Tag: blog tour

blog tour

✍🏻 Have you met Will and Mel yet? A freshman virgin hero and an experienced intelligent senior heroine? Grab Andi Burns’s Scoring Chance, book 1 of the Bainbridge Hockey series. ✍🏻

professorromance

When our date ends in disaster, the last thing I expect is for Will to ask me for a favor. 

And what I really don’t expect is to say yes.

Scoring Chance, an all new stand alone hockey romance with a feisty heroine and a virgin hero from bestselling author Andi Burns is available now!

Will

Freshman year is going to be my year. 

I’m no longer the ugly duckling I used to be. Thanks to a late growth spurt and a nasty puck to the face that knocked my buck teeth right out of my head, I no longer resemble the awkward kid I once was. 

As Bainbridge Hockey’s newest center, I’m gonna enjoy every bit of attention the ladies of Bainbridge want to give me. 

But I soon find out that looking the part is only half the battle. And if I want to lose my virginity before I make it to the big leagues, I’m going to need to learn the fine art of dating. Or at least how to kiss without being compared to a dying jellyfish. So that means I need help. 

But they don’t make tutors for dating. Do they?

Mel

Senior year is off to a rough start. 

One of my best friends has moved on to grad school, and my other best friend spends all her free time with her boyfriend. 

And my boyfriend? Oh, he’s a lying, cheating jerk. I learned that the hard way when I caught him in bed with his wife.

Looking back, it’s clear that my ex lied about everything and I wasted almost a year of my life with him. Dating a professor wasn’t my smartest move, but I’m wiser now, and I’ve made a promise to myself: no more relationships. 

So when my friends surprise me at the charity bachelor auction and buy me a date with a hot young hockey player, I’m less than thrilled. I mean, he’s nice to look at, but I’m not in the market for anything more than a hookup. 

When our date ends in disaster, the last thing I expect is for Will to ask me for a favor. And what I really don’t expect is to say yes.

Start reading today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/scoringchance

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/scoringchance

“Are you listening to a word I say?”  

I get my answer when Cammie starts clapping her hands together. “Oh my God, Mel. Who’s the tall guy?”

I don’t bother looking up from the counter I’m wiping down. “What do you mean, who’s the tall guy? They’re all tall. But the tallest one is Santos.” 

“This guy’s almost as tall. And he’s new. I’d definitely remember seeing him around. Holy crap, he’s beautiful.” 

I look up to see who the hell has Cammie so smitten and I spot our topic of conversation right away. Holy. Shit. She wasn’t kidding. This guy’s like a walking advertisement for sex. Yeah, Van’s known around campus as the hot one, and Ollie’s never short on admirers, but this guy’s on a whole different level. His broad shoulders taper to a narrow waist. His butt is a work of art. Soft, faded jeans hug his ass and thighs and dear god, I want to take a bite. What the hell is wrong with me? New Hot Guy looks up and I get a glimpse of his face. It does not disappoint. He’s got a strong jaw covered in a day’s worth of stubble. His nose is crooked–the sign of a good hockey player–and his eyes are a piercing blue, so dark they’re almost navy. His hair is cut short, but the top’s a little overgrown, the dark chocolate strands falling into his line of vision. It’s the lips for me, though. God, they’re unreal. Pouty and perfect and totally kissable.

“Uh, what the hell? I mean, I’m not complaining–trust me–but what the hell?”

“I know– I probably shouldn’t have kissed you like that, but I had a good reason.” 

He leans back against the wall and shrugs. “It’s the dimple, right?” he jokes, smiling. 

“It’s a hell of a dimple,”

Learn more about Andi Burns and her releases by visiting her website: 

https://www.andiburns.com

Advertisement
blog tour

✍🏻 Have you grabbed L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington’s My Dark Romeo? I GOBBLED this story. ✍🏻

professorromance

My fairy tale turned into a cautionary one.

Inked in tar and sealed in tears.

My Dark Romeo, an all-new marriage of inconvenience, enemies to lovers, standalone romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling authors L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington is available now!

From Wall Street Journal bestsellers L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington comes an explosive marriage of inconvenience…between a tarnished Romeo and a reluctant Juliet.

It was supposed to be a harmless kiss at a lavish debutante ball.

A clandestine moment with a handsome stranger.

But unlike his namesake, my Romeo isn’t driven by love.

He’s fueled by revenge.

To him, I’m a chess piece. Leverage.

His rival’s betrothed.

To me, he is a man deserving of poison.

A dark prince I refuse to marry.

He thinks I’ll accept my fate.

Well, I plan to rewrite it.

And in my story, Juliet doesn’t die.

But Romeo? He perishes.

Start reading today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/mydarkromeo

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/mydarkromeo

I hadn’t come here to find a husband. 

Before my birth, Daddy had already promised me to someone, which the diamond ring on my engagement finger reminded me. 

This always seemed like a problem for the future—up until I discovered the official announcement on the society pages two days ago. “I hear Romeo is dead-set on becoming the CEO of his daddy’s company.” Lord, Sav was still droning on about him. Were they planning on penning the man’s Wikipedia? “Already, he’s a billionaire.”

