Monday, December 4, 2023

BOOK BLITZ w/EXCERPT - HOLIDAY ROM-COM - GOOD ELF GONE WRONG by Alina Jacobs

Good Elf Gone Wrong
by Alina Jacobs
Publication date: November 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance




BLURB

When you catch your fiancé cheating on you with your sister on Christmas Eve, the elf hat comes off.
I’ve always been the good girl—the anti Scrooge—the one who sacrifices for her guests, bakes cookies for her neighbors, and stays late after a party to clean up.
I don’t mind. I like being on the nice list.

I kept smiling when I caught my fiancé coming down my sister’s chimney on Christmas Eve.
I gave polite congratulations when they got engaged on Christmas morning.
And I even offered to help decorate for their holiday wedding despite the fact that was supposed to be my dream wedding.

But when my sister cuts up our great-grandmother’s one-hundred-year-old wedding dress and turns it into a skank show, even though that was the dress I was going to wear on my wedding day?
Well, this elf is torching down the North Pole.

And what better way to get revenge than giving those cheaters a taste of their own medicine?
This good elf is bringing the bad boy home for Christmas.
Hudson is a six-foot-five, coldhearted, tattooed bad elf with a perpetual sneer and washboard abs.
He’s exactly my sister’s type.
And he’s going to help me nuke her wedding from orbit on the night before Christmas.

What he is not supposed to do is grab my ass in the kitchen while I bake gingerbread.
Or crawl in my bed half naked.
And he’s definitely not supposed to smirk and tell me to commit to our fake relationship right before he goes down on me.

Guess there’s a reason the good elves stay far away from the bad.

Good elves of Christmas unite! We’re ogling the tattooed chests of shirtless bad boys, baking massive amounts of cookies, drinking all the wine, and trying to survive recently divorced grandmothers who have a pathological obsession with our love lives. This standalone holiday romantic comedy has all the Christmas cheer you can fit in your stocking and a happily ever after, guaranteed!

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EXCERPT:

Knitting clutched in my hands, I turned to the bad boy sitting next to me.

“Do … um …” I cleared my throat. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

His finger paused on the page he was turning. He fixed those pale-silver eyes on me, a dusty gray like the winter sky.

“No. Why? Are you offering?”

“Sort of. See, I kind of need to break up my sister and her boyfriend. She’s dating my ex. He’s a jerk. It’s complicated. But I need you to be my boyfriend so I can ruin her wedding. I don’t know if you do that type of work?”

I smiled hopefully.

The book closed with a loud thud.

He looked angry.

“Er, never mind,” I squeaked and held up my knitting. “I’ll get started on those baby socks. Forget I said anything.”

But he didn’t go back to his book.

“So you want a fake boyfriend.”

“Um, yeah. I mean that was the plan. But plans change …”

Those ghostly eyes still locked on mine, he leaned over, his huge body crowding my space.

I scrunched against the window.

“You sure you can handle it?” he asked in a deep, gravelly voice. He smelled like leather and the winter wind.

No. No, I don’t think I can.

I swallowed. The empty Advent calendar was digging into my side.

“Yes,” I squawked.

“Prove it,” he said, his breath cool on my cheek.

He twisted out of his jacket, the ridges of muscle under the tight gray T-shirt flexing and rippling as he shrugged off the garment.

“Give me a hand job.” The baritone voice deepened. “I have my jacket on my lap. No one will know. Just go for it.”

My eyes were about as big and round as Pugnog’s and ready to pop out of my head.

“Unzip my fly,” he breathed against my mouth, “and stroke my cock.”

My stomach was flip-flopping. The air between us was supercharged, and my skin felt tight and prickly.

“I-I can’t,” I stammered.

He huffed out a laugh, smirked, and pulled his jacket back on, the leather creaking.

“Thought so.” He sat back in his seat and opened up his book. “You’re weak. You have an elaborate revenge plan all mapped out, yet you clearly can’t handle having a fake boyfriend.”


 

Author Info

If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!

Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…

Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!

