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BOOK BLITZ: “When Girlfriends Find Love”

August 26, 2015 1 Comment

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“When Girlfriends Find Love” by Savannah Page

Blurb: Sophie Wharton is in control. Whether life is going according to plan or throwing her for a loop, Sophie is determined to remain calm and in charge. It’s no wonder she’s the successful owner of one of Seattle’s most charming cafés, The Cup and the Cake. Her lemon meringue cupcakes, petite French treats, and cappuccinos always leave customers coming back for more. Naturally, her camaraderie of college girlfriends are still thick as thieves a decade later. And it should come as no surprise that she has her own cozy apartment in the hip part of town and grand goals for her future.

Of course Sophie has had her share of rough times, and recently some unexpected surprises have emerged. Her best friend Claire has moved across the state, the demands of her café are mounting, and some major changes among her circle of friends are shaking things up. But it’s nothing Sophie can’t handle.

When it comes to her love life, however, Single Sophie’s at a loss. She approaches it the way she does nearly everything in life–by trying to call all the shots. But love doesn’t work that way, and as Sophie examines her past relationships–thinking back on romantic trysts in Paris; college mistakes; the relationship responsible for the Year of Heartbreak–she must come to accept that love is an unpredictable, untamable, and often unexpected force.

This is the witty and heartwarming conclusion of the When Girlfriends collection, a novel about examining the past, moving forward, and following your heart. It’s a story about friendship, relationships, acceptance, and learning to love again. About what happens when girlfriends find love.

EXCERPT

“You’re crazy, girlfriend!” Jackie wails loudly over the quiet jazz music streaming from the iPod dock in my living room. “A guy asks you out on a date—single Sophie on a date—and you say no?! What are you smoking?”

“Stop it,” I say, carefully cutting out a picture of a swanky forest-green wingback chair from a magazine page. “If the spark’s not there, the spark’s not there.”

“Here,” Lara says. She reaches over me to retrieve a pair of scissors.

Jackie’s been pleading with all the girls to help her cut out pictures of interior decorating items for what she calls her “Inspiration Notebook.” She insisted that it was something all the girls did in her sorority when they wanted to redecorate their room, plan a party, even figure out what kind of gown to wear to the philanthropic ball. She’s certain it’ll help her with indecisive clients who don’t quite know what they want for their interior design project but aren’t fans of letting go and giving in to experimentation, allowing Jackie to work her magic unapproved.

I asked Jackie if she’d ever heard of Pinterest, and she told me to shut up and just cut.

“Oh, this book will look great!” Jackie gushes, looking fondly at the mess of cut-out images covering my large coffee table, some having floated to the carpet below. She excitedly claps her hands, scissors in one, a magazine page in the other.

“But not to get off topic.” Jackie points the scissors at me accusingly.

“Oh, Jack,” I moan. “Stop it or I’ll cut this picture all jig-jag.”

“You will not.” She purses her lips as she goes to work on her own cut-out. “You don’t have the balls.” She snickers. “Just like you don’t have the balls to go out on a date. Gaw.”

“Come on, Jack,” Lara says, pulling out that maternal card of hers. “Don’t pester her too much. If the guy’s not the right one, he’s not the right one.”

“Thanks, Lara,” I say.

“How will she ever know if he’s the right one if she’s not goin’ out on a date and hittin’ the sheets?” Jackie cackles loudly, tossing her head back in mirth.

“Whatevs, Jackie.” I finish cutting out the wingback chair, not a single crooked cut. “I’m just not…I don’t know…ready.”

“Well whatevs,” Jackie says all huffy as she retrieves a few magazines from her large Louis Vuitton handbag. “When you’re tired of cutting we can go back to searching. I brought tons of mags.” She waves the magazines about.

“Yes, please,” Lara says with a sigh. She immediately turns in her scissors for a copy of Design & Redesign. “My fingers are going to fall off.”

“I don’t even know why you’re waiting, Sophie, sitting around and passing on dates like this.” Jackie looks at me with a blank face. “I mean, what the hell are you waiting for? You think love’s just going to come a-knocking? You’ve got to search for it!” She slaps the top of the coffee table with vivaciousness. “Go after it, attack it, fight for it!”

“Damn,” Lara says, peering over her opened magazine. “Someone’s a tiger.”

“That’s right.” Jackie sits up higher on her legs, which are tucked underneath her in her seat on the floor. “You have nothing to lose by dating this Dean guy, right? It could be a nice way to get you back out on the market. You have been off the market for so long. I mean, when’s the last time you had sex, Sophie? You’ve probably forgotten how to do it!”

“Ha, ha. Whatever.” I try to dismiss the topic. “I’m not interested in Dean for sex, anyway.”

“Or for anything, I take it?” Lara says judiciously.

“Yeah.” I give a one-armed shrug. “I guess.”

“How about you go out on one date just to get to know him?” Jackie raises both brows inquisitively.

“I’ve gotten to know him, Jack. He’s at the café all the time. We’ve talked before. And,” I lean into the coffee table and point the scissors at Jackie, “if after all that I still have no interest in him…then…well…”

“Take a chance!”

“Take a chance?” I wag my head.

“We’ve all taken chances!” Jackie looks from me to Lara, who’s now abandoned her magazine and is looking at the both of us thoughtfully.

“Me with Andrew,” Jackie continues, “getting back together this summer! Major chance. Claire and Conner getting married! Robin and Bobby tying the knot, too. Marriage is one big chance. And Lara!” Her eyes dart back to Lara. “She’s taking a chance on Worth, even though that Nathan guy tore her heart out, the son-of-a-bitch-bastard. I so should have given him a real piece of my mind…slashed his tires, or—”

“Thanks, Jack,” Lara says with a flutter of the lashes.

Jackie crosses her arms over her chest and huffs and puffs a bit. Then she blurts out, “And after she shacked up with that Paul guy from work!”

“Thank you, Jackie,” Lara says, her words louder and more pronounced. “We get the picture.”

“She’s made some horrible choices along the way,” Jackie runs on.

I try my hardest to suppress a big burst of laughter at Lara’s growing exhaustion at hearing the run-down of her life’s less-than-stellar choices when it comes to the opposite sex.

“And I’ve made some horrible ones, too!” Jackie says, finally taking the heat off her BFF. “I’ve done a ton of jacked-up shit in my life, and I can’t even begin to tell you the number of lousy choices I’ve made, chances I’ve taken. But babe.” She rests a manicured hand on my arm. “Oh, Sophie, Sophie. If you don’t take those chances and risk something, even if it means your dignity, your virginity, or your homecoming crown, once upon a time.” She titters like a little girl. “If you don’t take a risk, you’ll end up living a half-lived life. Trust me, I know all about that.”

