeks ago, had come with a tiny hunting cabin. One room encompassing a very small and formerly very dirty shower, a toilet, a kitchen sink the size of her favorite pair of shoes, and a mini fridge fresh out of the box, all in a twelve-by-twelve room.

At the time it had seemed like the perfect place to hang tight while she had a place built. In retrospect she should have taken her brother and his girlfriend up on the offer to make use of their guest room until the build was completed. She loved both Cal and Molly, but she had little interest in finding them in compromising positions all over the apartment. Given the pair of them, it would be near impossible to catch them doing anything but getting frisky.

The creepy cabin in the middle of nowhere was her home for the duration. It wasn’t so bad, aside from the bugs, the smothering summer heat, and the incessant nature noise. No one ever told her living in the sticks was loud. Since her first week in the cabin she’d been serenaded nightly by an orchestra of bullfrogs, crickets, and assorted evening critters. Every morning the birds woke her at first light. Eventually she’d adjust to the nature sounds, but to date she’d been averaging about six hours a night; not really enough to feel rested. Altogether leaving her just a little bit cranky from lack of sleep.

In theory living alone surrounded by nature was an amazing retreat, but in reality it was quite the adjustment for a city girl leaping into the next stage of her life.

After scrubbing all the spider particles from every square inch of her body she exited the shower and tossed on a pair of simple cotton panties and the thinnest tank top she could find. It was a beautiful August evening, but the heat of the day hadn’t dissipated enough to leave Lainey comfortable. The heat and humidity left her feeling sticky the moment she toweled off from the shower.

Being a half-mile down a winding lane in the middle of nowhere had its perks. Sitting on her miniscule porch in her underwear with her feet propped up was definitely one of them.

Well, until she saw a car’s lights turn off the main road and make its way toward the cabin. It could only be a handful of people. Her brother Cal, Cal’s girlfriend Molly, or more likely Chris. Chris the hottie architect that she’d met through Cal and Molly, who was contracted to redesign the coffee shop she’d purchased.

Given the light glow of a near full moon, Lainey guessed it to be nearly ten. Rather late for a business meeting. Finally, she determined it was Chris, as his sleek black car eased slowly closer until it was nearly ready to park next to her own car on the far side of the porch. Lost in her own thoughts, she was about to greet the hottie architect in her panties.

Dammit.

Launching herself to her feet in an effort to reach the front door of the cabin before Chris cleared the porch was easier said than done. In her rush she almost crushed a cricket with a poorly placed foot. Attempting to save the cricket’s life, Lainey lurched to the left and managed to trip over her own feet. Landing in an inelegant pile, she watched the cricket hop away unharmed.

As she was attempting to right herself Chris stepped into view and halted his progress at the foot of the porch.

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Nestled away in a small town in Ohio, Cora Cade spend her days adding delicious books to my library, snuggling with her three rotten dogs, and debating the finer points of life with her dear husband. When not tucked away with a book you can be find her tapping away at her laptop. With coffee. And her playlist.

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~Giveaway~

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COVER REVEAL: The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

Release Date: October 17, 2016

~Blurb~

Let me count the ways why falling into forbidden love is not my wisest move…

1. She works with me every single day.

Did I mention she's gorgeous, sweet, kind and smart?

2. She works in my home.

Playing with my five-year-old daughter. Teaching my little girl. Cooking for my princess. Which means…

3. She's the nanny.

And that makes her completely off-limits…But it doesn’t stop me from wanting her. All of her.

***

The other nannies in this city don't call him the Sexy One for nothing. My boss, the amazingly wonderful single father to the girl I take care of every day is ridiculously hot, like movie star levels with those arms, and those eyes, and that body. Not to mention, the way he dotes on his little girl melts me all over. But what really makes my knees weak are the times when his gaze lingers on me. In secret. When no one else is around.

