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Lauren Blakely – The Gift Series Reading Order

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<— NEW SERIES BY AUTHOR Lauren Blakely & book #3 just went LIVE!!!

Cat: The virgin gift by Lauren blakely was so amazing and hot and amazing, lol. I don’t know why I love the virgin trope so much. And this book was so good and my first of this author …this book is so hot. It was so fun to read.

The author says:

The Gift Series is a sexy series of standalones, with each title featuring a new couple exploring the boundaries of their fantasies. The books can be read in any order.

About book #1:

Some things are better left unsaid.

Besides, I don’t need to act on every wild thought that flits through my imagination, not when my fiancé and I have the kind of life I’ve aways longed for — passionate, intimate and oh so real.

I can’t risk losing him, so I focus on building our life together as a couple, expanding my career as a sports reporter, and prepping for our wedding. But the more insistent my thoughts become, the closer I get to telling him what I want most… The question though is what will happen to our unbreakable bond when I do.

SERIES READING ORDER (though they can each be read as standalones):

Reader Recommendations – Our favorite books where the heroine doesn’t end up with the lead guy…

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LIST REQUEST TIME!!! 😀 We’re in the mood for something a little different, romance-wise. 😉 Romance yes!! But with a twist.

And this time, it’s (by nature of the trope request) “spoiler-ish” because pretty much right off the bat – for most of these suggestions anyway…  we’ll know who the winning guy ends up being.

So unless you don’t mind already knowing a specific outcome in a love story, you might want to skip this one (and not look at the recommendations below).

But if you too, are looking for this exact thing, if this is what you’re in the mood for, let’s make a list!!

Priscilla asks:

I wanted to see if I could get recommendations of books that the lead girl doesn’t stay with the lead guy, a secondary is the lucky guy.

Like:

Probably I have read more but I forgot the titles, I don’t know if you can use those book I mention as references as it will tell who she ends up with.

Thank you In advance

Any recommendations for us?

Maryse: The first one that came to my head is going to be one of my absolute favorites, and was quite a shock to me, that the authors let it GO there. But then again, I’m not surprised because I already know that one of the authors, (Kate Stewart’s) brand of “love stories” definitely throw us into love triangle heartaches, and I can’t ever get too comfortable with the “book-boyfriend team” I’m on. 😉

But I’d say: Heartbreak Warfare might fit this category & romance mood. To be honest, I can’t even really tell who the “lead guy” is in this one, so I guess it depends on your perspective. From my perspective, she didn’t end up with who I expected her to. P.S. Here’s my Book Review

Paula: Sugar Daddy: A Novel (Travis Book 1) by Lisa Kleypas. In the first half of the book it gives you the impression that the main guy is her childhood love. She ends up meeting the love or her life later on and the childhood friend gets his own book in the series.

Maryse: I’m adding it. I read that one, too! Thanks for reminding me. 😀 Here’s my Book Review.

Nancy: BOUND DUET by Stephie Walls

Nancy: Night Shifts Black by Alyson Santos.

R. Renee: What about Night Shifts Black (NSB Book 1) by Alyson Santos? It’s been a while since I read it but I *think* it fits the bill.

Maryse: OH YEAH!!!! YES!! PERFECT!! It was that switch that made me love it less, because I was so invested in the initial potential of HIM. All that hurt…

Here’s my Book Review.

R. Renee: Others that *might* fit, but I’m probably reaching:

This is hard! I keep coming up with love triangles!

Maryse: THESE ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, R!!! These definitely ring right (and some… in their own super-clever ways). Tee hee!!! And I like that some of these examples, you’re not 100% who is the main guy and who is the secondary, so it still keeps us guessing. Depends on perspective, I guess. 😉 And while I’m here, here are my reviews of some of these 😀

Tara: If I remember correctly (it’s been a few years), I believe ‘The Monday Girl (The Girl Duet Book 1)’ by Julie Johnson.

Skye Warren: Sugar Daddy = Forever Favorite!!

Then Came You (Gamblers Book 1) (also by Lisa Kleypas) I think counts. Of course it always assumes we know who they think is the main hero. I personally think the heroine picked right in both Sugar Daddy and Then Came You <3 <3

Jan: Huh. I couldn’t think of any books I’d read that fit. But I’ve read both of the Lisa Kleypas ones, so there you go. Sugar Daddy is a fav for me too.

