5-Star Review · All-time Favorites · Enemies to Lovers Romance · Favorite Author · Favorite Series · Kindle Unlimited · Must Read · New Release · New Review

New Release and Review: I’ll Always Remember You (Lancaster #4) by Monica Murphy

I’ll Always Be With You by Monica Murphy is now live! 

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy returns to Lancaster Prep with a new enemies to lovers romance

Weston Fontaine is the hottest senior at Lancaster Prep.

And he knows it.

He’s gorgeous. Confident. Smart.

Too smart.

Everyone loves him. He could have any girl on campus, except for one.

Me.

I’m a Lancaster, meaning I’m basically untouchable–or so I thought. It’s my family who owns this God forsaken private school that I don’t want to attend. But according to my parents, I have to endure my senior year at Lancaster Prep before I can return to what I love the most: ballet.

West doesn’t make my time here easy. He’s arrogant. Crude. Insufferable. He torments me in the worst way, to the point that I can’t stand him. Yet he’s the only boy I’ve ever let touch me…

You see, West and I? We share a secret. On a hot summer night in Paris, we hooked up. And I never do that. Ever. I revealed parts of myself to him I’ve never shown anyone else. He’s seen me at my most vulnerable. I told him my secrets. And he told me his. In Paris, he was sexy. Protective. Even dare I say…sweet.

Now he’s the villain in my story, yet I can’t help but chase after that feeling only West can give me. Despite our hatred for each other, we somehow burn brighter when we’re together. So what happens when you helplessly fall for the one person you know is bad for you?

If you’re like me, you go ahead and fall for him anyway.

MY REVIEW

5 STARS

I know I sound like a broken record, but there is nothing else to say except Monica Murphy has done it again…she blew me away with this newest addition to the Lancaster Prep series!

I have really been looking forward to getting Carolina’s story, and Murphy far surpassed my expectations! I was so intrigued with the little hints that were dropped about her in the previous book, and she is just as complex and complicated as I thought she would be. Under that cool exterior is a person with heart and courage to write her own story. I loved her from the first moment I met her in Paris.

West, I daresay, is a heartbreaker and a charmer. He somehow charms Carolina, who literally hates the touch of others, and she allows him to see parts of herself she has never allowed anyone else to see. The two share an unforgettable night, never expecting to see one another again. When she becomes a student at Lancaster Prep, she upends everything for him, and this is where we see both his vulnerability and insecurity which isn’t a great thing to witness. Like Carolina, he’s a very complex and complicated individual. It took a little longer for me to fall for him, but I eventually fell under his spell too.

I love the way Murphy writes. Her books are just as plot-driven as they are character-driven. It’s amazing how both Carolina and West see each other, but we, the readers, get a really close look into their psyche because of the chapters told in their alternating points of view. Murphy made me feel like their most trusted confidante which really drew me to both of them, even when they frustrated me.

Murphy gave me everything I have come to love in her writing: angst, steam, and especially all the emotions. All of those ingredients are what keep me coming back for more, and I will do the thing I always do after finishing the last page, wait impatiently until she writes her next book!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

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Meet Monica

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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

Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZAthV1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmonicamurphy/

Verve Romance: https://ververomance.com/app/monicamurphy

5-Star Review · All-time Favorites · Christie's Reviews · Favorite Series · Favorite Writer · Kindle Unlimited · Must Read · New Adult Romance · New Release · Review · Series

New Release and Review: Playing by the Rules (The Players #2) by Monica Murphy

Playing by the Rules by Monica Murphy is now live! 

Camden Fields is the star quarterback of our college football team.

Quiet.

Smart.

Absolutely gorgeous.

He’s the man all the women on campus rave about. And while he’s had a few casual hookups over the years, it’s never anything serious. Cam doesn’t do serious.

He also doesn’t do me.

See, I’m his best friend’s little sister, and whenever we’re around each other, he’s always warning me that I’m off limits. That nothing can ever happen between us.

But I see the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching. The heat in his gaze. The hunger. He can deny it, but that man wants me.

I want him too.

I’m tired of always being the good girl and doing what everybody expects. For once, I’m going to break all the rules that have restrained me my entire life.

I’m going after Camden Fields.

And no one can stop me.

 

My Review

5 STARS

I know I sound like a broken record, but Monica Murphy has struck gold again with Cam and Blair’s story!!! I fell really hard for Jo and Knox in the first book, but I fell just as equally hard for Knox’s little sister and best friend!

Blair has had a crush on Knox’s best friend, Cam, since she first met him when she was just a teenager. Now, that she has transferred to their college, she has decided to show him what a woman she has grown into and see if she can finally get his attention! As she soon discovers, she has all of his attention, but Cam “plays by the rules,” she is a forbidden fruit. Knox has threatened every team member that she is OFF LIMITS! This book is full of angst, steam, major chemistry, and tension!!!!

Murphy never disappoints in creating multi-faceted and complicated characters. Unlike Knox’s somewhat cockiness, Cam has a very quiet confidence about him in some ways. In other ways, he isn’t so confident. He has always had the desire to belong and feel loved. That is why he loves his team and his relationship with the Maguire family. He doesn’t want to lose that, so that is why he tries so hard to resist Blair. He also likes to maintain control, and of course, she completely upends all of that. He also had times where he really doubted himself.  At times, I was frustrated with him because he couldn’t see what was right in front of his face, a good woman who understood, accepted him, and loved him! 

Blair was a cutie pie! I wanted her to be my BFF! Like Camden, she wanted to have control over things happening in her life too. However, her relationship with him was full of uncertainties and that really began taking a toll on her. She was growing tired of being his secret. She had an incredible patience with him, and I’m not sure I would have left the door opened for him as long as she did, but her patience is what I loved about her. 

