Monday, November 30, 2020

O Night Devine ~ A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales: Feature & Giveaway

 

O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales
Publication date: December 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance, Romance

A MASTERPIECE OF HOLIDAY STORYTELLING…

Enjoy this stunning holiday collection from some of your favorite Dragonblade Publishing authors in this collection of never-before published seasonal tales!

Imagine, if you will, that it is Christmas Eve.

The candles are guttered, one by one, and a hush falls over the parlor. The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.

A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…

The clock on the wall chimes midnight.

Now, the magic happens.

From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.

USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

This collection includes:

Twas the Executioner Knight Before Christmas by Kathryn Le Veque

A medieval version of the Ghost of Christmas Future…

No one survives an Executioner Knight and least of all, Maxton of Loxbeare. But when he married his wife and had children, three little girls right away, Maxton grew a heart. He became a devoted and dedicated father who loved his children dearly. But the Executioner Knight in him still lived. So after a very bad dream, Maxton sees that, for his daughters’ sake, he must change.

Learn more about Kathryn Le Veque: https://kathrynleveque.com

The Laird’s Yulebringer by Caroline Lee

The Mackenzies are in mourning… none so much as their laird. Since the loss of his wife, leaving Callan to raise a young son alone, he believes he’s lost his chance at happiness. As his extended family gathers to celebrate the Yule together, they can do naught to raise his spirits… until a midnight visitor—of the ghostly variety—brings him hope for the future.

Learn more about Caroline Lee: https://collettecameron.com

Making Spirits Bright by Chasity Bowlin

After a lifetime of secrets, scandal, and disappointment… Elizabeth doesn’t believe in happy endings, at least not for herself. But an unconventional nobleman, with the help of a novice Spirit of Christmas, may just change her mind…

Learn more about Chasity Bowlin: https://chasitybowlin.com

The Haunted Scot by Hildie McQueen

The allure of a reformed rake…

She’s as determined to pursue him as he is to keep his distance. After a heartbreaking debacle, Thomas Sullivan decides to give up his roguish ways and considers the priesthood. Unfortunately, the beautiful arrival gives him second thoughts. Mary Asher is not sure why the handsome new driver tries to avoid her at all costs. After being told he follows her every move, Mary decides to test him.

Learn more about Hildie McQueen: https://www.hildiemcqueen.com

Never Keep a Secret at Christmas by Maggi Andersen

’Tis not the season to be surreptitious…

Alice Dountry’s father has gout, and she must spend Christmas with her sister, Marian, Lady Belfries. Their neighbor, the gruff, bad-tempered Earl of Hawkinge, refuses Marian’s invitation to Christmas dinner.

While chatting with him over the garden wall, Alice suspects something deeper lies beneath his humbug opinion of Christmas. Hawkinge and his grandson, Hugh Gifford, are at odds. Alice writes to Hugh but must keep it a secret from her sister.

When the handsome Lord Gifford arrives, there is an immediate spark between them. But Lord Hawkinge is hardly welcoming, and now, Marian and her husband argue over the secret letter.

Learn more about Maggi Andersen: https://maggiandersenauthor.com

Her Star from the East by Mary Lancaster

Miss Emma Sayle has enjoyed two London seasons and rejected many suitors. Her heart was given long ago to an exciting prince of the east, a man of another country and another faith. As Christmas approaches, she daydreams of what her life with him might have been – until his ghost walks out of the freezing fog. But is it the ghost of his past or her future?

Learn more about Mary Lancaster: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lancaster.1656

The Remembrance of Love by Meara Platt

Hyacinth Farthingale has known and loved Lord Innes Buchan since the day she was born. She is now in her debut season, and as Christmas approaches, it is high time this aloof and lonely lord realized his happiness depends on marrying her.

Learn more about Meara Platt: http://www.mearaplatt.com

How to get an Earl of Christmas by Violetta Rand

Learn more about Violetta Rand: http://www.violettarandromance.com/

Yuletide at Gillingham by Alexa Aston

A lonely holiday…

One boy abandoned by a greedy gambling father. Another boy watches his father slowly dying. A lasting friendship that will see them through the hard times—and beyond…

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Can two lonely boys draw strength from one another during a Yuletide season that only promises heartbreak?
Learn more about Alexa Aston: https://alexaaston.com

A Thrill of Hope by Anna Markland

Foiling an attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria earns Parker a medal and royal gratitude. The lunatic’s bayonet plunged into his thigh leaves him with a pronounced limp and reassignment to a small constabulary. Particularly trying is having to spend Christmas Day with his

miserly uncle.

