Friday, September 29, 2017

Cover Reveal: Knocking Her Up by London Hale

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Check out the hot-t-t cover of Knocking Her Up by London Hale! It's DUE October 10th!
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ADD TO YOUR TBR ►►► http://bit.ly/2xGo4zS FOLLOW LONDON FOR A RELEASE DAY ALERT ►►► http://bit.ly/2t5EPzS
Happy Woman With Pregnancy Test
BLURB:
She wants a baby All I’ve ever desired is a family of my own. Too afraid I’ll follow in my late mother’s footsteps, I plan to have a baby before time runs out. Problem is, I fell in love with someone unattainable. John Hamilton is kind, thoughtful, and generous...and it doesn’t hurt that he’s built like a Mack truck. I’m ready to throw caution to the wind and ask him to be the father of my child. The only problem? He’s my stepbrother, and it could destroy our family. He just wants her The first time I met Emery Collins, she was a scrawny teenager...and my new stepsister. She’s a grown woman now, and every long, hard inch of me has taken notice. But with our family ties, she’s officially off limits. Too bad she’s come to me with something she wants, something she needs from me. Now I can’t stop dreaming of filling her...of watching her belly swell with my child. What she’s asking for could tear apart our cobbled-together family. I’m just not sure it’s enough to stop me from taking what I want. You know the drill: looking for something quick, filthy, and taboo? The couples of Temperance Falls deliver.

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About London Hale:
London Hale is the combined pen name of writing besties Ellis Leigh and Brighton Walsh. Between them, they’ve published more than thirty books in the contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense genres. Ellis is a USA Today bestselling author who loves coffee, thinks green Skittles are the best, and prefers to stay in every weekend. Brighton is multi-published with Berkley, St. Martin’s Press, and Carina Press. She hates coffee, thinks green Skittles are the work of the devil, and has never heard of a party she didn’t want to attend. Don’t ask how they became such good friends or work so well together—they still haven’t figured it out themselves.

Cover Reveal: Unmasked by Magan Vernon

Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for Unmasked by Magan Vernon! We’re very excited about this fantastic new release. Be sure to preorder your copy now!

   

Title: Unmasked

Genre: New Adult

Author: Magan Vernon

Cover Designer: Kassi Snider of Kassi Jean Formatting

Release Date: November 6th

   

About Unmasked:

Can a hotshot snowboarder de-ice the ice queen? At twenty-six, Blake Tremblay is one of the oldest snowboarders in the game. His sights are set on the gold medal, and he knows it’s now or never. Kelly Johnson has spent her entire life skating and winning. She’s had no time for friends or an active social life, earning her the nickname “Ice Queen” – in and out of the rink. Blake makes a bet without knowing all the terms. His ego won’t let him back out, even though his target is none other than the American Ice Queen herself.   What are the odds the dreadlocked playboy can warm the frosty figure skater when the real games are unmasked? Let The Games Begin.

Preorder Your Copy Today!

Exclusive Excerpt:

I wasn’t a big drinker. Ever. And I had no idea how many bottles of alcohol Blake, and I had gone through. Or when he got so funny. Maybe it was the accent. It was a mixture of sort-of-kind-of-french and northern Minnesotan, which I guess was basically Canada. But when he spoke he rolled his Rs like a French man, and I couldn’t help but stare at his mouth. And I should have stopped staring or stopped talking after the first glass. Then he just kept filling mine up, and I kept staring, and there we were, me laughing and staring at his beautiful mouth. “You really had a Mohawk for Sochi trials?” I asked, almost spitting out my Soju that was a sugary vodka and supposed to be a very popular drink in Korea. Blake laughed and filled my cup again. “Yeah. I wanted to stand out. You Americans can’t have all the flair with your blue-haired swimmers.” I pointed at him and leaned on my elbow. “Hey! Those summer guys aren’t the same, and you know it!” He grabbed my hand, and a smirk crossed his face that brought out one small dimple on his cheek. I don’t know if it was the large amounts of alcohol we consumed or that dimpled smile, but all of my body felt flushed, and I was sure my face had to be redder than the Canadian flag. “It’s not nice to point, Miss Johnson. Even an American knows that.” I tried not to focus on how warm and rough his hands were on mine. His whole palm covered my fists, and I briefly wondered how big other things were before quickly shooting that thought out of my head, and pulling my hand away. I didn’t need to think about sex, no matter how long it had been. This was The Games. Not a time for romance or lust. “I wanna see a Mohawk picture. Come on; I know you’ve got one on your phone.” “Only if you show me one of yours pictures. I’m sure you have some from your early days of skating. The American costumes in the nineties weren’t exactly some of your proudest moments. Or at least that’s what your movies showed me.” He raised an eyebrow before taking a sip of his drink, which was more like a giant gulp. Gathering some courage, I poured the rest of the bottle in his glass. “I don’t even know what I have on my phone. Nothing exciting. No 1980s scrunchies or poofy sleeved leotards.” He laughed. “I’m sure you’ve got something. Now show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.”  

