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Women's Fiction

RELEASE BLITZ: “The Puppetmaster” by Linnea May

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Title: The Puppetmaster
Author: Linnea May
Genre: Dark Billionaire Romance
Release Date: September 25, 2019



Blurb

I don’t just train. I don’t just own. I make them dance.

My name makes their hearts beat with desire and their skin tickle with sweet fear—a name spoken in hushed voices, hot craving lacing every syllable.

They call me The Puppetmaster.
And when I’m on the hunt, they come running—willing to serve at my feet.

But I’m a cruel Master, and highly selective.
Not just anyone can become my puppet.

I know she can. I’ve known for a long time.

Yet, my heart almost stops when I see her name on the list.
Because this is not how it was supposed to happen.
Not now. Not like this.

Alena Prey—your name may imply otherwise, but you’re no easy take. Even for me. 
You wreak havoc with a plan I’ve had for years, but it won’t stop me from reaching my goal—a goal that you’re destined to be a part of.

Don’t even try to cut the strings, my puppet.
For you’ll be the last to dance for me.







Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio


Linnea May loves to read and write about strong alpha men with loaded bank accounts and skeletons in their closets. Her heroes are as sexy and beautiful as they are broken – only to be fixed by the smart & captivating heroines who cross their paths.

 Originally from Europe, Linnea currently tries to befriend the lively squirrels in Rhode Island. ❤


Author Links

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EXCERPT: “Bridge to Eternity” by Romola Farr

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“Bridge to Eternity” by Romola Farr

Blurb: Audrey, recently widowed, is not saying why she left her comfortable home in the south of England to move into an old school boarding house on the edge of a moor. Tina, a young estate agent, is concerned for Audrey’s safety as she believes the folklore about a schoolboy who never went home. Property developers, annoyed at losing a site ripe for demolition, make plans to encourage Audrey to sell. Malcolm, a charming widower, brings a welcome light into Audrey’s life until it shines into a very dark corner…

EXCERPT

At the bottom of the stairs, steaming mug of cocoa in hand, Audrey looked up into the dark above and thought about the man she had met with the injured back. In the belief that houses reflect the spirit of the owner, Audrey put on a brave smile and placed her foot on the first step, which groaned in protest under her weight. Very soon, she would appreciate that the old house creaked and howled at any excuse, whether it was from her weight on the stairs or from the wind that would often cut across the moor and whip the angular building on its way through the town. 

Despite switching on all the lights, the impregnable shadows conspired to play tricks with her mind, helped by the accompanying creak of the floorboards. She wanted to hurry up the stairs to the cosy refuge of the top dormitory room, but she didn’t want to spill her hot drink, so the climb was eerily creepy and slow. The house was cold, and although at this time of night, since the death of her husband, she always felt alone, she also felt a kind of presence that almost gave her comfort. Her rational mind laughed at herself, and she was smiling as she entered the top dormitory. Maybe she had been mad choosing a room so far from the nearest lavatory, but it was easily the cosiest. In time, she would move to another, larger room but, for now, this one suited her best. 

She slipped out of her clothes and took masochistic pleasure in the cold biting into her thin flesh. She kept her vest on and slipped her nightdress over the top. Her phone was her link with the outside world, and she looked around for a plug socket for her charger. She found a Bakelite socket that was on the lighting circuit, designed for turning on table lamps from a wall switch, but her modern plug was the wrong size for the small, rounded holes. She moved a couple of beds and located a single, wall-mounted socket that had the contemporary rectangular holes. She plugged in her phone, turned off the centre light and climbed into the narrow bed with its strangely comforting lumpy mattress. She took a deep breath and laughed at her situation; she was lying on an old iron bed in a freezing room in a creaky house in an unfamiliar town and had not a clue what was going to transpire over the coming weeks. 

With her eyes closed and the room lit only by a full moon, Audrey wrapped the thin blankets around her frame and drifted off to sleep. A cloud blotted out the moon, and the dormitory became almost pitch black. 

A few minutes later, she stirred and opened her eyes but couldn’t see a thing. She rolled onto her side and let sleep envelop her once again. The moon reappeared from behind the cloud and cast a small, human shadow on the far wall.

