Blog Tour , Review & Excerpt ~ When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

22 Sep 202121 Sep 2021 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

When Sparks Fly, an all-new sweet and sexy best friend standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

Charming, hilarious, and emotional…When Sparks Fly is Helena Hunting at her very best!

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

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Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

I can never get enough of Helena’s words. She’s penned an amazing best friends-to-lovers story that is beyond scintillating. Declan and Avery’s journey is filled with ups and downs, with an amazing happily ever after. When Sparks Fly is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt

Commotion from across the field catches my eye. Two of the riders seem to be at odds with each other. The hand on hip, head tip, nose-to-nose business gives me reason to believe there’s some kind of disagreement happening.
“That doesn’t look very friendly.” I nod in their direction.
“Maybe the horses need a time-out,” Harley mutters.
I give her the side-eye, and she fights a smirk.
“Uh-oh, we have hand and hobbyhorse flailing,” London says, pulling my attention back to the field. The argument seems to be heating up, not cooling down.
“You need to deal with that.” London gives my shoulder a shove. She’s amazing with finances and she’s great at connecting me with the right vendors, but dealing with conflict is not her strong suit.
“Not in the mood to mediate stuffed horses?” I drop my bag on the ground beside Harley’s feet and briskly cross the field as the argument escalates to yelling. I’m about twenty feet away when one of the men hauls off and whacks the other one with his hobbyhorse.
“Whoa! Whoa! Gentlemen! Time-out. That’s not very sportsmanlike conduct!” I call.
My admonishment goes unheeded, and the two men begin dueling with their hobbyhorses. The bigger of the two jabs the other man in the stomach and snatches his hobbyhorse when he loses his grip on it.
“Gentlemen! Please!” I shout, but it’s hard to be heard over their yelling and the newly formed crowd of hobbyhorse enthusiasts who have gathered and are now heckling the fighters.
Two other men toss their hobbyhorses to the hobbyhorse-less man with shouts of “Kick his ass!”
And here I thought this was a chill sport. Apparently I’m very, very wrong.
The hobbyhorsers face off again, each one holding a broom horse between their legs and another like . . . a sword, maybe? It reminds me of medieval jousting. Especially when they start stomping their feet, pawing at the ground, and prancing in place. I know things are about to escalate when they shake their heads back and forth, braying loudly and breathing out through their noses in a hardy snort.
Then they run toward each other, while yelling. Even if they’re beating on each other with stuffed horse heads, I’m not interested in anyone ending up with a concussion.
I jump in between them before they collide, which I realize a second too late puts me in a very perilous position. However, the man on my right swerves at the last second and ends up crashing into the trough, toppling it and at least half a dozen of the “feeding” hobbyhorses. The other man skids to a stop mere inches from me, loses his balance, and falls backwards onto the ground. It rained yesterday, so while it’s sunny and dry now, the ground is still soft and mucky. And he happens to land in a seriously squishy pile of muddy grass.
He also manages to hit himself in the family jewels with the hobbyhorse. He rolls onto his side, clutching the muddy horsehead and his junk. It’s quite the spectacle. Before it turns into absolute mayhem, I grab the megaphone from the group MC and shout, “Whoa, Nelly!” like an idiot.
However, it does the trick. Every single one of them freezes. “Rider number seventeen and twenty-three, you are disqualified from this round for roughhousing and inappropriate use of your hobbyhorse!” I’m totally making this up on the fly, but someone needs to get these guys under control, and they don’t seem to be able to manage it on their own.
The guy who nut slapped himself—number twenty-three—picks himself up off the ground and hobbles gingerly over to the bench, which is now assigned to disqualified hobbyhorsers. Number seventeen throws himself down on the other end with a huff.
I lower the megaphone and cross my arms. “This is supposed to be about team building and sharing something you’re passionate about. If you want to joust, I suggest you either join a club or interview for a position at Medieval Times.”

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ A Kiss For A Kiss by Helena Hunting

31 May 2021 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

A Kiss for A Kiss, an all-new surprise baby, mature adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

I’m Jake Masterson, single dad, and the General Manager of Seattle’s NHL team. I walked away from a career as a player so I could raise my daughter. For the last twenty-plus years, Queenie has been my main priority, but now she’s getting married.

And there’s a small complication.

A beautiful, sexy complication named Hanna.

She’s my son-in-law’s older sister. Or at least that’s how they were raised. The truth is a little more scandalous than that.

I’ve been drawn to her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I spent months trying to keep a lid on that attraction.

Until we finally give in.

It starts with one searing kiss, but quickly ends with us between the sheets—and in the shower, and the hot tub, you get the picture—and turns into months of sneaking around.
Here’s the problem: we live on opposite ends of the country. It can’t be anything but casual. And as I’ve already said…it’s complicated.

But when Hanna finds out she’s pregnant…suddenly things get real serious.

Fall in love today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
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Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

I stayed up all night reading this book! I couldn’t get enough of Jake and Hanna’s story. I loved how emotional this book got me, the way the needed to traverse their situation carefully; yet Jake and Hanna handled it amazingly well. I also love that we get to see some of my favourite characters from the All In series and Pucked series. A Kiss For A Kiss by Helena Hunting is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt

“You’re trouble tonight, aren’t you?” Her fingertips dance along my traps as she brushes past me. “And yes, to answer your question, I did, in fact, bring the red bikini.”
She disappears down the hall to the spare bedroom, where she’s sleeping tonight. Because I invited her to stay at my place this weekend rather than at King’s. It’s not that she isn’t welcome there. It’s more that she wants them to have their privacy. It also means I get more time with Hanna, so it’s a win all the way around. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking a lot about time alone with her this weekend.
I change into my swim trunks, pour myself a scotch, heavy on the rocks, and her a glass of wine before I make my way outside. I set the drinks on the outdoor dining table, remove the hot tub cover and check the temperature, making sure it’s not too hot.
Once I carry the drinks over and set them in the cup holders, I sink into the hot, bubbly water, stretch my arms out, let my head fall back and my eyes close. All the time I’ve been spending with Hanna is starting to get to me.
Reminding me that I’m in my forties, and very much still a bachelor. There are a lot of reasons why getting involved with Hanna on a romantic level would not be a good idea. Queenie and King’s relationship being at the forefront.
But she’s fun. And sexy. And we get each other.
A minute later, the sound of the sliding door opening and closing and the slap of flip-flops against the deck have me cracking a lid.
“You better not be sleeping already!” she calls out.
“Not sleeping, just waiting on you.”
I watch as she pulls the tie on her robe and the terry fabric slips over her shoulders, revealing that red bikini I’m such a fan of. Hanna is all curves. Amazing curves. The kind I’ve fantasized about putting my hands on plenty of times over the past several months. And with us spending a lot more time together, it’s been hard not to give in to the constant draw.
I rise from the water and hold out a hand as she climbs the steps. Her fingers slip into my palm, sending a jolt down my spine and a stirring inside my swim trunks.
“Could you try to be a little less beautiful all the time?”I tease as I help her into the tub. “Could you try to have more of a dad bod?” She drags her fingers down my abs, brows waggling, a smile on her gorgeous face. “You are definitely good for my ego, Jake.” She pats me on the chest and sinks into the water on the opposite side of the tub from me.
Which is probably a good thing since I feel like we’re playing with fire tonight. The kind I wouldn’t mind pouring a gallon of gasoline on just to watch it burn brighter.
“That was a great engagement party. I think the kids had fun, don’t you?”She stretches her legs out. Her toes skim the outside of my thigh and I barely resist the urge to run my hand up her calf.
I don’t know what’s in the air tonight, but things seem…different. Heightened.
“Yeah. It was good,” I agree. She pokes me with her toe. “Then why are you frowning? You’ve been off all night. What’s going on?” With all the planning and talks we’ve been having, Hanna and I have gotten to know each other better. And she can read me pretty easily.
“I don’t know. On one hand, I’m happy for King and Queenie and I know he’s going to be a great husband to my daughter, but I spent all these years raising her, and being there for her. They’ve been living together for months, but for some reason, it’s all kind of hitting me. It’s real now.” I take a sip of my scotch. “It’s different from when she went away to college, and even when she moved out of the pool house and in with King. There’s this hole I didn’t expect.”
“It sounds like empty nester’s syndrome.” She moves to the spot beside to me, where the glass of wine I poured her sits.
“Is that what this is? I’m all morose and shit.”
She chuckles and props her elbow on the edge of the tub. “You need to look at it with a fresh perspective, that’s all. You’re not losing your daughter. It’s different with girls. Sure, she’s found her partner in life, but she’s always going to be your baby girl. And the two of you are so close.”
“I don’t know what to do with all of this freedom,” I admit. “My entire life up to this point has been revolved around raising Queenie and my career.”
“Which means you did your job. And that’s a good thing. Think about it, Jake. This is the great part about having a kid young. Sure, you lost out on the freedom of your twenties, but in some ways, this is even better. You’re in your forties. You have a great job, you’re in incredible shape.” She twists and pulls her knee up so it rests against my thigh, her arm extending along the back of the tub, fingertips skimming my . “You have all of your hair.”
“I’m definitely grateful for the last one,” I joke.
“You have great hair.” She runs her fingers through it. “It’s sexy.” She bites her lip and then shakes her head. “Anyway, what I’m saying is, you’re in the prime of your life. Most people in their forties are raising teens, or maybe their kids are getting ready to go to college. You’ve done all that. Now you can just live. You can date. Have fun. Do whatever you want.”
“Fun would be good.”My gaze drops to her lips. “And I’d like to do whatever I want.”
“Me, too.” Her bottom lip slides through her teeth. “Like right now I could kiss you.”
“You definitely could.” I skim her thigh under the water with my fingertips.
She nods. “There’s nothing stopping us.”
“So why aren’t your lips on mine yet?” I ask.
Hanna shifts again, her wet palms come to rest on either side of my jaw, and she presses her soft lips to mine.
I slip my hand under her hair and wrap it around the back of her neck. For a moment, I question whether this is a good idea. But when our lips part and our tongues meet, I forget all the reasons why it might not be.
I groan as I sink into the kiss and our tongues tangle. She tastes fruity, like the wine she’s been drinking. She straddles me and settles in my lap, her breasts pressing against my chest.
She breaks the kiss for a moment and our eyes meet. “I’ve been thinking about this for months.”
“I’ve wanted to know what your lips taste like since the first day I met you,”

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Wrecked Palace by Catherine Cowles

20 Jan 2021 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

“Heartwarming, swoony moments, sizzling chemistry, and just enough intrigue to keep me completely invested–this book had me hooked from page one!”– Willow Aster, USA Today bestselling author

Wrecked Palace, an all-new emotional slow-burn standalone romance in the Wrecked Series by author Catherine Cowles is available now!

One night was all it took for everything to change.
From college student to guardian in a single breath.
My siblings became my world.

No time for date nights or romantic dreams.
I traded quiet weekends for sleepless nights.
Giving my all to make sure they were cared for.

But Griffin had a brokenness that called to me—one that mirrored my own.
Gruff and just a little bit reckless.
He was the last thing I needed. But everything I wanted.

Only someone isn’t happy about this new life I’m building.
Deciding to set fire to everything I hold close.
And when the smoke clears, there might be only ashes left behind…

Download your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/30ZUZy3
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Review

☆☆☆☆☆ 5 STARS

WOW… just WOW!!! Catherine Cowles delivered a captivating story filled with love and family, along with their struggles to survive everyday life and the mystery of who’s out to harm them. I loved Griffin and his broody ways and Caelyn with her kind giving heart! I couldn’t get enough of Griffin with the tiny terrors… so sweet! Wrecked Palace by Catherine Cowles is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt

I climbed out of my truck in the parking lot of The General Store. Why was it that I always ended up here? There was just something about the brown-haired beauty who worked at the kitchen inside. Normally, people who shined with that life-is-beautiful kind of positivity made me want to punch something. But with Caelyn, I was fascinated.

I started towards the store when a man called my name. I stiffened and turned, expecting to see a stranger, maybe one of the reporters still holding out hope that I’d share my story with the world. The set of my shoulders eased a bit when I saw that it was Ford Hardy, owner of The Catch Bar & Grill. I said nothing but waited for the man to make his approach. He wasn’t a stranger exactly, but I had no desire for idle chitchat.

“I’ve been hoping to run into you,” he greeted.

I stayed silent.

Ford chuckled. “Not too talkative, are you?”

