#SundaySnippet- Perfectly Imperfect #RomCom


https://books2read.com/Perfectly-Imperfect

Sunday Snippet for Perfectly Imperfect- coming September 16th!

I’ve been working on a new romantic comedy novella and decided to stretch my wings by writing in 1st person, which is harder than I expected! The present tense thing keeps tripping me up, along with the odd he/she where it should be my/I.

I’ve set the release date for my mom’s 75th birthday on September 16th. I hope you enjoy the following short excerpt (and if you catch any errors, let me know!)

Blurb

What happens when Miss Perfection clashes with Mr. Casual? Chaos!

Georgina’s in trouble. The startup money she borrowed from her parents’ retirement fund is long gone and her dream of owning the next big thing in market-to-table cuisine disappeared with it.

Her only choice? Merge her company into the corporate giant, CLO, and hope she isn’t making a huge mistake.

Rhys Turner is his father’s progeny, born and raised to take over the empire when his dad deems him ready. Rhys doesn’t mind the fast-paced lifestyle, though he detests the coldblooded mantra of the corporation- Buy from the weak and sell at a profit.

It’s made his family millions. But now, just when CLO’s reins are within reach, he’s run into the one woman who could change everything.

https://books2read.com/Perfectly-Imperfect

Exclusive Excerpt

Rhys

This is lining up to be one of those days. The flight from Vancouver departed late, and the car service my PA hired got a flat tire on the freeway, leaving me stranded for forty minutes at the airport until another could be arranged. Serves me right for not grabbing a cab, but it doesn’t help my mood whatsoever.

I’d argued with my father and the board of directors over the wisdom of adding to our investment portfolio at a time when the market was so unstable. Their answer; “We must strike while the iron is hot. These companies are selling for a tenth of what they’re worth. If we don’t step in and scoop them up, someone else will.”

I’d heard that jargon or something close to it ever since I’d finished university with a masters in business administration and been persuaded—none too gently—to repay the debt I owed my father by putting my education to work—for him.

I couldn’t blame Dad, not really, but it annoyed the hell out of me when my recommendations were ignored, leaving me to wonder why I’d spent the last eight years busting my ass to get a degree I couldn’t even use.

My elevator companion is eyeballing my high tops with misgiving. I smirk, taking a selfish joy out of doing something my father would most certainly disapprove of—a style faux pas.

“Does your boss know you take time away from work to go on a coffee run?” I stare at her with disapproval. No wonder the company is failing if it’s run so shoddily.

Her mouth drops open, then snaps shut as though she’s biting back some creative language. She’s cute in a librarian-meets-fashionista kind of way with an upswept bun thingy in her thick brown hair, oversized glasses that makes her green eyes huge, and wide-leg white pants hugging curvy hips. But she is still on my dismissal list.

If Bloomin’ Right is going to have a second chance, it’s my job to get rid of the deadwood—case in point, Miss Sassy pants.

“My boss,” she emphasizes, “Doesn’t know his di
 plomacy from a hole in the wall.” She lifts a brow as if to say, ‘so there.’

“Are you always so forthright?” I glance at the blinking numbers over our heads, five
 six
 seven
 and try to slow my racing pulse. You’d think at thirty-six years old, I would have overcome my irrational fear of closed spaces, but, not so much. If I wasn’t already running late, I could have taken the stairs. Instead, I’m counting on a pint-sized walking, talking danger zone to keep my mind off the fact we’re in what basically amounts to a steel coffin.

“It’s called honesty. You can’t fire a person for that, can you?” With the umbrella hooked over her arm, wavy curls teasing flushed cheeks, and the tray of drinks in hand, she looks like a younger, sexier version of Mary Poppins.

My lips pull down at the corners. Great, now I feel like I’m here to get rid of the nanny. “Regardless,” I intone, sounding way too much like my father for peace of mind. “You can’t go around—”

The elevator jerks to a halt, causing a gasp of dismay from my companion as the coffee sloshes out of the air holes in little mocha-tinted bubbles, and a gusty sigh from me that we’re about to be released from our prison. Except


The doors don’t open.

I look at Miss Sassy and she looks at me, and as one we both look up in awed disbelief at the frozen number nine mocking our fears.

“Great. This is just great,” Miss Sassy says. She backs into the opposite corner of the elevator and clunks her head a couple of times against the wall. “Did I mention I hate Mondays?”

I ignored her and jabbed my finger on the alarm button, working to stem my panic.

In. Out. In. Out.

Breathe.

“You need to call for help,” Miss Helpful suggests, nodding toward the phone box on the wall.

Easy for her to say—literally. My throat is so tight I see black dots.

“Here, hold this,” she mutters impatiently and shoves the coffee tray into my hands. She presses the call button, and after a blessedly short amount of time a male voice comes through the intercom.

“Stay calm,” he says. “We received your alarm and will have you out soon. How many are in the cabin, please?”

“Just two, Sam,” Miss Sassy replies, glancing over my face with something like concern. “Hurry, will you?”

“Georgina, is that you?” The voice crackles with static.

She smiles and I frown again. So, she and this Sam are friends, are they?

“It is, I’m having a day.” She laughs.

Laughs. I’m trying not to hyperventilate, and she’s flirting with the handyman.

“Do you think you could save this for later,” when she’s unemployed, “and get us out of here, please?” My voice squeaks at the end, startling Miss Sassy—Georgina.

She shoots me a glare. “How long, Sam?”

“Well, these things take time. You just relax and we’ll have you out of there as soon as we can. If you have any questions, feel free to call. And Georgina? Don’t worry.”

“Too late for that, I’m afraid. See you soon.”

The sudden silence is more nerve-wracking than the tĂȘte-Ă -tĂȘte I’d broken up. “Mind if I drink one of these?” I lift the coffee tray.

She shrugs. “Knock yourself out. They’re probably cold by now, anyway.”

With that endorsement ringing in my ears, I choose a cup and take a tentative sip. A bit more sugar than I normally use, and a shot of whiskey would have helped to steady my nerves, but beggars can’t complain. Actually, after the early morning flight and the hiccups I’d encountered so far, it tastes damn good.

“Want one?” I offer her the tray.

“Gee, thanks.” She rolls her eyes. “So, if we’re stuck in here together, we may as well exchange names—I’m Georgina Michaels, and you?” She takes an appreciative swallow of the lukewarm brew and sighs. “This, I needed.”

I set the last cup on the floor and lean against the wall, crossing my ankles and biting back a grin when her gaze seems to compulsively drop to my sneakers. I turn them so she can get a better look. “Nice, right? Limited edition Jordan’s, light as air.”

“Interesting choice with a business suit,” she replies, eyeing me appraisingly.

“What is it you do, Georgina Michaels?” I glance at the floor numbers, then raised a brow. “We seem to be heading to the same floor.”

Her gaze follows mine and her forehead furrows. “Bloomin’ Right? Are you a new client, then?” She straightens and throws a hank of wet hair over her shoulder.

I almost feel sorry for her. She’s probably a receptionist or secretary and needs the job, but I have something to prove to my father, so she’s about to become a casualty of war.

“Something like that,” I murmur, the coffee suddenly tasting bitter on my tongue.

Georgina wipes a hand on her slacks, then holds it out for me to shake. “Mr.
 I didn’t catch your name?”

This is where things get interesting.

I take her hand, momentarily sidetracked by her soft skin. “I’m Rh—”

The elevator jerks, throwing us off-balance and Georgina into my arms. Shocked by the lush fullness of her breasts pressed against my chest, it takes a moment to realize something isn’t quite right. I lean back and look down to see Georgina’s wide eyes staring at the brown stain spreading over my favorite blue dress shirt.

“Oops,” she says.

https://books2read.com/Perfectly-Imperfect

Jacquie Biggar16 Comments

#BookReview- The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans #Romance @be-the-spark


Today is the Mondayest Monday ever. Hallie Winstone has been fired – and it wasn’t even her fault!

Having lost her job and humiliated herself in front of a whole restaurant full of diners, this is absolutely, one hundred percent, the worst day of her life.
 
That is until she receives an email announcing that she is the lucky winner of the Once Upon a Page Bookshop!
 
Owning a bookshop has always been Hallie’s dream, and when she starts to find secret love letters on the first page of every book, she knows she’s stumbled across something special.

But Hallie’s beloved bookshop is in financial trouble, and with sales dwindling, she can’t help but wonder if she is really cut out to run a business.

Things start to look up when she meets gorgeous, bookish Dimitri and between them, they post a few of the hidden messages online, reuniting people who thought they were lost forever.
 
But maybe it’s time for Hallie to find her own happy-ever-after, too?

Attribution- Amazon.com

Biography

Jaimie is a 32-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She has been writing for years but has only just plucked up the courage to tell people.
She is the author of chick-lit romantic comedies Kismetology and The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, and young adult romantic comedies Afterlife Academy, Not Pretty Enough, and North Pole Reform School.

Find out more on http://www.jaimieadmans.com or find me on Twitter @be_the_spark

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

My Review

Bad luck follows Hallie Winstone like a dark cloud, so she is understandably amazed to find herself the winner of a quaint old bookstore.

Reading has always been Hallie’s comfort and she’s dreamed of owning her own store one day- but she didn’t realize how much work it would be to reorganize the old shop. Good thing it comes with a flat upstairs because the store is taking over her life. Financial concerns makes her wonder if she’s jumped from the frying pan to the fire, but a handsome, quirky artist convinces Hallie not to give up.

With Dimitri’s help, Hallie begins to get a handle on the business and excitement blooms when they find books with inscriptions inside their worn covers. The romantic in Hallie wants to bring the people in the messages together, so she and Dimitri hatch a plan to advertise the notes online and the results are more than either of them expected.

This is a sweet, charming rom-com with an underlying message of trust that I found refreshing. Klutzy Dimitri and hapless Hallie make a great couple. And who wouldn’t love to find romance in a bookshop!

