Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Excerpt & Giveaway ~*~ The Best She Ever Had by Shelly Ellis



The Best She Ever Had
A Gibbons Gold Digger Novel
By: Shelley Ellis
Releasing December 30th, 2014
Kensington


Blurb
One by one, the infamous Gibbons sisters of Chesterton, Virginia, are giving up their gold digging ways--except the eldest, who's holding out for her seven figure man. But her heart may have less expensive tastes. . .

Thanks to her cold-hearted ways with men, Cynthia Gibbons doesn't blame the folks in town for calling her the "Ice Queen." They don't know the secret she's kept for twenty years--that she once fell crazy in love with a guy who had no money, a guy who broke her heart in the worst possible way. But now Korey Walker is back in town, and Cynthia isn't sure how much longer she can keep the biggest secret of all--that she still loves him.

With a divorce behind him, and his new auto repair shop thriving, Korey is looking to the future--until he sets eyes on Cynthia and the past comes roaring back. Even now, Korey doesn't understand Cynthia's hostility--after all, she's the one who broke his heart. He decides to ignore her--until he discovers that his teenage son has fallen for Cynthia's daughter. Determined to stop history from repeating itself, Korey and Cynthia will have to band together. But will keeping their kids apart bring them closer--or destroy their lives for good?

  

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21535298-the-best-she-ever-had

Buy Links
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Excerpt
“Looks like my friend’s here,” Derrick said.
Cynthia turned to follow his gaze. She spotted a tow truck gliding toward them with its engine chugging loudly, drowning out the other roadway noise.
The truck was haloed by the afternoon sun. Cynthia raised her hand to her brow to block out the blinding light. She squinted. When she recognized the man in the driver’s seat, her bright smile faded. Her mouth fell open, aghast.
That’s your friend?” she squeaked.
“Yeah, that’s Korey.” Derrick noticed the change in her facial expression. “Why? What’s wrong?”
Cynthia glanced nervously at Derrick as the truck came to a stop not far from where they stood. Her pulse started to race. Her throat went dry. Sweat instantly formed on her brow and underneath her arms. She felt cornered, like a bank robber who had flubbed a getaway after a robbery, had hit a dead end, and now saw red and white flashing lights swirling behind her.
“Are you okay?” Derrick asked, touching her shoulder. “You look flushed.”
“I’m fine,” she lied, clearing her throat. She shrugged off his hand. “I’m fine . . . really. I’m just a little h-hot . . . th-that’s all.”
Derrick stared at her warily.
The driver of the tow truck killed the engine and threw open his car door. Cynthia fought the urge to bolt. Her car wasn’t that far away. She could make it before he even reached them. Instead, she forced herself to stay put and watched as he climbed out of the truck and stepped onto the asphalt. After slamming the door shut, he casually strolled toward them.
God, he hasn’t changed! Even after all these years, Cynthia thought.
Korey Walker still looked the same way he had looked almost twenty years ago when they were in high school together, except now he had a few sprinkles of gray hair on his head and in the beard stubble on his russet-brown cheeks. But he was still tall, still muscular, and still handsome as the devil, which was one reason why she had avoided going anywhere near his auto body and repair shop in Chesterton since he had opened it a little more than a year ago.
Back when they were younger, Korey had been the kryptonite to her Superman, and she had been powerless under his spell. Though decades had passed since those days, Cynthia feared she would be powerless again if she got near him—and she didn’t need the confusion he could bring to her life. Korey was not the right man for her now, just as he hadn’t been the right man for her back then. But there was no avoiding him today.
“Thanks for coming, man,” Derrick said, stepping forward. He and Korey embraced, then shook hands and slapped one another’s backs.
They were quite the contrast: Derrick in his chic, immaculate suit, and Korey in his oil- and greased-stained navy blue shirt and pants, with grime on his hands and dirt under his nails. But even in his shoddy attire, Korey was by far the sexier of the two.

Hands down, she thought.

Author Info
Shelly Ellis is the penname of women's fiction/romance author and creator of the Gibbons Gold Digger series. Her fiction writing career began when she became one of four finalists in a First-Time Writers Contest when she was 19 years old. The prize was a publishing contract and having her first short-story romance appear in an anthology. Since then she has published six novels and two short stories in anthologies.