“Not much to say, I guess.”

Ford’s expression grew serious. “I just wanted to thank you for your help a few months back.”

“I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t do.” Ford had been attacked by someone sick in the head. He’d been jumped from behind and knocked unconscious. I’d just come along at the right time.

“Either way, thank you.” He held out a hand, and I took it for a shake. “Come into the bar sometime. I’ll treat you to a beer and a meal. It’s the least I can do.”

I fought the wince that wanted to surface. The last thing I wanted was to sit around at the island watering hole. People whispered, thinking they were being discreet when they were anything but. Even worse, they sometimes thought it was completely acceptable to approach and ask me a million intrusive questions. “I’ll try and come by.”

Ford grinned. “I’m taking that as a fat chance in hell.”

My lips twitched. “You’re not a stupid man.”

“Thank God for that. Well, if I can ever do anything to repay you, just let me know. My brother’s a contractor. We could give you a couple of days on that house of yours if you’d like.”

My jaw tightened. “I’m good. But thanks for the offer.”

Ford nodded and gave me a wave before heading back towards The Catch. “There’s no expiration date on that.”

I wouldn’t take Ford up on his offer of help unless I got desperate. I needed to do this on my own. I started towards the store. Pulling the creaking screen door open, I walked inside. It was still a bit early, but when 4:00 a.m. was your usual wakeup call, 4:30 p.m. was just about perfect for dinner. Plus, I could avoid the after-work crowd.

I made my way towards the kitchen at the far end of the grocery but stopped in my tracks when I heard Caelyn’s voice.

“Is there any way you could give me more hours? Or more of the bookkeeping to do?”

Mr. Walters, the owner of the store, chuckled. “You’re doing it all already, deary. I barely show up here anymore.”

“Well, do you know of anyone else who might be looking for some help for things I could do from home?” she pressed.

“Are the two jobs you have not enough? You’re gonna work yourself to the bone. And you need to be home for those kids.”

“I know.” Caelyn’s voice seemed to deflate on the words. “But Mia got accepted into this gymnastics program, and it costs an arm and a leg.”

Walters’ voice gentled. “I’d be happy to loan you the fees—”

“No,” Caelyn cut Mr. Walters off. “You’ve done more than enough for us.”

A foreign feeling invaded my chest. A twisting sensation that burned. I’d heard the talk around the island that Caelyn had taken in her three younger siblings after their parents had been involved in some sort of drug bust. I couldn’t imagine taking all that on when she must’ve been barely more than a child herself.

I cleared my throat, stepping around the end of the aisle. Caelyn looked up, the frown marring her gorgeous face quickly turning into a bright smile. “Griffin. It’s good to see you. Have you finally given in to trying one of my salads?”

I gave my head a shake. “I think I’ll stick with the sandwich.”

Walters grinned. “I don’t know, Caelyn can make kale pretty tasty.”

I didn’t try to fight the twisting of my face. “No, thank you.”

Walters chuckled. “Maybe another day. All right, I’m off.” He turned to Caelyn. “You let me know if you change your mind.”

Caelyn reached up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to the old man’s cheek. “Thank you.”

Walters headed out of the store, and just Caelyn and I were left. I slid onto a stool at the counter. It was rare that I waited here for my food, but I couldn’t seem to resist the temptation today. I had this undeniable urge to make sure she was okay.

“So, what’ll it be? Some version of meat and cheese?”

I almost chuckled. Almost. “Sounds good to me. But I know you’ll sneak some vegetables on there somehow.”

“Gotta keep you from getting scurvy.”

I almost choked. “I thought that was from not enough vitamin C. I drink my orange juice.”

Caelyn shook her head and started pulling things out of a fridge below the counter. “There’s vitamin C in vegetables, too. And lots of other nutritious things you need.”

“Good thing I come in here a few times a week then.”

“Good thing.”

An idea was forming in the back of my mind. One that just might be the answer to helping Caelyn out of her predicament and giving me some nice benefits, as well.

The screen door banged open. “Cae Cae!” a young girl’s voice called out. Soon, there was a flash of movement past me.

Caelyn stepped around the counter and lifted the little girl into her arms as she hurled herself at Caelyn. “How was your day?”

“So good. I taught cartwheels at recess, and you left me my favorite cookie in my lunch.”

Caelyn laughed. “Sounds like a good day to me. Where are the rest of the tiny terrors?”

The little girl beamed up at Caelyn. “They’re coming, but they were being too slow, so I ran when I got to the parking lot.” Her gaze caught on me. “Whoa. Are you a giant?”

I wanted to laugh but seeing the easy affection between the girl and Caelyn stole my ability to speak.

“Mia, this is Mr. Griffin. Griffin, this is my little sister, Mia.”

The girl looked so much like Beth had at that age, I struggled to find words. “It’s nice to meet you, Mia.” My voice came out rougher than before, and I tried to force my lips into a smile, but the action felt foreign.

“Hey, sis,” a male voice called.

I turned to see a boy who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. As soon as he caught sight of me, wariness filled his features. He quickly crossed to his sisters, tugging another girl behind him. “Who’s this?”

Caelyn pressed her lips together as if holding back a laugh. “This is Mr. Griffin. Griffin, this is Will and Ava, my other two siblings. I hope you don’t mind, but they usually hang with me for thirty minutes before Molly takes over. Kids, you can go hang out in the office while I get Mr. Griffin’s sandwich ready.”

“I wanna stay with you and help,” Mia whined.

“I’ll go into the office,” Ava offered. She had taken a step behind her brother as if hiding from me.

“They can stay.” The words were out before I could stop them. Awkward and a little gruff, but Mia beamed.

“See, Mr. Griffin wants me to help make his sandwich.”

Caelyn shook her head. “Well, if that’s the case, we better wash our hands.”

Ava headed for the back office while Will took a seat next to me at the counter, eyeing me carefully. Caelyn helped Mia up onto a little stool by the sink, and they washed their hands, Mia singing some sort of song that counted off the seconds.

“All clean,” she called. “No germies can last to thirty.”

I couldn’t hold in my chuckle this time. “I guess they can’t.”

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Caelyn started, putting a hand over her heart. “I do believe you laughed, Griffin Lockwood. Who knew all it took was a seven-year-old singing about germs?”

