Once upon a time, Sasha Petrov had been a mafia princess. Safe and protected in the high-tower of her father’s mansion. She had known her place, and she’d been happy for it. That had been before her family decided to marry her off to their enemy.
Sasha Petrov knew it was her duty to marry, but she never expected her father to give her away to their enemy, the Blanchi family. She’d accepted that it was her fate to end the bloodshed that took her brother’s life, but at eighteen she’d rather be heading off to college than heading down the aisle.
Dominic “Dom” Blanchi saw an opportunity to save his brother’s life. He’d already lost so much, and he couldn’t imagine burying another beloved member of his family. He was certain that his marriage to Sasha Petrov would save his last remaining brother from the grave. Getting a pliant young wife in the deal wouldn’t be the worst thing, at least, that’s what he told himself. But when his family’s warehouses get hit and Blanchi men continue dying, Dominic wonders if his new wife is to blame.
Now, both must make a choice between love and family loyalty.
And Sasha will have to decide if she’d rather be a Mafia Princess or a queen.
Dom placed his arm across the back of my shoulders doing what he could to make it appear that we were a happy couple of newlyweds. I didn’t understand why though. If anything, his family would know that he had married me to stop the bloodshed that had taken place over the past few years between the Petrov’s and the Blanchi’s.
I stiffened as I felt him place his lips on my neck. My hair had been pulled into a fishtail braid over one side of my neck giving Dom easy access to the other side of my throat.
“What are you doing?” I hissed. My body was so tense that I swore a strong breeze would snap me in half.
“Relax,” Dom muttered across my skin. His lips tickled the outside of my ear, and I inhaled slightly. His touch was making me squirm uncomfortably in my seat. I hated how much a simple touch from him could cause me to melt.
“We are in public,” I hissed as one of his hands wrapped around my neck.
“I know.” Those were the last words he said before his lips were on mine.
Dom hadn’t really kissed me since the wedding day. When we had sex, he never kissed my mouth. I hadn’t really thought too much about it until he started to consume my mouth.
My arms automatically wrapped themselves around his neck, and my body immediately slackened as his tongue slipped inside of my mouth. I tried to stop the sound that came from inside of me, but I couldn’t. Dom had taken complete control over me with just a single kiss, and I couldn’t stop myself from giving in.
After what felt like an eternity, Dom finally pulled away from me, replacing his lips with his finger as he fixed the lipstick that had obviously been smeared across my mouth.
“There,” Dom said.
I blinked several times as I started to come to my senses. Before I could tell Dom off for kissing me so thoroughly in front of a room full of people, the processional music started drawing everyone’s attention away from the display Dom had just put on and towards the back door where the bridesmaids were coming down the aisle.
I thank God for the reprieve. I wasn’t sure what Dom was up to, but I didn’t like being the center of attention.
Thankfully, no one seemed to care about Dom and I as they watched the beautiful Francesca begin to make her way down the aisle. As she walked, her lovely dress trailing behind her, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the radiant smile on her face.
I glanced quickly at the groom who was standing at the top of the aisle. He had tears in his eyes as he watched his fiancé walk down the aisle.
It was clear to everyone that the two of them loved one another, and I felt myself tearing up as I considered how their marriage would differ from my own. I couldn’t even remember my wedding. I had been so emotionally distraught that I had blocked most of it out.
My lips trembled as I thought about the happiness that Francesca and her fiancé would have. I was happy for them, even though I didn’t know either of them. But I was also sad for myself.
I had spent my entire life dreaming of the type of love I was witnessing, but instead, I was married to a man who saw me as nothing more than a pawn in a war that had begun long before us. My life hadn’t turned out the way I had always thought it would, and while I wanted to make the best of it, I wasn’t sure how I could. Because while I had thought that by giving up my life I would be saving many more, my mother had blown that up.
