Blogtour: I Know How This Ends by Imogen Markwell-Tweed

 

I Know How This Ends

by Imogen Markwell-Tweed

Genre: Sweet M/M Paranormal Romance

Alone in the woods of West Virginia, Tabbris lives a quiet life. He tends to his garden and communes with the bees and feels the presence of holiness in his every small, humble action. A fallen angel with the ability to see the future, Tabbris tries his best to stay out of humanity’s sight.

In L.A., Daniel is the life of the party. Loud, abrasive, desperate for approval and companionship, Daniel never sits still — and he’s never alone.

When Daniel gets a large research grant to investigate cryptids, he sets off for West Virginia. What he thought would be a good prank and a fun conference paper turns out to be an adventure he never saw coming.

Tabbris’s quiet life is uprooted by a mysterious man falling across the borders of time and into his front yard. Daniel is not supposed to be here! But there’s something intriguing about this man, beyond his surprising appearance and penchant for mythological creatures. When Daniel keeps showing up, Tabbris is plagued by the possibilities that the man ignites in him.

The only problem is that Tabbris can see the future. And he already knows how much pain they have in store. He knows how this ends.

**Only .99 cents!!**

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EXCERPT

There’s a distinction in Tabbris’s life that can easily be split into two: before Daniel and after. 

He didn’t mean for that to happen. But the man’s ability to walk straight into his house, no care or consideration for how he’s slipped between two half fragments of time, is curious. And Tabbris is a lot of things — but he’s curious, firstly.

Daniel comes nearly every day. Sometimes, he brings bread or cakes. Other times, he comes with books or little square devices that play music that Tabbris has pretends to know about. Every day, Daniel comes bearing a small smile that is tenfold felt in the stretching soul in his chest, and every day, he doesn’t ask a single question… well, no questions except:

“Seriously? Seriously. Your name is… Tabbris? Like, your God-given name is Tabbris.”

Tabbris has to bite really hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at that. Daniel doesn’t understand just how God-given his name truly is. 

“Seriously,” he confirms.

Daniel laughs. Tabbris really likes Daniel’s laugh.

Tonight, Daniel had shown up later than normal. So late, in fact, that Tabbris had thought perhaps Daniel just wasn’t coming today. They’d only met a week ago and had already spent five days together, and Tabbris was reluctant to admit how disappointed he’d felt when he thought that Daniel wasn’t coming. But then, he did show up, a little drunk and with a six pack of beer, and the delight Tabbris had felt in that was… remarkable, to say the least.

Tabbris has always enjoyed living on Earth. God’s greatest creation — the most bountiful and interesting and plush of all the worlds that Tabbris has ever seen — Earth brought great joy to Tabbris during his extended stay. But he hadn’t realized how little true delight he’d felt on Earth.

In Heaven, God was delight. To be in His presence was always delightful. But Tabbris is only a shadow of an angel now, and this delight is likely only a shadow of that true feeling. Still, it’s more than he’s had in six hundred years, and he’s grateful for it.

Even if the source of that delight is currently laughing at him for his silly, angelic name.

“I Googled it.”

Tabbris doesn’t know what that means. But like most human conventions that he’s unsure about, he merely lifts an eyebrow and makes a low humming noise in his throat that conveys curiosity but not confusion. He’s become extremely practiced with it since meeting Daniel.

“The angel of self-determination.” Daniel clicks his tongue, shaking his head. “Your parents really had it out for you, huh?”

Blogtour: Painted Lace by KM Neuhold

Painted Lace

K.M. Neuhold

M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: 10.09.20

 

Austin never realized he was painting his life with shades of gray, until Keaton came along and injected a rainbow of color.

Keaton is a tornado of chaos and paint, which turns out to be more exciting than I ever would’ve imagined. I love my organized, predictable life...or at least I thought I did. But what started as a casual hookup is slowly becoming so much more, and I find myself loving the beautiful mess more than I expected.

 Can two people so different really make it work once feelings get involved?

**** This story was originally published as Kiss and Run in the Valentine’s Inc series. It has since undergone significant changes and doubled in length. 

Universal Link

Excerpt

As I take the place in, my eyes land on the canvas in the center of the living room. It must be what he was working on before I showed up. I take a step closer, enthralled by the painting instantly.

“You’re an artist?” I ask stupidly. 

