Thursday, September 28, 2023

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Jersey Royal By C F White

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Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
Jersey Royal
By C F White

Jersey Royal Cover

Flying into Love, Book 5

Can a humble farmer bag himself a true Jersey royal to save his farm…and steal his heart?

Distant royal, Nicholas Osbourne, has one last chance to prove his worth to his wealthy family. A string of bad press over even worse relationships has him agreeing to star in a reality television series getting down and dirty with the ordinary folk. He can live a lie for a week. He’s been doing it for years.

Jersey potato farmer, Alex Hamon, has no time nor patience to babysit a pretentious television crew, nor a work-shy, bratty rich-kid. But the hefty fee and potential promotional opportunities for his farm are too tempting to turn down. He just needs to keep his head in the soil, and not on how his under-the-radar gaydar is blinking overtime for the rogue royal.

Nicholas is out of his depth. Distracted by the stunningly sexy farmer’s son, he’s unable to bury his attraction the way he has been back in London. But he’s on camera. Twenty-four-seven. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. His only saving grace is that the farmer’s son is straight…isn’t he?

Jersey Royal (Flying into Love #5) is an opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, rich v poor, first time contemporary MM romance featuring an appearances-is-everything royal with a secret and a temperamental potato farmer with a track record for burying things.

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Excerpt

“You won’t get in trouble,” Nicholas’s light voice trickled warm breath onto Alex’s cheeks.

Alex met sincere eyes, reminding him there was a person behind the accident. Behind the persona. Behind the celebrity. He didn’t say anything though. His flaring nostrils as he exhaled his pent-up tension said more than words ever could.

“It’s my fault,” Nicholas continued. “I got on that…whatever it is—"

“Plough.”

“Plough, of my own accord. Feel a bit of a tit for falling off it, to be honest. I mean, I used to row.” Deep-seated embarrassment spread across Nicholas's otherwise delicate features and, for some reason, Alex took pity on him.

Or was it more that Alex was used to shifting the blame?

“Where was your big bodyguard to protect you?” he asked. “I’d blame him for not doing his job.”

Nicholas hissed through gritted teeth as Alex wiped along the searing wound. “Hey,” he warned. “That stings.”

Alex tilted his neck. “Stop being a baby.”

Nicholas closed his eyes, winced, and Alex continued his rough clean of the tiniest of tiny wounds to ever happen on a sodding farm. He wasn’t even sure why he was doing it for him. Yes, he was the first-aider on the farm. Yes, he could clean a wound, do CPR, administer an EpiPen or whatever else was required when injuries and accidents happened on his land. But Nicholas could wipe his own cut. It was barely a scrape.

Something had him playing hero, though.

“Marcus isn’t so much a bodyguard,” Nicholas said. “I’m not that important to have security.”

“Aren’t you royalty?”

“Not really. Very distant. I’m about a billionty in line to the throne. A tonne of much more important people need to die for me to nab the crown. So watch out if I ever host a charity ball when all those people are in one place. Hashtag, knowwhatI’msaying?” Nicholas winked. “But, seriously, I’m sure my head’s too small for that crown. And all those jewels? Imagine the cleaning! It wouldn’t go with any of my outfits either.”

“That’s a lie.”

Nicholas yanked his hand back to stick up his middle finger, then sucked in a fierce breath at having reopened the wound.

Alex snorted, grabbing Nicholas’s wrist. “So who is he then? The big dude following you around? Your boyfriend?”

Nicholas gulped and Alex had to flick his gaze up to meet Nicholas’s horror-filled eyes. Huh. Interesting. The cheeky teasing between them wasn’t just bants.

“No,” he rushed out. “No, no. He’s what I guess one could refer to as my babysitter. Or my mother’s insurance policy.”

Alex furrowed his brow. “Insurance? For what? For this?” He raised Nicholas’s arm, as though allowing the blood to flow back to the heart. He didn’t need to do that. “In case of injury?”

“Not so much. She wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I lost a limb. Leaving early, however, would be me not fulfilling the duties as per my contract and would cost her far more than if I were to return sans arms and legs.”

“She sounds full of heart.”

“She’s full of assets. And I’m one of them. So, speaking of which, I’m pretty sure Tabatha will have some clause that you can’t be sued for anything that happens to me. It’ll be there in whatever you signed—”

“I didn’t sign anything. Not seen a contract.”

