Monday, January 31, 2022

Book Review for The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

 The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published January 4th 2022 by Gallery Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction, British Literature, Romance

 


From Goodreads:  The author of the “sweeping, stirring, and heartrending” (Kristin Harmel, author of The Room on Rue AmélieThe Light Over London returns with a masterful, glittering novel that whisks you to midcentury Britain as it follows three of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II.


When it’s announced that 1958 will be the last year debutantes are to be presented at court, thousands of eager mothers and hopeful daughters flood the palace with letters seeking the year’s most coveted invitation: a chance for their daughters to curtsey to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society.

In an effort to appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nichols agrees to become a debutante and do the Season, a glittering and grueling string of countless balls and cocktail parties. In doing so, she befriends two very different women: the cool and aloof Leana Hartford whose apparent perfection hides a darker side and the ambitious Katherine Norman who dreams of a career once she helps her parents find their place among the elite.

But the glorious effervescence of the Season evaporates once Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family. Faced with a dark past, she’s forced to ask herself what really matters: her family legacy or her own happiness.

With her signature “intricate, tender, and convincing” (Publishers Weekly) storytelling, Julia Kelly weaves an unforgettable tale of female friendship amid the twilight days of Britain’s grand coming out balls.

My Thoughts:  Being a debutante is supposed to be a privilege.  It is a privilege that Lily is not thrilled to be doing but she understands that it is important to her mother and grandmama. I enjoyed seeing her come into her own, seeing her make her own friends, make her own choices, and not always fall into line with what her family wants.  I like that the friends she chose did not put pressure on her to be like them, they encouraged her to make her own way in her life and supported her decisions. 

There are secrets, BIG secrets, that being kept from Lily and as she finds a letter in her mom’s study. She starts to ask questions.   They are questions that she deserves to have answered and I admire how she went about finding the answers she needed. The answers were not easy, but she took what she learned and did what she had to just to not fall into the trap of living how everyone else wants her to live.

I have read one other book from Julia Kelly and am now a fan.  I will be looking for more from her in the future.  The Last Dance of the Debutantes is a great look at the history of coming-out as a deb in the late 1950’s while also not falling into line with traditions. 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble


Meet Julia Kelly:
  (taken from her website) Julia Kelly is the international bestselling author of historical women's fiction books about the extraordinary stories of the past. Her books have been translated into 13 languages. She has also written historical romance. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London.

Readers can sign up for her newsletter so they never miss a new release.

Bloggers, bookstagrammers, and booktubers have their own list for extra information and press opportunities ahead of new releases.

Blog Tour with Excerpt for Audrey by Sean-Paul Thomas with a Giveaway

 

Audrey
Sean-Paul Thomas
Publication date: May 21st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From the author of My Sister and I and The Old Man and The Princess (recently optioned to be a motion picture) – comes a new, suspenseful romantic tale that will knock you off your feet. A story that has a reminiscence of ‘500 days of Summer’ and ‘Midnight in Paris’ with a fair dollop of ‘The Graduate’ thrown in. And of course Audrey, a delightful, older female protagonist who takes the young and wayward ex-con Joe under her wing.

Just out of prison Joe, a young builder from Edinburgh who writes movie scripts in his spare time, randomly meets Audrey, a washed-up, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, middle-aged French film actress at his local film festival. After hitting it off and spending one crazy, magical night together, Audrey sees some potential in Joe and his writing and tries to help him win back his estranged daughter by getting his first screenplay made into a movie in Paris. And so, the adventure of a lifetime begins…


EXCERPT  

“Julie?”

Julie froze on the footpath only a few dozen yards ahead of him, although she did not turn around right away to face the familiar voice.

“Julie, please!” Joe cried, continuing to approach her but slowing down his pace just enough to appear as non-threatening as he possibly could. Surprisingly it was Sarah who turned around to face him first.

“Who is it, mummy?” were the first words out of her mouth. “Who is that man?”

Julie took a deep breath and finally turned her stiff body fully around to confront the man that she truly hoped she would never have to see again. There was a long, deep silence as the two just stared at each other for what felt like aeons. Joe looked deeply remorseful stuck inside his own emotional turmoil.