About Catherine
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Little Lies by H. Hunting

17 Nov 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

“H. Hunting pens a heartbreaking tale that leaves readers absolutely breathless from beginning to end. One of her best books yet!”
– Stacey Lynn, author

Little Lies, an all-new, angsty and emotional new adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting is out now!

I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me.
I never loved you.
I turned my words into swords.
And I cut her down.
Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.
I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.
Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.
Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.
I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.
But I don’t want to save her anymore.
I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gn18sL
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Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

I absolutely love legacy stories! This is hands-down one of my fave reads of 2020. H. Hunting killed it with Lavender and Kodiak’s story. It’s emotional with the right amount of angst you come to expect in a new adult romance. I loved that you get to see the progenies of the Pucked and All In Series characters. Violet Waters still cracks me up with her brand of humor, especially with her children. I highly recommend reading this book. I can’t wait for more from this next gen of much-loved characters. Little Lies by H. Hunting is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt

The front door swings open, and the never-ending nightmare that is this day smacks me in the face like a long-expired sausage. Kodiak stands in the doorway wearing only a pair of swim shorts, wet hair sticking out all over the place, water dripping on the damn floor. But God, is he ever glorious. Muscle layered over muscle, thick biceps flexing as he holds the doorjamb, a mischievous grin popping the dimple in his left cheek.
My heart seizes and gallops. I miss this version of him: the one that smiles and doesn’t hate me.
He ruins everything a moment later by bellowing, “Who’s fucking in the driveway?”
His gaze moves to Dylan, who looks as horrified as I feel, but as it shifts to me, his smile drops and my stomach tightens.
“You should really go,” I tell Dylan.
“I’ll see you around.” He disappears into his car and barely has the door closed before he’s backing out of the driveway and screeching down the street.
I adjust my backpack on my shoulder and head for the house, steeling my spine and my nerves because Kodiak is still standing in the middle of the doorway, his face a mask of indifference. I try to brush by him, but he stays where he is, making it impossible.
I sigh, exhausted beyond belief. I just want to go upstairs and have a good, cathartic cry. I try to mirror his apathy. “Can you move so I can get into my house?”
His brow furrows as his eyes move over my face. He lifts his hand, like maybe he’s thinking about touching me. There’s no way I can handle that. I jerk back and swat his hand away. “What are you doing?”
“Your lip is bleeding.”
“Don’t act like you actually give a shit, Kodiak.”
“Tell me what happened.” His voice is low and soft, and for whatever reason, that makes me even angrier, so I lash out, wanting to wound him the way he keeps wounding me.
“You, Kodiak. You happened, and you ruined my goddamn life. Now get the hell out of my way.” I elbow past him, almost tripping over several sets of running shoes.
I head straight for my bedroom and lock the door behind me. I slide down the wall until my butt hits the floor and close my eyes, taking deep breaths.
I imagined the concern in his voice.
I imagined the pain that sat heavy behind his eyes.
We see what we want to, not the truth, especially when it hurts.

About Helena Hunting

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Engagement and Espionage (Solving For Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #1) by Penny Reid

28 Jul 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

Engagement and Espionage, an all-new quirky and swoon-worthy romantic comedy featuring fan favorites Jenn and Cletus Winston from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged!

But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most “fowl” need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another. It’s not long before Cletus and Jenn see a pattern emerge and the truth becomes clear.

Sabotage!

Will an undercover mission unmask the culprit? Or are these love-birds totally plucked?

‘Engagement and Espionage’ is the first book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries series, is a full-length cozy mystery, and is a spin-off of Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series. This novel is best read after ‘Beard Science,’ Winston Brothers #3.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3auZzqI
Apple Books: https://apple.co/33ONMAK
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/engagementespionage
Nook: https://bit.ly/3dvV8hf
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2wxWreY
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3aqIT3h

Add ENGAGEMENT AND ESPIONAGE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2UoVpea

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

Oh, how I’ve missed Cletus and Jenn! I had so much fun reading this book. Penny Reid never ceases to amaze me with her highly entertaining, intelligent and witty words. Engagement and Espionage (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries Series, #1) by Penny Reid is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt:

“Don’t stop.” She reached for my belt again, this time completely undoing it, the button of my pants, and my zipper at world-record speed.

Her phone buzzed. Then it chimed. Then it buzzed and chimed two more times. Then it rang again. Reba.

Cursing, Jenn pulled the phone from her pocket, once again her face illuminated, murderous rage in her eyes. Her finger moved to the power off button. She blinked, hesitating. Her eyes widened, her body stiffened, and she gasped.

“Cletus!”

Something about her tone, like she was horrified, and maybe a little afraid, cut through the heavy haze of lust inertia, and my hands stilled. Shaking myself, it took me a few moments to realize she was showing me the phone screen, and another few to bring the content of the text messages into focus.

Momma: Jennifer Anne Sylvester, pick up your phone. If you’re with Cletus, I need his help. Please.

Momma: ALL THE CHICKENS AND ROOSTERS ARE DEAD! PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE!

Momma: I’m calling you in a second, pick up the phone. Mr. Badcock’s chickens are dead. All of them. I got here and he’s running around, deranged, yelling about his dead chickens! I called the police and they’re on their way. Please, please, please pick up the phone!

At some point, I must’ve taken the phone from Jenn and stepped away, because I glanced up upon reading the messages for the third time, finding the phone in my hand and Jenn fixing her skirt.

“This is nuts.” Her big eyes searched mine imploringly. “Who could have done this?”

I shook my head, having not yet managed to fully shift head gears—you know, from that head to the one on my neck—and my gaze dropped to the wet patch on the front of her dress just visible in the swath of light. My erection throbbed.

So we’re . . . not having sex?

“Why? Why would they do it? And WHO?” She snatched her phone back, her tone bewildered, distracted, and distraught. She was distraught because of the dead chickens, like any normal person would be.

I was distraught also, but my distress had nothing to do with farm animals.

“We have to go.” Jenn grabbed my hand and began walking toward the direction of the hall. Meanwhile, it took me until her hand found the door handle to realize my zipper and belt were still undone.

“This is crazy.” She paused as I zipped up, her tone halting and distracted. “Poor Mr. Badcock. And those poor chickens.” A sound of distress escaped her throat. “This is terrible.”

It was terrible.

