Cover Reveal: North of the Stars (In Love and War #1) by Monica James

North of the Stars

Monica James @authormonicajames

Series: In Love and War Book I

Genre: Viking Historical Romance

Cover Model: Christopher Jensen @christopher88jensen

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster @lanefotograf

Cover Designer: Sommer Stein—Perfect Pear Creative Covers

Release date: December 1^st 2021

England is burning.

And the cause…men are too afraid to utter in nothing but a whisper.

The Northmen.

My father is King Eanred.

And me?

I am Princess Emeline.

My father wants to protect our kingdom against the ruthless Vikings who continue to raid England, so he has betrothed me to Aethelwulf, the son of King Egbert of Wessex—the most powerful realm in all of England. Without this union, Northumbria will fall, which is why I must submit. I must do this for my people.

However, it is not in my nature to surrender. So when my father captures the most savage Viking known in our land, I do what no good, God-fearing Christian would do—I help him.

His name…Skarth the Godless.

People fear what they don’t understand, but I will not allow that to control me. Fear makes us blind to the truth, and I refuse to cower because Skarth soon becomes my teacher—in all things. And when his rival, Ulf the Bloody, shatters my world, it becomes clear the lessons have only just begun.

My soul is tarnished.

I am a sinner.

Lord, hear my prayer…

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About Monica James 

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S.A., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

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Release Blitz: The Lost Fisherman (Fisherman #2) by Jewel E. Ann

 

 The Lost Fisherman by Jewel E. Ann is now live!

It's been five years since I've seen him. An unexpected event takes me back to the place where it all began.

But I'm no longer the naïve young woman he once knew. And he's no longer the man who took nearly everything from me.

Can this be our time? Or is it too late? Did I find myself only to lose him?

 Download today or
read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ylmq30

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/TheLostFisherman

 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3z3lnWo

 Start with The Naked Fisherman!

mybook.to/TheNF

 

 

Meet Jewel E. Ann

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she's not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.

Connect with Jewel

Website: https://www.jeweleann.com

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Release Day Review: A Stormy and Sultry Sea (Witches of the Island #2) by Katie McGarry

 

A Stormy and Sultry Sea: Book 2 of the Witches of the Island Series
Release Date: October 13, 2021

A witch and a Fae aren’t supposed to fall in love, nonetheless be soulmates…

New witch and midwife Cassie Strega helped a human mother through the tumultuous birth of the queen of the demons, and now Cassie and the baby have been kidnapped by one of the four demon princes fighting each other to lay claim to their new queen. Cassie hopes she can appeal to the human side of the child in order to save humanity, but as the child feeds upon her soul, Cassie must also battle the four demon-prince-uncles who intend for the infant to fulfill her dark destiny.

The love of Cassie’s life, the sultry Fae warrior and heir to the Fae kingdom, Orion, is still searching for the Fae queen he’s been tasked to find, but he is also desperate to save Cassie from his archenemies. He is torn between his heart and his duty, but if he doesn’t save Cassie by Beltane, the blood bond that connects Cassie to Orion will forever be severed and she will be marked as an enemy to the Fae—one he is sworn by oath to kill.

Fate was cruel when it linked Cassie and Orion together. Their attraction to each other is undeniable, their love assured, but these fated lovers are doomed by a curse that threatens to keep them apart. Every touch during every shared dream, every kiss during every cherished moment together is driving them closer to what will either be a victory of humanity or an end no mortal will be able to survive. Will love, in the end, truly conquer all or will it destroy them all?

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What I thought about A Stormy and Sultry Sea

In this second book in the Witches of the Island fantasy/paranormal romance story from Katie McGarry, Cassie and her former lover Orion are separated as she nurtures the infant she delivered at the end of the first book. 

No spoilers from me though so I'm going to keep this concise.  I adored the swoony, angst-ridden  romance between Cassie and Orion. There some really good "yearning" here that I just loved.  There's also a good bit of action and new reveals of this world as this story progresses. The Fae queen is still out there for Orion to find, and Cassie's got her hands full with the other baby!  

I thought the romance was well-balanced with the paranormal world and the details of the story between the fae and demons and the witches.  There is a good progression of the elements in this fantasy world.  Overall, I don't have any complaints about the story or the characters and I like that this work leans more toward a character driven story. I need to be invested first in the characters before I can get invested in their world, so this works very well for this reader. 

This book does end in a cliff hanger, so be aware. I happen to like to have an ending that pulls me right into the next book in the story and I think Katie McGarry accomplishes that with the ending in A Stormy and Sultry Sea.

Overall, I'm enjoying this fantasy/paranormal romance and I'm looking forward to more Cassie and Orion!

About the Author

Katie is the author of the PUSHING THE LIMITS series, THUNDER ROAD series, SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME, and the upcoming YA novel, ONLY A BREATH APART. Her novels have received starred reviews, critical acclaim and have won multiple awards including being a multiple Goodreads Choice Award Finalist for YA Fiction, multiple RT Magazine's Reviewer's Choice Award Finalist for Best YA Fiction, including a win in the category, and she was a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick.

