* Release Blitz/Review * THE TRAILBLAZER by Gina Azzi

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * THE TRAILBLAZER by Gina AzziThe Trailblazer by Gina Azzi
Series: Boston Hawks Hockey #7
Published by Three Cities Publishing LLC on November 11, 2021
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four-half-stars

I always knew I’d marry my first everything, Declan Yaeger, the Southern boy with Irish roots. That was before he became my first heartbreak, a NHL superstar with a playboy reputation I no longer recognize.

The summer he left our small, Tennessee town, to pursue his hockey dream is the summer my life changed. That was seven years ago, before he became a defenseman for the Boston Hawks. Before I became a hardened, desperate woman, trying to survive.

To protect my grandfather's legacy, I agree to marry my oldest childhood friend, Henry. But when I enter the Church on my wedding day, the grey eyes piercing mine aren’t my fiancé’s.

They’re Declan’s, the last person I expect to show up with an offer of his own. One I can’t refuse even though my heart should know better than to accept.

Will my marriage to Declan heal the broken between us? Or are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our past?

 

A high intensity, emotional reunion! Gina Azzi is knocking it out of the park time and time again with her Boston Hawks Hockey series and I just can’t get enough. The seventh book in the series THE TRAILBLAZER brings a reunion of first loves when Declan sweeps in to save the day for Vivi and all of those old feelings for his first love come flooding back.

Declan is successful and accomplished in his hockey world and doesn’t even realize he’s missing a defining part of his life until he reconnects with the one that got away.

Genevieve never expects the love of her life to come roaring back in just when she needs him most. She still holds a grudge for the way things ended, but there are aspects that Dec doesn’t even know about.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit hockey team who are there to support each other as each guy finds “the one”.

 

 

 

 

Title: The Trailblazer
Series: Boston Hawks Hockey #7
Author: Gina Azzi
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Release Date: November 11, 2021

 

BLURB

 

I always knew I’d marry my first everything, Declan Yaeger, the Southern boy with Irish roots. That was before he became my first heartbreak, a NHL superstar with a playboy reputation I no longer recognize.

 

The summer he left our small, Tennessee town, to pursue his hockey dream is the summer my life changed. That was seven years ago, before he became a defenseman for the Boston Hawks. Before I became fixated on my career, losing pieces of myself along the way.
To protect my grandfather’s legacy, I agree to marry my oldest childhood friend, Henry. But when I enter the Church on my wedding day, the grey eyes piercing mine aren’t my fiancé’s.
They’re Declan’s, the last person I expect to show up with an offer of his own. One I can’t refuse even though my heart should know better than to accept.

 

Will my marriage to Declan heal the broken between us? Or are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our past?

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

EXCERPT

 

“You may kiss the bride,” Father Ward announces after Declan and I exchange the rings that Mrs. Cleary delivered to the church upon hearing the news.

 

Declan’s hands find my waist and I suck in a breath, already dizzy from the rows of people staring at us, straining to catch a glimpse of our union, one built on past hurts and future hopes.
The corner of Declan’s mouth quirks up. His eyes blaze, not with the confusion of earlier, but with a yearning I feel bone-deep. His lips part, my chin tips upward, and so slowly I can hear the pounding of my heart, we move. We lean toward each other, pulled by an invisible tug that always existed between us.
“Vivi,” he breathes out, his words feathering over my lips. Then, his mouth is on mine, and I’m transported to the past.
I kiss Declan to secure our marriage in front of our town. But his lips won’t caress mine after this. His kiss is too dangerous, too potent. It has the power to make me believe in things I know aren’t true. Like love and futures, like white houses on hills and baby giggles. Like all the plans we once dreamed up, when we were young and in love and so sweetly naïve.
But for right now, this one moment…
I close my eyes, I part my mouth, and I kiss Declan Yaeger the same way I did when I was twelve. With hope and heart and heat.

