Love & Other Lies

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Title: Love & Other Lies

Series: A Love and Laughs Novel

Author: Jackie Walker

Release: April 25, 2021

Genre: Romantic Comedy; Fake Marriage; Friends to Lovers; Billionaire Heroine

Inserting humour at the right timing is an art & here @JackieWalker has hands down perfected it. - Readyourbooks

The witty banter between these two is amazing and you find yourself falling in love right along with them. - Adrienne, GoodReads Review

I laughed, I cried, I giggled, I loved. Cort and Amber are my new favorite couple. - Annette, Amazon Review

Reading this book felt like hanging out with friends for the weekend. - Amy, GoodReads Review

I love the way Jackie hooks you right from the beginning. Her writing is outstanding and with this book she has you laughing right up to the end. The sarcasm and dirty talk between Anber and Cort is both funny and hot. This is the perfect romcom book to add to your TBR list. - Kelchickbooklover

It started as a little white lie.

A temporary marriage of convenience that would only last a few days — then we’d go back to just being friends.

After all, Cort Amos and I aren’t in love. We only tied the knot so I wouldn’t have to marry the greedy social climber my billionaire father had chosen as the son-in-law he wanted to inherit the company.

But then came the romantic honeymoon across Europe — my father’s apology gift to me.

Day after day. Night after night. Spent with a man I’ve been drooling over since the day we met, while we're in some of the most romantic places on the planet. So when he suggests we explore our physical attraction while on this vacation ... just for fun, I can’t help but say yes.

He’s sweet and charming, and he knows just how to make me laugh. Not to mention those shoulders and that smile and those washboard abs. I can hardly catch my breath around him.

But it’s all in fun — he doesn’t want a serious relationship any more than I do. When we get back home, it will all come to an end, just like we planned.

Simple right? We can totally pull this off without feelings getting involved. No sweat.

Gulp.

I think I’m a big fat liar.

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One day during the COVID quarantine (a.k.a. the dark time), Jackie was reading yet another laugh a minute rom-com by Lucy Score or Pippa Grant, and she thought to herself - hey, I can do that. And so, she did and it turned out even better than even she thought possible.

Jackie is a fresh face on the romance author scene destined to shake things up with her signature blend of light-hearted comedy, over the top characters and romantic heartwarming moments. A voracious romance reader herself, Jackie writes stories featuring the four S's: Snark, Swoons, Steam and Sarcasm. Her heroines are bad-ass and her heroes are easy on the eyes and heavy on the charm.

When she is not writing funny stories about swoony heroes and the women who get to play with them, she is reading all types of romance novels or taking care of her army of cats and her teenage son (who also speaks fluent sarcasm).

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Mr. Not Nice Guy

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Title: Mr. Not Nice Guy

Author: Katherine L. Evans

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 5, 2021

Cover Design: R.L. Cover Designs

Nice guys finish last, but not this time…

I'm angry and ticked off. Period. End of story.

Well, that's not entirely true. It's the start of the story, actually.

I'm August Hawkins, and I'm the nicest guy you'll ever meet.

But right now, I'm cranky and sick of being "Mr. Nice Guy," especially working for a record label that's run by my ex-girlfriend and her new fiancé. And that's not even the worst of it. The label signs a sultry, sexy, and shameless singer, and they want me to manage her.

Perfect plan, right? No chance. This mischievous singer just so happens to be the same irresistible woman I spent one night with on my first night in New Orleans. And now Scarlett, the sex-pot-jazz crooner, isn't playing nice with her seductive ways and tantalizing body.

She knows I'm too nice to play dirty, but it's all I want. Some way, somehow, I need to cure this Scarlett fever.

 

"A breath of fresh air." -- Goodreads review ★★★★★

"Hysterical banter and off-the-charts sexual tension." -- Goodreads review ★★★★★

"What a fun, sexy twist on the bully romance plot! I loved it!" -- Goodreads review ★★★★★

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The Chaebol's Wife

 

The Chaebol's Wife

by Dei Araujo

 

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GENRE: Multicultural Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

With the life of her unborn child in danger, Camille Jacobs had no choice but to flee Seoul, South Korea, and the man who made her heart soar.

 

Four years later, after the launch of her start-up skincare line, Camille is a successful, single mother who has taken the skincare industry by storm. In need of a new sourcing company to meet her clientele's demand, Camille strikes a deal with the devil—her estranged husband, Seung-ju Park, who still leaves her weak in the knees. But is passion enough to make Camille rethink marriage and a life with Seung-ju, or will old problems succeed in destroying her?