“I am.” He follows me into the living room.

Taking a closer look at the painting, two bodies come into view, writhing together in a colorful blur.

“That’s not art, it’s sex,” I accuse with amusement. 

“Art is sex and sex is art,” he corrects.

“Is it?” I tear my eyes from the canvas to look at Keaton. He nods, taking a step closer, pressing his small, slender body against me. 

“The shapes our bodies make, all the lines and shadows, it’s beautiful. And that moment, that single moment when you’re at your most alive, when it’s instantly clear that this is the meaning of life. There’s nothing left but to feel.” He lets the sentence and the image hang in the air for a moment. “That moment is where art comes from.”

I swallow, suddenly aware that I may be in slightly over my head with Keaton and unwilling to do a damn thing to put the brakes on at this point. 

“I’m not sure I understand; I may need you to show me,” I tease, my voice going deep and gravelly. 

Keaton throws his head back and laughs, his body vibrating against me in an addicting way. 

“Let’s go then.” He gestures to the hallway a few feet away, and I lead the way. 

His bedroom is much like the rest of his apartment, in need of some work but with a personality of its own. His bed sits on the floor rather than up on a bed frame, but the sheets look clean enough. There’s a milk crate next to the bed with a lamp perched on it, along with a joint and a lighter. 

“You want?” he asks, picking up the joint and placing it between his lips. The pucker of those bowed lips fills my mind with filthy thoughts.

Blogtour: Imaginary Lover by Morgan Brice

Imaginary Lover 

by Morgan Brice

Beyond the Realm: Remember, Book 8

“There’s no time. Remember your imaginary lover....”

Cory Caldwell woke up by the side of the road with no memory of how he got there. He pieces together who he is but has no idea what happened to him.

Dark visions haunt him—flashes of blood, magic, and a brutal fight. Scorching dreams of a faceless lover offer no clues. His gut warns that something urgent is eluding him, and that time is running out. Worse is the sense of bone-deep grief, as if Cory is missing part of his soul.

Desperate for answers, he hops a bus for Fox Hollow, a town famous for psychics, mediums, and those with supernatural abilities. Then a stranger calls Cory by name and casts a furtive glance around him. “There’s no time,” the man says. “I need your help. Remember...” Can Cory unlock his missing memories and rescue the stranger before it’s too late?

Imaginary Lover is full of dangerous magic, hurt/comfort, brave monster hunters, dark curses, sincere psychics, found family, and forever love.

Imaginary Lover is the eighth book in the multi-author series, Beyond the Realm: Remember. Each book is set in its own world and can be read as a standalone novel. Join eight authors on eight very different, romantic, and magical stories as each one writes their own take on the same concept.

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Join us over on Instagram for more of Imaginary Lover!

You can also enter the giveaway on our Instagram post or click here.

 

Excerpt:

He woke lying in tall weeds at the edge of a ditch, with no idea who he was. His head throbbed, and he reached a hand to his temple, expecting to find it bloody, but unbroken skin met his touch.

With a groan, he sat up, squinting when the sunlight hurt his eyes. A forest of tall pines created living walls on either side of a rural secondary highway. He looked around, guessing he’d see a wrecked car that might explain how he got there, but there was no vehicle in sight.

He reached for the familiar lump of a wallet in his back pocket. The scuffed brown leather showed wear. It held more cash than any sane person should carry, no credit cards, and a New York driver’s license for “Cory Cox.”

I guess that’s me.

The name didn’t feel quite right, but Cory had no basis for argument. He stared at the picture of a blond man in his early twenties with short hair, a square jaw, and piercing green eyes. Without a mirror nearby, Cory figured he’d have to take the license’s word for what he looked like.

He glanced down at himself and noticed dirt, grass stains, and some dark spots on his jeans. His denim shirt seemed clean enough, and he hoped he looked presentable.

I didn’t get robbed. So why am I here? And...where am I?

Blogtour: Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

Black Witch Magic

by Mila Nicks

Publication date: October 30th 2020

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long…

Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Cory. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna…

When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpt

It was like Noelle read her mind from halfway across town. She video called at that exact moment. Selene rolled her eyes before she answered. 

“You didn’t think I was gonna forget, did you?” 

“You never do—not where my dating life’s concerned. But I’m glad you called. I almost just put on another pair of jeans.”