 

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

COMING SOON
Releasing January 6
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

Releasing March 3
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Gina Azzi writes emotional and captivating contemporary romance novels with heart-warming happily-ever-afters. She is the author of Boston Hawks Hockey, Second Chance Chicago Series, The Kane Brothers Series, Finding Love in Scotland Series, The College Pact Series, and Corner of Ocean and Bay. All of her books can be read as stand-alones.

 

A Jersey girl at heart, Gina has spent her twenties traveling the world, living and working abroad, before settling down in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three children. She’s a voracious reader, daydreamer, and coffee enthusiast who loves meeting new people. Say hey to her on social media or through www.ginaazzi.com.

 

AUTHOR LINKS
four-half-stars

* Review * SHAKEDOWN by Lani Lynn Vale

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * SHAKEDOWN by Lani Lynn ValeShakedown by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Souls Chapel Revenants MC #8
on November 9, 2021
Buy on Amazon
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four-half-stars

Wanted: someone to hand feed me Doritos so my hands don’t get orange. No weirdos.

Belle Pena was an editor. Not a writer.

When her brothers challenge her to create a dating profile, she makes up the most random biography she can think of. She never, not ever, thought she’d find anybody to respond. But she was sorely mistaken.

Sadly, she finds that she has way more interest than she ever could’ve imagined.

But only one profile catches her eye.

Bruno never meant to take the dating app seriously. Being the last single man in his band of misfits, he’s happy being the odd man out. Women spelled trouble, and he had enough trouble in his life to last him through the next decade.

Only his newfound family doesn’t feel the same. One innocent ‘sure’ has the women of the Souls Chapel Revenants MC creating him a dating profile that is too spot on to be comfortable. And just when he decides to delete the app entirely, a particular face catches his eye.

One innocent question of ‘Belle is that you? Do you remember punching me in the throat in high school?’ has him stepping into trouble neck deep, and he doesn’t even realize it until it’s too late.

 

Bruno is all we ever wanted and more! With the final book in Lani Lynn Vale’s highly addictive Souls Chapel Revenants MC series SHAKEDOWN brings love to Bruno and rounds out the circle of misfits that became a family throughout the series.

Belle is sweet, snarky and the best friend type you never knew you wanted. She fits right in with that crazy fun family of hers and it was so satisfying to see them all again.

Bruno hasn’t had an easy life, but he knows a good thing when he sees it and is happy to sweet Belle off her feet and become her man.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a close knit group of unlikely friends who come together and make pure magic in everything they do to make the world a better place. I enjoyed the series a lot.

four-half-stars

* Review * MAYBE WE SHOULD by Melissa Foster

* Review * MAYBE WE SHOULD by Melissa FosterMaybe We Should by Melissa Foster
Series: Silver Harbor #2
Published by Montlake on November 2, 2021
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five-stars

After spending years wondering who she was, tattoo artist Cait Weatherby finally found her answers on the sandy shores of Silver Island. With two half sisters she never knew existed, a group of friends she adores, and a devastatingly charming admirer who flirts with her at every turn, she’s ready to figure out her next steps. The trouble is, Cait lives in the shadows of a dark past, and she can’t afford complications that might cause her to lose the family she’s only just found—complications like blue-eyed boatbuilder Brant Remington, who is as open as she is guarded. If only the sexy charmer would take the hint…

Brant is Cait’s opposite in every way, but he’s drawn to everything about the sexy newcomer—from the quiet strength that rivals the caution in her mossy-green eyes to her tough facade that he can’t wait to strip away.

As Brant works his magic, Cait’s walls come down. But as sweet as that feels, Cait knows how quickly good things can turn bad. It’s going to take more than a little trust to beat the ghosts of her past and claim the future they both deserve.

 

Sassy, sweet and sexily addicting! Melissa Foster is a sure thing if you are looking for a close knit group of family and friends who love hard and live life fully. With the second book in the Silver Harbor series MAYBE WE SHOULD brings Cait Weatherby’s story to life and delivers an emotional journey towards healing and love. I couldn’t have loved a couple more than Cait and Brant.