“Girls,” I sigh. I lean back against the sofa and cross my arms, sinking slightly further down in my position on the floor.

“She’s kind of got a point,” Lara says. “I mean, I disagree with a good seventy-five percent of what she’s spewing.” She puckishly tosses a wadded magazine page at Jackie. “But, she does have a point. It’s one date. One harmless date. If things truly aren’t going anywhere, then you can just tell Dean thanks but no thanks and move on.”

“At least you tried!” Jackie cuts in.

“Yeah,” Lara says with a nod, “at least you tried.”

“Make it a no-strings-attached kind of thing.” Jackie flashes me her bleach-white, million-dollar smile.

“I’m not sleeping with him, Jackie, if that’s what you’re hinting at.” I raise one brow.

“I’m not saying you need to test out those goods,” she defends with a groan. “Although that’s not the worst idea ever.” She simpers to herself. “Just a…you’ve-got-nothing-to-lose thing.”

“No strings, yeah,” Lara agrees. “You expect nothing, he expects nothing. Just—I don’t know—I guess let him know you’re not really looking for a relationship—”

“Liiiiie,” Jackie interrupts in a high-pitched, singsong voice. “You so want a relationship, Sophie. You want that L-O-V-E! I can see it in your eyes.”

“Whatever,” Lara brushes off, leaving Jackie to her own personal bout of giggles. “He expects nothing from the date, and you expect nothing from it; no-strings-attached. Nothing but fun and getting to know someone.”

“Yes!” Jackie shouts. She makes a fist and pumps it against her side. “Just fun!”

“Come on.” Lara opens her magazine, eyes still on me. “Think about it.”

“Fine,” I say at last. “But not until after Thanksgiving. The holidays are a busy time, and—”

“That’s just around the corner,” Jackie cuts in.

Lara says that’s right as Jackie presses with, “We have a deal then, yes? A no-strings-attached, crawling-out-of-your-hole, getting-some-action date in a couple of weeks?”

I pick up a loose cut-out from the floor and say, “I don’t like the idea.”

“Sophie,” Jackie drawls.

“Fine,” I say, reluctant. “Deal.”

It’s not like I haven’t done a no-strings-attached arrangement before, I think as I busy myself with a new cut-out. That just didn’t go as planned, that’s all. Sex was involved, so that was probably the problem. The thing totally spiraled out of control. But that’s okay, because I’ve learned from my mistakes. I can forge ahead a wiser and more experienced woman now.

I catch Lara’s eyes on mine over the top of her magazine, and I give a weak smile. “No strings attached, Sophie,” she says merrily. “And you’ve got weeks to think about it, anyway.”

“Yeah,” I say, but I think, I don’t need weeks to think about a no-strings-attached arrangement. All I need to do is close my eyes and remember.

**Buy “When Girlfriends Find Love”: Amazon – US   Amazon – UK   iBooks   Kobo   Nook

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SavannahPagePic**About author, Savannah Page: Savannah Page is the author of the seven-novel When Girlfriends collection, heartfelt women’s fiction that celebrates friendship, love, and life sprinkled with drama and humor. When she isn’t writing, Savannah enjoys a good book with a latte and jazz tunes, Pilates, and exploring her home of Berlin as an American expat.

**Contact Savannah: Website & Blog   Facebook   Instagram   Twitter

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**GIVEAWAY**

Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Savannah’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!

Filed Under: When Girlfriends Find Love Tagged With: Book Blitz, Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Excerpt, Giveaway, Romance, Savannah Page, When Girlfriends Find Love, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT: “Absolutely True Lies”

August 4, 2015 1 Comment

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“Absolutely True Lies” by Rachel Stuhler

Blurb: A fledgling entertainment writer stumbles into the gig of a lifetime writing a teenage pop star’s memoir and soon realizes that the young celebrity’s squeaky-clean image is purely a work of fiction.

Struggling writer Holly Gracin is on the verge of moving back home to upstate New York when she gets hired to write the memoirs of eighteen-year-old Daisy Mae Dixson, a former Nickelodeon child star who has moved seamlessly into both blockbuster movies and pop music.

Holly quickly realizes that Daisy’s wholesome public image is purely a work of fiction, as Holly finds herself trailing the star as she travels around the world on yachts, gets stalked by paparazzi, and sneaks out of five-star hotels in the dead of night.

As Holly struggles to write a flattering portrait of a teenage millionaire who only eats “nightshades” and treats her employees like slaves, Daisy has a public meltdown—and suddenly, her book is the cornerstone of resurrecting her image. But working at all hours trailing a pop star has taken its toll, and Holly must decide if becoming the ultimate insider is worth losing a starring role in her own life.

Fun, juicy, and inspired by Rachel Stuhler’s own stranger-than-fiction experiences as a celebrity ghost writer, Absolutely True Lies is an entertaining look at how the lifestyles of the rich and famous aren’t always what they seem.

EXCERPT

By 1:00 a.m., Camille and I were staggering out of the bar at the Chateau Marmont, where, if I hadn’t been drunk off my ass, I might have sworn that we were standing about twenty feet away from Adele. I could have just walked up and talked to her if I’d really wanted to be sure, but you learn quickly to ignore the celebrities in their natural habitats. That, and I’m just too chicken. It’s probably why, after four years, I didn’t have a single really juicy celebrity story.

Cam and I stumbled out onto Sunset Boulevard and got all the way to the curb before it occurred to either of us that we hadn’t called a cab. She pulled out her phone and loaded Uber, squinting at the swirling cars in the area. It’s one of the perks of living in a big city that you can find a local cab in the middle of the night just by pressing a few buttons. At least, you can on a smartphone. Mine only makes phone calls and you have to press the two halves together tightly to get that to happen.

“Do we pay more for a taxi or use UberX? I’m sure there are lots of people out tonight looking for a few extra bucks.”

“Taxi. I’m not getting in some rando’s car.” I couldn’t help but think how many torture porn movies start just this way, two girls alone on dark street, climbing into an anonymous car. Not that Sunset is ever particularly dark or empty, even in the middle of the night.

“Shit,” Camille said, rubbing her eye tiredly and smearing eyeliner down her face. “I told Donovan I’d be home by midnight at the latest.”

Donovan is Camille’s fake producer/poser/live-in boyfriend. He’s forty-two, his real name is Donnie, and the only thing he’s produced in the last ten years is a tuna fish sandwich. But like most people in L.A., he’s always got some “big project” in the works and wants toattach me as the writer. Every few months, he corners me in their apartment and tells me about what he’s supposedly working on, and each time, the roster of producers and so-called investors changes. I’m never sure if these are guys he met down at the Laundromat or if he’s just randomly picking names off the Internet. And though Cam refuses to believe it, Donovan’s been trying to knock her up for the last year, just so he knows he’ll never be alone. The guy’s a real winner.