Noelle’s eyes twinkled, framed by her thick false lashes. “We’re gonna have you looking fine tonight. Guaranteed. Give me a tour of the closet.”

Selene waved her fingers and her phone drifted on its own toward the racks. The camera hovered over each article of clothing for Noelle’s viewing pleasure. Noelle provided commentary when necessary. Almost all of the items were immediate nays. The one yay was from a studded leather jacket tucked away in the bowels of her closet. Selene snatched the phone out of midair and turned it around to herself.

“Noe, that’s your jacket, remember? You left it here last time you slept over.”

“I thought that looked too cute to be in your closet.” Noelle snorted out a laugh and then caught herself half a second too late. “Errr, I mean…we can build an outfit around that. It’s a real statement piece!”

“I’m not wearing a studded leather jacket,” said Selene, brows raised. “Too Fonz from Happy Days.”

“You’re right. Not your style. Okay, can I look at the back of the closet again? What was that LBD on the last hanger?”

Blogtour: Claiming The Rancher's Heir by Maisey Yates

Please join us in welcoming Maisey Yates with 

Claiming The Rancher's Heir

Gold Valley Vineyards #2

a Harlequin Desire title

Arrogant, infuriating, insufferable… And the sexiest man she’s ever met.

Wren Maxfield hates Creed Cooper, but now she’s working with the wealthy rancher over the holidays! Those strong feelings hide undeniable chemistry…and one wild night results in pregnancy. Now Creed vows to claim his heir. That means proposing a marriage in name only. But as desire takes over, is that a deal they can keep?

Includes Rancher’s Wild Secret, a bonus story!

Emerson Maxfield is a sheltered beauty who never steps out of line. Now she must marry her family’s enemy before desire spells downfall for them all…

ISBN: 9781335154002

Price: $7.99

On Sale Date: Nov 10, 2020

Excerpt

Creed Cooper was a cowboy. A rich, successful cowboy from one of the most well-regarded families in Logan County. He also happened to be tall, muscular and in possession of the kind of good looks a lot of women liked.

As a result, nearly nothing—or no one—was off-limits to him.

No one except Wren Maxfield.

Maybe that was why every time he looked at her his hands itched.

To unwind that tight bun from her hair. To make that mouth, which was always flattened in disapproval—at least around him—get soft and sexy and get all over his body. 

And he had that itch a lot, considering he and Wren were the representatives for their respective families’ vineyards. Rivals, in fact.

And she hated him.

She hated him so much that when she saw him her eyes flared with a particular kind of fire.

Fair enough, since he couldn’t really stand her either.

But somehow, years ago, a piece of that dislike inside him had twisted and caught hard in his gut and turned into an intensity of another kind entirely.

He was obsessed.

Obsessed with the idea he might be able to use that fire in her eyes to burn up the sheets between them.

Instead, he had to listen to her heels clicking on the floor as she paced around the showroom of Cowboy Wines, looking like a smug cat, making him wait to hear whatever plan it was she’d come to tell him about.

“Are you listening to me?” she asked suddenly, her green cat eyes getting sharp.

Release Blitz: Liars by Lucy Lennox & May Archer

 

LIARS 

by Lucy Lennox & May Archer

A Licking Thicket Novel, Book 2

 

Parrish Partridge’s True Facts:

There’s nothing hotter than a tall, gruff, bewildered, tattooed mountain of a man cuddling a sweet, orphaned baby, so you can tell yourself that you’ll resist him...

But that’s a lie.

And when that man asks you to do him a favor and pretend to be his very temporary, very fake fiance to help him get custody of that adorable baby, you can pretend you know better than to say yes…

But that’s a lie, too.

And when you actually get to know your kind, strong, pullet-loving prince of a fiance, and all his crazy, lovable, meddling neighbors, you can tell yourself you’re not really falling for Diesel Church and the town of Licking Thicket…

But that might be the biggest lie of all.

Universal Link

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate Lucy & May's release, we are giving away 3 eBook sets of Fakers & Liars!

 Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

 

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Excerpt:

A bloodcurdling wail echoed through the little stairwell, and I froze for a second, then rushed headlong down the steps two at a time, skidding to a halt halfway down the staircase when I found the source of the sound—a wriggling baby in a fuzzy pink sweater who was literally crying herself purple, possibly because the giant, tattooed mountain of a man holding her was growling down at her with a ferocious scowl on his face.   

