Maddie Palmer lost everything when her ex-husband betrayed her. Years later, she’s rebuilt her life. It’s safe and stable—everything she thought she wanted. Until a dangerously sexy ex-con appears in Lost Coast Harbor...
Gabriel Reyes just did six years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Now he’s returned, determined to expose the men who set him up. His best chance at redemption is seducing the straight-laced woman working for the enemy…until he realizes he’s the one being seduced.
As passion ignites, Gabe and Maddie find themselves drawn deeper into the corruption behind the town’s richest family… even while facing the greatest danger of all—losing their hearts.
Gabe walked straight to the corner and ran his fingers across the leaves of a ficus, his eyes almost soft.
He moved around the room, studying each plant, touching a few others with gentle fingers. “It’s like a jungle in here.” Gabe’s hand hovered near the orchids she kept on the mantel, but he resisted the urge to stroke the temperamental plant. “They’re all real, too.”
“Of course they are,” Maddie said, indignant. She might not be able to keep a relationship alive, but plants were another matter. They thrived under her care.
She wasn’t prepared for his expression when he turned to her. He looked…grateful?
“You don’t realize all the things you miss.” It didn’t seem like he was talking to her.
“Not a lot of plants in prison, huh?” She fought a shudder at the thought. Life without a bit of dirt and a few seeds sounded so sterile, though her rational mind knew it was nothing compared to the other things prison took from him.
“Not a lot of all sorts of things.” He shook off the melancholy, and she could practically see his inner devil return. Gabe’s eyes raked her, a smile tugging at his lips. “This isn’t the home I expected from a straight-laced professional woman.”
Maddie winced. “New furniture isn’t cheap.”
His laugh was unexpected. “I don’t think I’ve sat in a new piece of furniture in my life. No, I mean this.” His gesture took in everything, from her plants to her clothes to the afghan spread across her sofa. “Are you secretly a softie, Maddie?”
She glowered, and he laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep your secret,” Gabe assured her.
Like so many good ideas, Lost Coast Harbor was inspired by a few rounds of margaritas. One sunny afternoon, Lily Danes and Eve Kincaid went to a Mexican restaurant for snacks and tequila and left with the idea for a new series. Inspired by their love of noir movies and 1940s crime novels, they imagined a gritty small town full of crime and corruption, where intrigue and mystery can lead to love and passion.
The authors will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. For more chances to win, follow the tour here.
Hired to produce a candyfloss profile of Chicago-based aviation giant, Delcroft, Ellie is dismayed when company VP Charlotte Hollander, the architect of a new anti-drone system for Delcroft, trashes the production and cancels the project. Ellie believes Hollander was spooked by shots of a specific man in the video footage. But when Ellie arranges to meet the man to find out why, he’s killed by a subway train.In the confusion, she finds a seemingly abandoned pack of cigarettes with a flash drive inside that belonged to the now dead man.
Ellie has the drive’s contents decrypted, but before long she discovers she’s under surveillance and thrown into the middle of a situation filled with drones, hacking, and Chinese spies that put her life and those she loves in mortal danger.
Chapter Two
Monday
Before my gangstah-rap neighbor emptied his AK-47 into his buddy, the most exciting thing to happen in our village was the opening of a new grocery store. The store hired a pianist who played Beatles tunes, no doubt to persuade shoppers to part with their money more easily. My neighbor, rapper King Bling, was helping his fans part with their money too, but the shooting ended all that. Once he made bail, he moved and hasn’t been heard from since.
And so it goes in my little corner of the North Shore, about twenty miles from downtown Chicago. There are benefits. The King, as he’s known to his disciples, gave our cops something to do besides ticket speeders. And the new grocery store gave me the chance to buy prepared dinners so I could dispense with cooking.
Both of which come in handy when I’m producing a video, as was the case now. We didn’t finish the shoot until seven. I raced up the expressway toward home, dropped into the store, and was eyeballing a turkey pot roast—the only one left—when my cell trilled. I fished it out of my bag.
“Mom, where did you get the shoes?” I heard chatter and giggles in the background.
“What shoes, Rachel?”