 

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Release Day Excerpt & Review: Boyfriend (Moo U) by Sarina Bowen

 

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 12, 2021

The hottest player on the Moo U hockey team hangs a flyer on the bulletin board, and I am spellbound:

Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will talk hockey with your dad. I will bring your mother flowers. I will be polite, and wear a nicely ironed shirt…

Now everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your long-time crush to your messed-up family. But I really do need a date for Thanksgiving, even if I’m not willing to say why. So I tear his phone number off of that flyer… and accidentally entangle our star defenseman in a ruse that neither of us can easily unwind.

Because Weston's family is even nuttier than mine. He needs a date, too, for the most uncomfortable holiday engagement party ever thrown.

There will be hors d'oeuvre. There will be faked PDA. And there will be pro-level awkwardness…

Boyfriend is a full-length stand-alone romance for Weston and Abbi!

 

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EXCERPT TO SHARE

I wonder what Abbi is like. It doesn’t matter very much, of course. I haven’t agreed to marry her. It’s just one day of my life. And people fascinate me, so even if Abbi’s family is irritating as fuck, I probably won’t take it personally.

But I have a good feeling about Abbi herself. She’s local, which is interesting. Vermonters are pretty cool. They have a rugged mentality, and they rarely complain. And they’re usually hockey fans. What’s not to like about that?

The door opens, and I immediately lose my train of thought. I’m blinking at a pretty blond woman with shoulder-length hair. My first reaction is all hell yes and thank you, Jesus. 

Then I realize this is not just any woman. It’s the hot waitress from The Biscuit in the Basket. The one who remembers every order without writing it down. The one who always seems to know when we need something more, or when it’s time to drop the check.

The one with the kissable ivory neck and gray eyes that always make me a little stupid. I’ve never asked her out, because it’s rude to hit on a girl who’s just trying to get through her shift at work. But man, I’d like to. 

“Hi,” she says, frowning at me. “Wow. You’re wearing a tie.”

“Too much?” I ask, my hand flying to the knot of silk at my throat. “I could lose the tie.” And, heck, why stop there? If she asked me to lose my trousers, I’d do it. Anything for you, honey.

“No, you look very respectful. Thank you for doing this.”

I blink slowly. I can’t believe my luck. She’s my date? “You work at The Biscuit in the Basket,” I say stupidly. “But your name tag says Gail.”

She smiles. “That’s right. The lazy manager put the wrong name on it, and then wouldn’t redo it for me. But I’m glad you can recognize me without the uniform.”

“Well, sure. You look nice. Your hair is different. Fluffier. Wait. Is fluffy a good thing?” I babble.

She laughs suddenly. “Fluffy is fine. At work they make us wear those visor caps. Like we’re all golf caddies.”

I smile back at her and get a little lost for another moment. And her laugh is terrific. A little husky. I dig it.

“So, uh, are you ready to go?”

That’s when I realize I’m blocking her way out of her own door. “Yup, sorry,” I stammer, leaping to the side like a frisky goat. 

Oh, man. Nobody would call me Mr. Smooth right now, that’s for damn sure. I’m glad my teammates aren’t here to witness this. I’d never live it down. 

Abbi locks her door. “Where are you from, Weston? Is it too far to go home for Thanksgiving?”

“I’m from the eastern edge of Vermont. But I don’t have a car, and we have practice tomorrow anyway. Hey—does your family drink? I brought a bottle of wine.” I hold it up, along with a bouquet of flowers, too.

“That’s lovely of you,” she says. “I have a bottle in my car too. I find that where alcohol and my so-called family are concerned, more is more. Although I’m driving tonight, so I can’t drink.”

“Your so-called family?”

“Well, it’s complicated without being terribly interesting. But we’re going to my stepfather’s house. I mean, he used to be my stepfather and now he’s married to someone else.” 

“Your step-stepmother,” I say, recalling her text message.

“Right.” She leads me off the porch and down the walkway. “My car is just around the back. It won’t take us long to get there. You’ll be eating turkey dumplings in no time.”

“Sounds good. My body is, like, fifty percent wings and fries at this point. I’m sure you know that. I’m at your restaurant all the time.”

“Table number seventeen,” she says cheerfully. “The hockey table. Do you know that we prep a different portion of wings depending on whether you guys win or lose?”

“No, really? Why?”

“Because you eat more and get drunker on the nights you lose than on the nights you win.”

“Huh. That’s very scientific of you.”

She unlocks an elderly Honda Civic and opens the driver’s side door. “Last chance to back out.”

I wouldn’t dream of it. I have to remember how to be Mr. Smooth, though, and flirt properly with Abbi. Who knows? After a great meal, we could make this a night to remember. “I’m at your service,” I say, hoping it sounds a little sexy and not creepy. “Let’s get our turkey on.”

