Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Spotlight for How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin

 

How to Sell a Romance by  Alexa Martin

Published:  July 15, 2025 by Berkley

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

About HOW TO SELL A ROMANCE:  Romance is the biggest scheme of them all in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from beloved author Alexa Martin. 
 
Emerson Pierce loves everything about being a kindergarten teacher except the painfully low salary.It isnt until she hears about Petunia Lemonan opportunity to sell makeup products, make some extra money, and meet a group of skin-care aficionadosthat she begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, it sounds a little too good to be true, but whats the worst that could happen? 
 
Investigative reporter Lucas Miller didnt always have a chip on his shoulderuntil his wife joined Petunia Lemon, drained their savings, and filed for divorce. Now he’s a little bitter, a lot single, and determined to expose the company. After infiltrating their largest convention yet, the last thing he expects is to lose sight of his mission for one night with the gorgeous woman at the bar. 
 
When Emerson and Lucas learn that she’s his daughter’s teacher, they decide to ignore their scorching chemistry. Until things with Petunia Lemon turn downright diabolical and Emerson turns to Lucas for help. They work together to bring the company down but can the two come out on top in this pyramid scheme of love? 

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Purchase on Amazon



Meet the Author:
  Alexa Martin is a writer and stay at home mom. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a former NFL player who now coaches at the high school where they met, their four children, and a German Shepherd. When she's not telling her kids to put their shoes on...again, you can find her catching up with her latest book boyfriend or on Pinterest pinning meals she'll probably never make. Her first book, Intercepted, was inspired by the eight years she spent as an NFL wife. 



Blog Tour for Secrets Among Thorns by JA Andrews

 


Secrets Among Thorns

She's been missing for 10 years, but can a gut feeling unravel the truth?

Carol, is a mother struggling to hold her family together in the aftermath of her brother-in-law Luke's terminal diagnosis. As Carol and her husband Darren grapple with this tragedy, their daughter Lauren mysteriously vanishes. This inciting incident sets the stage for a decade-long mystery that consumes Carol and Darren's lives, straining their already tumultuous marriage.

Years later, Brenda, a 63-year-old woman who is partially retired, becomes obsessed with Lauren's disappearance after seeing her face in a local newspaper. Despite her husband Alan's scepticism, Brenda feels a profound spiritual connection to the case and is convinced that she is meant to help uncover the truth.

Does Brenda know something she shouldn't? What secrets are the family hiding? And, who is lying?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F5J8NLMG


Author Bio – JA Andrews is from Devon in the UK and is the author of gripping twisty psychological thrillers. As well as writing fiction, he enjoys reading a mix of genres, watching reality TV and spending time with family and friends...

Social Media Links –

X: www.x.com/jasona1980

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonofduty

Website: www.jasona.co.uk






Book Review for Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs

 

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs

Published:  July 15, 2025 by William Morrow

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Womens Fiction

Taken from Goodreads:  From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption when six girls come together in a Catholic reform school in 1960s Buffalo, NY. Perfect for fans of Before We Were YoursOrphan Train, and The Berry Pickers.


It was a place frozen in time, an ancient fortress haunted by echoes that whispered against the gray stone in a mysterious, heavy rhythm, as though this place was entirely separate from the rest of the world. A sign by the inner door read Our Lady of Charity Refuge and Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Mairin’s breath caught in her throat as comprehension crept over her. This place was the one mentioned in scandalized whispers from the older girls at school. It was the one people gossiped about when a girl suddenly stopped showing up to class. It was the place angry parents—like her own mother—threatened their daughters “I’ll send you to the nuns, just you see if I won’t.”

Amid the turbulence of the Vietnam Era, in the all-American city of Buffalo, New York, teenage girls were condemned to forced labor at the Good Shepherd, a dark and secret institution controlled by the Sisters of Charity nuns.

In 1968 we meet six teens thrust into confinement at the Good Shepherdmerely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.

Mairin free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants was committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.

Angeladenounced for her attraction to girls, was sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.

Helenthe daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.

Odessacaught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.

Denisesentenced for brawling in a foster home, dared to dream of a better life.

Janicedeeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty layexcept when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.

Sister Bernadetterescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.

Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption...and justice.

 

My Thoughts: I started Wayward Girls just looking for something to enjoy, something to take my mind off the heat of the summer.   I found a book that I am still thinking about, characters that I care about, and a story that I cannot forget.  Sisters of the Good Shephard is a place of nightmares.

The lives of these young ladies are forever changed when they are sent to the nuns.  The reasons that they were sent there are all different.  Unfortunately, the experiences they had with the nuns were all horrible.  I enjoyed how strong these ladies became, how they worked together, and made a long lasting friendship that never would have been if they had not been forced together.