Also relevant to your interests is this free boxed set (fair warning, I have a book in it), and at least 1-3 would qualify: Love Triangle: Six Books of Torn Desire

Christine: The idea of you

Maryse: YES!!!!!! PERFECT! Here’s my Book Review.

JulieO: Would ARSEN fit in this category?

Maryse: I’d say absolutely since we weren’t really sure who she’d end up with. It was quite a surprise for me!! P.S. Here’s my Book Review.

Lisa: How about The Beginner’s Guide to Necromancy by Hailey Edwards. The shift comes by the first two books I think but it’s a good series overall. And there’s some tension between the two male protagonists throughout the series.

Stephanie: Maryse, The Kathleen Turner Series by Tiffany Snow would definitely fit into this category. Its action-packed, suspenseful, and angsty! Plus, each book gets better and better. It’s one of my all-time favorite series ever written! I highly recommend it!

Lisa: Yes!!!

Michele: JA Huss INTO HER…can be a “love triangle’ or ‘did she pick the wrong guy”? I recommend listening on Audible.com.

Franziska: What about ‘It ends with us’ from Colleen Hoover?

Maryse: Oh yes!!! I didn’t even think of that one. LOVED IT! Here’s my Book Review.

Latest Romance Book Releases – 03-24-2020

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HAPPY TUESDAY NEW RELEASE DAY!! SO MANY AMAZING books by our very favorite authors just went live today, and my blurb jolts are HUGE!!!!! Plus, we already have amazing feedback for one of ’em. Let’s read! 😀

BLURB JOLTS!! YES!!! 😀 The Sinner (latest BDB, and she’s suffering through her transition, she doesn’t know what’s going on… and then he appears), The Return (her best friend goes missing, and suddenly shows up 2 years later, but something is different…) The Herd (psych-thriller!! A group of empowering women that everyone wants to be a part of, but they’re not… so… perfect.) The Honey-Don’t List (they work for a famous TV couple that hate each other, and now they have to go on tour with them), Problem Child (I LOVED book #1 – she’s a sociopath, and I’m so excited for this one!!)

Yvonne: Cannot wait for BDB The Sinner woohoo

Harper: Can’t wait for The Honey-Don’t List !!!!

Tasha J: I finished The Herd last night. My first 2020 read complete and such a great start to the year! I love, love dramatic mystery/thrillers where you’re so stuck in the character’s heads, finding out their inter workings and what not, that the secrets and surprises are just thrilling bonuses to the book.

I went in blindly, because I look at so many books, I thankfully forgot the synopsis so it was even better for me. I guessed at everything from the very beginning and that is one of my favorite parts. Unputdownable

And while you’re here, don’t forget to check out:

AUDIOBOOK L:DVERS!

Not a member of Audible yet? Get a free 30 day audible trial (which includes 1 free audiobook + 2 audible originals)

  • AND! Audiobook Matchmaker!! <— Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! This is how it works. Click on that link & Amazon will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
  • ➔➔ Audible now has an “Escape” package membership (30 day free trial) – used to be called the “Romance” package <— this one is SO cool, and worth it (unlimited listening for all of the audiobooks in the program, and there are tons – kind of like Kindle Unlimited)!!
  1. The Sinner: The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, Book 18 by J.R. Ward
  2. The Return by Rachel Harrison
  3. The Herd: A Novel by Andrea Bartz
  4. Problem Child: A Jane Doe Thriller by Victoria Helen Stone
  5. Twice a Wish: Goddess Series, Book 2 by Pepper Winters
  6. After All: Cape Harbor by Heidi McLaughlin
  7. The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
  8. Shameless with Him: Less Than, Book 3 by Carrie Ann Ryan
  9. If I Never Met You: A Novel by Mhairi McFarlane
  10. Before Anyone Else by Leslie Hooton

READER RECOMMENDATIONS & BARGAIN FINDS:

Tasha J: How to Walk Away? Did you read that one yet? LOVE that one! …This one gave me the same feels as Me Before You. There’s a sexy PT *waggles eyebrows* and I just loved Margaret and her sister’s relationship. Heartwarming book.

bev: The Kiss Quotient is on sale. I really enjoyed this one.