Kennedy Slope has always had a wandering mind. She’s written a million romances in her head, but “The Duke’s Contract,” is the first one she’s decided to share with the world. In her past lives, she has been a teacher, a waitress, and for a brief moment, she sold copiers. Currently, she resides in Virginia with her husband where she enjoys drinking too much coffee and binge-watching HGTV.
I had my friends. I had football. I had a future I was set on, until her.
Eleanor Kingston was the girl. The one I’d choose if I could, but all I had to give was
one night. My life had been decided for me, my future predetermined. There’s no room left for football or love.
If you get only one life, how hard would you fight to live it on your own terms?
I had my family. My career was set. I was back to begin the life I was meant to lead when I met him. We promised each other no tomorrow, no names, only one night. But fate had other plans. Sebastian Beneventi may think he’s protecting me, but I’m no damsel in distress.
No more running, it’s time to fight for what I want for a change.
“Max, I get it. I’ll be back in Philly in time for dinner tomorrow night.” I glance over to my best friend, Juliette, who’s patiently waiting for me to get off the phone. “Right. Dinner is at seven. Family dinner.” I roll my eyes, even though my oldest brother can’t see me. Probably better that way. “Love you too. Okay, see you then.” I end the call and slide the phone in the pocket of my shorts.
“Finally, bitch!” Jules wraps her arm around my shoulder and squeezes right before she stumbles in her stilettos. We may have pre-gamed a little too hard with the vodka before we left the condo. “You should have told Maxie-poo to pull the massive stick from that tight, firm ass of his and relax for one goddamn night like you’re going to. You’ve been back in this country for less than two days. The Kingstons will have their hooks in you soon enough. Monday, you belong to them. Tonight, I call dibs on my ride or die.”
The two of us continue down the sidewalk toward our favorite beach bar. O’Malley’s has been a landmark here since before either of us were born. It’s one of those bars where labels peeled off beer bottles line the ceiling. If you wear open-toed shoes, you know your feet are going to be touching liquids far worse than spilled booze all night.
This place is always so crowded, it’s necessary to be at least a little bit buzzed before you walk through the doors.
It’s fucking fabulous, and I love it.
“Love you, Jules,” I tell her as we walk past the line of people outside of the bar, waiting to be let in, and right up to the bouncer she’s been sleeping with all summer.
Jules is not just pretty, she’s gorgeous. She’s five foot ten with beautiful blonde hair and stunning brown eyes. Graceful and refined, she can bring a man to his knees with one look. She’s dabbled in modeling, but nothing keeps her attention for too long. So, I’m not surprised when the bouncer—who looks like The Rock and Vin Diesel found a way to procreate and he was the uber gorgeous offspring—can’t take his eyes off my bestie as soon as he sees her strutting toward him. “Hey’ya, handsome.” She leans in and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You on the door all night tonight?”
“Nope. I’ve got another hour, maybe two, then I’m off.” He leans in closer to Jules. “And you know, my favorite thing to do when I’m off is get you off.”
Jules pulls on his shirt before kissing him again as she starts to walk past. “Come find Lenny and me when you get off work, and maybe I can help you with that.” She grabs my hand and pulls me behind her into the bar.
“You ditching me in an hour, Jules?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
She smiles her megawatt smile. “Maybe two. At least you’ll have the condo to yourself. Shawn’s place is just down the street, so we usually go there.”
I don’t bother telling her that her condo is a half block from here. Not exactly what I had in mind for tonight, but oh well.
O’Malley’s has a back room where there’s always a hot new DJ spinning the newest music. They usually have the wall open, giving easy access to the outdoor bar complete with a sand-covered dance floor. You’d think that would be the room to be in, but Jules and I love the room you step into as soon as you walk through the front doors. We have ever since we got our first fake IDs three years ago.
There’s just something about the vibe in here.
The bar is dark and packed. The lights are low, and the volume is loud. The music they play in this room is classic eighties bar music. “Sweet Caroline,” by Neil Diamond, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” by The Charlie Daniels Band, and “Lola,” by The Kinks are just some of the house faves that get every person in the room singing along. It’s a rite of passage to come to this place, and I couldn’t be happier to be here tonight.
