COVER REVEAL ~ ONLY LOVE by Melanie Harlow

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“Heartfelt, beautiful and sexy! There’s a reason Melanie Harlow is one of my absolute favorite romance authors, and Only Love is the latest example of why she holds that spot. Ryan and Stella’s love touched my heart!” – Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Only Love, an all-new sexy standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow is coming November 26th!

 

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A gorgeous former Marine with a tortured soul.

The beautiful, compassionate therapist living next door.

A meddlesome grandma determined to get them together.

I was expecting a proposal on my birthday, and I got dumped instead.

How could I have been so clueless?

Grams knew exactly how to distract me.

The “cute boy next door” who’s been helping her with yard work clearly needs a little therapy. Who better to call than her newly single therapist granddaughter?

She even fakes dementia to get me to visit, and now that I’m here she’s doing everything in her power to throw us together.

Not that I’m complaining. Ryan is the sexiest man I’ve ever met–I mean the full package, from the chiseled jaw to the massive shoulders to the rippling abs. (And yes, his package is full, and he knows exactly how to deliver it.) He makes me want to get out of my head and follow my heart. He makes me want to take chances I never thought I’d take.

He also makes me want to take my clothes off. A lot.

But he’s moody and challenging–one minute he’s an open book, and the next he’s completely closed off. He holds me like he’ll never let go, but insists he wants to be alone.

Some wounds are so deep, only love can heal them.

How can I convince him to let me try?

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Pre-order your copy today!

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Cover Designer: Hang Lee

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About Melanie Harlow

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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PREACH by Stylo Fantôme is LIVE

Today we are thrilled to be sharing the conclusion of the Church Duet,
PREACH by Stylo Fantôme

 

A shattered woman.

A changed man.

Church Logan wanted to kill someone, and Emma Hartley wanted to die – they were a match made in hell.

But one little cut, a pint or two of blood, and suddenly everything between them is different.

Are they still destined for greatness? Or has the darkness finally eclipsed them and torn them apart?

Looks like it’s time for Church to practice what he preaches.

Ignition, meet explosion.

Warning: if you have triggers – this story will touch on a lot of them. This book is a dark romance, 65,000+ words.

PREACH is now available and ONLY #99pennies for release week!

FREE in KindleUnlimited

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Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse at KFF

I’m not in the habit of reading dark romances; however, I read Church with a book buddy (she held my hand), and both of us enjoyed it immensely. Wow, what a cliffy, too! Not only was the suspense killing me, but I couldn’t get the characters out of my head. Fortunately, the wait for Preach wasn’t that long and if I’d had the mistaken belief this duet couldn’t get any grittier, I was way off the mark! What I liked about the first book was how the character-driven plot focused on the protagonists’ many-sided traits and backgrounds. How they fed off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Peeling back their layers, I understood why their attraction was more than physical. Quite honestly, these guys were two peas in a pod. But Fantôme generously gave me a ray of hope. In my mind, I imagined the heroine growing stronger after what she’d done. And my biggest wish was her learning that taking certain risks weren’t always the perfect choice. So, would she get her act together, become less dependant on the man who’d managed rattle her cage? Would there be a painless closure? Hmm…wait and see!

Did Paul Logan, aka Church have the upper hand? I always felt and I think I’m right in saying him being one step ahead of Emma, being able to read her thoughts and control wasn’t just negative as it was hurtfully true to her persona. Nonetheless, he had her back. She’s a hard nut to crack and at times her actions were highlighted in the worst possible scenarios. In an atmosphere which should have been healing, the reverse happens at the whim of a professional’s advantage. She observes, she starts planning. She knows how to measure the right from wrong of others, her wrongdoings have no limits. And this folks is why I loved how she dealt with a certain individual. Call it sick, he had it coming to him.

But how on earth could I even contemplate reasoning in my tiny head when they both have a screw loose? I admittedly confess that Church brought out the worst in me. I wanted to like him more, I liked Emma even less. I’m convinced that this reaction is exactly what the author wants her readers to feel. We’re not supposed to fall head over heels with either of them. What she’d set out to do from the very start was to try to make us comprehend the whys and wherefores of an obsessive love with tendencies which we, fortunately, will never have to experience. And believe you me, she cracked it, slapped it in our faces and the result; a duet that stands out and has more twists than turns and will make any hardened reader gasp for air!