“The ones you gave Jackie.” My daughter, Rachel, had successfully, if unbelievably, graduated from college and lived in an apartment in Wrigleyville. Jackie was her roommate. “Everybody thinks they’re awesome.” Buy Link:Amazon
Libby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago 35 years ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. Twelve novels and twenty short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery and crime writing community and has even won a few. *
With the addition of Jump Cut in 2016, her novels include the now five-volume Ellie Foreman series, which she describes as a cross between “Desperate Housewives” and “24;” the hard-boiled 4-volume Georgia Davis PI series, and three stand-alone historical thrillers that Libby calls her “Revolution Trilogy.” Her latest release, The Incidental Spy, is a historical novella set during the early years of the Manhattan Project at the U of Chicago. Her short stories have been published in a dozen anthologies, the Saturday Evening Post, and Ed Gorman’s “25 Criminally Good Short Stories” collection.
More at http://libbyhellmann.com.
* She has been a finalist twice for the Anthony, twice for Foreword Magazines Book of the Year, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Daphne and has won the Lovey multiple times.
When Ruby discovers what really happened the night of Alan Beauchamp's murder, one thing becomes very clear: time is running out for the people she loves. As she unravels the web of lies and deceit around her, Ruby reveals an unthinkable truth. One with dire repercussions for all.
Can Ruby pull together all the supernatural aspects of her life to foil a diabolical plot, or will she fall victim to an evil unlike any other she has faced?
Haven't started the Caged Series yet? Caged is currently FREE!
"I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality. I was too."
After the death of her parents, Ruby awakens from a lifetime of shadows and finds herself alone, thrust into a world of lies, deceit, betrayal and the supernatural.
As her quest for truth continues to come up short, she realizes that maybe some questions really are best left unanswered.
When her true identity is finally unveiled, she is forced to choose between two of the mysterious men who continually seem to crop up in her life.
She chooses poorly.
Now abandoned, Ruby must learn to call on the darkness within to survive, or spend a hellish eternity imprisoned because of it.
If you're dying to know more about me, allow me to put you at ease. I'm a sharp-tongued, sarcastic cancer, who loves vegetable smoothies, winter storms, and the word "portfolio". I should NEVER be caffeinated, and require at least eight hours of sleep to even resemble a human being. At thirty-four, I just now feel like I can keep a straight face while saying the word "rectum" (which is actually a huge lie because I just laughed out loud while reading this to my husband). I live with my iPod firmly affixed to my body, drive too fast, and laugh/cry at inappropriate times.
Six Cowboy Love Stories by the best-selling authors who brought you Cowboy Up 1&2
Claiming a Cowboy’s Heart
Even broken souls deserve a second chance at love…
Elementary Teacher, Michelle Alt’s faced untold trials in her life, yet she continues to do what’s right to make things better for the next generation.
Cowboy Veterinarian, Preston Hall has lost everything in order to follow his dreams and return to his grandfather’s small town practice.
These two broken souls recognize each other’s pain and come together to heal, but fear and misunderstandings send their blossoming relationship into a tailspin. Will they be able to put aside their pain to find the love of a lifetime?
With her floral shoulder bag hanging from her arm, Michelle Alt approached the dead raccoon. The smell overwhelmed her. Pinching her nose, she took deep breaths through her mouth. The full moon illuminated the intersection across from her school. People should learn to drive slower on this street. This time a raccoon, someday a child.
She squatted and dumped the contents of her purse on the asphalt. Removing the cheap dollar-store clothespin from her purse, she dealt with the smell and closed off her nose. The spring had just enough strength to press her nostrils together without hurting. With her hands free, she selected a yellow pair of sunglasses from inside her bag and slipped them on the raccoon’s face. A smile flitted across her lips.
“That’s a start.” Looking at the pile of junk sitting at her side, she removed a couple of more items, setting a red plastic cup with a paper umbrella next to the raccoon’s hand. Last, she inserted a small bottle of sunscreen between his arm and body then cleaned up the remaining materials, stuffing them into her bag.
It’s perfect. He looks like he’s resting in the sun. Another day at the beach for Mr. Raccoon. She glanced at her watch. Crap, I need to run. I hate asking Mom to watch my daughter for these little acts of willful disobedience. Thank goodness, she’s more than happy to watch Connie, even for, in her words, ‘a waste of time’. But I’m so thankful to have her helping me. I’d never be able to do it all alone. Standing, she slipped her bag over her shoulder, glanced down the street—no one in sight—and dashed off toward home.