Jules turns to me and grabs my other hand. “Listen, I’m gonna do a lap and see who we know and who to avoid. Will you get our drinks?” She spins away without another word. This is our routine. She scopes the place out, and I fight to get the bartender’s attention.
I make my way to the front of the bar on the left. It may take a thrown elbow or two, but I get there. Getting the bartender’s attention is another story. With guys twice my size standing on one side of me and a girl—whose boobs are showing so much, I think the string bikini I wore to the beach today may actually cover more than her shirt does—on my other side, I may be screwed.
Once the bartender is finished serving the double Ds, I yell out, “Excuse me,” and wave the cash in my hand before dropping it back down on the bar and blowing out a frustrated breath.
I’m getting one night of freedom before I’m summoned back home. One night before I become another cog in the Kingston empire. The position my brother offered me in the family company is my dream job, but it comes with strings . . . My family is overbearing on a good day, obnoxious on a normal one, and I can’t even describe how they are on a bad day.
And now, I’m going to be working with them every day.
One of the reasons I moved to another country to go to college was to take control of my own future. My own life. Now, I’m voluntarily placing control over my career into my brother’s hands. But tonight is mine to control, and I might be clinging to that.
I need one more night before I go home and face them all.
Please don’t let my one night be a total wash.
“Want some help?” A sexy voice asks, coming from the guy standing next to me.
I turn my head and get my first look at him since noticing the overall height of the group of guys he’s with.
I nod my head. “Apparently, you need to have your boobs hanging out if you want to get his attention.”
This guy is tall. Well over six feet, maybe six-five or six-six. His dark hair is messy, like he’s run his hands through it too many times. His blue eyes are crystal blue, and whoa, momma, is he built. He looks familiar, but I can’t place him right away. “Yes, please. I’d love some help.”
He leans forward on the bar and calls out for the bartender, who immediately turns around.
What the hell? Am I invisible?
When the bartender leans his elbows on the bar and asks, “What can I get for you?” I’m partially relieved and partially annoyed.
I yell across the bar, “One Jack and Coke and one Corona and lime, please.” Once he walks away, I turn to fully face my helpful stranger. “Thank you.”
The bartender comes back, and my new friend drops a twenty down before I can, then pushes my drinks toward me. “Jack and Coke and a beer. You here with someone?”
I glance around the room, looking for Jules. “I am. My best friend and I came together.”
A giant ginger of a man throws his arm around Mr. Mysterious. “So did this handsome guy. It’s his birthday too. Wanna give him a present?”
The handsome guy throws an elbow in the ginger’s side. “Back off, Murph.”
Murph backs up into the rest of the group they’re with, and the other three turn around.
I glance around at the giants surrounding these two and realize precisely why Mr. Mysterious looks so familiar. One of those giants is Declan Sinclair. The championship-winning quarterback for the professional football team my family owns.
I quickly clock them all.
Brady Ryan is here. He’s the quarterback for the Kroydon University Crusaders. He’s most likely going to be up for the Heisman this year. Last season, he threw for 4,500 yards, 310 completed passes, 402 attempts, and 23 touchdowns.
That makes the ginger giant Aiden Murphy, who averages 12 tackles per game and 1.8 tackles for loss per game.
I’m guessing, judging by who the others are, that the dirty blonde military-looking guy is Cooper Sinclair. He was a force to be reckoned with as a tight end in high school before he decided to forgo college and his potential football career to go into the Navy. I probably wouldn’t know this if his father wasn’t the head coach for my family’s football team.
This brings me to my mystery hottie.
Damnit.
Sebastian Beneventi.
I know there’ll be a file sitting on my desk with his information when I start work next week. I’m the numbers girl. Analytics are my jam. I’m kind of a savant. For the past three years, my brother has asked my opinion on players’ stats. The first time, I was only in my first year at Oxford, and I began unofficially working for the team.