“Do you want to? I could ask for a copy to be emailed over. Could DM you one? Probably want to check the numbers Tabatha said are right?”

“No.” What would be the point in that now? His old man had already signed it and Alex wouldn’t be able to make hide nor hair of what it said anyway.

“Tabatha would have ensured that I can be put in the way of danger for the purposes of comedy effect and really great telly.”

Alex threw the now red-blotted wipe into the bin and slid a thumb across the cut, assessing how deep it was and whether it needed more than the pack of plasters he had in the first aid kit. Blood smeared his thumb tip, and he raised an eyebrow. Nicholas’s overwhelming vulnerability struck him again. His naivety. For a man not much younger than himself, early twenties at most, and a man who had enough money to do what the hell he pleased and live a life Alex could only dream of, he came across as exceptionally sheltered and crushingly engineered.

Alex sighed, stupid sympathy getting the better of him when he asked, “Why are you here?”

“Sorry?”

“Why are you letting them do this to you?”

“Do what to me? Make me pick potatoes? You do it.”

“Make a mockery of you for public consumption?”

Nicholas shifted on the table as Alex closed the wound and dabbed it with a cotton wool pad. He then rummaged in the kit for the plasters, ripping them open with his teeth before securing the first one around Nicholas’s pinkie finger. He blew the rubbish onto the desk, heading for the next one, and awaited Nicholas’s reply with curiosity.

“I’m sort of making up for bad press.” Nicholas winced, then yanked his hand away. “Ow. That hurt. You’ve a shocking bedside manner, you know.”

“That’s because I’m better in bed.”

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Jersey Royal, CF is giving away the winner's choice of eBook or Audio of Flying into Love Book 1: French Kiss!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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About the Author:

Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.

She eventually moved West to East along that vast District Line and settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.

After her second son was born with a rare disability, C F White’s life changed and brought pen back to paper having written stories as a child but never the confidence to show them to the world. Now, having embarked on this writing journey, she can’t stop. So strap in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Connect with C.F.:
Subscribe to C F White to get bonus content from this series and others @: www.cfwhiteauthor.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014226126217
WattPad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/CFWhiteUK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfwhiteuk
IG: https://www.instagram.com/c.f.whiteauthor/

Or why not join her reader group on Facebook: Tighty Whitey’s


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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: You Can Do Magic By R.L. Merrill

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Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
You Can Do Magic
By R.L. Merrill

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Carnival of Mysteries Shared Universe

Summer of Hush, Book 3

From the author of Foreword Indies Finalist Summer of Hush and BookLife Prize Quarterfinalist Brains and Brawn comes a new installment in the series, a contemporary gay romance with a side of time travel and magic.

Musical prodigy Kallos Alexandrou has played his calliope for countless visitors at Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, but his one-year residency has come to an end. Scars from a terrible tragedy in his past are the only explanation he has for his loss of speech and memory, but it’s time to move on, so when a music festival sets up next to the carnival, Mr. Ame sends him off with identification, a bottomless billfold, and a set of new clothes. Outside the carnival’s perimeter, Kal finds himself in an unfamiliar world surrounded by strange instruments and vibrant people like nothing he’s ever seen.

Ryan Wells is the troubled and celebrated lead singer of the metal band Backdrop Silhouette. He’s brought more than his share of baggage on the last cross-country Warped Tour, including harsh restrictions placed on him by his parole officer and the band’s label, but it’s the treatment from his bandmates that have him feeling unsettled. After a tough morning, he spots a strange young man playing carnival music on a keyboard backstage, and the sound takes him back to a particularly vulnerable time in his youth. Intrigued, Ryan asks the young man’s name, but he flees only to appear later as a replacement stagehand for the tour.

An invitation from the band Hush to ride on their bus gives Ryan and Kal a welcome distraction. They find the camaraderie and support they’ve both been craving…as well as a little magic and a fresh new romance. But the music business makes personal relationships difficult to maintain, and when the tour ends, Ryan and Kal will have to make a choice: move forward together on an uncertain path, or let fear keep them from trusting that sometimes you really can have everything you desire.