“I heard you were getting out.” Julie finally spoke up.

“I just wanted to say hello.”

“You shouldn’t be here, Joe. You’re not allowed to be here. There are rules and regulations that you need to follow.”

“I know, I know, but I just wanted to see my...”

Joe glanced down at Sarah. He tried to smile, even with tears in his eyes. Sarah hugged a little closer into her mother, unsure of the strange man standing on the street in front of them.

“Don’t you dare say what you’re about to bloody well say, Joe? Don’t you bloody well dare!”

Julie turned to face Sarah again. She crouched down fast so they were both at the same height.

“Who is that man, mummy?” Sarah asked again.

“Just an old, old friend of your mum’s, that’s all. Nothing to worry about. But can you do me a wee favour, my angel?”

Sarah nodded gently.

“See that lamppost behind you, my wee darling? Can you go and wait for mummy over there, please? I won’t be long.”

Sarah simply nodded again and did what she was told. She took one last short curious glance at Joe before walking away. Julie then turned her focus back on Joe. With an angry glare and a determined steely walk, she made her way towards him with a face of thunder.

“Look. I knew this day was coming and I have been... mentally preparing for it to say the least...”

Julie hesitated. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips into her forehead, debating what to say next. Desperately trying to choose her words carefully in her emotional state of mind.

“Look. She doesn’t know who you are, okay? She doesn’t remember you. And I still haven’t gotten around to telling her about...” Julie hesitated again. Clearly choking up with the painful memories of it all. “…About what you fucking did.” She finally got her words out.

“It’s okay. I completely understand.” Joe swiftly replied, keen to comfort her. But Julie looked furious as hell at Joe’s casual answer. “No, Joe. No, you don’t understand. How could you ever understand?” Julie took a few moments to calm herself down.

“Look, if you want to see Sarah again then I guess I can’t stop you from trying. But you will have to go through all the proper channels to make it happen. I will not make this easy for you Joe, okay? So, this is your first and only warning. If you surprise us like this again in the middle of the bloody street, or if I see you anywhere near us without a social worker or a bloody lawyer then I will call the police and have you sent back to prison without even batting an eyelash. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Joe replied as sincerely as he possibly could. “I understand.”

Julie turned around to leave, but Joe still had more to say.

“Do you think we could talk sometime, Julie? Please?”

Julie stopped dead in her tracks and whipped around to face him again. She looked utterly flabbergasted that he was still talking.

“Talk?”

“I mean, just the two of us.”

“Didn’t you just listen to a bloody word I said?”

Joe suddenly began digging around in his pockets. By the desperate expression on his face, it was as if the thing he was searching for held the key to getting back on Julie’s good side again. Finally, he pulled out a pair of cinema tickets which only baffled her more.

“Look. I know it might sound stupid and dumb as hell, but I bought us some tickets for a movie at the film festival next week... I thought we could perhaps grab a bite to eat, talk, watch a movie. Like we used to do?”

Julie looked utterly confounded, but she restrained herself from raising her voice into an angry screech in the middle of the quiet neighbourhood where she could already feel the presence of hidden eyes from behind the twitching blinds and curtains of the surrounding houses.

“You want to go and watch a fucking movie? After all this time? After what you did?”

“I know it sounds dumb. I just don’t know what to do or where else to start here, Julie, please?”

“You could start by moving to the other side of the fucking planet and staying far, far away from us.”

 

  

Goodreads / Amazon


Author Bio:

Scottish Author/Screenwriter.

Sean is an author from Edinburgh in Scotland. He is the best selling Kindle Author of 'The Old Man and The Princess' which was recently optioned to be a major motion picture.

Sean spent most of his childhood and teenage years on the move with his Scottish and Irish army Parents growing up in the likes of Cyprus, Germany, Wales, and England, as an army brat.

With a keen interest in both reading and writing, he was diagnosed with travel and writing bugs very early in life. Now, writing, travelling, reading, cinema, and Scottish football (Supporting the mighty Edinburgh City for his sins) are his main passions in life.

His main inspiration for writing today comes from living in such a beautiful, charming and hauntingly, Gothic city, such as Edinburgh. An awe-inspiring wee city that has given him so much amazing inspiration to write the more time he spends there.