Thankfully, she and Cam do a great deal of maturing by the end of the book, and I really liked the people they grew into. Speaking of characters, it was wonderful seeing Knox and Jo again, as well as Natalie, Ace, and Knox and Blair’s little sister, Ruby. As Murphy does in all her books, she gave us a little taste of her upcoming book…it will be about Ace and Ruby! YAY! Monica Murphy, can I say that I really hope Natalie gets her own HEA too!!! 

Over the years, Murphy has created this wonderful, wonderful family. It never gets old, and each character is different and unique! I’m so very excited to get my hands on her next book! If you like your books with crackling chemistry, angst, tension, spice, and some really sweet and swoonworthy moments, give Monica Murphy’s books a try! You won’t be disappointed!!!!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/41tmpcZ

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/PlayingByTheRulesMM

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3ZlJI6I

Meet Monica


Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.

 

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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

Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZAthV1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmonicamurphy/

Verve Romance: https://ververomance.com/app/monicamurphy


5-Star Review · A Top Read of 2022 · Christie's Reviews · Kindle Unlimited · Must Read · New Adult Romance · New Release · New Review · Sports Romance

New Review and Release: Playing Hard to Get (The Players) by Monica Murphy

 

Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy is now live!

 

Knox Maguire is the king of our college campus.

Star offensive tight end on the football team.

He is the complete opposite of me in every way.

I’m quiet. He’s loud.

I’m shy. He’s definitely not.

Everyone loves him. No one knows me.

Fresh out of a breakup, I don’t really trust him, and why should I? Knox is the ultimate player. When I become his English tutor, I tell myself we need to keep things between us strictly business. Watching my mother deal with my ex-athlete father long, long ago taught me to stay far away from that type of man.

Yet Knox is impossible to resist. Next thing I know, we’re getting hot and heavy in the library—and that was never part of the plan. When Knox admits he can’t stop thinking about me, I have a realization.

I can’t stop thinking about him either.

Instead of keeping my distance, I pull him in closer. Until somehow, we’re spending all of our time together and I find myself falling for Knox. Hard.

Will this actually work between us? Or am I getting played?

 

My Review

5 STARS

 

Playing Hard to Get is exactly why I just adore Monica Murphy!!! There hasn’t been a book by her that I haven’t absolutely fallen in love with the characters or the story itself! This one was no exception!!!

 

I fell in love with Knox and Joanna from the very beginning. Their chemistry was off the charts, giving me all the butterflies and tingles. Yet, I loved their friendship as well. As they made each other laugh, they made me laugh! I loved the build-up of their relationship. While getting to know one another, they realized the preconceived notions they had about one another weren’t necessarily accurate. Knox was more than the player that she thought he was. He had insecurities that she never thought he had, and she came to love his honesty. He learned that there was more underneath that serious exterior of hers, and they both came to not only love one another but respect each other. 

 

This was one of those books that I wanted to just fly through the pages, yet I also didn’t because I didn’t want to tell them goodbye! Yes, I loved them that much!

 

Murphy also didn’t follow the exact pattern of many romance novels. Once this couple decided to go all-in on their relationship, there wasn’t the intense angst and breakup. It was realistic even with the little insecurities and uncertainties present in many new relationships. 

 

Another thing that makes Murphy so special is how she can continue stories about the same families yet keep them fresh. I was so happy to see past couples who stole my heart years ago. 

 

I can’t wait for the next book in the series which is about Knox’s sister and his best friend. She gave us a bit of a tease, and it promises to be just as good as this one.



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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Ej9vVP

 

Meet Monica

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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

Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZAthV1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmonicamurphy/

Verve Romance: https://ververomance.com/app/monicamurphy

5-Star Review · A Top Read in Contemporary Romance · A Top Read of 2022 · All-time Favorites · Contemporary Romance · Favorite Writer · Kindle Unlimited · Must Read · New Release · New Review · Review · Romance · Series

New Review: Promises We Meant to Keep: A Lancaster Novel by Monica Murphy

About the Book:

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy returns to the glittering Lancaster world with the story of a damaged woman who gets her chance to redeem herself with the one man who’s been in love with her forever…

Spencer Donato.

My brother’s best friend.

My dirty little secret.

We fell for each other at Lancaster Prep. Sneaking around. Not wanting anyone to find out. He was my first love, my protector, my knight in shining armor. We were made for each other, and I truly believed he was my forever.

But then I did the unthinkable, and betrayed him in the worst possible way. I thought I lost him for good…

Until I saw him at my brother’s wedding. Now he’s older. Crueler. Unbearably handsome. We’re drawn to each other still, but will Spencer be there for me when I need him the most? Or did I ruin us once again?

~My Review~

5 STARS

Oh my goodness, I devoured this book! Sylvie and Spence pulled me under their spell from the very beginning pages! I finished within two sittings!!!

This book truly opens up with a bang. The first few paragraphs gave me an inside look into Sylvie’s complicated psyche. She might be surrounded by wealth and privilege, but she doesn’t really know what love actually looks like except when it comes to Spence; however, she is always pushing him away. What she does to him in the opening pages may close that door forever. As they say, some love never dies, and that is the case with these two. After meeting years later at her brother’s wedding, she and Spence enter each other’s orbits again. That same pull they have felt from their early teenage years is still there, yet there is a lot of hurt and mistrust, especially with Spence. He is determined to never let her penetrate the walls of his heart again. Without spoiling anything, dire circumstances push these two together again, and this time, all those secrets they have both kept from one another have to be brought into the light if they have any shred of a chance to make their love last. 