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

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Sunday Lines: Sunday, August 9


Originally posted on Word by Word:
Here are a few encouraging #SundayLines provided by our #WordbyWord authors with the theme WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BE INSPIRED and ideas for finding solitude, a voice, new ideas, or maybe a purpose. Interested in learning more? Click on the pictures below to gain more insight into each author.…

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Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Author Update – #Reviews – #Crime Jacquie Biggar, #FlashFiction Sarah Brentyn, #Contemporary #Humour Lizzie Chantree


Originally posted on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine:
The first review today is for USA Today Bestselling author Jacquie Biggar and her recent release Virtually Gone: A Mended Souls Novel (High-Tech Crime Solvers Book 6) About the book From USA Today Bestselling Author, Jacquie Biggar, comes a gripping techno-thriller, part of a multi-author series tied together by…

Jacquie Biggar21 Comments

Sugarcoated by @ErinNicholas #NewRelease #Romance


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“Sugarcoated is hot, funny, and so adorably swoon-worthy, it’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!” – Katana Collins, author

Sugarcoated, an all-new sweet and sexy standalone romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas is available now!

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A hot, funny brother’s best friend rom com
with sugar on top!

She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s known her all his life. He’s practically part of the family. There is nothing either of them could do to surprise the other at this point.

Then she showed up in his bedroom in lingerie and asked him to take her V-card.

Now, that was a surprise.

Aiden is pretty sure Zoe was equally surprised when he told her no.

To say that he didn’t handle it well would be a massive understatement. Almost as massive as the amount of work he’s going to have to do now to convince her that he wants her. Forever.

Right after he tells her that he’s bought the company that’s her bakery’s biggest competitor.

Maybe if he tells her he’s in love with her first, that will help sugarcoat the whole we’re-rivals-in-business-now thing.

So, first “I’m in love with you”, then “take off your clothes”, then “I’m now your business adversary”.

Piece of cake.

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Download your copy today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bjel3L Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/sugarcoated Apple Books: https://apple.co/36BvxzB Nook: http://bit.ly/39UU6t5 Kobo: http://bit.ly/37Lz6Dk Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Wxondp Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/36Etef8

About Erin Nicholas

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Connect with Erin

Website: http://bit.ly/2NkB2uF Facebook: http://bit.ly/2tdTM8e Twitter: http://bit.ly/2QLd1Pr Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3a3rnm4 Instagram: http://bit.ly/36NqV9y Website: http://bit.ly/2FM3Doo Stay up to date with Erin Nicholas by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/38a5Fv5

Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

#BookReview- In Search of McDoogal by @MaeClair1 #RomCom


In search of something ugly


All Brady Conrad wants to do is earn a few merit points with his artist girlfriend, so he volunteers to cover her gallery when she leaves town. What should be an easy day of sales goes belly up when he mistakenly sells a cherished painting.

With the clock ticking toward Vanessa’s return, Brady has less than a day to track McDoogal down. He coerces his friend Declan to tag along for moral support. How difficult can it be for an investigator and the director of a renowned institute to find a single painting in a town the size of a postage stamp?

Neither Brady nor Declan counted on a suspicious sheriff, rival baseball teams with a longstanding grudge, or a clueless kid trying to win his girlfriend with all the wrong gifts.

McDoogal is smack in the middle. But Brady’s biggest dilemma isn’t the disastrous hunt. It’s confessing to Vanessa her painting is the ugliest thing he’s ever seen.

Biography

A member of the Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers, Mae Clair is also a founding member and contributor to the award-winning writing blog, Story Empire. She has achieved bestseller status on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with several of her novels chosen as book club selections.

Mae writes primarily in the mystery/suspense genre, flavoring her plots with elements of urban legend and folklore. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail, and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at MaeClair.com

Photo by Matthias Oben on Pexels.com

My Review

The things we do for love…

When Brady Conrad inadvertently sells his girlfriend’s prized painting of her beloved feline, he talks friend Declan into helping in its recovery.

They follow a vague trail of clues leading them to a small town with a suspicious sheriff and a calamity of events that make for entertaining reading. Brady and Declan act more like brothers with their witty dialogue and unending support and the supporting characters are a hoot!

The more we learn of this painting, the curiouser it gets and was a highlight of the story for me.

If you’re looking for a little lighthearted relief from the current world crisis, this book fits the bill!

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I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

Jacquie Biggar48 Comments

New Release News- The Player by Jacquie Biggar #RomCom #SportsRomance


I have a new release and it’s a Rom-com!

When I started writing the second book in the Men of WarHawks series I had in mind a suspense novel with a female antagonist because I’d read somewhere that something like one in ten women are criminals. Enter Olivia Brandt- psycho stalker.

Excerpt from Villain’s POV

Unable to help herself, Olivia lifted the spyglasses just as Roy got out of the car and went around to open the door for the chunky woman who climbed out and stared up at the rather impressive log cabin in front of them. What did he even see in her? She had no style sense—seriously, bubble coats when you’re plump is like adding wrapping paper to a watermelon, there is no hiding those curves—and what was with those glasses and hairstyle? Did she dream of becoming the next Marilyn Monroe?

Roy put a hand to the woman’s elbow and solicitously helped her over the icy gravel drive and up the stairs to the wraparound porch. They paused for a moment while he unlocked the door, then ushered her inside. Olivia’s blood boiled. She threw the binoculars onto the seat—where they promptly bounced to the floor—and smacked a gloved hand on the steering wheel.

“She’s going to pay for getting in my way,” she vowed.

“You’re going to jail, is what’s going to happen,” Mike retorted. “C’mon, sis, you already have a restraining order against you thanks to this guy, isn’t that enough?”

Heat rose up her chest and coated her cheeks. “I told you, it’s a misunderstanding. Once I get a chance to speak to Roy, he’ll clear it up. That’s why I need you.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re making excuses. He doesn’t want anything more to do with you. He’s moved on, why can’t you?”

Rage rose in a tidal wave. Before she knew what she was doing, Olivia reached down, grabbed the binoculars, and rammed them into her brother’s face.

“Ow, you bitch,” he yelled, putting both hands up to protect his bleeding nose. “What the hell was that for?”

The anger ebbed, the monster in her head silent for now. She started the truck and backed down the drive until they were out of sight of the house. A couple of maneuvers later, the four-by-four was turned around. Olivia glanced at Mike and frowned. She threw a roll of paper towel from under the seat in his direction. “Clean yourself up, we have a date with a rental agency.”

“You’re fricking crazy,” he mumbled.

She laughed, exhilarated now that the time was near. Soon we will be together, darling. And no one was going to stand in her way.

As you can see, Olivia has a few issues. But, as well as her character came together, I couldn’t tame my protagonists into having the proper respect and solemn attitudes given the seriousness of the situation.

Roy Donaldson is an attitude-ridden hockey player, frustrated with his general manager’s request demand to take time away from the game to get his personal life in order, and Patience Kennedy is the unfortunate PA hired to help him. Roy figures he can boss the PA into leaving so he can get back on the ice, but Patience isn’t the pushover he expects.

Short Excerpt between Roy and Patience

Roy stripped down in the empty locker room and stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water massaged his back. He’d paid a hefty price to get the arena to himself, but it was worth the fee to escape the merciless eyes of the press. If he wasn’t under contract
 hell, who was he kidding? His career was all he had left, he wasn’t going anywhere. His cell phone jingled, wrecking the quiet. He tipped his head back, letting the water roll off his face. Olivia. Again. He had nothing to say to her. She’d made a fool out of him in front of his entire team—unforgivable.

He rubbed his face and blinked unseeingly at the tiled wall. Two months. He and Olivia had been happy together—well, content. God. If he hadn’t come home early that day and found her ensconced in his bed


They’d agreed to take things slow, enjoy the natural growth of their relationship. Instead, she’d stolen his keys, inserting herself into every part of his life. Calling his mother, arranging a dinner with his teammates, adding her name—in a relationship—to his Facebook profile. He pounded the wall, then bowed his head, failure ringing in his ears.

He rinsed off and left the shower stall, hands squeezing the water from his over-long hair—he needed a cut. A startled screech stopped him in his tracks. A curvy brunette sat half-turned on the bench. She’d covered her eyes and held out his towel, reminding him of a pinup from the fifties with her flouncy dress, short sweater and colorful knotted headscarf.

“Who the hell are you?” he snarled, making a grab for the towel to cover his privates—though it was probably too late for modesty. So much for having this place to himself.

“Umm, P
 Patience Kennedy.” She peeked at him from an oversized pair of mint green glasses that made her brown eyes look huge.

Great, they were sending ingĂ©nues for reporters now. Didn’t matter, he wasn’t buying into it. “Well, Patience Kennedy, this is the men’s locker room. You aren’t supposed to be in here. Tell whatever rag you’re working for the whole sex kitten thing is wasted on me.” There, that should send her running in


One.

Two.

The young woman erupted off her seat in the most interesting flurry of bounces and wriggles. Hands on hips, she glared at him in all her bifocaled glory. “That is a horrible, sexist thing to say.” Her eyes lowered to his bare chest and the towel tucked haphazardly around his hips. She jerked her gaze up, cheeks flushing a becoming pink. “This is a misunderstanding. My boss suggested I come down and introduce myself after your practice. I wasn’t expecting
” Her hands flapped in front of her like a frightened peacock attempting to take flight.

Unexpectedly, he grinned. “Never see a naked man before, Patience Kennedy?” He double-checked the towel and chuckled when she sealed her eyes shut. “Don’t worry, your virtue is safe with me.” The smile faded. “I learn from my mistakes.” He looked around for his clothes, realized he’d left them in his locker and Kennedy stood in his path.

“I wish I could say this has been fun, but
” He waited until she reopened her eyes, then jerked his chin in the direction of the other room.

She tipped her head and a heavy sweep of chestnut hair slipped over her shoulder to cover the plump fullness of her breast—not that he was looking. “Sorry?”

He saw the moment the lightbulb went on. Her eyes widened and her mouth made an oh that hooked his attention. She had a beauty mark. “My clothes are behind you—unless you plan on holding me hostage until you get your story?” And why the hell did that not sound like a bad idea?