I was quickly hooked on Cait’s story as we learn about her newly found family and the life she left behind so many years ago. She’s wounded yet strong and a delight to see fall in love and open her heart to all the joys that life has to offer.

Brant is simply a doll. He saw her, he knew she was his one true love and he adorably made his infatuation known. I love the warmth of his family.

I highly recommend this book as well as the series to anyone who enjoys a little family drama mixed in with your sweet and sexy romance. The characters are close knit, the town is supportive and the love stories are divine!

five-stars

* Review * THE WEDDING CRASHER AND THE COWBOY by Robin Bielman

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE WEDDING CRASHER AND THE COWBOY by Robin BielmanThe Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy by Robin Bielman
Published by Entangled: Amara on October 26, 2021
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four-stars

Kennedy Martin is shocked when her ex calls days before his wedding, expressing serious second thoughts. Doesn’t he see his fiancée's actually the glaze to his doughnut? Now she’s got no choice but to crash his wedding and convince the man he’s with the right woman.

Instead, she crashes into the absolute last man she ever wanted to see: Maverick Owens, her old college nemesis. Maverick is still as awful, infuriating, and just The Worst as ever—even if he looks way too sexy in his cowboy hat. And of course he’s convinced she’s actually at the seaside ranch to ruin the wedding.

Now the only way to get some face time with the groom and save this marriage is to participate in all sorts of pre-wedding events…with Maverick. Stuck on a canoe, making small-talk at cocktail hour, and even a hoedown with her worst enemy? This just might be the longest week of her life…

 

A highly entertaining wedding debacle! THE WEDDING CRASHER AND THE COWBOY by Robin Bielman revolves around Kennedy and Maverick as she shows up at his family ranch to sneak some time with her ex who just so happens to be there for his wedding weekend. Hijinks and laughter steal the show as emotional connections and happily ever afters win it all.

Kennedy is kind and always taking care of someone, so it’s not surprising to see her going out of her way to try to convince her ex that his cold feet are normal and his bride to be is a delight. I felt like there was some meaty drama left on the table by not pulling her family in more to resolve their adversity, but I enjoyed her none-the-less.

Maverick is delightful! He’s sweet and sexy and just about the kindest guy you can meet. I enjoyed watching him complete the goals he set out for himself while on the road to his forever.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a little drama and a fun dose of humor with their romance.

four-stars

* Review * RODEO CHRISTMAS AT EVERGREEN RANCH by Maisey Yates

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * RODEO CHRISTMAS AT EVERGREEN RANCH by Maisey YatesRodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch by Maisey Yates
Series: Gold Valley #13
Published by HQN Books on October 26, 2021
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four-half-stars

Gold Valley’s rodeo champion is facing the toughest challenge of his life—a Christmas wedding!

Legendary bull rider Jake Daniels has only one plan this Christmas—to ignore the pain the season always brings. Until his best friend, Callie Carson, shows up on his ranch with a marriage proposal. Jake has lived so close to the edge it’s a miracle he’s still alive—he knows all about risk. But marrying the woman he craves more than anything feels like the biggest risk of all.

Callie Carson may be rodeo royalty, but to fulfill her dreams of riding saddle bronc, she needs her inheritance. And to access that, she needs a husband. But Jake the husband is deliciously different from Jake the friend, especially after the wild heat of their wedding night. He was only supposed to be her cowboy for Christmas, but Jake’s every heart-stopping touch has Callie questioning how she’ll ever be able to walk away.

 

Reconnecting with this Gold Valley fam is always a delight! Jack Daniels is attention grabbing enough to have me hooked from the start, but once his feisty BFF Callie shows up, all bets are off and I’m rooting for her to get her man! Great characters, heartfelt emotional healing and a sweet happily ever after.

Jake has always been one of the quieter ones of the bunch when we got together with the gang at Hope Springs Ranch, but he’s settling in and doing things on his term now that he’s leaving the rodeo and seeing him with Cal just shows the torch he’s carrying.