And I was going to hell.

Because all I could think was, Talk about a cock block.

Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD
Twitter: @ReidRomance
Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/
www.pennyreid.ninja

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Hate Thy Neighbor by S.M. Soto

28 Jul 202027 Jul 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

Hate was all there was to their relationship.
At the very least, that’s what she tried to tell herself.

Hate Thy Neighbor, a sexy and LOL enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy from S.M. Soto, is available now!

Fresh out of a failed engagement, Olivia Hales is in dire need of a fresh start. Tired of being the charming and accommodating girl that always gets stomped on, she’s determined to change her outlook on life.

When she finds her dream job in a small town in California, she thinks she’s finally found her place in life. That is, until she meets her new neighbor.

Roman Banks.
Moody. Foul-mouthed. Jerk.
And the hottest man on the planet.

At a sprawling six foot five, he was coldly distant and physically intimidating. Not only was her new neighbor a God that was good with his hands, he was also a grade-A jerk. Trapped on the same street, sharing the same space together, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous, never-ending game of insults and pranks that result in the destruction of two perfectly good homes.

The tension between them is as thick as the walls of their houses are thin. Roman’s touch burned like fire even when his words were ice, and both of them will stop at nothing to make the others life hell.

In the midst of the pranks and the hate they harbor for each other, Olivia slowly pulls back the layers of the man next door and finds herself consumed with wanting to fix him and his past. When both enemies start to catch feelings for each other, Olivia finds herself hiding her own secrets, not wanting to lose another man in her life.

Lines are drawn. Strict rules put into place. But that doesn’t stop Olivia from wanting to save the quiet, broody man next door.

They say you’re supposed to love thy neighbor, but that was the furthest emotion she felt when thinking about Roman. Hate was all there was to their relationship. At the very least, that’s what she tried to tell herself.

Hate Thy Neighbor is a full length enemies to lovers standalone.

Download your copy today!
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2NRRAdf
Amazon: https://amzn.to/310ZAz9
Nook: https://bit.ly/3gevXQH
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3gbRj0U
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2NMERZr

Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

I honestly can’t get enough of enemies to lovers stories… they’re my fave!!! The angst and the obvious sexual tension is amazing. Roman and Olivia’s story is an absolute page-turner. The chemistry is off the charts and the banter… loved every moment. Hate Thy Neighbor by S.M. Soto is an EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt

I hear a soft pop behind me, and when I turn, I find Olivia sitting cross-legged on her couch, watching me closely, with a lollipop hanging out of her mouth. A smirk tips the corners of her lips.

“A girl can get used to this.”

“To what exactly?”

“A hot guy in the middle of her living room, putting back the pieces of her miserable life together.”

Closing the distance between us, I stare down at her fixated on the way the stick of the lollipop juts out between those pink bee-stung lips. Gripping the end that’s hanging out of her mouth, I tug, and she lets go with a pop that goes straight to my groin. Taking the lollipop, I put it into my mouth, and her mouth drops open, her eyes heating with desire.

“About that bed.”

She licks her lips, pushing to her feet. “Oh, that’s right. What was it you mentioned earlier? You’ve been waiting to fuck me there?”

Christ in heaven.

My cock goes from half-mast to hard as a fucking rock at her words.

That mouth will be the death of me.

Knowing the effect she’s having on me, Olivia smiles. It’s downright sexy and full of seduction. Tugging my hand in hers, she pulls me along after her, leading the way to her bedroom.

With slow, methodical movements, she strips her shirt off over her head, leaving her in a sports bra. I drop down onto my haunches beside her on the bed, resting my hands on her hips. I hear her sharp intake of breath, as I begin tugging her bottoms down her legs. She bares her center for me, and I groan when I get a closer look at her pussy. Back at the garage, everything was fast and hot, but here, I want to take my time with her.

“You stole my lollipop,” she whispers, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling on it.

“I wanted to taste you.”

Her brows dip. “And you thought that was best done with a lollipop?” I hear the amusement in her voice. That’s what makes what I’m about to do next so damn perfect.

“I can show you much better than I can tell you, Sunshine.” Taking the lollipop, I drag the sticky ball of sugar down her stomach and pause just over her pubic bone. She gasps, and when I glance up at her, I see the knowing gleam in her eyes.

Taking the candy, I swirl it around her clit, enjoying the way she squirms on the bed. The way her hips ride off the sheets and she moans, begging for more. I apply more pressure, swirling through her folds, and then I pause at her entrance.

“You like that, Olivia?”

“Y-yes,” she pants.

As I slide the sucker inside her, she groans, drawing a deep chuckle from my chest. “I thought so.”

I fuck her slowly, sliding the lollipop in and out, watching the way her walls grip the candy, the way she glistens and drips. With one last stroke, I pull it out and slide the lollipop over my tongue, tasting her.

Her eyes slam shut, and she tosses her head back onto the sheets.

About S.M. Soto
S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern, California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her demise.

Connect with S.M. Soto
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RQVKEb
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BookBub: http://bit.ly/2uicH2a
Join her Facebook reader group S.M.’s Baddies: http://bit.ly/2NPhQFP
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Stay up to date with S.M Soto by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2oxOi6c
Website: https://authorsmsoto.com

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ A Secret For A Secret by Helena Hunting

13 May 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

“Helena Hunting delivers a smart, funny, emotional story that grabs you from page one.”
— Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

A Secret for a Secret, an all-new must read forbidden standalone romance that is sure to have you swooning from the start by New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.

My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.

Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.

I got drunk. And picked up a stranger.

Her name was Queenie, and she was everything I’m not: reckless, impulsive, and chaotic. We did shots and traded secrets. And ended up naked at my place.

She left me a thank-you note in the morning and her panties as a parting gift. But no way to contact her.

Six weeks later I’m sitting in the first official team meeting of the season, and there she is. I neglected to mention that I’m the goalie for Seattle’s NHL team.

And Queenie? Turns out she’s the general manager’s daughter.

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PuergO
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SecretforSecret
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2PwTgec
Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/2YYr8U2

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Q3mzDU

Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

King and Queenie are a dynamic duo…the rule follower and somewhat flighty (more lost and discouraged) make a match made in heaven. As with all Helena’s books, she creates characters that are endearing and relatable. I devoured this book as I do with all this author’s works. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book. You definitely want to go ALL IN. A Secret For A Secret by Helena Hunting is an EPIC read and will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Excerpt:

“You think our GM got himself an assistant?”