I gripped my folder tightly and opened my mouth to protest even though the guy was twice my size, when the baby’s cries quieted for half a second and I caught that the man wasn’t growling. He was… singing?

Release Blitz: I Just Need You by J. Nathan

I Just Need You 

by J. Nathan 

Book Details

Release date: October 25

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Romantic Suspense / Bodyguard Romance, Forbidden Romance, hate-to-love romance

Blurb

Kresley

Studying abroad was my chance to gain independence away from my privileged life in California. But, when there’s a kidnapping attempt on my life, I’m forced to return home to finish college. I just never expected to get stuck with a pompous, know-it-all bodyguard who watches my every move with nothing but disdain. One whose good looks don’t soften the cold, impenetrable wall he wears like armor.

Tristan

I pride myself on being a professional and taking my job as a bodyguard seriously. But, nothing could prepare me for the high maintenance, rich girl I’m hired to protect. She’s got a smart mouth, is hell bent on pushing my buttons, and doesn’t take the threats against her seriously. And despite the nightmares that plague her dreams, or the fact that I’m the only one who knows about them, I’m not there to befriend her. I’m there to protect her…no matter how much she intrigues me.

Jabs will be exchanged, glares will become the norm, jealousy will rear its ugly head, and sparks…well those damn things will inevitably fly. But will it all come with a dangerous price?

PURCHASE NOW! 

Amazon Universal / Amazon US / iBooks / Kobo / Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

I climbed off my bed and moved to the door, pressing my ear to it to hear who he was talking to.

“A shadow under the door is a dead giveaway that you’re in there,” a deep voice said.

I looked down at the shadow caused by my feet. Ah hell. I opened the door and my breath caught in my throat.

The guy from the bar was standing in the hallway with Marco.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

He looked at me with those teal eyes but showed no sign of recognition from our run-in outside the men’s room. “Excuse me?”

“We met last night.”

His bottom lip jutted out like he had no idea what I was talking about.

Seriously? He was gonna pretend he didn’t know me and hadn’t insulted me? Well, if that’s how he was gonna play it, so was I. “Now that you mention it…” My eyes moved over his black cargo pants and black T-shirt molded to his broad chest. “The guy I met last night was a lot better looking.” I drank in his dirty blond hair which was more tousled than it had been at the bar, like he’d just woken up. “And, he was taller. And a lot more built.”

“This is my partner, ma’am,” Marco explained.

I glared at Marco. “Kresley.”

Unaffected by my annoyance with his use of ma’am, he continued. “This is Tristan Stone. He’ll be with you when I’m not. We take turns securing locations before you arrive.” He looked to Tristan and leveled him with his eyes. “Like he did last night at the bar.”

I turned my glare to Tristan. Asshole.

He stared back at me, unfazed and not about to apologize for being deceptive.

“We were just discussing the week ahead,” Marco explained to me.

“Oh, great. I have a request.” My eyes moved between them. Tristan was younger and less bulky than Marco, but no less athletic—even though I tried to make him feel less than. “Could you maybe try to look more like college students? The dark clothes make you stand out and, frankly, I don’t want to be known as ‘the girl with the bodyguards’.”

“You are the girl with the bodyguards,” Tristan clipped.

I cocked my head. “It’s a request.”

“Requests don’t have to be granted,” he fired back.

I opened my mouth to respond—

ARC Review: Feel the Fire (Hotshots 3) by Annabeth Albert

When their career paths bring two high school sweethearts together again, the forest isn’t the only thing ablaze…

Fire behavior specialist Luis Riviera goes where his job takes him. But when he’s assigned to an arson investigation in Central Oregon—the place he left his broken heart twenty years ago—he’s afraid of being burned all over again.

Tucker Ryland had planned to join his first love, Luis, in LA after high school graduation, but life got in the way. Now a fire management expert and a divorced father of teen twins, Tucker’s thrown for a loop when he finds himself working side by side with his Luis, now all grown up and more intriguing than ever.

Though consumed by a grueling fire season and family responsibilities, the two men discover their bond has never truly broken. Tentative kisses turn to passionate nights. But smoking sheets aside, old hurts and new truths stand in the way of this time being the start of forever.