During her family’s Yuletide celebrations, Samantha discovers she doesn’t love her straitlaced fiancé. A bleak future looms large.

Neither realize that anarchists are plotting to blow up a newly-constructed railway bridge—although Parker might if he’d heed the mysterious warning voices he hears.

A tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Learn more about Anna Markland: https://www.annamarkland.com/

A Gift for Agatha by Anna St. Claire

A visit and a warning…

Years after her husband’s death, Lady Agatha Wendt has become a surly, cold-hearted miser, increasingly left to her own company. Childless and with little family, the wealthy widow fears

falling into poverty and spurns even the smallest gestures of Christmas giving. A determined spirit visits the wealthy widow and warns her change must happen.

Charles Bentley, her butler, sees goodness in her, and finds himself attracted to the real Agatha—despite knowing they could never be.

Can the spirit awaken Agatha to her real fears and help her to overcome them in time to realize the gift she has always wanted?

Learn more about Anna St. Claire: https://www.annastclaire.com

The Heart is Never Silent by Aubrey Wynne

Miss Etta Rose Comden is desperate to protect her younger sister, Horatia, after the death of their father. When the heir—and Tia’s new guardian—finds out his ward is deaf, he makes plans to send her away and marry Etta. With no one to turn to, the sisters flee in the middle of the night.

Dr. Gus Wharren, disillusioned with his practice in London, retreats to his late grandmother’s estate. Instead of a much-needed respite, he finds two lovely females stranded along the road.

Two sisters on the run. A London physician who has given up on humanity. The spirit of a loving grandmother. The stage is set for a holiday full of coincidence, a little Christmas magic, and a happy ever after.

Learn more about Aubrey Wynne: https://www.aubreywynne.com

Of Christmas Past by Charlotte Wren

Pride and promise before forgiveness

At the volatile age of seventeen, Percival Josiah Northcott storms out of Highfield Hall on Christmas Eve, vowing never to return. It is a vow supported solely by pride, which, as the old adage goes, generally comes before a fall.

Five years later, Percival has fallen about as low as a man can get. He secretly longs to return home, but pride and fear stand in his way. That is, until he’s visited by someone from his past, someone who gives him the courage to seek his family’s forgiveness.

But first, he must promise to complete a very special task.

Learn more about Charlotte Wren: https://www.facebook.com/Wrenbook/

Tidings of Comfort by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

A boy with a remarkable talent…

In the lead up to Christmas, Captain Kit Hardacre is in London looking for his long-lost parents. After a disappointing initial search, he finds himself in the city alone. Bringing him out of his self-pity is a call to help in a search for a missing little boy. But which one of them is more lost?

When Kit finds Pip, he discovers a youngster with a remarkable talent for going directly into the heart of those he meets. After seeing Pip safely returned, Kit’s faith in family is restored and a kind word gives him the courage to continue his search.

Learn more about Elizabeth Ellen Carter: https://eecarter.com

A Christmas Miracle by Elizabeth Johns

Alex Hartmere, Duke of Frompton, has endured enough heartache to make any man bitter.

Having lost his wife and child in the war in Canada, he returns to England, only to inherit a dukedom from a father who dies in a scandalous duel soon afterwards.

Repairing to his family estate for Christmas, Alex finds his first love now widowed and penniless. Can a Christmas miracle, in the form of a crippled little girl, bring them the happiness which was once stripped away from them?

Learn more about Elizabeth Johns: https://www.elizabethjohnsauthor.com/

Her Christmas White Knight by Elizabeth Keysian

England, Yuletide 1587

The dice have really been loaded against Mistress Julia Wentworth. Little wonder she no longer trusts a soul—except for the urchin she rescued from the poorhouse. Having fallen in love with—and been abandoned by—a murderous traitor, Julia’s been turned out by her family and left to scrape what living she can on the brutal London streets. When a goose strays into her yard, it looks as if she’ll at least have something to feast on at Christmas.

Exploding into her life in pursuit of his goose is Myall Farrar, a scarred nobleman who loathes his miserly father and can’t afford to lose the fowl for which he’s scrimped and saved all year.

Can there be any common ground between the mismatched Myall and Julia? Is there any hope of goodwill within their families? And—perhaps more importantly—will the goose prove itself worth saving from the butcher’s knife?