You Can Do Magic is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a Depression-era calliaphone, a Ouija board with a purpose, and tour bus hijinks that will warm your heart and make you gigglesnort. Reading Summer of Hush and Brains and Brawn before this book will give you the full Warped Tour experience, but You Can Do Magic can be read as a standalone as well as the other books in the shared universe. Recommended 18+.

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Excerpt:

A new day breaks

Under the blue skies above

A new crowd waits

All they need is a little shove

The Carnival is here

With mysteries galore

To satisfy your cravings

To leave you wanting more

We’re here today, gone the next, 

Taking along our magic and song. 

Come inside, take a peek

Surprises like these won’t wait long

Here we have the fantastical calliope, 

come dance with our talented Kal

His music will delight and seduce you 

With the power of the siren’s call

So step right up, and don’t be shy

For his time is coming to a close

Come shimmy and shake with this talented guy

And celebrate the last of his shows…

 

I’d memorized the ringmaster’s introduction, though it was more sensational than I deserved. And last night’s version had a new ending, one I’d been expecting, but hearing it brought a sliver of anxiety to my bones. 

The instrument I played was actually a calliaphone—a more efficient and portable version of the forced-air organ—and I’d built it myself, that much I knew. It was my voice. It spoke all I knew to say, my own words lacking. I possessed the ability to speak, but I’d mostly forgotten how, therefore I preferred to let my music speak for me. I played for the crowds. I smiled for them, but I was transparent to the onlooker.

One year had passed in this way, one year of my life, and I had nothing of my own. No friends to help, no family to love, and no safe place to lay my head away from the carnival. What would I do, where would I go, and would someone see me for me?

The boss, Mr. Ame, told me soon it would be time to move on to the next phase. I’d no clue what that meant other than I would no longer travel with the carnival. There was nothing to pack, nothing to carry, only the clothes—and the scars—I wore on my body. I would miss my calliaphone and the crowds, but I knew it was time. My stay had been healing, educational. My time taught me plenty. The carnival would go on without me and my music, on to the next place to entertain…and seduce the locals. They’d fall under the spell of my fellow travelers. Some might even be chosen to come along. 

I remembered little from my time before I, too, had joined the carnival. Humiliation and regret reverberated within the structures of my cells, but I didn’t recall more than that, much less the reason for the debt that forced me into servitude. The boss took me away from the darkness, and promised to set me free one day. But what was free, what would it mean, who would I be? A musician, a man, alone? I’d forgotten my past. I’d learned all I could in this place. Would I survive what lay ahead?

I took my questions to the man in charge, the one they call Errante Ame, and he confirmed that my time with the carnival was at an end.

“My dear, Kallos,” the boss said to me. “The world has done you wrong, not the other way around. You have been a part of something important here, and we shall never forget the joy your music has brought to our clan and our guests. But now it is time for you to move on, as all in the crew must do. It is your choice where you’ll go once you leave the perimeter, what you will do with the time you have left.

“You have been invisible to our guests for so long, adored for your playing, of course, but who you are remains unseen, unspoken. A blank canvas, a puzzle. Only you can solve the riddle of your life. The time is near when you will set out on your greatest adventure, the journey to find your purpose. Being reborn can be frightening. You will have questions, but the answers you seek can be found within yourself. All you must do is follow your instincts, and your heart’s desire. Do what you feel is right and true. Be good to yourself and your fellow creatures, and walk the path of least harm.

“When the next sun rises, you will step outside the bounds of the carnival. You will have all that you need to begin anew. By the following sunrise, our carnival will have moved on. A traveling music festival will share these grounds with us tomorrow. Perhaps you can start there.”

I knew down deep in my bones that he was correct, that something momentous was about to occur. 

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of You Can Do Magic, R.L. is giving e-copies of Summer of Hush and Brains and Brawn and a $30 Spotify gift card!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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About the Author:

Whether she’s writing swoon-worthy contemporary romance featuring quirky, queer, and relatable characters or diving deep into the supernatural to give readers a shiver, R.L. Merrill loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after closing the book. Ro writes inclusive romance for the Happily Ever After collective, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and pens horror-inspired tales and music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net. A mom, wife, daughter, and former educator, you can find her rocking out in her Bronco with Great Dane pup Velma, being terrorized by feline twins Dracula and Frankenstein, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more…

Connect with R.L.:
https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor
https://www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor
https://www.twitter.com/rlmerrillauthor
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rosroadiesofromance


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Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Series Tour & Giveaway: West Coast Forensics Series By Elle Keaton

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Series Tour & Giveaway:
West Coast Forensics Series
By Elle Keaton

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Book 1: Real Trouble

West Coast Forensics, Book 1

Two men on opposite sides of the law: will they be able to set aside their differences and trust love?