Wayward Girls is an emotional, heartbreaking story.  You will cry, laugh a little, and lose yourself in the lives of these wayward girls.

Thank you William Morrow for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

 

Meet Susan Wiggs (taken from her website):  Susan Wiggs’s life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water’s edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers’ group in a 21-foot motorboat. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR, PRI, and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.

From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with “refreshingly honest emotion,” and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is “one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book.” Booklist characterizes her books as “real and true and unforgettable.”

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. She lives on an island in Puget Sound, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Spotlight for Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

 

MAID FOR EACH OTHER by Lynn Painter

Berkley Trade Paperback Original; July 15, 2025

Genre:  Romantic Comedy; Contemporary Romance; Women’s Fiction

 

The story: As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she’s never even met him). It goes great…until she comes out of the bedroom one morning to find two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

 

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to executive vice president at Hathaway Holdings, but he still has his eyes set on the next level. When his parents mention they met his girlfriend Abi, he all but chokes on his escargot. As great as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?

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Author Bio:
 Lynn Painter is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies and Mr. Wrong Number, as well as the co-creator of five obnoxious children who populate the great state of Nebraska. When she isn't reading or writing, she can be found binge-watching rom-coms and obsessing over Spotify playlists.



Book Review for The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst

 

Outer Banks #2

The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst

Published:  April 26, 2025 by Blue Box Press

Genre:  Romance, Second Chance, Slow Burn

Taken from Goodreads:  From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst, discover The Reluctant Flirt…

Just one night…
After discovering her husband’s affair, Sierra Lourde flees to New York City for a little damage control—and a lot of wine. A tipsy night in a bar with a charming stranger seems like the perfect way to forget her troubles. No names, no promises, just one night to escape reality and regain her confidence. The next morning, mortified by her vulnerability, she flees without looking back. But who needs closure, right?

But one night changes everything…
Sierra has reinvented herself as the proud owner of Flirt, a trendy boutique in the Outer Banks. Life is good—until Kane Masterson, the man she left behind, walks back into town. And of course, he’s now the developer whose big new project threatens to bulldoze her beloved shop. Kane needs this deal to save his career (and his brother), but Sierra’s not about to let him demolish her hard-won success.


With sparks flying, sarcastic jabs turning into lingering looks, and a family wedding forcing them into close quarters, Sierra and Kane find themselves tangled in a battle of wills—and hearts. But now he has to choose: reclaim his career or risk everything for a second chance with the one woman he can’t forget.

My Thoughts: It started with a one-night stand.   The plan was to never see each other again, no names given.  Until Kane came to town and the one-night stand turns into a second chance.

A small-town, second chance romance book is one of my favorite tropes.   Jennifer Probst wrote just what I was looking for.  The characters were easy to like, although I would have liked Sierra to be surer of herself and Kane. There were times that I wanted her to take control and not let the outside distractions get in their way.   Luckily, Kane knew how to take control. He never gave up on Sierra.

The Reluctant Flirt is an easy book to read.   The story moves at an easy pace.  I am excited for more books in this series.

Thank you GetRedPR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon


Meet the Author(taken from her website):  Jennifer Probst is the New York TimesUSA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty books in contemporary romance fiction. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over 2 million copies, and was dubbed a "romance phenom" by Kirkus Reviews. Her passions include reading, horse racing, Scrabble, Italian wine and food, shameful reality television, and rescue dogs. Like some of her characters, Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New York’s Hudson Valley home. 

 

 

Monday, July 14, 2025

Book Blitz for Running Hot by Serena Bell with a GIVEAWAY

 

Running Hott
Serena Bell
(Hott Springs Eternal, #4)
Publication date: July 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A jilted bride. A jaded divorce lawyer. A full tank of gas. What could go wrong?

Rhys: As a cutthroat New York City divorce lawyer, it’s my job to end marriages. Lifetime commitment? It’s for the birds. I do everything in my power to avoid it…until my grandfather’s will says that to save our family’s land, I have to become a wedding planner.

Worse, my first client is Eden Becker. She’s the sunshine-y disaster whose ex-husband I represented a few years ago in their divorce. Eden’s first marriage was a nightmare, so why does she think another one is a good idea?

Turns out, I’m not wrong. Her jerkwad fiancé jilts her, and as her wedding planner, I’m also her getaway vehicle. Now we’re on the road together—and all my complicated feelings about this beautiful, naive optimist are in the car, too. Along with a wild attraction I’ve been fighting since we first faced off across a conference table.

If this road trip goes on too much longer, I’m going to do something I’ll regret forever.

Like fall in love.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, jilted bride, enemies to lovers, standalone road trip romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

I reach for the sound system.

His hand snakes in and blocks mine. “Driver controls the radio.”