“Not just a billionaire. A mega billionaire.” Emilie fingered a marquise diamond on her Broderie bracelet, her poker tell. “And he’s not the type to blow it all on yachts and gold toilet seats or funding self-indulged pet projects.”

Sav snuck a desperate glance at them through her compact mirror. “Do you think we can be introduced?”

Emilie’s eyebrows pinched together. “Nobody here knows them. Dal? Dallas? Are you even listening to the conversation? This is important.”

The only grave situation I’d witnessed was the lack of shortbread, too. 

Reluctantly, I fixed my eyes on the two men that parted the thick crowd of silk chiffon and frozen updos. 

They both stood at least six-three. A towering height that made them look like giants trying to squeeze into doll houses. 

Then again, nothing about them was conventional. 

Their similarities ended with their height. Everything else was arctic opposites.

One was silk and the other leather. 

If I had to guess, the live-action Ken clone was von Bismarck. Dirty-blond, square-jawed, and adorned with shabby whiskers of stubble, he looked like something only a Walt Disney illustrator could sketch. 

The perfect European prince, down to the scandalous blue eyes and Roman-like structure. 

Silk. 

The other man was a polished savage. Menace decanted into a Kiton suit. 

He wore his inky hair in a gentleman’s cut, trimmed into submission. Everything about him seemed carefully crafted. Intentionally designed to deliver lethal doses straight into a woman’s bloodstream. Sharp cheekbones, thick brows, lashes I’d risk jail time for, and the frostiest gray eyes I’d seen to date. In fact, his eyes were so light and frosty, I decided they had no business coupling with his otherwise tan Italian features.

 Leather. 

“Romeo Costa.” Savannah’s voice curled with longing as he breezed right past us, heading toward the table reserved for VIPs. “I would let him ruin me as thoroughly and impressively as Elon Musk destroyed Twitter.”

For more information on L.J. Shen’s books visit her website: 

https://www.authorljshen.com

For more information on Parker S. Huntington’s books visit her website: 

https://www.parkershuntington.com/

blog tour

✍🏻 CD Reiss’s Fake Crowne has been out for three days, and I want more people to read it so we can talk about it. Want a little nibble of it? Read an excerpt below. ✍🏻

professorromance

Fake Crowne, an all-new fake-relationship, billionaire romance standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is available now! 

How can I let him destroy everything he’s worked for just to make me happy?

I’m a singer with stage fright who’s famous for…well…nothing yet. And I promised my family if I didn’t make it big by the end of this year, I’d go back to med school.

My agent thinks Colton and I would be a great team both in the studio, and outside of it—especially if label executives think we’re dating.

The rules? We can kiss in public, but not in private.

We can act like we’re doing the deed, as long as we’re not.

And as far as having actual feelings for each other goes…that’s obviously out of the question.

But after so many late nights in the studio and a bunch of stolen kisses, I start to see beyond his party boy facade to something real underneath. And he believes in me–with his coaching and encouragement, I’m finally overcoming my anxiety and giving the best performances of my life.

‘

If only time wasn’t running out so fast.

Then Colton has an idea to keep us together. It’s terrible, but it’s the only way.

How can I let him destroy everything he’s worked for just to make me happy?

Start reading today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3DmQoJj

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/4N71jLB 

I watch him move into the shadows. The lights that line the edge of the walk go on as he passes. My phone buzzes, so I check it before driving off. It’s Liam.

 —look what showed up on DMZ—

A photo slides in. It’s screenshot from DMZ and a link. A picture of Colton pushing me against my car and me grabbing his jacket. Everything else is cut out. Liam. Gene. It’s shot from a little above, through a windshield.

 The headline under it reads: HAS COLTON CROWNED THE NEXT TAMIKA? 

What? I tap the link. The article is short and breathless. Colton Crowne, who “discovered” Tamika in Memphis and who was “viciously” cut from credit or royalties by Gavin McCormick, may be nursing the next baby star into the sky. 

They don’t even know I’m a musician. 

I could be a lawyer or an accountant. 

But that wouldn’t get clicks. No one cares about that story. 

Liam follows with a text. 

—You guys—

Colton is on the chat. I look at the driveway. The path lights have gone dark, but I can see him standing there, looking down with the screen glowing on his face. 

“Fuck!” he barks, moving enough to turn on the lights. 

That’s when I know he’s seen Liam’s messages. He looks at me and, seeing I haven’t moved, jogs over while his brother’s texts ding.

 —This is gold-plated—

—A gift from the gods—

—We’re on second base before we even get to the plate—

Colton stops. Types into his phone. 

—What are you talking about?—

—You guys together in public coronates Skye—

This feels more real than when Liam mentioned it before.

I don’t have long to do something…anything…or I have to fulfill my promise to my mother and take up last year’s deferment to University of Michigan Medical School. Being coronated, as Liam calls it, makes that possible. Without an electric shock to the process, I don’t have a chance. I’m dead in the water. Pursuing a music career and med school at the same time isn’t possible without a clone. 

But I want clarity, so I text the chat. 

