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EXCERPT of “Wicked for Hire” & INTERVIEW with Lotta Smith

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“Wicked for Hire” by Lotta Smith

Blurb: 

Sometimes, the opportunity of a lifetime busts your door instead of gently knocking at it…

FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Medical student Amanda Meyers thought she had her life all planned out until people started dying the moment they touched her. Being cleared of any wrongdoing didn’t stop the medical school from expelling her, and it didn’t rid her of the unfortunate nickname Grim Reaper.

Luckily, having a rep as the harbinger of death isn’t a total resume killer. Rick Rowling, Special Agent for the FBI’s Paranormal Cases Division recruits her to work for the Bureau. But the sexy, brilliant, outrageous loose cannon proves to be just as untouchable as the mysterious creature or creatures that may be responsible for the seemingly unsolvable murder that becomes their first case together.

Instead of treating patients, Amanda’s life becomes a test of her patience and a wild ride into the wicked paranormal world where her new boss runs the show. Together they face a ghoulish force that could destroy the entire city and a grueling family dinner that could leave Amanda contemplating harakiri.

It’s a battle of life and debt [student debt, that is] and saving the world has never been so funny.

Wicked for Hire is part of the Paranormal in Manhattan Mystery series. If you like fast-paced mysteries full of quirky characters and unexpected twists, you’re gonna love this book.

Buy Wicked for Hire and start solving your next mystery today!

*****

EXCERPT

After an hour of additional agony, dinner was over.

When Rowling thanked my folks and stood to leave, carrying leftovers, I followed him out the door, just to be polite. If I didn’t need to be polite, I’d have snatched the leftovers, curled up in the corner of my room, and drank my sorrows away with cold meatloaf and mashed potatoes on the side. It’s common knowledge that leftovers are the yummiest part of the dinner, and I didn’t like the fact that my brand new boss got them.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you about my dysfunctional family,” I said.

“Dysfunctional? Your family?” A corner of his mouth lifted. “After all, there was no bloodbath during the meal. You should see mine to get an idea of a dysfunctional family.” He didn’t seem to be kidding.

“Wow,” I replied.

“By the way, Mandy.” He looked me in the eye. “Do you want him dead?”

“Him? Who? What are you talking about?”

“Justin, your ex-fiancé,” he said nonchalantly. “If you’d like, I can have him killed, make his death look like a totally innocent accident. People often die of freak accidents, such as—”

“Too much information!” I covered my ears with my hands. “And no, thanks. You don’t need to have him…. You know what,” I added hurriedly. Okay, so technically, I often fantasized about my ex-fiancé dropping dead by stumbling on the wet operation room floor and stabbing himself with the scalpel. Then again, it seemed like having Rick Rowling’s help in hiring a contract killer came with a huge price tag.

“Hmm, okay.” He nodded, loading the leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes on the passenger’s seat. “Remember, you can always change your mind.”

I thought a little, and said, “Thank you for the offer.”

“No prob.” He shrugged. “Hey, the doctor guy’s not worth your time.”

“What do you know about him?” I asked.

“He’s a self-centered, no good, arrogant asshole.”

“I know.” I chuckled.

“In addition, he’s deep in debt up to his eyeballs following a screw-up in options trading. His desperate attempt to recover the loss by scoring big in Vegas completely backfired. Obviously, card counting isn’t one of his strong suits. Anyway, even his family has cut him off.”

“How do you know that?”

“Do you really want to know how I got the info?” He raised an eyebrow.

“No,” I replied. “I was just saying.”

For a brief moment, we fell silent.

“Thanks for dinner,” Rowling said finally.

When I was about to say “It was nice having you over,” he cupped my face and kissed me lightly. On. The. Lips.

I knew I could have resisted, and I should have, but I didn’t.

It was just a brush of a kiss, but still deep enough to make me want for more.

“Good night.” He climbed into the Ferrari and drove away.

“Good night.” I stood outside until the taillights faded in the night.

*****

INTERVIEW WITH LOTTA SMITH

Describe your writing style in five words: Ghosts, murder, and humor (with a sprinkle of romance, hopefully).

Salty or sweet? Sweet, soaked in laughing gas. And a lot of ghosts.

How has becoming an author changed you? When I was in med-school, I realized that I wasn’t cut into a doctor, which devastated me. Just like Mandy in Paranormal in Manhattan Mysteries, I was almost finished with the school and backing off at that timing was almost impossible (to convince my family, and myself) so I didn’t quit, but everyday was a drag.