Danylo Peters has issues, lots of them. He’s not on Piedras Island by accident, he’s not a nice guy, and Peters isn’t his real name. Dany’s hiding, trying to escape his family’s influence and start a new life. But he must have been born under a bad sign because the very man he’s really running from is one of the first he runs into.

A new life in a new town seemed like the right decision for Soren Jorgenson, especially after a difficult case left him recovering from a gunshot wound and lonely as he'd ever been. Finding Dany living on Piedras brings back all the feelings he'd tried to lock away. He's angry and bitter and Dany is not going to continue to get away with his old tricks. Too bad Dany is just as compelling as he ever was.

The two men find themselves on opposite sides of Soren’s first case on Piedras, but neither is able to deny the attraction between them. They keep finding themselves in compromising situations; if they're found out there will be Real Trouble.

Real Trouble is set in the Veiled Intentions world, while familiar characters appear Real Trouble can be read as a standalone. Real Trouble is a dual POV following Soren Jorgenson and Danylo Peters as they fight their way to their HEA and is the first in the new West Coast Forensics series. These characters originally appeared in the Shielded Hearts series (formally Accidental Roots).

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Book 2: Real Danger

West Coast Forensics, Book 2

How can one man be so incredibly frustrating but so sexy at the same time?

Ryder knows two things. Tragedy can strike at any moment so you have to hold tightly to the gifts life gives you. And, Shay is one of those gifts. To Ryder their fifteen-year age difference is nothing, Shay is the man he wants. Now he just needs an opportunity to plead his case with the sexy lawyer.

He gets his chance when Shay asks him to assist on a case involving a missing person, but the investigation quickly turns perilous. A stomach-churning rollercoaster ride of what the hell is going on, puts both men in danger—but from whom?

Will the two get their chance at love, or will a dangerous criminal snatch away their chance at happiness?

Real Danger, second in the West Coast Forensics series is a dual POV, age-gap, m/m romantic suspense following Shay and Ryder as they fight for their HEA.

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Book 3: Real Risk

Real Risk Ebook New

West Coast Forensics, Book 3

It's possible they're a match but first the two men will have to survive trial by fire.

Chief Flynn is fighting smoke and flames, tirelessly protecting the lives and property of his fellow islanders from yet another spate of fires.

Arson or accident?

When injury puts him on the sidelines, West Coast Forensics Arson Investigator Kimball Frye offers his assistance. Frye is The Most Irritating Man in the World, a condescending know-it-all who rubs Devon the wrong way.

Or does he?

Decades ago an arsonist stole his family from him since then Frye has devoted his life to putting them behind bars. At forty-nine, he doesn't believe in permanent relationships, instead preferring the company of interchangeable younger men.

Is the arsonist trying to shift the blame onto Devon, or trying to kill him? If it's the latter it just might work.

Feeling the pull of attraction to Devon as the firebug grows bolder is inconvenient. Will Kimball listen to his heart or his head? The younger men he's always preferred are nothing like the solid, stalwart Fire Chief.

Real Risk is the third in the West Coast Forensics series and can be read as a standalone but may be enjoyed more if you read the Real Trouble and Real Danger first. It is dual POV following Devon Flynn and Kimball Frye as they bicker and fumble their way to their happily ever after.

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Book 4: Real Hazard

Real Hazard Ebook

West Coast Forensics, Book 4

Foster Jennings

Things I love

✓ my kid sister

✓ the no-hope dogs I rehabilitate

✓ my job as an EMT

✓ and maybe my new friend Dutch.

But Dutch isn’t gay and physical attraction isn’t something I feel often. Are these feelings real, or am I just tired of being alone?

Dutch Hansen

This is all Hazel’s fault. Hazel the Hazard.

✓ Hazel made me come to first grade safety day.

✓ Hazel blurted out—loudly—about the beautiful fireman.

✓ Hazel invited the beautiful fireman over for a tea party.