—You mean you really want us to pretend we’re fucking?—

I hit Send before I rethink the word fucking to describe what I’m not doing with Colton, who answers from halfway back to the car. 

—That’s what he means—

He could have told me that himself. Instead he stands there as Liam’s message comes in. 

—That’s what I mean—

I’m about to text that I’m in. I’ll do it. I’m thrilled actually. But it’s not just about me, so I wait for Colton to come to me. I open the passenger window. He doesn’t come. Instead, he sends a message. 

—You know Gene took this right? From the angle?—

I look back at the photo. Yeah. It was taken from the SUV before Gene got out. Maybe he took it to get evidence in case he’d hit anyone or maybe he was thinking that fast. That’s secondary to the fact that it found its way to a gossip website. 

A notification drops over the picture. A text from Colton. 

—So, no. Fuck him. No—

Once that comes in, I look at him as he puts the phone in his pocket and starts back my way. 

I want to be coronated. I want it to be easy. I need the boost to start before the walls close in. 

They’ve been closing in for months. Ever since last year when I applied. Before that, when I took the MCAT without studying. I thought I was so clever, setting myself up for failure. I wasn’t clever enough to get the answers wrong though. 

That’s fine. It’s fine. I’m okay with it. Screw the coronation. I can’t make Colton do something he doesn’t want to do. He has every right to refuse. But I’m still reeling from the transition between hope and regret. For a minute, I was in a world where I had a head start and I’m just as suddenly back in the status quo. 

He’s coming this way. I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t want to hear the reasons he thinks it’s a bad idea. Not right now, because he’s probably right and I just want to sit in my disappointment alone. 

Before he reaches the car, I drive away.

Learn more about CD Reiss and her releases by visiting her website: https://cdreiss.com

Uncategorized

✍🏻 If you haven’t met Hutton and Felicity, what are you waiting for? Melanie Harlow’s Tease is AVAILABLE NOW! ✍🏻

professorromance
Could Hutton French and I actually be right for each other, or is it all just one big tease?

TEASE, an all new sizzling friends to lovers, fake engagement small town romantic comedy from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is now available!

Read my 4.5 ⭐️ review HERE.

I didn’t mean to say I was engaged to a hot billionaire–it just slipped out.

In my defense, I’d had a really bad haircut, a really strong drink, and I was trying to save face in front of the Mean Girl at my high school reunion.

Lucky for me, I happen to know a hot billionaire. Hutton French and I have been friends forever, and even though big social gatherings are not his thing, I called him from the coat closet and begged him for a favor–show up and play my fake fiancé for the night.

Except that word of our engagement spreads like wildfire. Our families are ecstatic. We’re front page news. My little food blog is launched into the stratosphere.

Of course, I offer to set the record straight right away, but Hutton wants to give it a little time–the phony engagement will keep his matrimony-mad mother and every matchmaking granny in town off his back.

He even suggests I move in with him to make the ruse more real.

And we don’t stop there.

We practice kissing. Undressing each other. Saying things–and doing things–we’d never dare if we weren’t pretending. Because it’s all for show, right? We’re just role-playing. Hutton doesn’t want a real relationship, and I don’t want to get hurt. But the more time we spend faking it, the more I start to wonder.

Could Hutton French and I actually be right for each other, or is it all just one big tease?

Grab your copy today or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xm3ELq
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/teaseMH

Keep reading for a look inside TEASE!

“Want something to drink? Whiskey or scotch?”
“No, thanks. Mostly I just want to take these heels off.”
“Leave them on.”
I was already bending down to unbuckle one ankle strap. I looked up and saw him standing there with his glass in his hand. “What?”
“Leave them on. And come over here.”
I straightened up and took one tiny step.
“On your hands and knees.”
My breath caught. I could feel his eyes on me. Instantly I understood what this was, and even though I was a little nervous, I wanted to play along. I wanted to please him this way.
The only problem was, I wasn’t entirely sure I could get to my knees in this tight dress. But I said a quick prayer and dropped to my knees on the carpet in one smooth motion. Thankfully, the dress material had some stretch, and the seams didn’t pop.
“Good girl,” he said quietly, igniting a firestorm in my blood that surprised me. “Now come here.”
My heart thrummed fast and loud as I lowered my palms to the floor and slowly closed the distance between us. I’d never done anything like this in my life—who am I right now?—but I liked the way it made me feel.
Tempting. Seductive. Alluring. I’d never thought of myself that way before, but here and now, in this tight little black dress with the red satin heels, crawling toward a gorgeous, powerful man in a suit in our Manhattan hotel suite? My billionaire fake fiancé? It was easy to imagine I wasn’t myself at all.
When I reached his feet, I sat back on my heels and looked up. Our eyes met. His lean, muscular silhouette looked imposing above me. Even that rebel lock of hair had been tamed into submission tonight.
He took another sip of his drink and set the glass on the table. Pulled the chair at the head of the table aside. Loosened the knot in his tie. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“If there’s a point tonight where you are not, you should tell me.” He slipped the tie from his collar.
I swallowed hard. “Like a safe word?”
His mouth hooked up on one side. His hand freed the top button of his shirt. “You already have a safe word?”
“No,” I said quickly. “I’ve never needed one before.”
“You do now.” He undid a second button. “So what will it be?”
Of course, I couldn’t fucking think of anything, and I panicked.
“Roy Kent,” I blurted.
He cocked his head, his hand still on his shirt. “Who’s Roy Kent?”
“Never mind. I’ll think of another one.”
Do not say Oklahoma.
Do not say bumblebee.
I racked my brain for something else. “Romeo,” I said breathlessly. “That’s what I’ll say. Romeo.”
He set his tie on the table and offered me a hand.
Placing my palm in his, I rose to my feet. “Is anything going to hurt?” I asked, picturing whips, chains, ball gags, metal cuffs and clamps, shiny rubber gloves.
“I don’t need to inflict pain to feel in control, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Okay. Should I—”
But that was all I got out because he spun me around and clamped a hand over my mouth, pressing his body tight against my back.