 

Seung-ju was amazed by the passion that roared to life at the sight of his wife. Camille stokes a desire in him that demands to be satiated. As the CEO of IPCorp Industries, a deal to source her skincare line would open the door for him to finally slake his obsession of her and put her out of his mind for good. Yet Seung-ju realizes that just one taste of Camille isn’t enough; he would need an eternity to love her and drink his fill. But a secret threatens to destroy his feelings for her, hurtling them to the point of no return.

 

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EXCERPT

 

Camille Jacobs appreciated a gorgeous man. 

 

Especially one that was strong and tall, leaving her head raised, neck arched, and gut tingling as she gazed up into a pair of arresting eyes. 

 

Why wouldn’t she? She was still a hot-blooded—okay, warm-blooded—woman with a healthy sex drive, even though it had been a while since she’d gone for a ride. Starting her own skincare company, Naturally You, and maintaining its continued success had wreaked havoc on her libido. 

 

But when life brought her an Adonis who filled a business suit better than David Gandy, she couldn’t help but take notice. Especially after slamming into the rock-hard wall of his chest on her way out of the women’s restroom. 

 

Her fingers flexed into the quality fabric of the suit jacket as she inhaled the intoxicating scent of his cologne. 

 

“Hello, Camille.”

 

Shock reverberated through her like an earthquake, and she froze. She recognized that voice. His smooth, cultured tone held the hint of an Asian accent. It was a voice Camille had prayed she’d never hear again, one she only heard in her dreams.

 

“Seung-ju,” she gasped.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Dei Araujo is a multicultural romance author who enjoys reading and writing stories of love where color has no boundaries. When she’s not writing, she can be found binge-watching Korean and Chinese dramas and anime. She received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/News Editorial from the University of Southern Mississippi and later a MFA in Popular Fiction Writing from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Dei is a retired Air Force officer and comes from a proud military family. An adjunct professor at Barry University, she’s living out her real-life love story in beautiful Miami, Florida with her soulmate and their boys. 

 

You can find her on these social platforms:

 

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16944251.Dei_Araujo

Instagram: deiaraujo73

Pinterest: @mystibleu73

Twitter: @dei_araujo

https://www.amazon.com/Chaebols-Wife-Dei-Araujo-ebook/dp/B08TR1T9B3

 

The Chaebol's Wife – free on Kimble Unlimited

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

Dei Araujo will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

 

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Beyond the Book: Yeah, Some of That Was True

 Fortuna is the only romantic comedy I’ve ever written, and I did it for my grandson. He’s of an age to be fascinated by WWE style wrestling so he wanted me to write him a book about wrestling. Given the subject matter, I thought a romantic comedy might be a good way to go. And in case you’re wondering, the first scene in the book takes place in the wrestling ring, and then my wrestlers retire to West Virginia where the adventures won’t stop coming.

I didn’t have to make up funny things to go in the book because I have a lot of personal material to draw from. My family has had some funny stuff happen to them so I decided to share a few things in the hope that other people would enjoy the stories. 

One of the scenes I liked best was when my heroine Aimee thought she was attacked by a snake. I promise you that in the real world it happened exactly as I wrote it. My uncle had a strawberry patch that my cousin Margaret loved. One Sunday after she got home from church she wanted to go to get some strawberries before she changed her clothes. My uncle warned her to be careful because he’d seen a snake up there the day before. 

Okay, she went to the strawberry patch and started picking. Then, she felt something grab on to her ankle. Remembering the snake, she raced for the house screaming for her father. “Snake! It’s eating me alive,” she hollered. 

Her dad tried to head her off, but she wouldn’t slow down. It took him awhile to catch her. Of course there was no snake. She’d gotten a briar tangled in the hem of her dress, and every time she moved it felt like the snake was biting her. 

Do you think any of us ever let her forget it? That’s right we didn’t.

I also liked the bean ball battle scene. That one is based on something my son and I did at a family reunion. We did mock some poor girl’s bean balls, but I elaborated a little here, and she certainly never knew. We never threw any bean balls either, but honestly, what was she thinking? Bean balls at a Southern family reunion? We go for macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, and potato salad. Cake and pie too. And banana pudding. We don’t do bean balls.

What about you? What are some funny things that have happened in your family?

Imperfect Timing

IMPERFECT TIMING

by Bobbie Candas

 

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GENRE:  second chance romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Time is ticking on this second chance at romance…

 

With a recent promotion and loads of confidence, Chloe Stevens has landed in sunny LA as a sales director for a leasing company. Quickly picking up on successful business strategies, Chloe also zeros in on a challenging romance option, Zane Shepard, an LA city planner. Chloe and Zane quickly discover an intriguing lust/love attraction, eventually transforming it into the perfect relationship.  

