Carter Kingsley: My savior and ruthless corporate raider hell bent on destroying the newspaper I love. Oh, and my new boss.
His first order of business? Cut half the staff. I should hate him. Easy, right?
Wrong.
I met him two weeks ago, when he saved me from the most awkward first date of my life. I was looking for a way out when he strolled up in a ten-thousand dollar suit with a winning smile, and told a white lie that turned the date from hell into heavenly bliss.
I left with his number in my phone, and spent the next two weeks staying up late to text him. He’s charming. Funny. Sincere.
Completely unlike the ruthless villain who comes in and carves us up.
My first order of business is to interview the new boss. But who is sitting on the other side of the desk? The man who saved and charmed me, or the one who’s threatening everything I hold dear?Carter insists that we can still be friends, but I know that the whole situation is a ticking time bomb.
Olivia is a twenty-something hopeless romantic who loves billionaires heroes despite never having met one. Taking matters into her own hands, she creates them on the page instead. Stern, charming, cold or brooding, so far she’s never met a (fictional) billionaire she didn’t like.
A voracious reader of romance, Olivia picked up the pen a few years back and what followed was a love affair of her own. Now she spends her days grinning at the steamy banter she’s writing or swooning at happily-ever-afters. Or, to be frank, struggling with writing about herself in third person for the purposes of marketing.
She’s been writing contemporary romance novels since 2018.
They’re all exclusively available on Amazon and enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.
(Phew. Now I can go back to first-person love stories!)
Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author Ryan Michele brings the action packed, angst filled story of second chances.
Oh what a wicked web we weave…
Marine, Benjamin Dryerson has been to war and knows the ugly side of freedom. It changes a man leaving him knowing what is important in life.
He’s found peace in the Ravage Motorcycle Club and the family that comes with the cut.
And her…
Katie lives in a constant war of her own, a battle of wills against herself with no escaping.
She knows the cruel side of freedom. What most people take for granted, she’s had to claw for a sliver of good.
She’s far too damaged to let the war rage on.
Guilt consumes her and the only comfort she’s ever known was wrapped in his arms.
Second chances don’t happen for people like Katie, no matter how desperately she wants it. Or how much Dryerson desires to be the one to give her a new life.
Fate intervenes, pulling them together in a combustible way they never saw coming.
Neither did the club. Friend or Foe? Only one way to know.
Ryan Michele is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of over 40 romantic suspense novels. She found her passion bringing fictional characters to life, being in an imaginative world where anything is possible. Her knack for the unexpected twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat with each page. She is best known for her alpha, bad boy bikers and strong, independent heroines who refuse to back down. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her swing, watching the water ripple in the pond and plotting her next book.
Gazette insiders tell us there was an unchaperoned encounter between a certain deliciously mysterious earl and a flame-haired lady who’s rumored to keep daggers hidden within her skirts. Things are about to get dangerously scandalous in Maddison Michaels’ next Secret, Scandal and Spies release.
RUBY award-winning author MADDISON MICHAELS writes sexy history with a dash of mystery! Indoctrinated into a world of dashing rogues and feisty heroines when she was a teenager, Maddison loves reading and writing historical romance.
Maddison’s historical novels are her way of time traveling back to Victorian London to experience a cornucopia of intrigue, romance and debauchery all from the comfort of her living room! Oh and she always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold… coffee (just quietly, she’s addicted to the stuff)!
Title: Coerced Author: Anthology Genre: Dark Romance
If you can’t get what you want then take it with force.
That’s the motto that these individuals live by.
Captivated by the darkness inside them, they don’t take no for an answer.
Their desire is all-encompassing.
Their needs are overwhelming.
There’s a thin line between villain and hero but these master manipulators will stop at nothing to claim what is theirs.
Coerced is an extremely limited dubcon anthology of addictive stories from a collection of USA Today and bestselling authors.
—
All proceeds will go to The Joyful Heart Foundation, who’s mission is a world free of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. You can read more about what they do here: https://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org
Title: The Holiday Plan Author: Emma Lynden Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Native New Yorker and author Verona Scott is battling heartbreak, both personally and professionally. Coming off a disastrous split with her ex, she’s struggling for inspiration to write her next book. And she’s lost without her favorite Aunt Theoni’s wisdom and guidance.
Hoping for a fresh start and to avoid the holiday completely, she’s planned a Valentine’s detox: a luxurious trip alone to the historic Courtington Castle hotel, near the adorably quaint town of Camelot Creek, tucked into a picturesque valley in the Adirondacks.
But escaping the heart-shaped balloons and red roses isn’t as easy as she thought.