Learn more about Elizabeth Keysian: https://elizabethkeysian.com/

Always the Mistletoe by Emily E K Murdoch

When a woman loves a man, it’ll take more than a little Scrooge like behavior to stop her standing by him. Her family, on the other hand…

Learn more about Emily E K Murdoch: https://emilyekmurdoch.com

A Libertine’s Christmas Miracle by Emily Royal

Christmas is a time for miracles

Alice and Ross Trelawney are enjoying a quiet Christmas in Cornwall, until their daughter Amelia strays onto the nearby estate of Mr. Scrimgeour, the infamous Beast of Boscarne. When Amelia comes home in tears after a terrifying encounter, Alice resolves to teach the Beast a lesson.

Haunted by his late wife’s ghost and taunted by the locals, Edward Scrimgeour hides away in his crumbling mansion. His peace is shattered when his neighbor’s hellion of a wife storms into his home on Christmas Eve. But she’s no ordinary trespasser. When events threaten to take a tragic turn, Edward is given a chance at salvation, showing that miracles can occur in the unlikeliest of places.

Learn more about Emily Royal: http://www.emroyal.com/

Past, Present, Future by Lynne Connolly

Rhona sent the love of her life away once, but now Frederick is back. He doesn’t care that she’s a housekeeper, and he’s a wounded soldier and the brother of a duke. For the three nights of Christmas, he’ll give her three gifts; wooden figures he carved for her in the long nights before his last battle. They represent their past, their present, and what they could have in the future. If she doesn’t accept his love this time, he’ll leave for good.

Learn more about Lynne Connolly: https://lynneconnolly.com

A Yuletide Yearning by Maeve Greyson

Regret is a sly enemy…

Captain Tait Mackenzie doesn’t regret a life of pirating, but it’s Christmas and he’s lonely. Thoughts of dying alone trouble him. What woman would settle for a life with a pirate lord?

If wishes and dreams were oceans and streams, she’d sail her way to happiness…

Ellie has always loved Tait, but he politely ignores her. She intends to change that with a little help from the North Star.

Can three pirate ghosts on Christmas Eve scare some sense into a Scottish rogue and make him see that the love he needs has been right in front of him all along?

Learn more about Maeve Greyson: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

A Strange Christmas Game by Whitney Blake

Mr. Charles Mason doesn’t expect a December summons to end in his own love story…

Learn more about Whitney Blake: https://www.whitneyblakeauthor.net


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize. 

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

The Homecoming by Robyn Carr ~ A Stuck In Books ARC giveaway

 


In a small town, reputation is everything. In her latest novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr explores the burden placed on a young man returning home to face his mistakes—the first step in claiming the life he was meant to live ...

At the age of nineteen, Seth Sileski had everything. A superb athlete and scholar, handsome and popular, he was the pride of Thunder Point. Destined for greatness, he lost it all in a terrible accident that put an end to his professional football career when it had barely begun. The people in his hometown have never forgotten what might have been.

Seth has come to terms with the turns his life has taken. But now he's been presented with an opportunity to return home and show his father—and the people of Thunder Point—he's become a better, humbler version of his former self.

Winning over his father isn't the only challenge. Seth must also find a way to convince his childhood neighbor and best friend, Iris McKinley, to forgive him for breaking her heart. With his homecoming, will Seth be able to convince the town, his family and especially Iris that he's finally ready to be the man who will make them all proud?



Advanced Reader Copy

US Addresses only




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, November 29, 2020

Stacking Our Shelves ~ 11/29/20


Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  Make sure to checkout her post with links to all the other participates.

Click covers for Goodreads links


For Review...




Thanks goes to...


Berkley


Bought...









That's what we added to our shelves this week! What do you think? What did you add to your stacks? Leave us a comment and link us up!


Saturday, November 28, 2020

Let's Chat... Books I Read Before I Started Blogging


Hello, friends! I hope you're having a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend. This past week I saw this tweet from an author I admire:


And I really like this, because of course end-of-year lists aren't the end all, be all. That said, it also got me thinking because this author has written some books I love. Books that definitely would have hit end of the year lists for me--except I read them before I was blogging, so they didn't make any list for me.

Which brings me to this post--I'm going to share ten books I read before I started blogging that I love SO MUCH and definitely would have made my end-of-year lists if I'd been blogging and making lists like that at the time I read them.