A deep sigh escaped her lips. The porch light glimmered in the distance. Almost home and no one the wiser. I can’t wait to see what people think of this roadkill art. All caught up in her fantasy, she bumped into a brick wall. “Umph.” Michelle raised her gaze and locked on the fullest lips she’d ever seen. Are they as soft as they look?
Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn’t hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She’d often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.
As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, Mid-Michigan RWA Chapter, and EPIC. She is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars.
Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a movie reviewer, an owner of a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story.
Greer Daily is happy running the ranch she inherited from her father until a resort opens up next door and unruly guests terrorize her livestock and destroy her fences. After she confronts two of them and the situation gets sticky, she finds herself venting her fury on sexy resort owner Guy Carter. But the smooth-talking cowboy isn't getting out of this mess easily. She wants reparations for her trouble.
Guy's first initial meeting with Greer could've gone better, but he hopes to placate her fiery temper by making amends for the fences. When a judge calls them out for being irresponsible and self-absorbed, then orders them to marry, Guy's whole world is upended. Their choices: Six months of marriage or a month of jail time. How bad can a few months with the queen of the cattle range be? Heaven if he can get her to bend, hell if she maintains her starchier than pressed jeans attitude.
Just as something deeper than friendship blossoms between them, Guy's personal assistant throws a wrench into the marriage of inconvenience. If Greer and Guy can't overcome that particular pothole, they have more to lose than their freedom--a lifetime of love.
Cowboy Apocalypse by Leslie Garcia
Can a former Marine and a Hollywood diva facing apocalyptic changes in their lives salvage new beginnings together?
When Stone Winters joined the Marines, he always meant to come home. A woman’s impossible dream kept him away so long that he doesn’t think there’s anything left—especially not when he meets Price Adams, a film star with another impossible dream. He just doesn’t think he’s up for that again.
Price Adams traded in a childhood on her grandparents’ ranch for Hollywood glitz in spite of being a teenage mother. Torn between the stardom she won and full-time custody of her daughter, she accepts one last role—in Cowboy Apocalypse, an inane movie about zombies being filmed on ranches around deep south Texas. Burned by men more times than she can remember, Price doesn’t want a man in her life—especially not one who looks down on her career and the courage she needs to let it all go.
Rock-n-Roll Cowboy by Autumn Piper
Never judge a rock band by its cover song.
A cowboy leading a rock band? Logan gets an earful from his dad every time he leaves the house to perform. His rock persona destroys his ranching cred with the old-timers, and sticking to the cowboy life instead of running off to Hollywood cost him his girlfriend. Yet, he dreams of success in both worlds, and he’s determined to find a way.
Melody agrees to run a publicity campaign for a local rock band, fully immune to the sexy lead singer’s magnetism—she had childhood experience with a rocker’s absences. Still, Logan is charming, and vulnerable. And persistent…
Logan can tell Melody’s PR plan is his passport to popularity. He has to keep his hands off her, or he just might blow his one shot at making it big.
A Cowboy's Princess by Sara Walter Ellwood
Oil and water don't mix...neither does Texas oil royalty and an ex-Navy SEAL turned rodeo cowboy until danger forces them together.
All retired Navy SEAL turned rodeo cowboy Justin Tanner wants is to get to his next rodeo when a vision in a pair of tight fitting jeans walks up to him and hands him his deepest desire on a silver platter—the deed to his father’s ranch, land her grandfather had swindled him out of.
Lacey Mackenzie is true Texas oil royalty, but when her grandfather dies and leaves her the keys to the kingdom, she finds herself with more enemies than friends and only Justin’s name as the one who can protect her, but can he after she discovers only the oil under his promised ranch can save her company. When her enemies attack, he’s duty bound to save her, but can he give her the one thing she wants after a hot night of passion—his heart?
Ride, Cowboy, Ride by D’Ann Lindun
Can they find freedom together?
A locked up heart.
After imprisoned in a federal penitentiary for ten years over a woman's betrayal, the last thing Lyle Landry is looking for is love. A quick tumble? Sure. A cold beer? Absolutely. And then he's on to the rodeo circuit to reclaim his title.
Broke, busted and blue.