So, I’m not going to delve into details since spoiling this duet would be a crying shame. Don’t expect flowers to bloom, do get ready for the unpredicted bud to show its head when you least expect it to! Now, I have to mention Fantôme’s narrative which actually made me go back and check out what I was reading. In third-person, was I reading first-person? I felt like I was though. The author’s prose, her vocabulary and the flow kept me stuck to every page, made me wonder if there was going to be a happy ending, something I have no inclination to tell you. This is pure and utter Fantôme style and my last words; be warned…it’s dark, it is not for those of you who have high blood pressure ‘cause this unique story won’t read as you want it to. It’s the romance of your mother’s generation or some such. Spine-chilling, sweat-building, it’s heart-racingly complex and imaginative. And it might or might not pan out as you want it to. Bravo, and thank you for giving me such a nail-biting-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat read!

 

A broken girl.

An unusual boy.

A beautiful face that hides a dark secret and an ugly past.

Sealed lips which hide wicked words and dangerous thoughts.

She would kill for him to love her.

He just wants to kill.

Maybe, if Emma Hartley prays hard enough, Church Logan can make both their wishes come true.

Fuse, meet match.

CHURCH is also available and ONLY #99pennies for a limited time!

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Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since … forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball – I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I’m clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there’s your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair – both a curse and a blessing – and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can’t understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.

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SINFUL GAMES by Shelly Alexander is LIVE!

Today we are thrilled to be sharing Shelly Alexander’s next sizzling STANDALONE in the Checkmate Inc. Series, SINFUL GAMES

“She made the first move, so I’m all in and ready to play.” —Oscar (Oz) Strong

Sometimes life gets f&%#ed up. Is it my fault?

Usually.

I might be a literal genius in biochemistry. I might have made the right choice when I let two of my college chess team buddies talk me into putting my brain and my multiple degrees to work in an unexpected way that has made us ridiculously wealthy. I may be the founding partner who developed our full line of wildly successful, supercharged, pheromone colognes. I might have even been damned smart, coming up with the idea to take our multimillion-dollar company public.

But that doesn’t mean I make the most intelligent decisions when it comes to my personal life.

For instance, I let my parents push me into marriage right after I finished at Columbia. I should’ve reminded dear old Mom and Dad that their geekster, brainiac son has spent a lot of time at the gym packing on muscle and has learned how to treat a lady, both in and out of bed…so I’m smart enough to pick my own woman.

But naw.

I married a girl because my parents liked her family’s name. A girl who didn’t love me but instead loved my trust fund.

Now that I think about it, smart people really can be obtuse to the point of idiocy. Which is why falling for my new assistant is not only my biggest f&%# up, but it’s also a mistake that could put both of my business partners and our company’s future at risk.

It’s stupid, I know. But then she goes and makes the first move, and fierce competitor that I am, I can’t help but rise to the challenge.

I’m all in and ready to play by her rules. I just don’t realize until it’s too late that the only rule to the game she wants to play is seductive, steamy, sexy…and so positively sinful.

ABOUT THE CHECKMATE INC. SERIES:

Some guys are late bloomers, but once they hit their stride, they make up for lost time.

And the bonus? The founding partners of Checkmate Inc. didn’t become successful and smokin’ hot by accident. They were smart enough to surround themselves with guys who helped them transform into the men they are today. So get ready for more stories about the hotties who are connected to Checkmate Inc.

A fun, flirty, and dirty contemporary series in which the sizzling hot players associated with Checkmate Inc. meet their matches.

If you like smart, gorgeous, dirty talking guys who love bold and bright women, then this is the series for you! If you prefer your romances sweeter with a touch of steam, try Shelly Alexander’s RED RIVER Series OR her ANGEL FIRE FALLS Series.

SINFUL GAMES is now available and FREE in KU!

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Reviewed by Anna on behalf of KFF

This is the fourth book of the series Checkmate Inc. I haven’t read the previous books but there were enough details from other characters that I can honestly say you can read this as a standalone. This is a contemporary love story featuring a super smart geek who made his millions at an early age and made some mistakes.