Callie adores Jake and knows he will help her continue her rodeo career … even if it means something as crazy as marrying her so she can get access to her trust fund!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a small town romance with a sexy cowboy surrounding by a rambunctious family who stand by each other through thick and thin.

four-half-stars

* Review * THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Sarah Morgan

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Sarah MorganThe Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan
Published by HQN Books on October 26, 2021
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four-stars

It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas getaway—a trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband. Her solution? Alix can take Christy’s little daughter to Lapland, and they will reunite there for Christmas Day. It’s a big ask, but what else are friends for?

There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy. But Christy’s request to save Christmas is giving Alix sleepless nights. She knows something is wrong, but for the first time ever, Christy isn’t talking. And even the Arctic temperatures in Lapland aren’t enough to dampen the seriously inconvenient sizzle Alix is developing for Zac, a fellow guest and nemesis from her past.

As secrets unravel and unexpected romance shines under the northern lights, can Christy and Alix’s Christmas escape give them the courage to fight for the relationships they really want, and save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?

 

A perfectly whimsical Christmas vacation turns into so much more in Sarah Morgan’s THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE. The story revolves around a holiday trip that Christy planned to go on with her husband and young daughter as well as her best friend Alix . Throw her husband’s best friend into the mix who Alix has a bit of a history with just as things are spinning out of control at home and drama, romance and reconnections are surely guaranteed! I enjoyed this magical Christmas reunion.

Christy is overly tedious about planning out life’s every movement, but she has a heart of gold and wants to delight her 4 year old with a memorable Christmas while reconnecting with family and friends.

Alix is a real go-getter who buries herself in work in order to fill the empty space that family left inside her years ago. She adores Christy who has been like a sister to her since she was just a child and will do anything for her.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants an emotional story mixed with holiday ambiance and a sweet happily ever after.

four-stars

* Blog Tour/Review/Excerpt/Giveaway * THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS RETREAT by Catherine Mann

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour/Review/Excerpt/Giveaway * THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS RETREAT by Catherine MannThe Cowboy's Christmas Retreat by Catherine Mann
Series: Top Dog Dude Ranch #2
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on October 26, 2021
Buy on Amazon
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four-stars

After they’ve opened gifts

Maybe he’ll unwrap her heart.

Instead of his winter wonderland wedding, Riley Stewart has been jilted. This rodeo champ needs an understanding shoulder, so Riley invites his best friend, Lucy Snyder, her son and their scruffy pooch on his “honeymoon.” But moonlit doggy walks, romantic fires, the glow of Christmas lights—everything is conspiring against their “just friends” resolve. Will this fake honeymoon ignite the real spark Riley and Lucy have denied for so long?

 

A holiday getaway like no other! With the second book in her Top Dog Dude Ranch series Catherine Mann brings the heart of a friendship to life when two best friends who have been burned by love get taken in by the magic of a winter wonderland and start wondering “what if?” in THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS RETREAT. The holiday ambiance is magical and the characters are a joy to get to know.

Riley is a sweetheart. I loved his outlook on life and his devotion to Lucy.

Lucy revolves her entire world around making her son the most well-adjusted kid as possible and it shows with what a little doll he is.

I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who loves a small town romance filled with friendship, love and happily ever afters with a whole lot of adorableness mixed in.

 

 

 

 

The Cowboy's Christmas Retreat tour banner

This is my post during the blog tour for The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat by Catherine Mann. In The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat a Rodeo champ is jilted at the altar and takes his best friend and her son on his honeymoon to the Top Dog Dude Ranch.

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 26 October till 8 November. You can see the tour schedule here.