“Oh, what does he care? He’s just on the couch watching infomercials and eating Hershey’s miniatures.” The man has an unnatural obsession with child-size bars of chocolate.

“He doesn’t like to be alone at night,” Camille whined, sympathy creeping into her tone. “And you know Donovan’s had a lot of trouble with his weight the last couple years. He says he feels more in control of his snacking with the miniatures.”

“He’s not in control if he’s eating the whole bag,” I replied, leaning on a streetlamp to keep from falling off the curb.

“I know, I know,” she said, shaking her head with a level of empathy I couldn’t understand. “It’s just that the financing on his latest project fell apart and he’s very depressed. He says we can’t afford to get engaged this year because he just doesn’t have the money for a ring. Like I care about a stupid diamond.”

They’ve been together for five years. Every year he tells her they can’t afford to get engaged, even though Camille makes well over a hundred grand. Usually I can keep my opinion of that bottom-feeder to myself, but on this night, I was too far into Jäger country to keep my mouth shut.

“What is it with you and that loser? There are, like, four million eligible men in Los Angeles and you can’t get away from a guy who thinks leather pants are appropriate funeral attire.” Understandably, this riled her up a bit. “Four million eligible men? This from the woman who hasn’t gotten laid since Obama’s first term? Where are all these eligible men? Huh?”

She had me there. I paused for a moment and put on my most serious, contemplative expression. “Well… I’m sure they must be around here somewhere.” I turned my head to the right and left, but all I saw were similarly inebriated Angelenos leaving the bars and clubs, most of them laughing or shouting obnoxiously. It wasn’t doing much for my cause. “If you’ll just give me a minute, I’ll find one for you.”

I spun around just in time to see a forty-year-old guy with slicked back, thinning hair pull up in a Bimmer. He lowered the passenger window and leaned over to talk to us. “Marmont’s played out for the night. Get in and I’ll take you to this after-hours in Silver Lake.”

“Is that the guy you were looking for?” Camille asked.

“Clock’s ticking, ladies.” No lie, the guy even held his wrist out and tapped the face of his watch. I think it was a Rolex, but for all I know, it was a fake—either good or bad. Fifty bucks or fifty thousand, they all look the same to me.

“No one’s getting in your car, asshole,” I told him.

Camille took things one step further, moving to kick the guy’s passenger door. As drunk as I was, I had the presence of mind top pull her back, lest she put us both on the receiving end of an arrest warrant. “And come on, loser, you’re forty! What are you doing at after-hours clubs?”

“Screw you,” Bimmer Man said. “There are plenty of hotter girls than you out tonight.” He gave us the middle finger before swerving back out into traffic.

There was a long moment as we watched him go before Camille gave me the annoyingly smug look I knew was coming. “Please, go on, Holly. You were telling me about these four million eligible men?”

“Shut up and pick a taxi.”

**Buy “Absolutely True Lies” now!: Amazon   Barnes & Noble

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RachelStuhlerPic**About author, Rachel Stuhler: Rachel Stuhler grew up in Rochester, NY, so obsessed with movies and books that she spent as little time as possible in the real world. In her late teens, this obsession led her first to New York as a terrible production assistant and then to Los Angeles, where she spent four years working as a script supervisor (and pining after writing jobs) until one day an actor told her, “If you think you can do it better yourself, just do it.”

Within a year, Rachel had sold TV movies to Lifetime and Hallmark and because she doesn’t know when to quit, began dreaming of writing a novel. After forcing countless crew members, family, and friends to read manuscripts, Rachel came to write Absolutely True Lies. She continues to work on TV movies and plot her next move in world domination, or writing about world domination, which is more fun and a lot less work.

**Contact Rachel: Website   Facebook   Twitter

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Rachel’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!

Filed Under: Absolutely True Lies Tagged With: Absolutely True Lies, Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Contemporary Fiction, Excerpt, Rachel Stuhler, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT and BOOK REVIEW: “Neverending Beginnings”

July 23, 2015 1 Comment

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“Neverending Beginnings” by Mary Chris Escobar”

Blurb: This contemporary romance is Groundhog Day meets My Best Friend’s Wedding. Readers who like women’s fiction by Meg Cabot, Emily Giffin and Allison Winn Scotch will enjoy this romantic comedy.

Kate is alarmed to find out that her best friend Amy is getting married after dating for only six months. Her alarm turns to shock when she learns that the groom-to-be is Kate’s old college ex. As the big day approaches, Kate’s inability to hide her feelings is threatening to ruin her friendship with Amy.

Kate’s last minute, vodka-fueled wedding toast has her wishing she could turn back the clock and make things right. Imagine her surprise when she wakes up the next day and finds out she can.

Forced to relive one of the most painful weeks of her life, Kate slowly works to repair the damage she has done. In the process, she learns a lot about herself and the cynically charming best man, Ben.

**Buy “Neverending Beginnings” now!: Amazon   Apple iBooks   Barnes & Noble   Kobo   Smashwords

EXCERPT

“So, Katherine, another round before our big performance?” Ben asked, referring to the toasts and bringing my attention back to the present again. Somehow, I had managed to glide through dinner plus wine.

“Sounds like a plan.” I felt a little shaky as we made our way to the bar. Nerves, I was sure. Just one more drink couldn’t hurt.

Halfway through my second drink the DJ gave Ben the signal: one more song before the toasts. I took a deep breath. My toast was taken from one of those terribly cliché books. I added in a couple of details about Amy to make it more personal; and, of course, steered clear of the whole having dated the groom issue. I felt pretty good about what I had ultimately come up with. I made note cards and even practiced in front of the mirror a couple of times, determined not to let Amy down. The music stopped.

“All right folks, I’ve got a couple of people here to share some thoughts with the bride and groom,” announced the DJ.

It was time. Ben was up first, so I kept my seat at the bar.

“So, I’ve known Jack for a few years, and I’ve witnessed some of his biggest accomplishments. Three years ago, we finished our MBAs together. Jack went on to get a brilliant management position. After only two and a half years of hard work, he was recently promoted to vice president of his division. However, of all these accomplishments, I know that the one Jack is most proud of is his marriage to Amy today. Now, admittedly, I don’t know Amy that well, but I know she must be amazing because somehow she has inspired from my friend, not only a proposal, but also a wedding within months. Those of you who know Jack understand; he doesn’t do anything fast. This is a man who thinks through tying his shoes every morning.” Some laughter from the crowd. “In fact, I was a little worried there was something suspicious going on; maybe Amy had whipped up some gypsy love potion and baked it in the brownies.” More laughter from the crowd. “Admittedly, I looked for signs to make sure this wasn’t the case. But I didn’t have to look far. As many of you know, Jack’s father had a heart attack a few weeks ago and had to have surgery. He’s much better and here with us today, thankfully, but it was a tough time for the family. I went to visit at the hospital several times, and each time Amy was there. This is, I remind you, less then three weeks before her wedding, that she has had barely three months to plan …”

Shit. I hadn’t even known. The one thing that always stuck out in my mind about Jack was his close relationship with his father. It was admirable, almost inspiring. Amy hadn’t even mentioned the heart attack. Then again, why would she have? I would just have found a way to turn it into another reason the wedding shouldn’t happen. What was I doing? Why did this all matter so much to me? They were happy, they were right for each other. Amy said so, and no one’s family seemed upset—hell, they’re just happy to all be alive today.

