Archives for February 28, 2018

* Blog Tour / Excerpt * CROSSING PROMISES by Kimberly Kincaid

 

 

From USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Kincaid comes CROSSING PROMISES, the third standalone title in the Cross Creek series, releasing March 5th! A series filled with rugged, salt of the earth heroes who happen to be brothers, and strong family dynamics. Each standalone novel is filled with heart, humor, and heat. Order your copies of the Cross Creek series today!

 

 

For Owen Cross, the only thing that matters more than family is farming. As the oldest Cross brother, the land is his legacy, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make Cross Creek a success—including hiring local widow Cate McAllister to manage the bookkeeping tasks that are growing in his office like weeds. Cate’s as pragmatic as she is pretty, and she rattles his hard-fought composure at every turn.

Cate had known a lot of things about her husband before he died three years ago in a car accident, but how much debt he’d gotten them into wasn’t one of them. She needs her job at Cross Creek, even if her boss is both gruff and gorgeous. But Owen’s a family man, through and through, and the last thing Cate is interested in is anything—or anyone—with strings attached.

As Owen and Cate join forces to right the farm, they discover there’s more to the other than the surfaces shows, and that passion can be found in unexpected places. Can Cate heal from the loss of one family to gain the love of her life? Or will the past prove too much for the promise of the future?

 

 

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * iBooks * Kobo

 

 

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

Cate ditched the napkins she hadn’t really needed in favor of doing her job, loading up a tray with Owen and Lane’s order and making her way back to their table.

“Oatmeal raisin cookies without walnuts are an abomination,” she overheard Lane say, but Owen, whose back was to her, simply snorted.

“You’re cracked. Simple is better. Plus, they’re not called oatmeal raisin walnut cookies. Still—” A soft thunk sounded off from beneath the table, followed by a less-than-polite hiss from Owen. “Ow, dude! What the…oh, hell.” He snapped to attention, his coffee mug meeting the Formica with enough force to slosh some of its contents over the rim. “Cate. Hi.”

She thought of the walnuts that had been in every single one of the cookies she’d baked at oh-dark-thirty this morning and arched a brow. “Still hungry, I take it?”

“Sure. I mean”—he closed his eyes. Exhaled. Damn, eyelashes like that were honestly unjust on a man. Also, really freaking hot—“the cookies were great, and I’ve got room for breakfast, too.”

“Glad to hear it. Two breakfast specials, one with scrambled eggs, one with eggs over easy, extra home fries, and extra bacon.” She delivered their respective plates. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Just the check, if you have a minute,” Owen said, and shit. She might be a little light in the filter department (okay, fine, so she didn’t really have one. Potato, potahto), but the last thing she wanted was to piss off one of Clementine’s customers. Not to mention lose her tip.

“You don’t have to rush,” Cate started, and jeez, those eyelashes were even more lethal when they framed his wide, gray stare.

“Unfortunately, I do. Got a date with the invoices and books at the farm, and it’s gonna take me all day if I’m lucky.”

Confusion kicked in, good and hard. “But it’s Sunday.”

“Yes ma’am,” he agreed.

A prickle worked its way through her, half irritation at the politeness that bordered on poor-Cate sympathy, half something else that headed decidedly south.

She tried again. “You’re working all day?”

Most everybody around here held Sundays pretty sacred out of self-preservation. Working the land seven days a week was brutal, even for the most well-practiced farmers. And from the look of Owen’s biceps, he was extremely well-practiced.

He dropped his chin but not his stare. “Don’t really have a choice. Cross Creek’s books aren’t going to balance themselves.”

“You don’t have a bookkeeper?” She shifted back on the linoleum, her confusion turning to outright shock.

“If we did, I don’t reckon I’d be working the books on a Sunday.”

Huh. Looked like she wasn’t the only one who was a little light in the filter department. “Okay, fair,” she said. “But Cross Creek is the largest farm in Millhaven. I just figured you’d have someone who handles that for you full-time.”

“Believe me, I wish we did,” Owen said, and her mouth opened of its own volition.

“Do you.”

Cate heard the non-question before she even knew she’d spring it past her lips, but oh, how she wished to have it back. This was a bad idea. No, check that. This was an epically shitastic idea, with don’t-you-even-think-it sprinkles on top. A full-time job was more commitment than she’d had in three years. The thought of something so regular, so permanent, gave her the shakes.