I follow his gaze to the front of the room. Standing at the desk with her back to us, arranging papers, is a woman with wavy chestnut hair that nearly reaches her waist. “Maybe an intern?”

She’s wearing a navy dress that conforms to her very feminine form. I trace the dip of her waist and the curve of her hip, skimming down to where the hem of her dress hits the bend in her knee. Her calves are bare, athletic, and toned, and her heels boast a little bow on the back. Classy, yet sexy. “Possibly.”

“I hope the eye candy is gonna be permanent,” someone at the table behind us says, loud enough for everyone close by to hear.

“I wouldn’t mind if she helped me with my jockstrap,” one of the other guys chimes in, eliciting a loud chuckle from the rest of the table.

I glance over my shoulder and pin them with an unimpressed glare. I recognize Foley from Tampa, and Dickerson is an LA trade. They’re notorious womanizers. “Watch your mouth and have some respect. That’s someone’s daughter.”

“Take it easy, King. It’s not like we’d actually say that to her face,” Foley says.

I don’t have an opportunity to reprimand him further because the GM, Jake Masterson, and our head coach, Alex Waters, enter the room through the side door. The GM crosses over to the woman, whose back is still turned to us, and he gives her a smile that seems . . . overly warm. He leans in and squeezes her shoulder as he says something with his mouth close to her ear.

“Maybe she’s not his assistant. Maybe she’s his new girlfriend, ’cause that looks pretty damn friendly to me.” Bishop jams a sausage link into his mouth.

“Maybe,” I agree.

She turns slightly, giving me a glimpse of her profile. Her cheeks are flushed pink. I blink a couple of times, because she seems incredibly familiar.

“I think I know her,” I mumble, more to myself than to Bishop.

“Not as well as our GM does, by the look of things.”

It hits me like a puck in the chest without pads on. I do know her. Queenie. My one-night stand who bailed the next morning and left a Post-it and panties hanging from my doorknob. Destroyed panties. “Oh God.”

Did I sleep with the GM’s girlfriend? Memories come barreling into my brain, and I want to sink into the floor. My behavior that night was highly atypical. Everything about that night was. I chalked it up to the alcohol, the family drama, and the fact that she seemed to be a very eager and willing participant in our adventures. Do not think about the things you did to her.

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about Queenie and our night together. I’ve even considered driving by the bar where we met, but I don’t know if she’s likely to show up there. And it’s not as if I can ask the bartender about her without looking like a creep. Besides, if she wanted me to have her number, she would’ve left it.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to hurl,” Bishop asks.

I cover my mouth with my palm, not because I’m going to be ill but to hide the fact that it’s hanging open and I can’t seem to close it. Although my stomach is starting to do those awful somersaults that will soon turn into full-on nausea. The kind I used to get when I’d first hit the ice for a game.

This is bad. Really bad. I’ve never had a one-night stand before. I’ve always been in committed relationships, and I prefer to get to know my bed partners before they actually get into bed with me. Teen pregnancy was pretty common where I grew up in Tennessee, because there wasn’t much else to do apart from playing sports or getting into trouble with drugs and alcohol—my brother, Gerald, went the latter route. I obviously fit into the sports category. By the time I became a teenager, my parents had finally learned their lesson. It was drilled into me to never become that kind of statistic, or to turn my girlfriend into a mom before she was ready to take on more than senior-level algebra.

Ironic how my actual mother would’ve been one of those girls had my grandparents not made the choices they had.

“King?” Bishop nudges me. “You’re staring, man.”

Jake whistles with his fingers, causing the woman beside him to cringe but then quickly school her expression into an uncertain smile. “Who’s ready for a new season?”

He’s rewarded with a chorus of cheers from the players. Waters stands off to the side, clapping enthusiastically. He generally runs all team meetings, but Jake is a hands-on GM, so he always manages first meeting intros before he hands it over to our coach.

Jake waits for everyone to settle down and take their seats before he continues. “Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to my personal assistant, Queenie.” He throws his arm over her shoulder and pulls her into his side.

A hot spike of anger rushes down my spine—it’s a foreign feeling. I’m usually very level headed. But not right now. It’s obvious by the way Jake and Queenie interact that there’s a relationship there. Is she a cheater? Did she make me one? There’s a definite age gap. He’s young for a GM, but he’s in his forties, and I’m pretty sure she’s in her mid twenties.

“She also happens to be my daughter, so don’t get any ideas, boys.” He somehow manages to wink and glare at the same time.

And it just went from bad to worse.

My one-night stand isn’t my GM’s girlfriend; she’s his daughter.

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ
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Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/
Website link: https://helenahunting.com/books/a-secret-for-a-secret/
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Release Blitz, Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Pink by Bethany-Kris

8 May 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ 1 Comment

by Bethany-Kris
Cover Credits: Black Widow Designs
Publication Date: May 8, 2020
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Organized Crime. Erotic Romance, Standalone

Amazon: https://geni.us/PINKBK

iTunes: https://apple.co/2yj5dO4

B&N: https://bit.ly/3ejurfT

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2xsieVy

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3cjePao

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3eiCt93

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2RzTtgX

He’s Pink, the personal enforcer for the boss of the New York mafia. She’s Gigi Rey, a supermodel known across the globe.

They live two entirely different lives but before the mob and the fame, they were Lev Arsov and Gigi Parker. Two people struggling to make it—who met by chance—before life got in the way.

Five years have passed since the nights they shared together, but Fashion Week brings Gigi back to New York and straight into Lev’s path once more, when her work obligations tangles with the mafia’s business. In this world, that’s never a good thing.

They aren’t the same people now. He’s a single dad doing whatever he can for his daughter. Gigi can’t walk down the street without the world watching. A lot has changed. The one thing that didn’t? How they keep finding their way into each other’s heads … and beds.

If only it was that simple.
If only the tabloids didn’t back them into a wall.
If only they saw it coming.

If only they could go back to the time before he was … Pink.

If only.

Pink is a 112k standalone Mafia Romance set in Bethany-Kris’s Commission World.