“Kate, you’re up.” Ben nudged me. I had been too lost in my thoughts to even realize that he had finished, much less had time to return to his spot next to me at the bar.

I stood up and walked to the table where the DJ was waiting with a microphone. From the look on his face, I gathered it was taking me a while to get there. I dug in my purse for my notes as I walked across the dance floor. Car keys, wallet, lipstick, car keys, wallet, lipstick, car keys … no note cards. Shit. Where were they? The bar, I left them on the bar after looking over them. All the way in the back of the room. Shuffles and whispers began to spread through the tables. Shit. I had to get on with it. I took the microphone and turned to look out into the mirage of white linen and lilacs. The faces in front of me blurred.

“Um, hi. I’m Kate, one of the bridesmaids. Um, you see I have this toast all planned, but it seems that I left my note cards at the bar …”

Laughter from the crowd; OK, I could do this.

“So, I’ve known Amy for almost five years and Jack for, let’s see, I guess about six or seven … or, wow – maybe almost eight … maybe. Anyway, Amy and I met after college— and Jack and I actually dated in college …”

Silence. There was a tunneled din in my ears, the one where you can hear yourself talk, but your voice sounds like you are talking into a cardboard paper towel roll like you did when you were a kid.

“So, um, let me just say that until just now I didn’t even know that Jack’s dad had a heart attack. I’m so sorry, Mr. Cannon … and Jack. And Amy, I hate that you felt you couldn’t tell me. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch … I mean, I’m sorry I haven’t been so nice about …”

A tap on my shoulder. Ben with my note cards and a very concerned look on his face. The whole room was swaying as I reached out for them. The whirring had become so loud I couldn’t even hear what Ben was saying to me. My eyelids were heavy and the room had started to spin so fast that I searched for something to hold on to. I saw Ben reach out for me. Everything went black.

My Review: “Neverending Beginnings” is unlike any book I’ve ever read. From the beginning, Kate’s story begins immediately, and once it started, I didn’t want to stop reading. From the shocking news that Kate’s ex is marrying her best friend, to taking an interest in the best man, and a having happily-ever-after ending, “Neverending Beginnings” had me flipping pages like crazy, and enjoying all the twists, turns along the way.

Though, at times, reading about Kate’s week was a little repetitive (but I expected that), at the end of the book, I was not disappointed. I must admit that I was curious to see how the author would pull off repeating Kate’s week, but she did a fantastic job! It was interesting to see how Kate’s relationships changed throughout the book, and that was one of the things I liked best. As for how the book ended, I loved it, and even got a little teary-eyed! This was my first book by Mary Chris Escobar, and it will not be my last!

I give “Neverending Beginnings” 5 stars!

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MaryChrisEscobarPic**About Mary Chris Escobar: Award-winning author Mary Chris writes women’s fiction. She was destined to write romance from a young age (as a child, her stuffed animals always got their happily-ever-afters). She lives in Richmond, Virginia in a renovated parking garage with her husband. Find her on her website, on Twitter or just about anywhere good coffee or craft beer is served.

**Contact Mary Chris Escobar: Facebook   Goodreads   Instagram   Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

**Click HERE to enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Mary Chris Escobar’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!

Filed Under: Book Review, Neverending Beginnings Tagged With: Book review, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Contemporary Romance, Love, Mary Chris Escobar, Neverending Beginnings, Romance, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT: “The Broken Road”

July 22, 2015 1 Comment

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“The Broken Road” by Melissa Huie

Blurb: Twenty-six-year-old Megan Connors’s life is not going in the direction she thought it would. With her love life in the dumps, she doesn’t think it could get any worse until her long-time crush, Shane asks to move in. After all, he has no clue that she’s been in love with him for the past ten years. But fate has a way of turning things around.

As their relationship goes from “just friends” to lovers, life takes a turn for the unexpected. Shane isn’t the person that Megan once fell in love with all those years ago. Shane has a past; deadly secrets that are only revealed once the FBI knocks on Megan’s door.

Secrets, tragedy, and deceit force Shane—and Megan—to make choices that will change their lives forever. Once Megan learns the truth, will she still want to be with Shane? Or will someone else be at the end of her broken road?

The Broken Road contains mature themes, heart-pounding action, edge-of-your-seat suspense, graphic violence and steamy romance, with a side of strong language, drug dealing, and a lot of sarcastic humor.

EXCERPT

“Yeah, baby. I knew you’d remember me at some point. I didn’t forget you,” he said in a surly tone. He was obviously drunk and tried to run his hand down my arm. I pulled away.

“Yeah. Well, nice talking to you.” I turned my back to him and waited for Fallon to get my drink.

“Don’t turn away,” he said, touching my arm “You’re here, I’m here; let’s dance for a while and see how well you remember me.”

I yanked my arm back. “No thanks. And don’t touch me. I’m here with someone, not you.”

Dominic grabbed my arm roughly. His brown eyes blazed. I could tell he was not used to hearing the word no. “You don’t need to act like that. Come on baby. Let’s dance.”

I could see Fallon wave to someone, but I couldn’t see who. God, I didn’t want to cause a scene and cause security to come over. I didn’t need anyone to fight my battles, I could fight them myself. I looked down at his sleazy hand on my arm and balled up my fists.

“Listen, asshole, if you don’t get your hand off me, I’m going to break it,” I warned.

Dominic just laughed and let go. “If you’re here with someone, where is he? Huh?”

“Hey, baby, did you miss me?” said a voice behind me. A pair of muscular tattooed arms wrapped around my waist. I knew that voice. Shane. I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked up at him. His beautiful eyes were hard and his jaw was clenched. His body was coiled in anger. Shane was ready to drop this clown to the floor. I played the role and stood up on my toes to kiss his jaw line. I could feel a little quiver in his body as he relaxed his stance slightly.

“Hey, sweetie. Of course I did,” I said with a smug smile on my lips.

“What’s up, Dominic?” Shane said with a nod, his tone undeniably cold. Shane is a gentle man, but he is also a protector. He never fought unless it was necessary and when he did fight, he rarely lost.