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Q40TWp

About Melanie Harlow
USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like Ted, Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the BELLAMY CREEK series, the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, and the FRENCHED series. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RPwr51
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/36kL7yB
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2NW3UtA
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR1ecpH1/
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2sVOz55
Join Melanie’s Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3mYzBBo
Stay up to date with new releases and sign up for Melanie’s mailing list: http://bit.ly/2P7MATT
Website: www.melanieharlow.com

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Looking for your weekend read? Catherine Bybee’s When It Falls Apart is your next emotional read. Check out the giveaway at the bottom of my page for a $50 Amazon gift card. ✍🏻

professorromance

Interview with Catherine Bybee

For anyone wondering about the plot of your newest release, you give a great sneak peek with the title—When it Falls Apart. What is “falling apart” in this novel?

All the threads that hold my heroine, Brooke, together are crumbling down around her. When it Falls Apart begins with Brooke’s romantic relationship crashing and burning. At the same time, in a different state, her father is circling the drain in the ICU. And for the cherry on the top of her “falling apart life”, Brooke has found herself demoted at work. In short, everything in Brooke’s life is dissolving around her.

Like all of your books, When it Falls Apart has a beautiful romance, however, there is a rawness about Brooke’s story. How was writing this novel different from your others?

If you read my notes both in the front and the back of this novel, you’ll soon realize that the story was very personal to me. Rawness comes from experience. The relationship Brooke has with her father is hauntingly familiar to me and my dad. The emotions that the heroine experienced when taking care of him were easy for me to grasp onto and write about. Sadly, the love story with Luca was completely made up and I didn’t have the support of a strong Italian family to help deal with the struggles, but I digress. 

Relationships with a parent who wasn’t there for you growing up are messy. When that parent ages and needs their child, sometimes that help comes with a bucketload of resentment, even if the child wishes they could stop those ugly feelings from creeping up on them. And THAT is the rawness you speak of.

Books, TV shows, and movies oftentimes glamorize what it means to care for a loved one. However, in When it Falls Apart you don’t sugar-coat anything about caregiving and the toll it takes on a person. How do you think readers who have been in similar situations will be affected by this story?

Justified. Validated. Accepted.

It’s a hard job taking care of an elderly family member. And if there aren’t other siblings to help, or won’t help, it’s made even more difficult. It’s difficult, gritty, dirty work that only has a bad ending…eventually. What I do hope my readers take away is that they’re not alone. That the struggle is very real and that if they don’t find balance (which is almost impossible at times) they will burn out completely and not be fit to help at all. I hope my readers are empowered to set boundaries and balance, so they come out on the other side of caring for an elderly loved one whole themselves.

Brooke gets virtually no support from her significant other, which has her reevaluating their relationship. She realizes she has settled and has to make some hard decisions. Do you think this happens too many times to women in real life?

100% Yes! There is a song by Taylor Swift with a line that says, and I’m paraphrasing here, I can be what you want for the weekend. But often that weekend ends up being a relationship that women hold on to or are convinced they can’t live without. Often it takes a huge shake-up to remove yourself from that situation. But once you’re away from the day to day dysfunctional relationship, the easier it is to see the dysfunction.

After her breakup and move, Brooke is not looking for a relationship. In fact, she tells her best friend: “I haven’t wiped off my smeared mascara from Marshall yet, the last thing I want is to jump into anything else.” Her crying over a man lasts all about two minutes when she meets Luca. Tell us about him.

Hmmm, Luca… he is the kind of man who doesn’t want a place on Brooke’s dance card…he wants to rip it up.

Luca is wired to help the people in his life. Brooke becomes a part of his inner circle simply by moving into the family building where he sees her every day.

Now, if Luca had flat out asked Brooke on a date, she would have run the other way…so no, he doesn’t go about it that way. He simply shows up and does not leave. Not when things get tough, or messy…or when his own past peeks its head in. Luca is a man who is right there at Brooke’s side without question or censor on why she does the things she does. His support and validation of her feelings is the part she was missing. Add in the hunky Italian single father and “Mamma Mia!”