I swear I’m not gay, but Foster Jennings is the most beautiful man I’ve ever met, outside and in.

Dutch Hansen is the single dad of a precocious daughter. He moved to Piedras wanting a better life for Hazel and himself. Things are shaping up, he’s landed a permanent job at Brooch Resort and Hazel has quit having nightmares that someone is going to steal her away.

Then everything goes sideways, Dutch’s past threatens his future and he doesn’t know where to turn.

Something is wrong, Dutch is pushing him away and won’t tell Foster why.

When Hazel goes missing Dutch can’t hide anymore, he needs his… Foster to help him get Hazel back.

#Demisexual #BiAwakening #SingleDad #FindingFamily

Book four in the West Coast Forensics series, can be read as a standalone but may be more fully enjoyed if you start with Real Trouble.

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Book 5: The Real Thing

The Real Thing Ebook (1)

West Coast Forensics, Book 5

An oblivious prince wishes for his knight in shining armor. His knight has been under his nose all along, will he claim him before it's too late for them both?

As deeply as he craves his own fairy tale happily-ever-after, resort owner Cody Prescott doesn't have time for a relationship. That doesn't stop him from crushing on most men on Piedras. Luckily for him, they're emotionally unavailable or already taken, so he doesn't have to worry about getting attached.

Wade Buckner, the island's handiest handyman, is tired of waiting for Cody to wake up and realize Wade is the man for the job. He's ready and willing to rescue Cody from just about anything, even questionable hotel guests.

The Harvest Feast is the kick-off for the resort's one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary and they have a full house. But something sinister is afoot at the resort, something that even his knight might not be able to rescue Cody from.

Are they trying to kill him, put him out of business, or both?

#grumpy-sunshine #FamilyHistory #OnlyOneBed

The Real Thing, book five in the West Coast Forensics series, is dual POV and follows Cody and Wade all the way to their happy ending. Can be read as a standalone but might be better enjoyed if you start with Real Trouble, first in the WCF series.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the series tour, Elle is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card!
 
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
 
 
Direct Link: https://bit.ly/WCFS_Giveaway

 
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About the Author:

Elle Keaton writes MM romantic suspense set in the Pacific Northwest with some contemporary romance thrown in. She's passionate about writing inclusive romances with complex characters and a unique sense of place. Her characters start out broken, and maybe they’re still banged up by the end, but they find the other half of their hearts and ALWAYS get their happily ever after. In 2017 Elle hit the publish button for the first time and hasn't looked back. Being an author is the best job Elle has ever had and now she has over thirty books available for you to read or listen to! She loves cats and dogs, Star Wars and Star Trek, pineapple on pizza, and has a cribbage habit her husband encourages.

Connect with Elle:
https://ellekeaton.com/
https://ellekeaton.com/join-the-highway-to-elle-newsletter/
https://www.facebook.com/ellekeatonauthor (my page)
https://www.instagram.com/ellekeatonauthor/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elle-Keaton/author/B06XJWJRLK
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elle-keaton
https://www.goodreads.com/ellekeaton_author

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Monday, September 25, 2023

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Life After Love By JJ Harper

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Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
Life After Love
By JJ Harper

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Calston Cove, Book 1

All he wanted was a new life, not a new love.

Merrick

Merrick has the perfect life: a husband, a baby, and a great future ahead of him. Until all that is ripped away, and he’s left alone with his daughter. After two years, he knows it’s time to move on. To find a new life for him and Willow. It comes in the shape of a derelict mill house nestled in the hills above a Devon seaside town.

Drew

When Drew loses the chance to buy and restore the house he’s loved all his life, the last thing he wants to do is renovate it for the mysterious new resident. But something about Merrick Green intrigues him, and he feels compelled to lift the heaviness surrounding him. The fact that Merrick’s daughter seems to have taken an instant infatuation with Drew makes it easier.

As the two men become friends, Merrick battles with his attraction to Drew. How can he be interested in the ruggedly handsome when he’s still in love with Josh?

Letting go of the past is hard, but with Drew by his side, he finds a way forward.

Life After Love is a sweet small-town, opposites-attract, hurt/comfort romance with low angst and a sweet little girl that everyone falls in love with.

The book deals with the loss of a loved one.