(These are in no particular order, btw--I can't even attempt to rank them!)


Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder



Obviously a book by the author who inspired this post has to be on this list :) Chasing Brooklyn is a story written in verse--one of the best books in verse I've read, actually. It's unique and romantic and sad and I think about this book literally all the time. If you want to have many feelings and beautiful writing, Chasing Brooklyn is perfect.


The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith



This series and pretty much everything by L.J. Smith could make this list. These books made me feel so at home and they have a place near and dear to my heart. I mean, witches and romance--perfection, yes?? I think I need a Secret Circle re-read now that I think about it because I truly love this series so much.

 

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen



I change my mind pretty much every day on which Sarah Dessen book is my favorite, but I think Just Listen resonates with me the most. It's another one that I think about all the time. "Don't think or judge, just listen." AHHH.


Evernight by Claudia Gray



This series was among my obsessions after I worked my way out of re-reading Twilight over and over again. The only thing similar between this and Twilight is vampires and romance, but I was eager to devour anything of the sort. I adore the premise of this one (like, I truly wish there could be more in this world!!!), and I fell so in love with these characters. To this day I still love Balthazar.


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer



I know, I know, but I'd be a liar if I didn't include this book. It would have been my number 1 read of 2009. This book was my LIFE back then. Not quite so much now, but I do still love it.


Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors



This book is such a gem! It's cute and sweet and the premise is basically the best thing ever. Look at this: When a random act of kindness involves Katrina with Malcolm, a handsome teenage guardian angel intent on fulfilling her greatest wish, fame and fortune seem like the most obvious requests. But after two botched wishes, Malcolm knows Katrina is hiding something from him. How can she tell him the truth, when her heart's desire has become Malcolm himself? TELL ME that doesn't sound fantastic??? I don't believe you. Read this book, thank you.


Scent of Danger by Andrea Kane



This was the first ~adult romance~ book I ever read, so it has a special place in my heart. But honestly it's a fun little suspense. I enjoy re-reading it every now and then because Sabrina and Dylan's chemistry is exquisite, and Sabrina and Carson's blooming father/daughter relationship?? An all-time favorite.


Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers



I remember standing in Borders, practically begging my dad to buy me this book because I wanted to read it *so bad.* Totally worth it. Quite possibly the first "unlikable" female protagonist I ever remember reading, I reflect on this book often. So, so good.


Intertwined by Gena Showalter



I probably passed this book up at Borders like ten times before finally caving and buying it with babysitting money when I was ~14. It then became one of the books that took over my life because of course I was obsessed. Vampires and shifters and love...so fun. I will forever wish this series was completed, but regardless I will continue to re-read this one and the sequel FOREVER.


Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow



I will forever wonder why more people haven't read this series. It's one of my all-time favorites, and I am obsessed with it to this very day. Dru Anderson is one of the OG strong YA protagonists. She's snarky. She's awesome. And she has a little love triangle of her own that I have strong opinions about and still consider writing fanfiction for because MY HEART. 


So there it is, ten books I read before I started blogging that would have been on my end-of-year favorites list. Have you read any of these? And did you enjoy this post?? Because I am definitely interested in writing another sometime soon!! :)


Friday, November 27, 2020

Million Dollar Cowboy by Lori Wilde ~ An ARC Stuck In Books Giveaway

 


New York Times Bestselling Author Lori Wilde returns to Cupid, Texas with a heartwarming story of a cowboy who comes home to the family ranch for a wedding filled with surprises…

The illegitimate son of a Texas ranching dynasty, Ridge Lockhart left home ten years ago with one goal: to become more successful than the father who never accepted him.

Mission accomplished, but now he’s back at the Silver Feather Ranch for a wedding—three days of best man duty until he can hightail it out. Then he spies Kaia Alzate, and suddenly leaving isn’t quite so appealing.

Kaia Alzate grew up the daughter of the ranch foreman, servants to the mighty Lockharts in the mansion. Back then, she followed Ridge around like a puppy. Now, she’s fighting the attraction she feels for this sexy CEO. She’s determined not to make a big mistake—but when Ridge takes her in his arms she’s stunned…could he be the man she’s waited for all along?




Advanced Reader Copy

US addresses only




a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Flame Game by R.J. Blain ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

 

The Flame Game
R.J. Blain
(Magical Romantic Comedies, #12)
Publication date: November 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Bailey and Quinn are back for one last action-filled adventure!