To be honest, this is my first foray into the Lancaster world, and I’m addicted. I can’t wait to get my hands on Summer and Whit’s book. Despite not reading their story, Murphy tells Sylvie and Spence’s so well, that I didn’t feel lost at all. In fact, I’m glad I read this one first. Now, when I go back and read Summer and Whit’s story, I can see Sylvie from a different perspective, one with some empathy, because this poor girl has lived a complete nightmare her whole entire life. I’m so glad that Spence never truly left her in his past. He has such a wonderful heart, one that can bring some light to Sylvie finally. 

I love a book with heart-stopping, emotional romance, one that gives me butterflies in my stomach, but this one was so much more. With the addition of a truly diabolical character, a very flawed heroine, and an irresistible hero with secrets of his own but who loves with all his heart and soul, Murphy gave me one of her best novels to date. 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Qv2wvZ

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/PromisesWMTK

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3A3PeRt

Meet Monica:

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

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

Instagram: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyTW

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ZAthV1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmonicamurphy/

Verve Romance: https://ververomance.com/app/monicamurphy

Excerpt · Kindle Unlimited · New Release · Release Blitz · Romance · Romantic Suspense · Small-Town Romance

Light in the Dark by Kate McWilliams Release Blitz with Excerpt

Moon Harbor, Maine was supposed to be the fresh start Alex Benning was looking for. As she settles into her new life, not only does she reconnect with her first love, Sam Waters, but also uncovers a family secret that threatens to change everything. Fans of the Indigo Ridge series by Devney Perry will devour Light in the Dark by Kate McWilliams, a steamy small-town, romantic suspense.

Blurb

A woman in search of a place to belong.

A man finally getting his second chance.

And a lingering secret that threatens to change everything…

Alex Benning has never known a true home. After inheriting her beloved aunt’s cottage in the small coastal town of Moon Harbor, Maine, she finally gets a chance to start over and leave the life of solitude behind. But she never expects to find herself face to face with her first love—the first man to ever break her heart.

Sam Waters stopped looking for love a long time ago. With a job he enjoys and people he cares about, he’s finally learned to be content with things just as they are. Until the one who got away comes back into his life and makes him crave more. The flame between Alex and Sam reignites and the sparks between them are brighter than ever.

But as Alex settles into her new home, she begins to uncover the truth about her family and the tragedy that changed her life all those years ago. With more questions than answers, Alex and Sam set out to discover what really happened. And the closer they get, the closer danger lurks.

Will Alex be able to survive the unraveling of old family secrets before it’s too late? Before she loses Sam forever.

Add to Goodreads Here! 

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Excerpt 

Copyright 2022 @Kate McWilliams 

 I looked up at Sam’s face. Concern was all over it, but something else was in his eyes. It was then that I realized just how close he was standing to me. My breasts were grazing his chest with each breath I took. For a minute, we just stared at each other. Hesitantly, I brought my free hand up to rest over Sam’s heart. It was pounding deep within his ribs and each beat was like a drum I could feel vibrating everywhere.

Suddenly, his other hand was at my waist, fingers digging into my flesh enough to make me jump. Not out of fear. Right here, right now, I wasn’t scared. I needed him. I needed to feel him, to be felt by him. To forget everything else that was happening. I didn’t want to think about being alone or someone trying to hurt me. I wanted to live in this moment.

I released his hand and brought mine up to wrap around his neck. Our eyes didn’t move off of each other. He bent down slowly, grabbing onto my hip. His lips were so close to mine, I could feel his warm breath on my face as he opened them. What happened in a moment felt drawn out in slow motion. It was too slow for me. I lifted my head towards him, our lips only an inch away. And then, a riot.

His lips finally crashed down on mine and everything exploded. Our touch, our breath, the hot streaks of anticipation flashing through my body. I felt his hands grab me harder, hard enough to maybe leave a bruise and if I could have spared the brain cells to think about that, I would have found it sexy. But instead, I couldn’t think. Just feel. His lips were surprisingly soft, but the pressure was hard. He swooped his tongue into part my own lips and claim my mouth. My hands at the back of his neck now pulled at his hair, not to pull him away but to have something to hold onto in this frenzy. 

Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

About Kate McWilliams

A writer, poet, and essayist, Kate McWilliams loves letting loose by writing steamy, heart-melting romances mixed with mystery and suspense.

Growing up in a “reader” household, she gets her love of mysteries from her mother and her love of steamy romance from being a triple Taurus. An avid reader, she loves most genres, though her favorite books usually come from her fellow indie romance authors.

Kate is mom to the best kid in the world, who rightfully turns her nose up at anything romantic. Together they live in New Jersey with their crazy corgi, Nova.

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5-Star Review · A Top Read in Romantic Suspense · Contemporary Romance · Favorite Author · Kindle Unlimited · Must Read · New Release · Romance · Romantic Suspense

New Review: Relinquish (Raven’s Oath #1) by Kate Benson & Kathy Coopmans

Title: Relinquish Series: Raven’s Oath Author: Kate Benson & Kathy Coopmans Genre/Trope: Contemporary Romance, Opposites Attract, Instalove

From USA Today Bestselling Author Kathy Coopmans and Kate Benson comes Raven’s Oath, a series of standalone romance featuring hitmen.

I’m the man you’ll never see coming.
A killer who doesn’t bat an eyelash when taking a life.
I go in, do my job and move on to the next hit.
But one night, everything falls apart when I stumble upon an exotic beauty standing over my dead target.
The last thing I have room for in my broken existence is an innocent woman.
For her sake, she’d better be.
At first touch, it’s obvious this might be the one job I can’t walk away from.
She may be the one who forces me to relinquish control.