Oz is one of three geeky friends who created Checkmate Inc. He comes from a rich family but some bad decisions instigated by his parents made him step away from them. Fast forward a few years later, he along with his friends catapulted their company into a multi-million dollar business. Oz is still scarred from a disastrous first marriage and has steered clear of any relationships. His world is about to be rocked when he meets his new assistant, Kendall.

Kendall aka Pink is in need of a good paying job to support her sister and niece. When she meets Oz for the first time, sparks fly but she is caught in a dilemma. He is her new boss and they shouldn’t be messing around in the office or in the lab but how can they resist this combustible chemistry they feel for each other? And there are some family members that will definitely not approve of this liaison.

Written in Oz’s point of view, the author gave a very entertaining narrative: a light-hearted storyline with more than a few panty-melting scenes and a lot of dirty, witty banter between the characters. Oz’s friends and their partners are heavily involved in this book and you get to see the amazing dynamics of these people. And then there’s Pink, I love that the author created a feisty female heroine who can give as good as she gets. There were some dramatic scenes in the story but it wasn’t drawn out to provide angst and I was happy enough to read this as it was meant to be, a sexy love story sans drama. When you have a dirty talking, smart and sexy hero paired with a sassy and feisty heroine, you have the right ingredients for a perfect book on a lazy weekend. I better check out the earlier books in this series because getting a glimpse of Leo and Ethan in here made me want to read their stories too.

 

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Shelly Alexander’s first published novel was a 2014 Golden Heart® finalist. She is an Amazon #1 bestselling author in numerous categories, including contemporary romance, contemporary women’s fiction, and romantic comedy. Shelly grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in business for twenty-five years. With four older brothers and three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels…and has been hooked ever since. Now, Shelly spends her days writing novels that are sometimes sweet, sometimes sizzling, and always sassy. She lives in the beautiful Southwest with her husband and toy poodle named Mozart. Visit her at  www.shellyalexander.net

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Email: shelly@shellyalexander.net

COVER REVEAL ~ BIRTHDAY SUIT by Lauren Blakely

 

Temptation never tasted so good…

And it’s back in my life in an unexpected way.

BIRTHDAY SUIT, a brand new standalone forbidden romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, will be releasing 18th January, 2019 with all retailers! Don’t miss the fantastic cover below, and pre-order your copy today!

 

Photography by Wander Aguiar.
Cover Design by Helen Williams.

 

About BIRTHDAY SUIT (Coming 1/18/2019):

She’s the ultimate off-limits woman…

There are only three rules in life you should truly follow to the letter.

One: Always make time to help a buddy.

Two: Definitely turn down that last tequila shot.

And three: Absolutely, no matter how beautiful, smart, clever and witty she is, do not–under any circumstances–fall in love with your best friend’s woman.

Oops.

Seems I missed following that last one. And the trouble is, she just walked back into my life in a big way….

Pass the tequila.

***

There are three things I’ve never been able to resist — my friends, my family, and chocolate. Leo Hennessy? He was nowhere on that list. He’s been a friend and only that. A friend who walked through hell and back with me.

Now, I’m stepping into my new future, and I didn’t expect it to include a riddle-filled, race-against-the-clock scavenger hunt across New York City.

With Leo.

Suddenly, I’m looking at this man with new eyes…

But I can’t risk a temptation as I start over and Leo is most definitely a temptation of the sexiest, sweetest, and most dangerous variety.

More delicious than chocolate…

 

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

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✦ Kindle pre-order alert (via Lauren’s newsletter) ➜ HERE 

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WISHING FOR ALL THE LATEST BIRTHDAY SUIT AUDIO NEWS?!

Check out Hypable.com TOMORROW and find out our BIRTHDAY SUIT secret!

 

About Lauren Blakely:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 2.5 million books. In December she’ll release UNZIPPED, a fun & sexy romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

 

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HEARTBREAK WARFARE by Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart is now available!

Today we are delighted to share Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart’s all-new contemporary military romance,
HEARTBREAK WARFARE


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Briggs,

Remember when I said we couldn’t speak after parting ways in Germany? It was the day I broke your heart. What you didn’t know was that I was breaking mine too.