Recently, Sean has been working on a couple of screenplay adaptations of his books. One of which 'The Old Man and The Princess' made the final of the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition 2018 and has since been optioned by an award-winning Director /Producer team. Scheduled to go into production in Ireland in the summer of 2021 filming has been postponed until 2022 due to the recent covid pandemic.

Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Amazon


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Book Blitz for Hot for Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson with a GIVEAWAY

Hot For Me
Tam DeRudder Jackson
(Balefire Series, #4)
Publication date: January 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Romance

Adam

A bonafide pop diva, all sass and scandal, Cristy Valor commands headlines wherever she goes. The tabloids love her—and love to hate her. From the first time her sexy alto voice rolls over me, she has all my attention. When she joins Balefire on our latest tour, she sashays across the stage in her wild-ass costumes and parties hard enough to keep up with my boys and me. She drives me batshit crazy—and I love every second of it.

Sex on stilettos.

Pure trouble.

Our sizzling chemistry could shoot a rocket into space, and it’s not long before I crave her. For the first time in my life, I want to share everything with a woman. But Cristy is hiding something, something that holds her back from giving me all of herself. She’s about to find out that I’m a patient man—and I always get what I want.

Cristy

Adam Tron is the poster boy for tall, dark, and sexy. His bass rhythms are enough to make me cream my panties every time I hear them. Flirting with him during our live shows is a rush but nothing compared to what happens when I finally give in to my lust and share his bed. The problem is, sex isn’t all he wants.

For my entire career, I’ve set the narrative, teased the tabloids with scandals that kept them too busy to look into my past, too busy to discover the secret that could end the party for good. Adam Tron could wreck me, steal my heart—and my music. I can’t let him in. I can’t let him discover the secret behind the nightmares I have nearly every night. He thinks he can slay all my monsters, and it would be so easy to let him. But if he finds out the truth, will he still be hot for me?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Adam

Without so much as a hihowareya, she launched into full-on diva. “Your manager is a jerk. Did you all know that? He’s a total tool. I don’t get how you put up with him.” She pounded more than paced back and forth across the front of the stage, her arms waving around her head for emphasis. “Everyone on this tour is an adult, and we don’t need a dad. Perhaps one of you could remind him?” She quit pacing for a second to give us all “the look” every woman on the planet has perfected for calling out a man.

Not waiting for a response, she resumed her attempt to wear a path in the stage floor with her stiletto heels. “Furthermore, someone needs to talk to him about his fashion choices. There is no one in the universe who will ever follow whatever trend he thinks he’s setting with those cut-off shirts tucked in—tucked in for crying out loud.” She threw her hands up. When I glanced at my brothers, I saw each of us trying to hold it in. Dakota’s lips twitched, Jack’s cheeks puffed out, and Blu had turned an interesting shade of purple.

Oblivious to our response, Cristy plowed on. “Tucked into five-hundred-dollar custom-tailored dress pants. He looks utterly ridiculous. The man is just a, just a—” She seemed to struggle to say the word, but finally she sucked in a deep breath and whispered, “prick.”

We erupted in guffaws we couldn’t hold back anymore. As she stood there all indignant, one foot in front of the other, hands planted on her hips, Jack, Blu, Dakota, and I laughed ourselves stupid. We probably should have tried harder to hold it in after the way she ranted about Garrett, but something about that sexy little pixie strutting attitude like a boss—who couldn’t bring herself to curse even when she clearly wanted to—struck all of us as hilarious.

At last when I sort of tried to pull myself together, I looked at her and noticed the hint of a smile making her dimples twitch. Then I caught her watching me, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. Apparently, even she saw the humor in her little tantrum.

Dakota was the last of us to get it together, but as usual, the first to speak. “So Cristy, how ’bout you tell us how you really feel, huh? It’s okay if you want to call Garrett an asshole in front of us. We won’t tattle to him.”

She rolled her gorgeous sapphire eyes. “Screw you, Dakota.” But she was grinning.

“Now that we have the preliminaries over, let’s put the sound guys to work,” he suggested.

Blu turned to me. “Whoa. Tron. You’re the usual captain of this boat. Are you going to kick back and let Dakota make all the decisions without a comment?”