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Excerpt:

As I approach my truck, a man is looking at it. No, he’s taking a photograph. “Can I help you?” I put my toolbox into the open flat bed.

The man blushes and takes a step back. “Oh, is this your truck? I’m sorry. I wanted to get a photo of your contact details. I’m looking for a building contractor.”

He must be the latest resident in our small beachside town. The new owner of the Mill House. He’s incredibly good looking. I’d say around my age, thirty-five. About the same height as me at five eleven and has eyes the colour of soft, faded denim. His hair is short at the sides, but with honey-blond curls on top, which I envy. My hair is straight and long enough to tie up. I should get it cut. The amount of dust, plaster and sawdust is a bloody nightmare to wash out every night.

I pull a notebook out of the side pocket on my shorts and the pencil from behind my ear. “I’m sure I can do that for you. What sort of work?”

“Um, it’s pretty much everything. The house is a bit of a wreck. I’d hoped to do some of it myself, but I know that’s out of my abilities. I don’t know if it’s something you’re interested in doing?”

I get the feeling the guy is overloaded with things that need immediate action and has got himself lost in the process. “Why don’t you show me? I’ve got nothing else planned for the day.”

He lets out a sigh. “That would be so good. It’s Mill House. Do you know it?”

I smile. My suspicions this is the new guy were right. “I do. I was born and bred in this town. I can follow you there if you’d like?”

“Okay, thank you so much. See you in a few.”

I wait until he’s in his car, then start the engine on mine. His smart, new, not-cheap-at-all BMW is something else for the gossips to talk about. Handsome, single, and seemingly rich. Melanie will be waving her knickers on a pole in front of him in the blink of her false eyelashes.

The drive takes ten minutes, winding through the town and up parallel to the river that runs down to the sea. The Mill House still has the original water wheel. Although the river has been diverted away from the property, it’s still an impressive feature of the house.

I park next to him and climb out. He opens the back door of the coupé and lifts a small sleeping child from her seat. He wipes her hair, which is the same colour as his, from her forehead and kisses her gently. A sweet, loving moment that makes my heart swell. The obvious love for the child is in his every gesture and expression.

He turns to me. “This is my daughter, Willow. I’m Merrick Green.”

“I’m Drew Roberts, but you probably guessed that from the signage.”

“Oh, yes, well, it’s nice to meet you.” He’s flustered as he juggles the sleeping toddler to shake my hand.

He gestures with his head. “Welcome to my home. Or what will be my home. Come on in.”

I follow him up the stone steps to the solid oak door.

He pushes the door open. “It’s a bit of a mess. Please be careful where you walk.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.” I step in, holding back my smile. I used to come here a lot when I was a kid. It’s not as bad as I remembered.

I wait in the hallway as he places the sleeping child on a sheet partly covering an old mulberry velvet sofa that has been here forever.

“I haven’t been in here for years,” I say when Merrick walks back out.

Surprise flashes in his eyes. “You know the house?”

I chuckle. “Everyone who’s grown up here has played around in this house. Not that we were supposed to, but kids will be kids. School-leaving parties took place here, and teenagers just wanting to hang out would come here. It’s about time someone came and loved it again. It’s a good place to live and raise a family, Merrick.”

A flash of pain rocks over his face, and he closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath.

“Hey, are you okay? I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing.”

“No, it’s fine. Can I get you a drink? I’ve got some bottled water or some juice. Then we can walk around, and I’ll show you what needs your attention as soon as you can.”

“I’m good, and is it just the urgent work you want me to do, or are you looking for a quote for all the renovations? Who else have you spoken to?”

“No one else. I’ve only been here a couple of days.”

“You’re not staying in the house now, are you? I don’t think it’s safe.”

He looks at the cracked walls and sagging ceilings and chuckles. “No, I’m staying in a hotel for now. But if you could give me a quote for the initial work, we can discuss the rest of the work when I have the plans back.”

I scratch my chin. “You’re putting a lot of faith into a man you’ve just met.”

“I asked around. You were the first name mentioned. Plus, you look like a decent guy.” Finally, he gives me a small smile.

“When does your wife arrive?”

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About the Author:

Just in case you don’t know me. I’m a simple soul that puts all my hopelessly romantic thoughts down on my computer. I’m usually in the living room—typing away—with my wayward Great Dane, Siddiqi, next to me on the sofa.