In order to forget about it, I started imagining two people trying to catch an eyeball-poking serial killer (Immortal Eyes, PI Assistant Extraordinaire). The writing process was fun but sometimes, I was like “OMG… what should I do?” about the next step in the story. So, I was thinking less and less about my real life issue, and I barely noticed that I couldn’t score a residency position, and I totally failed to become a doctor haha…

Walk us through what would be your perfect day: A quiet day with nothing to distract me–including myself. On a really good day, I can keep on writing without the temptation of reading trashy articles on the web.

Do you have any writing rituals? I recently found out that I write more without the sun. So I shut the sliding shutters of my room and use the fluorescent lights (a la vampire style). In order to avoid Vit D deficiency, I always go out for grocery shopping during the morning hours (like 10 AM). Also, I try to use the timer app as often as possible when I write. I set the timer to beep 10 minutes later, and I’m trying to write 200 words. But I often cheat by stopping the timer in-between so that I can finish the 200 words. I was so late at writing, but someone introduced me to an article about some bestselling author using a timer app to stop herself from idling, doing nothing.

Every author needs (a)…: Scrivener. My fellow authors recommended it. I’m just using it for character references, but it’s so handy.

What is your writing/editing/publishing process like? Step 1: Schedule and edit and proofreading dates, Step 2: I try to finish the MS by the deadline. It gets thrilling when I’m not sure if I can finish, but I try. Step 3: Editing and in between, I order the cover, and then I work on the plot of the next book. Step 4: Upload the complete MS before the deadline of Amazon’s pre-order.

People would be surprised to know that you’re…: That I’m not from New York City. Actually, I haven’t even visited Manhattan yet. I went as close as Newark, NJ, but it was in mid-winter and the air was so chilly that I couldn’t breathe. So I didn’t get to go sightseeing in Manhattan.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? You can edit your manuscript as far as something is written on it, but you can’t edit a blank document. It’s Golden words by bestselling author Agatha Frost.

What do you want your readers to take away from your books? I’d like my readers to chuckle and laugh a lot by reading my books.

Is the social media more of a help a a hinder? Social media is helpful as it easily lets you ask some questions to bestselling authors. They might answer you when they’re not terribly busy, and the majority of their advices are so golden.

What are you working on right now? I’ve just finished the first draft of Speak of the Wicked: Book 9 of Paranormal in Manhattan. And a freebie short story (Whoever Finds the Wicked: Rick Rowling’s Secret File – Paranormal in Manhattan Mystery Prequel). Hopefully, I’ll start working on Book 10 soon.

*****

**GIVEAWAY**

**Click HERE to enter to win a free download of the prequel in the Manhatten series, “Whoever Finds The Wicked: Rick Rowling’s Secret File”!

*****

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

BOOK REVIEW: “In With the New”

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“In With the New” by Tracy Krimmer

Blurb: Eli no longer believes in love, and Meg has no time for it. Can the spirit of Christmas and hope of a new year change their perspectives?

My Review: I’m a huge fan of Tracy Krimmer, so I was excited to read this novella. While I’m not really a dog person, I am an animal lover and found that I could relate to Meg in wanting to train her dog, along with trying to keep her busy job schedule. I liked Eli and how he didn’t promote his business, but rather try to help Meg. Right from the start, it was obvious that there was chemistry between them, and I liked that they took their time and didn’t rush things.

My only issue I had with this book were the ages of the characters, especially when it comes to the drama in Eli’s family–they seemed a little old to hang onto the past a bit too much, though that didn’t stop me from enjoying this read.

If you’re looking for a short, cute holiday read, I recommend this read, which would be great to cuddle up with on a chilly night.

I give “In With the New” 4.5 stars!

**Note: I received an ARC for review purposes.

**Click HERE to get your copy now of “In With the New”!

BOOK FEATURE: “Two Last First Dates”

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“Two Last First Dates” by Katie O’Keeffe

Blurb: To Paige Miller, Two Last First Dates sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Paige is having a rough time. She’s unhappy in her career and her One Last First Date ended in total disaster. Now, she has to figure out what to do professionally and personally. Life as a spinster with fifteen cats doesn’t sound too bad, though.

Deciding to give up on love, Paige begrudgingly befriends Josh Bentley, the friendly coffee delivery guy, while helping out at the Cozy Cottage Café. His T-shirts make her eyes roll, but their runs have become an important part of her day and a blessing to her waistline, because Bailey’s cakes are too good to pass up.