At first, Luca is not thrilled that Brooke is renting a room in his family’s building. What changes his mind about her?

Her strength and vulnerability. I know that sounds contradicting, but some of the strongest women I know have a big vulnerable spot in their life that if you know them well enough, you see. The biggest smiles often hide the deepest pain. Luca sees her struggle and dedication to helping her elderly father and since family is first on Luca’s list, she passes his unconscious test.

Luca’s family, the D’Angelo’s, are incredibly close and share everything from ownership of the family restaurant to helping care for Luca’s daughter Franny. How is this different from Brooke’s relationship with her family?

Brooke doesn’t have that family. She has a father who abandoned her as a little girl that she carved out a relationship as an adult, and now she’s charged with caring for. Even her previous romantic relationship didn’t support her unconditionally the way the D’Angelo’s do for each other. She’s rather dumbfounded when they start treating her like family. It’s a wonderful thing to watch happen.

San Diego’s Little Italy plays a huge part in the story. The community, language, and food are in full display. Tell us about your own experiences in your adopted city.

I love Little Italy, the food, the pace… the people. There are many places in San Diego that are overrun with the college scene, San Diego is a college town. But Little Italy is more family friendly. Very touristy, but there isn’t a day you don’t see locals hanging out. I go to the farmer’s market often. Pick up authentic Italian ingredients for my own home cooking. I try new restaurants and take all my friends there when they are visiting from out of town. Not to mention it was the closest thing to the “real Italy” that I could go during the travel restrictions. So why not write about it and tell the world of this small island within San Diego that shouldn’t be missed?

There are two more siblings in the D’Angelo family. Where will you be taking readers next with the series?

Chloe is a yogi. Think Bali!

And Giovanni loves wine… think Tuscany, Italy.

I cannot wait to show you what I have in store for these two!

***

Excerpt

“Oh my God, Carmen. He was standing at his car first thing this morning. Like ‘hop in, bella, let’s get stuff done today.’ Who does that?” 

Brooke had picked up the phone as soon as Luca was off in search of a dump guy. 

“We’re talking about the single, hot, Italian dad, right?” 

Brooke rolled her eyes. “Yes. Luca.” 

“Oy, oy, oy.” 

“Stop it. I need advice. And I need it before he gets back.” 

Carmen stopped teasing. “You don’t need advice. You need to relax. He sounds like one of the good ones. Let it happen.” 

“Let it happen,” she mocked. “I don’t ‘let’ things happen. It happens to me and it’s never good.” 

“You didn’t used to be such a pessimist.” 

“Once upon a time the glass was half full. Not these days.” 

“Okay, Debbie Downer. You want my advice . . . here it is. Keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.” 

“I’m not doing anything. Zero effort.” 

“Really?” Carmen didn’t sound convinced. “Makeup . . . a nice dress?” 

Brooke hesitated. “Maybe . . . a little last night, but that was it.” 

Carmen chuckled. 

“Carmen!”

“Sorry. Okay . . . any red flags?” 

Brooke thought about that. “He loved his ex-wife.” 

“That’s a red flag?” 

“I guess not.” 

“Is he good to his mom?” 

Brooke looked back on the dinner the night before. “To the whole family. He takes being the oldest brother quite seriously.” 

“And his daughter?” 

All Brooke could do was smile. “Great dad. We should all be so lucky.” 

“He’s Italian, does he smoke?” 

“No.” 

“A lot of Italians smoke,” Carmen pointed out. 

“In Italy. The San Diego variety are less in that wheelhouse.” 

“That’s good.” Carmen sighed. “I don’t know what to tell you, Brooke. How does he kiss?” 

“He hasn’t kissed me,” Brooke nearly yelled. 

“Now then . . . we have a problem.” 

“There hasn’t been . . . I don’t even know if—” 

“Stop right there. He did not drive your sorry ass all the way to Upland to do grunt work all day if he wasn’t interested in kissing you, bellllaaa. More than that, you want him to.” 

Brooke closed her eyes, and even in her own head she couldn’t convince herself that Carmen was wrong. 

“Let it happen. You deserve some happiness, Brooke.” 

The van with the air conditioning repair guy pulled into the driveway. 

“I gotta go.” 

“I want a kissing update the next time we talk,” Carmen teased. 

“Love you,” Brooke said with a laugh.

“Back at ya, boo.” 

She hung up. 

Her best friend was such a dork.

***

About the Title

Title: When It Falls Apart

Author: Catherine Bybee

Release Date: June 21, 2022

Publisher: Montlake 

Summary

Brooke Turner has always had a complicated relationship with her father. But when his health takes a turn for the worse, she drops everything to care for him. He’s her dad, after all, and he needs her. What Brooke doesn’t anticipate is the unraveling of her long-term relationship and a cross-country move to San Diego’s Little Italy.

Luca D’Angelo is the oldest of three children and a single father to a young daughter. When his mother rents the top floor of their house to Brooke, he’s angry. Who is this beautiful stranger with no ties to the neighborhood? Can she be trusted in such close proximity to his family?