Jerking my eyes from Cristy’s gorgeous ones, I stammered, “Wh-what?”

Blu laughed. “I see how you’re rollin’.”

“Whatthefuckever.” Strolling over to the guitar rack, I grabbed my bass, flipping him the bird over my head as I settled the strap over my shoulder.

Dakota and Blu didn’t stop laughing as they pulled their axes from the guitar cart at the edge of the stage. I might have succeeded in ignoring them if Jack hadn’t whispered in my ear as he passed me on his way to his drums. “Don’t blame you, man. She’s definitely hot.”

Fuuuuck,” I hissed under my breath. Usually, I’m the cool one. Not that Cristy would know that.

So I ignored her for the entirety of sound checks. Afterward as we enjoyed the eclectic spread in the green room, I concentrated on food rather than on Cristy. Local seafood, our favorite Mexican fare—every flavor of tacos and burritos—and prime rib carved by Jeff Scott, our private chef. Chef Jeff’s usual array of workout-challenging desserts—I ate three—kept my eyes off of our sexy-hot guest. My mind was another story.

Visions of all the ways I could have her long legs wrapped around my waist scrolled through my head, each scenario hotter than the last. All of them involved her wearing a pair of her stilettos. Judging from the variety she’d worn so far on the tour, the woman had an infinite wardrobe of the things. I liked them all. The bright purple-and-pink-sequined pair she wore today were kind of hard to miss as they reflected into my eyes from beyond the edge of my plate of cinnamon flan, fudge mousse, and raspberry tart.

I let my eyes take a slow tour up the creamy skin of her toned legs and over her tight ripped denim cutoffs. I lingered at the place where her form-fitting green T-shirt left space for the diamond piercing her belly button to sparkle. How had I missed that piercing in all the times I’d checked her out?

“Tron. My eyes are up here.”

“I know where your eyes are.”

My lips curved into a grin as I let my eyes continue their thorough tour of the purple and pink sequins creating a single rose in the middle of her rack and on to the sapphire necklace I’d never seen her without. In my peripheral vision, I noticed her wicked smile when my gaze settled on her cleavage, and I couldn’t help my answering smile at the mischief in her eyes when I stopped my tour.

“You have the sexiest smile, Tron.”

“Just enjoying the scenery.”

“You like what you see?” she sassed.

“Every single thing.”

“Even though you’re the quiet one in the band, you’re used to the ladies giving you exactly what you want, aren’t you?”

The tone of her voice suggested a land mine lurked somewhere nearby, but I ignored the warning. “It’s a nice perk.”

“Yes, it is. I have no trouble getting anything—or anyone—I want either.”

Rather than answer, I raised a brow and waited. And tried not to think of Cristy Valor with any other man. The visual flashing through my head made the taste of all that delicious dessert turn to ash in my mouth.

Something of my thoughts must have shown on my face. “You’re okay with the change we made in the show for tonight?” she asked.

The abrupt change of topic jerked my mind back into the moment. Trying to recover myself, I said, “Sure. Why not? Like Dakota said, you’re our guest.”

“Uh-huh.”

Grinning, I added, “It’s good to shake things up sometimes. Keeps us honest.”

“Honest? Yeah, I’m all kinds of interested in honest, Tron.”


Author Bio:

Tam DeRudder Jackson is the author of the paranormal romance Talisman Series and the contemporary romance Balefire Series. Her favorite “room” in her house is her back patio where she dreams up stories of romance and risk. When she’s not writing her latest paranormal or contemporary romance, you can usually find her driving around with the top down in her convertible or carving turns on the slopes of the local ski hill. The mom of two grown sons, Tam likes to travel, attend rock concerts, watch football and soccer, and visit old car shows with her husband. She lives in the mountains of northwest Wyoming where she spends most of her free time trying to read all the books. Her TBR piles are threatening to take over her office, and she’s fine with that.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter


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Friday, January 28, 2022

Now Available!! Watch Me Burn by Melissa Toppen

 

Title: Watch Me Burn
Author: Melissa Toppen
Genre: Billionaire Romance
Release Date: January 28, 2022


They say life never gives you more than you can handle.
Tell that to someone who didn’t just watch the perfectly placed pieces of her future go up in flames.