“Shane. Sorry man, I didn’t realize she was with you,” Dominic said, backing off slightly.

Shane ignored him and loudly whispered, “Let’s dance.” Taking my hand, he led me to the dance floor. I turned and saw Fallon watching us with anticipation. “Thanks,” I mouthed, as Shane pulled me away. She just grinned. She knew how close Shane came to kicking Dominic’s ass.

My favorite Usher song came on and Shane pulled me close. With my body tingling from his touch, my hopes soared. But I felt the need to give him an out, just in case. “Thanks for helping me, but I could have handled him. I think you made your point. You don’t have to dance with me if you don’t want to.”

Shane gave me a mischievous grin. “We can’t let Dominic see you dancing alone can we? What, you don’t want to dance with me?”

I had to smile. “Oh shut up, you fool.”

He put his hands on my hips, and pulled me closer. Shane swayed his body in time with mine, matching me step to step. We fit perfectly. I was captivated by how well our bodies seem to fuse together. I threw my arm around his neck as he held me. We were so close air couldn’t have found a space between us. Electric sparks shot straight to my toes and I had to remember to breathe. I looked up at him; his eyes were dark and inviting. I don’t know if it was the loneliness of being single or the heat of the moment, but I put my other arm around his neck and tentatively touched my lips to his. I cannot believe I just did that. My cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

“Sorry,” I stammered.

Shane’s response stole what little breath I had left. He crushed his lips hungrily to mine. Those electric sparks were nothing compared to what I felt then. Fire broke out all over my body, the sensation shot right through me to a place that had been idle for far too long—my heart (and some place lower). His tongue gently caressed mine, and I sighed in ecstasy. Shane broke the kiss off first; there was fire in his eyes. “Damn, Megan,” he muttered, holding me tight. Oh my god, what did I do? I can’t believe we kissed!

“Let’s get out of here while we’re still standing,” he growled, pulling me off the dance floor.

**Buy “The Broken Road”: Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Goodreads

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MelissaHuie**About author, Melissa Huie: Melissa grew up in Maryland by the Chesapeake Bay, where her favorite memories took place near the water. Not having the physical coordination for most sports and the tendency to trip over air, she gravitated to books. She was never seen without a book. With her imagination running wild, she began to write her own stories at the age of nine, with her first book about a pet-loving family and the adventures they had. As time passed and Melissa grew up, reading and writing always stayed with her, becoming her escape from everyday life.

Melissa now lives near Washington, D.C. with her family, dog and a lot of fish. In between the chaos of laundry, chasing after her three children and trying to not to burn dinner, Melissa finds her escape by feeding her addiction of reading and writing of love, suspense and sarcastic humor.

**Contact Melissa: Email   Facebook   Twitter

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Melissa’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!

Filed Under: The Broken Road Tagged With: Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Friends to lovers, Melissa Huie, Relationships, Romance, Sex, The Broken Road, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT & BOOK REVIEW: “Walk on the Wild Side”

July 21, 2015 2 Comments

 

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“Walk on the Wild Side” by Suzie Jay

Blurb: Violet Monte believed her love and marriage would last a lifetime–until she catches her husband in bed with a younger woman.

When she realizes she was nothing more than a trophy wife, Violet decides to chase her own dreams. The only problem is, she has no idea what they are. Violet begins to pursue her own interests which sometime include spying on her mysterious neighbor, who might actually be a lady of the night.

Just as Violet is finding stability–– and the possibility of opening her heart again–– her husband returns not with an apology, but with a signed pre-nuptial agreement, claiming he’ll keep everything and leave her with nothing.

Violet is far from the compliant woman he once knew but she doubts she has the strength to fight and win, until her intriguing neighbor unlocks what Violet has been looking for all along.

Can Violet fight back from a lost love and reinvent herself into the person she always wanted to be or will she forever be just an ex-trophy wife?

**Buy “Walk on the Wild Side” now!: Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Goodreads

EXCERPT

“Once upon a time, in a land meant only for the young and good looking, there lived an unemployable, unlovable, wretched old hag. How she survived to the ripe old age of forty-one remains a mystery. All the beautiful girls in the village used to stare at Violet, the old hag, and laugh at her attempts to find love and success. The beauties sat back, stroking their long blonde locks, while the handsome princes drooled like rabid dogs and obeyed their every command.

“One sunny summer’s day, Violet was out walking when she happened upon the most stunning, tanned goddess she had ever seen. Her attention was captured immediately, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of this mesmerising beauty. Unfortunately, the one man in the village who claimed to love Violet appeared to be equally smitten by this glamorous woman, and was pawing all over her. Violet was angry and heartbroken.

“She couldn’t stand to watch the man she loved turn his attention elsewhere, so she picked up a frying pan—one of the good, solid type that you see on the late night infomercials— and she swung it back with all her might and smashed it hard against the dirty, cheating, scumbag’s—”

“Violet!” Her sister’s angry voice broke her train of thought. Damn, just as she was getting to the good part.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t let your cynical and somewhat psychotic attitude influence my children,” her sister snapped.

Violet glanced down to see her twin nieces looking up at her with wide eyes and huge smiles.

“Oh, they’re fine, they love Auntie Violet’s fairy tales.” Violet laughed and ruffled the girls’ hair.

“We all know you are heartbroken, and you have no job and nowhere to live—yada, yada, yada—but filling my children’s heads with your daydreams of revenge is helping no one. You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get back out there. It’s been months, Violet.”

What the hell does that even mean? Get back out where exactly? Get back to my home so I can witness my husband flaunt his new love in front of me?

The way he looked at Magen or Meagan or whatever her stupid name was, broke her heart. He hadn’t looked at Violet like that for, well, ever. She had never seen such passion in his eyes until that day, and now that she had, she was beginning to think Jim never really loved her. Yet, he had been her one great love, her knight in shining armour, her dream guy. That dream had turned into a nightmare the day she got fired and came home early.

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My Review: I was looking for a light romantic comedy, so I decided to take part of the author’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, where I would read and review this book, and I’m so glad I did. At first, Violet seemed kind of weak, but hey, if I were in her situation, I would be, too. However, I love how she changes her way of thinking and goes to see her son, though, they seemed like more friend/son, rather than mother/son. As far as Violet’s curiosity about what it’s like to do her son’s job, I found that to be quite comical, and am glad it led her to be able to open her heart again. I loved how it ended, too.

Suzie Jay’s writing was delightful, and she managed to keep me quickly turning the pages, leading me to wander my way through Violet’s adventures.

My only issue with the book was that Violet’s sister’s children seem way younger than her son, which made me wonder about a possible significant age difference between the sisters.

“Walk on the Wild Side” was a very cute and fun read. If you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud and charming read, I highly recommend this book, and I give it 4.5 stars!