Purchase Links: 

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridge-Eternity-Romola-Farr-ebook/dp/B07PPPTQZ5

US – https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Eternity-Romola-Farr-ebook/dp/B07PPPTQZ5

**About Romola Farr: I started my working life in the theatre and was very lucky to find myself on the West End stage in a hit play at the age of 16. My career and life nearly ended there as I was knocked down by a car on the way home one Saturday night. I recovered and went on to be quite a successful photographic model. Later, when that part of my career did die, I turned to writing and made quite a good living writing screenplays, making films, and writing advertising copy for a marketing company. A few years ago I entered a short-story competition and fell in love with prose and knew I had to tell my own story within a fictional framework. At the moment I am hiding behind a nom de plume.

**Click HERE to find Romola on Twitter!

COVER REVEAL: “London Royal Duet” by Nana Malone

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Title: London Royal
Series: London Royal Duet #1
Author: Nana Malone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Staci Hart
Release Date: October 22, 2019



Blurb

Rich. 
Entitled. 
Possessive pain in my ass. 
I know exactly what I don’t want. 

I escaped to London under the cover of night, never thinking I’d run smack into a man who would turn me inside out. 

I had a plan. Simple, really. 

Step one: Follow my dream, away from from the demons of my past. 
Step two: Land on my own two feet, preferably far, far, away from the man who hurt me and broke my heart. 
Step three: Live a little and avoid all men with dark secrets. 

So far, I’m not doing so hot. 

He’s a royal amongst peasants, and the last kind of trouble I need–a filthy rich alpha who can see straight into my soul. Our secrets hold us both captive.

Something tells me I’ll be powerless to stop his magnetic pull, especially when he tells me I’m going to be his, damn the consequences. 


ADD TO GOODREADS





Pre-order Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU




Title: London Soul
Series: The London Royal Duet #2
Author: Nana Malone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Staci Hart
Release Date: November 19, 2019



Blurb

Before her, I was: 

Rich. 
Entitled. 
A possessive pain in the ass. 

Who am I kidding? I still am.

Love wasn’t for me. 
I’d come to terms with that a long time ago.

And then I met her. I was this close to freedom. But one look at her and I was caught in a web I could’t escape. One I didn’t want to escape.

But then someone took her from me. Now they’ll find out just how far I’m willing to go to get her back.

To save the woman I love, all I need to do is expose my secrets. Secrets that will have consequences for her and the crown.


ADD TO GOODREADS



Pre-order Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU






Author Bio


USA Today Bestselling Author, NANA MALONE’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin on a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana at a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since.

With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters. Waiting for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana, meantime works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

The books in her series have been on multiple Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble best seller lists as well as the iTunes Breakout Books list and most notably the USA Today Bestseller list.

Until that ninja job comes through, you’ll find Nana working hard on additional books for her series as well as other fun, sassy romances for characters that won’t leave her alone. And if she’s not working or hiding in the closet reading, she’s acting out scenes for her husband, daughter and puppy in sunny San Diego.

Want to hit me up? Just email me:
nana@nanamaloneromance.com


Author Links


RELEASE BLITZ: “Ruined With You” by J. Kenner

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he needs him, and her body won’t let her forget it.

Ruined With You, an all-new installment in the Stark Security series of standalones, from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, is available now!

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When her high maintenance boss is assaulted, manager Xena Morgan contacts the only person who can help—the sexy, arrogant, incredibly capable Stark Security agent Liam Foster. The former vigilante takes every case personally, and he’s determined to find answers—particularly since he thought he’d cleared this threat already.

Xena had been thrilled when Liam completed his assignment, because he affected her in ways she didn’t want to contemplate, awakening yearnings that threatened her deepest secrets.

But now she needs him, and her body won’t let her forget it.

As their attraction heats to a feverish degree, the web of lies, danger, and passion they find themselves in tangles further. Liam will stop at nothing to protect his client, even if it means sacrificing everything he holds dear … and exposing the secrets that may destroy him—and Xena—forever.

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Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Z2C59V

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2YVXjHg

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/RuinedWithYoujk

Nook: http://bit.ly/2Xdskl8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2DQvTVJ

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2EilpQy

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ZaapM3

About J. Kenner

  1. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

jkenner

Connect with J. Kenner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JKennerBooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliekenner/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-kenner

Stay up to date with J. Kenner by joining her mailing list: http://juliekenner.com/contact/subscribe-to-the-julie-kenner-newsletter/

Website: www.jkenner.com

RELEASE BLITZ: “Cowboy Christmas Redemption” by Maisey Yates

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Title: Cowboy Christmas Redemption
A Gold Valley Novel
Author: Maisey Yates
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 24, 2019



Blurb

As snowflakes fall in Gold Valley, Oregon, will this rugged cowboy finally win the woman of his dreams?