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BOOK BLITZ w/EXCERPT - CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE - HOMECOMING CHAOS

Homecoming Chaos
by D.W. Brooks
Publication date: November 21st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense




BLURB

Jamie Scott’s life fell apart four years ago when she broke off her engagement, turned down a dream job, and went overseas to run away from her life. Now she’s back, but the reunion is not without problems. She arrives home just in time to attend the soiree her mother planned, but she’s not prepared for what she finds—a dead employee in the parking lot.

Detective Nick Marshall is assigned to the murder case at the forensics lab owned by Jamie’s family. He meets the headstrong Jamie, but he has a job to do. And his attraction to her… well, he’s a professional.

Jamie knows the stakes are high. She has to face the past and save her parents’ business while dealing with her family drama and an uncertain future. She also has to deal with Nick, who wants her out of the way of his investigation. But fate keeps throwing them in one another’s paths… and into chaos that they both want to avoid, but neither can seem to escape.

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EXCERPT:

Jamie strolled to the wide and stately staircase that led upstairs. The glossy wooden banister had always been a temptation to the teenaged Scott siblings.

During Jamie’s holiday visits home, there had been several banister races—one ending with Jillian needing stitches. The three swore to take the reason to the grave. Their mother would have killed them herself!

The house itself had changed little. Her mom had done some minimal redecorating, but the basic décor—classic contemporary—remained the same. As she reached the top step, she could see her brother heading out the front door to gather her bags. To her left was the “girls” wing, and to her right was Jon’s room and the guest rooms. Her parents bought this house while she was in New York, so she had never lived here full time, only during the holidays. Still, she had some fabulous memories from those times. It was nice to be home again.

The first door to the left was the room assigned to her. Jamie entered the simply appointed room decorated in blue, white, and seafoam green. The attached bathroom incorporated blue and white colors. Jamie sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. Since she never lived here, the room didn’t hold many personal touches, as did Jon’s and Jillian’s rooms. There were plenty of pillows, a complete set of cherry wood bedroom furniture, and a mid- sized flat-screen TV above the chest of drawers. It represented a fitting guest room since she was now a guest—a nervous guest at that. What if her mother verbally eviscerated her again? Could she deal? Jamie realized she was delaying her meeting with her mom for as long as possible. What else could she do to kill time?

She peeked in the closet to see if she had left any clothes behind from four years ago. Unfortunately, she found nothing that would be appropriate for what would be a formal event on Sunday night.

She went into the bathroom and removed her baseball cap to inspect the state of her hair in the mirror. I was fine for a quiet home visit, but not for a dressy affair. Jamie had let her relaxer grow out while she was out of the country. She typically flat-twisted her natural hair to emphasize the wave pattern. Before this trip, she had only washed, conditioned, and air-dried her hair, thinking that she would have some time after her arrival to moisturize and comb it. Now, it was just squashed down by her hat. Ugh. Since she wouldn’t be able to prep before talking to her mother, she would have to atone by looking her best for the party. For such a formal affair, she would have to visit a salon for a trim and style.

There was a knock on the bedroom door. “Come in!” Jamie yelled as she tucked her cap back onto her head and came out of the bathroom. Jon placed her bags inside her door. “Mother is waiting for you downstairs. I’m going to my room to avoid the tearful reunion.” He didn’t live there anymore but still called his childhood room “his room”.

Jamie sighed. Time to woman up. “OK. Let me wash my face, and I’ll be down. Where is she, exactly?” she inquired.

“Still in the study. Good luck.” He went down the hall.

Jamie dug around in her duffel bag and found her makeup bag. It contained the bare minimum of cosmetics. She returned to her bathroom, washed her face, and added mascara and a touch of mauve lip gloss. Jamie checked herself. Not too bad for a woman that had spent the last 24 hours on a plane or in an airport. Before she lost her nerve, she pushed herself out of the room and down the stairs, where she came face-to-face with her younger sister, Jillian, with two of her sons. Jillian was shorter than Jamie but had the same facial shape and skin color. You could tell they were sisters. Jillian stopped short.

“PJ! I didn’t know you were here. Give me a hug!” she joyously stretched out her arms. Quickly, she embraced Jamie while the 3-year-old and 1-year-old boys clung to her legs. The boys had never seen Jamie before because they were born while she was away. “You look sensational. Africa was good for you!” Jillian complimented.

“You look magnificent as well. I see you’re still calling me PJ.”