Carla: Have you read The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang? …It’s kind of a mix of this book with pretty woman. I love it. I couldn’t even sleep till I finish it.

R. Renee: I listened to The Kiss Quotient audiobook on my drive to Dallas for Holidays with the Belles this weekend and loved it! I thought the narrator was fantastic for Stella.

Kathy: Read the Kiss Quotient. Loved it!!

PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN NEW RELEASES:

  1. The Sinner (The Black Dagger Brotherhood series Book 18) by J.R. Ward <— J.R. WARD BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD ALERT!!! SHE MIGHT NOT make it through her transition… “…Syn has kept his side hustle as a mercenary a secret from the Black Dagger Brotherhood. When he takes another hit job, he not only crosses the path of the vampire race’s new enemy, but also that of a half-breed in danger of dying during her transition. Jo Early has no idea what her true nature is, and when a mysterious man appears out of the darkness, she is torn between their erotic connection and the sense that something is very wrong…”
  2. Lion in Waiting: Tales of the Were (Grizzly Cove Book 15) by Bianca D’Arc
  3. Academy Of Beasts VI: Shifter Romance by Becca Fanning
  4. Royal Alien Mate (Savage Martians Book 1) by Sue Mercury
  5. Twisted Captive: A Rumpelstiltskin Retelling (Twisted Ever Alpha) by Patricia D. Eddy
  6. The Dragon of Sedona (The Treasure of Paragon Book 4) by Genevieve Jack
  7. Hybrid Mate (Everglow Pack Book 3) by Liam Kingsley
  8. Highlander Avenged: A Scottish Time Travel Romance (Highlander In Time Book 7) by Rebecca Preston
  9. Of Flame and Fury: A Weird Girls Novel (Weird Girls Flame Book 3) by Cecy Robson
  10. The Edge of it All (Mosauran Book 1) by Jessica Grayson

CONTEMPORARY NEW RELEASES:

  1. The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren <— CHRISTINA LAUREN ALERT!!! THEY WORK FOR A TV FAMOUS HOME RENOVATING COUPLE (but they’re hard to work for because of how much they hate each other)… “…Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together….
  2. Gaming Grace (Gone Wild Book 2) by Piper J. Drake
  3. Unflappable: A Novel (a funny, dark, sexy adventure with a big cast of unconventional characters, both human and not) by Suzie Gilbert
  4. ROQUE: A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE (THE SALVATORE SYNDICATE Book 1) by JAX HART
  5. Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series Book 1) by Effie Kammenou <— PASTRY CHEF WAS LEFT BROKEN-HEARTED... “…Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.  Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café… With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one…” P.S. Don’t forget to enter this giveaway!!! She’s this week’s newsletter sponsor and she’s giving away three prizes! ➔ Effie Kammenou’s “Love is What You Bake of It” is LIVE, so she’s sent over an excerpt, a Five Fun Facts + we’re having a giveaway!
  6. This Thing Called Love (Forget-Me-Not Ranch Book 2) by Sara Richardson
  7. DARK: A DARK BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE (The Boyne Club Book 1) by Vi Carter
  8. Crossing The Line (Wilde Ways Book 7) by Cynthia Eden <— CYNTHIA EDEN ALERT!! THEY HAVE TO GO UNDERCOVER AS LOVERS… “…he wants her desperately. Not that he ever intends to let her know that fun fact. Instead, he keeps up a fake persona where he offers her jokes and flippant comments. Blair is straight-laced. By-the-book. Always by-the-book. Linc likes things a bit wilder. Control isn’t his strong suit, but, with a massive effort, he’s kept his control in place around Blair. With Blair, he’s on his best behavior…”
  9. Easy to Fall (Hard to Love Book 4) by W. Winters
  10. Changing Tides (Lobster Bay Book 2) by Meredith Summers
  11. From The First Verse (Life of Debauchery Duet Book 1) by R. Robinson <— INTRIGUING!!! ONCE UPON A TIME… “…Her diary became the only thing she could rely on. No one saw through her looking glass. No one cared. No one tried. Until the villain presented himself as the hero in her life. He took and took and took some more. With no regret. With no shame. With no apology. The page never turned. Their story didn’t end. Tomorrow never came. His life of debauchery was their journey to nowhere.She’d give anything to go back in time…”
  12. Easy Rider: Second Chance, Bad Boy Brothers, Cowboy Romance (The Wild Wests Book 2) by Adriana French
  13. Hunting for Alyssa (Alpha Recovery Book 3) by Mandy Morgan
  14. Bully Me: Class of 2020 <— BULLY ANTHOLOGY (eight new stories!!) “…Loving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us…”
  15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Jackson Family Distillery Book 1) by Mariah Ankenman
  16. Longing in Los Angeles (Ticket to True Love) by Julie Strauss
  17. Secrets & Beyond by K. M. Bishop
  18. The Herd by Andrea Bartz <— PSYCH-THRILLER & MY BOOK-TWIN LOVED IT!!! Women colleagues and part of an elite group that everyone wants to be in… “…Eleanor is a queen among the Herd’s sun-filled rooms, admired and quietly feared even as she strives to be warm and approachable. As head of PR, Hana is working around the clock to prepare for a huge announcement from Eleanor—one that will change the trajectory of the Herd forever. Though Katie loves her sister’s crew, she secretly hopes that she’s found her next book subject in Eleanor, who’s brilliant, trailblazing—and extremely private. Then, on the night of the glitzy Herd news conference, Eleanor vanishes without a trace. Everybody has a theory about what made Eleanor run, but when the police suggest foul play, everyone is a suspect...”
  19. Let’s Get Physical (Love Is… Book 2) by Cassie Cross
  20. Mom Genes: A Novel (Forest River PTA Moms) by Hilary Grossman
  21. Problem Child: A Jane Doe Thriller by Victoria Helen Stone <— PSYCH-THRILLER ALERT!!! OMG I LOVE THIS AUTHOR & I LOVED book #1 in this series!! One of my absolute favorites, because the heroine is so believable and cunning (and she’s a sociopath, so I LOVE being in her head)… “…Jane’s deeply troubled sixteen-year-old niece, Kayla, has vanished, and no one seems to care. Neither does Jane. Until she sees a picture of Kayla and recognizes herself in the young girl’s eyes. It’s the empty stare of a sociopath. Jane knows what vengeful and desperate things Kayla is capable of. Only Jane can help her—by being drawn into Kayla’s dark world. And no one’s more aware than Jane just how dangerous that can be...”
  22. The Return by Rachel Harrison <— OOOH THRILLER/HORROR ALERT!!! HER FRIEND DISAPPEARS BUT A STRANGER COMES BACK INSTEAD... “...Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she reappears with no memory of where she’s been or what happened to her. Along with Molly and Mae, their two close friends from college, the women decide to reunite at a remote inn. But the second Elise sees Julie, she knows something is wrong—she’s emaciated, with sallow skin and odd appetites...”
  23. Code of Honor (Cipher Security Book 2) by April White
  24. Switching Octaves (The Rock Gods: East Coast Label Book 2) by Ann Lister <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!! The rock star and the cop… “...I hear a bass line in anything the guys throw at me, then take those jumbled run of notes and turn it into something our fans will want to buy. I’m also a man who doesn’t do messy or complicated, and I keep my emotions out of the game—until now. FDNY Lieutenant Sean Conley, one of New York’s bravest, has ruined me for all others because I allowed myself to feel...”
  25. My Other Half (Must Love Dogs Book 4) by Megan Slayer <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!
  26. Cold Justice (The Asylum Fight Club Book 4) by Bianca Sommerland and Tibby Armstrong