Christie’s Review

5 Stars

I was so excited when I discovered that these two talented ladies were going to parlay their talents into writing a book together! They certainly DID NOT disappoint!!!! 

I know writers need a hook to pull their readers into the story very early in the beginning. The one in this book was one of the best I have come across in a while. They had my attention from the first few paragraphs. I was riveted until the last word, and I’m still hooked, waiting on the next installment in the series. 

Everyone who knows me knows that I have to be invested in the characters as well. Ezra and Lily were extremely complicated and complex. In fact, many parts of the book were character-driven…yet somehow perfectly balanced with the suspense. Who could make a hitman endearing and easy to fall in love with except Kate and Kathy! Ezra was the perfect hero even though he was perfectly flawed. He wasn’t born a hitman, he was made into one because of the ghosts of his past. Thankfully, Lily was somehow able to break through the walls he erected. 

“For the first time in my life, I found a woman who grabs hold of my busted heart, and without even knowing the truth as to why, she’s starting to mend it.” ~Ezra~

I couldn’t help but love Lily as well. She, like Ezra, endured circumstances that made her into the person she was. She was nurturing to Ezra despite the fact that her husband was murdered and she is now a captive of sorts of Ezra. She was intelligent, resourceful, observant, and spunky. Many people completely underestimated her. 

“He may think I’m stupid, not able to put two and two together, but he’s proving to be just as wrong about me as everyone else.” ~Lily~

Not only did the main characters add another layer to the book but so did the other characters, such as Raven and Kaci. There was just enough mystery about these two to perk my interest and whet my appetite to learn more about them. I am certainly hoping these two have stories to tell me as well.

Many times in a romantic suspense, writers sometimes overplay either the romance or the suspense. Not with this book…both were perfectly balanced! Great job, ladies! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

Goodreads

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Amazon US | Amazon Worldwide

I feel my foot graze against something and bravely glance down, my mouth going desert dry as I see the bloodied blade that I assume was used to kill Theo.

My heart jolts in fear.

My insides shiver and shake.

Dread lifting the fine hairs at the nape of my neck.

My movements cease for a split second, long enough to have my mind reeling.

That’s when I see him step out from the shadows.

His chiseled perfect features emerge from the soft-glow lighting in the hallway as he rounds the corner, revealing himself.

Whoever he is, his face makes me want to run my fingers down the perfect symmetry of his bone structure.

My heart rate picks up as a tingle of heat runs down my spine, and I swear to God the atmosphere fills with magnetic sexual chemistry.

Instant attraction.

He’s beautiful and huge—his frame rippling with fierce muscle, and his long dark blonde hair, neatly trimmed beard, and eyes the color of autumn have stunned me stupid. The force of my reaction to him is alarming.

Sickness in my stomach churns over my way of thinking, and his nerve-wracking stare as he slowly shifts his eyes up and down my body is enough to silence the thoughts that are screeching through me as I bend to lift the knife into my hand.

For the first time since I came home, my jumbling emotions make way for something else, something much more reasonable, and I shudder as the breath leaves the man’s chest in tandem with mine, our gazes tangling.

His is rippling with hostility.

By the time I’m upright, he’s cleared the distance between us, only a few feet remaining between him and me.

This is it. Theo’s final ‘fuck you’ farewell.

At the same moment I raise my arm to lift the knife toward him, he raises a rifle and points it directly at my head.

In this moment, I’m certain of only one thing.

I’ve just come face to face with the man who killed my husband.

Enter to win a Kate Spade crossover from Kate Benson, Kathy Coopmans & Hollis Wynn

USA Today Best Selling Author Kathy Coopmans is a Michigan native where she lives with her husband, Tony. They have two son’s Aaron and Shane. She is a sports nut. Her favorite sports include NASCAR, Baseball, and Football. She has recently retired from her day job to become a full-time writer. She has always been an avid reader and at the young age of 50 decided she wanted to write. She claims she can do several things at once and still stay on task. Her favorite quote is “I got this.”

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Reader Group | Newsletter

Kate Benson was raised in Texas and currently resides in central Florida with her husband and their fur-boy, Boomer. She learned to read at the age of four and has been hooked ever since. She credits her passion for literature to her mother, her love of story-telling to her father and her unwavering faith in happily-ever-after’s to her husband, Sean. Some of her favorite things include rainy days, loud music, superhero movies, sweet tea and of course, lazy afternoons with a great book. To find out more about Kate, her work or to just say hello, she loves hearing from her readers and can be found on social media. To be sure you never miss a release or announcement, join her readers group on Facebook, Benson’s Book Babes and sign up for her newsletter.

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Kindle Unlimited · Release Blitz · Romance · Sports Romance

Under Pressure by Bella Matthews Release Blitz

Is it possible to meet the right person at the wrong time?

Under Pressure, an all-new hilarious and emotional sports romance by Bella Matthews is available now!

I had my friends. I had football. I had a future I was set on, until her.
Eleanor Kingston was the girl. The one I’d choose if I could, but all I had to give was
one night. My life had been decided for me, my future predetermined. There’s no room left for football or love.

If you get only one life, how hard would you fight to live it on your own terms?

I had my family. My career was set. I was back to begin the life I was meant to lead when I met him. We promised each other no tomorrow, no names, only one night. But fate had other plans. Sebastian Beneventi may think he’s protecting me, but I’m no damsel in distress.

No more running, it’s time to fight for what I want for a change.

Grab your copy today!
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About Bella
Bella Matthews is a Jersey girl at heart. She is married to her very own Alpha Male and raising three little ones. You can typically find her running from one sporting event to another. When she is home, she is usually hiding in her home office with the only other female in her house, her rescue dog Tinker Bell by her side. She likes to write swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, smart heroines with a healthy dose of laughter thrown in.