A corrupt police chief is on the loose, and it falls to Bailey and Quinn to put an end to him before he finds some way to weaponize the spreading rabies virus, create yet another batch of potent gorgon dust, and otherwise wreck Bailey’s happily ever after.

With a pair of orphaned gorgon whelps to care for, more animals she can shake a stick at, and her husband’s determination to make the world a perfect place for her, Bailey has her hands full. To protect everyone she loves, she must embrace her dubious role as the Calamity Queen and rain hell down on those who stand in her way.

The Flame Game is on.

Warning: this novel contains two fire-breathing unicorns on a napalm bender, action, adventure, chaos, mayhem, humor, and bodies. Proceed with caution.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

The father I hadn’t met until this morning walked me down the aisle, but Quinn’s hands holding mine kept me from running in terror at so many people witnessing me marrying someone like him. I questioned everything about my odd life. Me, the Calamity Queen, marry him? It took a few moments to remember I’d already married him once. I’d asked that same question then, too. He’d laughed, and then he’d goaded me until I’d done what he wanted, which involved me marrying him.

Crazy man.

There’d been a bunch of witnesses to that courthouse madness, too, and I’d survived through it mostly unscathed. Most of the witnesses to our first wedding had been too busy brawling with each other to pay any attention to me signing the papers that gave Samuel Leviticus Quinn certain rights to me, but that didn’t matter.

Reminding myself his signature on the same papers meant I got rights to him did a good job of steadying my rattled nerves.

No matter how many times I failed to tell him properly, I loved him.

To endure so many people staring at me, all I needed to do was remember a few key things. After the vows came the food, after the food came a show of gorgons petrifying each other during a brawl, and after the brawling came the pampering in our suite, which would be devoid of children for at least twenty-four hours, courtesy of an assortment of parents and grandparents.

I needed a lot longer than twenty-four hours to come to terms with having two pairs of parents.

One set hated me.

The other, who I’d learned about just yesterday, loved me.

I needed a lot longer than twenty-four hours to adjust to my life’s new circumstances.

First, I needed to survive through my second wedding. Tomorrow, I would resume my quest to be the best mother possible for our pair of orphaned gorgon children, who would spend the rest of the day and most of tomorrow socializing with the other gorgons in attendance, most of whom were related to my husband in one way or another.

Staring at Quinn and refusing to acknowledge anyone else in the Venetian’s canals would help with that, at least until we made it to the food portion of our wedding day. Once the food came around, I didn’t care who watched me devour steak, steak, and even more steak.

The fire-breathing, meat-eating unicorn in me loved steak almost as much as I loved the man who’d turned my life upside down on me.

My husband made no effort to hide his amusement, and he squeezed my hands while we both ignored the minister, who did a pretty damned good job of impersonating Elvis while reading the scripted sermon. He went on and on about the responsibilities of married couples, husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers, along with the death-do-we-part stuff I doubted applied to us at all thanks to our mishmash of crazy relatives, most of whom were in attendance.

A few too many gods and goddesses for my comfort joined almost every damned cop in our precinct to witness us confess our love to each other. Or, at a minimum, blurt ‘I do’ in some horrifically embarrassing fashion.

I had trouble with the basics, and nothing had changed since I’d married my gorgon-incubus doohickey the first time.

“You can look somewhere other than me if you want,” Quinn whispered, leaning closer to me.

I debated stealing a kiss before the official kissing portion of the ceremony, although the dumb veil kept getting in my way. Quinn had already shunted the damned thing back, but it kept falling wherever it wanted, to the point I wanted to light it on fire.

Nobody had warned me how much of a pain in the ass wedding dresses could be. And the heels? The heels might do me in. What had I done to deserve the damned heels, especially with the asshole pair of parents uninvited from the ceremony? While inserting my heels into their asses would have made my day, having a pair of parents who actually wanted me trumped my petty desire for revenge.

Huh. Somehow, I’d grown up since meeting Quinn, although only a little.

I forced my attention back on my husband. “If I look anywhere other than at you, I will see them staring at me. You’re prettier than they are, and I absolutely refuse to be ashamed of this.”

A few months ago, I would have gone and cried in the bathroom had I said that where anyone might hear me.

The Elvis impersonator grinned. “He really is prettier than everyone else here. You’re a very lucky woman.”