Enter Liam Mason.
Mysterious. Sexy.
An obvious playboy.
And even though he’s the last person I should want, I can’t help but be drawn to him.
Like a moth to a flame, I simply can’t look away.

I convince myself it’s just a rebound.
Who could ever be foolish enough to fall for a man who might as well have womanizer tattooed on his forehead?

But matters of the heart aren’t always so simple.
And I have a feeling I just opened mine up to be broken all over again…





Melissa Toppen is a USA Today Bestselling Author who specializes in New Adult and Contemporary Romance. She is a lover of books and enjoys nothing more than losing herself in a good novel. She has a soft spot for Romance and focuses her writing in that direction; writing what she loves to read.

Melissa resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two children, where she writes full time.



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Book Blitz for The Liars Beneath by Heather Van Fleet with a GIVEAWAY

 

The Liars Beneath
Heather Van Fleet
Publication date: January 27th 2022
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

A romantically dark YA thriller set in the backdrop of Iowa’s suspenseful farmlands.

After a tragic accident ends her best friend’s life, 17-year-old Becca Thompson succumbs to grief the only way she knows how: by wallowing in it. She’s a fragment of the person she once was—far too broken to enjoy the summer before her senior year. But when Ben McCain, her best friend’s older brother, returns home, Becca must face her new reality head on.

She isn’t interested in Ben’s games, especially since he abandoned his sister during the months leading up to her death. But when he begs for her help in uncovering the truth about what really happened the night of his sister’s death, Becca finds herself agreeing, hoping to clear up rumors swirling in the wake of her best friend’s accident.

An unhinged ex-boyfriend, secret bucket lists, and garage parties in the place Becca calls home soon lead her to the answers she’s so desperate to unveil. But nobody is being honest, not even Ben. And the closer Becca gets to the truth—and to Ben—the more danger seems to surround her.

Clearing her best friend’s name was all she wanted to do, but Becca is quickly realizing that the truth she craves might be uglier than the lies her best friend kept.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

It was almost midnight when I heard the knock against my window. Three soft and consecutive thuds, all of which match the beat of my heart. Why he chose that way to get my attention instead of texting, is a mystery. The kind of mystery I was way too amped up to question.

I wasn’t excited in the sense that I like him and want to spend time with him or anything. At least that’s what I told my racing heart when I first saw his smile from the other side of the glass. He’d been crouched on his belly on the roof of our porch like a stealthy spy, and the sight was something I’d never forget.

I’d thrown a hoodie on over the Tee I’m dressed in, pairing it with some denim cutoffs. Then I tossed my hair up into a messy bun and slid on some cherry Chapstick—but only because my lips were chapped. That’s it. No other reason whatsoever.

Once my Docs were on, I slid out my window and met him head on, the two of us jumping the five feet off the low hanging roof. I’d giggled uncontrollably when he landed on his butt instead of his feet, and he’d nearly pulled me down with him when he tried grabbing my laces. That would be the last time I’d ever not tie my boots.

“Guess what?” he whispered when we started to walk away from the house. “I researched your family tree today and found out that you, Becca, are the biggest sap.” He ended that statement with a tap to my nose. My freaking nose, for God’s sake.

He’d booped me.

My response—one which had been paired with a hard thump to his equally as hard abdomen: “You’re so dumb, you planted a dogwood tree and expected a litter of puppies.”

We both laughed at how stupid we sounded, yet at the same time it felt good to just be goofy. Or dare I say, normal. Though that word—normal—was a bit of a stretch when it came to the two of us anymore.

After that, Ben took my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world and proceeded to lead me to where we are now: the middle of the cornfield.

I trail my fingers over the silky corn stalks, marveling at their height and the way the midnight moon reflects off the green color. Nothing about this spot eases my frazzled nerves, of course. It doesn’t give me peace of mind like it once had when I’d come out here with Rose either. It’s kind of like the alcove in that sense—a spot tainted by a bad memory, despite the many good memories trying to override it.

Ben moves closer, our shoulders brushing.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“Stuff.” That no longer matters. A time and a place and a memory that’s long past.