  27. Catfish (Illusive Duet Book 1)
  28. Pike: Pawned Duet, Book One by T.M. Frazier <— T.M. FRAZIER DARK ROMANCE ALERT!! SHE’S HIS PAWN… “...I was raised by the violent laws of the streets, spilling blood without the hindrance of useless emotions or connections.
Unfeeling. Unloved. Alone. My life was perfect. Until her. While on a manhunt for a mysterious enemy, one hellbent on taking both my business and my life, I find Mickey. She’s covered in mud, rambling nonsense, and clearly out of her mind.…”
  29. A Lass to Love: Scottish Historical Romance (Brides of Scotland Book 1) by Tammy Andresen
  30. The Billionaire Matchmaker Test (Billionaire Online Dating Service Book 5) by Elle James
  31. Between Us by Mari Suggs
  32. Twice a Wish (GODDESS ISLES Book 2) by Pepper Winters <— PEPPER WINTERS DARK READ ALERT!! He bought her… “…Eleanor Grace belongs to the man and the monster, hating them both but unable to deny that something links them. Something she doesn’t want to feel...”
  33. Fiery Surrender (Trinity Masters Book 11) by Mari Carr and Lila Dubois
  34. Unforgotten Passion (Dirty Sexy Fairy Tales Book 4) by Erika Wilde
  35. Attracting Aubrey: Gone Wild by Avery Flynn
  36. Dream Lover (Propositions and Proposals #1): A Fake Boyfriend Romance by Ryan Michele
  37. A Cowboy and his Fake Marriage: A Western Cowboy Sweet Romance (Chestnut Ranch Cowboy Billionaire Romance Book 6) by Emmy Eugene
  38. After All (Cape Harbor) by Heidi McLaughlin <— SINGLE MOM STILL GRIEVING HIM… “…Desperate to move forward, Brooklyn has focused on raising her daughter for the past fourteen years. But when the opportunity comes along to renovate the old Driftwood Inn, Brooklyn knows it’s time to go home. But it won’t be easy. For one, Austin’s best friend, Bowie Holmes, still lives in Cape Harbor. Brooklyn hasn’t quite been able to forget him: not since the night they spent together—the same night they both lost Austin…”
  39. Sleeping With My Boss: A Steamy Workplace Romance by Vivian Wood
  40. Sweet Obsession: A Dark New Adult Romance (Ruthless Games Book 1) by Callie Rose
  41. How Not To Be A Loser: The perfect uplifting read for 2020 by Beth Moran
  42. Shameless With Him (Less Than Book 3) by Carrie Ann Ryan <— UNREQUITED CRUSH ON THE BAD BOY NEXT DOOR… P.S. It CAN be read as a standalone “…Zoey Wager has loved Caleb since they were eight. And has had her heart broken from afar repeatedly ever since. It doesn’t help that every time she sees him—even when she’s running away halfway across the world—he’s with another woman. She’s watched him fall in lust her entire life….”
  43. Kissing Kendall (Gone Wild Book 1) by Katee Robert
  44. Exposed (Eternal Brethren Military Romantic Suspense Book 7) by Shirleen Davies
  45. Unflappable: A Novel (a funny, dark, sexy adventure with a big cast of unconventional characters, both human and not) by Suzie Gilbert
  46. Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire (Bro Code Book 3) by Pippa Grant <— PIPPA GRANT COMEDY SPORTS ROMANCE ALERT!! HIS FLING IN THE BATHROOM IS NOW HIS NEW BOSS… “…she’s the one thing standing in the way of your dreams. And she very much doesn’t like being lied to. Now I have to convince Lila Valentine—the woman I can’t stop thinking about, my biggest regret, and my new boss—that I’m what’s best for the baseball team she’s inherited…”
  47. Before Anyone Else by Leslie Hooton
  48. White Pines Summer by Sherryl Woods
  49. The Dark Kingdom Anthology <— ANTHOLOGY ALERT!! “…Fourteen authors come together to turn your childhood stories into dark and sinful pleasures. Step into a world where everything you loved just got a lot darker. Where the line between love and taboo crosses without a second thought...”
  50. Steal My Heart (Against All Odds Book 1) by Savannah Kade
  51. Heartbreaker (Montana Justice Book 2) by B.J. Daniels
  52. Chute Yeah (The Valentine Boys Book 3) by Lani Lynn Vale <— LANI LYNN VALE ALERT!! HER EX IS A BULLRIDER… “…One, she was going to work her butt off and open her very own coffee shop, even if she had to die doing it. Two, Banks Valentine was the world’s worst ex-boyfriend in the history of ex-boyfriends. Even if they were only boyfriend and girlfriend for one evening. She wouldn’t sneeze on him even if he was on fire…“
  53. Take Me Back (Hidden Cove Firefighters Book 9) by Kathryn Shay
  54. The Rancher takes his Best Friend’s Sister: a Sweet Marriage of Convenience Western Romance (The Rangers of Purple Heart Ranch Book 2) by Shanae Johnson
  55. Call Me Yours (Against All Odds Book 2) by Savannah Kade
  56. Sugarcoated (Hot Cakes Book 1) by Erin Nicholas <— HE TURNED HER DOWN & NOW HE’S HER COMPETITION… “…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...”
  57. Loving Liv (Gone Wild) by Stacey Kennedy
  58. Beefcakes by Stacey Kennedy
  59. Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch Book 2) by Heather B. Moore
  60. Sexy Love: A Sexy Series Novella (The Sexy Series Book 4) by Carly Phillips <— CARLY PHILLIPS ALERT!! THE PROFESSOR AND HIS SINGLE MOM STUDENT ALERT!! “…Single mom Amber Davis is finally living her dream of going back to college. In the ten years since she dropped out to have a baby–and recover from his father’s death–it’s been the goal that always felt just out of reach. Until now. But one look at her hot, sexy professor, and Amber is head over heels in lust. It doesn’t take long before their attraction blazes out of control. Neither of them can afford a forbidden affair. Yet it’s the one thing they are powerless to stop…”
  61. One Hot Rebel (The Johnson Brothers Book 2) by Ashlee Price
  62. Hooking a Handyman: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (ABC’s of Love Book 8) by Brenna Jacobs
  63. Genesis (Bones, Book One) (Bones Trilogy 1) by Paige P. Horne
  64. If I Never Met You: A Novel by Mhairi McFarlane <— FAKE LOVE ALERT!! “…When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility...”