 

After a year, Chloe is ready to take the next step, cohabitation, but instead, Zane blindsides her with the unexpected news of a breakup.

 

After months of sleepless nights doubting herself, Chloe decides their breakup stemmed from the issue of bad timing; she was ready to commit and he wasn’t. Armed with her theory of choosing future relationships based on matching timelines, Chloe packs up her damaged heart and moves home to Dallas.  She quickly lassos a new love interest, Trey Morgan; a boyfriend with good timing who’s ready to take the plunge.

 

Twenty years later, Chloe’s world unravels when she discovers her marriage to Trey is riddled with infidelity and lies. Taking on a new job, she’s forced to confront her past and rebuild the confidence she had in spades when she was younger. Unexpectedly, she has a chance to take a second stab at romance, but finds her good timing mantra severely tested.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

“Coupling up, making that long-term commitment. Everyone says it’s all about that one-in-a-million someone, fate and a chance meeting, that special sparkle in the eyes. Bullshit. I say it’s all about timing. A couple can be absolutely smitten, madly in love, devoted initially, but if the timing’s not right, forget about it.”  

 

            I was explaining my theory to Mimi, a bored co-worker, and she wasn’t buying it. Perhaps I was sounding a little too passionate. After all, it was only lunch, with no liquor involved. I’d taken her out for sushi and as Mimi looked around at the lunch crowd, she sipped her water and decided to engage.  

 

        “OK, Chloe, so you’re saying all these co-habitating couples right here, are not or weren’t necessarily in love when they committed. It was only a matter of good timing for all of them; chemistry had nothing to do with it? People are only settling because they’re in the right spot at the right time.”

 

            “Bingo; exactly. I’m not saying one hundred percent have settled. A few got lucky right off the bat with the right-place, right-time thing, but yeah, a whole heck of a lot of people are married to a person because someone wandered by, caught their eye, and lassoed them in when they were ready to say yes.”

 

            Three months of sleepless nights, tangled in sheets, with my mind running in circles ruminating on what had gone wrong, had led me to the conclusion of lousy timing.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

I'm a Texas girl: grew up in San Antonio, went to school at UT in Austin, and settled in Dallas where I raised a husband, two kids and a few cats. My husband and cats will probably disagree on who raised who, but I'm a sucker for a robust discussion. 

 

For years I've been involved in retail management, but have also really enjoyed writing, taking deep dives into the lives of my characters. When you can pry my fingers off the keyboard, I've been known to imbibe in a few glasses of wine and have been spotted forking into some decadent desserts while gathering with friends and family. I enjoy shopping, usually on the hunt for apparel with a weakness for shoes, and will frequently jump at the opportunity taking an unexpected trip to a far-away place.

 

In addition, there’s always time for reading. I keep a stack of novels ready and waiting on my night stand, with a few tapping their toe in my Kindle as well. I bounce around genres, snoop around the best-seller lists, and on the ready for a good recommendation.

 

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Bobbie-Candas/e/B00MNS6KV0/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

 

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

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

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

The author will award a $30 Amazon/BN gift card as well as a print copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner (book available for continental US only).

 

 

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Clockwork Igni

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christina Bauer will be awarding an angel/demon necklace to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Long live the me! As Queen of Antrum, I rule an underground realm of demon hunters who love finding new caves. Hey, it’s boring down here; I’m glad they all have a hobby. Per usual, I try to act interested about their latest discovery, but all I hear is "blah blah blah new cavern blah blah blah Forbidden Tombs blah blah blah massive bronze pyramids blah blah blah creepy ticking sounds." It’s a little odd, but I’m not worried.

My bad.

Suddenly, the Forbidden Tombs burst through the ground in my home realm of Purgatory. Bronze pyramids smash through abandoned buildings and highways, making rush hour a nightmare. Even worse, the metal structures attract tiny lightning bolts called igni, which are my very special supernatural buddies. Within minutes, every last igni gets stolen away.

Now. I’m. Pissed.

Whoever hides inside those pyramids? Time to dust off your mummies and shine up your sarcophagi. Because my husband, Lincoln, and I are breaking in and kicking ass.

Angelbound Origins
In which Myla Lewis kicks ass and takes names. Nuff said.

1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper

Read an Excerpt

I stand in a small square room. A heavy iron door looms before me. All around, the walls are lined with intricately-entwined gears and springs. Tiny pieces whirl and tick away at high speed. With each click and swipe, a tiny jolt of worry ricochets down my spine. Sweat beads on my palms.