   

About Magan Vernon:

Magan Vernon has been living off of reader tears since she wrote her first short story in 2004. She now spends her time killing off fictional characters, pretending to plot while she really just watches Netflix, and she tries to do this all while her two young children run amok around her Texas ranch.  

Connect with Magan:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Instagram | Pinterest

Enter Magan’s Giveaway:



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Release Blitz: Rapture by Sloane Murphy

Rapture (The Immortal Chronicles #4)  
by Sloane Murphy
Release Date: 29th September
Genre: YA - Paranormal Romance
Buy Today
Synopsis:
The Final Instalment
I never wanted to lie to her, but I knew I couldn’t keep her safe if she knew. 
I hurt her, more than I ever wanted to and I have to live with that each day that I’m away from her. But one day she’ll know, that every day spent away from her was hell. 
Watching her move on. 
Watching her change. 
But it will all be worth it once she’s safe.
Even if she doesn’t know it, she is my Rapture.
Buy Today
Meet The Author:
Hi everyone! I'm Sloane *waves*. I'm 27, a total book nerd with a penchant for travel and I probably use the words Dude & Awesomesauce far too often in real life.! I write mainly Paranormal Romance NA & YA, but I'll be branching out into other Romance genres too.
I was born and raised in Peterborough, England along with 2 sisters, 2 brothers and a plethora of cousins, I come from a REALLY big family! I'm one of the clumsiest people you'll ever meet, but I try to stay on my feet *haha*. I still live here with Mr M & our fur baby Arya.
Please don't be afraid to come and say hi! I don't bite I swear :)
Connect on Facebook    Website   Twitter
     The Immortal Chronicles Series

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Release Blitz: Mayhem's Desire by Lindsay Cross

 

Mayhem's Desire (Operation Mayhem #2) by Lindsay Cross
Cover Design: Kari March Designs
Release Date: September 28, 2017
 

Synopsis

His traumatic past has left him dark… and longing for love. Hicks thinks good and evil comes in black and white. No blurred lines, no grey areas. After being subjected to a horrific experiment that’s left him damaged as a super soldier, Hicks seeks comfort from his torment in reliability. He’s got clear rules on morality and isn’t willing to break them. Until her. Whitney is a seductress. Secretly working for a Senator as a mistress, she puts on leather outfits and a mask of sensuality to bend men to her will— though the money she makes doing so isn’t to save her, but others. Whitney believes she’s past saving, and that love is a silly dream. Then he enters her life. Hicks is sickened by what he thinks Whitney is— and undeniably attracted to her. After Whitney’s life is threatened in a violent murder attempt, Hicks calls in his team. Whitney is the target of a government operation, and unless Hicks can discover who’s behind it, Whitney’s life is forfeit. But the mission isn’t the only thing on Hicks’ mind. Whitney and Hicks can’t keep their hands off each other… but they can’t stand each other, either. Whitney isn’t the innocent woman Hicks thought, and Hicks isn’t the strong hero Whitney’s looking for. But together, the heat of their romance and the passion of their love cannot be stopped. Can Hicks rescue Whitney from a tragic end? Or will the lovers lose everything against incredible odds? Equal parts sexy and suspenseful, Mayhem’s Desire is the second installment in an action-packed love story women of all ages will enjoy. Award winning author Lindsay Cross brings readers a hot romp of military men and strong heroines in Operation Mayhem, a romance saga of cinematic proportions.  

Goodreads

 

Purchase Links

   

REVIEW
As with all of Lindsay Cross' books, Mayhem's Desire is an amazing blend of suspense and romance with alluring charcters, a plot that grabs the attention and everything in between to keep it. 

This book kicks off with a bang and the twists and turns keep on coming, that will suck you deeper into the pages and leave your heart pumping, your brain spinning, and ultimately leave you craving more. 

Hicks was an Alpha male that won me over right away, a man with a past who's struggling to come to terms with the man he is now.  He's got a deep sense of protectiveness, what he sees as a clear understanding of morals - one he doesn't waver on; until he comes across Whitney and can't stay away even if he should. 