Cowboy Caleb Dalton has loved single mom Ellie Bell, and her little daughter, Amelia, for years. But since Ellie is his best friend’s widow, Caleb’s head knows Ellie will always be strictly off-limits. If only his heart got the memo. So when Caleb discovers that Ellie has a Christmas wish list—and hopes for a kiss under the mistletoe—he’s throwing his cowboy hat into the ring. If anyone’s going to be kissing Ellie and sharing this magical time with her and her daughter, it’s him.

Ellie has dreaded the holidays since losing her husband. But this year, she’s finally ready to make some changes. She never expects the biggest change to be the heart-stopping kiss she shares with Caleb. For almost five years, Caleb has been her best friend, her rock, her salvation. This Christmas, can Caleb prove he’s also the missing puzzle piece of Ellie’s and Amelia’s hearts?







Purchase Links






Excerpt

“But you are… You’re going to run a Christmas tree farm?”
“At least temporarily. Everything’s ready to go now, which means finishing out the year, or the next few years, is guaranteed money in the bank to begin other ventures. There’s contracts already made with outfits around the country, truckers on hand to drive the things to their destinations. And he owns that small lot down on the main street of town. So, I’m all set not only to sell this year’s crop around the country, but also sell it here.”
“But you don’t… You don’t actually want to…be a Christmas tree farmer?”
“My ultimate goal is cattle,” he said.
She’d had no idea. None at all. Not that he wanted his own ranch, not that he’d been unhappy at the school. Was he unhappy at the school? Was he leaving?
“What does this mean for your position at the school?”
“I will be leaving. Which I will be talking to Gabe about later tonight.”
“But…”
“With West Caldwell coming into town, there’s no need for me to hang around. He’s going to be working on the ranch.”
“Your half brother that you’ve never met. That’s put­ting a lot of stock in a man you don’t even know.”
“Gabe figures we owe him. And, since Gabe is awash in guilt over the whole half sibling thing, I fig­ure that works in my favor.”
As much as Ellie loved Hank Dalton, the patriarch of the Dalton clan, it was becoming more and more clear that he was problematic. A couple of years ago it had been discovered that he had a daughter that none of them had known about. McKenna Tate. She’d come into town after discovering the identity of her family, and after some adjusting, the Dalton family had wel­comed her into the full. But on the heels of that revela­tion had come another one.
There were three more children. All adults now.
Hank had never known about them. But Tammy had.
It had changed the relationship, that reveal.
But Hank was awash enough in the guilt from the actions in his past, that the two of them were trying to work through it to an extent. And Ellie really hoped that they did. For some selfish reasons, if she was honest. Because she loved them, and they were the closest thing to a family for her, and she didn’t want to lose them.
“But… Don’t you want to wait and see if it’s going to work out?”
“No,” Caleb said. “I don’t want to work at the school forever. This is what I want.”
That made her…angry and she couldn’t figure out exactly why. He deserved to have dreams; of course he did. But she’d just…assumed he was happy with the way things were. She’d somehow meshed his dreams together with hers.
Had decided that what she was doing with his fam­ily ranch, with the school, was what he wanted, too.
But if she didn’t feel great about him fighting fires anymore, maybe he didn’t, either. And she’d never asked. She’d only thought about it in terms of her own comfort. That wasn’t right at all.
Still, the idea of him having his own endeavors, his own life farther away from her and not right all around her while they worked…
She needed him. She really had. She still did.
She didn’t like this…this change. But she should be happy for him, and it made her feel… She felt bad. And she didn’t like feeling bad about something that was good for her friend.
“I’d… Well, congratulations,” she said. Even though she didn’t feel like congratulating him at all. She felt like having a tantrum.
She really didn’t know why.
“Thank you,” he said, his mouth quirking up into a half smile that made it very clear he was well aware she wasn’t having the best reaction to his news.
“I’ll miss seeing you.” The words more plaintive than she intended.
“I’m not moving away,” he said.
“Yeah, but I see you all the time,” she protested.
“You will still see me all the time.”
“But you won’t be dropping Amelia off when I want you to.”
“Probably not.”
Her stomach twisted, but that wasn’t what was up­setting her. She knew it wasn’t.
And then it hit her, as strongly as that melancholy had when she’d realized it was nearly the Christmas season.
This phase of life was over.
The one where he was here to carry her. Where she had a crutch to get her through what life looked like without Clint. Being a single mother.
It was changing.
It had begun to change months ago, when the idea for the school had come about. She had gone back to work.
But she’d been a fledgling, and he’d been there to help her.
Maybe she needed to make some changes, too.
Maybe, instead of dreading Christmas, she needed to get started on her wish list.