She jumped out of his way and promptly twisted an ankle on the wet bricks. “Ouch,” she cried, leaning over to cradle the injury.

That damn sweater was too small, her breasts were hanging out of the top, jiggling with every pained breath she took. He was such a pervert. He crouched to get a closer look at the injury, tucking the towel between his legs. Yep, she’d sprained it. Who came into a locker room in three-inch heels anyway?

“You’d better sit down. You can’t walk on it like that.” He rose and took her elbow, frowning when she jerked away.

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do. It’s fi
 fine,” she groaned as she put her weight on the foot in question. Her face paled and she reached behind her for the bench, easing her rump down. “Dammit, what else can go wrong?”

If you’d like to find out how these two survive themselves and the crazy Olivia, check out The Player releasing Feb 28th!

The Player: Men of WarHawks- Book 2

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083CZVVLG

International: https://books2read.com/ThePlayer

TBR List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50439233-the-player

Recommend on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-player-men-of-warhawks-book-2-by-jacquie-biggar

Sometimes, love happens when we least expect it


NHL defenseman Roy Donaldson lives for the game. When an ex-girlfriend/stalker causes trouble for the team, Roy gets benched.

And the only way he can return to the rotation
? Accept help from sassy, sexy PA Patience Kennedy.

Patience is one step away from a junior partnership– all she needs to do is restore a sullen, annoying, attractive hockey player’s image.

Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Early Reviews

Oh this one took a surprising turn and I couldn’t put it down. I won’t give any spoilers but it is a doozy! It is well written and a nice blend of sports player, strong woman, romance,a touch of humor, twists, family and yes, suspense!

Bookbub reviewer- The Player

I love sports stories (especially hockey ones) and Jacquie gives us Roy who gets sidelined from NHL thanks to his stalker ex so he ends up needing some little help from a PA Patience 
 so you can imagine the good laughs and antics and aww moments she mixed up for us and to be frank, I think the story would have deserved to be longer! I for sure will keep my eyes open for more by Jacquie!

Bookbub Reviewer- Irresistible Valentine Anthology

Jacquie Biggar43 Comments

I #Read My Own #Book, and I Liked It! #Romance


I read my book, Valentine, and got a kick out of it!

Authors, do you ever go back and read books off of your own backlist?

I’ve always avoided it, I’m not sure why. Maybe, I was scared to find out how bad they were, lol. I think we writers have fragile egos (or I do, anyway) and worry we’re doing the old, fake it, til we make it, with regards to our books. Then too, I’m my own worst critic, so that doesn’t help.

I remember the first time I made bread. Spoiler alert; I hate baking, but I wanted to do something nice for my family, so like a trooper, I got the recipe from my mom (who makes baking look like child’s play) and put all the ingredients together, feeling pretty proud of myself. But then, the loaves came out of the oven, flat and heavy and looking nothing like my mom’s. Hubby said he could use them to fill in the holes in our driveway, they were that bad!

I never baked bread again.

You may wonder what this has to do with writing, and honestly I’m not sure, other than to say I’m glad writing doesn’t require kneading!

Do you have something you epically failed at? Were you like me and gave up, or did you keep going until you got it right?

My Review for Valentine: A Hearts & Kisses Romance

Free until Feb 16th

It’s been a couple of years since I wrote Valentine and had forgotten most of the story. It was like reading a new book- one I really enjoyed!

Sierra Johnson is recovering from a bad breakup (boyfriend conned her out of all of her life savings) and works two jobs in order to survive. One is a temporary caretaker/home repair person for an aging brownstone, and the other is her dream job- catering. Unfortunately, her boss isn’t the easiest to work for, and her fellow boarder at the brownstone is an obnoxious, aggravating male who keeps showing up at the wrong moment.

Val Hodgins is on the island to help his great-aunt with her brownstone, and his twin sister with her catering business, but an annoying, klutzy, cute firebrand keeps him on his toes.

Favorite Lines

Love was a two-way street and it turned out theirs was a dead end.

Valentine- Jacquie Biggar

She looked stricken. “Val, I’m sorry we didn’t work out. I love you, I’ll always love you. I’m just not in love with you. It took me a long time to figure out the distinction, but it’s all the difference in the world, isn’t it?”

Valentine- Jacquie Biggar

If betrayal were a color, it would be gray.

Valentine- Jacquie Biggar

I highly recommend going back and reading your books. You might be proud of what you’ve achieved! 

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

Jacquie Biggar36 Comments

Ways to Inspire Your Writing #WritingTips #WritingCommunity


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Ways I’ve found to inspire my writing

I often get asked where I go for inspiration. There are literally a million different storylines out there- you just have to be open to ideas.

The other night, on America’s Got Talent there was a trapeze act where the woman flipped in mid-air over a fiery pit of spikes. It made me wonder what her backstory was; why would she risk her life for a moment’s glory that way?

I follow a couple of amazing photographer blogs; Tofino Photography and Steve McCurry. Both of these men delve deep into the souls of their subjects. They fill me with awe and endless ideas for stories.

Another way that I get story ideas is from news clips. Whether you write murder mysteries, romance, paranormal, or true life there’s a story waiting to be told. Here’s an interesting story from my home province:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/possible-meteor-alberta-1.5457429

Many know my obsession with covers. I truly believe a great cover can lead to sales and the trickle effect of having your book noticed and talked about, but that’s not all. As a writer, if you decide on a cover prior to starting the book it can serve as inspiration for the story.

This is true for my contemporary romance, Valentine: A Hearts and Kisses Romance

Free from Feb 12-16

When I came across this cover, I immediately saw a rom-com and couldn’t resist snatching it up!

Blurb:

Take two humans who pretend they can’t stand each other and one matchmaking canine and the fun is nonstop!

Val Hodgins is on the road to success. His architect firm handles some of the biggest contracts along the western seaboard. He doesn’t have time to babysit his aunt’s aging house or her pain in the butt dog, but when she falls ill with pneumonia he drops everything to go to her aid.

Sierra Johnson’s dreams of owning a catering company go up in smoke thanks to a bad choice in boyfriends. Now, she’s stuck working for a tyrannical boss, care-taking an aging townhouse, and being tormented by the owner’s aggravating, caustic, way-too-attractive nephew.

Will these two get over their prejudices in time to realize love comes without a price tag?

Excerpt:

Val opened the door to the brownstone and ushered Norma Jean inside. What a fiasco. He was just glad it was over.

“Thanks for accepting my apologetic dinner. My aunt’s dog isn’t usually so
”

“Cute?” she supplied, smiling as he helped her remove her wet coat. Of course, it had to be pouring when they left the restaurant.

“Troublesome,” he corrected. Though really, he’d only been living here a week, so what did he know?

“It’s strange I never saw him here before your aunt became ill.” A horrified look crossed her pretty face. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

He shrugged, uncomfortable. She couldn’t, he barely knew his great-aunt. “It’s fine, we aren’t that close.” He hung her jacket by the door. “Maybe next time we go out we can avoid setting off the fire alarms.”

He’d meant it as a joke, but when he turned and caught the hopeful expression in her sky-blue eyes he cursed his loose lips.

“That sounds amazing,” she sighed, then glanced down the hall. “Something smells good.”

Oh, hell. He’d left his roast slow-cooking while he took her out, but he hadn’t planned on the delay with the water sprinklers and the firemen who wanted to know what happened. He’d be lucky if it wasn’t beef jerky by now.

“Thanks,” he said. “I’m stocking the freezer for those days when I don’t want to cook after work. Do you want to join me for coffee and a sandwich?” he offered reluctantly.

She gazed longingly down the hall, but shook her head. “Maybe next time. I need to study, mid-terms are coming up soon.”

He sighed his relief. She was nice, and would make a great friend, but he wasn’t interested in anything else. He’d been burned by women enough to last a lifetime. He’d give love a pass.

“Okay, well
 have a nice night,” he ventured, waiting for her to go up the stairs to her room.

She laughed softly and leaned close to brush his cheek with her cherry red lips. “Don’t try so hard,” she murmured, before sashaying away on the stilts she wore for shoes.

Val rubbed his jaw and strode down the hall. Maybe they could just be friends.

He entered the kitchen expecting smoke, and instead found himself staring at the shapely bottom of a woman bent over his oven basting his roast while the mutt who’d ruined his day sat nearby, a sloppy grin on its narrow face.

Now what?

Your turn; what inspires you to write?

Don’t forget, Valentine is FREE until Feb 16th!

happy valentine's day

Jacquie Biggar22 Comments

Love in The Suburbs by @DEHaggerty #BookBuzz #Romance


About Face

Love in the Suburbs #1

by D.E. Haggerty

Genre: Romantic Comedy

My grandma is trying to hook me up.
To be painfully specific, my seventy-five-year-old grandmother thinks a little hanky-panky would cheer me up. Direct quote. Since I’m currently living with her, I can’t escape the endless line of grandchildren of friends who keep ‘dropping by’ for dinner. Literally, I can’t escape. I can barely manage the trek to the dining room at this point.
While Grandma’s determined to find me a husband, I’m determined to learn how to walk again so I can walk away from her matchmaking skills. Spoiler alert: She has no matchmaking skills.
But then I get a brilliant idea. I can fake date my physical therapist. Only he wants a real date. Gulp. A real date with me? Is he for real? I’m no longer the stylish girl with the glamorous job. Now, I’m a woman with a shattered leg and a scarred face.
If I’m going to learn to live with my new reality and give love a chance, my attitude needs to do an about-face. Easier said than done.

Excerpt:

 

“Now, young man.” I chuckle. Bert is not young by anyone’s measure except Grandma’s. Based on his receding hairline and the white tinting his beard, I’m guessing he’s somewhere in his late thirties if not older. “What’s this about you having a girlfriend?”

Bert, who just stuffed a huge portion of pork chop into his mouth, chokes but holds his hand up when Grandma stands and pulls her arm back as if to whack him on the back. He takes a drink of water and manages to swallow his food. “My grandmother Alma doesn’t approve of my relationship.”