The Cowboy's Christmas Retreat book cover

The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat (Top Dog Dude Ranch #2)
By Catherine Mann
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 26 October, 2021

Blurb:
After they’ve opened gifts, maybe he’ll unwrap her heart…

Instead of his winter wonderland wedding, Riley Stewart has been jilted. This rodeo champ needs an understanding shoulder, so Riley invites his best friend, Lucy Snyder, her son and their scruffy pooch on his “honeymoon.” But moonlit doggy walks, romantic fires, the glow of Christmas lights—everything is conspiring against their “just friends” resolve. Will this fake honeymoon ignite the real spark Riley and Lucy have denied for so long?

Links:
Goodreads
Bookbub
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Google Play
Apple
Books a Million

 

Excerpt

A bloodcurdling shriek split the air.

Riley bolted from the elevator, recognizing that scream all too well. The same scream Lucy had let loose the one and only time he’d managed to get her to ride a horse.

He hoped this shout didn’t end in stitches.

Charging ahead past his apartment to hers, he embraced the distraction from mess he’d made of his own life. He rang the doorbell once as a courtesy only, before pulling out his key to her place. He pushed the door open to…mayhem.

Pickles was running in circles, barking up a storm. George sat in the middle of a pile of Christmas tree lights and ornaments, tinsel in his red curls. Lucy scooped up the dog, both of them covered in frosting. Tears sheened in her green eyes as Pickles licked icing from her cheek.

Her chin quivered.

Oh man. He wrapped her in a hug, his chin resting on the top of her head. “What happened, Lucy?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.” Dog smooshed between them, she held on tight, whispering against his chest in a rambling litany. “I don’t want George to see me upset. He knocked over the tree and I thought he was hurt, but he’s okay and Pickles ate half of the cake and I don’t have time or ingredients to make another one and—”

“Okay, Lucy. Take a moment to step back and catch your breath. I’ve got this.” He took Pickles from her, the back of his hand brushing her breast.

He froze. Her eyes shot up to his. Pink crept up her cheeks until her freckles almost disappeared.

And just that fast he was blindsided by a deluge of sensations: the scent of Lucy’s wavy red hair, the soft feel of her body. A whiff of her cinnamon perfume.

Sure, he’d harbored a crush on her long ago, but it was just that. An infatuation. He valued her friendship too much to risk acting on something as transient as sex…

THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS RETREAT
Top Dog Dude Ranch Book 2
Harlequin Special Edition, November 2021
Copyright Catherine Mann 2021

 

About the Top Dog Dude Ranch series
Welcome to Moonlight Ridge, Tennessee, home to the Top Dog Dude Ranch, renowned for family-friendly rustic retreats that heal broken hearts. Some say it’s the majestic mountain vistas. Others vow there’s magic in the hot springs. All agree, there’s something special about the four-legged creatures at the Top Dog Dude Ranch that give guests a “new leash on love.”

First book in the series:
Last-Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog Dude Ranch #1) by Catherine Mann

Last-Chance Marriage rescue

“They’re about to step into a parent trap of their twins’ making!”

Links:
Goodreads
Bookbub
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Apple
Google Play
Books a Million

Catherine Mann author picture

About the Author:
USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Harlequin, Tule, Berkley, and Sourcebooks. With over seventy-five books released in more than twenty countries, she has won a RITA Award, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Bookseller’s Best Award. She’s also celebrated six RITA finals, an RT Reviewer’s Award finalist, three Maggie Award of Excellence finals and a Bookseller’s Best win. After years moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled back in her home state of South Carolina where she lives with her husband. The nest didn’t stay empty long though as they are both active in animal rescue. Catherine enjoys hearing from her readers and can be found online frequently on Facebook. She can also be reached via mail at: PO Box 290762, Columbia SC 29229. (For a free bookmark, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.)

Author links:
Website
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Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Cowboy’s Christmas Retreat. Three winners win a copy of Last Chance Marriage Rescue (Top Dog #1) with a PAW-tograph (autograph) from the author’s dog Biscuit – US Only.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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four-stars

* Release Blitz/Review * DOC by Penny Dee

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * DOC by Penny DeeDoc by Penny Dee
Series: The Kings of Mayhem MC TENNESSEE #2
on October 28, 2021
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Sometimes love grows in the darkest of places…

One tragic night took the only good thing in my life from me and set me on a new path. A path that eventually led me here, to the Kings of Mayhem Motorcycle Club in Tennessee.