Perfect Jamie. Jillian smirked. “Well, it still fits, huh?”

Jamie ignored the snide comment and turned to her nephews. “Who are these little men? And where are the others?” Jamie stooped to their eye level.

Jillian stooped as well and disengaged the arms of the smallest boy. “This is Aaron.” Aaron hid his head on his mother’s shoulder. The other boy had moved behind his mother and peeked out from around her back. “This one behind me is Jacob. He’s three. Jacob, this is your Aunt Jamie. Go on, hug her.”

Jacob obediently came out and walked up to his aunt. “Hello,” he started. “Do you want to play with me?”

“Sure, Jacob. What do you want to play?” Jamie asked, smiling.

“Gamma plays Candy Land with me on the computer. Do you want to play, too?”

“I would love to, Jacob. You’re such a handsome and sweet young man. Do you help your momma take care of your brothers?”

“I help with Aaron. Ricky and Anthony don’t need help. They’re bigger than me,” he snickered. “You’re funny, Aunt ‘Amie. Where’s Gamma Scott? Let me get the game.” Jacob took off running, yelling, “Gamma! Gamma!”

Both Jamie and Jillian stood up, Jillian lifting Aaron onto her hip. Jamie marveled at how fit her younger sister was after giving birth to four children–-she hoped to have gotten that gene. “Rick and Anthony are at music lessons, so I dropped in with the boys to see Mother and Dad. Richard has been out of town for a case, but he’s returning today. I wish you had told me you were coming. We could have planned a dinner or something.”

“Jonathan knew. I’m surprised he didn’t tell you. I don’t need a fancy dinner because I’m coming home. Besides, there will be an epic to-do soon enough. How long has this been in the works?”

“Actually, not very long. We were going to take her out for dinner, but about ten days ago, she decided she wanted a large party. So, it’s been hectic.” She moved to the side to avoid two workers carrying a table. “It’s a cool coincidence that you will be here for it.”

“I don’t know if it was a coincidence.” Jamie winked at her sister and touched her nephew’s nose. Jamie had spoken to Jonathan almost two weeks ago and told him she was coming home. Coincidence, my ass. Jon had a lot to answer for. He must have blabbed to their mother that she was coming, and Margaret turned this into a gathering, a celebration of sorts. Perhaps this reunion would not be as miserable as she expected.

Jillian frowned. “So, Jon knew you were coming? And Mother did, too? So that’s what caused the change in plans.” No one had told her, and after four years away, Jamie still had a party. Perfect Jamie, indeed.

Oblivious to her sister’s change in mood, Jamie considered her options. “I guess I need to find Mother. By the way, Jon’s upstairs in his room.”

“You haven’t seen her yet? Oh, my. That should be interesting.” Jillian gave Jamie a sidelong glance. “I think I’ll take Aaron to see Jon. Good luck!” She and her son went up the stairs.

Jamie took a deep breath and headed toward the study. Damn, everyone keeps wishing me luck. I hope it’s not a bad sign.


 

Author Info

Author, Physician, and Kidney Transplant Survivor
Becoming an author was an early dream of mine but was pushed aside by practical considerations. A health crisis awakened the desire to write again. And with the ability to self-publish, I could see a path to getting my stories out of my head and into books that others could enjoy.

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RELEASE BLITZ - CONTEMPORARY - SNOWBOUND by Freya Barker


Snowbound 
by Freya Barker 
Release Date: December 4th 2023 
Genre: Holiday Romance 



Had she known ‘doing the right thing’ would land her jobless, homeless, and snowed in with a moody bear of a man guarding her, Bobbie Strada might’ve thought twice.

Last thing US Marshall Dag Toland needed was to get stuck protecting a witness as tempting as this one. Especially when forced to share a small mountain cabin in the middle of a snowstorm. 

*Short story. *Previously released in the Chill Factor anthology

AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | NOOK | KOBO 

REVIEW OF SNOWBOUND

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories. With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy. Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!


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RELEASE BLITZ - CONTEMPORARY - BUTTING HEADS WITH HER MAOUTAIN MAN (Elken Grove Mountain Men, #1) by Ella Braeme

Could this grinch with his dark scowl be the light of my life?