I’m a hopeless romantic, always falling in love with my men, determined to make sure they get the happy-ever-after they deserve, even if they do have to work hard for it.

I live in a tiny village in Lincolnshire, UK, with my husband and dog, who are forever patient with me when I forget the time, and the dinner!

Connect with JJ:
Website: https://www.jjharper-author.com
Author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorJJHarper
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Friday, September 22, 2023

Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: The Orc and the Manny By Chloe Archer

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Release Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway:
The Orc and the Manny
By Chloe Archer

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Monsters Hollow, Book 1

Welcome to Monsters Hollow, where love knows no bounds—even in a town full of monsters!

Targan Wildethorne

A confirmed bachelor, and a historian by training, I haven’t the faintest clue how to care for twin orclings when I unexpectedly become their guardian. I’d love to retreat into the comforting sanctuary of my study, surrounded by my books and papers, but first I need to hire someone to help me with the children. Someone who can teach me the ropes of this new role.

Thank the Light for the All-Species Specialized Employment Services! In my most dire hour of need, they find the perfect nanny—ahem, manny—to help me look after my young wards. Now I can finally get back to writing my history of orc folklore for a few hours a day.

Or so I thought.

Instead I find the captivating new man in my home far too distracting. Max is so much more than I had expected. I’ve never fallen for a human before, but I can’t get him out of my mind. Could he ever feel the same about an orc? Humans are usually too intimidated by our large size and outer appearance. Can Max look past my green skin and tusks to see a man with a heart that yearns for him? And if he does, when he learns the truth about the children will the danger on the horizon send him running?

Max MacLeod

Working with kids is totally my jam and I’m damn good at what I do. Just call me Maxy Frickin’ Poppins! When a new job prospect comes my way, I’m intrigued. A chance to move to Mystic Hollow (aka Monsters Hollow) to be a well-paid manny for two adorable orclings? Talk about a dream position. Sold! But when I lock eyes with the seriously sexy orc who’s their guardian—and my new de facto boss—for the first time, I’m a goner. Big, muscular, and green all over–he’s giving me full-on Hulk meets stern professor vibes—and I likeit.

As I get to know him, over meals with the kids during the day and soft-spoken conversations about history at night, I soon realize there’s so much more to Targan than the gorgeous orc who keeps starring in all my naughtiest dreams. He’s quite possibly the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever met. And he accepts and appreciates every part of me and my flamboyant, full-figured fabulousness. I just want to feed and take care of him—and find out if he’s so deliciously big everywhere. Before I know it, I’m dreaming of being part of a forever family with him and his adorable twins. But an unexpected threat looms in the shadows that could threaten the safety of us all…

The Orc and the Manny is a (94k words) cozy small town M/M monster romance featuring a Hulkalicious silver fox orc professor who's better with books than kids, a flamboyant human manny with ALL the skills (think Nathan Lane in The Birdcage meets Mary Poppins), an age gap, a size difference, a three-headed hellhound and a feisty rescue Chihuahua, two adorable orcling twins, and copious amounts of orc…joy!

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Excerpt

“Well, Princess Peach, this is it.”

My sweet baby, a feisty rescue Chihuahua, gives a little yip of agreement and I scratch under her chin. She nuzzles me back with pleasure. Today she’s wearing a cute little pink shirt with the words “I’m a princess” spelled out in silver sequins.

Princess Peach had a hard life before I rescued her. I don't know all the details, but the shelter found evidence that she’d likely been used for breeding purposes in a far from humane situation. They believe she was abandoned on the streets when she was no longer able to provide new litters of puppies for whatever illegal operation had been going on.

After her tough life on the streets, I decided she deserves to always look as fabulous as she is. She may have a torn ear and be missing half of her teeth, but she’s beautiful through and through. I’ve matched our color scheme today by wearing a darling pink blouse with flowy pirate sleeves under my rainbow chiffon duster vest. The outfit is finished with a pair of shiny black leggings that hug my ample thighs and a sweet pair of purple ankle boots.

My foster mom would have been proud. I’m totally channeling my inner Stevie Nicks.