After her ex-husband leaves her high, dry and dead broke, another man isn’t high on Sarah Reed’s list. Especially a sexy ex-con who makes it perfectly clear he’s not interested in more than a one night stand. But his determination to make something out of himself impresses her more than she wants to admit, and she falls hard for the cowboy.
When Ruby discovers what really happened the night of Alan Beauchamp's murder, one thing becomes very clear: time is running out for the people she loves. As she unravels the web of lies and deceit around her, Ruby reveals an unthinkable truth. One with dire repercussions for all.
Can Ruby pull together all the supernatural aspects of her life to foil a diabolical plot, or will she fall victim to an evil unlike any other she has faced?
Haven't started the Caged Series yet? Caged is currently FREE!
"I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality.
I was too."After the death of her parents, Ruby awakens from a lifetime of shadows and finds herself alone, thrust into a world of lies, deceit, betrayal and the supernatural.
As her quest for truth continues to come up short, she realizes that maybe some questions really are best left unanswered.
When her true identity is finally unveiled, she is forced to choose between two of the mysterious men who continually seem to crop up in her life.
She chooses poorly.
Now abandoned, Ruby must learn to call on the darkness within to survive, or spend a hellish eternity imprisoned because of it.
If you're dying to know more about me, allow me to put you at ease. I'm a sharp-tongued, sarcastic cancer, who loves vegetable smoothies, winter storms, and the word "portfolio". I should NEVER be caffeinated, and require at least eight hours of sleep to even resemble a human being. At thirty-four, I just now feel like I can keep a straight face while saying the word "rectum" (which is actually a huge lie because I just laughed out loud while reading this to my husband). I live with my iPod firmly affixed to my body, drive too fast, and laugh/cry at inappropriate times.
Successful brothers Hudson and Liam Maddox are living the lives they’ve always dreamed of. Neither is looking for a relationship, more interested in keeping their single status with the ladies. That all changes when Kennedy and Chelsea enter their lives.
Hudson
Hudson has been focusing on his career and building a solid business in the real estate industry. The charismatic attorney has recently been named the most eligible bachelor in town. He's never been interested in settling down until he collides with the easygoing Kennedy. She invades his orderly life in a matter of days. Has this carefree younger woman been what's missing in his meticulous world?
Liam
Content with his life, Liam has built his own construction business and takes pride from it's excellent reputation. After having his heart broken years ago, he’s decided not to take any relationship too seriously. But then the woman who tore his heart up years ago returns and hires his company for her home renovations. Trying to keep his cool around Chelsea is damn near impossible. All he has to do is complete the renovation and then never see Chelsea again. As if it was that simple.
Contains adult content. Not intended for readers under 18.
~Watch the Trailer~
Have you joined The Maddox Brothers celebration event? Come celebrate with us on November 15, 2015. Guest authors and giveaways!
Seeking out solitude in which to work, New York City music composer Melissa Carter rents a century-old farmhouse on the Virginia Eastern Shore. There, she meets a loner with rugged good looks and smoldering gray eyes, who has long-term ties to the property. When strange things start occurring at the historic home, the handsome groundskeeper comes to her aid, but is Melissa really safer in his arms?
When Stone Thomas meets a pretty northerner with a musical gift, he's immediately drawn to her. He's also determined to protect her from the increasingly odd happenings at the fifty-acre farm where he's employed. Soon, Stone finds himself wondering whether he and beautiful Melissa might share a future. Yet the secrets of Homecoming Cove threaten to drive them apart.
Her words came out in a whisper. “Thank you for everything. For coming to my rescue, for…” She was saying goodbye, yet her chin tilted toward his and she took a step closer, her lips barely parted, inviting. She peered up at him and met his gaze with a look that was surprisingly heated, decidedly predatory. There was no mistaking it. Melissa wanted him too. That was all the encouragement Stone needed to take her in his arms and bring his mouth down on hers with a hungry desire that surpassed all expectations.
Melissa gasped with delight and sighed into his kiss. Stone’s empty mug slid from her grasp and landed somewhere on the sofa. Stone pressed his eager body to hers and ran his hands up her back, threading his fingers through her hair. She was glorious, beautiful, her gaze sparking with reciprocal passion. Stone groaned and kissed her again, savoring the taste of her, delighting in the sweetness of her body molded to his, as his blood pumped harder and his heart beat like a kettledrum gone out of control. It was more than a kiss; it was like coming home.