Butting Heads With Her Mountain Man
Elken Grove Mountain Men, #1
by Ella Braeme
Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Mountain Man Romance


Could this grinch with his dark scowl be the light of my life?

Grace

I need to start afresh in my small hometown. While I am happy to be back in the mountains, the efforts of my hapless family to help me settle in lead to me running zig-zag to avoid further disasters. Being scrutinized by the townsfolk doesn’t help either. Still, I set to work to establish my own accounting business with all the determination that I can muster.

I count myself lucky when I get my first client—only to find out he is as grumpy as they get—and yet, I can't deny the pull I feel towards him.


Lyle

I hate Christmas. And it shows. So I need help keeping my Christmas tree farm afloat. The accountant turns out to be an opinionated lover of all things holiday. Still, I can't help but feel a spark of attraction for her. An attraction that I have no intention of owning up to.

This is a heartwarming, small-town romance novella with a heroine who's determined to make her dreams come true, a grumpy mountain man who’s doing his best to keep her at arm’s length, and a nettlesome audience of townspeople buzzing with Christmas cheer, or in Lyle’s case: Christmas scowling. Light steam, HEA, no cheating, standalone.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads


Ella writes sweet'n'steamy romances that are meant to provide short vacations from your everyday life. She loves to read, mostly romances, of course, and to putter around in her backyard, forever trying to turn it into a blooming garden. She’s got a dog who is helping greatly with all the garden work by supervising everything Ella does and—for the most part—not digging up her flowers.



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RELEASE BLITZ w/EXCERPT - CONTEMPORARY - COMIGN IN HOT (Brothers of Fire, #6) by Kathryn Shay

Coming In Hot
Brothers of Fire, #6
by  Kathryn Shay
Release Date: December 4th 2023
Genre: Contemporary/Firefighter Romance
Tropes: Firefighter romance, fireman romance, opposites attract romance, alpha male romance, sweet shy heroine, protector romance, heartfelt romance


He’s a hotshot firefighter afraid of nothing.

She’s a plain, ordinary school teacher who scares him to death.

Captain Carson Taylor III is an excellent firefighter, independently wealthy and attracts women like moths to the proverbial flame. But he’s had loss in his life that makes him fearful of commitment. He’s not about to get close to anybody again.

Then he meets Grace Lansing, a woman who embodies everything her name implies and is totally wrong for him. No way will he let her get to him.

What happens when two people who have nothing in common fall in love? Is their relationship doomed?




Carson couldn’t believe he was so mad at Grace. Since she absconded from his house two days ago while he slept, feelings had seethed inside of him but he thought he’d successfully killed them. That was why he followed her outside the restaurant. She started toward the car and was about to get in when he said, “Not so fast.” 

Turning to him, she asked in a harsh whisper, “What are you doing?” 

He took her hand and pulled her aside, leaving the valet holding the handle of the door. Faith got out of the car and came around. “Grace?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be right there.” She searched his face and seemed puzzled. “What do you want from me?”

“Certainly not what I got.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I thought you got a lot that night.”

“You, too.”

“I admit I did. So?”

“How could you leave me after what we experienced together?”

“How could I not? You made it clear you only wanted a fling. I made it clear I wanted more.”

“You didn’t even give me a chance…” His voice trailed off. What was he saying? She was right. But this whole thing wasn’t. “It’s your birthday.”

“That’s a non sequitur. What does it matter?”

“I would have wanted to be with you when you turned thirty.”

She blew out a heavy breath. “Carson, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. You want something superficial and I don’t. You simply can’t have me under those circumstances.”

“I can’t…”

“I know. You can’t share yourself. I’m not trying to change you.”

“I’m conflicted, Grace.”

She lifted her hand and cradled his cheek. “I’m sorry. I hope you get what you want out of life.” She arched a brow. “I intend to.”

She walked back to the car. It drove away, leaving him bereft. There, there it was. He didn’t want to feel bereft. He didn’t want to feel anything.




 

A NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has written dozens of self-published original romance titles, print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and mainstream women’s fiction. One of her firefighter books hit #20 on the NEW YORK TIMES list. Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over ten million copies of her books in print and downloaded online. Readers call her work heartwarming.


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