As Luca learns of Brooke’s difficult journey with her ailing father, his heart softens. And Brooke, who witnesses Luca’s struggle as a single parent, develops feelings for him, too. But when it all falls apart, will love heal their wounded hearts?

About the Author

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight books that have collectively sold more than five million copies and have been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series.

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee 

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@catherinebybee1 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_Bybee  

Rafflecopter Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f277 

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Blog Tour & Excerpt: M. Mabie and Aly Martinez’s When The Walls Come Down ✍🏻

professorromance

wtwcd BT banner

“Exactly what I needed to relax, laugh, and swoon after a hard day. I cannot wait to see what M. Mabie and Aly Martinez come up with next.”
–Carrie Ann Ryan, New York Times Bestselling Author

When the Walls Come Down, an all-new, steamy, swoony, highly entertaining office romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez and M. Mabie is available now!

Come Down ecover

Did you ever hear the joke about the guy whose wife cheated on him with his best friend? So he quit his job, moved into his parents’ basement, and gained fifty pounds?

No? Because that wasn’t a joke. It was my life.

Four years later, I’m back with a dream job, a killer apartment, and a set of abs that are better than ever.

So, when Maggie Light, a stunning, snarky blonde moves in next door, and we spend the hottest weekend of our lives together, I think this could be the greatest comeback story ever.

That is until I realize Maggie has moved to town to do one thing—steal my job.

Maybe this isn’t a comeback story after all. Maybe this is war—one I intend to win.

What I never anticipated was that maybe I’d rather win her.

Perhaps, if I’m lucky, the universe has finally run out of jokes and I can somehow win both.

WTWCD -AN

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

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3b2zsqn
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/wallsdown

Add WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fmTgbe

Excerpt

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Am I a man or not?

Here goes fucking nothing.

Take a risk, my ass. I’d fucking show Casey and Blake a damn risk.

I marched down to where she was sitting. “Hi, I’m Shane.”

She looked shocked, maybe a little startled by my approach—and rightly so. I’d stalked over like the fucking Terminator, all amped up from my private pep talk.

“The bartender, Chris, said you’re new in town, and it’s your first time here.”

Her sparkling blue eyes stood out against her makeup, and now—standing close to her—I could smell her perfume. A subtle and warm scent that made me want to lean in.

What the fuck had I been thinking?

To put it mildly, she was out of my league, but hey… Risks, right?

“If you’re dining alone, would you mind if I offer a suggestion from the menu?”

“I was only looking it over out of curiosity. I really just came in for a drink or two.” She folded it and placed it on the wooden top in front of her.

Goddamn, that cleavage.

“Oh. Yeah. Okay. Well, then…uh…let me get one for you.” I might have strutted over like the Terminator, but I was fumbling over my words like Barney Fife and beginning to sweat like a Crossfitter.

Her brows bunched. “Um, you really don’t have to do that.”

“Please. After the day I’ve had, I’ll actually have one with you.” I swiped at the back of my neck. “The drinks are good here. Very cold. Wet.” Jesus fucking Christ, Shane. Wet!? “Um. Alcoholic, if that’s what you’re into.” I waved Chris—and his bigger-than-life shit-eating grin—down to us.

“Find something you’d like?” he asked her.

“I’ll just have a Titos and cranberry,” she answered. “I hear they’re very cold and wet here.”

Chris looked at me disappointedly, probably guessing at how badly I’d botched this introduction. He wasn’t wrong, but she hadn’t told me to fuck off yet.

Yet.

“And I’ll take a Honeybee Brown,” I added.

He spun on his heel, shocked. “Really?”

I shrugged and shot daggers at him. “Really. A pint, please.”

“A cold, wet one too, eh? Okay, man. Coming right up.” He made our drinks and then about a dozen more for the servers who were keeping him busy.

“Thanks for the drink,” she said, clinking our glasses together, her eyes never quite meeting mine.

“Yeah. Sure. No problem.” I followed her lead and took a sip.

“So, do you come here a lot, Shane?”

My name on her lips had me clearing my throat.

“Yes,” replied our asshole bartender before I could answer.

“I live close,” I explained, and she nodded in understanding. “So, where did you come to the Bay from?” I took another sip, realizing that counting the beer I’d had with Casey earlier and this one, I was nearing my only-a-few-drinks daily limit. So I’d be savoring the pint as long as she didn’t seem too put off by my dusty-ass small talk. Otherwise, I could chug it down and then be on my merry way, leaving her to enjoy her night without a divorced, practically fired dude bugging her.

“Atlanta,” she replied and swirled a piece of ice with the drink stirrer in her glass. Still no eye contact.

Small talk. I fumbled for more small talk.

“You have family here?”

“No, I’ve always wanted to get out of Georgia. So, when I landed a job out here, it seemed like a sign.”

Finally, her blue eyes met mine and… Fuck, if I could have just remembered to blink, I’d have been doing well. I feared if I broke the gaze for just a second, I’d never see that color again, because surely it was a mirage of some sort. Like a crystal-blue pool in a desert. The kind of trick eyes could only play on a man who hadn’t been laid in nearly half a decade.