“Rose said you guys used to hang out here a lot.”

I shrugged one shoulder, unwilling to indulge in what happened the last time she and I had been out here. It’s not a huge thing, smoking weed and all, but for some reason, I don’t want Ben to know that it’d been my bucket list item, not Rose’s. It shows my age—how I’d been so young and inexperienced.

Not that I care what he thinks.

“It’s nice,” he continues. “Quiet too. I can see why you liked it.”

“We did some of our best thinking out here.” Thinking that was more along the lines of Rose smoking joints, while I stood by to keep watch.

“Hmm.” He nods, kicks the toe of his foot into the dirt. “I’m gonna go to that party on Saturday,” he tells me out of the blue.

I frown. “You think that’s smart after beating up Adam like you did?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“Because Adam’s gonna be there.” He looks away, but I don’t miss the flex of his jaw—not even in the dark. “I don’t trust the guy.”

I turn him around by the shoulders, forcing him to stand in front of me. “What’s there not to trust, exactly?”

“Lots of things.”

“Like what?”

“I’ve got facts that need exploring.” His lips purse.

“Yeah.” I roll my eyes. “Because you’re suddenly a detective now. I forgot.”

Adam wouldn’t hurt a puppy, let alone be behind Rose’s death. He used to talk big, but his love for my best friend was endless. Without a doubt, I know that’s who her secret boyfriend was. I just don’t get why they never went public.

“I’m more of a private eye, actually.” He covers one eye and curls the corner of his upper lip, making an argh noise.

“That’s a pirate, not a private eye, dork.”

“Either way, they’re both sneaky, right?”

I sigh, wondering if he’s always been this weird. Cocky, a smartass, and a huge instigator—that’s Ben. Not funny.


Author Bio:

Heather Van Fleet is a stay-at-home-mom turned book boyfriend connoisseur. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, a mom to three girls, and in her spare time you can find her with her head buried in her Kindle, guzzling down copious amounts of coffee.

Heather graduated from Black Hawk College in 2003 and currently writes Adult contemporary romance. She is published through Sourcebooks Casablanca with her Reckless Hearts series and Bookouture with her Red Dragon series.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest



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Thursday, January 27, 2022

Release Blitz for Blind Pass by Teagan Hunter

 

She's sunshine. He's grumpy.
She's beauty. And him? He's the Beast.

Blind Pass by Teagan Hunter is now live!

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there.

I would know. I'm coming home with a brand-new ring on my finger.

My wife? Ryan Bell.
We're polar opposites.
She's sunshine and happiness.
I'm grumpy and scarred--literally.

We could get it annulled and no one would be the wiser.
Only problem? We posted about it online, and it's already making headlines.

I can't afford to get that kind of attention and tank my career, and Ryan needs my help too.

We make a plan: stay married for one year, play our roles, and divorce amicably at the end. No harm, no foul.

Besides, there's no way the beauty is going to fall for the beast…

 

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EVJpVR

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/BlindPass

 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3bOpSKG

 

 

Meet Teagan


TEAGAN HUNTER is a Missouri-raised gal but currently lives in South Carolina with her Marine veteran husband, where she spends her days begging him for a cat. She survives off coffee, pizza, and sarcasm. When she's not writing, you can find her binge-watching various TV shows, especially Supernatural and One Tree Hill. She enjoys cold weather, buys more paperbacks than she'll ever read, and never says no to brownies.

Connect with Teagan

Website: www.teaganhunterwrites.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13263928.Teagan_Hunter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Hunter/e/B00TEYOSTC

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/teaganhunterwrites

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeaganHunterReaderGroup

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/thunterwrites

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Verve: https://ververomance.com/app/TeaganHunterWrites

Book Blitz for Pierce Her by Kelly Finley with a GIVEAWAY

 

Pierce Her
Kelly Finley
(Come for Me, #1)
Publication date: January 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

She’s the hero. He plays one. That’s why falling in love could be the biggest—and best—mistake of her life…

Former Marine Charlie Ravenel devotes her life to protecting women. A job that’s left its mark on her—body and soul. When she’s not working, she’s safe hiding in the shadows. Alone. But when a young celebrity finds herself tormented by a dangerous stalker, Charlie vows to keep her safe.