I can't risk my job for a chance at something more…can I? But I don’t know how to resist him much longer either…

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Cover created by Helen Williams with photography by Perrywinkle Photography

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BLOG TOUR: Ball Peen Hammer by Lauren Rowe

~Blurb~

Keane Morgan wouldn’t return any of my calls or texts, and I was pissed as hell about it. I didn’t want to drive from Seattle to L.A. with the guy any more than he wanted to drive with me, but I had no frickin’ choice in the matter--at least, not if I wanted to use his brother Dax’s coveted parking spot at UCLA.

Okay, so it turned out Keane was objectively gorgeous, and, fine, pretty funny, too. But did he have to be so damned in love with himself? I mean, jeez, the cocky way he flashed those dimples was just so orchestrated. And, honestly, what kind of guy uses the phrase “baby doll” with a straight face? Oh, that’s right: the kind of guy who’s a male stripper.

Yup, the cocky jerk turned out to be Seattle’s answer to Magic Mike, a stripper known as “Ball Peen Hammer”--which meant Keane Morgan was emphatically not the kind of guy I’d ever fall for.

Not. At. All.

No freakin’ way.

Well, until Keane convinced me to fall for him, that is.

Which I did.

Hard.

GOODREADS

~Excerpt~

As they exchange information, I make my way to the end of my aisle and loop into theirs, not taking my eyes off Baby Face the whole time. Shit. This dude’s hunting Maddy so hard, it’s making my blood boil. Jesus, he’s going full-throttle rifle on Maddy’s ass right now, completely foregoing his crossbow altogether.

When I reach the two of them in the middle of their aisle, I shuffle past the dude and stand next to Maddy, shoulder to shoulder, and then, on a sudden impulse, put my arm around her shoulders and squeeze her tight, making her wobble in place at the unexpected jolt to her balance. “Hey, sis,” I say, squeezing her like a rag doll. “You totally fell down on your candy-acquiring duties.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She subtly wiggles out of my grasp. “Brian and I got into this hilarious argument about the best candy bar of all- time, and—”

“And I’m totally right,” Brian says, cutting her off, and they both chuckle at some inside joke.

“No, I’m totally right,” Maddy corrects.

Brian smiles at her. “I’ll actually be down in L.A. in a month. How ’bout I call you then?”

“Great.”

“Nice to meet you, man,” Brian says, looking at me. He nods but doesn’t put out his hand.

I nod back.

Brian strolls away, buys a Snickers bar and a can of Red Bull, and leaves with a little wave to Maddy.

The minute he’s out the door, Maddy takes a giant step away from me, her face etched with annoyance. “What was that?” she asks.

“What?”


“That weird thing you just did?”


“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”


Maddy puts on an exaggerated scowl, like she’s Hulk Hogan eying an opponent. “’Hey, Brian,’” she says in a low voice, clearly intending to imitate me but sounding more like Arnold Schwarzenegger imitating Maddy imitating me. “’I’m Maddy Milliken’s bodyguard and I’m going to beat you the hell up now,’” she adds.

“What are you talking about?” I say, chuckling.

Maddy pauses, assessing me, and finally shrugs. “Nothing. I guess I imagined it.”

“Imaged what?”

“Your weird... I dunno... vibe.”


“Oh, well, yeah. I was worried about you.”


“Worried about me? I was standing in a minimart, buying candy. Pretty low-risk activity, I’d say.”


“Uh, you absolutely were not standing in a minimart, buying candy—you totally fell down on that job, dude. You were standing in a minimart, getting picked up by a douche. And second of all—”

“What?”

Shit. What the fuck am I doing? I’ve got to stop this shit right now. “Don’t get riled up, baby doll,” I say in my most soothing voice. “All I’m saying is you took so damned long in here, I started thinking maybe the store was getting robbed or you’d fallen into the toilet or something.”

Maddy twists her mouth. “Brian didn’t seem the least bit douchey to me.”

I shrug.
“What gave you the impression he’s a douche?”