Huh. Mr. Smooth seems to be on vacation today.

I give myself a fifty-fifty shot at success. But I’ve faced worse odds. Game on.

 

What I thought about Boyfriend

 

Biscuit in a Basket waitress Abbi has her eye on one certain hockey player and when he advertises for a fake date for the holidays, she's all-in with the charade. What these two don't count on is the friendship that develops between them turning into much more.  Boyfriend is the story of just how long you can "fake date!" and the problems that can cause.  Throw in a single bed and things get very interesting!

I liked this story.  It was an easy read and there's a very pleasant outcome for Abbi and Weston.  The road to their HEA is pretty mild, with just a few little bumps along the way as they learn how to communicate with each other.  The conflict level is quite low and the love comes fast in Boyfriend.

Overall, this is a good addition to the Moo U series in the World of True North. 

 

 

Available Now: Tinsel and Tatas: A Holiday Romantic Comedy Anthology

Get a head start on the holiday spirit by reading for a great cause! Nearly twenty of today’s most entertaining rom-com authors have teamed up to sell #Books4Boobs. This collection of holiday shorts ranges from sweet to steamy and promises to entertain. 100% of proceeds will benefit the Young Survivor Coalition, an international organization focusing on women ages 40 and under who are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Titles and Authors

Wilder for the Win by Serena Bell
Last One Gets the Booby Prize by Kilby Blades
Tattooed Tatas by Kameron Claire
Mixing Merrymas by Dylann Crush
A Trivia Pursuit by Hope Ellis
Two Nights to Believe by Melonie Johnson
Tits the Season by Tawdra Kandle
Decidedly with Tinsel by Stina Lindenblatt
The Great Christmas Race by Elizabeth Lynx
All I Want is You by Claire Marti
Wreath this Ring by MK Meredith
Star Bright by Susannah Nix
Ta Ta To Heartbreak by Tracey Pedersen
Pretty Packages by Marika Ray
Rock, Paper, Santa by Piper Rayne
Tinsel Bomb by Arell Rivers
A Brit Under the Mistletoe by Brenda St John Brown
Booby Trapped by Sylvie Stewart

 https://books2read.com/tinsel-and-tatas

What I thought about Tinsel and Tatas

I love it when an anthology contains not one but two stories from authors I am currently reading, and it's even better when that anthology is for a good cause. Way too many women are  impacted by breast cancer in our world today.

I absolutely adored Decidedly with Tinsel by Stina Lindenblatt.  This is a terrific little addition to the By The Bay romantic comedy series from this author. It's just the right size and the type of story I love after a hard day of work when I want something light and fun. 

Wilder for the Win from Serena Bell is another winner for me.  I love the Wilder Adventure series for it's light hearted fun and this one is a winner. It's fun and flirty and just right for when you want something light.

I'm looking forward to checking out some new authors in this anthology as well.  Great price, great stories, great cause. 

 

 

 

 

 

Release Blitz: A Moment for Us (Willow Creek #3) By Corinne Michaels

 

A Moment For Us by Corinne Michaels is now live!

New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to
Willow Creek Valley
in this stunning surprise baby/unrequited love romance.

I was totally over Joshua Parkerson.

Sure, I had a teenage crush on him way back when--and everyone knew it--but he never saw me as anything but his little brother's friend, the girl who got tongue-tied any time he walked into a room.

I had long ago accepted the fact that his strong arms would never hold me, his lush lips would never claim mine, and his blue eyes would never see me as anything more than who I used to be.

But now he's back in Willow Creek Valley, and there's a brand-new spark between us--even he can't fight it. Our chemistry is explosive, and every time we're together, I swear I can feel the earth shake.

It doesn't mean anything... how could it? I'm over him.

Until I see that little pink plus sign, and the earth stops turning completely.

Now I want it all again, a life with him. But Joshua built walls around his heart for a reason, and his secrets haunt him.

How can I show him that the ghosts of his past don't have to define our new family's future?

 Download today on

 
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Narrated by Andi Arndt and Connor Crais

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What I thought about A Moment for Us

Corinne Michaels returns to Willow Creek with another Parkerson sibling story.  I've been waiting to find out what's going on between Joshua and Delia and A Moment for Us starts out with a bang!

Delia has been in love with Joshua forever, but he holds himself back from having a relationship with her, even though the attraction and caring he feels for her is off the charts.  This bugged me at times, because while he had his reasons, there were also some good reasons for him to give it a go.  

Anyway, the road to their HEA is what you expect from Corinne Michaels -- lots of emotions, highs and lows, and it all ends up with a satisfying read when I hit the final pages.  There are some tough moments, so be aware.

I thought A Moment for Us was what I expected from this series and author.  This was a quick emotional read that I enjoyed.  There's plenty of emotions, and plenty of heat between Delia and Josh.  It just takes Josh some time to get it all together and figure out what is important. 

Meet Corinne

Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.

Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.

Connect with Corinne

Website: http://corinnemichaels.com

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