One problem. She’ll just have to avoid her client’s sexy co-star—the alluring one who seems so intent on breaking down Charlie’s defenses…

No one really knows Daniel Pierce. They think they do. Millions want him. But no one knows what’s beneath his heroic veneer. He doesn’t let them. Until her.

Charlie, with her arousing smile and razor blade tongue, attracts him like no other. He’d do anything to ease her pain, to make her his. How can he lure her into giving him a chance?

If Charlie has any hope of overcoming the demons of her past in time to save the girl, she’ll have to trust her gut…and Daniel. But what if trust is a luxury she just can’t afford?

PIERCE HER, Book One in the COME FOR ME series, is a steamy, romantic suspense novel featuring a kickass heroine who just happens to fall for Hollywood’s sexiest man alive.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Charlie

Relief dropped the tension in her shoulders when she turned to unpack the rifle. She had to turn away. Away from Daniel Pierce to and her breath.

What the holy fuck was that, Charlie Girl?

Her body howled awake at his handshake. At his touch. The first time in six years it had responded to any man.

As a bodyguard, the sets she worked on accustomed her to being surrounded by beautiful people, men and women. She had seen, hell fought off, how such beauty was as much a burden as a blessing for many of them. She learned to treat them like nobodies. Or anybodies. It was one of the many reasons they trusted her.

But damn. Daniel Pierce, famously the sexiest man alive, possessed so much exquisite physical DNA it required a full audit. Sure, she had seen him plastered across covers and screens. A sudden flush fired up her cheeks for the solo plea‐ sure she gave herself at the sight of his photo a few times in the past. But that was a screen, a fleeting fantasy. This was him, palpable and in person. And oh, where his staggering bounty of beauty stopped, his sexy charisma raced, lapping her body for the win.

Damn, Charlie Girl. She adjusted the scope on the rifle. Slow your roll. You’ve got a job to do. A girl at risk.

And she’d fucking asked for this. Asked Anders where the cast hung out. Wanting to meet each one of them. Off set. In a setting where their guard was down. In a setting where a stalker may betray himself.

She wasn’t wheels down in Madrid for twenty-four hours, kissing her relaxing trip to Miami with Juliette goodbye, before she found herself jumping into the damn deep end of this job. Right into the ocean of Daniel Pierce.

And it was raging wet.

Over six feet of hulking muscles wrapped down a body that famously took discipline and sacrifice to achieve. Black hair fell in soft waves, framing aqua eyes as deep as a cenote, enticing anyone to jump in. Stubble blanketed a square jaw and deep cleft chin. Pillow lips formed a perfect soft bow, almost feminine, until they flashed a white-hot, hungry smile.

He was cast as Zeus, the god of gods who had no equal, many enemies and could bed any woman in a comic book series turned movie franchise. Two films had dominated the box office in the blockbuster series. A third was rumored. And everywhere Daniel Pierce went, he was “Zeus” to his fans. Charlie read how many followers and press also branded him— “Sex God.”

Careful, Charlie Girl. With a look like that, you’ll have a lot more to protect than a girl.


Author Bio:

Kelly Finley is fiction author of contemporary romances featuring bada** women and grown-a** men. She lives in the Carolinas with her husband and family. A rebel with many causes, she fancies black leather, dirty jokes, and smart mouths.

Thrilled by a flipped script and ticked off by women portrayed as weak, she noticed how many steamy, sexy heroines were missing, particularly from suspense and military romance. Her friends shared the frustration and told her to practice what she has taught for twenty years. Her books feature characters we champion and love—ones with shameless heat, brave hearts, and whip-smart minds.

She's most likely at her keyboard right now, putting the next heroine on the page.

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Guest Post from Tinia Montford, Author of It Started with a List & a GIVEAWAY

 


 -10 things you wish every aspiring writer would know

 

1.     Don’t be afraid to share your work 

Seriously. I know it can be incredibly nerve-wracking and scary, but you have stories people want to read! Believe in yourself and your work. Just like my grandma always says, “Chew the meat and spit out the bone.” Take whatever feedback resonates and let go of what doesn’t, but always strive to be the best writer you can be.

