Sara Whitney’s “Tempting Taste” is live and we have an excerpt + an amazingly delicious giveaway!!!

<— Tempting Taste is LIVE, the author is today’s newsletter sponsor and we’re celebrating with an excerpt, plus the most AMAZINGLY delicious giveaway that will make your jaw drop!! And also there will be drool. 😉 Safe for work but not for Keto (no cake for me!!!). LOL!!!

Today’s newsletter sponsor Sara Whitney has a delicious giveaway to celebrate the release of her sassy, sexy new contemporary romance Tempting Taste, which is out today! Here’s the quick take:

Grumpy cake-maker Erik Andersson reluctantly agrees to let breezy marketing whiz Josie Ryan help him launch his own bakery, but when their sweet-and-salty partnership turns personal, will they find a way to blend their differences or are they a recipe for disaster?

💛 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vFOH9J
💛 Apple: smarturl.it/TemptingTasteApple
💛 Barnes & Noble: smarturl.it/TemptingTasteBN
💛 Kobo: smarturl.it/TemptingTasteKobo
💛 Google Play: smarturl.it/TemptingTastePlay

And here’s the full list of ingredients for this funny, feisty read: 

Take one taciturn baker

After a chaotic childhood, all Erik Andersson wants is peace and stability. What a shock, then, to find himself quitting on the spot after a tornado of a woman storms his workplace and exposes the toxicity of his boss. Although Erik should be focused on locking down his next gig, he instead agrees to a wild business proposal from the beautiful chaos agent intent on upending his life.

Add one talkative redhead

Josie Ryan spent years chasing her mother’s approval and now fills that void by wowing clients with her buzzy PR events. So when the brooding baker with the gorgeous cakes ends up jobless, Josie leaps at the chance to prove her worth by turning his talent into an empire—assuming she can work alongside a reserved hunk who charms her with every grumble.

Apply heat and watch them sizzle

Keep it professional. That’s the first rule of a good partnership. Soon enough, though, Josie and Erik have dropped their defensive walls to explore the potential of their sugar-and-spice relationship. But as the business grows, their clashing definitions of success threaten their happy equilibrium. Can they resolve their differences to form the perfect fusion, or will the heat force one of them out of the kitchen?

Giveaway details in a sec, but first, an excerpt:

“Anyway, about Erik. Did you see those arms? I bet he could bench-press me. Maybe you and me at the same time even.” Josie fanned herself with a lazy hand.

Richard’s teeth flashed, then vanished just as quickly. “Girl, he could hang one of us from each bicep and do curls. If that guy doesn’t have a thirst-trap Insta account with a billion workout ab shots, then I quit life.”

Josie’s fingers involuntarily twitched toward her phone to search “hot Chicago baker,” but she forced them to behave. “Too bad he’s not my type.”

Her friend paused with his coffee cup halfway to his lips. “Excuse me? I thought Nordic god-men were everyone’s type.”

She reached for another sugar packet. “Big and brooding’s nice to look at, but I’m more into confidence and a three-piece suit.” She dumped the crystals into her already-sweet coffee and stirred, looking up when Richard snorted.

“Oh yeah? And how did your last five dates with the suit-wearing ‘so-confident-it-borders-on-narcissism’ guys go?” Richard just laughed when Josie stirred her coffee harder. “I’m not saying date the hot baker. But I am saying maybe what you think is your type is really more your mom’s type, and you’re only dating them to win her approval.”

“Hey!” Her mug hit the table with a thunk, and Richard raised his hands in surrender.

“Ooooh, sorry. I retract. It’s your fault and your fault alone that you’re the most single girl in Chicago.”

“Damn righ— Hey!” she said again, but he just laughed evilly and went to fetch another coffee refill.

Josie twisted in her chair to call after him, “Everybody loves a man in a suit!” but her words were lost in the scream of the cappuccino machine. She exhaled a similar gust of hot, agitated air and turned back around in time to see the door swing open to admit the big, blond, jeans-clad baker. Her eyes hadn’t deceived her during their previous meeting. Erik Andersson was, to dust off a word she hadn’t had much use for previously, positively strapping. All he needed was an ax and a blue ox.

Nope. Definitely not her type.

His eyes swept the crowded shop and landed on her. As before, not even the tiniest flicker in his somber expression showed that he recognized her as he weaved through the packed tables with surprising grace for such a big man. When he reached the table, he stood close enough that the scent of vanilla on his skin edged out the acrid burn of coffee beans.

“Hi.” She tipped her head up, up, up. “Do me a solid and sit down before I permanently damage my neck.”

He complied and laced his fingers together on the table in front of him. “Hello.” He studied her with a frown hovering at the edge of those unreadable blue eyes, and she was reminded of her uncharacteristically frazzled appearance. She couldn’t have paused to apply a little lip gloss at some point? To cover her nerves, she launched into chirpy mode.

“Thanks for joining us!” She held her hand up for a high five, and after a moment’s hesitation, Erik delivered the world’s most gentle smack to her palm. His dinner-plate hand dwarfed hers. Mmmm. Big hands, big—

“Sorry to interrupt.” Richard was back with a refill and a wry smile. Damn his timing.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY:

If your mouth isn’t watering over Erik, maybe this giveaway will do the trick:

What’s more decadent than cake? A beautifully decorated cake that you don’t have to bake yourself and, in fact, that just shows up at your door! Yep, as much as I’d love to send you a cake baked by Erik himself, let’s opt for something almost as indulgent: a cake from Milk Bar <— take a look at this decadent gorgeousness!

Sara: Here’s a pic of the Milk Bar cake, ISN’T IT GLORIOUS?

Maryse: OMG is this the giveaway???? HOLY. MOLY. That is my dream dessert.

Sara: YES. It’s it gloriously over the top? I figure if I’m doing a giveaway, I may as well do something that most of us would never actual buy for ourselves, ya know???

Maryse: This is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

How to enter for a chance to win it? 

All that cheerful confetti goodness can be yours if you hit the comments and let me know your very favorite dessert. (If you’re not a sweets person, tell me about your fave cheese or beverage or whatever makes your heart go pitter pat.) 

And by 10pm EST, Sunday February 23rd, 2020, I will randomly select one lucky commenter as the winner.

The winner will be contacted and will have 48hrs to respond confirming their mailing address, so if you are picked, do not delay or you will lose your chance. This beautiful cake will be sent directly by the bakery of the author’s choosing (Milk Bar)!!

Giveaway open to US!!!