“No, dude. Everyone knows the passenger controls the radio. Besides, if you won’t let me drive at all, that’s not fair. I had to listen to ninety-seven minutes of your dirge list and way too much sports ball. We need a mood change.”

I cue up my playlist and set it on shuffle. “What I’ve Been Looking For” from High School Musical comes on. Rhys groans.

“What?” I demand.

“This is from a kid’s movie.”

“Which you must have seen, if you know that.”

“It was one of Hanna’s favorites. We watched it a thousand times. Which was a thousand times too many.”

“What I’ve Been Looking For” is followed by “Surface Pressure” and “All You Wanna Do,” and Rhys says, “Please tell me this isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies.”

“This isn’t all from musicals and Disney movies,” I say as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me” fills the car.

Rhys’s jaw ticks. His eyes roll. His shoulders twitch.

“What’s wrong with this one?” I demand.

He heaves a long-suffering sigh. “He obviously doesn’t belong with her. Let’s look at the facts: She’s clearly not his type. He wants someone who wears short skirts and high heels, and she’s not comfortable in those clothes. If she keeps trying to convince him he belongs with her, they’re both going to end up miserable.”

I stare at his way-too-good-looking profile in the dimly lit car, agog. “Are you serious?”

“Would you argue with anything I’ve said?”

“It’s a friends-to-lovers song!” I cry. “They’re obviously going to end up together and be super happy. Because she sees him! And understands him. He’s happy when he’s with her, and that isn’t true with the short-skirts-and-high-heels girl.”

“I thought you were swearing off love and marriage.”

“Just because I’m personally swearing off love and marriage doesn’t mean I wish ill on other people who have found their perfect matches.”

This,” he says. “This is why so many marriages end in divorce. Because we hear what we want to hear. And two people can hear the same song and find completely different meaning in it. Imagine if you were with a guy and this was your song, and every time you heard it you thought about how cool it was that he’d finally seen you for the awesome bleachers girl you are, and he thought about his ex-girlfriend and her short skirts and high heels and how he wished you’d get some personal style.”

“Grim!”

“Realistic,” he corrects.

One of his hands leaves the wheel. Settles briefly near his knee. Creeps into my Cool Ranch Doritos bag.

“What are you doing?” I shriek.

“Stress eating,” he says. “Your playlist has driven me to it.”

I do everything in my power not to crack a smile. “You don’t eat junk food,” I point out.

“That was before I realized that despite being divorced by a sociopath and jilted by a personality potato, you still believe in true love.”

I can’t help it; I snort at personality potato. “I’m the one who has the stress. I’m the one who got jilted. And if I’d known I was going to have to share my precious Cool Ranch, I would have gotten a bigger bag.”

I sneak a peek at him. He’s definitely trying not to laugh. And unfortunately, it looks good on him. I let him have the Doritos.

“God, these are disgustingly tasty,” he says.

“Right?”

We’re both quiet for a moment, worshipping at the altar of fake food. He quietly licks Cool Ranch flavor off his fingers, and I absolutely, one hundred percent, do not wonder how his tongue feels licking up the inside of his finger and across the tip of his thumb. How it would feel rasping over my own fingertips, drawn into the heat of his mouth.

Oh, hell.

I’ve tumbled into a sexual fantasy about a man who disassembled me like a kid’s discarded playset.

We make our way through Maroon 5’s “Memories” (“Memories of how I cribbed this entire song from Pachelbel’s Canon,” Rhys says grumpily), past Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals” (“Now this is actually a great song; you’re one for, what, a hundred?”) to “Try Everything.”

“That’s shitty advice,” he says. “‘Try everything.’ I mean, no. There are a lot of things that are straight-up bad ideas. Bull-riding. Free solo climbing. Base jumping. Heli-skiing. Recreational fentanyl.”

“She doesn’t mean literally everything,” I say.

“See?” he says. “And there we have it. Two people, same song, totally different interpretations.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t see how that’s somehow a refutation of marriage. You’re so—”

“Pessimistic? Cynical? Misanthropic?”

“All of the above. You ready to tell me what childhood wound made you this way?” I ask, half-teasing…half…not.

He shrugs.

“Yes, Eden,” I say, pitching my voice low to roughly imitate his. “Since we have another five and a half uninterrupted hours of being stuck in this car together with absolutely nothing else to do, I would love to tell you all about my childhood.”

Rhys is quiet for a moment. Then with a sigh, he says, “What do you want to know?”

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter


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Friday, July 11, 2025

Book Mail


 


The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis

In this twisty tale of domestic suspense, four neighbors become the prime suspects in a murder investigation that reveals the sinister underside of their picture-perfect community.






The Forget-Me-Not LIbrary by Heather Webber

A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.