They call me Doc because that is what I am, even if the law says I can’t be. I’m inked head to toe, ride a Harley and wear a cut, but my love for medicine is the blood in my veins.

I don’t need liquor and I don’t need women. By choice, I haven't touched a woman in years. Guilt has shaped me into a lonely figure. Love is a fable and touch makes me uncomfortable.

But when a rival club decides I have what they need and abduct me off the street, I come face to face with the last damn thing I need—the woman of my dreams.

She’s the enemy. The daughter of our biggest rival. The odds are against us, yet I’m drawn to her like a moth to the flame. I don’t like to be touched but I want her to touch me.

Chances are I’m not getting out of this alive. But when I have her in my arms, I can’t help but feel like my life is just beginning.

Sometimes love can grow in the darkest of places.

But then again, it can crash and burn too.

 

Dramatic danger and delectable characters steal the show! DOC is the 2nd book in Penny Dee’s Kings of Mayhem MC Tennessee series and does not disappoint as danger comes knocking and doesn’t let up throughout. Really enjoying this series!

Doc has a strong back story that really endears him to a reader’s heart early on in this book.

Lily is mysterious and quirky, but I liked her from the start.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys an MC romance with lots of drama, more heart than you’ll know what to do with and a genuinely close knit group of guys finding their happily ever after one guy after the next.

 

 

 

 

Title: Doc
Series: Kings of Mayhem MC Tennessee #2
Author: Penny Dee
Genre: MC Romance/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 28, 2021

 

BLURB

Sometimes love grows in the darkest of places…
One tragic night took the only good thing in my life from me and set me on a new path. A path that eventually led me here, to the Kings of Mayhem Motorcycle Club in Tennessee.They call me Doc because that is what I am, even if the law says I can’t be. I’m inked head to toe, ride a Harley and wear a cut, but my love for medicine is the blood in my veins.

I don’t need liquor and I don’t need women. By choice, I haven’t touched a woman in years. Guilt has shaped me into a lonely figure. Love is a fable and touch makes me uncomfortable.

But when a rival club decides I have what they need and abduct me off the street, I come face to face with the last damn thing I need—the woman of my dreams.

She’s the enemy. The daughter of our biggest rival. The odds are against us, yet I’m drawn to her like a moth to the flame. I don’t like to be touched, but I want her to touch me.

Chances are, I’m not getting out of this alive. But when I have her in my arms, I can’t help but feel like my life is just beginning.

Sometimes love can grow in the darkest of places.

But then again, it can crash and burn too.

DOC is book two in the Kings of Mayhem MC Tennessee series. For readers 18+.

 

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Only available at the following
retailers for a limited time

 

EXCERPT

“You don’t seem concerned.”
“Concern walked out the door with gullibility and trust when I realized I’d been abducted off the street by a psychopath because he wants me to help his fugitive wife give birth. Your father hasn’t said one goddamn word of truth since I’ve been here. There’s no way he was ever letting me leave.”

“Then why aren’t you doing something about it?”

“I am.”

“What?”

He walks over to me. His face is tight, his eyes dark. “Now why would I go and tell you something like that?”

His words and tone stun me, but it’s the sharp distrust in his eyes that get me.

I’m trying to help him, but he’s acting like I’m trying to extract his teeth without any Novocain.

“I’m trying to help you.”

“Sure, you are.”

I take a step back and fold my arms. Last night, I slept in his arms. Today, his walls are firmly up, and the look of contempt is back in those baby blues.

Apparently, our truce is over.

“You still think I’m a part of this, don’t you?”

I’m not going to be wounded by his distrust. In fact, I couldn’t care less. Besides, I get it. In his shoes, I’d probably feel the same way. And we’re not friends. Hell, I don’t think I even like him.