Now that I’ve graduated, it’s official.
And working on stats for the scouting department is at the top of my to-do list.
I shake myself out of my stupor and try to shut off my computer-like brain. I told Max once that I think like the terminator. It all just comes to me like a computer read-out—name, height, weight, stats. I don’t have an eidetic memory, but my brain is pretty amazing.
When this guy smiles, it transforms his entire face. “I’m Bash.”
“Elle.” That’s all I give him, not ready for the night to go the way it would if this group of guys knew who I am.
The bimbo from my other side bumps into me, causing me to trip and fall into Sebastian as Jules’s whiskey sloshes down the front of my shirt. “Sorry,” I utter as Sebastian steadies me with both arms. I slam back Jules’s Jack and Coke before dropping it back on the bar.
Crystal blue eyes travel up and down my body before settling on my face. “I was wondering if you were the whiskey girl or the beer girl.”
I push the lime down into my bottle of Corona, holding my thumb over the lip before I put it to my lips and drink. When I pull it away, I lock eyes with his. “I’m the beer girl. The whiskey was for courage.”
Sebastian turns and orders two more Jack and Cokes before passing one to me. He clinks his glass with mine. “To courage.” “To courage,” I toast. Maybe this night won’t be a total wash after all.
Bella Matthews is a Jersey girl at heart. She is married to her very own Alpha Male and raising three little ones. You can typically find her running from one sporting event to another. When she is home, she is usually hiding in her home office with the only other female in her house, her rescue dog Tinker Bell by her side. She likes to write swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, smart heroines with a healthy dose of laughter thrown in.
Dangerous. Tortured. Desperate. King Ryker of the Draquonir will make one last sacrifice to save his people and his kingdom before he loses control of the raging beast inside him. Dragon kind are dwindling, no longer able to hunt for their true mates in this contemporary, high-tech world.
Ryker must do something no dragon has ever done before; have a child with a human woman he has no desire to touch, a woman his dragon refuses to take as a mate. Arrangements have been made. A queen chosen. A loveless, chaste marriage of convenience. No passion. No dragonfire. Nothing but contracts and medical procedures to sire an heir. This is the only way his race will survive.
Katy Toure is tired of cleaning up her identical twin’s messes, but when her sister calls in a panic, unable to get to an important business meeting worth millions of dollars, Katy just can’t say no. All Katy has to do is walk out of her dead-end job, grab her sister’s passport, fly to Italy, pretend to be her sister for a few days, sign some contracts and take the vacation she’s always dreamed about.
No one will know she’s an imposter. No one ever knows.
But Katy has never tried to fool a dragon who scents his mate..
“Buona sera, mia regina. May I join you for a drink?”
The deep voice came from a man standing next to her and Katy tore her attention from the dancing couple to look up. And up.
Their gazes locked and Katy forgot to breathe. She flushed with pleasure. Excitement. The fantasy sex god had arrived as if on cue. And he’d just called her something his, she knew at least that much Italian. Her toes curled. Her nipples hardened into tight, aching pebbles. Desire bolted through her body as the air nearly crackled with sexual tension. Out of all the hot, single Italian women in the club, he singled her out. Picked her. A glance to the side showed at least half a dozen women glaring daggers at her. She didn’t care.
“Yes. I mean, sì, signore.” Katy’s voice took on a husky sound she’d never heard before. But then, she’d never been this aroused by just looking at a man either. Sex god might be an understatement. He was gorgeous. Perfect. His smell…
God, his smell.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as his cologne surrounded her and made her body burn. Her breasts grew heavy and her panties were instantly soaked with desire.
She wanted more. She wanted to bury her nose in his neck and nibble on his skin. Rub herself all over him. Absorb him. Mark him somehow, as hers.