Whitney took a little longer for me to dig under her layers and get to the heart of her - but it was well worth the work to figure her out. Made it easier to root for her.  

Mayhem's Desire moves at a fast pace, and the connection between Hicks and Whitney seems to come up rather quick - but it also fits with this story and these characters and doesn't come off as forced or unrealistic.  From action, mystery, angst and more, there's enough going on between the pages of this book to not only pull you in, but to keep you locked in. 
   

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card from Lindsay Cross
 
 
 

LIMITED TIME SALE!


FREE!

Mercy & Mayhem (Operation Mayhem #0.5)
 

99¢

Mayhem's Warrior (Operation Mayhem #1)
 

About the Author

Lindsay Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is happily married to the man of her dreams - a soldier and veteran. During one of her husband's deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation. An avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years of reading, she discovered her true passion - writing. Her alpha military men are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of their dreams.  

Connect with Lindsay

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/294JQQM
Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/290ByHr
Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/294JTwb
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/293aMCR
BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/1T8eczc
 

Cover Reveal: Bare by Sarah Robinson

Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for Sarah Robinson’s BARE! And, because Sarah is amazing, she’s running a sale on NUDES, the first book in her EXPOSED series! Grab it today and preorder BARE before the February release!

Title: BARE: A Hollywood Romance
Author: Sarah Robinson
Series: Exposed, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Standalone
Release Date: Feb. 27, 2018

About BARE:

  Following the popular series debut—NUDES was praised as “passionate, emotional and uplifting” by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely—contemporary romance author Sarah Robinson weaves a new standalone story where a second chance at romance is found on a Hollywood film set and secrets always have a way of being…exposed.   Reed Scott is the hottest actor in LA… Being a Hollywood heartthrob has its perks, and I’ve damn sure enjoyed every one of them, both on and off the silver screen. The tabloids loved every second of exploiting my privacy, chronicling my mistakes in ink for the whole world to see. Accepting the lead role in a romantic dance film was guaranteed to make me a box office hit and help me rewrite my image, until the choreographer hired to train me turned out to be the only woman I’d ever loved and lost.   As beautiful and enticing as ever, Tegan walks in and reminds me of the worst mistake I’ve ever made. She should hate me, and now she has the power to destroy everything I am.   Tegan Reynolds is picking up the pieces… Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…never going to happen. I fell in love with Reed Scott once and it nearly killed me—literally. The last thing I want to do now is teach him how to dance, but I need this job and there’s no way I’m letting him take yet another thing away from me.   Reed is in my world now, and this time we’re dancing by my rules.    

PREORDER BARE (Exclusively at iBooks): All other book retailers will be live on release day. iBooks

Goodreads

  About Nudes: Praised by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely, as "Passionate, emotional and uplifting!", contemporary romance author Sarah Robinson brings readers a new standalone novel set in the glamorous hills of Hollywood and tackling challenging themes like the intersection of sexuality and female empowerment. Ben Lawson is making a comeback... After a few tabloid headlines, they think they know me. They don't know a damn thing. As CEO of a movie production company, I'll show them who I really am when we hit it big at the box office. My ex thought her smear tactics would ruin me, but I'm unbreakable. Rising from the debris, I swore I'd never let a woman distract me like that again. But then, my leading actress walked on the set and changed everything. Seductive, sexy, and unapologetic, Aria Rose could break me. I wanted to help her, protect her...love her. Instead, I destroyed her. Aria Rose is baring it all.... I knew better. I knew not to trust another Hollywood heartthrob with a reputation like his. He was my boss and became my ruin. I should have stayed far away from him. Ben Lawson promised me the world. He even promised me his heart. But he destroyed everything--my heart, my career, us.

PURCHASE NUDES (Only $0.99): Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play Signed Paperback

 

About the Author:

Aside from being a Top 10 Barnes & Noble and Amazon Bestseller, Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in forensic and clinical psychology. She is newly married to a wonderful man who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiasts as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues including everything from mammals to reptiles to marsupials, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters. Subscribe to her newsletter at www.subscribepage.com/sarahrobinsonnewsletter Visit the author's website for more information about Sarah and her books: http://booksbysarahrobinson.net/  

Connect with Sarah:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Cover Reveal: Forever Right Now by Emma Scott


Release Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Preorder Links
Amazon Universal: myBook.to/EScottForeverRightNow
iBooks: COMING SOON 




Blurb: 

***STANDALONE new adult romance from the author of The Butterfly Project and the Full Tilt Duet***

Darlene Montgomery has been to hell and back…more than once. After a stint in jail for drug possession, she is finally clean and ready to start over. Yet another failed relationship is just the motivation she needs to move from New York to San Francisco with the hopes of resurrecting her dance career and discovering that she is more than the sum of her rap sheet. As Darlene struggles in her new city, the last thing she wants is to become entangled with her handsome—but cranky—neighbor and his adorable little girl...