   

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

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Effie Kammenou’s “Love is What You Bake of It” is LIVE, so she’s sent over an excerpt, Five Fun Facts + we’re having a giveaway!

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Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series Book 1) IS LIVE!! And the author is celebrating her latest release with a Five Fun Facts about her book, a fun giveaway, and she’s sponsoring today’s newsletter!!! 😀 P.S. I absolutely love her fun facts, because they were inspired by real life!!

What’s it about? A pastry chef, and the police officer that walks into her cafe…

“…Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.

Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café…

With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one…”

Five fun facts about Love is What You Bake of it.

  1. The meet-cute between pastry chef Kally and police officer Max was inspired by a jaw-droppingly handsome police officer who came into my office to retrieve a stray license plate we found in the parking lot.
  2. I modeled Jaxon after a famous Greek model. One day I was driving and a truck pulled up beside me with a man that could have been his double. It was at this moment his storyline began to brew in my mind.
  3. At one time, I wanted to open an international café that featured pastries and coffees from various countries. I had the plans outlined on menu and décor details. I never opened that café, but Kally did, just as I had envisioned it in my mind.
  4. Each book in The Gift Saga Trilogy contains recipes between some of the chapters. I continued this tradition of mine in Love is What You Bake of it.
  5. Kally’s story ends with a HEA, but there is a subplot that is left open and will continue to unfold throughout the series.

Excerpt

“Can’t you see that every aspect of your life is driven by what your family expects. Your job, living arrangements, even your relationship with me because you’re hiding the truth.” He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You’re a sexy, smart and talented woman. Own it. Rule it.”

“I know it’s hard for you to understand. You were raised in a completely different world than I was.” Kally inched closer to him, running her hand down the stubble of his jawline.

Jax grasped her wrist, yanking her into his lap. “I don’t give a f*ck

about parents.” His eyes bore into hers like blue flames turning wood to ash. “You and me. That’s what matters. We’re the only thing that matters.”

“And that’s the problem right there.” She sighed. “My parents do matter and you’re a loose cannon. All I need is for you and my dad to get into it. He’ll throw your ass out of his house and that will be that.”

“How do you feel about me, Kal?” He kept his eyes trained on hers but she picked up on his well-concealed vulnerability hidden by the ever-present confidence and gruff exterior.