This won’t be the restful retreat she’d imagined. Instead, she’s just walked into one of the biggest matchmaking events of the year. Not to mention, the incredibly attractive single dad and dating coach Troy Turner is heading the whole thing up, and he’s on a mission to include Verona in the festivities.
Troy is in the midst of a professional crisis of his own. After a bit of unfounded bad press, the very last thing he needs is a guest to cast doubt in the minds of his attendees.
Will Troy change Verona’s mind about the most romantic day of the year? Just when sparks begin to fly, an unexpected visitor checks into the castle, stirring up the past. No matter what, for Verona, Valentine’s Day is the day where everything changes.
A heartwarming, sweet romance that will whisk you away to a magical winter wonderland, and have you reaching for the hot cocoa and box of chocolates long after the holidays.
There was something wildly surreal about having a romance novel rejected on Valentine’s Day, and the extraordinary irony of the situation stung that much sharper. Like filing for bankruptcy in the fireworks business on the Fourth of July. Or having the funding for a gingerbread company fall through right at Christmastime.
She didn’t know how long she’d sat in place, stupefied by the succession of surprises she’d received, but watching the peaches-and-cream sky slowly fade into a soft lavender twilight outside the windows, it had been long enough for the sun to set. She didn’t snap back to herself until a beam of bright white shot up suddenly into the darkening room from the direction of her cell phone, its screen illuminated with a new message notification.
Title: The Other Brother Author: Jax Calder Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
What happens when you fall for the one person you can’t have?
Ryan has had seventeen years of being compared to Cody, part of his toxic fractured family, so you’ll forgive him for some epic eye-rolling when it comes to Mr Perfect. Although not related to him by blood, Cody has always been annoying background noise in Ryan’s life. It doesn’t help that Cody’s a high achieving musician, while Ryan’s life ambition doesn’t extend past catching the next wave.
One summer changes everything. It’s the summer when circumstances collide, and Cody and Ryan end up spending time together at Cody’s family’s beach house. It’s the summer Ryan teaches Cody to surf and Cody teaches Ryan to play guitar. It’s the summer when they become friends.
And then more than friends.
But when summer ends, Cody and Ryan are forced back to reality, where they must hide their relationship from their warring family members. And as tragedy strikes and family secrets buried deep in the past worm their way to the surface, their relationship is threatened. Can their feelings, which began in the summer sun, survive the winter ahead?
Note: This coming-of-age story contains sexual content.
The waves are dumpier today and Cody struggles. He curses as he falls off again.
“I just can’t find the right rhythm,” he complains. His hair is plastered to his skull, water slicking off his wetsuit. He walks a few steps to where I’m waiting for him so we can paddle back out together.
“Sometimes you’ve got to stop analyzing and just feel it,” I say.
“Feel the ocean?” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
Which maybe I have. It’s starting to feel that way, at least when it comes to Cody. But I still stumble on. “Don’t you ever get that in music? Like, when you get to the point where you stop thinking about technique and worrying about being perfect and just go with your feelings?”
“Yeah, all the time,” Cody says as we brace for another wave. “I mean, you can be completely technically correct, but if you don’t get what the music is about, the feeling you’re trying to portray, then it comes out all robotic.”
“It’s the same out here. Stop worrying so much about getting it right and just feel it.”
Cody raises his eyebrow as we jump on our boards, but I can see his normal look of Cody concentration come over his face as he paddles out next to me. We turn around to face the beach, a few feet from each other. I keep one eye out over my shoulder, evaluating the approaching waves.
“Here comes a good one,” I call to him.
He nods and paddles frantically to build his momentum.
“Go, go!” I yell as the wave swell lifts me up, then leaves me behind as it barrels on toward the shore.
I give a whoop when I see the wave break, and Cody’s still there riding it. He pulls out just before the shallow water and gives me a thumbs-up.
Now it’s my turn to catch one, and somehow it’s an even sweeter ride than before.
After another half hour, Cody and I signal each other, and I catch a last wave in to meet him.
Cody waits in ankle-deep water for me. He runs a hand through his hair, shaking out the water.
“Strangely, what you said out there made sense,” he says as we start our trek home through the sand dunes, sand caking our feet like another layer of skin. “It’s like the difference of treating surfing as an art versus a science.”
I roll my eyes as I hitch my surfboard up under my arm. “Only you could turn this into a philosophy thing. You just had to stop worrying about being perfect.”
“You’re telling me I’m not perfect?” He throws me a grin, his tone teasing.
“I’m telling you that when you stop trying to be perfect and just feel, you’re better than perfect.”
I walk for another few feet before I realize Cody has stopped and I’ve left him behind. I slow down and turn back to face him.