“Stone,” she said breathlessly. He opened his eyes to find his cheeks nestled between her palms.
She looked up at him her face flushed with longing. “I think you’d better go.”
“Yeah,” he said, his pulse pounding. “I’d better go.”
Thunder boomed and rain slapped the windowpanes, while the fire hissed and moaned.
Neither one moved.
“Melissa,” Stone whispered, brushing his lips over hers. “You and me… It’s like… I don’t know.”
“I know,” she replied, meeting his kiss. “I feel it too.”
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. She writes touching, often humorous, contemporary romance about single women facing everyday challenges. Known for featuring holidays and family themes in her work, Ginny frequently portrays the struggles of single parents or others who've given up on finding true love.
Ginny has two novella series, The Holiday Brides Series (holiday romance) and The Summer Grooms Series (summer romance), as well as additional single titles available. She is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, a Top 10 Best Seller on Kindle, NOOK and iBooks, and a #1 Best Seller in several Romance and Women's Fiction categories. Visit Ginny's website www.ginnybairdromance.com to learn more about her and her books.
Erin Conway swore off men completely after her last boyfriend left her to raise a child alone.
Ravi Dawes is a musician running from the grief that nearly destroyed him.
When the two meet on an internet dating site, sparks fly and they both believe they've found the perfect match. Unfortunately, Erin’s influential family doesn’t approve of Ravi or his career. And Ravi knows his shady past could destroy their relationship before it begins.
Can two people whose lives are marred by sorrow and regret find healing in each other’s arms? Or will the past sour their perfect harmony?
Drew DiPalma feels like he’s living a lie. He’s had it with his Hollywood persona, the high-maintenance women, and his sleazy agent. To escape the madness, he flees to a tourist town he’d often visited as a child. He never expected to find love on that little island. Then he stumbles upon Lainey alone on the swing set of a deserted beach.
After a dozen internet dating disasters, Lainey Riccardo has give up on romance–until she meets a West Coast hunk who has no trouble winning her heart. But Lainey only knows him as Drew, not the Oscar-nominated actor who’s constantly scandalized in the tabloids.
When she learns the truth, will the small town Jersey girl be able to accept Drew’s fast-paced life? Or will the truth drive her away forever?
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her four children. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. Her works include romantic thrillers, paranormal fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult.
Boxed Set: The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod Series: Special Holiday Collection
Meet Anabel Axelrod, a smart, sassy, and sexy small town bookstore owner. She’s also a control enthusiast with quirky ideas, decided convictions, and firm rules for the men who want to date her. When Anabel meets Luke Drake, she is appallingly fascinated to be attracted to the mysterious alpha male like no man before in her extensive dating career. Anabel is right to be wary because Luke does not play by any rules. What do you get when you mix together a witty, confident woman who is a magnet for trouble, a dangerously seductive man with a secret agenda who is not too tall, not too handsome, and definitely dark, fun loving friends with their own set of problems, and a few crazy relatives? The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod! An ongoing series that is part steamy romance, part suspenseful mystery, and always laugh-out-loud fun!
This eBook boxed set of The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod (Volumes I-V Special Holiday Collection) is available for purchase November/December 2015 only and contains the full-length books: A Date with Fate, Courted by Karma, In Love by Design, Adieu to Destiny, and Family & Fortune.
“Look, Luke, if I break my rule about being picked up can you promise not to dismember me on our first date or worse yet, bore me?”
Pushing the door open, Luke casually shrugged a shoulder. “Anabel, I never make promises I can’t keep. You may prove irritating.”
I blinked in disbelief. By the time I recovered to retort, I was talking to the screen door. Stunned, I realized Luke really had left. After a moment of taking this in, I started laughing in rare enjoyment. Our first date could prove very interesting indeed.
Tracy Ellen is happily married and lives with her family in the suburbs of St Paul, Minnesota. She loves writing and living dangerously through the lives of her characters. Tracy’s a firm believer that smart + confident = sexy as hell. But she hopes that’s the only formula you’ll ever find in her unique, steamy, witty, suspenseful, and sometimes incredibly funny romances featuring sassy, independent heroines and their seductively alpha heroes.