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Book Tours · Excerpt · Kindle Unlimited · Romance · Small Town Romance

Keeping You by Lena Hendrix Blog Tour with Excerpt

I never should have slept with Colin McCoy.

Keeping You, an all-new laugh-out loud small-town romance from Lena Hendrix is available now!

When I moved to my sister’s small town, I was looking for a fresh start—no more shallow relationships, no snotty fake friends, and definitely no charming, dirty-talking musicians.

We had a fun, red-hot night together and we agreed that hooking up was a mistake, a one-time thing. But when my dream bakery location happens to be right next door to his bar, every day I’m forced to see that chiseled jawline and remember the feel of his incredible body on mine.

No. I’m starting over. I have rules. No more bad habits, definitely no falling in love. No matter how hard he tries, hooking up with him again would prove I’m the flake everyone expects me to be.

But here I am, stuck between wanting to make something of my life and wanting to grab him and make another delicious mistake.

Excerpt

Honey

 Two weeks after I gave the one finger salute to my former boss, I pulled my vintage matte black Chevelle onto Main Street of Chikalu Falls, Montana. The ninety-minute drive left behind the flats and wound through beautiful mountain highways.
Chikalu Falls was nestled at the base of the mountains and from the church on the corner, to the grocer on the right, it always felt slower and a little like stepping back in time. Childhood memories of the summers Jo and I spent with Grandma Nana and Pop flooded back to me.
 A bubble of excited energy squirmed in my chest. Nearly every person I passed raised their hand in greeting, and whether they knew me or not, I waved back enthusiastically. I peered over the steering wheel as I entered town to watch someone rolling white paint high on the town’s water tower.
Are they painting over a drawing of a dick?
 I shook my head and laughed about this quirky town—Jo always had great stories about it. I passed the town bar and dance hall, The Dirty Pigeon, and fractionally slowed my car. Willing myself to look straight ahead, I still managed to sneak a side-eyed peek at the front door.
 My palms felt sweaty against the steering wheel. It wasn’t all that long ago I spent the most incredible, panty-melting night of my life with the bar’s owner, Colin. My chest warmed just thinking about it and a tingle settled between my legs.
Get it together. You both knew it was just one, hot night.
Squashing the thought, I pressed the gas harder and cruised forward, leaving behind all thoughts of Colin’s thickly roped arms pulling me close and the scrape of his stubble against the sensitive skin of my neck.
 Four turns later, I pulled into the hidden driveway of Joanna’s farm property. The long and winding gravel path opened up to a stunning piece of land.
Off the road, the Big House was a gorgeous white home with black shutters and a huge wraparound porch. A small river cut through the landscape and near it were several little cottages. I wasn’t sure where Jo wanted me to stay, so I parked near the house and found her sitting on the veranda, waiting for me.
“There’s my girl!” I called up to Jo. The excitement expanded in my chest at seeing my sister after so long. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and a sense of relief.
She pulled me into a tight hug, “I’ve missed you!” Jo and I used to share an apartment, but with her now living in Chikalu Falls, it felt like an eternity since we’d been together.
“Mmmm,” she replied, squeezing me a little harder. “I just still can’t believe you’re really here.”
“It didn’t take too long to sublease my apartment and I need a change of scenery.”
“Well,” she moved away from me to sweep a wide arm around the impressive, rural land, “this is definitely a change!”
We both laughed and held each other tightly.
It was fantastic to see Jo’s face so full of life and happiness. I shooed away the brief pang of jealousy. She deserved this life and it suited her.
“You’re welcome to stay for however long you need. Mr. Bailey is in Cottage Four, but all the others are open. I think the best view is from Cottage Two.”
“Cottage Two it is! Help me unpack?”
Jo looked past me to see my car practically bursting at the seams with bags and luggage. She didn’t know it, but the trunk was full, too.
“How is it possible you have so much shit?”
“Well,” I answered, “a girl’s gotta look her best.” I winked at her and lifted a shoulder.
“Honestly, Honey. If you’re going to survive here, you at least need one pair of good work boots.” She eyed my ankle booties and their sharp heels warily, but then we got to unpacking.
It only took a few—ok, fine, several—trips for Joanna and me to lug my clothes into the cottage, but we managed to get it all in. After she helped me put some things away and stack the suitcases in the closet, we stood together in the dimly lit kitchen. Jo wrapped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed as we both looked out the large picture window overlooking the riverbank.
“You did what so many people are afraid to,” she whispered in my ear. “You started over.”
My eyes misted and a small, scratchy lump formed in the back of my throat. I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth and willed the tears away.
I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “Thanks, Jo.”
I hoped with every fiber of my being that I could get it right this time.
* * *
After getting cleaned up, Joanna and I decided to meet her fiancé, Lincoln, at The Pidge. A flutter danced in my stomach at the possibility of running into Colin. He was Lincoln’s best friend and hot as fuck. I glanced around to see if I would spot him. Bumping into someone I’d slept with had never been a big deal before, but Colin just did something to my insides.
Since he was Lincoln’s best friend, Colin and I had been thrown together to help with Jo’s fundraiser. At the time, she hosted a fishing event for veterans and he insisted that the bar cater for it. The food was spectacular, and his generosity did not go unnoticed. Neither did his thick arms, hazel eyes, or that tight ass.
I needed to think about something—anything—else.
“Can you believe this place?” Jo was perched on a stool across the high-top table.
“It is pretty incredible,” I admitted. The walls were covered with old photographs of life in Chikalu Falls mixed with posters for local bands. It had a real honky tonk vibe but with an upscale flair to it. The name might suggest it was a dive, but the parts of my brain trained in marketing knew it was intentional. My eyes swooped across the stage and dance floor, still secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of Colin.
No. Remember the rules? No men. Especially men who make you tingle straight down to your toes.
“Well aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes,” Lincoln’s deep, rumbling voice had us looking behind us. He wrapped both arms around Jo and left a trail of kisses up her neck. She giggled and tried to move away, but it was obvious she loved the attention of her man.
“Hey, Linc,” I said between sips of my vodka gimlet.
“I heard you stepped away from your old job. Planning to stay a while?”
“More like lit my old life on fire and danced on the ashes. But yeah. You’re stuck with me now.”
We all laughed but a heaviness lingered around my shoulders. I took another sip of my drink and added, “I still need to figure out what the fuck I’m going to do about a job. But that,” I finished my drink in a burning gulp, “is a worry for another night. Who needs another?”
Jo lifted her glass and Lincoln unwound himself from her. “I got this, ladies. You just sit back and enjoy.”
Joanna’s gaze wandered over her fiancé’s muscled back as he walked up to the bar.
“You going to eye fuck him all night, or what?” I teased. A blush immediately rose to her cheeks.
“Cut it out.” She slapped her napkin against my arm, but not before I caught her sneaking another peek and drooling over him again.
When I followed her gaze to the bar, my heart sputtered and my mouth went dry. Colin McCoy was behind the old wooden bar, filling glasses from the tap with beer in beautiful shades from dark amber to gold.
“You know,” Jo added hopefully, “now that you’re in town again, maybe you and Colin could pick up where you left off.”
I tried to sound as indifferent as I could manage despite the warmth feathering across my chest. “Nah. I think it was just a one-time thing.” Over my drink, I took a peek at him again.
Fuck. That man is a walking orgasm.
“We agreed it would be better to be friends—especially with you and Lincoln now back together. Your friend group doesn’t need us tangled together and complicating matters. Plus, we were separated by ninety miles.” I shrugged my shoulders and flicked my eyes to the dance floor and hoped to look confidently unaffected by his presence.
“Well not anymore. He’s right here.” Jo bumped my shoulder and winked. Since getting together with Lincoln she’d become a hopeless romantic.
I can’t even handle being around him—he’s too tempting and my life is a literal train wreck right now.
As if my thoughts wound through the crowded bar and tapped him on the shoulder, his eyes flicked up and locked onto mine. The familiar thrum of desire bloomed in my chest, sinking lower into my belly.
It really was a fucking shame that I had sworn off meaningless sex—all sex for that matter—before getting to see Colin McCoy naked again.
Damn, the things I would do to you.
Colin’s eyes didn’t leave mine, but a smile quirked his lip up and that lopsided grin was nearly my undoing.