Okay, that’s not true. My body likes him, obviously, because every time he’s close to me, I want to get naked, sink into his warm aura, and make out with him, and clearly, my body is desperate to get laid. After all, it’s been what? Three years?

He stands in front of me, and I can’t help but notice the long lashes that fringe the deep blue of his eyes. When he talks, dimples appear on either side of his mouth, and dammit, if I don’t want to kiss those dimples as much as I want to kiss those lips.

Despite hating him.

“I know what you’re doing,” he says.

Again, the tone of his voice catches me off guard. “Excuse me?”

He moves forward, his face dark with heat and emotion. “Get close to the doctor and lure him in, do what you have to do to make him let down his guard…” He takes another step toward me, and I mindlessly take one backward. Not because I’m scared but because the moment has turned into something tight and exciting. Our eyes lock and an electrical charge buzzes between us as the space separating us disappears. “Be his friend, gain his trust… treat him real good.”

“What are you saying?”

He takes another step closer, but I have nowhere to go. My shoulder blades are already pressed against the door behind me.

“Wrap your arms around him and do what you gotta do… entice him.”

I glare at him.

“Well, here I am, Lily…” his eyes flash, and his face tightens, “… entice me.”

My sensibility screams at me to tell him to back off, but the woman in me can’t rip her eyes off his mouth. My lips part with a shaky breath as my heart pounds against my ribcage. I lick my lips, and his eyes become heavy-lidded as they track the movement of my tongue. I wonder if he’s going to kiss me, and the thought sends a zip of excitement up my spine.

His face comes closer, and I swallow deep, his heat burning like red-hot coal around me.

My eyes close.

I want him to kiss me. Desperately.

I feel his breath against my cheek.

My lips part.

“Isn’t that the plan?” he growls.

The palms of his hands hit the wall either side of my head, caging me in his heat.

“You want to entice me?”

His lips are close to mine. His voice dark and velvety.

“You want to lure me in and… tempt me?

My pulse races in my throat.

I hear him inhale and exhale roughly, and dear god, just kiss me

“Tell me…” His breath sweet as it brushes across my lips. “Just how stupid do you think I am?”

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

AUTHOR BIO

Penny Dee writes contemporary romance about rock stars, bikers, hockey players and everyone in-between. Her stories bring the suspense, the feels and a whole lot of heat.

She found her happily ever after with an Australian hottie who she met on a blind date.

AUTHOR LINKS
four-half-stars

* Review * CHRISTMAS IN ROSE BEND by Naima Simone

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CHRISTMAS IN ROSE BEND by Naima SimoneChristmas in Rose Bend by Naima Simone
Series: Rose Bend #2
Published by HQN Books on October 26, 2021
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Goodreads
five-stars

The holidays have never been her thing. But Christmas in Rose Bend has more than one surprise in store…

Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother’s deathbed confession: Nessa’s dad wasn’t really her dad. Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids. But then she meets the innkeeper’s ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison.

Wolf’s big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. Nessa has too much weighing on her to feel like she fits—even though the heat between her and Wolf is undeniable. And the merriment bringing an overdue smile to Ivy’s face is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?

 

A gut wrenchingly beautiful holiday delight! With the next story in her Rose Bend small town series Naima Simone pulls at every single one of her reader’s heartstrings while showering Christmas spirit around every corner. Emotions are high, healing is happening on several aspects and happily ever afters are in sight! I loved every single minute of Nessa, Wolfgang and all of their entourage.

Nessa had me wanting to reach out and hug her from the very start. She’s grieving her mother while picking up the pieces of an emotional revelation that has thrown a wrench in her very foundation and now has to learn how to parent her newly orphaned sister at a time when she doesn’t know how to take care of even herself.