Author Bio


USA TODAY Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.

RELEASE BLITZ: “A Wedding in December” by Sarah Morgan

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Title: A Wedding in December
Author: Sarah Morgan
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 24, 2019



Blurb

This funny, charming and heartwarming new Christmas novel is USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan at her festive best!

In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland.

Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans…

Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived—how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget!

“Morgan’s gently humorous aesthetic will leave readers feeling optimistic and satisfied.” – Publishers Weekly on A WEDDING IN DECEMBER







Purchase Links







Coming Soon

AMAZON UK

Releasing October 31, 2019

AMAZON AU

Releasing October 21, 2019





Excerpt

“I wouldn’t miss the wedding for anything.” Katie needed to meet Dan in person and figure out a way to save her sister from herself. And if she managed it early on in the week, then they might still all be home in time to spend Christmas in Honey­suckle Cottage.
With luck, her mother would be too focused on Rosie to notice that anything was wrong with Katie. “I can’t wait to be Bridesmaid of Honor, or whatever the correct title is. Don’t dress me in purple polyester, that’s all I ask. I don’t want static shock. And don’t spend too much money.” Because this wedding isn’t happening. She turned as the door opened and Mike walked into the room. “I need to go. I’m at work.”
“I’m proud of you. Katie. I tell everyone my big sister is a doctor.”
Big sister is falling apart.
She was a fraud. “Go. Have fun, but not so much fun you forget your inhalers.”
“Katie—”
“I know. I’m the inhaler police. Party. Live life. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She ended the call and slid her feet back into her shoes.
Mike raised an eyebrow. “Nothing like giving out advice you don’t take yourself. When did you last party and live life?”
“I’m partying in my mind. I’m at a virtual party right now.”
“Does that come with a virtual hangover? Who is getting married?”
“My sister. In less than four weeks.”
“This is the sister who is studying fairy tales?”
Katie winced. “I might have overdone that joke. She’s study­ing Celtic languages, myth and folklore at a certain Ivy League college. She would claim it contributes to the understanding of the culture and beliefs of society. It has been the subject of many lively arguments round the dinner table. She really is super smart, but I still think of her as my little sister and I overdo the teasing.” She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “It feels like yesterday I was reading her board books.”
“Big age difference?”
“Ten years. I think my parents had given up on having an­other child, and then Rosie arrived.”
“And you were hit by a massive dose of sibling jealousy?”
“What?” Katie stared at him. “No. I adored her. Right from the first moment I saw her funny little hairless head.” She thought about Rosie, an adorable toddler, following her every­where. Rosie in her favorite dinosaur pajamas. Rosie turning blue with an asthma attack. “I confess I might be a tad overprotective, which is why I’m flying to Colorado to meet this guy.”
“You haven’t met him?”
“No. And don’t look at me that way. I’m already freaked out. They’ve known each other a couple of months. What can you know about someone in a few months? What if he’s a gambler, or a narcissist? He could be a psychopath. Maybe a serial killer.”
He leaned against the door and folded his arms. “Dr. Doom. Always the optimist.”
“I am not Dr. Doom. I am Dr. Reality, thanks to the years I’ve spent working here. Having the realities of life under your nose tends to cure optimism. There are no certainties in this life, we both know that.”
“All the more reason to grab the happy moments that come your way. Maybe a couple of weeks enjoying outdoor living and breath­ing in mountain air will be good for you.”
“Maybe.” Blocking out his concerned look, she let the door swing closed behind her.
She didn’t care about outdoor living. She didn’t care about mountain air. She didn’t even care about a white Christmas.
She was flying to Colorado for one reason, and one reason only.
She was going to stop her sister’s wedding.



Author Bio


USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.  Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com.

RELEASE BLITZ: “Catch Me Twice” by Charmaine Pauls

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Title: Catch Me Twice
Author: Charmaine Pauls
Genre: Second Chance Romance
Release Date: September 24, 2019



Blurb

If a man tells you he’s no good for you, best heed the warning. I learned the hard way. I had Jake Basson’s baby. He left to chase his dream. Now he’s back, demanding a second chance, but why should I give him anything after four years of nothing? No correspondence, no news. I finally have my life back on track. Jake has never been uncomplicated. He never follows the rules. I should’ve known he’d play dirty. He caught me once. I’m not going to let him catch me twice.