She is married and lives in Maryland with her husband and their daughter.

Author LinksWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


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Friday, December 26, 2014

Holiday Promo Tour & Giveaway ~*~ Contemporary Kensington Holiday Romances



Win Print/iBook Bundle of ALL Six Holiday Romances

~*~


ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS
Lisa Plumley

Kismet, Michigan # 4 
Released Oct 7th, 2014
Zebra/Kensington



In Kismet, Michigan, Christmas is special: big fluffy snowflakes, sleigh bells, carolers singing. It’s a picture-perfect holiday—you just have to choose who’s in the frame…

Jason Hamilton is on thin ice with the board of his toy company. The young CEO may be a kid at heart, but his party boy reputation requires damage control. So Jason’s off to Kismet to inspect a model store, stay on Santa’s Nice list, and stick to business—no goofing around. Which is too bad, because the store manager, Danielle Sharpe, is the definition of what makes Naughty fun…

Danielle is thrilled to show off her thriving little toy store—especially if it’s her ticket out of Kismet. The single mom is tired of manufacturing cheer solo while her ex-husband has all the fun. But if she’d known Jason was this hot, she wouldn’t have offered to host him. With Jason in her house, Danielle is getting warmer than spiked cider. She’s supposed to impress him with her expertise, not daydream about catching him under the mistletoe. Now whatever she does, she can’t get swept up in the magic…


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When she sat down to write her first book, LISA PLUMLEY expected the process to be easy. Three tries and several years later, she realized it’s not easy—but it is the most fun to be had outside of shoe shopping. Now the bestselling author of more than a dozen books, Lisa lives in sunny Arizona with her husband and two children. She invites readers to visit her website, www.lisaplumley.com, for previews of upcoming books and more.


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NO CHRISTMAS LIKE THE PRESENT
Sierra Donovan
Released Oct 7th, 2014
Zebra



Lindsay Miller is knee-deep in Christmas cards and homemade fudge, but she’s never felt more like a Grinch. Why can’t Christmas be full of magic, like in her favorite movie, A Christmas Carol…?

…Enter Fred, a sexy and eccentric stranger who arrives at Lindsay’s door out of the blue. Dressed like he just stepped out of a Dickens novel, complete with British accent, Fred claims he’s a Messenger, sent from “Headquarters” to help her discover the joy of Christmas. But is Fred an angel from above—or just stone cold crazy? 

Fred’s used to dealing with skeptics. Telling a stranger you’ve been ordered to inspire holiday cheer is a tough sell. But there’s a further complication. Fred’s mission is to help Lindsay right the wrongs from her past that have been holding her back. But somehow along the way, they’ve become wildly attracted to each other—and falling in love is not part of the plan. Fred only has ‘til the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve to guide Lindsay to the magical future she deserves—even if it’s a future without him…

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Sierra Donovan lives with her husband and two children in Victorville, California. Readers can visit her website at www.sierradonovan.com.


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CHRISTMAS IN COWBOY COUNTRY
Janet Dailey
Released Sept 30th, 2014
Zebra




The greatest gift is love…

Ski instructor Annie Bennett doesn’t have time to miss the twinkling lights and holiday parties in Aspen and Vail. With her older brothers gone and winter just around the corner, her parents need help with their sprawling Colorado ranch. The most wonderful time of the year isn’t always easy for a lot of the folks in their town, but Annie does her best—until the tall, dark, and rugged surveyor on their neighbor’s land becomes a potent distraction…

Wyoming born and bred, Marshall Stone is a practical man. But there’s something about Annie that’s as wild and sweet as the mountain wind. He doesn’t want to tame her. Just love her. Annie Bennett is all he wants for Christmas. And for always. But she’s too wary to believe he means it. Until he takes her in his arms and explains without saying a single word…

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Janet Dailey’s first book was published in 1976. Since then she has written more than 100 novels and become one of the top-selling female authors in the world, with 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries. She is known for her strong, decisive characters, her extraordinary ability to recreate a time and a place, and her unerring courage to confront important, controversial issues in her stories.