Meanwhile, her best friends offer to find Mr. Right for her, and all Paige has to do is let them. Then, the man of her dreams walks through the door. Marcus Hahn is as good-looking as he is charming, and any thoughts Paige had of being alone with those fifteen cats, fly out the window. Now, she just has to hope her friends choose him as her Last First Date.

But in the end, are Two Last First Dates enough to find The One?

**While this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series. The protagonist is different from book one, although all lead female characters appear in each of the books.

EXCERPT

“I’ve got some paperwork to get through, and then we need to talk about finding you your Last First Date.”

“Ah, no, we don’t,” I said, shaking my head. Had she forgotten my decision? It was infinitely better to die an old-maid-slash-reclaimed-virgin than go through that heartache again.

“Yeah, we do. Marissa and I had a meeting and we’ve decided—”

“You had a meeting?” I asked, incredulous, my eyes wide.

“We’re going to do this properly, Paige.”

I bit the inside of my lip. “Look, I told you at the beach. I don’t want to find a man. I’m over the whole Last First Date thing.”

Bailey looked at me, a smile on her face. “Is that so?”

“Yes!” Why was she persisting with this? My mind was made up; I had given up on love.

“Hold that thought,” Bailey said as she jumped out of her chair.

I’d been too lost in exasperation to notice there were a couple of customers standing at the counter, perusing the cabinet food. I stood up, collected our plates and coffee cups—with two hands and not Bailey’s skillful one yet—and headed to the kitchen.

Once behind the counter, I looked across at the customers to give them a welcoming Cozy Cottage Café smile. My eyes met a man’s at the counter, and I swear the breath was sucked right out of me.

Oh. My. God.

This guy was beautiful. Tall, broad, his olive skin set off by his crisp, white, open-necked shirt, cropped black hair, and an I’m-sent-down-by-the-Greek-gods face. Angels sang, harps were strummed, and everything around me fell into nothingness as I stared into his dark eyes. He smiled back at me, holding my gaze for a beat, two. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears, and I had to stifle a nervous, girly giggle.

Too late, I felt the crockery in my hands begin to wobble. I took a step, tried to right them, but both my hands were full. The dishes came crashing to the floor, smashing into one hundred pieces, the dregs of our coffee splattering against my legs and the floor.

Uh-oh!

I quickly squatted down and began collecting up the shattered crockery, my face burning. This was mortifying!

“Paige! What happened?” Bailey looked at me down on the ground, startled.

“Sorry. I . . . I don’t know.” Which was, of course, not entirely true. I knew exactly what had happened. I’d been too busy staring at Adonis Guy and not concentrating on carrying the dishes to the sink. I shook my head, angry with myself.

I’d let womankind down miserably; my lack of multitasking ability was clearly equal to a man’s.

A dark head poked over the edge of the counter. “Are you all right down there?”

I stopped what I was doing and looked up into those mesmerizing eyes once more. My mouth went dry. “I . . . yes, thank you.” I stood bolt upright as the heat in my cheeks intensified.

Adonis Guy pushed himself up off the counter and shot me a gorgeous grin. “What did those dishes ever do to you?” He turned to his friend. “Is this the reason you like this place? The hot waitresses throwing dishes around?”

Adonis Guy just called me hot?

Bailey laughed. “Usually we just try to dazzle you through our excellent coffee and food. So that was two lattes. Anything to eat?”

Adonis Guy looked back at me. I hadn’t moved an inch. “What do you recommend?”

“Oh, ah, me?” My blush deepened. “The, ah, carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting is out-of-this-world good.”

“That sounds delicious. Sold.” He turned to Bailey. “I’ll have a slice of that, thanks.” Adonis Guy returned his gaze to me.

His much less godlike friend shook his head good-naturedly, watching Adonis Guy quite obviously flirting with me. “I’ll grab one of those spinach and feta muffins.”

Bailey rang up their order. “I’ll get this, Marcus. I owe you one,” Non-Adonis Guy said.

I squatted down to collect the remaining broken dishes in my hands. Try as I might, I couldn’t get my heart rate to return to normal, and you could have roasted s’mores on my cheeks, they were so hot.

Marcus. His name was Marcus.

“Thank you. We’ll bring those over for you,” I heard Bailey say from my position on the floor.

I peeked over the top of the counter. Marcus and his friend had walked over to the window and were now sitting down at Marissa’s, Cassie’s, and my usual table. Of all the tables in the café, he chose my favorite. Was it a sign?