 

2.     Find a village

Writing is lonely. Luckily with the internet and technology you can connect with anyone in the world! Find local in person writing groups or online. Those groups or individuals will definitely be there for you during the writing and revision stages. Plus, they can be more helpful than family and friends who may not understand your obsession and passion for writing.

 

3.     Don’t edit while you write 

DON’T. Did you read me correctly? DON’T EDIT AND WRITE! Seriously, break free of the urge of wanting to get the words “right” the first time. It doesn’t matter. Your first draft is for YOU! It’s about understanding what the story you’re writing is! Revisions is the time to make it all sparkly and pretty. Don’t hinder yourself by editing, please don’t.

 

4.     Learn how to write… But take advice with a grain of salt

There are many roads up the mountain. What advice may work for someone, may not work for you. Always continue to try to be the best writer that you can be: Read your favorite books, author interviews, textbooks on the craft, seminars and lectures. These are valuable resources to perfecting your craft but learn what fits you and your writing style instead of stifling your voice.

 

5.     The process is slow 

Writing is a slow process. No one becomes the next Stephen King overnight. It takes dedication and grit. To continue to write and write and write, ignoring the self doubt and insecurities or a story that flops. Who you start out as a writer will not be the same writer you end as.

 

6.     You are your own worst enemy

 Just as the famous Henry Ford saying goes, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”

 

7.     One is the loneliest number

 If you’re serious about writing, you will become a hermit. You will spend hours and hours over the keyboard clacking away. Your family, friends, and loved ones will not understand why you care so much about writing. That’s fine. You know why.

 

8.     Writer’s block doesn’t exist, you’re just a perfectionist

 I’m sorry but I said what I said. *In my NeNe Leakes voice.

 

9.     Burnout is real

 You will burn out creatively at some point. That is not the same as writer’s block. It’s great to take a break from writing now and then! Read a book from your very long TBR list! Watch movies! Speak with those friends you temporarily abandoned while writing. Go to that coffee shop you’ve been eying. Refill that creative well because it’s a fact, you can’t drink from an empty well.

 

10.  Remember why you write

 Above all, remember why you want to be a writer. Whether it has been a life-long dream or something you’ve recently discovered. Hold on to this reason because when the rejection letters come, negative reviews, people who doubt you and don’t take you seriously. that reason is going to hold you steadfast.

 

 

It Started with a List
Tinia Montford
Publication date: January 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

A BUCKET LIST. THE POPULAR GUY. A LONER. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Time’s up for Vassa Blackwell.

With her college graduation looming, Vassa reflects on the past four years. After a devastating betrayal from her closest friend leaves her ostracized, she trusts no one. Now she is mega disappointed. No wacky misadventures, no drunken nights, and no regrettable mistakes that you can NEVER tell your parents. Work and class, class and work. That’s it. College is supposed to be the best years of your life… Right?

Vassa feels as though she’s cheated herself out of a full college experience. Notable with romance and boys and stuff. So, she makes a college bucket list. Then the worse thing ever happens. Her list falls into the hands of Lazarus Gilbert. King of the baseball team, sworn enemy (in her opinion), and her annoying upstairs neighbor. He thinks he’s found something fun to do. She thinks she’s in trouble. That’s until she discovers there’s more to Lazarus than he lets on…

With the pressures of post-college decisions and failing classes, can they complete the bucket list before the semester runs out? Are Vassa and Lazarus just too different to get along? Will they both come out winners in the end, or will she retreat to her safety-zone? Is it too late for her to learn to live and let live, and let love enter her heart?

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Author Bio:

Tinia (TUH-NIA) Montford is a Pisces who’s a sap for romance, especially when there’s (tons of) kissing. Loves eighties sitcoms and will consume anything with chocolate. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in English and Graphic Design.

She is a world traveler having climbed a volcano in Nicaragua, scaled Angkor Wat in the blistering sun, and roamed the Acropolis of Athens. Oh, she also dabbles in short stories occasionally.

If you can’t catch her writing, you can bet she’s overindulging on poke bowls, listening to the same four songs, or chilling with her adorbs doggie. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction.

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