Kally brushed the falling strands of dirty blond hair from his face and kissed him. “I love you. More than anything. You know that. You’re the most unexpected person to enter my life.”

Jax looked down at her, eyes smoldering, lips curled into a menacing grin. “Same. It’s the same for me.”

“Why do you always say that?” Kally asked, pushing back, her brow furrowing.

“What?”

“Same,” she answered. “You never say the words.”

“I don’t need to,” he said. “I’d rather show you every damn day.” He grabbed the hem of his Henley, pulling the shirt up over his head.

Kally ran her hand over his bare biceps, tracing her fingers along the designs inked over his muscular form. Tattoos on a man had never appealed to her before but on him they were so much hotter. Every part of him made her crave him, love him. She’d wondered many times what the meaning was behind the winged, caped figure, trampling the grim reaper. The indelible marking was drawn on his left pectoral, rippling imperceptibly with the beat of his heart as though it breathed a life of its own.

Jax took her hand, guiding her fingers to run down the length of his ribcage. When she saw what he’d brought her attention to, she was astonished. Written vertically, in Greek letters, was Kally’s name—her full name—permanently branded on his body. And in his heart, she realized. No man would do that unless he truly loved her.

“I don’t know what to say.” Her eyes glistened with emotion.

“Tell me you don’t need to hear the words,” he growled, moving her hand over his heart. “It’s what’s in here that counts. I pledged my commitment to you on my body. Show me how you’ll do the same for me.”

“I will. I promise,” Kally vowed. “You’re the only man I’m ever going to want.”

Now if she could only find a way to break it to her father.

Now time for the giveaway:

Three lucky commenters will be selected to win one of three prizes – $10 Amazon gift card, an e-book copy of Love is What You Bake of it, or an audible copy of Evanthia’s Gift.

How to enter for a chance to win it? Just leave a comment below (or better yet, tell me who’s your favorite fictional hero/book boyfriend) and by 10pm EST, Sunday March 29th, 2020, I will randomly select three lucky commenters as the winners.

The winners will be contacted and will have 48hrs to respond confirming their mailing & email address, so if you are picked, do not delay or you will lose your chance. The prizes will be sent to the winners directly by the author.

Giveaway open to INTERNATIONAL!!! :D

Monday Early Bird Book Releases – 03-23-2020

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HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!! We have a pretty great early birds list (that one to the left sounds incredible and like it maybe it wants to hurt me!), and check out tomorrow’s preview. That list is going to be exciting!! What’s everyone reading, or planning on reading?

Three things:

1.) Spring is pretty much here in Florida, and I’m getting that gardening urge, BIG TIME!! I need a ton of gardening soil first though and that requires me to venture out and buy bags of it. Which I’m not going to do, so… *sigh*

2.) I’m reading “Pretty Girls: A Novel” by Karin Slaughter (just started it) and there’s a character in the book (a cheer mom who’s really good at cheerleading too) who’s name is “Penelope Ward”. Tee hee!!! Now guess who I “see” whenever this character is in a scene? 😆

3.) I’m going to have a Blueberry cobbler flavored coffee this morning. Those make me happy! Not my absolute favorite flavor but certainly a nice cozy pick me up in the morning. Here’s the ground version in the bag.

P.S. ALSO STILL ON ➔➔➔ TWO FREE MONTHS KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <— If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance. 😲👏👏👏

LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE :D !!!