Oops. I shrugged, but I also smiled. “It’s true. I can’t help it. He’s in a suit. He can’t wear dress uniforms at home. I get ideas. I am enjoying this while it lasts. Someone is going to take a picture of him in his suit, and I will end up being bribed for copies of the pictures. I’ll have to ration the pictures out. I make him late for work if he wears anything other than his normal uniform. He has to change at work.”

Well, maybe I couldn’t keep my blabbering mouth under control, but I could make people laugh. The entire audience had a field day with my runaway commentary, but beyond blushing over my nervous tendencies, I resisted the urge to dash for the door. If I bolted, Quinn would catch me, drag me back, and laugh about it for the rest of eternity.

It amazed me how much could change in such a short period of time. Six months ago, I’d been bitter, alone, tired, and hungry more often than not. I no longer worried about what I’d eat; if I skipped a meal, Quinn chased me down and hovered until I did what he wanted, which involved eating whatever offering he had brought for me.

Greasy fries and burgers showed up almost as often as healthier fare. He even tolerated me trying to shove fries down his throat, as he deserved to enjoy greasy goodness, too.

I had issues.

I had a lot fewer issues than six months ago.

I deserved a gold star and an entire bucket of napalm for how much progress I’d made.

Quinn chuckled, which captured my attention, and he stole a gentle kiss. “Don’t worry. I’m going to have as much trouble as you when I get you into a dress uniform.”

I loved my gorgon-incubus doohickey. “Serves you right, you freak.” Aw, damn it. There I went, calling my husband a freak on our second wedding day. “I’m blaming the absurd number of cops in this building for my inability to behave like a normal adult.”

The cops snickered, which helped mitigate most of my urge to run away and hide from my ability to thoroughly embarrass myself. Then again, if I did run away and hide, Quinn would cheat and use his body to lure me to our room. Running so he’d chase me tempted me, but I stood my ground for a rare change.

Sometime within a few hours, he would lure me to our room, and I would be rewarded for handling our second wedding with a little more grace than our first. Mostly. Maybe with less grace but properly dressed. I could work with properly dressed for our second wedding.

Author Bio:

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram



GIVEAWAY!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize.

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Christmasly Obedient by Julia Kent ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

 

Christmasly Obedient
Julia Kent
Publication date: November 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

Tree picking in glorious, downeast Maine. Snow. Santa. Roaring fires, people you love, and a good life. What more could a guy want?

Or, rather, two guys?

Mike and Jeremy have a quiet life with Lydia, on her parents’ family campground in Verily, Maine. It’s a little boring, sure, but after the craziness of their old lives, what’s wrong with boring?

Besides, Jeremy and Mike find Lydia anything but.

As Christmas looms, and an unexpected oops leaves them all in a state of uncertainty, they have to ask themselves: is it time to let life be a little less boring?

And what’s inside that slim box Lydia’s giving them both on Christmas morning?

Christmasly Obedient is a new holiday book in Julia Kent’s USA Today bestselling Obedient series.

The Obedient Series includes:

Maliciously Obedient
Suspiciously Obedient
Deliciously Obedient

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

Jeremy pulled off his coat and slid his arms around Lydia, burying his nose in her neck. The strange sense of being perched on the edge of the world, obscured in white and disconnected from everything abated with each breath, the tick-tock of the mantel clock tracking a different kind of time.

“You’re wet!” Lydia squealed. “And stubbly!”

He didn’t stop. Her squirming turned to a tense freeze, then a slow melt in his arms. She stayed in place, he knew, because she sensed his need.

That was love. Real love.

Mike walked into Jeremy’s line of vision, carrying two open beers, one ready to hand to Jeremy. Ice-blue eyes met his, powerful and knowing. Something deeper than relief took over Jeremy’s cells as he stood there, Lydia touching him, Mike in the same frame, too.

His people. He had his people. That’s all he really needed.

“Hey,” Lydia said softly in his ear. “What’s wrong?”

Jeremy shook his head and just inhaled deeply. The change of plans was welcome. Christmas had come early to the small campground in Maine. He cradled Lydia’s face in his hands and kissed her, the taste of her tongue a tether, holding him in place, keep-ing him from tipping over the edge and into the pale, snowy abyss.

As the kiss deepened, he felt Mike’s hand on his shoulder, heard the cackle of Madge’s ribald comment, smelled the heady scent of burning wood.

And he was home.

Really home.