REVIEW

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 STARS

Bethany-Kris is such a fantastic writer and it’s so easy to devour her books. She manages to always find fresh ways to keep my interest while tearing me apart. The connection between Lev and Gigi is quite apparent from the start and their chemistry is intense. Pink by Bethany-Kris is a MUST read and will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ELITE!!!

“Nobody followed me,” she promised, clearly noticing his stare. “No security, no paparazzi … hopefully no fans, but sometimes that happens so if it does, just let me say hi, do my thing, and don’t answer anybody’s questions because they will try to get literally anything they can out of you. Fair warning.”

Lev’s attention went back to her in an instant. “Oh, no worries on that. I wouldn’t mind if you did need to bring somebody, by the way. It’s probably a normal thing for you, right?”

“Regular … not something I’d call normal.”

“Point taken. Wanna sit down?”

Her brilliant, gorgeous smile was back just like that. “Yeah, let’s sit. Nice place. Not my usual style, but … it serves the purpose for keeping me out of sight, right?”

Lev’s laughter came out dark and husky as he reclaimed his stool, and she took the one on his right. “Sorry, would you have preferred a club?”

She peered his way, and her dark lashes fanned wide with black mascara distracted him from the bartender’s approach with the whiskey sour he’d ordered for Gigi. “I preferred to catch up with you, Lev. I didn’t care where we did it.”

Right.

He would keep that in mind.

“And you remembered, too.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

Gigi winked and pointed at the glass the bartender set on top of a white, monogrammed napkin in front of her. “Whiskey sour. My drink of choice.”

A pointed look from Lev sent the bartender spinning around to head for someone else down the bar when the man opened his mouth like he was going to say something to the woman next to him. Gigi’s light laugh might have embarrassed him for being so possessive over her time and presence but fuck it … he wasn’t going to apologize for it.

“I think he knows who you are,” Lev said, palming the beer on the bar that he’d been nursing long before Gigi arrived. “And I didn’t forget anything about you, Gigi. Not a single damn thing.”

Chancing a look at the woman on his right, Lev found her nibbling on her bottom lip while her striking green eyes lowered to appreciate the tailored fit of his white button-down and how he’d rolled the sleeves up his forearms.

Painted a dusty rose color, her plush mouth threw him back in time without any warning. He could still remember the way her lips felt against his skin. How she kissed him hungrily. All the sounds that mouth of hers could make for him.

Not a date, he told himself. This isn’t a date, Lev.

But she sure looked like it.

“Although to be fair to the bartender,” Lev added in a murmur, “he wasn’t the only man in this place that couldn’t stop staring at you. I think every single man in here—”

“But I was only looking at you, right?”

“At, or for?”

Gigi wet her lips, and drummed her black-painted, stiletto fingernails to the glass in front of her. “Could it be both?”

“I thought you wanted to catch up?”

Unashamed and brazen, her sexy smile turned on him when she replied, “I do … maybe more than I should. Part of me thinks we never really finished what we started, Lev.”

“I didn’t know we started anything.”

“We wouldn’t be sitting in this bar if we hadn’t.”

Well …

Lev barked out a hard laugh. A shitty attempt to hide the fact that her words and their frank truth slammed into his chest like a wrecking ball. “All right, let’s catch up.” He spun sideways on the stool, facing her entirely with the beer firm in his palm. He tipped the bottle up for a sip, fully enjoying the way she watched his throat bob with every swallow. Setting it back to the bar but not turning back in his seat, he said, “Tell me all about Gigi Rey, sweetheart.”

Gigi rolled her twinkling eyes and waved a hand high. “Her? She’s nobody.”

“Never heard a worse lie.”

ABOUT BETHANY-KRIS

Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to four young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a hubby calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something … when she can find the time.

To keep up-to-date with new releases from Bethany-Kris, sign up to her New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook •Goodreads • Instagram • Pinterest • Mailing List • Bookbub • Amazon Author Page

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Surprise Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Before by Bethany-Kris

20 Apr 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

BEFORE

by Bethany-Kris
Publication Date: April 20, 2020
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Organized Crime. Erotic Romance, Novella

Amazon: https://geni.us/Before

iTunes: https://apple.co/2VrOKiJ

B&N: https://bit.ly/2K2A4kD

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2xtIKxX

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3aaJqpl

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2RDbATA

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3acJjtg

Before everything changed …

He was just Lev Arsov. Bartender. Occasional illegal fighter. Struggling to get by.

Before the world watched …

She was just Gigi Parker. Unknown. Fledgling model. Barely making it work.

Before he was Pink, the mob enforcer, and she was Gigi Rey, the supermodel, they met by chance. It was only fun. No strings. Two people who didn’t have the first clue how different their lives would soon be.

But that was before …

Before everything changed.

Before is a free 31k preview of Bethany-Kris’s upcoming 112k standalone Mafia Romance, Pink. Blending in a contemporary beginning with Before, readers are introduced to how it all began for the mob enforcer and his supermodel. Note: Before is also included in Pink.

“Has anybody ever told you that your face should be on magazines?”

Gigi’s head popped up as a laugh burst from her lips. The man that had been working with the girls further down the bar approached her spot at the end, passing by at least twenty other people who gestured with a bit more ferocity at his blatant disregard for their shouts and demands. The white tee he wore stretched across the broad bands of muscle that made up an expansive chest. Rolled up at the sleeves, the fabric tightened to show off the way his strong arms and golden skin, dusted with dark hair, glinted under the pot lights that made up the backdrop of the bar when he placed them in front of her spot on the shiny top.

Black hair, shaved down to a well-groomed buzz, had a blue tint and only added to the sea-color of the stare that flicked over her features and then chanced a glance down at the low dip in the front of her romper. The man had no shame that he was checking her out, but she didn’t really mind all that much, either.

He wasn’t hard on the eyes.

It didn’t hurt to look at him.

Not at all.

And since he seemed content to drink in a good gulp of her, she did the same for him. Standing at least six and a half feet tall behind the bar, he towered higher than even the shelves of liquor behind him. Strong lines made up a face that didn’t have a hint of boyishness anywhere—not in the scruff that dotted a jaw and cheeks carved from stone. He was all man, all over. A thick brow quirked up when her stare slammed back into his, and a sexy grin stretched his thin lips wide to show off the white teeth that made up his smile.

And God.

What a fucking smile it was.

“Well, have they?” he asked.