But then Owen was looking at her with a not-small amount of curiosity, and backpedaling was as impossible as catching smoke in her bare hands. “As a matter of fact, yeah,” he said, straightening against the booth. “I’d love to hire a full-time bookkeeper. Why? Do you know someone who’s interested?”

No. Nope. Sorry, buddy, I sure don’t. These were all things her brain instructed her mouth to say, but her mouth—which liked to eat—betrayed her by going with, “Actually, I am.”

The stunned silence that followed told her she’d better start making her case before he dismissed the idea as downright nutters. “I mean, I don’t have a degree or any formal training, but I’m really good with numbers, and I’m not afraid of hard work. I can start as soon as you like, tomorrow, even, and—”

“Done.”

“—I don’t need…wait, what?” Cate asked as his answer caught up with her verbal landslide.

“You said you’re good with numbers and you can start tomorrow, right?” Owen’s piercing gray stare was as tough to decipher as the rest of his expression.

She managed to nod. “Yes.” She was only on evenings and weekends at the diner and The Bar. Time would be tight, but she could swing it. She had to. “I can.”

“Great. Then you’ve got yourself a job.”

 

 

 

 

 

And don’t miss the first two standalone titles in the Cross Creek series, CROSSING HEARTS and CROSSING THE LINE!

 

 

Hunter Cross has no regrets. Having left his football prospects behind the day he graduated high school, he’s happy to carry out his legacy on his family’s farm in the foothills of the Shenandoah. But when a shoulder injury puts him face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned town—and him—twelve years ago, Hunter’s simple life gets a lot more complicated.

Emerson Montgomery has secrets. Refusing to divulge why she left her job as a hotshot physical therapist for a pro football team, she struggles to readjust to life in the hometown she left behind. The more time she spends with Hunter, the more Emerson finds herself wanting to trust him with the diagnosis of MS that has turned her world upside down.

But revealing secrets comes with a price. Can Hunter and Emerson rekindle their past love? Or will the realities of the present—and the trust that goes with them—burn that bridge for good?

 

AMAZON

 

 

Cocky farmer Eli Cross plays twice as hard as he works. When his latest stunt drums up a heap of negative PR for the family farm, he grudgingly agrees to play host to an ambitious New York City photographer. Her feature on Cross Creek could be just the ticket to show the country what the Cross brothers do best…which is more problem than solution for Eli.

Scarlett Edwards-Stewart has photographed everything from end zones to war zones. She’s confident she can ace this one little story to help her best friend’s failing magazine. At least, she would be if her super-sexy host wasn’t so tight lipped. But the more Scarlett works with Eli, the more she discovers that he’s not who he seems. Can his secret bring them closer together? Or will it be the very thing that tears them apart?

 

AMAZON

 

 

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Cross Creek Series Tour

February 26

Read-Love-Blog-Review
What is That Book About-Excerpt

February 27

Reading in Pajamas-Review
All Things Dark and Dirty-Excerpt

February 28

Always a Happy Ever After-Review
Thoughts of a Blonde-Excerpt

March 1

Irishdaisylovesromance-Review
The Fairest of All Book Reviews-Excerpt

March 2

Just the Write Stuff-Excerpt
I Love Romance-Review

March 3

Tangents and Tissues-Excerpt
What Do We Want Book Reviews & More-Review
1 Chick and her Kindle-Review

March 4

KDRBCK-Review
Books According to Abby-Excerpt
Bad Boys and Bedtime Stories Book Blog-Review

March 5

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews-Review
Jax’s Book Magic-Excerpt

March 6

Nicole’s Book Musings-Excerpt
Oh My Growing TBR-Excerpt

March 7

The Heathers’ Blog-Review
Becky on Books-Review

March 8

Melena’s Reviews-Review
Read Your Writes Book Reviews-Excerpt

March 9

One-Click Chocolate Chick-Review
Kari’s Book Reviews & Revelations-Review

March 10

KatyaRath-Review
Reese’s Reviews-Excerpt

March 11

Two Book Pushers-Excerpt

March 12

Only One More Page-Review
My Book Filled Life-Review

March 13

Fire and Ice Book Reviews-Review
The Power of 3 Readers-Review

March 14

Shannon’s Book Blog-Review
Book Loving Pixies-Review
The Romance Reviews-Review
Blushing Babes Are Up All Night-Review