He’s still standing on the path, staring at me, eyes wide.
I replay my words, and my shoulders stiffen, my cheeks heating.
We stare at each other for a few heartbeats.
“And you claim I’m the philosopher,” he says finally, starting to walk again, taking long strides to catch up with me.
We reach the house.
“Wetsuit off, right?” This has to be one of my favorite bits about surfing now. Cody in a wetsuit is one thing, but Cody in only board shorts is a whole other dimension of awesomeness.
“Right.”
I strip down: the wetsuit releasing my skin in a loud slurp.
Cody strips down too, showing off his tanned skin and taut muscles. He grabs the hose, a smile licking at his lips as he turns toward me.
I recognize the look of calculation on his face… because it’s normally on mine. I narrow my eyes. “Do it and die.”
He tilts his head. “Nah, see, I’m now approaching all situations with the question, What would Ryan do? And I’m sure if you had the hose, you would do this.” He lifts the nozzle up and sprays the water at me.
The blast of cold is a shock to my skin, causing instant goose bumps.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” I splutter.
“Payback’s a bitch.” Cody’s still grinning at me.
His grin fades slightly as I stalk toward him.
He lifts the hose and sprays me again, but I brace myself for the cold and don’t let it deter me from my mission. Which is to grab him and try to wrestle the hose off him.
Cody doesn’t relent, and so we scuffle. I use my superior weight to pin him against the side of the house. He stretches out his arm, holding the hose as far away as he can, but I clamp down on his hand. I try to twist the hose out of his grasp, but his fingers cling on.
“Let go of the hose.”
“Never,” he replies. His breath is coming hard and fast. Mine is too.
Our chests are pressed together, and his face is so close to mine I can see a scattering of faint freckles across his nose. My heart rate picks up to match my breathing. I’m sure he feels the frantic thumping where our skin touches, an up-tempo beat.
I drop my gaze down to his mouth for a second, which is a mistake because now all I can think about is kissing him. About how it would feel to have his red, slightly chapped lips pressed against mine. My mouth goes dry.
When I flick my gaze back up to his, Cody’s eyes are wide, his smile dimming as we stare at each other. I can’t escape the intensity of his blue eyes. I don’t want to escape it. I stay pressed against him, feeling his chest heaving against mine, trapped in his gaze.
Jax’s stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. Join her Facebook group Jax’s Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
The falling leaves of autumn are like the deceit in my family lineage. Closing the door on the infinite cold—winter blossoms into the spring of new beginnings. In the next season of my life, I’m mending the pieces back together. Opening myself up, I even begin to date, which is a big step for me.
After graduating from high school, a shocking development causes me to be on alert. When nothing comes of it, I move forward, wanting desperately to put the past behind me.
About to start college, I bump into someone from my complicated past, and my heart is torn. The dilemma I struggle with: Do I let other people’s opinion define who I am? I must decide if I’ll push through the ridicule and pave my own path. Could the face that’s scorned me be the key to my resolve? I’ll never know if I take the easy way out.
I’ve unlocked my darkest secret only to have it return to torment me. As the thorns of his obsession encompass me, I discover I’m part of a twisted ploy. If I don’t figure a way out of this predicament, then the life I’ve known may cease to exist.
Don’t miss the riveting sequel to Madison’s story that will have you dangling on the edge of your seat.
“My own kinfolk are an actual reality show,” Kenya gushes.
Kenya shuts her mouth when Uncle Clemens scowls at her. Kenya’s mama hasn’t uttered a word. I think Aunt Pam is in shock. Regan stands abruptly. He glances at Tanya, his anger softening a bit, before he storms off.
“Regan, wait!” Charlotte pleads.
Aunt Cass giggles. “Wonder what your precious Regan thinks of you now.”
Charlotte explodes. “I’ve had it with you! You’re a two-faced, vindictive bitch!” She lunges across the table with lightning speed and punches her sister in the jaw.
“Oh, man!” Ryan shoots up, moving out of their path. But not before grabbing his plate of food.
Enraged, Aunt Cass grabs onto Charlotte’s head. She uses her weight, shoving her into the large mirror hanging on the wall. Charlotte’s head crashes into it, shattering the glass. Huge cracks form across the mirror in blood. Charlotte lets out a high-pitched shrill, and then goes bananas, wrapping her hands around her sister’s neck. Aunt Cass manages to loosen Charlotte’s hold by kneeing her in the stomach. Grabbing Charlotte’s hair with both hands, she body slams her onto the table. The force of impact causes the turkey to fly off. Rolls tumble over, scattering in several directions on the floor. Aunt Cass takes Charlotte’s head, ramming it into the bowl of sweet potatoes.