Dani's rating:

Feel the Fire has a lot going for it:

🔥 Two mature (mid-30s), likable MCs who actually act their age (men who can apologize and communicate are practically an endangered species in the MM genre)

🔥 Former-best-friends-to-lovers

🔥 Second chances

🔥 literal FIRE (Luis is temporarily transferred to Oregon to conduct an arson investigation)

🔥 metaphorical FIRE (Luis & Tucker are SMOKIN' HOT together!)

🔥 grumpy cat named Blaze

🔥 lower angst, with realistic life problems (the main issue is that Tucker's family is in Oregon, while Luis works and lives in California)

🔥 great secondary characters (I loved Tucker's twins, Walker and Wade; Wade trying to give his dad the "safe sex" talk was hilarious!)

🔥 solid HEA ending

I have a couple minor complaints:

Blogtour: Feel the Fire by Annabeth Albert

Please say hello to Annabeth Albert with

Feel The Fire

Hotshots #3

When their career paths bring two high school sweethearts together again, the forest isn’t the only thing ablaze…

Fire behavior specialist Luis Riviera goes where his job takes him. But when he’s assigned to an arson investigation in Central Oregon—the place he left his broken heart twenty years ago—he’s afraid of being burned all over again.

Tucker Ryland had planned to join his first love, Luis, in LA after high school graduation, but life got in the way. Now a fire management expert and a divorced father of teen twins, Tucker’s thrown for a loop when he finds himself working side by side with his Luis, now all grown up and more intriguing than ever.

Though consumed by a grueling fire season and family responsibilities, the two men discover their bond has never truly broken. Tentative kisses turn to passionate nights. But smoking sheets aside, old hurts and new truths stand in the way of this time being the start of forever.

Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts. Don’t miss the Hotshots series from Annabeth Albert: Burn Zone, High Heat and Feel the Fire.

Length: 336 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Imprint: Carina Press 

eBook On-Sale: October 26, 2020

eBook ISBN & Price: 9781488076855, $4.99 U.S.

MMP On-Sale: October 27, 2020

MMP ISBN & Price: 9781335459527, $8.99 U.S.

Excerpt

“I’m sorry, we’re getting who?” Tucker was usually all about getting through the morning meeting as quickly as possible, and he’d learned through years of working with Fred that too many questions would slow the boss down, lead to tangents and rambles and a lost morning he could have been working. And a lost morning meant being late getting out of here in the afternoon, meant another hasty dinner for him and the twins and grumbles all around. So he made a point of paying attention to the announcements and getting information right the first time, but this time he had to have heard Fred wrong.

“New fire behavior specialist out of California—Angeles National Forest is sending him since we’re still under a hiring freeze and now down to a bare-bones operation. You know all that. You were complaining about overtime last week.”

“I get that we need some more boots on the ground. But I’ve been working as burn boss the last several fires, and Garrick’s coming along too. Would be nice if they’d send us some more admin support and not someone who’s going to expect a leadership role.”

“Don’t get your feathers ruffled. You’re both an asset to incident command, sure, but we need this guy’s fire behavior experience, especially as it pertains to arson. He’s got the analytical skills we can use and the experience to back it up.”

“Glad they’re finally taking the arson suspicions seriously. And what did you say the name was?” That last part was what he really wanted to know. He could deal with the problem of too many chefs in the kitchen, but he could have sworn Fred had said—

“Luis Rivera. Comes to us with great experience.”

“Sounds good.” He managed a nod, even as his head swam. Fuck. Maybe there were a lot of guys with that name in the LA area. Maybe it was some stodgy near-retiree and not the darkest, deepest pair of eyes Tucker had ever known. The voice husky and earnest. The smile he’d never forget.

“Apparently he knows the area at least a little is what his boss told me on the phone.”

And with that, Tucker’s cornflakes and coffee turned to bricks in his stomach, a heavy weight he hadn’t felt in eons. There might be plenty of guys with that name in California but there had only been one Luis Rivera in central Oregon, the one who’d left with Tucker’s heart all those years ago.

“They’re making me go.” Luis’s voice had wavered, first time Tucker had seen him cry since he’d broken his arm back on a fourth grade dare, and even then, he’d been more mad than sad, all sputtering bravado. This was a level of devastation Tucker had never seen from his friend.

His chest hurt, like he was some hapless cartoon character and his heart really had been cleaved in half by this news. Scooting closer, he wrapped an arm around Luis’s slim shoulders, trying to be brave for both of them.