Sawyer Haas is weeks away from finishing law school, but exhaustion, dwindling finances, and the pressure to provide for himself and his daughter, Olivia, are wearing him down. A federal clerkship--a job he desperately needs--awaits him after graduation, but only if he passes the Bar Exam. Sawyer doesn’t have the time or patience for the capricious—if beautiful—dancer who moves into the apartment above his. But Darlene’s easy laugh and cheerful spirit seep into the cracks of his hardened heart, and slowly break down the walls he’s resurrected to keep from being betrayed ever again.

When the parents of Olivia’s absentee mother come to fight for custody, Sawyer could lose everything. To have any chance at happiness, he must trust Darlene, the woman who has somehow found her way past his brittle barbs, and Darlene must decide how much of her own bruised heart she is willing to give to Sawyer and Olivia, especially when the ghosts of her troubled past refuse to stay buried.

For readers 18 and up

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Excerpt Reveal: Sick Fux by Tillie Cole







































When Ellis Earnshaw and Heathan James met as children, they couldn’t have been more different. Ellis was loud and beautiful – all blond hair, bright laughs and smiles. Heathan was dark and brooding, and obsessed with watching things die.
The pair forged an unlikely friendship, unique and strange. Until they were ripped apart by the sick cruelty of others, separated for years, both locked in a perpetual hell.
Eleven years later, Heathan is back for his girl. Back from a place from which he thought there was no return. Back to seek revenge on those who wronged them.
Time has made Heathan’s soul darker, polluted with hatred and the thirst for blood.
Time has made Ellis a shell of her former self, a little girl lost in the vastness of her pain.
As Heathan pulls Ellis out of her mental prison, reviving the essence of who she once was, down the rabbit hole they will go.
With malice in their hearts and vengeance in their veins, they will seek out the ones who hurt and destroyed them.
One at a time.
Each one more deadly than the last.
Tick Tock.

Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, violence, disturbingly sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and very mature topics. Recommended for ages 18 and over.





















Please note : this is excerpt is unedited and subject to change.