“Why not?” Grandma asks as she sits down. “Are you a homosexual? Do you need me to talk to Alma? She should know better in this day and age than to discriminate against you gays.”

Bert starts choking all over again. This time on mere air. When he gets control of himself, he shakes his head. “Um, no. I’m not gay. I have a girlfriend,” he explains making sure to emphasize ‘girl’.

“Why doesn’t she approve of your relationship?” I ask before Grandma can start on some other inane theory.

“My girlfriend is in prison.”

My eyes widen at his answer. I can honestly admit of the dozen scenarios running through my head – drug dealer, too young, single mother – ‘girlfriend in prison’ never entered the realm of possibilities. “What’s she in for?” His lips turn down at my question. “What? Is it not proper etiquette to ask?” Like I care. I will find out what crimes his girlfriend committed.

He shrugs. “I guess I can tell you as you’ll probably never meet Shayla. She was arrested for intent to distribute drugs.”

My mouth gapes open. “Your girlfriend is a drug dealer?”

Bert’s eyes narrow on me. “No, she is not. She has a problem with addiction for which she’s being treated.”

Sure, she’s not. “Does she get treatment in prison?”

“She’s going to NA.”

I nod. NA is better than nothing I guess, although I wouldn’t be surprised if she was ordered to attend NA as part of her sentence. Wow. These blind dates are making me cynical. I take a bite of pork chop as I consider my next question. “How did you two meet?”

“Online.”

“Like online dating before she went to prison or
” I trail off when I see him shaking his head.

“No, I met her on this website for dating prisoners.” There’s a website for dating prisoners? People, who are not in prison purposefully choose to find a prisoner to date? Fascinating. I have to find this website. Maybe his girlfriend is still listed on there.

“But you have met her in person, right?”

“Of course.” Bert smiles. “I drive down to the prison about once a month to visit her.”

I lean forward and whisper. “Can you like touch each other and kiss and stuff when you visit?” Is it rude to ask someone if they can have sex with their prisoner girlfriend at the dinner table? I sneak a peek at Grandma whose mouth is hanging open as she stares at Bert. Okay, probably not best to ask about sex then.

Bert’s face goes nuclear red. Even the tips of his ears are red. It’s kind of adorable. “Not really. But she’s out soon
” The implication is clear. He can’t wait to do the horizontal mumbo jumbo with his prisoner girlfriend.

Grandma clears her throat and stops any further questions of which I have about a gazillion. I’ve never met anyone who dated a prisoner before. I don’t think I even know anyone who’s been to jail, let alone prison. I’m intrigued.

“What about in the meantime?” Grandma asks.

“In the meantime? What do you mean?” Bert asks, but I have a sneaking suspicion where Grandma is going with this line of inquiry and I don’t like it one bit.

“Don’t you need some female companionship since your girl is 
 um 
. unavailable?”

Oh my god! Is my grandma trying to pimp me out?

 

1 about face teaser 1

At Arm’s Length

Love in the Suburbs #2

Jackson Schmidt is the biggest jerkity jerk ever. They should totally erect a statue to commemorate his jerkityness, jerkdom— Uggh! There are literally not enough words for ‘jerk’ to depict the man.
Unfortunately, Jackson is also the most gorgeous specimen of manhood I’ve ever laid eyes on. One look at him and I want to jump and climb him like a tree. But whenever he opens his mouth, his status as the biggest bastard on the planet is immediately reinstated. It’s impossible for the man to say anything remotely nice – at least not to me. To my best friend, though? To her, he’s Mr. Perfect Gentleman. Did I mention he’s carrying a torch for my engaged best friend?
My libido does not give one flying hoot Jackson is a dick who has a crush on my bestie. Nope. Not at all. No matter how much of a schmuck the man is – and trust me he takes schmuck to the next level – I continue to pant after him like a nerdy freshman crushing on the prom king. If I want to keep my sanity, I’m going to have to keep Jackson at arm’s length.
Sanity is totally overrated.

Hands Off

Love in the Suburbs #3

I am done with men. D – O – N – E. DONE!
I don’t care how much billionaire Roman Cadwell pushes (and, oh boy, does the sexy man push ALL my buttons), I am not dating him. Especially not when he’s wearing a golden band around his ring finger. I do not get involved with married men. Call it my line in the sand. If a man can’t be faithful, I want not one single thing to do with him.
But what if Roman isn’t really married? What then? No, no, no. I will not fall into Lying McLiarson’s trap.
Only every time the man touches me, my body forgets I’m a good girl and wants to give in. Hands off, Mr. Lying Pants, before I forget I’m a good girl.
Although – no one said I had to be a good girl forever.
Author’s Note: This romantic comedy contains absolutely, positively NO cheating. None. But it does have a whole bunch of witty dialogue and a super sweet happily ever after. And maybe more drama than the author originally intended. What can she say? The characters have minds of their own.
Hands Off is book 3 of the Love in the Suburbs series but can be read as a standalone.
I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom’s Harlequin romances, to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic before returning to the law. But practicing law really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out running a B&B wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before following the husband to Istanbul where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go. But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague where, in between tennis matches and failing to save the world, I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.
$15 Amazon gift card
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
 
 

 

Jacquie Biggar10 Comments

New Release- Weekend Wife by Erin McCarthy #RomCom #Romance @jennw23 @AuthorErin


WW - RB banner

“Weekend Wife is the perfect, irresistible romantic comedy!”

—Erin Nicholas, New York Times bestselling author

Weekend Wife, an all-new flirty and hilarious stand-alone rom com from New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy, is available now!

WeekendWife FOR WEB

Billionaire businessman in need of a fake fiancée


It should be the easiest job ever for an out-of-work actress, right?

All I have to do is pose as Grant Caldwell (the Third’s) fiancĂ© for a fancy-pants weekend in the Hamptons. Easy. Wear designer clothing and sip champagne? Don’t mind if I do. Flirting with Grant? It’s so delicious I should be paying him.

Nothing can go wrong as long as if I can just keep my hands off of him.

But that’s the hard part. And I do mean hard.

Because Grant is sexy.

And bossy.

And surprisingly sweet, a real rarity in his pretentious family.

Oops. I’m not as good at faking it as I thought. Or maybe they call this method acting. Because it’s getting harder to figure out where my character ends and I begin


It just might be the role of a lifetime.

WW - AN

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vCLc3P

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3b9dbZs

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2u3DcbV

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/397Id21

Add WEEKEND WIFE to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/35JEWEF

Erin McCarthy

About Erin

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over seventy-five novels and novellas in the romance and mystery genres. Erin has a special weakness for high-heeled boots, martinis, and Frank Sinatra. She lives with her renovation-addicted husband (he built her a bar, so it’s all good!) and their blended family of kids and rescue dogs.

Connect with Erin

Facebook: http://bit.ly/39K0yDk

Instagram: http://bit.ly/37EuvCQ

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2ZWtdQT

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

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2uqW6Jx

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2FrgL2d

Stay up to date with Erin by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2tYmOsP

Website: https://erinmccarthy.net

 

Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

Can’t Buy Me Love by Janet Elizabeth Henderson #Romance #amreading @XpressoReads


Can’t Buy Me Love
Janet Elizabeth Henderson
(Sinclair Sisters Trilogy, #3)
Publication date: December 25th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Three awesome series meet in one explosive book!

It turned out hell was a small town in the Scottish Highlands. Oh, sure, the locals called it Invertary, but Agnes Sinclair knew better—the town even had an old woman everyone called Satan. If that wasn’t a sign she was in hell, she didn’t know what was. All Agnes had ever wanted was to get out of Scotland, and now she was stuck there with no escape. And all because of one teeny, tiny incident (he totally deserved it!) that got her blacklisted in the hotel industry. Now, her only career option is managing a hotel owned by a guy who looks like Disco Santa, in a town where everyone marched to their own damn beat. And, as if being trapped in hell wasn’t bad enough, a spate of thefts at the hotel makes the owner call in a member of Benson Security to help her get to the bottom of them. Agnes doesn’t need help. She especially doesn’t need it from a sexy single father whose every breath tempts her to reevaluate what she wants out of life. A man who makes her wonder if Invertary is where she truly belongs.

***This is a full length, standalone romance with an HEA***

**It includes characters from the Invertary (Scottish Highlands) series and the Benson Security Series**

*You don’t need to have read any other books in any series to enjoy this one!*

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

This is the start of the book, where we find out the heroine is in a job she doesn’t want and the hotel she works in has been suffering a spate of thefts since she started. No clues for guessing who’s suspect number one! So, the hotel owner calls in a member of the local security team to look into things. And Logan and Agnes do NOT hit it off!

It turned out the Catholics were right—purgatory was real. And it was a small town in the Scottish Highlands. Oh, sure, the locals called it Invertary, but Agnes Sinclair knew better. She wasn’t fooled by the picturesque loch or the rows of crooked white houses. Invertary was where souls came to have the hope sucked out of them—or whatever it was that happened in purgatory. Not being Catholic, Agnes wasn’t sure what went on there, but with a name like purgatory, it couldn’t be good. All she knew for sure was that she’d only been in town for three weeks, and already she’d lost the will to live.

“You called a security firm to investigate me?” She glared at her new boss, Dougal Jamieson, the owner of Invertary’s only hotel, and he didn’t even squirm.

He tugged down his red tartan waistcoat, which he’d teamed with a pink button-down shirt, and glared back. “I called them in to investigate the thefts. The ones you informed me were happening. Was I supposed to ignore them?”

“You were supposed to let me do my job and investigate them myself. That’s why you employed a hotel manager. To free you up to take care of the pub and build your new conference center.” The conference center that was still in the planning stage because the land Dougal needed to build it was being held hostage by an old woman the town called Satan. Which seemed appropriate, because if this was truly purgatory, Satan should live in it. Right? She really needed to find a Catholic and have them explain this stuff to her.

“You might be the day-to-day manager, but this is still my business,” Dougal snapped.