No, it’s not. I’d given up on love. I needed to remember that, difficult as it may have been in the presence of such manly perfection.

While Bailey expertly worked the coffee machine, I put the fragments of the dishes onto some newspaper, wrapped them up, and placed them in the trash. Once I’d swept up the shards, I washed my hands and paused, deep in thought. I may have given up on love, but I was still a woman. And women liked to look good, right?

I pulled my lipstick out of my bag and slipped the lid off. I held it up to my lips, peering in my small compact mirror, and stopped dead. What am I doing? One hot guy shows an interest in me and I’m throwing that all away? Talk about being flakier than one of Bailey’s cheese filo puffs.

I snapped my compact shut and wound my lipstick down, unapplied, returning it to my makeup bag. I couldn’t let the first cute guy I saw dissuade me from my new path. I’d made up my mind; I was a man-free zone.

My jaw clenched, I returned to the counter. “I’m really sorry about that, Bailey. I don’t know how it happened. You can dock my pay.”

The steamer on the coffee machine made a loud screech as she fluffed the milk for the coffee in a jug. “Don’t worry about it, Paige. Accidents happen. Just don’t let it happen too often, okay?”

“Of course.” I pulled out a couple of plates and put a slice of the cake and a muffin on each. I glanced over at Marcus. He and his friend appeared to be deep in conversation.

Bailey nodded at the plates. “Can you please take those over? I’ll bring the coffees when they’re done.”

Part of me wanted to leap at the opportunity of talking with Marcus again. Another part of me wanted to squirm out of it, come up with some sort of an excuse to avoid the temptation. I told myself I needed to be strong. It was inevitable I was going to meet cute men. I simply needed to learn to deal with them. My inevitable spinsterhood demanded it.

After all, my track record with men had been a miserable failure.

I smoothed my shoulder-length hair behind my ears, took a deep breath, and walked out from behind the counter over to the men’s table. “Here you go, gentlemen,” I said brightly as I placed their respective treats in front of them on the table.

“All recovered from your plate smashing ordeal?” Marcus asked with a cheeky half smile on his face, looking up at me from his seat.

“Oh, yes. It’s all fine, thank you.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Right. I’ll leave you to it.” I turned on my heel without a second glance and walked on wobbly legs back to the counter.

Done. Easy. Well, okay, not easy exactly, but done all the same.

As Bailey took advantage of the lull and got on with some paperwork, she left me to clean up the counter and wipe down tables before my shift ended. There was only Marcus and his friend in the café, ­and I was thankful they were so deep in conversation they ignored me, so I had free range to make the place spick and span, ready for us to do it all again tomorrow.

I was putting some things under the counter when someone cleared their throat next to me. I bobbed up, ready to serve like the good Cozy Cottage waitress of almost two days I was. My tummy did a flip when I saw who it was.

“Just checking you’re not abusing any more defenseless crockery down there,” Marcus said with a fake brow furrow.

My blush returned faster than you could say hot-guy-flirting-with-me. I let out a laugh. “No, no.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m from the Society for the Protection of Dishes, and we take these matters very seriously, you know.” His face broke into a grin.

Wow, this guy looked like Channing Tatum when he smiled. This was so not a good thing right now.

I let out a light laugh, putting my hand on my heart. “I swear to give the dishes the respect they deserve in future.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

“Oh, I think you already paid,” I said.

By way of response, he offered me his business card. Dumbly, I took it in my hand, looking down at the words. Marcus Hahn, Attorney-at-Law.

“I would urge you to get in touch if you have any dishes-related concerns.”

“Oh, I . . . thank you . . . Marcus.” I blushed as I said his name.

He flashed me his Channing Tatum grin once more and I swear my legs ceased to function for a moment there. I watched as he sauntered out of the café, turning to shoot me one last smile before he disappeared out onto the street.

Resisting this guy was going to be trickier than I thought.

*****

**GIVEAWAY**

**Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!**

*****

**About the author: Kate O’Keeffe is an award-nominated author of fun, feel-good romantic comedies. She lives and loves in beautiful New Zealand with her family, two scruffy dogs, and a cat who thinks he’s a scruffy dog too. He’s not: he’s a cat.

To date, Kate’s written the chick lit series, the Wellywood Romantic Comedy Series, and the new Cozy Cottage Café Series.