I placed the foot of my cane on the floor and looked to the left. The sound of light breathing came from around the corner. I made to move, but my heart slammed into a fast beat, stopping my feet in their tracks. My nostrils flared as I closed my eyes and tried to suck in deep breaths. I never did this, never had this kind of reaction to anything. Not in eleven years. Not when I was trapped in darkness. Not even when the guards came to “meet the young kid.” Not when we got out—bloodily, savagely, darkly. Especially not when my knife plunged into the guards’ hearts and I watched the life fade from their eyes, the pure fascination of losing one’s life essence occupying my mind.
But this was Dolly. The only person I’d ever given a shit about.
A slick tar pumped through my black heart as I thought of her. She was the blood that gave me life.
I had no idea what state I would find her in. Whether or not her fragile mind had been destroyed. Whether or not her glass heart had been shattered. No hope of salvation.
I had no idea if my only reason for living could be saved. I shook with venomous anger when I let my mind imagine the hell those sadistic cunts would have put her through in my absence. But Chapel’s words rang in my ears . . . Unleash the anger only on those who deserve it. Let it build within your heart like a well swelling with water . . . then unleash hell on those who took your freedom.
Opening my eyes, I breathed through my rage and silently rounded the corner . . . I stopped. There she was, sitting in a chair. I sucked in a breath and heard it rattle in my ears. Her hair. Her hair was pulled back into a long braid, the woven strands falling to her lower back. And she was dressed in black. Long, baggy sleeves covered her arms.
Motherfucking black. Dolly didn’t belong in black. Only color. Blue and white and gold and motherfucking pink.
I edged around the perimeter of the room until I faced her. My heart tore down the center and I had to hold back a loud snarl when I saw her curled up on the seat, a thick blanket over her thin legs and waist as she stared lifelessly out of the window. The window that overlooked the once-manicured lawns, now nothing but high-reaching weeds and too-bushy trees. I looked across at what she was watching, in the direction of what held her so captivated.
My heart was severed completely, the two parts of its flesh repelling the other, trying to escape the rage and pain and fucking consuming darkness.
She was staring at the spot where we used to play as kids. Where she had found me all those years ago, ripping the colorful butterfly apart in my hands. I moved into her line of sight, but her blue eyes didn’t lift to meet mine, just stared through me as though I wasn’t even there. I crouched down and studied her face. Porcelain skin. Full lips. Fucking perfection.
But there was no life left in her.
I had never felt fear before, but I imagined the sinking hole I felt dropping in my stomach was something like it. A sinking feeling that Dolly had gone to a place from which there was no escape, a prisoner in her own mind.
Fragility consumed.
“Dolly darlin,’” I rasped, my voice fucking breaking.
Twenty-one. She was twenty-one and more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.
Perfection.
My living doll.
A strand of hair lay over her face. My fingers clenched and unclenched as I tried to force myself to touch her. But I couldn’t. I hadn’t touched or been touched in years. I didn’t know how to anymore. Allergic to human affection. Repulsed by the degrading feeling of touch.
I . . . I . . . I couldn’t.
As I opened my mouth to speak to Dolly again, a loud gasp sailed through the air behind her. I straightened, gripping my cane, to see a familiar old face appear. I watched, the sinking hole quickly replaced by dark satisfaction as the blood drained from her face. “Good Lord,” she whispered as I smoothed down my black cravat and vest.
I glared at the bitch. Leaning casually on my cane, I said, “More like Lucifer, I would think.” I nodded in her direction “To you, anyhow.”
Mrs. Jenkins swallowed and tried to back out of the room. “Ah-ah,” I tutted and shook my head. She immediately stilled, eyes fixed on mine.
“He . . . Heathan James . . . it’s . . . it’s not possible . . .” she stammered and ran her eyes over me. Every inch of me.
“Rabbit.” The bitch flinched at my correction. “I am Rabbit. The motherfucking White Rabbit. So never fucking utter that peasant name to me again.”
Her skin paled, and her eyes fell to Dolly sitting on the chair. Dolly still hadn’t moved. I shifted my grip on the box I had brought inside, about to hold it out to Mrs. Jenkins when she asked, “How are you here?”
I threw the box across the room. It landed right at her feet. “Dress her.”
“Wh-what?” Mrs. Jenkins asked.
I pointed to the box at her feet. “Dress her. It wasn’t a request.” Mrs. Jenkins shook as she picked up the box and moved to where Dolly sat. Dolly didn’t look at her either. Mrs. Jenkins opened the lid of the box and gasped again.
Her old, wrinkled eyes snapped up to mine. “No—”
Before she had even finished the sentence, I had reached into my pocket and pulled out my knife. I ran the flat side of the blade down my cheek. Slowly. Controlled. Watching her terrified gaze track my every move. “You’d best do as I ask, Mrs. Jenkins. My patience and tolerance for you appear to be at an all-time low.”








Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.


Author Links














Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Release Blitz: The Corner of Forever and Always by Lia Riley



ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: THE CORNER OF FOREVER AND ALWAYS
Author: Lia Riley
Series: Everland, Georgia #2
On Sale: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD
eBook: $5.99 USD

Fairy tales aren't ever what they seem . . .

Tuesday Knight's dream of Broadway stardom has flopped, leaving her unemployed and brokenhearted. Ready to quit kissing frogs and make her own happily-ever-after, she takes a job as a princess in Everland, Georgia's historical amusement park.

Mayor Beau Marino lives an unenchanted existence-all work, no play-which is fine by him. After his marriage ended in disaster, the last thing he wants in his life is more drama. But Everland's new free spirit has a talent for getting under his starched collar.

When the town's beloved but bankrupt park might be shut down, Tuesday and Beau face a choice. Can they join forces, save the day-and each other? Or will their fierce battle of wills destroy any chance of a fairy-tale ending?

In the tradition of New York Times bestselling authors Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Marina Adair, comes the second book in Lia Riley's Everland, Georgia series about two city sisters finding love in a small town.