Download your copy today!
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About Lena
Lena Hendrix is the author of steamy, contemporary romance novels. Her love of romance started with her grandmother’s Harlequin paperbacks and now Lena’s stories are full of heart, humor, and plenty of strong Alphas with marshmallow insides-she likes her coffee hot and her heroes hotter!

Lena lives in the midwest with her husband, three children, and two derpy Australian Cattle Dogs. When she’s not writing or devouring new novels, you can find her hiking, camping, fishing, and sipping a spicy margarita!

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4-Star Review · Book Tours · Christie's Reviews · Contemporary Romance · Kindle Unlimited · New Release · New Review · Romance · Series · Small-Town Romance

Release Tour with Review & Excerpt for A Place to Belong by Alexa Rivers

When Felicity Bell walks into her new rental, the last thing she expected was to find Wyatt Dawson, her hot new neighbor, half-naked in her kitchen. Despite their misunderstanding and rough start, things heat up quickly for this unlikely pair. Fall for this hard-working hottie in A Place to Belong by Alexa Rivers, an Opposites Attract Romance, the next book in the Blue Collar Romance Series.

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Amazon https://amzn.to/3xlkAhQ 

From Alexa Rivers comes an opposites attract romance packed with humor, emotion and a sizzling happily ever after.

Horror author Felicity Bell moves to the charming town of Oak Bend after being shunned from the last place she called home. When she walks in the door of her new rental, she doesn’t expect to find a half-naked man standing in her kitchen. There’s just one problem: Wyatt Dawson seems to think it’s his kitchen. Misunderstandings aside, her new neighbor is lumberjack hot, and his grumpiness only makes her more determined to bring a little joy to his life, even if he’d rather be left alone.

Burned by his past, Wyatt isn’t about to let the cheerful free spirit next door into his heart only for her to crush him when she flits out of town again. But with his well-meaning, matchmaking, mother on the case, these two end up spending far too much time together and things between the unlikely pair quickly heat up. It may be true what they say—opposites do attract, but only if their relationship can survive Wyatt’s interfering ex-girlfriend and Felicity’s fear of history repeating itself.

Welcome to Oak Bend, where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder, especially when it comes to landing their happily ever after.

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Christie’s Review

Sweet and steamy small-town romance with tons of emotion! 

Felicity has moved to the small town of Oak Bend. She isn’t sure what she is expecting when she walks into the new place that she hopes to call home, but it definitely wasn’t the sexy half-naked man she sees standing in the kitchen! This is the beginning of a journey neither one of them is expecting!!!! 

Wyatt has definitely had his share of heartache, and he has no intention of letting anyone into his life, especially the strange woman who is standing in his kitchen. As they talk, they both realize his well-meaning mother is trying to play matchmaker again. Neither of them is falling for it, or that is what they keep telling themselves. 