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub / Amazon


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize.

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

The Doctor and the Princess by Scarlet Wilson ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 


Her very own Mr. Darcy

As a rule, Gabrielle Cartier prefers the title "Dr." to "Princess." And when sexy surgeon Sullivan Darcy joins her humanitarian mission in the jungle, she's desperate to explore their chemistry. Until sudden news of her brother's abdication means Gabrielle must return home to rule!

Sullivan longs to offer Gabrielle the support she needs but the pain of loss haunts him. Yet she stirs long-dormant feelings in him, feelings that give him the courage to confront his demons…and the determination to win his princess!



US addresses only
Large Print edition 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Waiting On Wednesday ~ 11/25/20


This is our version of Waiting on Wednesday but with more cuddles, books we can't wait to cuddle for various reasons.

What are we waiting on this week?  THIS!







Single and proud of it! Oh, oops...

As a Certified Professional Organizer, everything in Paige Parker's world is as it should be. Perfect apartment, perfect office, perfect life. And now, the perfect vacation planned to honor Singles Day. After all, what's better than celebrating her pride in being single? Because who needs a man anyway? They have zero taste in quality television, leave the toilet seat up, and sleep with your best friend. No thanks. Her life is fine just the way it is.

As the owner of a now-dormant bed & breakfast, Lucas Croft's life is simple and quiet. It's only him and his five-year-old daughter, which is just the way he likes it. Because who needs a woman anyway? They nag you to clean up your stuff, want the toilet seat put down, and expect the dishes to be done the same day the meal is cooked. No thanks. His life is fine just the way it is.

But when Paige books a room that Lucas' well-intentioned sister listed without his knowledge, their two worlds collide. If they can survive the week together, they just might discover exactly what they've both been missing.

"Adorable, romantic, funny, and sexy!"—Kirkus Reviews for Black Tie Optional



Doesn't this look cute?  Okay, I'm a cover whore!  But that puppy had me reading the blurb and then it went on my TBR pile.  

What do you think? What are you waiting on? Leave us a comment and link us up!



Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Forbidden Lovers by Kimberley Troutte ~ A Stuck In Books Giveaway

 


NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling Author

His voice is familiar. Overpowering. Sexy.

But he can’t be the man she loved…

Because Matt Harper is dead.


Julia Espinoza fell for Matt Harper despite his pirate reputation and the social gulf between them. Then he broke her heart. Now she’s made a life without him…until a stranger returns looking and feeling remarkably like her lover. When one no-strings night reveals the truth, unraveling all the schemes dividing them may be their only second chance…





US addresses only



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Night Watch by Annie Anderson ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

 

Night Watch
Annie Anderson
(Soul Reader, #1)
Publication date: November 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Waking up at the foot of your own grave is no picnic… especially when you can’t remember how you got there.

Cursed with powers she can’t name, Sloane Cabot has vowed to catch the Rogue who turned her into a monster and killed her family. Too bad a broodingly hot mage is bound to keep her on the straight and narrow.

Whether she likes it or not…

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Thomas warned me about this, you know,” Bastian began, his voice pitched low, his booted feet striding close but not piercing my bubble.

I kept my gaze latched onto his feet and refused to look up. If I caught sight of his neck, of his blood pulsing in that lovely vein, I’d lose it. I wasn’t hungry yet and I wanted to keep it that way.

I cleared my throat, an action that took far too much effort and hurt for some reason. My throat was dry. Why was it so dry? “Warned you about what?”

“He said that, in time, I would want to be bitten. That the thought of you hungry or in pain would make me want to serve myself up so you didn’t suffer. That it was dangerous and blissful and would likely cause you to leave us.”

His feet moved closer, piercing my bubble. The heat of him washed over me, even though he was a few feet away.

I shook my head, which I instantly regretted because blood loss was a thing and I was losing a lot of it, the healing process taking far too long. Booth must have hit an artery.

“I don’t want to be tied to anyone. I don’t want a home. I don’t want friends.” It was a lie—a whole mountain of lies—but it was the truth, too. I didn’t want a tie to someone who was going to leave me. I didn’t want a home if I was going to lose it. I didn’t want friends that would die on me.

“Too bad.”

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


GIVEAWAY!



This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize.

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Teaser Tuesday ~ 11/24/20


This is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.



To participate you:
* Grab your current read
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!