“I’m going crazy.” She whispered the words to herself but didn’t open her eyes. Not yet. Not when she could still taste his scent on her tongue and her body was on fire. She needed to gain control of herself. Calm down.
He slid into the seat next to her and placed his hand, palm up, in the center of the table. A blatant invitation.
Katy didn’t want to resist. She needed to touch him. She slid her hand into his and gasped as heat filled her entire body. Raw lust. Desire. It was like she’d fallen into a hot bath and her mind went blank. All she could think about was kissing him the way the couple on the dance floor had been kissing. Pressing her body to his. Feeling his strong hands grip her hips. Melting into his heat. Reveling in his scent as it enveloped her.
“Dance with me.”
Katy’s heart pounded in her chest. The club was loud, the music thumping. She shouldn’t have been able to hear his quietly spoken words, but his voice was so deep it carried straight to her ears, vibrated through her body and set her core to throbbing. His English was perfect, the accent exotic. Sexy. Not quite like the other Italians she’d spoken with while shopping. She couldn’t quite place it. Didn’t care. “Yes.”
Katy allowed Ryker to lead her onto the dance floor. As the music pounded around them he pulled her in close. She went readily into his arms, her body suddenly pliant, melting into his strength. He growled low, pulling her in even closer. Molding her body to his. He bent his head slowly toward her, allowing her time to resist. She wanted this. Wanted his lips on hers. Without conscious thought, her gaze grew slumberous, her long, dark lashes swept down to cover her eyes as she waited breathlessly for his kiss.
His lips were pure fire. Heat flowed through her like nothing she’d ever felt before as he conquered her mouth with his own, his large frame folding around her until she felt like they were the only two people in the world. She’d read novels where one kiss made a woman forget her own name but had never experienced it. Until now.
“Ryker.”
“Hmmm?” His response sounded as drunk on desire as she felt. They had melted into one body, one being, and she clung to him without shame or hesitation. She moved with him on the dance floor, the music barely registering. He moved, so she moved. His scent filled her lungs, made her feel like she was a wild thing and somehow, he belonged to her now. Was hers to do with as she wished.
Becca Brayden spends her days writing and her nights dreaming up her next hot adventure with even hotter alien hunks. A Colorado native, she has lived in New Zealand, Florida, Alabama, Kansas and loves to travel in direct proportion to how much she hates to cook. Chocolate makes her happy, licorice makes her cringe, and despite the cult following – she hates pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes. (More for you!) Natural wanderlust has given her a deep love for Mediterranean food and a bookshelf filled with everything from philosophy to sexy romance.
She believes that if we are to save our great planet and all its amazing inhabitants, we must put aside our differences and collectively work together!!
You can catch her enjoying a cup of hot cocoa at her website www.BeccaBrayden.com
Grace Goodwin is a USA Today and international bestselling author of Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance with nearly one million books sold. Grace’s titles are available worldwide in multiple languages in ebook, print and audio formats. Two best friends, one left-brained, the other right-brained, make up the award-winning writing duo that is Grace Goodwin. They are both mothers, escape room enthusiasts, avid readers and intrepid defenders of their preferred beverages. (There may or may not be an ongoing tea vs. coffee war occurring during their daily communications.) Grace loves to hear from readers.
After returning to her hometown, inheriting her late cousin’s estate, and solving a mystery, Harper Kagel was ready for some rest and relaxation. When some friends from her Cold Case Club make plans to head to a nearby bed and breakfast, Harper looks forward to a few days in the lap of luxury.
The secret crime solving society no sooner leaves the Steepwick town limits when there’s a development in an age-old cold case. Their excitement over the possibility of solving this mystery pales in comparison to something else–a murder in their backyard.
Promises of days lounging by the pool give way to sleuthing as the intrepid group takes on the challenge of finding a killer. Once she returns home, Harper has the added pressure of sensing the presence of her ancestors in her newly inherited home.
But what are the ancestors trying to tell her? And will it cause a rift with the newly regenerated relationship she has with her ex?