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SuzieJay**About author, Suzie Jay:

Suzie Jay is a mum of six who lives in Adelaide, Australia with her husband and children. She has a Diploma in Child Psychology and owned her own baking and cake decorating business. She is also a former school teacher, but escaped and now intends on torturing the world by sharing what’s inside her head. This is Suzie’s debut novel. Other published work includes an April fools day anthology titled ‘Fools Rush In.’

**Contact Suzie: Blog   Facebook   Twitter

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**GIVEAWAY**

**Click HERE to enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Suzie’s Chick Lit Blog Tours!

Filed Under: Book Review, Walk on the Wild Side Tagged With: Book review, Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Excerpt, Romance, Suzie Jay, Walk on the Wild Side, Women's Fiction

AUTHOR & BOOK FEATURE: Cathryn Chapman, author of “Sex, Lies, & Cruising”

July 21, 2015 2 Comments

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About author, Cathryn Chapman: Cathryn nearly gave up her writing career when her eighth grade English teacher refused to believe her sensual poem could have been written by somebody so young. Two years later, when Cathryn was fourteen, that same English teacher declared she should start writing for Mills & Boon, and a women s fiction writer was born. Cathryn graduated from university with a Business Degree and spent seven years travelling the world working on cruise ships, and living in London, New York, Paris and South America. In her thirties, she left a successful marketing and public relations career to pursue her dream of gracing the stages in London s West End. When this failed dismally, Cathryn settled down with a husband and baby boy, and stayed in one country long enough to finally write her first novel, SEX, LIES, AND CRUISING.

**Contact Cathryn: Website   Facebook   Twitter

GUEST POST

My Fears as a Writer

Those of you who are also writers will probably understand this. People think I’m a really confident person, so it feels strange to admit it, but I have so, so many fears. Especially as a writer. It took me three years to finish ‘Sex, Lies, and Cruising’, admittedly with a few long breaks — but it took its toll on me, my finances, and my family… so while finishing it and putting it out into the world makes me feel proud, it also fills me with fear.

I read an interview with a successful author who said of publishing your first book – “Be prepared for reviews of people who do not know you. They don’t owe you anything.” Geez, that really scared me, because I had always feared that. I had seven amazing beta readers for this book, and all of them were either friends or family. A couple of them were very open and honest about what they didn’t like in the first draft (the published version is about the tenth draft!), but there is always that worry that the people who offer to help you with beta reading (or similar) are also the people who want to see you succeed. So waiting for the reviews to come in has been like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I started seeing a life coach this month about it. She asked me to describe what I was feeling, and it all tumbled out…

“I fear that the book is no good and people won’t like it. I fear that the years of time, effort, and tears I’ve put into this will prove to be a big, embarrassing waste. I fear that the beta readers loved it because they love me, and that everybody else will think it’s a terribly bad joke. I fear that anybody who does like it, won’t like the sequel. I fear that people will think the lead character is me, and will judge me for it. I fear that I won’t sell many copies and will spend years paying off the loans I have taken out to pay for editing and promotion…” I said, very emotional. Yep, it turns out I fear a lot of things.

Doesn’t sound much like a romantic comedy writer, does it?!!

The counsellor summed it up pretty well. “Well, you’re pretty much stuffed no matter what happens, aren’t you?” she said, smiling kindly. “You’ve got a life script which says you’re not good enough, and nothing you do or achieve is going to make you feel like you are. You’ve seen to that.”

I suppose it’s strange that somebody with so many fears of judgement would choose to write a book and self-publish it. Not only that, but I took out loans to promote it, which means that even more people have had a chance to judge me and my work. I also allowed my publicist to tell people that I worked on cruise ships and allow everybody to think the book must be a thinly veiled autobiography, which causes a whole host of new problems for a new fiction author… Is it total lunacy? Or do I have some confidence mixed in with the fear, which dares to believe people will like what they read…?

It also makes me want to ask you, the readers of this blog: “What are your fears?” and “How do you overcome them?”

Having said all that, at the time of writing this blog, I’ve seen a few reviews of ‘Sex, Lies, and Cruising’… and they’re good! It makes me so, so proud and happy to have written something which people like, and I get the warm and fuzzies big-time when I read these reviews! As someone who has been a voracious reader since about the age of seven, I always took for granted that books just ‘appeared’ in the bookshop, and now I know that a whole bunch of those authors are probably as fearful as I am, having sweated for months, or even years, over their precious babies!

The book is basically a comedy, even though Ellie learns some difficult lessons. I hope you find her relatable, even if you think you wouldn’t make the same decisions she does. I hope you have a lovely few days or weeks getting lost in the crazy world of cruise ships, with a fair bit of sex, more lies than we’d like, and a little bit of cruising.

And at the risk of facing my fears, I can’t wait to hear your feedback!

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“Sex, Lies, & Cruising”

Blurb: Exotic locations, sexy men, and crazy crew parties… Ellie has her dream job… or does she?

When Ellie’s fiancé cheats on her with a younger, slimmer, blonde from the office, she boots him out of her life and finds solace in a fabulous photography job aboard a Caribbean cruise ship. Twenty-four hours on board and she’s already shagged her sexy Texan colleague, who happens to love her muffin-top. Unfortunately he’s leaving in a week, and his ex-girlfriend, a hot-headed Brazilian with stripper moves right out of the 90s and a talent for stealing boyfriends, is still on board and out for revenge.

Ellie must work out how to deal with the loco ex, sort the lying scumbags from the good guys, and figure out how many crew members in a cabin it takes before officially becoming group sex. Who the hell knows? (It’s five, actually.) It’s a world completely unlike the one she left behind, but as she tries to find her place on board, Ellie discovers laughter and tears in equal measure. And in the midst of the craziness, she realises the greatest thing this lifestyle change has given her is the chance to rediscover herself.

**Buy “Sex, Lies, & Cruising” now!: Amazon   Barnes & Noble   iBooks

EXCERPT

“Should we keep this secret?” I asked abruptly. “It’s a bit weird, right, that I only got here and yesterday and we’ve already…you know…”

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he said with a shrug. “This is a cruise ship, little lady, not a convent.”

Our night of passion had been one of my exotic cruise fantasies, and he was being refreshingly nonchalant about it, but I still felt awkward as arse. It had been a long time since I’d had to deal with the walk of shame. But before I could skulk back to my own cabin, there was something I needed. I felt around under the covers and quickly scanned the floor. Damn, they were about three feet away, curled up in a little ball right near Seth’s left foot. Bollocks.

“Can you, um, please pass me my pants?” I felt my cheeks go hot. This was embarrassing.

He looked around in confusion. “I thought you were wearing a skirt?”

I suddenly remembered the difference in vocabulary across the pond. Cringing, I said, “My…underpants.” Excruciating.