I’m girl enough to admit it. This scene freaks me out.

No question why, either. This isn’t just any metal portal. It’s Pandora’s Door. As in, the girl didn’t keep a box of nasties. Nope. Instead, something awful lurks behind this very entrance. If I pull on the handle, that magical whatchamacallit gets free. Based on what I’ve learned, the mystery something-something could make everything right again. In other words, my igni would return. I’ll move souls once more. The Great Scala is back. How perfect.

Or I could release an unknown scourge that destroys all the after-realms. Definitely not as cool.

A memory appears. I picture Verus giving me a solemn warning: “No matter how tempting the door may appear, you must step back and walk away.”

It’s logical enough advice. Plus, Verus is an oracle angel. In my experience, she’s right most of the time. Perhaps I should give up. Go home. Play with my kid. Smooch my hottie husband. Get a mocha.

That lasts all of five seconds.

Screw it. I’m going in.

I grasp the handle and pull.

About the Author:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Website: http://www.BauersBooks.com

Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CB_Bauer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cb-bauer-481b12139/
Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

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Saturday Sample and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Saturday Sample and Weekend Writing Warriors. Today I'm sharing an excerpt from my current work in progress. The book is titled Tarnished Silver, and I have no official blurb to share. The set up is like this. 

My heroine Brittany Granger is a private investigator who has been summoned to the home of the Silver family. The Silvers operate The Silver Firm, a prestigious law practice. They are famous, rich, and some say unscrupulous. She finds that Mr. Silver wants to find out if his grandson the minister has taken money from his congregation. 

Last Week: This is a WIP so if something grabs you that I need to change please say so. In this excerpt I shared the first meeting between Brittany and Brad Silver. We're in Brittany's POV. 

Silver stood at the door and spoke to the people as they filed out of the church.  He smiled when Brittany extended her hand to him.  “Welcome to Redeemer’s Chapel.  My name is Brad Silver.”

“Hello, Reverend Silver.  I’m Brittany Granger.  I enjoyed the service very much.”

He smiled at her, his brown eyes warm, open, and friendly.  “Good.  I hope that means you’ll come back again.  Do you live in Fairfield, or are you just visiting?”

“I was born in Fairfield, and so was my father.  He met and married my mother while he was in the army.”

Silver laughed, a pleasant, almost musical sound.  “Stationed in Japan, right?  My mother is Japanese too.”

“So that’s how you learned to speak the language so well.”

Silver nodded.  “Yes, she insisted we learn both English and Japanese.”

“We?”

“My sisters and I.”

Brittany took the hint when the lady behind her gave a discrete cough.  She had held up the line long enough.

“Come again,” Silver urged as Brittany walked down the church steps toward the parking lot.  

Brittany smiled at him.  “I sure will.”  She’d keep coming here until she found out whether or not the minister had taken money from his congregation.  His sermon impressed her, but business came first.  Let Brad Silver help her make Granger Investigations a household name.

Excerpt: In this week's excerpt we see that first meeting from Brad Silver's point of view.

Brad Silver finished counting the day’s offering and passed the plate to the chairman of deacons, Haru Ito, who verified the count.  Haru was about Brad’s age, but he was much shorter and stockier.  He had an air of command about him.  

“I noticed that we had a guest this morning,” Haru commented.

“Yes, we did.  Her name is Brittany Granger.  Her mother is Japanese.”

“She’s very attractive,” Haru said as he entered some figures in the computer in front of him. 

Brad grinned.  “That’s an understatement.”

“You should visit her next week and invite her to come back.”

Brad snickered.  “Should I visit her as a minister or as a man?  Ever since you got married you’ve been trying to get me married too.  I see right through you, buddy.”

Haru nodded.  “That’s true.  I like being married, and you would too.  I also think it would please your grandfather for you to marry.”

The smile faded from Brad’s face.  “My grandfather washed his hands of me when I told him I wanted to be a minister instead of a lawyer.  Anyway, if I did get married he wouldn’t want a girl who was half Japanese.”

Haru squeezed Brad’s shoulder.  “Try not to feel bitter, Brad.  Your grandfather is the head of the Silver family so he deserves your respect.  I pray daily that you and your family will reconcile.”

Brad nodded, though he doubted his grandfather would ever forgive him for his career choice.  “I will go and visit Miss Granger,” he said.  “She might be a nice addition to our congregation.”  Yes, he should visit her.  A minister should call on all visitors to his church.  He’d try to take care of it first thing next week.