I thought they’d be enough–my husband and my son. That I’d get home and everything would go back to the way it was . . .

Before the war.
Before the ambush.
Before you.

But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t erase the trauma we shared. I can’t seem to forget the way my heart beat in time with yours.

The truth is I’m lost without you.

I thought the nightmare was over when they pulled us from that hole in the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the war I’d face at home.
I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but, please, I have to see you one last time. . .

All my love,
Scottie

HEARTBREAK WARFARE is now available!

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reviewed by donna on behalf of kff

I sit here pondering what kind of review to write for a story that is so powerful and just about shattered my heart into smithereens and do it justice.

Kate Scott is a happily married woman with a six-year-old son. She grew up as an army brat and is also married to a captain and is surrounded by military. Kate is deployed to Iraq and while it cripples her to leave the two people in her life she loves with her every being, she just wants to do this mission. Accompanied by her best friend Mullins, they embark on their task in hand. Once there, they befriend a group of guys serving their time in Iraq. One of them goes by the name of Briggs. Fun, flirty, cocky kind of guy seems to infuriate Kate from the offset, nicknaming her Scottie. They all become friends and develop somewhat of a bond. Bearing in mind they are out there to fight a war and while on a mission, a set of circumstances occur that changes the course of their lives forever.

“I am two different women, living in two separate worlds, in love with two different soldiers. In the haze that’s now my life.” 

Sergeant Briggs is forever the joker, but he lives and breathes his job in the military and he certainly gets a rise out of rubbing Kate up the wrong way. Due to their circumstances, their bond shifts somewhat. Spending a few months in each others company, the dynamics change for them. When Kate goes home, she does with a heavy broken heart and not quite the woman she was before she went on her first deployment. She broke his heart but what she also did is break her own. To ease back into the life she previously lived is a massive challenge for her, but Kate Scott is one determined lady putting everyone before her own feelings. Watching all their lives fall apart right in front of my eyes was unbelievably heartbreaking, to say the least.

The collaboration between these authors is nothing short of genius. Their penmanship has blended extremely well and their writing compliments each other. I can only imagine the depths of despair they would have felt writing this masterpiece because reading it was an emotional rollercoaster. I had to stop to do mundane things just to keep myself blubbing any further. Red puffy eyes are not a good look and make it extremely difficult to read! I have read the most soul-destroying epic books in my time but never anything like this story that has you choking up and tears falling all the way through. I was so submerged, my surroundings ceased to exist. This shows the level of writing when the reader feels every scene, every word and every action.

There is a playlist to accompany Heartbreak Warfare and I promise you will be a sobbing mess listening to this as much as reading it. I want to put this out there. I think this should be adapted to the screen and I’ve said that for a few books before but honestly this would make the most epic movie ever. Bravo to Ms. Oregon and Ms. Stewart on a fabulously written earth-shattering story. This book that will stay with me forever deserves more than five stars. I won’t discount a re-read in the future; yes, I will probably put myself through it again. I’m going to let my heart repair first!

EXCERPT

 © 2018 by Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart

All rights reserved.

 
“I need you to break my heart,” she declares, wringing her hands nervously. “Give me a reason to hate you, because wanting you this way is…it’s ruining me. It’s ruining my life.”She is dead serious.Lifting her chin, as if ready to take a blow, her turbulent eyes implore mine. “Tell me about them. Tell me about all of the women you’ve been with since Germany.”“No.” I shake my head. “Hell no.”“Oh, please, Briggs. How long did you wait? A few days?” She laughs sarcastically. “I bet you didn’t even make it a day.”She’s coming out guns blazing, and I can see it’s physically killing her to do it.“Are we playing the guessing game? Do I get to ask how many times you’ve fucked your husband?”“Sure,” she says with a shrug. “We’ll trade. You go first.”She’s bluffing, and I’m calling her on it.“Don’t do this, Scottie. You don’t really want to hear about that.”“Humor me, Briggs.” Her eyes plead with mine. “I need to hear this.”

“Fine. You want the truth?”

She nods.

“Complete honesty?”

Again, she bobs her head.

She stands stock-still as I pace the small room, feeling the blood begin to boil beneath my overheated skin.