Harper, Einstien, and the rest of the Cold Case Club find themselves on the trail of another criminal. And this is a very complicated case with lots of off links. I honestly couldn’t follow how they figured it out. It was just too convoluted and intermingled with a different case they had been working on.
While the mystery didn’t seem to flow for me, the last part of the book really focuses on Harper and her relationship with her past and her family. I loved this part and wished there was more of a focus on Harper and her character growth. I enjoy the other ladies in the Cold Case Club, but they tend just to run together, and I can’t keep them apart.
Much of this book takes place at a beautiful bed and breakfast on a cliffside with a gorgeous view, but I never really got to see a lot of it. After it was described once, it seemed like it was forgotten until parts of the location were important to the investigation. I wanted to feel the warm sun while they were talking at the pool and shudder as they looked over the edge of the cliff, but I never really felt any of that.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Title: All Men Love Leah Author: Ksenija Nikolova Genre: Contemporary Romance
A gripping, powerful emotional page-turner with a heartbreaking twist. ‘A story that runs deep; filled with emotional truth.’ – Ferial Mohamed
All Enzowants is a reason to believe it’s all worthwhile. Stuck in a world that doesn’t fulfill him, he meanders through his days feeling empty, lost, and left out of the real world that is moving by without him. He is cynical but gifted, and when he meets the beautiful and enigmatic Leah she turns his universe upside down.
Leah and Enzo are exact opposites, but she is drawn to his darkness just as he is drawn to her light. She is a woman who lives by her own expression and challenges his dismal character down to its most frightening corners, awakening in him something he didn’t know he had the capacity to experience.
But everything is not what it seems. There is a secret that threatens the happiness that Leah represents in Enzo’s life. She is the one who embraces his flaws and uncovers his bravery by teaching him to love, and for the first time in his life he feels like a real man, but in the end, will Enzo survive Leah’s heartbreaking truth?
I know that today is Wednesday; I know that we said goodbye to August; I know that September is wonderful. I know that my hair is tidy and I don’t have a horrible beard; I know that I’m wearing a suit I liked from the first moment I saw it; I know I’m sure I like the way I look; I know we are sitting in a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Pisa; I know we are eating delicious food and drinking nice wine; I know there is nice quiet music playing in the background; I know that the candle on the table emphasizes the sparks in Leah’s blue eyes; I know that Leah is sitting on the other side of me and I can see her clearly; I know that this moment completely carries me; I know I have the right to my wonderful truth, and I know this is all mine.
Blame ego, blame my need to prove I could build a business all on my own. Hell, blame my parents—God love ‘em—for thinking I’d have problems prospering with a hammer instead of a law degree.
Turns out I’m doing just fine with a chain of luxury resorts bearing my name, but it’s a cold comfort when the woman I love hates my guts. Can’t say she’s wrong, considering how things ended.
I set out to win Lauren back, scoring a spot on her family’s reality show social experiment, or whatever it’s called when someone buys an old cult compound to build a tiny town. Works for me, since I’m a builder who loves a challenge.
But getting Lauren to forgive me proves way more than challenging. Between a botched baking class, sexy bumper car battles, and a bizarrely hostile fish, it’s clear Lo’s in no hurry to pick up where we left off.
Good thing I’m no quitter, especially when it comes to her.
When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA Award finalist, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”
Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, step-kids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.To learn more about all of Tawna’s books, visit www.tawnafenske.com
Mermaids, stormy skies, daring adventures, pirates…it was little wonder I sprinted to the docks the moment I left the orphanage. Eager to begin my new life, I searched for a ship that would have me—and found a thief instead. I chased the bastard.
Now I’m trapped.
I’m told this place is Neverland, but everything I touch is dead or dying; what’s left is hellbent on killing each other. Monsters lurk around every corner, and everyone I meet hides a damning secret. I’m thrust in the middle of a deadly feud, and the only one capable of unraveling the curse that plagues us.