It was clear to Agnes, after only three weeks in the job, that Dougal didn’t actually want to let go of the responsibility of managing his hotel. So he’d taken to managing her instead.

In detail.

Every.

Single.

Day.

His micromanagement was beginning to make her skin crawl, and the urge to gag him and lock him in a closet grew stronger by the minute.

Dougal’s white brows furrowed as he huffed a breath that made his matching mustache and beard flutter. Her boss was Santa dressed as Elton John, with a booming voice and a deep Highland burr. Talking to him was like having a bad acid trip.

It was on the tip of her tongue to demand to know why he’d hired her when he seemed so set on doing the job himself. But Agnes already knew the answer—her sister’s husband had talked him into it. Yep, that’s how pathetic she’d become. Even though she’d spent ten years studying part time to get a degree in hotel management and had countless hours of practical experience under her belt, she needed her sister to find her a job.

There were days, like this one, when she second-guessed the decision that’d landed her in her current predicament. She’d been offered a job managing a large hotel that was part of a famous chain, and all she’d had to do to secure the position was have sex with the owner. Agnes had politely declined, kicking his nuts into next week as she did so. Less than twenty-four hours later, she’d been blacklisted throughout the entire UK hotel network. Which had led her to this moment—a face-off with disco Santa.

She should have had sex with the creepy hotel owner.

Taking a fortifying breath, she reached deep for what little patience ran in her genes. “I know this is your hotel, and I understand that I work for you. But I just want the opportunity to do my job before you decide you need someone else to do it for me.”

“This isn’t a judgment of your abilities.” Dougal’s voice reverberated off the walls. “It’s an attempt to give you some help. Benson Security can investigate the thefts while you manage the hotel.”

What was left hanging in the air between them was the fact the bulk of the thefts had only started when she’d arrived in Invertary. She looked her boss straight in the eye. “I’m not the one stealing from you.”

He smacked a beefy hand on her desk. “Did I say that?” He turned to the man leaning in the doorway. The man Agnes had been steadily ignoring since he’d arrived with her boss ten minutes earlier. “Did I, at any point, suggest my manager was stealing from me?”

Agnes tossed her long, straight blonde hair over her shoulder, folded her arms over her gray suit jacket, and tapped her toe. Yes, what exactly did the almighty ‘security specialist’ think of this situation?

The corner of the man’s mouth quirked as he uncrossed his arms and ankles and stepped into the room. At about five foot eight or nine, he wasn’t massively tall, but he would still tower over her. He wore a black long-sleeved tee with the sleeves pushed up, a pair of dark blue jeans, and brown suede boots. His thick, mahogany hair, shorter at the sides, was pulled back in a rough right parting. He reminded her of a younger Tom Cruise. Only with a nose that’d been broken at some point and set crooked. They shared the same lean, muscled physique, and the same amused sparkle in their eyes.

“What I think,” he said, “is that we all need to take a step back and calm down.”

And that was all she needed to hear to know he was an ex-cop—it was in his tone. The same tone she’d heard many times over the years. Perfect. This was just what she needed.


Author Bio:

Janet is a Scot who moved to New Zealand fifteen years ago. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!). She now writes full-time and is working on her 19th book. Her books have won several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier award for excellence in mystery and suspense. When she isn’t living in her head, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.

Website / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram

 

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Jacquie BiggarLeave a comment

Adorkable by @CookieOWrites #YA #RomCom @InkSlingerPR


Today we have the blog tour for Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman! Check it out and be sure to grab your paperback copy today!

 

Title: Adorkable

Author: Cookie O’Gorman

Genre: YA Romance

About Adorkable:

“Captivating, fun, and totally swoon-worthy! This is the kind of story my reader heart craves.” ―Rachel Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Eyes on Me

Available in print for the first time, and with exclusive bonus content only found in the print version! Fall in love with Sally and Becks all over again.

Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she’s done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There’s only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: She needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around hottie, and Sally’s best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He’d do anything for Sal―even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she’s “more than pretty,” and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally’s been in love with Becks all her life―and he’s completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special-edition Yoda Snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses, and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

 

 

About the Author:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas.

 

Connect with Cookie:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

Ten Things My Cat Hates About You #RomCom #BookReview


Not everyone gets nine lives

So he better be the love of a lifetime!

When Clara’s ginger cat Casper chases yet another romantic prospect out the door she’s ready to give up on love altogether. But then the fussy feline causes two meet cutes in the space of a day and suddenly Clara has two gorgeous men driving her to distraction.

But who is in control of happy ever after? Clara, fate
or the cat who started it all?

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

Photo by Monique Laats on Pexels.com

My Review

This one tickled my funny bone!

Museum director, Clara Swift loves her job, home, family and friends, but secretly wishes for a fairytale romance like her parents had.

The problem is; she either falls for the wrong type of guy, or her rescue cat, Casper, scares away any promising prospects- what’s a girl to do?

When Casper almost gets run down by a grumpy professor, Clara rushes him to the local vet and meets the man of her dreams (or so she thinks). Josh is movie star handsome, funny, and best of all, Casper adores him. With that seal of approval, she falls head over heels for the sexy doctor. The only fly in the ointment is the annoying, but cute in a nerdy way, professor who keeps showing up with sarcastic advice.

When Adam (the professor) helps Clara out of a sticky situation at work, it changes her opinion of him and they become friends and confidants. All would be well in her world, if only she could stop thinking about Adam at the most inappropriate times!

This is a fun romantic comedy about missing what was right there all along. I give Ten Things My Cat Hates About You 4 lovely kisses!

“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

Bitmoji Image

Jacquie Biggar11 Comments

Kiss Me Tonight by Emma Hart #RomCom #NewRelease @jennw23


KMT-BANNER-LIVE

What do a wrong number text, a burning building, and a quirky florist have in common?

A hunky firefighter with an extra-large
hosepipe.

Kiss Me Tonight, an all-new hilarious standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart is available now!

KISSMETONIGHT-1

In hindsight, I never should have opened that text message. The last thing I needed first thing on a Monday was a picture of some stranger’s, um, eggplant, in my inbox.

I also should have replaced the batteries in my fire alarm, because my Friday night did not need to end with my apartment building going up in flames.

But it’s fine. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

I’m only lying in a hospital bed with more split ends than I’ve ever had, almost all my Earthly possessions have turned to ash, and apparently, they don’t serve wine to patients in this place.

But like I said, it’s fine.

Until he walks in.

The guy who saved my life. My hero. Noah Jacobs.

And the universe is amusing itself at my expense, because the dirty photo I woke up to on Monday?

It’s his.

kmt-banner2

Download your copy today!

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

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

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

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2IZe1M9

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2jX2gMs

Excerpt

“Hi.”

I glanced over at him, my lips curving. “Hi.”

“You ready?”

“To escape the madhouse? What do you think?”

“That I should put my foot down.”

I winked and clicked my belt into place. “Let’s go. Where are we going?”

Noah pulled away from the curb. “I was going to let you direct me. I haven’t been in town long, like I said, and I definitely haven’t been out for lunch.”

I leaned back in the seat. “Hmm. What do you want to eat?”

“You’re the one breaking out of jail. I’m happy to go wherever you want to.”

“Oh, no. I hate making decisions like this. Do you know how difficult it is to pick somewhere to eat?” I shifted my whole body so I could look at him. “Do you want Chinese? Thai? Steak? Korean? Pizza? Burgers? Caribbean? Mexican? Spanish? French? Italian?”

Noah’s gaze darted my way. “Do you have all those places in Creek Falls?”

“No, but that doesn’t make the decision any easier,” I replied. “Well? Burgers? Pizza? Mexican? Italian? Steak? Or Chinese?”

“I don’t—shit me, I feel like I’m being interrogated by the fucking Government.”

“You may as well be. Pick somewhere and I’ll tell you where to go.”

“I said you can pick.”

“I don’t care. I’ve been everywhere. They’re all good. You’re the new boy in town. Pick somewhere.”

“You’re demanding, do you know that?”

“Yes, Preston—oh, he’s my brother—regularly points out how demanding and difficult I am.” I paused. “If you really want me to pick, I will, but you can’t complain after.”

He turned the blinker on so we’d head in the direction of Main Street. “You just said they’re all good.”

“They are, but it’s not my fault if you feel like pizza and end up with a taco.”

“I can honestly say that I do not care what I eat for lunch as long as it’s edible.”

“Right. Then turn left, then right, and pull into the parking lot next to the liquor store.”

“I see you’re taking us to a reputable location.”

“Oh, no. The liquor store is a pit stop. It just happens to be on the way to the Mexican place I like.”

“I see. So you’re using me for liquor.”

“You’ve met my great-aunt. Damn straight I’m using you for liquor.”

About Emma Hart

Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels and has been translated into several different languages.

She is a mother, wife, lover of wine, Pink Goddess, and valiant rescuer of wild baby hedgehogs.

Emma prides herself on her realistic, snarky smut, with comebacks that would make a PMS-ing teenage girl proud.

Yes, really. She’s that sarcastic.