**Contact Kate: Website   Goodreads   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Amazon Author

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*****

**Read the Cozy Cottage Cafe series:

Book 1: “One Last First Date”   Book 2: “Two Last First Dates“

Book 3: “Three Last First Dates” – coming October 31, 2017, click HERE to pre-order!

Book 4: “A Final Last First Date” – coming early-2018

BOOK FEATURE: “Enticing Elle”

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“Enticing Elle” by Erin Cawood

Blurb: The feel good, friends to lovers office romance taking readers by surprise!

Author Erin Cawood returns with a sexy stand-alone romance novel with a hot alpha male looking for Mrs. Right, and a strong willed heroine determined to avoid a; finding, b; marrying, and c; living happily ever after with Mr. Right.

Enticing Elle is a feel good friends to lovers office romance for fans of contemporary women’s fiction and falling in love with the last person you’d expect when you’d least expect it.

***

Actions speak louder than words.

Elle Richards never makes a mistake at work. She raised her game the moment the boss’s grandson tempted her into an ill-fated office romance. She had to combat the rumors she was sleeping her way up the corporate ladder somehow. These days, as Head of Corporate Services, Elle’s revered for her ability to achieve impeccable standards. But when it comes to love, her life’s been one train wreck after the other from the moment she gave her virginity to the wrong boy and ended up pregnant at fifteen.

When her new boss, Adam Lacey, disappears, Elle ends up in a jealousy-fuelled argument with his boss–a.k.a. her ex–right before she implicates Adam in an affair and destroys his relationship with his girlfriend. And just when Elle thinks her day can’t get any worse she ends up in the most romantic lip lock she’s ever had in her life… with Adam!

Suddenly every starry-eyed mistake she’s ever made in love is biting Elle on the ass, forcing her to question why she’d risk her reputation, career and heart on a man known whose girlfriends only last six weeks. She wouldn’t. So why does Elle challenge him to prove they have more than a six-week shelf life when she already knows his actions speak far louder than any promise he could ever make?

***

This is so much more than a romance, it is friendship, trust, heartbreak, humor, parenting, and LIFE…all in a beautifully touching, sometimes funny, at times heartbreaking, amazing book. Erin knocks it out of the park, again, with Enticing Elle! Elle and Adam are so d*mn perfectly imperfect they sear through the ink right into your heart… ~ MParks – Amazon Reviewer

*****

**Grab your copy of “Enticing Elle” now!: Amazon – US   Amazon – UK

**(“Enticing Elle” will be only $0.99 for the month of September)

BOOK REVIEW: “The Marriage Bargain”

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“The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire Book 1)” by Jennifer Probst

Blurb: The sizzling first book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Marriage to a Billionaire trilogy by “one of the most exciting breakout novelists” (USA TODAY) Jennifer Probst.

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart. Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his uncle’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right? Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans….

My Review: After reading “Write Naked” by Jennifer Probst, I knew I had to read “The Marriage Bargain.” From the beginning, I really enjoyed this book and it only got better chapter after chapter.

It was easy that throughout this read, there would be a great amount of sexual tension between Alexa and Nick, and I loved every minute of it. The arrangement they had was quite an interesting one, filled with certain terms in which I was curious to see if either one of them could follow through.

I don’t want to spoil the major deal breaker between them, if things were kept on friendly terms, or if they ended up together, but I would read this book again–something I don’t usually do.

As for Jennifer’s writing, as I mentioned, after reading “Writing Naked,” for an author, this book would make for a great guide for romance, a little erotica, laughs, and of course, a lot of love. Jennifer is one of my new favorite authors and I look forward to reading more by her.

If you’re looking for a love story with several twists and turns, a lot of laughs, along with a few tearful moments, then I definitely recommend this book.

I give “The Marriage Bargain” 5 stars, and have recently started reading “The Millionaire Trap,” which is the second in the Billionaire series).

**Click HERE to get your copy now!

COVER REVEAL: “Always With You”

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“Always With You” by Hannah Ellis

Blurb: A mother who kept a secret for more than twenty years. A daughter intent on finding the truth…

In 1994, twenty-one-year-old Evelyn Taylor left England to backpack around Australia. When she stopped off in the dusty outback town of Kununurra, she never expected to fall in love with the place – and the people. But Joe Sullivan captured her heart, and when her fun-filled year in Australia came to an end, saying goodbye to him was the hardest thing she’d ever done.

In 2017, Evelyn’s daughter, Libby, embarks on her own Australian adventure. Grief-stricken following her mother’s death, she’s determined to find the father she never met.