She finished with, “I start on Monday. I guess fate is as good a time as any to take a risk.”

aly martinez profile pic

About Aly


Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ
Website: https://alymartinez.com/
Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:
http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

About M. Mabie

Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She writes everything from steamy romantic comedies to angst-filled, pull your hair out drama. She enjoys it all. With her unconventional love stories, she tries to embody “real-life romance.”

She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne’s World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost.

Mabie usually doesn’t speak in third-person. She promises.

Connect with M. Mabie

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2W3M2Bu
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3de6q8K
BookBub: https://bit.ly/35wkuaT
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2SBypHu
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2W1cr2W
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/2xzhmyF
Website: https://www.mmabie.com
Stay up to date with M. Mabie by joining her mailing list:
https://bit.ly/3dkTJcp

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Still not sure about Katana Collins’s Beefcakes? I’ve got an excerpt for you along with my REVIEW. Read them and THEN grab your copy. ✍🏻

professorromance

Beefcakes - BT banner

Things are about to get sticky…

Beefcakes, an all-new ”amazing and unforgettable” romantic comedy from Katana Collins, is available now!

Read my 4 1/2 ⭐️review HERE!

9.11_Beefcakes

I might as well permanently add the label “Ex” to my name. I’m an Ex-Mr. Universe. Ex-Mr. Olympus. An Ex-Hollywood Stuntman. But no one from my small hometown cares anything about that. They only care that I’m the ex-boyfriend to the beloved Mayor’s daughter, Elaina Dyker.

And now, ten years later, I’m back, helping my siblings run my mother’s bakery while she takes on chemo. What should have been a routine cupcake delivery turns into utter chaos when the bachelorette party thinks I’m a stripper. And what’s worse? Elaina is the maid of honor.

But the meme about us sure went viral fast. My small hometown has become positively infested with tipsy bridesmaids looking for my erotic cupcakes.

Now Hollywood’s knocking again—and this time they want me and my ex, Mr. Beefcake and Ms. Prude, to star in a reality show.

It could solve all my problems—except her.

Beefcakes - AN

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NJWR7w

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2KpxzK2

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/374L6Am

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2q4uw30

Add BEEFCAKES to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2T8PhX4

Beefcakes - Teaser 8 AN

Excerpt

I arched my brow at her. “I bragged about knowing you so well…but man. I did not see this almond croissant massacre coming. What do you have against almonds? Or was it the amount of butter that offended you? Because as a fitness expert, let me tell you butter isn’t the enemy. Sugar is the enemy.”

She laughed. “I, uh…I might have some anger management issues.”

I took the bag from her and peeked in. There were knuckle marks against the outside of the croissant. Literal knuckle marks. I barked a laugh. “Elaina Dyker. Did you punch the croissant?”

She laughed, pressing her lips together as though this would hide the fact that I saw her adorable little giggle. She brought her thumb and forefinger up beside her temple. “Maybe a little.”“Did you even try a bite?”

She shook her head no. “I like my routine. I like my daily lunch of yogurt and almonds.”

I made a face. Because she had to be exaggerating. Sure…she liked them. But having that same thing every day? Even chocolate cake every day would get tedious. “You can like yogurt and almonds but still indulge every now and then, you know.” I reached in and pinched off a piece of the smashed croissant, holding it out toward her lips. “C’mon. Live a little. I promise you, it is actually healthy, if that’s your concern.” Not that she needed to be concerned about that. “Almond flour. Gluten free. Grain free. Only two net carbs. The only sugar is the honey in the honey roasted almonds and the natural sugar in dates.” Her eyes grew wide at that and I knew I had hooked her.

She reached out her hand to take the piece of croissant from me, but I pulled back. “Nuh-uh,” I teased. “We can’t have your fingers getting sticky. Might ruin that fancy suit you’re wearing.”

She rolled her eyes, but parted her wet lips, her tongue peeking out just enough for me to place the croissant on top of. She moaned as soon as it hit her mouth, and her eyes fell closed as she slowly chewed and swallowed. “That’s…that’s healthy?”

I nodded. “See? I’m not just a pile of muscles. I’ve got some talent, too.”

Her head fell to the side. “I never said you weren’t talented. I just wish you wouldn’t show off quite so much of your other assets.”

I grinned. “I thought you liked my assets?”

“I do,” she answered absentmindedly, then immediately shook her head, realizing what she’d said. “I mean, I did.”

KC - PhotoAbout Katana

As an author and a story-teller, it is the lifeblood to which my ideas take flight. And I believe in giving credit where credit is due. Occasionally someone (ie – my husband) will try to secretly switch out my beloved regular coffee for decaf. I always know the difference. ALWAYS (I’m looking at you, SEAN).

I am incapable of achieving the perfect ponytail. I’m dyslexic. I can never wear white without spilling on myself. And I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice (gasp!).

When I was younger and stole my mother’s Harlequins to read beneath the covers with a flashlight (seriously, did we ALL do this? I think we did.), I wanted to read about the tough as nails heroine. The perfectly imperfect girl with quirks and attitude and sass. And the anti-heroes who were anything but “Prince Charming.” Forget the knight on a white horse… give me the bad boy on a motorcycle.