Wolf and his family are just delightful. I wish we all could spend a holiday at their inn! Seeing him heal from the disappointments life has given him at the same time that he connects with Nessa is really heartwarming.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who enjoys a sexy romance in a delightful small town filled with warmth and heart.

five-stars

* Release Blitz/Review * RIGGS by Sawyer Bennett

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * RIGGS by Sawyer BennettRiggs by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Arizona Vengeance #11
Published by Big Dog Books, LLC on October 26, 2021
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Goodreads
four-stars

Known as the team loner, Riggs Nadeau gives his all on the ice, but nothing extra off it. A beautiful stranger is about to cause chaos in his very structured world.

As a professional hockey player, people think I live a charmed life. On the surface, I do. But they don’t know the horrors of my childhood, or the real reason that I have custody of my seventeen-year-old sister, Janelle. And that’s exactly the way I like it. They may think I’m a prick because I don’t like to share, but that’s fine. They don’t know me, and they don’t need to.

In an effort to help Janelle get settled in Phoenix and stay out of trouble at school, I set her up with a job at Clarke’s Corner, the local bookstore owned by the girlfriend of a teammate. It’s there that she makes friends with Veronica Woodley, the extremely annoying, arrogant, money-hungry divorcee who I don’t want anywhere near my sister. Janelle insists I’m completely wrong about Veronica, but I refuse to accept that. I have to keep reminding myself that that the gorgeous blond with legs for days is off limits.

Through a series of events, I start to see Veronica for what she really is—an amazing woman who has survived her own hell to come out even stronger. I have to admit, we’re more alike than not and the attraction between us burns hot.

Maybe I was all wrong about my ability to love and commit, but when the past comes back to haunt me, can I be the man that Veronica, and Janelle, deserve?

 

The elusive player is uncovered! With the next book in her always highly anticipated Arizona Vengeance series Sawyer Bennett delivers an emotionally charged RIGGS and fans are going to be engrossed quickly. I enjoyed the characters and the emotional happily ever after.

Riggs is more than I was expecting, and one of my favorite aspects of this book was his easy friendship with Baden.

Veronica is a doll and watching her unravel both Riggs and his sisters hard exteriors was really heartwarming to watch.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey romance with a close knit group of players who always have each other’s backs and who love hard.

 

 

 

 

Riggs (Arizona Vengeance, Book #11)
Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: October 26, 2021

 

Synopsis:


Known as the team loner, Riggs Nadeau gives his all on the ice, but nothing extra off it. A beautiful stranger is about to cause chaos in his very structured world.

As a professional hockey player, people think I live a charmed life.  On the surface, I do. But they don’t know the horrors of my childhood, or the real reason that I have custody of my seventeen-year-old sister, Janelle. And that’s exactly the way I like it. They may think I’m a prick because I don’t like to share, but that’s fine. They don’t know me, and they don’t need to.

In an effort to help Janelle get settled in Phoenix and stay out of trouble at school, I set her up with a job at Clarke’s Corner, the local bookstore owned by the girlfriend of a teammate. It’s there that she makes friends with Veronica Woodley, the extremely annoying, arrogant, money-hungry divorcee who I don’t want anywhere near my sister. Janelle insists I’m completely wrong about Veronica, but I refuse to accept that. I have to keep reminding myself that that the gorgeous blond with legs for days is off limits.

Through a series of events, I start to see Veronica for what she really is—an amazing woman who has survived her own hell to come out even stronger. I have to admit, we’re more alike than not and the attraction between us burns hot.

Maybe I was all wrong about my ability to love and commit, but when the past comes back to haunt me, can I be the man that Veronica, and Janelle, deserve?

 

Download Riggs (Arizona Vengeance, Book #11):

► Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zZrH1m
► Nook: https://bit.ly/3gm5S3X
► Apple: https://apple.co/3gmOYlC
► Kobo: https://bit.ly/359odMd
► Google: https://bit.ly/3ctI3FZ
► Print: https://amzn.to/3yTKYAd

Audible (narrated by Connor Crais and Savannah Peachwood): https://adbl.co/2WWrA8S

 

 

About the Author:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

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four-stars