Little does she know that digging up the past will be more complicated than she ever imagined.

**About the author: Hannah Ellis lives in Munich with her husband and two little boys. She’s originally from England and has also lived in America, Australia and Ireland. As well as writing, she also teaches English to kindergarten kids. In her spare time she likes to read books, drink tea and eat chocolate. She goes jogging regularly but hasn’t decided if she really enjoys it or not. She’s a huge fan of sunny days and loves visiting the many Munich beer gardens.

**Contact Hannah: Website   Facebook   Twitter

*****

**Check out other stops on Hannah’s Goddess Book Tour!: Becky Martin   Chick Lit Plus   Lizzie Lamb   Monique McDonell

BLOG POST: National Book Lovers Day!

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Not only as an author, but as a lover of books, I love celebrating National Book Lovers Day–and, yep, it’s today! If you follow this blog, you know how much I love sharing book features and authors, but I thought I’d share my books with you.

The Right Design: Interior designer Carrie Newman could not have envisioned a more perfect life for herself. She had a great job doing what she loved, wonderful friends, and a close relationship with her sister and brother-in-law. Add in an amazing man who she’d hoped would soon become her husband, and her life was perfect. Until one devastating decision ruins her relationship and changes the course of her life.

Determined to make a new start, Carrie leaves Texas and heads to Palm Beach to pick up the pieces of her shattered and broken life. The last thing she expects is to find herself attracted to her first client at her new job–Brad Larson, who has proven himself time and time again to be caddish.

But there’s something beneath the surface of Brad’s arrogant exterior that keeps her craving more of him–something almost sweet that Carrie can’t seem to resist.

Is Carrie ready to take another chance on romance? And will this new design of her life prove to be the right one?

Grab your copy now!: Amazon

*****

Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop: As the owner of a successful florist shop, Khloe Harper trusts her instincts. She has a strong bond with her family and friends, but after being betrayed by her last love, she’s kept herself at arms’ length from romance. When dashing entertainment attorney Derek Thomas walks into her store, Khloe’s interest is piqued. What at first seems like a business relationship quickly turns into romance, and Derek slowly plucks away the petals she’s been hiding behind. Just as Khloe lets down her guard, she discovers that Derek may not be worthy of her love after all.

Frumpy Connie Albright has a faux fascination with an imaginary man named Walt, thinking that by sending herself flowers from him she’ll feel less out-of-place with the “mean girls” she works with. When she comes face to face with her possible prince charming and thinking she might have a happy ending, when a truth is revealed, she wonders if she’ll ever have a Cinderella story.

A recently widowed senior, Gabby Lewis, isn’t ready to give up on love—which means releasing herself from survivor’s guilt and taking a chance on finding happiness and companionship again. After signing up for an online dating site for senior citizens, much to her surprise, she’s matched with Harry, an energetic and loving man, who quickly eases himself into her heart. Will Gabby take the leap of falling in love again, knowing it’s possible to have two loves of her life?

As each woman’s story develops through flowers and cards sent from Khloe’s shop during the Fall months, they begin to learn that love can only truly blossom when you trust your heart.

Grab your copy now!: Amazon

**These books make for great beach-reads, (or so I’m told)! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR FEATURE: Maria Murnane

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About the author, Maria Murnane: The way Maria became an author is a little crazy. One day she quit her PR job and went to Argentina by herself for what was supposed to be a two-week trip. Instead, she ended up staying for a year to play soccer for one of the most famous clubs in the world (River Plate). While down there she also decided to do something she’d long dreamed about: writing a humorous novel (very) loosely based on her life as a single, professional woman in San Francisco. Fast forward a few years, and she’s now the bestselling author of the Waverly Bryson series (Perfect on Paper, It’s a Waverly Life, Honey on Your Mind, and Chocolate for Two, which received a starred review in Publishers Weekly), as well as International Book Award winner Cassidy Lane, Katwalk, Wait for the Rain, and Bridges. And yes, she still plays a lot of soccer!

INTERVIEW

Describe yourself in five sentences: Soccer nut. Favorite auntie. Loyal friend. Overly self-critical. Grammar police.

Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? I love paperbacks, but I usually read eBooks so I can read standing up on the subway, while eating, etc. I also like being able to start a book thirty seconds after I decide I want to read it.

Salty or sweet? I used to love sweet, but lately I’m all about salty. Salt and vinegar potato chips are my current obsession.