EmmaHart

Connect with Emma

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

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Website: https://www.emmahart.org/home

Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

The Fixer Upper by @MagMaeGallagher #Romance #Reading @SDSXXTours


The Fixer Upper

Echo Springs Book 1

by Maggie Mae Gallagher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Abby Callier is more in love with Shakespearean heroes than any real man,
and she’s beginning to wonder if there is life for her outside the
pages of a book. It doesn’t help that her esteemed parents tend to
view her as they would one of their science experiments gone wrong.
On the eve of finishing her dissertation, she escapes her staid
existence to live in the house she inherited from her Great Aunt Evie
in the small town of Echo Springs, Colorado. Because, let’s face
it, when a woman starts comparing her life to horror films, it might
be time for a break.
Sheriff Nate Barnes believes in law and order and carefully building the life
you want. In his spare time, he has been remodeling his house in the
hope that one day it will be filled with the family he makes. But
Nate doesn’t like drama or complications and tends to avoid them at
all costs. And yet, when Miss Abigail Callier, his newest neighbor,
beans him with a nine iron, he can’t help but wonder if she might
just be the complication he’s been searching for all along. It
doesn’t hurt that he’s discovered a journal hidden away by the
previous tenant, and decides to use Old Man Turner’s advice to
romance Abby into his life.
Abby never expected her next-door neighbor, the newly dubbed Sheriff Stud
Muffin, to be just the distraction her world needed. The problem is
she doesn’t know whether she should make Echo Springs her home, or
if this town is just a stopover point in her life’s trajectory. And
she doesn’t want to tell Nate that she might not be sticking around
– even though she should, because it’s the right thing to do, the
honest thing – because then all the scintillatingly hot kisses with
the Sheriff will come to an abrupt halt. Did she mention that he’s
a really great kisser?
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EXCERPT 

 

Abby spent the next hour cleaning her new room as best she could for the night. She’d work on the full house and give it a proper cleaning come morning, but she’d spent the better part of the day in her Rover and could feel the onset of fatigue settling in her bones. There was a semimodern bathroom across the hall, with one of those claw-foot tubs she’d take advantage of when she wasn’t dragging her feet and ready to go horizontal for eight hours. 

Settled in for the night, she made herself a small picnic of her wine and cheese offerings and added hitting up the local market for all the essentials to her to-do list for the morrow. Her parents would only shake their heads if they could see her in her thermal pajamas, drinking chardonnay directly from the bottle that hadn’t even sported a cork, but a lid that twisted off.

She was toasting her own brilliance when she heard the creak of the front door opening. Grabbing her trusty nine iron, a little gizmo she’d inherited from an ex-boyfriend some years back, Abby cursed at her phone’s low battery. 

“Figures,” she muttered under her breath. 

She left her room, tiptoeing down the stairs, her movements muffled by her thick socks. She rounded the corner, and a beam of light blinded her. 

“Gah!” Screaming, she swung the iron, ready to take on her intruder. All the self-defense classes her parents had scoffed at hadn’t been for naught. Who knew that in a sleepy little mountain town, burglars and vagabonds were a problem? The golf club whizzed over the intruder’s head.

“What the?” a deep baritone barked.

She swung again, determined to fend off whoever the hell thought he could invade her aunt’s place with mischief on his mind. The shadowed outline of a large man loomed behind the beam of light. When he didn’t back off, only kept advancing, her internal panic button hit overdrive. The nine-iron connected with flesh with a thudded whack. 

“Ow, fuck, cut it—”

“Get out or I’ll call the police!” she swore, her pulse hammering, her grip on the nine-iron so tight her hand was fusing into a claw formation. She reared back to strike again when his next words halted the forward progression of her swing.

“I am the police.” 

She blanched, almost dropping her weapon, but then thought better of it. What if he’d lied to disarm her and then would attack?

Nice try, buddy. She wasn’t falling for it. 

“Prove it.” She wasn’t the atypical heroine who idiotically descended into the darkened basement, despite the light mysteriously not working, to investigate the strange noise. She’d studied horror films and knew she was not the dumb bimbo, but the smart woman who survived. His indicating that he was the police was a sub-plot straight out of a B horror film and was precisely the type of thing the killer would say.

She raised the nine-iron into a defensive position as the man moved to her right, flipping on the overhead light while pulling a shiny silver badge from his belt. He held it toward her so that light reflected off the silver star. Blinking as her eyes adjusted, Abby wondered if she was dreaming. Cornflower-blue eyes studied her, dressed in her flannel pink pajama bottoms, tank top, and fluffy purple robe. He was larger than the darkness had suggested, probably a good six-three, and lean. His dark midnight hair fell in curly waves to his jawline, which was covered in dusky stubble. There was a ruggedness to him, indicating that somewhere in his make-up he preferred life outdoors, and it showed. He reminded her of the men gracing the covers of the romance novels she’d hidden from her parents growing up, and still hid from her colleagues. 

She’d always had a bit of a thing for men in uniform, but the only defining mark that even suggested he was an officer was his black jacket with an emblem embroidered into the right shoulder. Otherwise, he looked like a mountain man, in a button-up emerald flannel shirt and blue jeans that rode low over his muscular hips.

Then she focused on the badge. Oh, sweet heavens! The badge read: Sheriff, City of Echo Springs. Why did this have all the beginnings of a campy horror flick? Woman goes to the wilderness to find herself, makes acquaintance with the local law enforcement, and then the army of dolls stuffed inside the home come to life, possessed by a demon spawn from hell, to try to kill the heroine.

 

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Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals
baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She
remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of
books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the
bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that
doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of
Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple
fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya
Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she
adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her
family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

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Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

Scent of Love by @SophiaKnightly #RomCom #NewRelease @InkSlingerPR


Today we have the blog tour for Sophia Knightly’s SCENT FOR LOVE! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy of this fun romantic comedy today!

 

Title: Scent for Love

Author: Sophia Knightly

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy

About Scent for Love:

He’s hotter than a chili pepper. She’s icy champagne. A combination ready to combust…

 

All Gabe Falcon wants is to open a successful and trendy restaurant on the posh side of Naples, Florida. What he doesn’t expect is to get a glamorous and feisty neighbor who keeps him on his toes, challenging him at every turn.

 

Upscale perfumer Lily Marlowe, just back from Paris, creates custom fragrances for Naples’ elite. And the last thing she needs is the spicy aromas of Gabe’s mouth-watering dishes overpowering her fragrances and turning away customers. But she doesn’t expect her business rival to present her with a tempting proposition that makes her reserve falter.

 

The more she gets to know Gabe, the harder it is for Lily to distance herself. Their chemistry is explosive and as his tender pursuit breaks through her barriers, she grapples with an intense longing she is powerless to resist. Torn between her desire and her business, can Lily trust Gabe when the unimaginable occurs?

 

BEACH READ SERIES

Grill Me, Baby – Book 1

Blame it on Romeo – Book 2 (previously Paging Dr. Hot)

Scent for Love – Book 3

Grab Your Copy Today:

Kindle | Apple | Nook | Google | Kobo | Goodreads

 

Check out the Scent for Love Playlist

 

Catch Up on the Series of Standalone Romances Now!

GRILL ME, BABY (Beach Read, Book 1)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook | Google | Kobo

 

BLAME IT ON ROMEO (Beach Read, Book 2)

Kindle | Nook | Apple Books | Google Play | Kobo

 

 

About Sophia Knightly:

 

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels, Sophia Knightly, loves to transport readers from everyday life into happily ever afters. A BookBub featured author, her modern novels feature hot alpha heroes and strong smart women and are laced with humor, international appeal and a dash of glamour.

Her popular Tropical Heat Series and Heartthrob Series books have consistently been on bestseller lists and continue to grow in readership.

Sophia is passionate about writing books that end with a sigh and a smile. She loves traveling, foodie adventures, and appreciates the arts in all forms.

One of her favorite pastimes remains simply watching people, especially those in love!

 

Connect with Sophia:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube Channel | Newsletter signup

 

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Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

Blame it On Romeo by @SophiaKnightly #Romance #amreading @XpressoReads


Blame it on Romeo
Sophia Knightly
(Beach Read, #2)
Publication date: April 10th 2017
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Hi, I’m Francesca Lake, WBCG TV’s medical reporter. Privately, I am on a mission to marry a doctor. After my recent mortifying episode in the ER, it’s clear I suck at self-diagnosis. It all started when I thought I was having a heart attack. I made a cringe-worthy entrance at the hospital, but in my defense, I thought I was DYING. You can ask Harrison Taylor, my dog’s vet. He was the one who carried me into the ER.

I used to love my job reporting the social scene, but I’ve been recently drafted as the station’s medical reporter . God only knows what diseases I will have to report on. This is not a good thing for a closet hypochondriac! There’s only one upside–medical reporting means meeting lots of doctors. Surely, there will be a few eligible bachelors in the mix


I’m trying to ignore my wild attraction to Harrison, but his forest green eyes, rugged physique and warm smile make my insides melt
not to mention other parts. My adorable dog, Romeo, is in love with Harrison, and he’s convinced Harrison is for me. But I’m looking for a “human” doctor. Harrison is an animal doctor. Do I look like an animal? Well, only on a bad hair day, but that’s beside the point.

Marrying a doctor calls for a methodical approach, and I intend to date as many as I can to meet “the one.” I have to ignore Romeo’s blatant attempts to matchmake me with Harrison. But ignoring my pounding heart when I’m around swoony Harrison is another matter entirely


BEACH BOOK SERIES: Each book is a standalone

GRILL ME, BABY, Book 1

BLAME IT ON ROMEO, Book 2 (previously titled Paging Dr. Hot)

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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Only 99Âą for a limited time!

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EXCERPT:

“HEEELP! I’m having a heart attack!” I shout.

My eyes frantically squint against the bright morning sunlight as I scour the near-empty parking lot in search of anyone who can help me. I’m about to scream again when I see my hunky neighbor, Dr. Harrison Taylor, jogging a short distance away.

“Harrison!” I wave my arms to get his attention. “Over here!”

He jogs over and is at my side in a heartbeat. “Frankie, you okay?” Harrison’s forest-green eyes give me a thorough once-over, one that would normally make my knees wobble, but not today. I am too busy panicking as my heart hammers against my chest in what feels like a heart attack.

“I can’t breathe! Can you drive me to the ER?” I squeak in a voice that sounds like I’ve inhaled helium. Electric shocks race from my shoulder down to my fingertips making me clutch my arm. Gape-mouthed, I stare at my upper left arm as it turns pink and puffy.

Harrison propels me into the passenger side of my Jetta, grabs the car keys out of my hand and tears out of the parking lot. With one hand on the steering wheel, he maneuvers the crowded streets of Miami while his other big hand pats my knee.

“Breathe slowly and try to calm your heart rate,” he says in the soothing veterinarian voice he uses to treat sick animals. Except I’m not a sick dog or horse, I am Francesca Lake, WBCG’s “Roving Social Diva” reporter and I was on my way to do an on-air interview with Justin Bieber, for God’s sake!