Neverland is my home now. Until it’s done with me?
It will never let go.
Peter Pan meets Pirates of the Caribbean in A Land of Never After, but reader beware: this children’s tale has been reimagined for adult lovers of all things dark and deadly. Content warnings include language, violence, and mentions of gender dysphoria and suicide.
Raelynn Davennor is an author of fantasy and science fiction, a musician and composer, and a creature of the night. Nestled among her fictional worlds full of darkness, dragons, and sassy heroines, you’ll often find a musical number or two. An accomplished performer, she’s made appearances with artists such as The Who, Weird Al, and Hugh Jackman on many of the largest stages in the United States. Raelynn is usually lost in her head, dressing up in costume, or humming a tune she can’t wait to scribble down. When not obsessing over her latest idea, she enjoys pampering her menagerie of pets and pretending she isn’t an adult. Her home base is https://rldavennor.com where you’ll find more information, her newsletter, and links to social media.
Wendy Gale isn’t the kind of girl you marry. She’s not even the kind of girl you date. She’s not a friend with benefits, she’s not a one-night-stand, and regardless of what she thinks, she has never been a rebound.
Wendy Gale is kind of girl you kidnap and lock in your basement so she can’t ever escape. She’s the kind of girl you tie up. You put a collar on her. A leash. Handcuffs. You chain her to things and gag her mouth. A blindfold isn’t a bad idea, either.
Because Wendy Gale is the kind of girl you grab on to—any way you can—and you never let go.
Wendy. Babe. You only need to know one thing about me, OK?
I will never let go.
Gorgeous Misery is a dark romantic thriller about one man’s desperate desire to save the woman he loves at all costs. It is the third book in the Creeping Beautiful series and must be read in order.
JA Huss is a New York Times Bestselling author and has been on the USA Today Bestseller’s list 21 times. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world. Her book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019.
A fresh and dark urban fantasy abounding with treacherous secrets, desperate fights, and an angsty romances that could ignite the pages.
I’m Kyra Baxter. Once, I was human—now, I learn it’s all a lie. As the top student at my university and the best intern in Dallas, I thought my life was built in the clouds, and I was on top of the world. But then…it all crashed hard.
A murdered friend. A secret world. A mysterious warrior.
It’s safe to say that the life I thought was solid will never rise from the rubble. It’s time to move on, and live the life I was always meant for–what I was born for. Except there are those who want to make sure that never happens. In fact, if I don’t move quickly, the enemy who I’d been hidden from is coming for blood. The curse I bear has blocked my memories, so I’m left to blindly navigate this new world. And when a swarthy male saunters into my life, I’m forced to face a ghost from the past without knowing who he is and was, and what he wants. He says he’s here to help. He admits he’s keeping secrets. As our attraction grows, all I know is that if I want to break this curse, I’m going to need his help. And unless I heed the warnings my late friend spent her dying moment’s telling me, everyone I know and love could end up butchered. This curse could be the death of all those I hold dear.
If you like fierce heroines, powerful heroes, terrible secrets, and slow-burn romances, then read the urban fantasy The Cursed Princess, the first book in the Kyra Baxter Trilogy!
When Alexa isn’t writing, she can be found with a book in her lap and a mug of coffee or glass of red wine within reach. A native of the North Woods, Alexa is an avid lake-jumper, beach lounger, and sunshine lover.
Alexa is living a happily ever after with her own steamy hero. Together they have an English Springer fur-baby and would love a few more!
Alexa loves any type of love story. So you can find her writing both contemporary romance and fantasy novels. Instead of making a separate pen name, Alexa just adds her middle initial to her fantasy genre books!
My best friend is my switchblade. My favorite hobby is using it on the cruel, the abusive, and anyone who gets on my bad side. I’m a convicted murderer with a chip on my shoulder and a dangerous lack of restraint.
And then there’s Zak.