He looked down and spotted them. As he handed over my pants, uniform, and thankfully, my bra, our hands met and I felt a little jolt of electricity. His hand lingered…then he leaned over and kissed me quickly on the lips. “Thanks for last night, Miss Ellie. I had a jolly ol’ good time,” he said, mocking my accent embarrassingly badly.

“Oh, no problem at all. I’m not normally so…forward…but it was fun.” I reached under the sheet, trying to struggle into my pants. Where was last night’s carefree Ellie when I needed her?

“Well, we should do this again,” he said over his shoulder as he disappeared into the bathroom. I heard the toilet flush, followed by the shower being turned on full blast. I swung my feet onto the floor, straightened myself out, and looked for a mirror to check how scary my hair and makeup looked after last night. I couldn’t find one, so I rubbed a finger under my eye and groaned when it came away black. I gingerly patted my hair and quickly discovered it was sticking up at the back. “Ugh.” Not the best look. Then again, if someone like Seth wanted to spend the night with me, again, I must have been doing something right…

I looked around Seth’s cabin as I squeezed myself back into my wrinkled uniform. It was the same size as mine, obviously, but surprisingly neat for a guy’s room. The desk held a laptop, iPod docking station, and a few books. At the back of the room were a couple of little chairs and a small, round table, where Seth’s crumpled uniform lay in a little heap.

I really couldn’t believe I’d slept with him. I hadn’t been with anyone other than Dan for years, and while I was looking for fun, I hadn’t intended to play ‘How’s Your Father’ with someone quite so soon. Mind you, I wasn’t complaining. Seth had the accent, face, and body of most girls’ secret (and not-so-secret) fantasies.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. “Seth? Please hurry up!” It was a woman with an unidentifiable accent. “We were supposed to be on gangway five minutes ago. Justin is going to kill us!” Knock, knock, knock. “Seth!”

The door flew open and a short girl with wavy black hair burst into the cabin. “Oh, it’s unlocked. I hope—” She saw me and stopped short, staring. “Oh. You must be that new girl.”

Damn. So much for getting out of there before anyone discovered me and started labelling me as some wanton whorebag. I’d thought these doors automatically locked from the inside…

Naturally, I had to play cool. “Oh, hello, I’m Ellie. Really lovely to meet you.” I stuck my hand out.

She just looked at my hand without shaking it, and then looked back up at me. “You seem to have settled in.” There was no trace of a smile on her heart-shaped face. I figured she was South American, or maybe Spanish; either way, she was astonishingly beautiful, and I suspected I might hate her already.

The sound of the shower stopped. “Hey, Maria, how many times have I told ya not to come into my cabin without being invited?” Seth called from the bathroom. “I really need to get that lock fixed,” he added, almost, but not quite, under his breath.

“Sorry, Mr Big Shot,” she said sarcastically, watching me with narrowed eyes.

“What was that?” He stuck his head out the bathroom door.

“I said sorry, I forgot,” she said, smiling with total insincerity. “I see you have a guest.”

“Ellie, this is Maria. Maria’s a fellow photographer, from Brazil. Maria, Ellie is our new Pic Stop girl from England.” Seth came out of the bathroom, drying his hair, a towel casually slung around his waist.

Maria and I caught each other eyeing his toned torso. “We’ve met,” she mumbled, and swung around so that her back was to me. Her curvaceous figure was barely contained by her tight work skirt. I’d inherited my mum’s flat bum and cursed the fact I’d never look that good in mine. I was hoping eventually I’d fit into my uniform and look stunning, but right now I just felt like a cow in a skirt too tight for me. Far cry from Maria’s glamourous figure.

The tension in the room was very uncomfortable. I wondered if Maria was not the type to have fallen into a fling so quickly. According to Seth we didn’t have anything to hide, but I didn’t want to get a colleague offside so quickly, either.

“I just popped over to find out from Seth if, um, I could come and help today.” I stumbled over the lie and felt my cheeks going red.

“Oh yes, obviously that is what you were doing.” Already halfway out the door, she said over her shoulder, “Do not bother. We do not need help.” Then she was gone.

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**GIVEAWAY**

Click HERE to enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

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**Click HERE to see other stops on Cathryn’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!

Filed Under: Cathryn Chapman Tagged With: & Cruising, Books, Cathryn Chapman, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Excerpt, Giveaway, Guest Post, Lies, Romance, Sex

BOOK REVIEW: “Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace”

July 14, 2015 3 Comments

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“Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace” by Becky Monson

Blurb: If there’s one thing that Bridgette Reynolds has learned recently, it’s that the perfect shoes, the perfect hair, and the perfect dress do not make for the perfect proposal. In fact, sometimes they make for the not-so-perfect breakup. Now, Bridgette must do everything in her power to win Adam back. She knows they are meant to be. And nothing will stand in her way—not her friends, not her grandmother, not even the fact that Adam is now engaged to Serene after a whirlwind romance. Focused on her plan to win Adam back, Bridgette isn’t expecting Ian—her college best friend, her love, her big regret—to come back into her life. They sink back into their comfortable friendship as if no time has passed at all, making Bridgette start to question her feelings for Adam. But Ian has a few secrets of his own . . . secrets that could shatter their friendship once and for all. Bridgette has to make some major decisions—should she speak now? Or forever hold her peace?

My Review: I’ve been cutting back on reviews, but when the opportunity came from Chick Lit Plus to read “Speak Now: or Forever Hold You Peace,” I knew it was time that I read this book–after all, it’s been on my Kindle shortly after it was released earlier this year, (note that I bought the book based on the cover–isn’t it cute?!).

The blurb grabbed my attention right away, so there was no question that the book had me hooked from the first page. I loved Bridgette’s character, and while there was quite a lot of drama throughout the story–I sympathized with her numerous times–she handled everything beautifully. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I’m so glad it ended the way it did. Her two friends made for great sidekicks, including her grandmother, who was quite funny, (I loved that they watched soap operas together).

While the book is a bit long, I wasn’t bothered by that. Becky Monson’s writing is brilliant, so much so that there were a few nights I didn’t go to bed until way late, because I didn’t want to stop. This was my first book by Becky, but it will not be my last!

I give “Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace” 5 stars!

Filed Under: Book Review, Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace Tagged With: Becky Monson, Book review, Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Romance, Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT: “Conquest #1-3”

June 23, 2015 1 Comment

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“Conquest #1-3” by Steam Bijou

Blurb:

Ten Delicious Episodes

Brie Baggio thinks she’s ready… for marriage, kids, the whole shebang. She’s pushing forty, and even though she’s the Senior Anti-Aging Ambassador at Los Angeles’s hottest med spa, Botox can’t paralyze that nagging feeling that it’s now or never. But when she witnesses a wild act of public sex, Brie tears her marriage plans apart and composes a sexual bucket list of scenarios she wants to experience before she settles down. She has life yet to live, lessons to learn, and someone to find—herself—along the way.