“What happened?” Harrison asks, casting a concerned look my way.

I point to my arm. “A tharp thting,” I try to explain, but my tongue feels thicker by the second and now I’m lisping.

“Did you say a sting?” He slants an odd look at me. “Never mind. Don’t talk.”

It’s getting harder and harder to breathe and my throat feels tight. I need air in my lungs or I’m not going to make it!

I grab Harrison’s arm. “Harrithon, pleath. Gimme mouth-to-mouth,” I beg.

Harrison’s foot hits the accelerator and within minutes, we arrive at Doctor’s Hospital where he picks me up and runs into the emergency room as if his pants are on fire.

“Help, I’m haffing a heart attack!” I shriek, flailing my arms at the attendant.

“Patient is in anaphylactic shock,” Harrison says in a steady voice.

A young, harried doctor runs up and gives me a quick examination. When I hear him bark out an order for an Epi, I start to panic. Did he order an epidureal? Are they going to operate? I turn to Harrison with beseeching eyes. Before I can say anything, a no-nonsense, matronly nurse materializes before me. I squirm as Harrison holds me securely against his rock-solid chest.

“Hold still. It’s gonna be okay,” Harrison says.

The nurse lifts the skirt of my coral dress and plunges a needle in my upper thigh.

“Yeouch. That hurths.” I shudder as the liquid burns inside my flesh.

Harrison gently sets me down on the gurney brought in by a young male attendant. “You’ll feel better soon. Relax and let the epinephrine do its work.”

Relax? I wish it were that easy. I hate to admit it, but I am a chicken. I wasn’t always a chicken—my motto most of my thirty years was “fear is not an option” and I rarely worried about anything. But after my mom’s recent near-fatal heart attack, I’ve been worrying—a lot—about health issues and a few other things. Every time I remember that Mom might have died if Dad hadn’t been there to call 911, my heart clenches. After hearing what she went through, I pray she’ll never, ever, have another one.

“Why aren’t they giving me an EKG or a heart monitor?” I ask. Oh good, at least I’m not lisping anymore. The shot must have kicked in. I stare into Harrison’s eyes. “I know you don’t think I had a heart attack, but what if it was? Five percent of heart attacks occur in people under forty.”

“So?” Harrison regards me with a bemused expression.

I let out an exasperated breath. “I could be one of that five percent.”

“You didn’t have a heart attack, Frankie.” He rakes a hand through his thick chestnut hair, leaving it appealingly tousled. “You had an anaphylactic reaction caused by an insect bite.”

“Anaphylactic reaction? That sounds ominous. Are you sure?” He could be mistaken. Harrison isn’t a medical doctor—he’s a veterinarian.

Harrison fixes me with a firm look. “Yes, I’m sure.”

* * *

Harrison helps me off the gurney and the feel of his large hand wrapped around mine makes me glance at him. Did he feel the spark between us? I’m tingly all over. God, he’s easy on the eyes with a tall, hard-muscled body that’s sizzling hot and a rugged face with the sexy cleft in the chin. I force my gaze away from his striking green eyes that are watching me with a bemused expression.

Even though Chloe has been trying to matchmake us since I moved down from New York to Miami, I’ve kindly told her I’m not interested. Why? I ask myself as I take in his male beauty, and then I mentally slap myself. Snap out of it! Harrison is a reckless daredevil who loves doing crazy ass stunts. With a boyfriend—or husband—like that, I’d spend too much time worrying about his safety. The last thing I need is more anxiety.

Harrison takes my elbow and leads me down the hall. The feel of his calloused fingertips is pleasantly distracting until we pass a scene that makes me stop and stare. A good-looking young doctor in scrubs checks a female patient’s IV and then leans over and kisses her. Pale-faced, the petite patient looks frightened until the doctor’s lips touch hers and she visibly relaxes. I am riveted and can’t stop staring at them.

“Come on, Frankie,” Harrison urges. “I thought you were anxious to leave.”

I watch the couple from over my shoulder as Harrison tugs me along. The doctor gives the woman another tender kiss and then steps into the hall. I hear him say to another physician, “Take good care of my wife. She gets nervous in hospitals.”

Light bulb flash. Why didn’t I consider this before, I wonder as a life-altering epiphany slaps me upside the head. I need to marry a doctor ASAP.

Until now, I loved my job reporting on South Florida’s fine arts and social scene. I kept busy, too busy to even think about being single at thirty. Okay, I did think about it sometimes, but it wasn’t always on my mind. I had other important things to do, like help my mom get her heart disease under control. With all the changes that occurred last year, I wasn’t exactly good company in a relationship. I found that out when my ex-boyfriend, Todd, dumped me because I was being too moody, which translated to my lack of desire because I was worried about Mom. Good thing I found out he wasn’t the “I’ll love you through thick and thin” type of boyfriend.

After witnessing that scene between the good-looking young doc and his wife/patient, all I can think of is I want to marry a doctor like him who can assuage my medical fears. Marry a doctor. I love the sound of that—it equals no more worrying, which equals getting back to my once carefree self. Most doctors are in their profession to heal and that makes them natural nurturers. I could use some of that nurturing—it sure would be great to feel normal again.

Harrison’s hand settles on the base of my spine as he gives me a gentle nudge. “Let’s go, hon.”

His bold touch sends my thoughts skittering in a different direction. A warm glow suffuses me, and I can’t budge. Did he just call me “hon”? In Harrison’s deep voice, it sounds delicious.

I touch his forearm and gaze into his forest-green eyes. “Uh
Harrison. Thanks for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome.” Harrison gives me a smile so hot it could melt the whole North Pole. I tell myself that he might have a killer grin, but we don’t have anything in common that I know of, except for a love of animals. He craves extreme sports and I can barely hit a ball with a tennis racket. He gets an adrenaline fix from playing with assassin sharks and I have to watch out for bees.

It’s a real shame he won’t do, I think, looking away from those amazing green eyes. After today’s scare, I’m turning my efforts toward my new goal.


Author Bio:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Sophia Knightly cooks up hot romance and delicious humor in her sexy contemporary romances that pair hot, alpha heroes with strong, smart women and throw them on an exciting emotional journey. Traditionally published by St. Martin’s Press, Kensington, and Samhain Publishing, her popular Tropical Heat Series and Heartthrob Series have consistently been on multiple best selling lists.

Sophia loves writing books that end with a sigh and a smile. In addition to traveling, foodie adventures, and the arts in all forms, one of her favorite pastimes is simply watching people–especially those in love!

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Jacquie Biggar14 Comments

Relatively Sane by @WhitneyDineen #RomCom #Reading @XpressoReads


Relatively Sane
Whitney Dineen
(Relativity Series, #2)
Publication date: April 1st 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary

“The Masterson clan is back and funnier than ever in this delightful tale. Dineen’s comedic timing is pure gold!” -Jennifer Peel, Bestselling Author of My Not So Wicked Stepbrother

Catriona Masterton’s family is not normal.

Her father has a passion for taxidermized animals that he dresses in the family plaid. Her mother has a penchant for hoarding kitchen gadgets and other oddities that leave her sanity in question. Her grandmother, Nan, has never met a swearword she doesn’t like.

Despite all this, party-planner Cat leaves the hustle and bustle of New York City to move back to her tiny hometown outside of Chicago. She even buys her parents’ farm with plans to turn the barn into a stylish wedding venue.

Enter House to Home Television’s Renovation Brothers. Cat gets accepted as one of the show’s projects, bringing two gorgeous brothers to her doorstep. Unbeknownst to Cat, the TV hosts are behind a secret her newfound boyfriend will go to great lengths to keep hidden.

With all the upheaval—her parents’ chaotic move, her grandmother joyfully causing trouble wherever she goes, a film crew documenting her home being torn apart, and her boyfriend’s odd behavior—Cat’s starting to wonder if signing up for a reality TV show was a big mistake.

Will the renovation be a success? Or will secrecy and jealousy make Cat regret the day she packed her bags and left New York?

Find out in this hysterical tale packed with small-town charm, family drama, and true love.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Book 1, Relatively Normal, is FREE for a limited time only!

—

EXCERPT:

As a kid, I had an ongoing fantasy. I’m waiting for the school bus to pick me up in front of my family farm, when a shiny black Lincoln Town Car pulls up next to me. A very attractive woman in the back seat rolls down her window and bursts into tears. She gasps, “Buffy, is that you?” (Note: I might have been enthralled with the television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer at the time. I was definitely a fan of the name.) The woman and her equally handsome husband leap out of the car and throw their arms around me, engulfing me in a cloud of Chanel Number 5 and Versace Man.

Between sobs of joy, she calls to her husband, “Charles, it’s our baby. It’s really her!”

They tighten their embrace and I become the filling in a Pendleton wool sandwich. This wonderful, loving, perfectly ordinary couple, decked out in city clothes, explains how there was a mix-up at the hospital where I was born. Their baby and another were returned to the wrong bassinets after feeding time. They only discovered the truth when the person they thought was their daughter ran off and joined the circus as it passed through their town.

The woman says, “We knew then and there a mistake had been made. A child of ours would never dream of such nonsense.”

In retrospect, I realize I hadn’t thought this through very well. I should have wondered what kind of parents wouldn’t go after the child they’d raised and save her from a life of carnie living. At the time, I was too involved in my fantasy and the comforting explanation of why I was growing up in a near-insane asylum—a.k.a. Masterton Hall, a.k.a. an old farm house in Central Illinois. It was much easier to convince myself that I didn’t belong to the people who laid claim to me. I was Buffy Summers and my real family wasn’t embarrassing in the least.

This fantasy got me through some tough times. Like when my grandmother Nan called my little league coach a fukakta screwball who needed his eyes examined, I consoled myself that we didn’t share the same blood. As such, the shame I was feeling wasn’t really my own.

When my dad showed up to all my school functions wearing a kilt and boasting about the joys of being Scottish, I was comforted that the wrong girl was being called Catriona Masterton. When my mother bought six sauerkraut crocks because they were on sale, even though she hated sauerkraut, I said to myself, “Cat, these aren’t your people. Don’t lose hope. Your real parents will find you and take you away from all this.” When my brother Travis started to walk around the house in my mom’s high heels, I reminded myself that Buffy was an only child.