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HUCKLEBERRY CHRISTMAS
Jennifer Beckstrand
The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill # 3  

Released Oct 7th, 2014
Zebra/Kensington




Now that they’ve happily married off two of their grandchildren, Anna and Felty Helmuth are ready for their next matchmaking challenge. What better way to celebrate the most heartwarming of seasons—and make Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin, the place for unexpected love…

A difficult marriage has left the Helmuths’ widowed great-granddaughter, Beth, finished with wedlock. She’s content to live with them and make a life for herself and her toddler son. But once she turns down handsome Tyler Yoder’s proposal, it seems only fair to encourage him to find a suitable wife. Trouble is, his gentleness and generous ways are showing her how joyous a real meeting of hearts can be. . .

After a failed courtship, Tyler thought the best he could hope for in a wife was mere companionship. But spirited Beth is the one he longs to protect, and hold close. Earning her trust is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. And soon, both will discover that forgiveness and understanding are gifts that only rekindled faith—along with the happiest of holidays—can bring.

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Jennifer Beckstrand is the bestselling author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series and the Forever After in Apple Lake series, set in two Amish communities in beautiful Wisconsin. She has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth. Jennifer has a degree in mathematics and a background in editing. She and her husband have been married for thirty years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and two adorable grandsons, whom she spoils rotten. Readers can visit her website at www.jenniferbeckstrand.com


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SANTA’S SECRET
Serenity Woods
Released Dec 1st, 2014
Kensington Books




Will the magic still be there when they wake on Christmas morning?

Having long since lost his Christmas spirit, Rudi comes to Santa’s Secret Village looking to sell the resort. His seven-year-old daughter already knows the truth about Santa, and neither of them is particularly in the mood for the festive season.

Practically a recluse since the death of her husband, Eva’s not looking for romance. Her trip to Santa’s Village is for the sole purpose of making Christmas more festive this year for her young son. But Eva brings an unexpected sparkle to Rudi and Isabel’s lives that renews their belief in the spirit of Christmas.

As the weather grows colder, things heat up between Rudi and Eva. But will the magic still be there when they wake on Christmas morning?


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Serenity Woods lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, sweet and sexy contemporary romances. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies.


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IF THE SHOE KILLS
Lynn Cahoon
A Tourist Trap Mystery # 3
Released Nov 10th, 2014
eKensington




The tourist town of South Cove, California, is a lovely place to spend the holidays. But this year, shop owner Jill Gardner discovers there’s no place like home for homicide…

As owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liaison for a new work program, ‘tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or worse. For Jill, nothing’s worse than Ted Hendricks—the jerk who runs the program. After a few run-ins, Jill’s ready to kill the guy. That, however, turns out to be unnecessary when she finds Ted in his car—dead as a doornail. Detective Greg King assumes it’s a suicide. Jill thinks it’s murder. And if the holidays weren’t stressful enough, a spoiled blonde wants to sue the city for breaking her heel. Jill has to act fast to solve this mess—before the other shoe drops…

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Lynn Cahoon is a multi-published author. An Idaho native, her stories focus around the depth and experience of small town life and love. Currently she lives in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and two fur babies. 



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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Guest Post & Giveaway ~*~ Loving You is Easy by Wendy S. Marcus




To all who celebrate, Merry Christmas!! To those who don’t celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays!! And a great big thank you to Illustrious Illusions for hosting today’s blog post promoting my Loveswept Contemporary Romance, Loving You Is Easy.

Since today is Christmas it seems like the perfect time to talk about the gifts exchanged by Brooke and Shane, the heroine and hero in Loving You Is Easy. First I’ll tell you a little bit about them.

Brooke is a 24-year-old junior high school math teacher from a wealthy, upper class family. Shane is a 25-year-old blue collar bad boy turned soldier in the U.S. army, serving his fourth tour of active combat duty in Afghanistan. The two met as part of a “Support Our Troops” initiative that matched U.S. soldiers serving overseas with pen pals from back home. 

Now you’ll have to read Loving You Is Easy to find out what happens after Shane returns home wounded (without telling Brooke) and after one of the sexy pictures she gave to him winds up on Facebook where her students and their parents and her principal see it.

As of December 2014, they are spending their first holiday season as husband and wife. Since Brooke is Jewish and celebrates Chanukah, I’ll start with the small gifts Shane gave Brooke on each of the eight nights of Chanukah.