Part of Cowboy, Mine... He'll Leave You Breathless...
Will a One Night Stand prove to be their disaster or their salvation?
Lauren Walsh, a divorcee and elementary teacher, wants to feel sexy again after her ex tosses her aside for a younger woman. Her best friend encourages her to sign up for The Playhouse--a renowned dating agency. Forced to stay away from his young son, Mac Thomas lost the ability to trust. After the death of his wife, he returned to care for his son but his sister wants more for him. She sets him up with The Playhouse.
Passion ignites but Mac’s a parent of one of Lauren’s students. A teacher and a parent dating could cost Lauren her job and her chance at happiness. Will Mac be able to convince the school and Lauren, that love is the most important thing?
She allowed her friend to drag her back toward the dressing rooms while poor Cherri followed with gigantic piles of clothing and undergarments. Thank goodness they were currently the only customers in the place, there was no way she would parade in front of others in what they will make her try on.
After a while she had to admit the two women had a certain high-class taste for suggestive yet sensual clothing. Ten or more outfits later, her nervousness faded. She was starting to look at this as an adventure. Mel as well as Cherri voiced their opinions on different outfits. Some of their comments shocking her, while others had her laughing outright. Quite a few times, Melanie needed to rush in to help Lauren with the intricacies of some of the attire. One dress happened to be mostly straps which strategically covered only the naughty bits.
“A no way on this one,” she called out, “I want my body to look sexy, not red from all the rubbing.”
A variety of little black dresses slipped on and off her body in a matter of moments. Flaws with each of them. “I don’t know black isn’t the best color for me. It makes me look washed-out. Let’s try some other colors.”
Cherri quickly selected more dresses, bustiers, thigh-high stockings, and barely-there thongs. Trying each on, Lauren felt like a live Barbie doll. They’d pick out the clothes. She’d try them on then parade for their approval. None of the outfits screamed the one yet.
A blue jersey dress with a sweeping hemline caught Lauren’s gaze. “If I need help getting into these here, who’s going to help me get dressed in Chicago?” Lauren shouted. She pulled the blue dress over her head. The fabric hugged her figure. The uneven hemline made her legs look even longer. Hmm. This one isn’t bad. Lauren twirled in the mirror to get the full effect. She ran her hands over her waist then down her hips, feeling the silky fabric under her hands. The dress hugged her curves, making her feel sexy. She opened the curtain with a flourish.
“Oh wow!”
Lauren smiled at Melanie’s encouraging reaction.
“Your date will be helping you out of that dress! Damn girl. You look so good. The neckline shows off your girls and the blue makes your eyes seem bigger, too. This dress is a keeper. This guy is definitely going to want to strip you and eat you alive when he sees you.”
The pile of clothes to try on dwindled down to nothing while the pile of keepers grew exponentially. The black dresses lay discarded along with the strap number. The corsets and bustiers—also no-gos. Those outfits made her feel like a dominatrix—way outside her comfort zone. The black widow corset she’d tried on only made Cherri and Melanie laugh before suggesting they buy her a whip.
Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn’t hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She’d often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.
As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, Mid-Michigan RWA Chapter, and EPIC. She is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars.
Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a book reviewer, an editor for a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story.
Can love shine through the clouds of treachery and misunderstanding?
Advertising for a wife seems like the answer to all of Burke Dawson's problems. He wants a wife and kids without emotional attachments, but he has no idea how much havoc one woman can cause.
Annie Douglas has her heart set on her hunky cowboy's love and she isn't about to stop until she gets it.
Take Me Home, Cowboy by Krista Ames
When tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy a growing attraction or show them the way home?
Ally Kincaid returns to Rock Creek, Wyoming, to see her father after a two year absence. Anticipating a quiet family reunion, she finds herself butting heads with Matt Gentry—her father’s foreman—instead. The man’s arrogance and sexy drawl push all her buttons, making her wonder what he’s hiding beneath his cowboy swagger.
When tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy their growing attraction or show them the way home?
Honeymoon Ranch by Cheryl Gorman
Can two reluctant partners ride off into their own blissful sunset on Honeymoon Ranch?