(Disclosure: This story contains cheating. HEA guaranteed.)





Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS






Author Bio

Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchestroom, and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions.

After relocating to Chile with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published over twenty novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles. Two of her shorts have been selected by the International Literary Society for an anthology from across the African continent.

When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and rescue cats. Charmaine currently lives in France with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.


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RELEASE BLITZ: “Cocky Player” by Stacey Lynn

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Cocky Player, an all-new standalone sports romance from Stacey Lynn is now live!

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Like most guys I have a type— she wasn’t mine. Not at all.

The angelic beauty on the dance floor has innocence written all over her. But I can’t stay away. And when she runs from me, leaving me wanting more, I can’t get her out of my head.

Turns out finding her won’t be too hard. My mystery virgin is the new marketing assistant for the Rough Riders Football team. And the owner’s daughter.

She wants to lose her virginity and she’s come to me for one thing, and one thing only. I’ll gladly help her out, but we have to be careful no one discovers us.

The last thing I need is for my boss to find out I’ve been teaching his baby girl all my dirtiest plays.

But I didn’t get to be MVP by playing by the rules.

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Download your copy today!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/cockyplayer Apple Books: https://apple.co/2YMZhJW Nook: http://bit.ly/30eGLqc Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lXGmt7 Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/31LZSZ7

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About the Author

When Stacey Lynn isn’t conquering mountains of laundry and fighting a war against dust bunnies and cracker crumbs, you can find her playing with her children, curled up on the couch with a good book, or behind closed doors, imagining the next adventures she’ll soon write.

She lives off her daily pot of coffee, can only write with a bowlful of Skittles nearby, and has been in love with romance novels since before she could drive herself to the library.

Stacey Lynn lives with her husband and children in North Carolina.

If you would like to know more about Stacey Lynn, follow her here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/staceylynnbooks

Twitter: @staceylynnbooks

Instagram: www.instagram.staceylynn.author

Website: http://www.staceylynnbooks.com

Stay up to date on Stacey’s latest news! Subscribe to her Newsletter today! http://www.staceylynnbooks.com/contact

RELEASE BLITZ: “Freedom” by J.L. Drake

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Title: Freedom
Series: Blackstone #3
Author: J.L. Drake
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Genre: Military Romance/Suspense
Release Date: September 24, 2019



Blurb

Freedom

Rain pelted my face as I pushed through the roar of the storm.

Deep in the belly of Mexico, my team and I were on the hunt. One of the cartel’s mules flipped and wanted a ticket to freedom. The information they held could be our game-changer.  
  
Returning home to a civilian lifestyle was always an adjustment, even if it was temporary. However, a chance encounter with Catalina Mandas made that transition a little bit easier. She was sweet, sexy, feisty, and saw me for who I was. She completely captivated me. 

But Catalina warned me that we could never be together, that her past and mine could never coexist. Secrets were standing in our way, but I wasn’t willing to let her go that easily.
  
Back on a mission, and possibly one of the biggest rescues Blackstone has ever pulled off, I collided with one of my biggest nightmares. 

And now, two things will be tested…

Trust and freedom.







Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





Excerpt

Mike

The music was loud, and the place was packed. It definitely wasn’t my comfort zone, but the guys wanted to blow off some steam after the last trip. So here I was, towering over most everyone, in a dance bar. I stood in the corner and watched people’s faces for any sign of aggression or for any sudden movement that could possibly mean a fight would follow. I had an urge to manhandle someone, and that wasn’t good. Maybe I’d just been spending too much time with Trigger. In his world, the law was just a word and not something to follow.
Oh, that reminds me.
“Cole.” I signaled for him to follow me. I led him outside to the poorly lit patio where a bouncer checked kids’ IDs.
“What’s up?” He downed a bottle of water and tossed it into a can.
“I just spent some time with Trigger.” I saw and understood Cole’s discomfort with the topic. He knew Trigger and I had a past, and he made the effort to respect that. It was important to me to keep my friendship with him. Cole knew Trigger and I were a lot more alike than most realized.
“How’s he doing?”
“Good. I know he carries his uncle’s death on his shoulders, but he’ll bounce back.”
“Mm,” Cole grunted. None of us were shy on the topic of death.
“He gave me this.” I handed him the scrap of paper. “It’s the location of Salvador’s summer house.” Cole smiled wryly at my description. Thesummer house was where Salvador kept his drugs and where his crew cut and bagged it for distribution.
“How legit is this?” He pulled out his phone.
“If Trigger gave it to me, it’s legit.”
Cole nodded his agreement and held his phone to his ear. “Tell him thanks.” He hit my arm and headed down the road for some privacy. “Frank, I’ve got something for you.”
I sagged against the cool bricks and closed my eyes, needing a moment to shake off Luna’s death. Now the hunt for her sister was that much larger. Poor Martina was a mess when we’d left her at the safe house. 
Fuck the cartel!
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I thought about ignoring it. It wasn’t until the fourth buzz that I gave in.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Banner.” My mother greeted me with my childhood nickname. “Are you still coming by tomorrow? You never answered my text.”
Damn! I rubbed my head and tried to slip back into this life. It was hard to go from scaling cliffs and scoping out a kill to doing laundry and attending your sister’s birthday party.
“Sorry, Mom.” I turned my back to the bar door. I had completely forgotten about my sister’s birthday. “Yeah, I’ll be there. Four, right?”
“Okay, good.” She paused. “What’s wrong?”
“Just a hard week.”
“Well, you come by and let your mama take care of you.”
I grinned like a child. No matter how old I got, she still loved to care for me.
“Are the rest of the boys coming?”
“Mark mentioned about leaving a day early, but I think he just wants to find an excuse to get out of his son’s friend’s birthday party.”
“Well, you tell Marky he’s more than welcome. We always have extra food.”
“I will.” I chuckled. I knew all I had to do was mention a barbecue and Mark would be game. “Love you.”
“Love you more, Banner. Night.”
I slipped my phone back in my pocket and began to head inside when I heard someone softly curse behind me. I turned slowly to find a girl on her phone. The lighting was poor where she was standing, so I couldn’t get a good look at her face, but her long, lean legs under her black skin-tight dress did catch my attention. Her sexy curves had me moving closer.
“You need to call me back, Javier.” Her Hispanic accent was there, but you could tell she had spent a lot of time learning English. “And I want the camera back that you stole!” She brushed at her hair like she was upset. “You just…I need to know where you are.” She dropped her arm and swung around but jumped as she saw me.
“Sorry.” I raised my hands to show I wasn’t a threat. I’d learned through time that even when I was trying to be kind, people saw me as scary. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
Her shoulders sagged as she sighed. “It’s fine,” she said, trying to be nice. “Just a shitty night.”
“I hear ya on that one.”
Her gaze shot up to mine, and I saw the fire that smoldered behind her hazel eyes. She squinted and seemed to really look at me for the first time. For whatever reason, she reined herself back, and the embers faded from those eyes. I found myself wanting to fan the flames so I could see it again, but I left the thought alone.
“Rough night with your mom?” She snickered.
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. She must have spotted me when she left the bar.
“You always listen to other people’s phone calls?”
“I could say the same about you,” she shot back. “You were in my spot.”
“Spot?” I stepped a little closer, feeling like it was all right to do so, before I leaned my weight into the pole and hunkered down.
She tucked her phone into her tiny purse and folded her arms like she was chilly. “Yes. It’s one of the only well-lit spots around this dive of a bar. The place creeps me out.”
I nodded. She was right. The place did cast a lot of shadows.
“So, imagine my surprise when I go to step outside and see you,” she dragged her finger in the air, gesturing up the length of me, “in my spot chatting away to your mother.” She couldn’t help but smirk again. 
The look on her face told me she was intrigued by me, and I kind of enjoyed that.
“Well, you’re in the one percent that didn’t turn away screaming.”
“You exaggerate, but why would I scream?” She seemed genuinely curious.
I held out my arms so she could get a good look. “What do you see when you look at me?”
She paused as she took me in. “I don’t know you.”
“I know, but first impressions matter, so tell me what you see.”
“Okay.” She stepped a little closer, which drew her into the light. My stomach twisted when I took in her slim body, long dark-brown hair that curled to the bottom of her back, slender legs, and a face that made my world tilt for just a moment. 
“Stand,” she commanded like she took it seriously.






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Author Bio

Bestselling author J. L. Drake was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to Southern California where she lives with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, she loves to spend time with her family, travelling or just enjoying a night at home. One thing you might notice in her books is her love for the four seasons. Growing up on the east coast of Canada the change in the seasons is in her blood and is often mentioned in her writing.

An avid reader of James Patterson, J.L. Drake has often found herself inspired by his many stories of mystery and intrigue.

 She hopes you will enjoy her stories as much as she has enjoyed writing them.



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