So, now, I write those romance novels I craved to see on the shelves all those years ago—the sassy heroines. The badass heroes. I spend my days in the throes of my imagination, and am loving every minute of it. I can travel anywhere and become anyone I want to be. One day, I’m a mechanic in Boston and the next, I’m a vampire stripping in Las Vegas.

Since penning my first novel back in 2012, I’m now an international author with 15 published books, in a wide range of contemporary romance genres–(Paranormal, New Adult, Small town, Erotic Suspense… you name it!).

After living for a decade in Brooklyn, NY, I took the plunge and moved to beautiful (although kinda chilly) Portland, Maine. I now live full time in ‘Vacationland’ with a kind of mean cat, a mellow chihuahua, and a very NOT mellow lab-pittie mix. Oh, yeah… there’s a husband who draws comics somewhere in that mix, too. I can usually be found in a coffee shop with my nose in my laptop wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.

I love connecting with readers and fellow sassy storytellers, so feel free to drop me an email at katana.collins@gmail.com or connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@katanacollins). You can find a list of my available books over on my Bookshelf or if you’ve already read a book, it would make my day if you wrote a review!

Threats, complaints, and criticisms should go to comments@fbi.gov.

Connect with Katana

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2R1qnq2

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Ft8RFB

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35wm37j

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

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2tCCD8b

YouTube: http://bit.ly/2T0o1dl

Join her reader group, Kat’s Kittens: http://bit.ly/2QvrP4P

Stay up to date with Katana by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2QQe0wM

Website: http://www.katanacollins.com

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Blog Tour: Piper J. Drake’s Gaming Grace – download your e-book today! ✍🏻

professorromance

Gaming Grace, a sizzling new standalone romantic comedy in the Gone Wild series by Piper J. Drake, is available now!

Gaming Grace_wlogo

All work and no play is no way to enjoy this cruise.

Executive Director Grace Kim figures this reunion with her college friends is the perfect excuse to prove that she knows how to keep work/life balance and enjoy the Caribbean, preferably with her pants intact.

Rich, sexy, brilliant Bryan Wu has an app for that, and he charms Grace into helping him test it. He offers seven days of the best vacation of her life (bonus, sizzling chemistry) before they return to reality, but he didn’t anticipate just how much of his heart he’d give her.

When an accidental error results in a humiliating video of her online, Grace must salvage her career and decide whether to erase Bryan from her memory forever or admit they brought out the best in each other.

_GG - AN

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/303uExh

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2We9CvG

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/38NTbsU

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2xEsc6a

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2tJRyxf

About Piper J. Drake

Piper J. Drake is a bestselling author of romantic suspense and edgy contemporary romance, a frequent flyer, and day job road warrior. Wherever she goes, she enjoys tasting the world and embarking on foodie adventures. Dogs—and horses—have been known to spontaneously join her for a stroll and she enjoys pausing for a nice chat with cats of all sizes, from domestic to tiger size and beyond.

Piper aspires to give her readers stories with a taste of the hard challenges in life, a breath of laughter, a broad range of strengths and weaknesses, the sweet taste of kisses, and the heat of excitement across multiple genres including science fiction and fantasy.

Come join the adventure with her!


Connect with Piper

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2uDc3fv
Website: http://piperjdrake.com/
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/36pyoux
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Rrp6tI
Twitter: https://twitter.com/piperjdrake
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/3aPlkSH
Stay up to date with Piper by joining her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/38HZO09

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Blog Tour: Katee Robert’s Kissing Kendall ✍🏻

professorromance

KK - BT banner

Maybe a party cruise wasn’t the worst idea after all…

Kissing Kendall, an all-new, sexy standalone romance in the Gone Wild Series from New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert, is out now!

Kissing Kendall_wlogo

All Kendall Barnes wants is a nice relaxing cruise to reconnect with her friends from college. Instead, they’re mistakenly booked on a singles’ cruise. Despite this series of unfortunate events, Kendall is determined to follow through on her original plan… At least until she meets a gorgeous stranger who might just be enough to tempt her into breaking all her rules.

Alex Jeffries is on his first vacation in over ten years, and he hates every second of it. He can’t stop thinking about what could be going wrong with the bar he owns back home, at least until he meets Kendall and forgets about everything but kissing her. Maybe a party cruise wasn’t the worst idea after all…

Kendall and Alex embark on a sexy fling, but it only takes a few days for the truth to sink in. The mind-blowing chemistry between them is only getting stronger, and despite the expiration date they both agreed on, they can’t help wondering if this vacation fling can go the distance…

Or are they destined to crash and burn when they come back to reality?

_KK - AN

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/39KQCJP

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/39NbqA i

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/2Fy2m4s

Kobo: http://bit.ly/39Q7H54

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2QAHq32

About Katee Robert

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

Connect with Katee

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2tGx4pP
Website: https://www.kateerobert.com/
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/37v3ORu
Facebook: http://bit.ly/3aNg69J
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katee_robert

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2TW11g2

Stay up to date with Katee by joining her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/30TZhFP