I’d been frozen at first, then reality hits. Dari, Kenya, and I scramble out of the way.
“Ma, stop!” Dari shouts.
Aunt Cass is beyond reason. Charlotte blindly grabs a fork, stabbing it into her hand, and Aunt Cass screams. Uncle Clemens jumps up, running over to try and break them apart. Uncle Drew seems shell-shocked—slow moving to make his way over to them. Uncle Clemens pries them apart momentarily, holding Charlotte back. Uncle Drew has his wife’s arm. Struggling, Charlotte breaks from her brother’s grasp, charging like a bull ram. Aunt Cass happily obliges, knocking her husband out the way. They appear to be fighting to the death.This is nuts! The Thibodeaux family is full of secrets, bigger than I ever imagined—starting with Gigi’s daughters. The secrets have turned into a deceit that is spreading like a plague. Venomous lies, jealousy, and backstabbing. The total opposite of how it should be. It seems as if our family is hexed by a thorn of secrets.
B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old. She is grateful to have accomplished this dream. B. Truly has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense and sci-fi. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, sci-fi, dystopian, and paranormal genres.
B. Truly likes to explore conflicted plots of romance with thrilling twists. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.
B. Truly has three wonderful children, and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.
Giada Conti is determined to set her life back on track. Sure, Luca Marino is charming, generous, and dangerously good in bed. But he’s also, well, dangerous. Giada’s ready to accept that she chose the wrong man, but Luca isn’t making it easy for her to leave.
Adrian’s thrilled when Giada finally sees Luca’s true nature, but his relief is short-lived. When the Conti family business thrusts Giada into harm’s way, pretending to date Luca is the one thing that might keep her safe.
As the lines blur between Giada’s true feelings and what’s just for show, Adrian isn’t so sure where Giada’s heart will lead her. And as Luca lays all his cards on the table, Giada questions if she was so wrong about him in the first place.
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance, new adult romance, women’s fiction, and fantasy romance. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where the heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming.
Alyssa Day is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than a million books sold –all filled with kissing, laughter, mystery and magic. Alyssa’s paranormal series include the Vampire Motorcycle Club, Poseidon’s Warriors, and Cardinal Witches paranormal romances and the Tiger’s Eye Mysteries paranormal mysteries. In an Alyssa Day book, the good guys (and gals!) always win and happily ever after always prevails!
Alyssa’s many awards include Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® award for outstanding romance fiction, and the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance novel of 2012. Her books have been translated into a zillion languages but she’s still holding out for Klingon.
Before she became a full-time writer, Alyssa graduated summa cum laude from law school and practiced as a trial lawyer in three different states for more than a decade. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America.
Please visit her online at http://www.alyssaday.com to sign up for her newsletter for news of releases, free stuff, and pictures of her dogs and her baking. But not of her dogs baking, because that would just be wrong.
The whiskey swirls aroundin the cup as I sit at my desk. It’s well past three in the morning but my mind is wide awake. The knowledge of the call I have to make sits heavy on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I wanted to leave her out of this, not only for me but for Silas. If he knew what I’m about to do, he’d kill me himself— his relationship with my father be damned. He was right when he told me there is no part of her that belongs in this world.
She’s too innocent. Too perfect. Too good to be tainted by all of this.
And yet I have no choice but to drag her into it—kicking and screaming, I’m sure. There used to be a time when I would imagine another life for myself. One where I wasn’t the leader of one of the most powerful organizations in the world. One where a family was in the cards for me. One where she wasn’t the most forbidden thing in my life.
I used to close my eyes and live in that false reality for as long as I could. But it was exactly that.
A daydream. An imagination. An impossible outcome for how my life will go. And after I do this, I’m only sealing that fate. But as much as it pains me to admit, Nico was right. This is our only option at this point. I will not lose everything my father worked so hard to achieve.
I grab my phone and down the rest of the glass as I dial the number. It rings three times before a voice comes through the other side. Sleep laces Beni’s tone as I pull him out of a peaceful slumber.
“Boss?” he asks. Closing my eyes, I utter the words and kick into action a plan I’d hoped would always be theoretical. “Execute Plan S. Let me know when it’s done.”
Kelsey Clayton is a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance novels. She lives in a small town in Delaware with her husband, two kids, and dog.
She is an avid reader of fall hard romance. She believes that books are the best escape you can find, and that if you feel a range of emotions while reading her stories – she succeeded. She loves writing and is only getting started on this life long journey.
Kelsey likes to keep things in her life simple. Her ideal night is one with sweatpants, a fluffy blanket, cheese fries, and wine. She holds her friends and family close to her heart and would do just about anything to make them happy.