  1. That Night by K.I. Lynn <— PREGNANT AFTER A ONE NIGHT STAND ALERT!! “…After weeks of silence from him and a positive pregnancy test, it was safe to say I was in full out panic mode. Until I walked into a conference room only to find Mr. Man-of-my-dreams-father-of-my-unborn-child at the head of the table. Turns out the VP of finance isn’t an old boring guy with white hair...”
  2. Catch Twenty Two: Westover Prep Book 2 by Marie James
  3. License to Bite: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 1) by Carrie Pulkinen
  4. Blood Revealed (Brimstone Lords MC Book 6) by by Sarah Zolton Arthur
  5. A Shade of Vampire 87: A Shade of Mystery by Bella Forrest
  6. Heartbreak Prince: A Bully Romance (Broken Hearts Academy Book 1) by C.R. Jane <— HER SOULMATES WERE TWINS… and she chose wrong. “...It took me years to admit to myself that I had chosen wrong from the beginning. I’m ready to admit it to Jackson…only problem, he hates me. I’m ready to fight for my happily ever after. But there’s a reason they call him the Heartbreak Prince…”
  7. Love Under Protection (425 Madison Avenue Book 15) by Aubree Valentine
  8. The Senator’s Secret (A Presidential Affair Book 1) by Jennifer Rebecca
  9. It Was Always You (Springwood Book 1) by Aliyah Burke
  10. Protecting his Mountain Bride by Skye Tisdale
  11. The Starlet Celebrity: A Sweet Celebrity Romance (Crystal Springs Celebrities Book 3) by Olivia Burke
  12. Not According to Plan by A.M. Madden <— ONE NIGHT STAND, and now she’s pregnant… “…My birthday. A bar. Karaoke. And a man so hot he could melt the sun. Sparks flew. Lust took over. For one night of my life, I felt alive. Then I was back to my “boring” life. Career-driven. Goal-oriented. Always planning ahead.
    But nothing could have prepared me for the positive pregnancy test. We weren’t that reckless. There goes my “boring” life. And what happens when I tell the father?”
  13. Blue Umbrella Sky by Rick R. Reed <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!! HE’S STILL GRiEVING HIS HUSBAND AND HE’S STARTING OVER… “…When his new neighbor moves in, Billy falls for the gray-eyed man. His sadness and loneliness awaken something Billy’s never felt before—real love. When a summer storm and flash flood jeopardize Milt’s home, Billy comes to the rescue, hoping the two men might get better acquainted…and maybe begin a new romance...”
  14. Playing House (Rough Play Book 2) by Suzanne Clay <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!
  15. Beyond the Horizon: An age gap romance by Bea Paige <— AGE GAP ALERT!! “...I was eighteen, he was thirty-six. My foolish heart was stolen by a man who refused to accept I existed. A forbidden kiss sending him back into the arms of the ocean. I was nineteen. He was thirty-seven. He was changed. Cruel. Abrasive. Until he wasn’t and I gave him something precious. I’m twenty. He’s thirty-eight. Just like the ocean we both adore, Malakai is mysterious, tumultuous, dangerous and not to be tamed…”
  16. Levi’s Fury (The Brotherhood Book 2) by Jade Thorn
  17. My Dad’s Billionaire Enemy by Bella Winters
  18. Perfect Distraction by Allison Ashley <— OH THIS ONE’S GONNA BE A HEARTBREAKER!! “…Andrew Bishop can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous redhead who crashed into him and then disappeared, even though he should have way more on his mind – like dealing with his Hodgkin Lymphoma diagnosis and finishing out his last year in law school. When Andrew and Lauren run into each other at the cancer center where she’s working and he’s being treated, they try to keep it professional. They can be friends, and nothing more…”
  19. Bad Friend (Bad Housewives Club Book 2) by Carmen Falcone
  20. (un) Broken (A Book Boyfriend Series 1) by Charlotte Daniels
  21. Fury Unleashed (Forgotten Brotherhood Book 1) by N.J. Walters <— FALLEN-ANGEL ALERT!!! “…Morrigan Quill is one of Hell’s bounty hunters. She sold her soul to keep her sister safe, and now she’s working off her contract by catching bad guys and dragging them back to hell. When Lucifer makes her a new offer––that’s definitely too good to be true—she can’t say no. All she has to do is kill a powerful and crazy-hot fallen angel, who will totally kick her ass in battle. Good thing he won’t see what’s coming next....”
  22. Dangerous Temptation by Lisa Jackson and Elle James
  23. Who To Trust by Carolyn Ruffles
  24. The Unwanted Challenge: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Empath Found Book 2) by Colette Rhodes <— REVERSE HAREM/FAE ALERT!! “…After twenty years as a not-quite-human, wondering where I belong, I’ve finally found my place among the fae in Avalon and my dads want to take it away. All I want to do is avoid my family, stay under the radar, learn about my magic, and get up close and personal with my suitors. But, of course, the gods have other plans for me...”

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

   

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