At birth, Mick Trewlove, the illegitimate son of a duke, was handed over to a commoner. Despite his lowly upbringing, Mick has become a successful businessman, but all his wealth hasn’t satisfied his need for revenge against the man who still won’t acknowledge him. What else can Mick do but destroy the duke’s legitimate son—and woo the heir’s betrothed into his own unloving arms . . .

Orphaned and sheltered, Lady Aslyn Hastings longs for a bit of adventure. With her intended often preoccupied, Aslyn finds herself drawn to a darkly handsome entrepreneur who seems to understand her so well. Surely a lady of her station should avoid Mick Trewlove. If only he weren’t so irresistible . . .

As secrets are about to be exposed, Mick must decide if his plan for vengeance is worth risking what his heart truly desires.



Teaser...

The porter guided her along the path, up the steps, the rain pattering the umbrella, a bit harder than she'd expected.  Its strength was increasing.  She'd have been drenched if she'd tried to make it back inside on her own.  So many things she didn't consider because they were automatically done for her.  She didn't like realizing she was so incredibly pampered, protected, shielded.  (Page 171)


I do like that Lady Aslyn Hastings has figured this out.  Strength comes from understanding and pushing forward.   


That's our teaser this week.  What about you?  Have a teaser for us?  Leave us a comment.




Monday, November 23, 2020

Betrayed by Jacklyn Daher ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

 

Betrayed
Jacklyn Daher
(The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone, #2)
Publication date: November 19th 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

With the revelation Luxor Everstone is the daughter of the Prince of Darkness, an entirely new door fraught with danger is opened. As Cane is lying in wait, Luxor is forced to have constant protection, leaving her suffocated.

When new help arrives in the form of a witch, and a mysterious and dreamy boy who seems to soothe her more than anyone else can, she doesn’t hesitate to invite them into her life despite her growing affection for Hunter.

As fresh dangers loom on the horizon, she begins to unravel different details about her past, while greater powers are introduced, and the others continue to evolve. Conflicted between the pull toward her darkness and her desire to be good, Luxor juggles the priorities—and her opinionated guardians—while trying to find some semblance of balance.

When the darkness returns to claim her completely, can she trust herself to make the right choice?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Luxor inhaled the crisp fresh air, the potent aroma of pine, and the thick smell of nectar. O Theós eísai ómorfi, she mumbled, a smile creeping up on her face. Everything was blanketed in darkness, but she continued to breath in nature as if it was her lifeline.

“Angel,” Hunter called out. “Angel, wake up.”

Where is he?

The forest came closer, overwhelmingly her senses. “Wake up.” A warm hand touched her face in the darkness, it’s spark jolting her.

Luxor flinched, her eyes snapping open, the darkness giving way to the last person she’d expected to see. Dressed in a hoodie covering his head, he sat on the edge of the bed by her side.

The room came into view; it was different than the last one. This one was a padded enclosure; walls and ceiling, the only thing that wasn’t was a metallic door, with a sliding opening.

I’m institutionalised.

“Hey, how are you?” His toffee eyes, usually full of life and effervescent, were a murky brown, matching his hoarse voice.

“What are yo—? How do you kno—?” Luxor struggled to form sentences. Her head pounded, as if skewers dug into her temples.

“I’m staging a loony bin break out,” he stated nonchalantly, his gaze fixated on the door. “I’m sure you’re capable, but it appears you’re all tied up at the moment.”

“How did… I don’t understand.”

Keys jangled at the door, and Luxor froze, expecting to be drugged, or gassed again. Still restrained, she wiggled her fingers. Hunter reached out, his fingers entwined with hers, and she winced. A burn struck her side and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from yelping. Luxor leaned her head against his back, concentrating on her breathing. Instead of a nurse, a familiar lanky boy also in a hoodie stomped in.

“Castor, what took you so long?” Hunter moved forward, giving his brother a bro hug followed by a fist pump.

Castor?

“How are we going to do this?” Castor said.

Before they could decide on a form of action, the door swung open, and sure enough a stocky woman, with oily slicked black hair and white uniform entered.

“What the hell are you doing in here? This is a restricted area,” she growled, waggling her fingers.

Author Bio:

A mother of two boys, I’m a self confessed nerd who loves to write dark and twisted characters in modern settings. You could find feisty MC’s and bad boys with filthy mouths. Doesn’t mean I don’t love to read or write saucy romances too!

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



GIVEAWAY!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize.

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1