Sexy, smart, chock full of pop culture, Conquest is the it-series of the year. Help Brie cross each item off her list.

1. An Older Man

2. A Younger Man

3. A Teacher

4. Her Boss

5. A Woman

6. A Stranger

7. A Threesome

8. In Public

9. Make a Sex Tape

10. Dominate a Man Until He Cries

Ready for some steam? Start the adventure today.

EXCERPT

The women hang in Shavasana, shrouded in poppy-colored yoga hammocks and suspended above the gleam of the studio’s wooden floor. A stranger wandering in might think he had happened upon a room of human-butterfly hybrids in advanced stage of chrysalis, but this is Tuesday night aerial yoga at The Center and Brie is trying her best to breathe, release, renew, rejuvenate, relax here inside her nylon pod.

To say he took it hard would be an understatement. It was a scene of grotesquery not to be forgotten, complete with nasal mucous cascading down to his shirt as he blubbered, and a phone call to his mother—live, on camera, we’re talking Facetime—during which she demanded to speak to Brie, who was forced to exit the clearing to avoid such theater, where she bumped into the jungle lovers, who had heard the cries of the almost-fiancé and, mistaking them for signs of injury or illness, came to see if they could help. The woman patted the pained one’s back as her still-shirtless companion stared at Brie in confusion, and Brie wasn’t sure if she should thank him, ask him for his number, or leap from the nearest cliff.

Gretchen emerges from her hammock first, making eye contact with Brie and bending her wrist to pantomime her desire for a drink. Out comes Peyton next, who taps Bernadette on the feet to wake her. Bern always falls asleep in corpse pose; she’s permanently relaxed. Brie pulls her knees to her chest to enclose herself completely inside the pod, her world a brief oasis of orange until Gretchen says, “Come on, Buddha,” and tilts Brie’s pod so the slick of her Lululemons sends her sliding to the floor. It’s not that she doesn’t want to tell them. It’s just exhausting, all the questions that will come. Her mom is going to shit a hyena.

“Did he do it?” asks the girl who teaches the Pound class coming up next. It doesn’t help that Brie knows everybody here. She’s the Senior Anti-Aging Ambassador at The Center, where women rush in droves at first sign of decreased skin elasticity, lip fullness, eyelash thickness, muscle tone, metabolism, belly flatness, youthful glow, and general confidence in their outward appearance. Botox®, Juvederm®, SmartLipo®, Latisse®, non-surgical nose jobs. Lasers, acids, chemical peels, global thermonuclear war on cellulite. This is Star Wars for women, and it is serious fucking business.

“No,” says Brie, not ready to give up the goose.

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SsteamBijouPIC**About author, Steam Bijou:

Steam Bijou is the alter ego of author Jaime Boust, whose work ranges from literotica to anonymously submitted business plans to her favorite failing local retailers. Her fiction includes Book Club, Conquest by her alter ego Steam Bijou, and the forthcoming serial Night Life–a series about a thirty-something mother who, disillusioned by the monotony of motherhood, starts a high-end prostitution ring. The similarities between Ms. Boust and her anti-heroine are startling, minus the prostitution.

Jaime received her formal education at the University of California at San Diego and her informal education on the streets of London, the hills of San Francisco, the sewers of Paris, and the suburban wilds of Oakland. These days you’ll find her dodging traffic in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids. Many things have been said of her: idea machine, portmanteau enthusiast, cutthroat croquet player, national champion cheerleader, world’s spiciest cook. Believe them all.

**Contact Steam: Website   Facebook   Twitter

**Find the books: Conquest: Episodes 1-3   Conquest: Episodes 4-6   Book Club   iBooks   Nook   Google Play

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**Click HERE to see more stops on Steam’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour!

Filed Under: Conquest #1-3 Tagged With: Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Conquest #1-3, Romance, Steam Bujou, Women's Fiction

EXCERPT: “Unexpected Chances”

June 17, 2015 1 Comment

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“Unexpected Chances” by A.M. Willard

Blurb: Tabitha Michaelson: the fun loving, sassy girl who loves anything that sparkles. What you might not know is, she took an oath years ago with her brother Seth, vowing to lock their hearts and throw away the key. She has spent years keeping up the happy façade and not letting anyone get close.

It’s not until a chance meeting that Tabitha meets her match in Carter Northwood.

Here’s a man whose life has been filled with lies, threats, and tangled webs of disaster. Carter knows that if he takes this chance at true love, the world around him will tumble down like a spiral staircase.

Two hearts meld to form a single beat from the start. A test of trust, infinite love, and a longing for each other’s passion.

EXCERPT

I take a gulp of my water and hear Cory say, “Who was that? Don’t play stupid with me. You better be happy I saw that and not Seth.”

“Cory, back off. I’m not your property or anyone else’s. It was a misunderstanding. Nothing more, okay,” I say, my voice laced with venom.

“No, you sure the hell aren’t my property. If you were, you know what I would do,” he says as he steps closer to me. He places his finger under my chin and lifts my head up to look at him.

“Tabitha, you know you mean the world to me. I’ll never allow someone to hurt you. Why can’t you see how much you mean to me? Hell, I think I’m in love with you.”

It’s like someone has ripped my heart out. “Cory, you know I love you, but not like that.”

“I know, Firecracker. But a guy can have hopes and dreams, can’t he?”

**Find “Unexpected Chances”: Amazon   Goodreads

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A.M.WillardPic**About author, A.M. Willard:

A.M. Willard is a true believer of soul mates, and happy ever after’s. She enjoys reading, sailing, and of course writing contemporary romance with some saucy scenes.  Releasing her first novella of the One Night Series on April 12, 2014 has sent her on a new journey in life. A.M.’s passion for writing started at a young age, but with the love and support from her husband of eighteen years pushed her to follow her dreams. Once she hit that first publish button, she hasn’t looked back.

Publications available from A.M. Willard include the Chances Series, Love on the Screen, and everyone’s favorite the One Night Series. She’s also had an article published in the Writer’s Monthly Review Magazine.

A.M. Willard was born and raised in the Panhandle of Florida, but resides in Savannah Ga with her husband, son, two cats, one rotten dog, and her six chickens. Yes, we said chickens…

You can connect with A.M. Willard on her website, www.amwillard.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for the latest releases, teasers and sale alerts; http://eepurl.com/bb-Cd1.

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**Click HERE to see other stops on A.M.’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour!

Filed Under: Unexpected Chances Tagged With: A.M. Willard, Books, Chick-Lit, CLP blog tours, Excerpt, Romance, Unexpected Chances, Women's Fiction

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