When did you know you wanted to write? When a soccer teammate of mine told me how much she looked forward to my weekly emails about our upcoming game. She said they were the highlight of her week because she found them so funny.

How did you celebrate when your first book was published? I had a party at a bar with friends!

What are you reading? The Atlas of Forgotten Places, by my friend Jenny Williams. She is so talented!

Name something that every author must have: A laptop. I don’t know how people used to (or still) write longhand or on a typewriter. I would never finish anything.

Do you have any writing rituals? I have to read the New York Times and have a cup of coffee before I do anything. Does that count?

If you weren’t an author, what would you be? I’d probably be an in-house writer for a university. I think that would be a great job.

Where do you see your writing career in five years? I’m currently working on a screenplay for my novel Wait for the Rain. I’d love to continue adapting my books for film or TV.

What do you want your readers to take away from your books? That none of us know what we’re doing, and that’s okay.

What are you working on right now? A screenplay adaptation of Wait for the Rain. Very exciting!

**Contact Maria: Email   Facebook   Instagram   Twitter   Website

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“Wait for the Rain” by Maria Murnane

In Wait for the Rain, a woman reeling from a divorce reunites with her college friends and learns that life really can begin at forty.

**Click HERE to read the first chapter of “Wait for the Rain” and buy your copy!

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“Bridges” by Maria Murnane

In Bridges, those same three friends meet up in New York City to celebrate a surprise engagement, but each of them has a secret.

**Click HERE to read the first chapter of “Bridges” and buy your copy!

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BOOK FEATURE: “Links”

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“Links” by Lisa Becker

Blurb: In high school, Charlotte Windham was a typical student going through an awkward phase — glasses and all. She harbored a crush on Garrett Stephens, the teen heartthrob everyone can’t help but fall for during that unfortunate ugly duckling phase of one’s teen years. Flash forward fifteen years later, and Charlotte and Garrett have a second chance encounter at a Los Angeles restaurant. However, this time around, Charlotte has leveled the playing field. She’s a bestselling novelist and no longer “Glasses,” the humiliating nickname Garrett called her in high school. In short, she’s a catch now and, thanks to corrective eye surgery, it’s not just her eyes that see better…so does her heart! Garrett hasn’t fared poorly either, transforming from teen heartbreaker to adult lothario. A now successful professional golfer, he’s recently suffered a major setback in the form of a possible career-ending injury. With the upper hand, can Charlotte forgive Garrett for his past ways, and for his more recent Don Juan lifestyle? Will she even want to? And, can Garrett change his ways for a second chance with Charlotte, who may just be the perfect fit for him?

EXCERPT

I stand but hesitate when I see Tamika’s disapproving look. Fi notices as well. “It’s okay, T. I got this,” she says, motioning for me to follow her back. When we get to her small office, she closes the door and gestures for me to sit on a red vinyl chair, circa 1972. She stands in front of me, leaning against the desk, and crosses her arms in front of her chest. “Spill!”

“Where should I start?”

“At the beginning.” She walks around to her chair behind the desk and pulls out a yellow legal pad.

For the next half hour, I go over my encounter with Garrett, from the moment we bumped into each other and he didn’t recognize me, to the embarrassment of being called ‘Glasses.’

Fi takes notes furiously on her pad and grins, nods, and cringes at all the appropriate times. When I finish, she puts her pen down and asks, “Do you want the ‘best friend experience’ or the ‘brilliant legal mind experience’?”

I can’t help but laugh. “Are they mutually exclusive?”

“They are,” she says nodding.

“Okay. I want the best friend experience.”

She rushes around from behind the desk, wraps her arms around me soothingly. “I’m so sorry, hon. That sounds just awful. Let’s go get margaritas tomorrow and drown our sorrows in tequila and lime wedges.”

“Thanks, Fi. You’re the best.”

“Anytime,” she says, rubbing my back. She pulls away and walks around to the back of her desk. She sits down and puts the legal pad to the side. I can’t help but notice the writing scrawled across it.

“Just for kicks, what would you have said if I had asked for the ‘brilliant legal mind experience’?”

“You sure you want to know?” Her lips pull into a grim line. Honestly, I’m not sure I do want to know, but curiosity gets the better of me.

“Lay it on me,” I say.

“You need to get laid. Not the kind of bland, missionary style sex you had with Alex. You need hot heat, sweating up the sheets, crazy animal sex.”

I bust out laughing. “That’s your brilliant legal advice. Crazy animal sex?”