The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi

An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging by the bestselling author of A Heart Like Home.



The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

An unputdownable novel of loves lost and found, shocking secrets―and the power of female friendship.




Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the USA Today bestselling author.






AUDIOBOOK-The Lost Book of First Loves by         RaeAnne Thayne

From New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne comes a brand-new story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything…



Thursday, July 10, 2025

Now Live! Shattered Promise by Penelope Black


 Shattered Promise by Penelope Black is now live!


Mason Porter: Avalon Falls' hottest single dad, my brother's best friend, and the only man who’s ever broken my heart.
Oh, and now he's my neighbor.

I came back to town without telling anyone—just me, a half-forgotten cabin I inherited, and the quiet hope that a few stolen weeks might be enough to outrun the pressure closing in from all sides.

I didn’t expect to run into Mason and his son by the creek. I didn’t expect him to keep my secret. And I definitely didn’t expect the way it would feel to slip into his life like I’d always belonged there.

Now I’m living next door, falling into a rhythm that feels dangerously close to peace. I watch his son while he works, cook dinner more nights than not, and for the first time in years, I don’t feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

For a little while, it works.
Until it doesn’t.

Because this town has secrets, and I’m not the only one running from something.
Someone is watching me.
And the danger I thought I left behind might be closer than I ever imagined.

He was never mine to begin with.
But loving him now might cost me everything.

tropes:

brother's best friend
small town
single dad
forced proximity

who hurt you?
one MF bed


Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4i67Va5

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/XLNc4x

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3XIFNT4

Release Blitz for Crazy Love by Willow Aster


 Crazy Love by Willow Aster is now live!

A small town, marriage of convenience, single dad, sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author Willow Aster

Penn Hudson. Sexy. Intense. Gorgeous.
The star running back of the Colorado Mustangs.
Well-known playboy and consummate bachelor.
We met in the Bahamas.
I knew exactly who he was.
He had no idea who I was.
Yet for a few blissful hours, it didn’t matter.
We had an unbelievable connection…
Something special that held so much promise.
Then I unexpectedly had to leave and never had a chance to say goodbye.

Fast-forward to today, when I am about to see Penn again,
and he’s going to find out exactly who he was kissing in the Bahamas.
I’m excited about my new job and returning to my hometown of Silver Hills.
But seeing him every day won't be easy,
especially with the lingering memory of his touch and the attraction that still burns between us.
When he faces an obstacle in adopting a young boy he’s mentored for years,
I offer him a solution I never thought I’d make:
A fake marriage.
He needs to show stability and a squeaky-clean public image,
and I figure, how hard could it be to play house?
But as time goes by, nothing feels fake anymore.

I’d always planned on getting married for love,
but sometimes we make once-in-a-lifetime sacrifices.
I just hope I won’t be devastated in the process.




Crazy Love is book five in the standalone The Single Dad Playbook series.




Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://geni.us/Crazylove

Goodreads: https://geni.us/CrazyLoveGR 



Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Release Blitz for Changing Rules by Anastasija White

 



Changing Rules by Anastasija White is now live!




Isabella Lawson is the happiest she’s ever been, simply because Alexander Walker loves her. With him by her side, Bella begins to understand her worth. The only problem? Not everyone wants to see her in Xander’s life. 

Schemes, betrayals, and secrets lead to the shattering of two hearts, and Bella’s best option is to leave Boston and focus on herself for a change. She puts rules in place to keep from getting hurt again, and when she returns to Boston, she’s stronger than ever. 

Xander’s love for Bella has never wavered, despite how painful it was to be cut out of her life so easily. 

When Bella returns to Boston, Xander’s committed to convincing her they’re the perfect match, to change the rules she set for herself. Rekindling their passion is tempting, but will succumbing to their desires only cause more pain? And will the person lurking in the shadows destroy them for good?





 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4kaNRFb      


Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4dJT1G4 



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Meet Anastasija White



Anastasija is an indie author who spends her days creating swoon-worthy and steamy stories that will make your heart race. Her writing is filled with flawed and relatable characters that you'll find yourself rooting for. Whether you're in the mood for angsty drama or steamy romance, her stories take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with guaranteed happy endings.

When she's not writing, she loves to lose herself in reading books, rewatching her favorite tv-shows and spending time with her son. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and then including places she visited in her novels.

If you're a fan of romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more, Anastasija is the author for you. Connect with her on Instagram and TikTok, where she loves to hear from her readers and share sneak peeks of her books and upcoming projects.

 

Connect with Anastasija

Website | https://www.anastasijawhite.com   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29668972.Anastasija_White   

Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anastasija-White/author/B0BWVDGZS7    

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ms.anastasia.white/      

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anastasija.white.author/