Gigi had enough sense to swallow before she spoke, lest her next words come out in a girlish rush of hormones and stupidity. It wasn’t often a man could make her tongue-tied, and certainly not by only his approach.

But here she was.

Suddenly, this celebration was looking way better.

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard that line, actually,” she replied.

A laugh burst from his mouth, and yes, she somehow managed to feel that sound all over her body. The noise of the bar began to disappear all around her as the good-looking bartender with a body that looked more suitable to be in the ring than behind the bar leaned in. Edging a bit closer to her, he used his free hand to toss a yellow-checkered bar rag over his broad shoulder.

The action had her swallowing.

Again.

Because she’d noticed his fingers. Their length, the roughness of the digits like he used them a lot, and then their proximity to her when he dared to point one at her.

“But the better question,” he said, “is whether you’ve ever actually been on a magazine, hmm? Something familiar about that face.”

“Really? Because everyone likes to say they’ve never seen one like it.”

Those blue eyes of his blinked.

Then, he smirked.

“Maybe that’s it—never seen anything like it.”

It also wasn’t the first time she had been told that line, either. Except there was something about the way he said it and how his tone dipped at the end. Like his gaze roving down her throat when his tongue peeked out to lick along the seam of his bottom lip.

“Hey, are you gonna get us a fucking drink or—”

The bartender held up one large hand to the left, his palm stopping all of two inches away from the face of a beefy guy leaning across the bar top. “I’m only mixing for front tables tonight—fuck off to the other side of the bar before I move you there.”

Gigi grinned.

He hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

“I’m Gigi,” she said.

He opened his mouth to reply, but the announcer standing at the DJ’s booth just a few feet away from the boxing ring stopped him from saying anything at all when the man’s voice filled the speaker. His attention drifted to the man as he straightened up to his full height, allowing him to easily stare over the crowd of people.

“Next fight—Lev Arsov versus Draven Kinley. Ten minutes to start—one ten-minute round. Betting begins now.”

His gaze came back to her, sharper and sexier than ever. This time, that grin of his was a little more sinful and tempting.

But also dangerous.

“Looks like I’m up next.”

Gigi’s head snapped to the side, and she was sure her face reflected the shock radiating through her gut in that moment. He was just a bartender, right? “What?”

He winked. “Lev Arsov—that’s me. Stick around, Gigi. See what happens next.”

PREORDER YOUR COPY OF PINK NOW!

by Bethany-Kris
Publication Date: May 8, 2020
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Organized Crime. Erotic Romance, Standalone

Amazon: https://geni.us/PINKBK

iTunes: https://apple.co/2yj5dO4

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BLOG TOUR: https://indiesage.com/tour-pink-by-bethany-kris/

He’s Pink, the personal enforcer for the boss of the New York mafia. She’s Gigi Rey, a supermodel known across the globe.

They live two entirely different lives but before the mob and the fame, they were Lev Arsov and Gigi Parker. Two people struggling to make it—who met by chance—before life got in the way.

If only it was that simple.
If only the tabloids didn’t back them into a wall.
If only they saw it coming.

If only they could go back to the time before he was … Pink.

If only.

Pink is a 112k standalone Mafia Romance set in Bethany-Kris’s Commission World.

ABOUT BETHANY-KRIS

To keep up-to-date with new releases from Bethany-Kris, sign up to her New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD

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Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ Bury Me With Lies by S.M. Soto

7 Apr 202030 Jul 2020 ~ bookeverlasting ~ Leave a comment

**“A masterpiece.” – C.L. Matthews, bestselling author**

Bury Me With Lies, the shocking conclusion to the edge-of-your-seat Twin Lies Duet by S.M. Soto is available now!

Some secrets are better left buried…

Stuck between life and death, Mackenzie is hell-bent on proving her innocence, and getting revenge on the men who murdered her sister. With one series of unfortunate events after another, Mackenzie must outrun her own fate—death.

When secrets unravel and lies become twisted betrayals, Mackenzie finds herself in more danger than she could’ve realized. Her only saving grace is Baz, the elusive playboy she’s given her heart to. But will placing her trust in a man like Baz be her downfall?

Download your copy today!

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Start the duet with Kiss Me With Lies!

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34SyJ9b

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Review

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2924424079

Excerpt

My head feels grainy as though someone recklessly shook a carbonated can; everything is fuzzy and bubbling inside. A continuous beep rings in my ears, and someone is saying something. Whispered tones that sound like they’re coming from every direction. They’re so loud, so clear and distinct, yet every time I actively try to clear away the fuzz in my brain to listen, I can’t. I can’t make any of it out.

But I know one thing for certain.

I recognize one of the voices. I don’t know who or where I know it’s from, but I recognize the voice as though I’ve heard it my entire life. It tugs at someplace deep inside me. The place where I hide my emotions, the closet where I stuff my skeletons and force myself to box them up for good. Only someone had the key to that closet, and they were slowly opening drawers and emptying the shelves of my past and a pain that was long forgotten.

Summoning all my strength, I blink, trying to push past the sleepiness weighing my eyelids down, but nothing happens. That stark darkness still calls to me, trying to pull me back under like a black weighted blanket.

It would be so easy.

I can feel just how simple it would be to pretend the pain isn’t there and go back to that dark, cold place that somehow felt like home. I didn’t even truly know what home felt like anymore since I hadn’t had one in so long. I wasn’t sure I ever knew what the true feeling of home was.

After several struggle-filled attempts, my eyes open to bright white lights, sterile walls, and dark silhouettes. I home in on the hazy figures hovering around me. I feel a deep throb behind my eyes, and my mouth is painfully dry. My mind actively tries to decipher the commotion surrounding me, failing with every thought. Where I am, how I got here, and what is wrong with me.

I can’t form a single coherent thought or calculate an answer to any of those questions.

Steering through the fog clouding my thoughts, I blink past the film covering my eyes, and the second I look up, my breath catches when my eyes land on a familiar pair of blue. It’s a shock to my system. A deeply rooted bomb to the core. I shake my head, certain I’m imagining things, but immediately stop when pain rips down my spinal column from the movement.

This can’t be right.

This can’t be happening.

I never thought I’d see this person again. Hell, I never thought I’d see them both again, but I was wrong. So very wrong.

About S.M. Soto

S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern, California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her demise.

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