Fuck it.

I stalk back toward her, stopping inches away. “You really want to know that there have been so many that I’ve lost count? How they’re all blondes with blue eyes? But the blue, it’s never right, and their smiles—all wrong.”

She swats at the fresh tears that trail down her cheeks as her lips begin to tremble. Reaching out, she places a hand on my chest, and I know that she must feel the way my heart is pounding against my rib cage, reaching for her. Always reaching for her.

I jerk myself away and brand that touch to memory.

In about forty-five seconds, my heart is going to implode. I start ticking them down.

“You want me to tell you all about how I have to drink myself stupid, till their faces blur enough that I can pretend…” I pause running a hand down my face. “So that I can pretend they’re you? You want to know how fucking miserable I am? How when I slide between their legs, I close my eyes, and it’s your face I see? How I’m always careful not to kiss them because their lips are all wrong. How every time I finish I want to fucking kill myself, because I can’t stand the pain of wanting the one woman I can never have.”

Thirty seconds.

“Is that enough?” Her eyes snap to mine. “Hate me yet?”

Face crumbling, she gasps out a sob, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

“Come on, Scottie. Let’s not kid ourselves. I’m still the same prick you hated when we met. Nothing’s changed. I think we’ve romanticized this situation long enough, don’t you?”

Taking another step away from her, I tilt my head. “You’re a housewife,” I say snidely. “Someone else’s wife and I’m a career soldier. This isn’t exactly ideal.”

She flinches visibly, and my heart bottoms out.

Fifteen.

I cut my hand through the air. “At the end of the day, this was nothing but a big mistake. And we never would have happened if—”

“Stop,” she cries out painfully, “stop, I’m good,” she whispers before rocketing toward the door just as I reach for her, my fingers curling in the space she just left. Handle in hand, she looks back at me with the sweep of her eyes until they meet mine. That’s how we started, and it’s only fitting it’s how we should end. For the moment, we’re right back there in the place we created, where we are perfect. Where our souls line up without any visible smudge on the seams. In a place where there is still so much love, so much that I can’t stop the tear that slides out before batting it away with the back of my hand.

An identical tear runs down her cheek. “Thank you.”

Three. Two. One.

 

Meet Heather 

Heather M. Orgeron is a Cajun girl with a big heart and a passion for romance. She married her high school sweetheart two months after graduation and her life has been a fairytale ever since. She’s the queen of her castle, reigning over five sons and one bossy little princess who has made it her mission in life to steal her Momma’s throne. When she’s not writing, you will find her hidden beneath mounds of laundry and piles of dirty dishes or locked in her tower (aka the bathroom) soaking in the tub with a good book. She’s always been an avid reader and has recently discovered a love for cultivating romantic stories of her own.

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Meet Kate

A Texas native, Kate Stewart lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it’s what she loves as a reader.

Kate is a lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

Contact Kate- Email-authorkatestewart@gmail.com

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HATE NOTES by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward is LIVE!


A standalone romance novel published by Montlake Romance

Today we are delighted to share New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward’s all-new stand-alone contemporary romance, HATE NOTES

 

Hate Notes final ebook coverIt all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress.

Something blue.

I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.”

Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.

The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed.

He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after.

But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined.

Something new.

But I have no idea how this one is going to end . . .
 
 
Hate Notes final paperback cover


Photo/Cover Details
Photo Credit: Tijana Vukovic
Model: Dusan Susnjar

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PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: U.S | U.K | CAN | AUS

Amazon print (Currently on sale for $9.99 in US and £4.99 in UK!)

Amazon: Audio

Please Note: Because Hate Notes is published by Montlake Romance, a division of Amazon, the eBook and paperback will only be available on Amazon. If you are an Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited member, you should NOT pre-order the eBook. The Hate Notes ebook will be free for both Prime and KU members on release day!