Night one: A jelly donut.
Once again Shane decided to go with something traditional from Brooke’s childhood. Apparently Chanukah was one of the rare times Brooke’s mother lifted her ban on sweets in their house and only because jelly donuts are a Chanukah tradition. (Of course he got one for himself, too, so she wouldn’t have to eat alone.)

Night two: A bright blue beta fish.
Shane really wants a dog. Brooke’s never had a pet and doesn’t seem all that receptive to getting one. So he’s starting her off with a nice easy beta fish.

Night three: A bottle of the perfumed lotion she likes.
And since he insisted on giving her a full body massage with it after she ripped off the wrapping, they both enjoyed this gift…immensely.

Night four: A New York Rangers winter hat with a big pom pom.
As a longtime New Jersey Devils fan this was a tough purchase. But men in love must learn the art of compromise. And she really appreciated the gesture so this was a big win!

Night five: Five dark chocolate dipped strawberries – Brooke’s favorite indulgence.
These made her very happy. And after sharing them, Brooke proceeded to make Shane very happy!

Night six: A new negligee
And when she tried it on this one turned out to be a present for both of them!

Night seven: A beautiful silver locket and necklace
Although Brooke had urged him to keep his presents small and inexpensive, he couldn’t help but to splurge on this one. And he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tuck a sexy selfie of his own inside.  

Night eight: Shane presented Brooke with his brand new tattoo, a red heart, just to the right of his heart. Inside the heart was written: Brooke forever, because just like the permanent ink that decorated his skin, his love for her would last forever.

Brooke loved each one of her presents and Shane deemed Chanukah a success. The only bad part was then he had to wait for Christmas to get his gifts. Although Shane would never admit it out loud, he’s a snooper. But despite searching their entire apartment – several times – he could not find where Brooke had stashed his gifts. Perhaps he shouldn’t have shared that part of himself in one of the letters they’d exchanged while he was overseas.

On Christmas morning the family gathered at his parents’ house to open presents. Shane noted Brooke had nothing with her but the coconut macaroons she’d agreed to make and a small purse. But as they sat in front of the beautifully decorated tree she gave him the best present ever! A one-year-old (give or take a few months) black Labrador Retriever from the local pet shelter along with a New Jersey Devils collar and matching leash, food and water bowls, chew toys and a bed. And Shane could not be happier – at least that’s what he’d thought until his wife of not quite one year leaned in and whispered the words that made him even happier, “I’m pregnant.”  

So that’s how Brooke and Shane made out this holiday season. How’d you do? What was your favorite gift this year? 





Blurb
She’s a survivor of the front lines of politics. He’s a wounded soldier returning home from the battlefield. Can they place their trust in the power of love?

Nobody plays the role of perfect politician’s daughter better than quiet, respectable math teacher Brooke Ellstein. But she won’t be caught swimming with the sharks again, not after the son of a wealthy donor sinks his teeth into her and gets away with it. Still, political connections have their perks, such as heading up the governor’s “Support Our Troops” pen-pal initiative—and getting first dibs on the smoking-hot sergeant whose picture shakes her right down to her goody-two-shoes.

When corresponding with sweet, classy Brooke, Shane Develen instinctively hides his commando tattoos and blue-collar roots—and he can tell that she’s hiding something, too. But Shane knows he’s gained her trust when Brooke gives him a blisteringly sexy photo. Then he’s injured in an ambush and a fellow soldier posts the snapshot online. Overnight, Brooke’s reputation turns to ashes. Even though he’s totally wrong for her, Shane shows up on Brooke’s doorstep, determined to set things right—and discovers that right or wrong has nothing on the chemistry they share.
  

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22747255-loving-you-is-easy?from_search=true

Buy Links 
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Author Info
Wendy S. Marcus is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. A nurse by trade, Wendy holds a Master of Science in Health Care Administration, a degree that does her absolutely no good as she now spends her days, nights, and weekends mucking around in her characters’ lives creating conflict, emotion, and, of course, a happily ever after. Wendy lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her dog Buddy, and blogging/e-mailing/tweeting/facebooking with her online friends.
 Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
  

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