“You could stay with us to finish school. Share my room and—”

“I’m hardly your parents’ favorite person.” Luis’s weighty sigh hit Tucker like that time a swing had slammed into his gut, because he was right. Tucker’s parents weren’t going to come charging in to save the day.

“I’ll wait for you,” he promised.

Only Tucker hadn’t. And if it was that same Luis, well, there wasn’t going to be any avoiding him. As shorthanded as they were, it wasn’t like Tucker could claim some of his mountain of unused vacation days. Fred would want him working closely with this person. But maybe he could figure a way around—

“Should be here any minute.”

Or not. Damn it. He needed time to sort himself out, time he apparently wasn’t going to get because here came Fred’s assistant, Christine, knocking at the conference room door, ushering in…

Release Blitz: Canopy

Title: Canopy

Series: Vivian Chastain, Book One

Author: Liz Faraim

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: October 26, 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 72700

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Contemporary, romance, crime/thriller, lesbian, polyamory, ex-military, bartender, family drama

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Synopsis

Vivian Chastain is an adrenaline addicted veteran, transitioning to civilian life in Sacramento, California. She settles into a new routine while she finishes up college and works as a bartender, covering up her intense anxiety with fake bravado and swagger. All Vivian wants is peace and quiet, but her whole trajectory changes when she stumbles upon a heinous crime in progress and has to fight for her life to get away.

While recovering from the fight, she falls in love with someone who is tall in stature but short on emotional intelligence, and this toxic union provides Vivian the relationship that she thinks she needs. Given Vivian’s insecurities and traumatic past, she clings to the relationship even while it destroys her.

Vivian’s relationships are strained to their breaking points as she continues to seek balance. She turns to her best friend for support, only to be left empty handed and alone until she finds comradery and care from the last person she would have thought.

Excerpt

Canopy
Liz Faraim © 2020
All Rights Reserved

January 2004

Paso Robles, California

Elevation: 14,000 feet AGL

Scott shouted into my ear over the deafening roar of wild, whipping wind and prop engines.

“Okay, Vivian. On the count of three, I want you to take a big step forward and jump!”

Sucking in my breath, I held it as churning wind buffeted my body. Scott’s goatee tickled my ear as he leaned into me again and shouted, “One! Two! Three!”

Just as I began to step forward, Scott’s full body weight pushed against my back and together we teetered on the edge before tipping out of the side door of the tiny Cessna.

In the moment I stepped out of the plane, my vision and hearing stopped. And just as quickly, it all came rushing back. I took in the reality that I was plummeting toward Earth. My training kicking in, I briskly checked the altimeter strapped to my wrist before folding my arms across my chest.

*

Even in the shade of an enormous maple tree, I had a film of grimy sweat on my forehead, arms, and neck. I lay on my belly in the crunchy dead grass of Mom’s backyard. Sweat pooled on my lower back. I rolled over and peered up at the broad canopy of the tree. Branches crisscrossed; the leaves hanging perfectly still in the hot summer air, the blue sky visible though the gaps.

I concentrated on the speckled sunlight as it danced on the backs of my eyelids and then flopped my arm across my eyes, listening to trucks rumbling in the distance on Highway 113. Dishes clinked in a sink. The back door of the house opened and closed with a rattle, followed by my brother’s familiar tread.

I tensed and moved my forearm slightly down, so it covered the bridge of my nose. My other arm covered my abdomen. Otherwise I kept my eyes closed and stayed still.

His footsteps stopped near my head. I waited. Sweat dripped from my armpit and was wicked away by my well-worn T-shirt. The seconds drew out as he stood over me, likely considering his options. Another big rig rolled by on the freeway, its trailers rattling loudly. Grass tickled my ear.

“Vivi, where’s Mom?”

Blogtour: Claiming His Bollywood Cinderella by Tara Pammi

We're delighted to showcase the second offering in Harlequin's November romance releases

Claiming His Bollywood Cinderella

by Tara Pammi

a Harlequin Presents title

available November 1, 2020

He’s a Bollywood superstar, she’s a personal assistant… And their one night proves that keeping things professional will be impossible in this passionate and uplifting Cinderella romance from Tara Pammi. A brief encounter… A forbidden fairy tale!