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when their new books go live! ➜ HERE

 

Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse at KFF

My head was a whirlwind of thoughts when I finished Hate Notes and I had to think carefully about how I was going to start reviewing this book because ladies, this is nothing like Keeland and Ward have ever written before. So, I’m not going to talk about what caught my attention to begin with; I’ll get back to those details later. Times are changing, romance novels aren’t just about jumping into the sack with a storyline written around steaminess. If like me you want more, it’s all here. Hate Notes is a tremendous read, the plot dynamics are outstandingly solid, laugh out loud moments abound, but more important and what knocked me for six is the way sensitivity used when called for. The authors kept me guessing throughout and never did I expect such a heartbreaking twist. This twist I’d like to add, was well-researched and in my opinion, couldn’t have been better explained in a language I could understand.

Everyone needs a friend like Charlotte Darling in their lives. She’s a tad crazy, has a generous heart and her oh so quirky ways of communicating are simply adorable. She’s a stunner too, but what I liked more than anything was her neither here nor there attitude. When sentiments begin to take over, her honesty wasn’t always upfront since she didn’t want to put her foot in it. Her good intentions paved the way for something which took my breath away and would make any reader think I was crushing on her. Don’t doubt it for a second. I am! Nonetheless, she’ll use her attractiveness for a means to an end when options run out with, of course, sound advice coming from a character who meant more to me than you can imagine. Even though she has difficulty controlling her spontaneity and a tad disillusioned with the opposite sex, Charlotte has faith in humanity. In a nutshell, she’s my kind of gal.

This guy! Reed Eastwood is the bee’s knees, the epitome of manliness, everything imaginable rolled into one hunk of gorgeousness! Blinkin’ heck, I damn well-lost sleep over him. He’s seriously complicated stance is nothing less than reasonable when you start peeling back the layers of such a torn character. Ooh my, can insta-love exist between reader and a new book boyfriend? Methinks the answer is yes. Cold and distant, Charlotte isn’t going to find it easy to gain his confidence. He’d sussed her out by a fluke of coincidence, she’d tried to pull the wool over his eyes and folks, that’s when the show begins! Get ready for the unimaginable. Reed’s hidden heart of gold will melt yours.

As much as I would like to, I’m not going to tell you the whys and wherefores of this stand-alone novel overflowing with fate or perhaps whimsical fantasies that might or might not come true. What I can say is the key is in the perfectly perfect title. And the cover which I haven’t mentioned is spot on! Reed to a tee. Also, reasons for worrying whether Charlotte would give up on him there are as not everything is what it seems. Believe you me, you’ll want to know why Reed’s making it difficult for her.

Narrated in past tense from a dual point of view is without a doubt my fave storytelling technique. Throw in non-stop banter which brings out all the feels, secondary characters who are easily related to and notes written from the soul, written to please, to aggravate and push one’s buttons, makes for excellent reading. I could easily go on and on since I have so much to say, but the last thing I want to do is spoil this superb book for you, which to my mind of thinking, is the best these two gifted authors have written together. BRAVO!

EXCERPT

© 2018 Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
All rights reserved.

 

 
Grabbing my laptop, I searched my history and called up the last website I’d visited.
Eastwood Properties is one of the largest independent brokerage firms in the world. We connect the most prestigious and exclusive properties with qualified buyers, assuring the utmost privacy for both parties. Whether you’re in the market for a luxury New York City penthouse with a view of the park, a waterfront Hampton estate, or an enchanting chateau escape in the mountains, or you’re ready for your own private island, Eastwood is where your dreams begin.
There was a link to search properties, so I typed in the name of the place the woman had mentioned in the voice mail: Millennium Tower. Sure enough, the penthouse popped up for sale. For only twelve million dollars, I could own an apartment on Columbus Avenue with sweeping views of Central Park. Let me write you a check.
After drooling through a video and two dozen photos, I clicked on the button to make an appointment to view the property. An application popped up, the top of which read: For the privacy and safety of our sellers, all prospective buyers are required to complete an application to view properties. Only buyers that meet our stringent prequalification criteria will be contacted.
I snorted. Great prequalification criteria you have there, Eastwood. I wasn’t sure I had enough money to take the train uptown to get to that swanky place, much less buy it. God knows what I’d written that had qualified me.
I closed the website and was just about to shut my laptop and go back to bed again when I decided to take one more peek at Mr. Romantic on Facebook.
God, he was gorgeous.
What if . . .
I shouldn’t.
No good ever came out of ideas formulated while drunk.
I couldn’t.
But . . .
That face . . .
And that note.
So romantic. So beautiful.
Plus . . . I’d never seen the inside of a twelve-million-dollar penthouse.
I really shouldn’t.
Then again . . . I’d spent the last two years doing everything I should do. And where had that gotten me?
Right here. It’d gotten me right damn here—hungover and unemployed, sitting in this crappy apartment. Maybe it was time I did the things I shouldn’t be doing for a change. I picked up my phone and let my finger hover over the “Call Back” button for a while.
Screw it.
No one would ever know. It could be fun—getting all dressed up and playing the part of a rich Upper West Sider while satisfying my curiosity about the man. What harm was there?
None that I could think of. Still, you know what they say about curiosity . . .
I pressed “Call Back.”
“Hi. This is Charlotte Darling calling to confirm an appointment with Reed Eastwood . . .”
 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in two dozen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