March 15

Star-Crossed Book Blog-Review
Sascha Darlington-Review
Bookgasms Book Blog-Review
Hannah’s Words-Review

March 16

G & T’s Indie Café-Excerpt
TBR Book Blog-Review
Teatime and Books-Excerpt

 

 

About Kimberly Kincaid:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

 

 

 

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram

 

* Review * A BABY IN HIS IN-TRAY by Michelle Douglas

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A BABY IN HIS IN-TRAY by Michelle DouglasA Baby in His In-Tray by Michelle Douglas
Published by Harlequin Romance on March 1, 2018
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Taking care of baby

With the boss!

When Liv Gilmour’s identical twin sister begs her to take her place for a week to work for business hotshot Lord Sebastian Tyrrell, she can’t say no—after all, the boss will be away. Until someone abandons a baby with a note demanding Sebastian take care of it. Suddenly Sebastian’s swift return sees Liv up close and personal with the sexy boss…and a baby who needs them both!

 

A delightful read! With a different take on a surprise baby story, Michelle Douglas takes us on a journey of surprise and discovery as they slowly fall in love and work through this mysterious baby situation. The characters are really easy to like and fall under the spell of their story. The plot had a few unexpected turns that kept it interesting, and despite dragging in a few places was a really enjoyable playground towards their happy ending!

When Olivia Gilmour’s twin sister Eliza needs a huge favor, Liv can’t say no to her. She has to swap places with Liz at her job for a week … but it won’t be a big deal because the boss is away! A surprise baby left on her desk changes things up drastically, and soon the boss is on his way home, and she ends up working side by side with him to take care of this innocent little one … and try to figure out who the mother is!

Sebastian Tyrrell has never felt an attraction towards his employee Eliza before, but when he returns home to this baby snafu, he’s instantly smitten! What is going on? Why does it feel so different with her now? And why does playing house with this baby alongside her feel so right?

four-stars

* Review * SAY I DO by Janice Maynard

* Review * SAY I DO by Janice MaynardSay I Do by Janice Maynard
Series: Southern Hearts #2
on January 29, 2018
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Even though Hannah has met the man of her dreams, she knows she can’t keep him. He’s far too normal and down to earth for her screwed up background. Even so, she can’t say no when Morgan puts a square-cut diamond on her finger. What she “can” do is drag her feet about setting a date. And then she comes up with an inspired plan. She tells Morgan she wants the two of them to go to premarital counseling…but it’s a brand new approach that focuses on sexual intimacy. She’s sure Morgan will say no, and she can continue to put off setting a date. But she has underestimated her fiancé. He calls her bluff. Soon the two of them are neck deep in therapy sessions that involve talking to other couples and after that, some very private role playing. What should have been easy and fun turns out to reveal the couple’s deepest desires, but their deepest fears and insecurities as well. Only when Morgan’s bedrock-solid life is shaken to its foundation by an unexpected event do he and Hannah finally end up on common ground and head for the altar.

 

A super quirky take on a romance … but in the end, it works! Hannah doesn’t believe in love and marriage … yet she’s engaged to the man of her dreams! Morgan is a great guy who is patient and loving with her as she works her way through her issues. It was really easy to dislike the way she treated him … but I also felt sorry for the life she had been subjected to early on that led to her hang-ups. It’s an unusual take on a romance, but by the end I was really invested in their story and pulling for their happy ending.

Hannah Quarles has found the man of her dreams … only she knows it won’t last! She’s seen too much in her time and knows that love doesn’t last forever. She shouldn’t lead him on, but he’s such a great guy! When he places a gorgeous engagement ring on her finger, she can’t help herself … she says yes! But now she has to figure out how to stall setting the date long enough for it all to fall apart beforehand.

Morgan Webber adores Hannah and wants to spend his life with her. He’s not so wrapped up in love that he can’t see that she’s hesitant and not really “all in” like he is. He only hopes his love will prove to her that he’s there to stay. When he pushes to set a date, she comes up with yet another delaying tactic … a new type of premarital counseling that centers on sex. Say what?!?! Oh she’s not going to get away with it this time, he’s going to call her bluff and do the counseling in exchange for a wedding date!

four-stars