The attraction and pull the two have is undeniable, even from their first meeting, no matter what they tell themselves. Wyatt has made his mind up that he will never let another woman into his life. He can’t handle another heartache. Felicity has never stayed in one place for very long. Her modus operandi is running…never staying in one place long enough to put down roots. Both of them are trying to find, as the title suggests, “a place to belong.” Soon the pull becomes too much to resist. But, will each of them learn to trust the other with their heart? 

This book was a sweet and steamy small-town romance, made complete with a charming town and quirky characters, especially Wyatt’s mom…I loved her!!!! I found myself immersed in the town of Oak Bend and with the fall festival Felicity suddenly finds herself in charge of. If you enjoy a quick read with a great setting and great characters, give this book a try. It is Book 2 in the Blue Collar Romance series. I think you will find that you quite like this series!

Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 Alexa Rivers

I should have known the moment I saw her that this was no coincidence. A hot crazy lady randomly appears in my house? Not fucking likely. This has Mom’s fingerprints all over it, and the keys clutched in the blonde’s hand are the nail in her coffin. I sigh. The woman is eyeing me like I’m a rabid dog about to strike. Or at least, that’s how she’s looking at me now. I caught the flash of heat in her gaze when my towel dropped a moment ago.

Groaning again, I lean against the doorframe and wonder what I did to deserve this. I’ve spent a long day completing work on a brick fence. My back aches, and all I want is to crack open a beer and watch hockey.

“So?” The blonde clasps her hands together, fidgeting. She’s pretty, if a bit skittish. Her moss-green eyes dart around the kitchen, returning to me every few seconds as though she’s wary of taking her attention off me for too long. “What’s going on?”

I nod toward the keys in her hand. “Those belong to my mother. She owns the house next door, which is the one you actually rented.”

“Oh.” Her slim shoulders slump in relief, and her curls bounce. “Thank goodness for that. It’s all a big misunderstanding.”

I laugh dryly. “It’s no such thing.”

A furrow forms between her brows. “What do you mean? Surely she just gave me the wrong set of keys.”

“If only.”

She seems baffled by my cryptic comment, and I sigh, already able to tell that she’s the type who’s curious enough to stick around until I explain everything.

“Mom intentionally sent you here,” I say, figuring I may as well get the awkwardness out of the way. I’m sure it’s not the only time she’ll be subject to Mom’s match-making machinations if she plans to live next door. She has a wholesome, sweet vibe that Mom will just eat up.

Yeah, I’m going to be dodging this woman for the foreseeable future.

“She hoped we’d run into each other, and that I’d be smitten with you. She set us up.”

“Oh.” This time, there’s a whole other level of meaning to the word. But then she cocks her head, and the furrow deepens. “I wouldn’t have thought you needed to be set up.” Her gaze rakes over me once again, and I can’t help but puff out my chest. It’s been a long time since anyone looked at me with such blatant appreciation, and I can tell she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it, or else she’d be mortified.

“I don’t,” I reply firmly, and her eyes snap up to mine. A delicate, pink flush journeys down her neck. Damn, I need to get rid of her before I actually do start to find her charming. “Here. I’ll get you my key for the place next door, and you can give me that one.” I nod at the key in her hand. She drops it on the counter.

“I’m so sorry about this.” She wrings her hands, looking awkward as fuck. “I didn’t mean to just walk into your house and make myself at home.”

“I know you didn’t,” I assure her. “I’m going to come closer now, is that okay?”

She nods, but her eyes remain on me as I enter the kitchen and head for the key hook by the fridge. I remove the one for the rental and replace it with the key she left on the counter, then offer her the one she actually needs. Our fingers brush as she takes it, and something jolts in my chest. Shaking it off, I snatch my hand away and check that the towel is still secure. The last thing I need is to give her another peep show.

“That key will open the front door of the house next door. Hold onto it for now, and I’ll get Mom to drop by with the proper key tomorrow.”

“I can do that.” She smiles, and I resist the urge to fall back a step, because it lights up her entire face, elevating her from pretty to gut-wrenchingly beautiful. “I don’t want to put you out any more than you already are.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Despite my frustration, I find my lips curving. “It’s not you I’m angry at.”

Her expression softens. “Please don’t be too mad with Nadine. She seems like such a nice person, and I’m sure she only wants to make you happy.”

Damn, she has a point. But whether her intentions are good or not, it’s going to stop me from giving Mom a piece of my mind. She needs to know it’s not all right to hand out my house key to total strangers just because she wants grandbabies.

About Alexa Rivers

Alexa Rivers is the author of steamy and heartfelt small town romances.

She lives in a small town herself, complete with nosy neighbors and quirky traditions.

She shares a house with a neurotic dog and a husband who thinks he’s hilarious.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys travelling, baking and decorating cakes, eating those cakes, cuddling fluffy animals, drinking excessive amounts of tea, and absorbing herself in fictional worlds.

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About The Blue Collar Romance Series

Escape to Oak Bend where blue-collar hotties work hard and love even harder.

From broody carpenters to sexy electricians, these eight standalones are packed with small town feels, heat, and heartwarming happily ever afters.

Enjoy your favorite tropes written by an amazing group of authors: Jaymee Jacobs, Alexa Rivers, Evelyn Sola, Kate Carley, Tracy Broemmer, Mila Nicks, Claire Wilder, and Moni Boyce.

Fall head over heels for swoon-worthy book boyfriends who aren’t afraid of a little hard work for that happily ever after.