His rap sheet makes mine look tame. The bounty on his head is worth more money than I’ll ever make, and the deadly fae that shadow his every step wield more power than I’ll ever know.
He’s the Crystal Druid, and his first mistake was setting foot on my turf.
His second was saving my life.
And his final mistake will be failing to realize that however dark, however ruthless, however broken he is…
When my attention landed on him, he strode toward me, his long legs eating up the ground and coat billowing out behind him. Stopping almost on top of me, he reached down as though to take my elbow—and seized the front of my jacket.
I grabbed his wrist as he roughly hauled me onto my tiptoes, bringing my face close to his. Despite the moonlight and forgotten flashlights illuminating the clearing, the interior of his hood was filled with unnatural darkness.
Ríkr watched us from his lofty perch, pale blue eyes gleaming.
“That was quite the scene I came in on,” the man rumbled in a low, dangerous tone. “What do you know about that bear fae?”
I stared into his hood.
A rough sound grated from his throat. “You don’t seem to be grasping the situation. Tell me what you know before I lose patience.”
I smiled, showing my teeth. “Was that a threat?” “What do you think?”
My smile widened, and I lifted my empty hand toward his face. “It’ll take more than a hood and a threat to scare me, especially when”—I pushed his hood back—“I’ve already seen your face.”
The shadows fell away, revealing his countenance again. Inhumanly vibrant green eyes, framed by dark lashes, fixed on mine, his eyebrows lowered with menace. A beautiful face, if I were honest. Striking cheekbones, a strong jaw, full mouth—currently pressed into a thin, angry line. By my best guess, he was in his mid-twenties, maybe a bit older.
My palm brushed against his clean-shaven cheek as I let his hood fall—and with the same motion, I flicked my hand, pulling my switchblade from my jacket sleeve. The blade sprang free, and in an instant, I had the point resting against the corner of his left eye.
But not fast enough.
A cold, thin edge pressed against my left cheek. I didn’t break eye contact to see what sort of weapon he had in my face, but the blade felt sharp—sharper than my little knife.
Neither of us moved, his fist tight around the front of my jacket. If either of our hands wobbled, we’d both bleed.
His right eyebrow arched slightly. “How do you want to play this?” “Let go of me.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I stab you, you stab me,” I suggested frostily. “My cheek is more likely to heal than your eye.”
“Pass.”
He wouldn’t let me go and he wouldn’t play knife-chicken. What was left? “Then I’ll answer your question if you answer one of mine.”
His full mouth thinned again, green eyes raking across me. “Fine.”
His agreement surprised me until I realized he expected to win this game too. He thought I’d reveal more with my answers than he would with his.
Not likely.
“Who the hell are you?” I demanded. “Answer my question first.”
“You first. Who are you?”
He growled under his breath. “The Crystal Druid.”
Surprise flushed through me, and I couldn’t stop my eyelids from flickering with a single, startled blink. He was a druid?
“Now,” he rumbled, “tell me what you know about that bear and the other aggressive fae in this area.” “I don’t know anything.”
His blade pressed painfully into my cheek. “This little game doesn’t work if you lie.” “I’m not lying.”
“Then you’re an idiot. Every fae across the lower mainland is talking about the attacks and disappearances around here.”
“Fascinating, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.” “Aren’t you a witch?”
“Yes, but a terrible one.”
His striking green eyes narrowed. “Terrible in what way?”
Ignoring his question, I shifted my blade ever so slightly, ensuring he couldn’t miss the sharp point in his peripheral vision. “My turn again. Why are you here?”
“The fae—” “Yes, yes, the attacks. But why do you care about some aggressive fae?” I arched my eyebrows, though my bangs probably hid them. “What are you hoping to gain, Crystal Druid?”
Annette Marie is the best-selling author of The Guild Codex, an expansive collection of interwoven urban fantasy series ranging from thrilling adventure to hilarious hijinks to heartrending romance. Her other works include YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.
Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada with her husband and their furry minion of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