It wasn’t until high school that I finally accepted the Summers were no more than wishful thinking on my part, and that I belonged to the Masterton clan, hook, line, and sinker. Part of my acceptance was because I’d fallen head over heels in love with my childhood playmate, Sam Hawking.

Sam and I frolicked in the mud, learned to play cards, and studied for science tests together before discovering more adult games in the hayloft of my family barn. He gave my life meaning. He was enough reason to give up my dream of belonging to a normal family. If I wanted a life with him, I needed to stay right where I was. Goodbye, Summers Family! Hello, kooky Mastertons.

Sam made me feel things I’d never felt before. My body blossomed under his touch, my heart filled to the point of bursting, and my dreams shot out of the stratosphere. There was nothing he and I couldn’t do, be, or achieve as long as we were together. While my family was as odd as they came, around Sam I felt relatively sane. I’d even given us a celebrity couple name, SamCat.

Tragically, as often happens with first loves, we ultimately went our separate ways. The end of high school was the end of us. I was crushed, as it wasn’t my idea to break up, but college eventually softened the pain and my life moved on. My subsequent move to New York City propelled me into adulthood, which is where I met Ethan.

For two years, Ethan and I were a good couple. We were grown-ups together. We paid a mortgage, put money away for retirement, and we planned a wedding. Ethan was as different from Sam as I could find in a man. He’s what I thought I wanted, what I thought I needed. I was wrong.


Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

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Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

The Soccer Player and the Single Mom by @KyraJacobsBooks #Romance #Read #BookReview


For most women, working for a sexy soccer star would be a dream come true. All except single mom Felicity Shaw. She has no interest in playing personal assistant for a stubborn, injured playboy—no matter how nice his abs are. But with bills piling up and mouths to feed, she can’t say no to the job.

That’s when it gets interesting.

The last thing Scott Gillie wants or needs is a persistent and entirely too distracting PA while he’s recuperating in his small hometown. Unfortunately, it’s not up to him. Then Felicity and her son end up temporarily moving in—all thanks to his meddlesome grandmother. Now temptation is right across the hall and it’s driving Scott crazy.

His only option is to fight fire with fire.

He never expects Felicity to do the same.

Biography

Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who has always called Indiana home. That means she’s well versed in fickle weather, pork tenderloin patties that don’t fit on a bun, and sarcasm. Putting her Indiana University degrees in Public Management to good use by day means Kyra does the bulk of her writing late into the night. Fueled by caffeine and funny memes, she weaves tales of love and relationships, including the humor and/or chaos both can bring. Kyra’s published novels range from sweet contemporary romance to chick lit and paranormal/fantasy.

When this Hoosier native isn’t at a keyboard, daydreaming through her fingertips, she’s likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or on a sideline somewhere cheering (loudly) for her sporty sons. Kyra also loves to go bowling, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.

Be sure to stop by kyrajacobsbooks.com to learn more about her novels and ways to connect with Kyra on social media.

My Review

Grandma Steals the Show!

This book is so cute! We have an injured professional soccer player holed up at his sassy grandmother’s home for rehab, a single mother in desperate need of a job, and an agent who doesn’t take no for an answer.

Enter- fun!

When Felicity Shaw agrees to a temporary position as soccer player Scott Gillie’s PA, she doesn’t care if he’s a big old grump- as long as she gets paid. After losing her rental home thanks to a fire next door, she needs the money to give her young son the home he deserves.

When Scott’s eccentric grandmother offers them a room- across from Scott’s- Felicity gratefully accepts. After all, it’s only temporary. It shouldn’t be hard to ignore the man’s athletic physique and sexy smile, right?

Scott’s main focus is recovering from the injury to his knee and getting back to his team before the playoffs- nothing else matters. Then Grandma meddles by inviting his unwanted personal assistant and her son to stay with them. Just what he doesn’t need. She’s way too distracting and her son reminds him of himself at that age.

They need to go. Maybe if he makes her life miserable, it’ll happen. Funny how best laid plans can go awry.

Grandma is a hoot! I loved her sass. She raised Scott after his mother’s death and likes to pick on him for just about everything, lol.

Here’s a couple of my favorite passages:

So, what do I have to do for Hero Day?”

“Just talk about your job and how cool it is and stuff.”

Now Edna did roll her eyes. “Scott doesn’t have a job. He just plays with balls all day.”

“Thank you, Grandma. I’ll make sure to say it exactly like that when I go speak to Tyler’s class.”

The Soccer Player and the Single Mom- Kyra Jacobs

when you focus too much on one thing.” Edna tipped her head to one side. “It’s like
loving steak. And you want to eat steak all the time, so you do. But you’re missing out on all the other nutrients your body needs to grow and thrive. And then one day, you realize you’ve been missing out, but it’s too late.”

“So
all the other food is gone?”

“No, but you’ve got kidney stones and liver spots and dentures, because Lord knows half your teeth have been knocked out by now. So you end up in some nursing home assuming the fetal position, waiting for those damn stones to pass.

The Soccer Player and the Single Mom- Kyra Jacobs

I give The Soccer Player and the Single Mom 5 lovely kisses- You’ll read this with a smile 🙂

Jacquie Biggar7 Comments

It’s in His Forever by Shelly Alexander #Romance #Reading @InkSlingerPR


Red River’s most eligible bachelor has been keeping secrets


Flight medic Langston Brooks has built a good life for himself in his hometown of Red River. He’s got it all—a close-knit group of friends and family, an exciting career on a life-flight helicopter, and ridiculously good looks that have made him one of Red River’s most eligible bachelors. The only thing missing is someone to share it with.

His secret lover for the past decade isn’t a forever kind of girl. Not with a tarnished reputation over something she didn’t do, and it’s still following her. Now that she’s brought an international winter sports event to Red River, it’s her ticket out of town. She can finally make a clean break as soon as she collects the nice payday that’s coming her way. The only problem with her plan is she’ll have to leave Langston behind, too.

After keeping their relationship under wraps for years—at her insistence—she finally breaks it off with Langston for good. Moving on alone is best for everyone, especially Red River’s sexy flight medic, who doesn’t deserve the baggage from her troubled past. When they’re forced to work together to make the event a success, can she keep up the pretense that she doesn’t love him anymore? Or will she finally give in and become his forever love?

Return to Red River–where the nights are cool and the romance is hot–in this sexy novella. Find out who hot alpha flight medic, Langston Brooks has been seeing on the sly for years. After keeping their love affair a secret for a decade, will they finally get their happily ever after?

Get your hand on IT’S IN HIS FOREVER now: http://bit.ly/2Tgv42X

Excerpt

A shiver rushed over her. She did not want to turn around. She didn’t.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have to.

Langston Brooks—all six feet two of hard alpha male and the person she was trying to avoid—stepped up beside her. “Morning.”

Her skin burned as his gaze licked over her. And she was covered head to toe in winter gear!

When she refused to meet his stare
or even return his greeting
he turned his attention to the council. “You asked to see me?”

“Mmm hmmm.” The Chairperson’s voice turned to a coo, and she batted her eyelashes as though she were watching a Magic Mike show live in Vegas.

ï»żOh, good grief. “We’re wasting valuable time.” She glanced at her watch only to realize she wasn’t wearing one. Involuntarily, her eyes flitted up to meet Langston’s, and her heart skipped a beat.

Laughter shimmered in his dark soulful eyes. The lights glinted off his wavy chestnut hair.

God, she loved those eyes. And that hair.

“I
” Her voice went croaky. She swallowed back the cotton in her mouth. “I—”

“Langston, dear, how would you like to be the new safety officer for the snowboarding championship?” Clydelle batted her eyes several more times. Her throat closed.

No. Just no. “I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

“I’d love to be considered,” said Langston, smiling at her like a cat who’d just eaten an entire pet shop full of canaries.

She pulled her stare from his squared jaw. From his mocha eyes. From his delicious looking mouth.

ï»żHeat curled through her, settling in places it shouldn’t.

Dammit.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series by bestselling author Shelly Alexander:

IT’S IN HIS HEART-Coop & Ella’s story

IT’S IN HIS TOUCH-Blake & Angelique’s story

IT’S IN HIS SMILE-Talmadge & Miranda’s story

IT’S IN HIS ARMS-Mitchell & Lorenda’s story

About Shelly Alexander

Shelly Alexander is an Amazon Bestseller in multiple categories and a 2014 Golden HeartÂź finalist. Shelly grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers, Shelly and her sister watched every Star Trek episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in the closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now, she spends her days writing contemporary romances that are sometimes sweet, sometimes sizzling, and always sassy. She enjoys the arid climate of the beautiful Southwest where she lives with her husband and two toy poodles named Mozart and the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Connect with Shelly Alexander

Website: http://shellyalexander.net/

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

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shelly-Alexander/e/B00R8FOU06/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/38561098-shelly-alexander

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/shelly-alexander

Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

Lessons From A One-Night Stand by Piper Rayne #Romance #Reading @InkSlingerPR


 

 

If you find yourself having banged your new boss—the principal—in the back of your Jeep one drunken night, here’s a few takeaways based on my experience…

Lesson One: Always get her FULL name.

Lesson Two: Consider asking what she does for a living.

Lesson Three: Find out why she’s moved to town. Get details. Details are crucial.

Lesson Four: Don’t alter her bio in front of an auditorium of high school students unless you know she has a sense of humor for that sort of thing.

Lesson Five: If you ignore Lesson Four, apologize instead of flirt when you’re sent to the principal’s office.

Lesson Six: NEVER sleep with her again.

Lesson Seven: Pay attention to this one—it’s the most important of them all.

Don’t fall for your one-night stand.

Class dismissed.

 

 

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Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have “Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle” (okay…you caught us, that’s our tagline). A little about us… We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We’re both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We’re both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

 

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Jacquie Biggar3 Comments