Adjusting my oversized purse—with everything a manny could ever need in a pinch—higher on my shoulder, I tuck Princess Peach gently under my arm and climb the steps to the front door of the enormous three-story Victorian. Painted gray with white and blue gingerbread lattice work, the home looks a bit tame for me, but I suppose I can see the classic appeal. It’s still an impressive old house even with the bland exterior and I can’t wait to get a peek inside.

After all, this is going to be our new home for the next little while, provided all goes well.

Pressing the doorbell button, I admire my freshly painted sparkly purple nails in the process. The fading twilight of evening starts to turn to darkness around me as I wait. It took me longer than I had planned to get here.

I hear the bell chime loudly within but get no response.

After several long moments, I ring it again. They are expecting me after all. Right?

Just when I’m about to press the bell a third time, the door slowly creaks open to reveal an orc with wispy white hair and stooped with age. He’s wearing a butler’s livery and shuffles to the side as if to bid me enter. I have a fraction of a moment to stare into the large entryway of the house before my brain has to process a whole lot of chaos all at once.

Two young orclings, presumably my charges, are headed my way as they chase each other. One of them is holding—is that an axe? Off to my left, I spy the intimidating but gorgeous gargoyle who interviewed me for the job—hello, sexy—but I stop breathing when I lay eyes on the man beside him.

This orc is not old and he’s hot like fire.

He’s rocking full-on Hulk meets stern professor vibes and I am so here for it.

Unfortunately, I also suspect he’s my new boss.

I don’t have more than that flicker of an instant to admire him because an enormous three-headed creature comes barreling straight toward me as the two little orclings it’s chasing deftly feint one direction and then swerve out of the way at the last second, leaving me to face my fate.

Talk about a trial by fire in my first few seconds on the job.

Also, why the heck did no one tell me there was a motherfreaking hellhound in this house!

            On instinct, I tuck Princess Peach’s head carefully in my armpit so I can cover both her ears. She settles in, trusting me implicitly, as always. Then I lift the whistle around my neck and give it a sharp blow, bringing the hellhound to a whining, screeching halt a few inches in front of me.

Phew! That was a close call.

As tall as the enormous front entrance, the gigantic beast towers over me, tongues lolling out of its three heads, momentarily dazed and confused by the dog whistle I always carry with me. You’d be surprised how handy it is when my baby and I go on walks. There are too many idiots out there with no control over their unleashed dogs, and I sometimes have to protect my precious little angel.

I reposition Princess Peach in the crook of my arm where she settles happily and kiss the top of her soft little head, getting a lick of appreciation in return before I take a deep breath and call forth my most dominant voice to utter the order, “Sitz!

The hellhound cocks its three heads and looks at me confused.

Maybe he hasn’t learned German commands? That’s what my dog trainer taught me. Hmm…

Princess Peach snarls at him.

            He immediately drops his rump to the floor with a ground-shaking thump.

            I beam. “Platz!” I order next.

            The hellhound cocks his three heads in the other direction, acting clueless.

            My precious fur baby lets out a guttural growl and snaps out a warning.

            The enormous beast lies in the down position, ears on each head flat, but all three tails wagging hopefully.

            “Gut,” I praise as I reach into my purse—so much classier than Mary Poppins’s carpet bag—to pull out a plastic baggie with my stash of dog biscuits, then pluck out a handful. I’m fairly certain they’re fine for a hellhound if my dog can eat them.

After all, I baked them myself.

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of The Orc and the Manny, Chloe is giving away a $5 Amazon Gift Card, and a Signed Copy of the release!

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About the Author:

Chloe Archer writes M/M sci-fi and paranormal rom coms with laugh out loud humor because she’s all about bringing the funny-sexy back. Oh, yeah!

She currently calls Minnesota home, but has lived abroad in places like Montreal, Edinburgh, and Tokyo. She’s hoping to relocate to Scotland permanently one day if the stars align.

Chloe is a fur mama to two adorable Yorkies, Jasper and Teddy, and she loves them in a crazy dog mama kind of way. When she isn’t busy writing, she enjoys visiting friends and family, traveling, reading, binge watching movies and TV shows, and practicing her karaoke skills. She does a mean cover of Pat Benatar and Cher, or so she’s been told.

Connect with Chloe:
Website: https://chloearcher.com/
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Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Worth the Fight By C F White

  Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Worth the Fight By C F White Worth It, Book 2 It was never going to be just one night....