“Just a figure of speech. So are you gonna do the job I hired you to do or not?” I motion to the candy rack. “‘Cause based on your performance thus far, you’re totally fired.”

“And I wasn’t getting ‘picked up,’” Maddy says, her tone full of indignation. “Brian’s brother goes to UCLA. Can’t I talk to a helpful, nice guy without it being some sort of a sleazy pick-up?”

“Sure you can. However, in this instance, you were talking to a helpful, nice guy who was picking you up so he can bone the living fuck outta ya.”

“Keane.” Maddy’s cheeks burst with color. “Don’t say that. Oh my god. You’re insane. Brian was just being helpful, that’s all.”

“Yeah, so he can bone the living fuck outta ya.”

“Stop saying that. Please. It’s offensive and absolutely not true. This topic of conversation is officially over.”

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BOOK REVIEW: Yours by Kim Linwood

4 Stars

If you’ve read Mine, then you’re already familiar with Danny Holmes and Bianca Chou, supporting characters in that book. But if you haven’t, it’s not necessary to follow this story although I highly recommend Mine if for no other reason then it’s a fun, sweet, and sexy story.

So Danny and Bianca became acquainted when she participated on a tropical island Bachelor style reality show, and Danny was posing as the butler though really he was the best friend of the bachelor.

“In the biblical sense we’re pretty close. We just never talked all that much.”

Now it’s a month later and the two have reunited for a cruise, her consolation prize from the show.  Bianca’s hoping this new adventure will provide them with time to connect beyond the physical; meanwhile Danny hopes he can keep up the pretense of having more money than he really does.

Though this is a novella, it actually has good story development. The only places it seemed to fall a little short is on the love scenes which often get derailed by other hijinks. Perhaps for that reason I couldn’t quite determine the chemistry between them. What can I say, I sorta craved more action with Danny’s danglies ;-)

Speaking of Danny, he’s quite a good guy, a real catch. A med student, he seemed solid and stable but with a fun, flirty demeanor that was cute.

“‘Your arse does this cute little wiggle when I smack it, and when you come, the way you moan grips me by the balls and nearly unmans me.’”

I really felt bad for him when their vacation kept going awry. Bianca was just okay. Even though the events that befall them weren’t technically her fault, for some reason I still felt like she needed to up her game to be more worthy of such a good guy like Danny. None the less, I was still rooting for them to have things go their way.

Told via Danny and Bianca’s first person point of view, the story also interweaves cameos from characters featured in Kim Linwood’s previous books (see list below)—a nice treat to revisit some old favorites. 

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Previously Available Exclusively in the Red Hot Sizzle Anthology

Now Available on AMAZON!

~Also by the Author~

Mine

 Bossy

Rebel 

One Flight Stand

Payne

RELEASE BLITZ: Right Place, Right Time by Jennifer L. Allen

Series: Book Two of the Second Chances Series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~Synopsis~

Kate Dumont is an achiever, completely focused on her future. Playing the role of brilliant pre-med student doesn't leave her much time for anything else. But is she working towards the future she wants, or the future her elitist parents have planned out for her?

Jay Spencer grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He's made some mistakes, and one in particular will follow him around for the rest of his life. He spends most of his days keeping himself out of trouble by following his passion, riding and repairing motorcycles.

Two lost souls meet on the side of a South Carolina highway three years ago, neither one knowing what the other would eventually mean to them. Reunited in California, Kate and Jay feel a pull towards one another they cannot explain.

Will they help each other bring out the best in themselves? Or are their lives too different to even have a chance?

GOODREADS

~Excerpt~

"Stupid, no good, piece of crap!" I wince as my sandaled foot comes into contact with the unforgiving tire of my hand-me-down Mercedes convertible. My scowl turns into a frown when I pull my foot back and see the black smudge across the white straps. This day just keeps getting worse!