When wedding planner, Summer Conroy, discovers she has inherited half of Silver Creek Ranch, she is stunned to learn the other half is owned by sexy cowboy, Bryce Jericho. Her idea of turning the ranch
into an exclusive wedding and honeymoon destination is met with a wall of resistance from Bryce who doesn’t want his ranch ruined with a bunch of wedding nonsense. He is determined to conceal his vulnerable heart that beats in fear of being betrayed again. Will this woman with dreams of happily-ever-after in her eyes transform his fear into love everlasting?
Until You Fall in Love by Lyssa Layne
Can a longtime friendship suddenly blossom into love?
Single mom Jordan Glastetter doesn't know how she'd survive without her best friend, Abram Tomko. He's the father her son never knew and he's the rock she's always leaned on.
When Abram's father suffers a heart attack, it's Abram's turn to depend on Jordan, finally seeing her as the woman she's become and not the little girl he grew up with.
Will they risk their friendship for a chance at love?
The Cowboy’s Baby by D’Ann Lindun
Cat wanted to keep her baby: Tanner insisted she give it up...can they find common ground seventeen years later?
Cat O’Brien left her heart in Granite, Colorado, seventeen years ago—her first love, Tanner Burke, and the baby girl she gave birth to at sixteen. Suddenly, both Tanner’s high school sweetheart and the teenage daughter they gave up for adoption are back in his life.
Cat is adamant their daughter keep her baby; Tanner isn’t as sure. Just like seventeen years before, he and Cat are butting heads over the fate of an unborn child.
Chandler doesn’t do relationships. His life is all mapped out and with no room for a long term relationship. When he meets Jamie, feelings develop and the easiest way to handle those feelings is to end things before it gets too complicated.
Jamie has never done heartbroken and that doesn’t change when Chandler decides to end things. She picks herself back up and gets right back out into the dating world. After all, there are plenty of eligible bachelors at The Gentleman’s Club.
Before they can both walk away for good, a problem neither of them expected arises. Things heat up, lives are changed, and it all boils down to what the paternity test says.
Warning: This is a May-December romance with a hero that is going to make you hate him long before he redeems himself.
Novella and can be read as a stand alone
“Having a good time I hope?” Ian’s gaze swept over her body and from the expression on his face, she could tell he appreciated what he saw. Too bad the handsome man was another one who wanted to make a lifetime of being a bachelor.
“It would be better if you didn’t allow married men into the club.”
Ian shrugged. “I don’t encourage it, but they are paying customers.”
“Assholes are what they are.” She finished her beverage.
“Need another? On the house after dealing with an asshole.”
She handed him her glass. “I suppose.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Jamie ran her hands through the top of her hair. Her dress was riding up slightly, and as she tugged it back into place, a shiver swept down her spine. She didn’t even have to turn around to know who stood just inches from her.
A hand met her waist. “You know what this dress does to me.”
She pulled away from him and turned to meet his gaze. “Chandler. How nice to see you.”
“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” He cocked an eyebrow.
Ian returned and handed her another Appletini. “I need to handle something. We’ll talk again soon, Jamie.”
She nodded then glanced back at Chandler. His hair was dark, almost black. He’d been coloring it, she could tell, because she couldn’t find a hint of gray. And at forty-eight, she’d expect to see some around the ears, at least.
“How’ve you been?” he asked.
Like he cared. She’d been his toy, that was it. She’d known it when she got involved with him; knew it would go nowhere. He’d been honest, but she’d still fallen for him. Coming here tonight had been a mistake. You didn’t just fall out of love with someone in two weeks.
Chandler reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Please, don’t.” She couldn’t handle him touching her.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.
She shook her head and stepped back, needing space. “Don’t.”
“Come on, Jamie. Spend some time with me like you used to.”
Taking a deep breath, she glared at him. “I’m not a toy.”
Chandler smirked. “You sure are dressed like one.”
Is my mouth open? She sure-as-hell felt like her chin was sitting on the floor.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Chandler stepped toward her, but she put her hand out again.
“Don’t come anywhere near me.”
Jamie quickly spun around and marched away, bumping right into someone. Not even caring to apologize, she kept walking. Her vision was on the entrance to this place and exiting it as quickly as she could.
“Leaving so soon?” the bouncer asked.
“Yeah, nothing but creeps here tonight.” The cool air soothed her over-heated body as she hurried to her car.
Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.
Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.