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Do you like texts better than email? Receive text notices of Vi’s new releases by texting the word BOOKS to 77948 You will ONLY receive a text when a new book goes live – no other messages at all!

Find Vi here

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Twitter  @vikeeland | Instagram  @Vi_Keeland

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Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over 1.5 million books sold, she is a twenty-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels.

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Find Penelope here

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Twitter @penelopewardauthor | Instagram

 Goodreads | BookBub | Gmail

 

Other books for Vi & Penelope

The Rush Series (2 Book Series)

Rebel Heir
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Rebel Heart
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Dear Bridget, I Want You

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Mister Moneybags

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KFF’S  4 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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Playboy Pilot

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Stuck-Up Suit

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Also available on Audible and Paperback

KFF’S  4 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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Cocky Bastard

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The Naked Truth

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Sex, Not Love

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KFF’s  5 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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Beautiful Mistake

Amazon: U.K | U.S | CANADA | AUSTRALIA

iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google Play

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EGOmaniac

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Bossman

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The Baller

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iBooks | B&N | Kobo 

KFF’s 5 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)

Beat

Amazon: US | UK

iBooks | Kobo | B&N

KFF’s 5 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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Throb

Amazon: US | UK

B&N | iBooks | Kobo

KFF’S  5 ★ Review ➜ HERE

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MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)

Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter Series, Book One)

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Worth The Chance (MMA Fighter Series, Book Two)

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Worth Forgiving (MMA Fighter Series, Book Three)

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The Cole Series (2 book serial)

Belong to You (Cole Series, Book One)

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Made for You (Cole Series, Book Two)

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First Thing I See

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LOVE ONLINE

Amazon eBook: U.K | U.S | CANADA | AUSTRALIA 

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GENTLEMAN NINE

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DRUNK DIAL

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MACK DADDY

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ROOM HATE

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STEPBROTHER DEAREST

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NEIGHBOR DEAREST

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SINS OF SEVIN

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Stepbrother Dearest

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JAKE UNDONE (Jake #1)

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JAKE UNDERSTOOD (Jake #2)

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GEMINI

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MY SKYLAR

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STUCK-UP SUIT

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Also available on Audible and Paperback

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PLAYBOY PILOT

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MISTER MONEYBAGS

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iBooks | Nook | Kobo 

REVIEW STOP ~ A SPLASH OF VANILLA by Bethany Lopez

A SPLASH OF VANILLA by Bethany Lopez is now available.
A Splash of Vanilla is the third book in the contemporary romance series, Three Sisters Catering. Check out the excerpt and buy links for the book below.

A Splash of Vanilla by Bethany Lopez

(Three Sisters Catering, #3)

One-click today!

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For the past year, Dru has put everything she has into building a catering business with her sisters. She’s so used to working until all hours of the night with them by her side, that when they both find love and move out, Dru decides to focus on something that has always weighed on her… finding the father who’d abandoned them.

For the past year, Mick has been living the good life. A content bachelor with his own business as a private investigator, he enjoys making his own decisions and answering to no one. When a couple of clients-turned-friends bring him in contact with Dru, his first thought is that he wouldn’t mind getting her alone for a night, but when she hires him, that spark is extinguished. Mick doesn’t mix business with pleasure.

When their lives become constantly entwined, Dru becomes more and more determined to get Mick to break his rules. Will they discover that even a seemingly perfect dish, can be made better with the right amount of spice, or are they too set in their ways?