I tip my head back, look up to the clouds, and pray for cell signal. When that doesn't work, I bargain. My first born ... my soul ... good behavior ... even better grades ...

No such luck.

I'm on a quiet stretch of the interstate, between Columbia and Greenville, where there have been too few passersby, not one of them kind enough to pull over and help the damsel in distress. And boy do I look the part of a damsel in distress in a white sundress and sandals with my long, dark blonde hair and big, doe-like brown eyes -- the picture of innocence.

If it weren't for the hot midday sun beating down on my shoulders, I'd probably be terrified. This whole situation has a classic serial killer vibe to it, add in darkness and I would not be standing outside my vehicle right now.

I lean back against the hot car and sigh. What a day. I drove all the way to Greenville to volunteer at a community clinic's event, just to be informed upon arrival that the event had been rescheduled. They'd posted a notice at the site, which is really helpful when you're one hundred miles away. I frown at my dirty sandal.

Stupid car. Yes, it's a Mercedes, but no, it's not brand new. It's a 1995 model passed down from my father. It has seen many, many better days in its lifetime. My dad has always taken very good care of his cars, hence the reason this fifteen-plus-year-old car is now mine. My parents may be mostly absent from my life, but my dad wouldn't have given me a beater for a car.

Truth is, I probably missed an oil change or something. Whatever. I don't know anything about cars. Ask me to recite all the bones in the human body and I'll do it. Ask me to name one part of a car and you'll get crickets I'm practically a genius, according to my latest IQ score administered by the director of the "gifted program" at my high school, so I'm sure the mechanics of a car wouldn't be too difficult for me to figure out and understand, but this is one of those instances where I'd rather succumb to the gender stereotypes and just play the clueless female role. There's enough information floating around in my brain without my choosing to add more, though part of me kind of wishes I at least knew how to pop my hood right about now.

Hearing the sound of a vehicle approaching behind me, I spin around to look. Smiling wide, I'm suddenly grateful for my vehicular ignorance and damsel in distress appearance. It's an older sedan, maybe not as old as my hand-me-down, but it doesn't appear to be as well kept. I can just make out that the driver is male through the dirty windshield.

Jeez. I hope he's not a serial killer or something! Seriously, Kate? You did not think this through at all.

I open my car door and busy myself looking for something that could be a potential weapon should this turn into Wrong Turn. Empty water bottle, a stack of flyers for another volunteer project I'm working on, a weathered copy of Gone with the Wind ... I eye the book. It's a hardback, it might be my best bet.

I hear a throat clear and pop my head up, narrowly missing bumping it on the roof of my car. I can only see his face over the roof of my car as he's standing on the passenger side, lower in the soft shoulder of the highway. My five foot two inch height doesn't help matters either. But wow, if his face is anything to go by, his body must be amazing. He has the most intense gray eyes, almost silver. His nose looks slightly crooked, like it's been broken once or twice, and he has a strong, squared jaw for subtle stubble. His hair is buzzed very short so I can't quite tell the color but it looks dirty blond, and he's hot--er--sweaty. Yeah, sweaty. His brow is glistening with it.

He's all man and my seventeen year old self doesn't quite know what to do with the attraction I feel. I have never felt so nervous around a guy before. Ever. I simply don't have time for this sort of thing. Not with my AP classes, studying, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and college applications. 

"Hey," I smoothly call out to him, if I do say so myself.

The corner of his mouth lifts in a slight smirk and butterflies take flight in my tummy He doesn't move to come around to my side of the car, which is just fine by me. If he were any closer, he'd see the slight trembling of my hands and he might actually hear the swarm of butterflies.

"Know anything about cars?"

AMAZON

Jennifer L. Allen lives in South Carolina with her husband and their four fur-kids She is in grad school, pursing a Masters in Psychology for Clinical Counseling. When she is not at work or taking classes, she is either reading or writing. Books have always been a passion. She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to new places, and music. She released her debut novel, Our Moon, in June 2015. 

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