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Book Tours · Excerpt · Kindle Unlimited · New Release · Release Tour · Romance · Second Chance Romance

Kiss of Fate (Kiawah Kisses #3) by Louise Lennox Release Tour with Excerpt

Release Tour for Kiss of Fate by Louise Lennox

Nicole wanted to keep things casual with Ray after returning to the island, but a positive pregnancy test causes complications for them both. Can Nicole stop fighting Ray long enough for the two to have a second chance? Readers who love Kennedy Ryan and Nicole Snow will love Kiss of Fate by Louise Lennox, an unexpected pregnancy, second chance romance.

Blurb

The Carolina Lowcountry is sexier, because the beautiful Kiawah Kisses rule the Sea Islands with strength, spice, and sass. This summer, each friend will reconnect with a Gullah hometown hero and learn to love again. This is Nicole’s story…

When two lines appear on a pregnancy test, Hollywood’s top casting agent Nicole Mack knows exactly who’s to blame-Ray Baines! They’ve happily hooked up for two years now, so the positive result is no surprise. But it is a problem! Ray is back home on Kiawah Island; the very place Nicole worked hard to ignore after he broke her heart a decade ago.

Hooking up proves she no longer hates him, but she’s still mad as hell.

Ray Baines has terrible luck. He was NBA rookie of the year, before he got hurt. He was the hometown hero before he became a hermit. And he lost the love of his life, Nicole, to foolish pride and an ill-advised marriage ten years ago.

As a matter of fact, the only good thing in his life is Miracle, his daughter, and he refuses to complicate her life. So, when Nicole arrived in town two years ago to support a friend, he cautiously agreed to hook-up and keep things light. But now she’s pregnant and all bets are off!

Nicole Mack is his… Well, at least, she was. If she stops fighting him long enough; she always will be.

Kiss of Fate, book 3 in the Kiawah Kisses Series, is a steamy, small town, contemporary romance featuring a strong, smart heroine and the compassionate and sexy boy-next-door who recaptures her heart. Download it today and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite book boyfriend.

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Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 @Louise Lennox

“Y’all are so nasty! In the doctor’s office? Why? Just why?” Keisha tuts in displeasure. She flew in from San Francisco once her big case wrapped up and surprised me today at a brunch date I scheduled with Tara and Symone. 

I laugh as my friends look at me with looks that span from amused to disgusted. Keisha’s uptight ass is downright horrified. That’s nothing new. She’s always clutched her pearls with me and my decisions. But I trust her with my secrets. Well, except Ray.

Symone is too bossy and will only try to tell me what to do. Tara gives great hugs and will walk through the fire with you, but she has enough on her plate. Well, at least she did. She was married to a fool that dragged her through hell for ten years. I’ve kicked his ass more than once over the years and I still think about it when I see him around. Jason Kent is the worst and Tara always deserved better. Thank God she finally got it.

But Keisha… she’s the problem-solver of the group. Which makes sense, because she’s an amazing lawyer. I’m almost certain she knows more about all of us combined than we know about each other. That’s because we all come to her with our deepest secrets and hardest problems. For example, she’s the only one that knows Lorraine McIntosh offered me a job in L.A. a week before Ray got hurt and released from the Lakers.

When he came home, I immediately deferred my hire. Luckily, Lorraine understood and gave me a few months to help him get back on his feet. I think the fact he was a Laker helped. Keisha, however, was dead set against me delaying my offer and waiting on him.

“He broke your heart, Nicole. He doesn’t deserve you. And he certainly isn’t worth putting your career on hold. He would not put his need before yours if the tables were turned. He’s already proven that he’s not ready for the love you provide.”

On and on she went, but I didn’t heed her words. Sure enough, when he was healthy again, things did not end happily ever after.

At first, it was all good. Ray apologized for breaking up with me after his NBA career took off, but he explained why. I’d heard it all before, but it was good to hear it again. He’d rather leave than to cheat.

We got close, and he pledged his love to me. Before I knew it, he was proposing marriage. 

He didn’t know I had a major career move waiting for me in the very city that kicked him out. When he found out; he was livid. Suddenly, I was selfish and not prioritizing what was important in life. He wasn’t supportive, and he swore if I got on that plane to L.A. that would be the end of us. 

I thought he was blowing smoke and being dramatic. But after a month in L.A. with not so much as a check-in from him; I knew we were over… at least for a while. Then a month later; Keisha came to L.A. to tell me Ray married a woman named Taylor.

Keisha held me for two weeks while I cried; asking how he could do that to me. She never said I told you so, but she made me promise not to let a man do that to me again. 

Use common sense before you use your heart, Nicole.

That was Keisha’s favorite line during my emotional recovery. Which is why I never told her Ray and I started hooking up again two years ago. That’s also why she was so mad to find out I was pregnant. Keisha is not a fan of Raycole. I don’t blame her. I’m not sure if I am. No, I take that back. I’m definitely a fan. I just don’t know if I should be.

Buy Now or Read for FREE with KindleUnlimited!

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About Louise Lennox 

Contemporary romance Author Louise Lennox is a hopeful romantic writing steamy romances full of heart and healing.

A Spelman College and Georgetown University graduate, Louise provides women with diverse and meaningful representation in romance novel pages. Not seeing enough women like herself headlining positive love stories, she launched #HappyBlackRomance; a community of readers and writers committed to the creation and sharing of positive romance stories featuring Black heroines.

Louise Lennox plots highlight the joys of Black relationships across the diaspora; pushing readers from all cultural backgrounds to admire them for their strength and downright sexiness. In her novels sparks always fly; the sex amazes; and the characters always leave the world better than they found it through their love.

When she’s not writing, Louise is enjoying her work as a school leader, wife, and mother of the two cutest dragons to ever walk the earth!

To learn more about #HappyBlackRomance and to score a free book or two, check out her website http://www.lovelouiselennox.com.

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