The hottest actor in Bollywood, Vikram Raawal has found love countless times—when he’s playing a role. In real life, he’s given up on finding a soul-deep connection and prefers to focus entirely on his career. Until at a masquerade ball, one woman leaves him craving more…

Naina Menon’s first impression of drop-dead gorgeous Vikram left much to be desired. But then one heart-stopping night shows her there’s so much more to him than his celebrity persona. Still, he’s a billionaire, and she’s a humble assistant. Is passion enough to bridge their different worlds?

Vikram Raawal walked up the steps of Raawal Mahal, his family’s two-hundred-year-old palatial ancestral bungalow. It was the only property his parents had left unsullied by their still-tempestuous marriage of forty years. 

The muggy October afternoon was redolent with the pungent aroma of the jasmine creeper that his grandfather had planted for his wife all those years ago. 

His grandparents had shared a love story that couldn’t be recreated by all the glittering sets and stars of Bollywood. If not for the fact that Vikram had very clear memories of them—Daadu and Daadi sitting side by side listening to ghazals on the gramophone, sharing stories with him and his younger brother and sister, Daadi keeping silent vigil by her husband’s side as he vanished away into nothing…he would have scoffed at even the idea of such a love. 

But he had seen it. He’d been a part of it. He’d found comfort and joy in its shadow. And today, at the age of thirty-six, memories of that love hit him hard. 

He was lonely, he admitted to himself, as he walked through the gated courtyard toward the main bungalow. The strains of an old ghazal played on the gramophone player, sinking sweetly into his veins, slowly releasing the pent-up tension he’d been carrying. He laughed at the mural his younger brother, Virat, had painted on one wall where a profusion of plants and flowerpots sat on an elevated concrete bench. 

The cozy bungalow, full of sweet memories and peaceful childhood associations, was his favorite place in the world. And yet, he had avoided visiting for almost two months, using out-of-country shoots and overloaded scheduling as excuses. 

But here in this place where he was just Vikram and not Vikram Raawal, Bollywood star, and the chairman of the family production company Raawal House of Cinema, he couldn’t lie to himself. 

He hadn’t wanted to expose himself to his daadi’s brand of perceptiveness. He hadn’t wanted her to see how unhappy he’d been of late. How…unsettled in his own skin. 

The raucous burst of a man’s laughter punctured his thoughts. It was Virat. 

For a few seconds, Vikram considered turning around and walking out. His recent argument with his brother had been far dirtier than their usual headbutting over projects for Raawal House. Being called arrogant and dominating by a brother that he loved and respected had…shaken him.

The laughter came again and Vikram’s curiosity trumped his reluctance. He walked through the grand salon, filled with his grandfather’s trophies and accolades from a career that had lasted close to five decades in Bollywood.

Vijay Raawal had not only been a celebrated actor and director but had built his career from the ground up after traveling the country with a theater group for years. Started his own production company, and taken the industry in a new direction. Made mainstream films, art projects, and careers of many stars and never once lost his integrity.

How had his grandfather sustained such a glittering career in such a superficial and cutthroat industry? Had it been simply the unconditional support Daadi had offered him through everything?

Blogtour: Louisiana Love by Danyelle Scroggins

 

The Perfect Chance

A Louisiana Love Book 3

by Danyelle Scroggins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kane and Veronica’s wedding became the perfect backdrop for the next Faith Temple Cathedral wedding, as Damon proposed to Selena. Although it felt right from the beginning, things are progressing, and Selena is starting to feel something pricking about her response.

Newly married Veronica Booth and her sister-in-love, Jasmine Kimbrel, have decided to throw an exclusive couples event for all the couples of Faith Temple Cathedral who were instrumental in their life and wedding. And although there are a few singles in attendance, most of them are engaged or have someone they’ve labeled as a close friend or potential love interest. As soon as it seems that everything is going how they envisioned, The Perfect Chance to do what is right, instead of what appears pressured, brings two people to a space that neither of them saw coming.

Austin Davenport has been in love with Selena since she walked into Vance’s room at Louisiana Day Hospital. And although she pulled away from him and into another man’s arms, Austin’s committed to standing in faith. Will his faith pay off by presenting The Perfect Chance for Austin to win back her heart, or will he have to pick up the pieces of his broken heart?

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The Wrong Decision

A Louisiana Love Book 2