“Yes. That’s my brilliant legal advice,” she says with complete seriousness. “Listen, hon, it’s been a year since that insecure jerk Keane dumped you. I have no doubt it’s been even longer since you’ve, well, you know.” She wags her eyebrows up and down. “Before that, you only seriously dated Travis the cheater and Alex who, let’s face it, despite being completely gonzo for you, was a cold fish and a bore. It’s time to stop comparing every man to this fantasy of Garrett Stephens and just do it with him to get it out of your system. He asked you out for Saturday night. Go! Enjoy!”

“I don’t compare every man to Garrett,” I snap at her.

“Don’t you?” she asks, looking down at me sternly.

“I’m offended you even suggested that.” She looks at me, her sharp eyes boring into me, like she can read my every thought and knows I’m full of it. I imagine this is how she bears down on witnesses on the stand. I don’t like being on the receiving end of that look.

“Even if that’s true,” I start and she nods her head, “and I’m not conceding it is.” I point my finger at her. “Even if he did mean to ask me out, there’s no way it’s a good idea. He’s a total player. It would only be one night of fun and I don’t think I could get over that kind of hurt.”

“Then you need to get over it now. Sorry for the tough love, hon, but you need to move past the fantasy of this man and find someone passionate and amazing who is deserving to love you for all of the great things you have to offer including your messed-up childhood and your incredible success today.”

**Click HERE to see watch the book trailer!

**Get your copy of “Links” now!: Amazon   Kobo

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INTERVIEW

Tell us about your newest release: A light-hearted, second chance romance, Links explores what happens when nerdy girl Charlotte Windham reconnects with her unrequited schoolgirl crush, star athlete Garrett Stephens, 15 years after high school.

Did you have an unrequited crush in high school? I’m not too ashamed to admit I had such a fierce crush on a boy, I willingly sat with him in the bathroom at parties while he puked up wine coolers, just so I could spend time with him. Thankfully, that soul-crushing time in my life in over, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I came upon that secret crush today as a confident, successful woman.

Can you tell us more about the main character(s)? Charlotte Windham was a typical ugly duckling in high school — glasses and all. Highly intelligent and immensely talented, she’s become a breakout success with her best-selling novel, The Crossing Guard.  In school, she harbored an unrequited crush on Garrett Stephens, the teen heartthrob and star athlete who’s gone on to become a professional golfer suffering a possible career-ending injury. The book explores what happens when these two former classmates have a chance encounter in a Los Angeles restaurant, 15 years after high school. With the upper hand, can Charlotte forgive Garrett for his past ways, and for his more recent Don Juan lifestyle? Will she even want to? And, can Garrett change his ways for a second chance with Charlotte, who may just be the perfect fit for him?

Imagine Links would be turned into a movie, who would you cast for the main characters? I would love to see someone with the emotional range and depth of Maggie Gyllenhaal to play Charlotte. I think she could make her come across as vulnerable, successful, intelligent and passionate. For Garrett, we would need someone who is classically handsome and oozes charm. Matt Bomer, who pulled that off perfectly on White Collar comes to mind.  If he’s not available, let’s just say, I would love to be at the casting call for that role.

You have also published other books, can you tell us more about them? I’m most known for the Click trilogy comprised of Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click.  The series follows a young woman’s search for love online in Los Angeles with the entire series unfolding in emails between our heroine, her friends and her hilarious dates. Fraught with BCC’s, FWD’s and inadvertent Reply to All’s, readers will cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends. And ultimately, they will root for Renee to “click” with the right man.

What do you have in the works? I’ve just wrapped up a contemporary romance called Starfish, which examines the unlikely relationship between a regular girl and a touring guitarist in a band. When it comes to romance, you just can’t pass up the idea of falling in love with a rock star.

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**About the author: Lisa Becker is a romance writer whose previous novels include Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click. The books, about a young woman’s search for love online in Los Angeles, have been called, “a fast read that will keep you entertained,” “a fun, quick read for fans of Sex and the City,” and “hard to put down.” The first in the series was optioned for a major motion picture.

Lisa’s writings about online dating have been featured in Cupid’s Pulse, GalTime.com, Single Edition, The Perfect Soulmate, Chick Lit Central and numerous other book blogs and websites.

As Lisa’s grandmother used to say, “For every chair, there’s a rush.” Lisa is now happily married to a man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for anyone!

**Contact Lisa: Website   Facebook   Goodreads   Instagram   Goodreads