Reviewed by Anna on behalf of KFF

This is the first book I’ve read by the author and I felt like the last one to arrive at a party when reading it because I found out that although this can be read as a standalone it is actually the third book, focusing on Dru. This is her story.

Dru is the twin sister of Millie and together with younger sister Tasha they own a successful food catering business. She is a somewhat happy singleton until the younger sister got hitched and now she fears she will end up alone whilst her other sisters are starting their own families.

Mick is a private investigator, single and devoted to his elderly mother. He is a friend of Jackson, Millie’s husband. His policy is to never get involved with a client but when he meets Dru and she becomes his client, is he going to ignore their mutual attraction to each other?

Told in alternating points of view, this love story ticks all the right boxes but I don’t get that passionate romantic feeling between the two main characters. Yes, the sexual chemistry is hot and their personalities are a perfect fit but I still don’t get that tingle in my belly, stardust in my eyes or glitter in my heart when these two are together. It felt very clinical when they decided to give it a go. Dru was the one who made the first move and pursued Mick. I like a woman who knows what she wants and gets what she wants, Mick was the one who needed to be pushed before making that decision to be with Dru and in my opinion she’s got more chutzpah than Mick. The other sisters and their partners are also featured a lot in this book and the author gives a glimpse of their back stories but I think it would probably be best to read books one and two before getting into book three. There is some drama added on to spice it up a little but it is more of Jackson and Millie’s drama. I felt like Dru and Mick’s story was written to complete the trilogy but it felt a bit bland. I cannot emphasise enough that you read A Pinch of Salt (1) and A Touch of Cinnamon (2) first then maybe one can appreciate more this pair’s love story. All in all, it is an enjoyable story.

EXCERPT

I shot a couple longing looks at Mick, who managed to make that suit look incredible, even though I’d just seen him in it at Tasha’s wedding. How come men could do that? Buy one suit to wear to every event, and get no flack, while if women got caught wearing the same dress repeatedly, it was like there was something wrong with her?

Why couldn’t I find the perfect dress … one that made me feel sexy, comfortable, and confident, and wear it to everything?

Stupid double standards.

I walked straight to the bar and ordered a Lemon Drop with the sole intention of getting drunk, and made a list of rules for myself.

You will not fawn over Mick.

You will not get so drunk that you throw up.

You will be the funny, fun, party sister, not the green with envy, bitter, crying in the corner sister.

And, again, you will not fawn over Mick. He made his policy clear, and I had too much pride to go after a man who didn’t want me.

Now available!

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Purchase the other titles in the series…

For the past year, talented chef Millie has been consumed with running her new catering business with her sisters, Dru and Tasha. It isn’t until Jackson walks through their door that she realizes something may be missing in the recipe of her life.

For the past year, Jackson has been dealing with the fallout of his wife’s abandonment. He’s had to learn how to be a single father to their eight-year-old daughter, and will do anything to fill the void her mother left. It isn’t until he commissions Millie for his daughter’s birthday party that he realizes he’s forgotten that he’s not only a father, but a man.

They both think they’re content in their lives, but sometimes the right amount of spice can turn an okay dish into a magnificent one. A Pinch of Salt may be all that’s needed to bring Millie and Jackson the flavor they’ve been missing.

Purchase A PINCH OF SALT today!

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For the past year, Tasha has thrown herself into her catering business with her sisters, but she’s been keeping a secret. The hot, moody owner of Prime Beef, is the only man she ever loved. The man she left behind in college, and thought she’d never see again, until he showed up across the street.

For the past year, Jericho Smythe has been waging a war with himself. Did he want to know why Natasha had broken his heart and left without looking back, hell yes. But he’d found himself paralyzed by the glimpses he’d gotten of her at Three Sisters Catering, and knew he wasn’t ready for a confrontation.

Neither of them are content with their lives, but so much has happened in the time that has passed. Can the right amount of spice remind them of the love they’d shared? A Touch of Cinnamon may be all that’s needed to give Tasha and Jericho back the richness they’ve been lacking.

Purchase A TOUCH OF CINNAMON now!

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MEET BETHANY

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Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She’s a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers.

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