BUY THE BOOK HERE



EXCERPT

“I’m nervous.” The tightness in his tone backed up the muscles bunching near the hinge in his jaw. And the simple, honest admission did something to her that no amount of flirtatious back-and-forth ever would.
“So am I.” She began buttering the dish. “Who taught you how to cook?”
He stirred the chocolate in the double boiler, hands clenching the spoon. “Mama used to say that a man needed to know three things: how to fix a dessert, iron his own shirt and sew a button. That some day future women would thank her.”
                “Smart lady.” Tuesday laughed, grateful for a moment to recalibrate, to slow her racing heart. “I suck at ironing by the way.”
                Beau gave her a resolute stare. “I make my own starch.”
                “Stop.” She nearly dropped the dishtowel. “No, you don’t.”
                “One tablespoon of cornstarch in two cups of water.”
                Her gaze fixed on the rare smile tugging the corner of his mouth. The revelation was oddly endearing. “I’m not sure whether to be impressed or terrified.”
                “Your mama didn’t teach you these things?”
                Tuesday thought. “We grew up in small town Maine.”
                “Sounds cold.”
                “So, so cold. So much snow. So much cold. Beautiful though.”
                “I’d like to check it out, in summer.”
                “Yeah, good idea. My dad ran a maple sugarbush farm, made homemade maple syrup. Mom was his opposite. He loved being outdoors. She liked being inside. I guess they were opposites,  must have attracted at some point but over time they repelled each other. Pushed one another further and further away. She left when I was in high school. Moved down to New Hampshire where she was from and met a banker. They live in the suburbs. She has a housekeeper now.”
                “She abandoned your family?”
                “I. . .you know, I don’t know. My sister thinks so. I was the baby. My mom used to love to style my hair. She could do so many intricate braids. We didn’t have much money but she’d shop at thrift stores and garage sales and find me cute dresses. Sometimes I’d find her sad and I’d try to cheer her up. I’d ask her to brush my hair and she would,  even though sometimes I could hear her sniffling and I knew if I turned around I’d see her crying.”
                Tears sprang to her eyes and she ground her fists into them. “Wow. Hello! Where'd these come from.” God, way to keep things light. Her inconvenient emotions would probably sink the night.
                “I’m sorry that happened.”
                “Me too.” She took a breath. Then another.
“Can we return to the regularly scheduled programming? Chocolate is always the cure.”
                Beau looked like he might press forward but changed his mind at the last moment. “My mama taught me how to separate yolks from whites. Can I show you?”
                “I won’t pretend that I have skills. Instruct away.”
                “Okay, pick an egg, any egg.”
                She selected a brown one and he stepped behind her, her back heating against his  chest. His arms slid over hers. “Now what you do is give it a tap to open the shell. No! Not so big, just a little one.” His hand engulfed hers, guiding the movement. “Good. That’s real good. Now let the yolk settle in one side. That’s it. Now you start to transfer the egg back and forth and back and forth, let the white run out like that until voila! All you have left is the yolk.”
                Tuesday gawked at the golden yolk in the shell. “Martha Stewart eat your heart out.”
                He checked the chocolate and milk, it had melted down into a decadent pool.
                “Can we eat that as is? I’m sure the souffle is amazing and all but hey, a bowl of melted warm chocolate is going to do me fine.”
                His laugh was just as decadently rich. “Haven’t you ever heard that good things come to those who wait?”
                “Sure, by people waiting,” she quipped. “They need something to tell themselves.”
                That really got him going, his deep laugh rich as sun-warmed molasses. “Let me make you a deal.”
                “I’m not agreeing until I hear the terms.”
                “Smart woman. When you have this dessert, you are going to say it’s better than the best sex you’ve ever had.”
                She set her hands on her hips. “You have a low opinion of my sex life.”
                “Nah.” He winked. “Just a very high opinion on my soufflé.”
                She arched a brow. “You’re on.”  
                Standing behind her he continued to help guide her effortlessly through measurements and pouring, mixing and stirring. He didn’t grind on her or get perverted, not that she’d have minded. Chocolate was meant to be an aphrodisiac and she’d never experienced anything so sexily mundane as chatting over nothings in the kitchen with a man who didn’t try to cop a feel. He appreciated and and even savored her for who she was and what she offered which right now was fully dressed fairly polite company.
                In fifteen minutes he opened the oven and slid the soufflé in.
“And now?”
                “We wait,” he answered. “Until it’s puffed on top and jiggly in the center.”
                “You have a way of making cooking sexy.”
                “Do I? I guess that helps even the field.”
                “How so?”          
                “You make breathing look sexy.” His gaze lingered on hers for a few beats before he turned and began to wash the dishes.
She stared at the back of his head, his broad shoulders, his narrow hips, blinking in surprise. He seemed wholly unaware that he’d broken her heart and put it back together, refashioned into something new, stronger and brighter.


REVIEW

One of my favorite things about the Everland, Georgia series is the small town feel.  It always makes things a little bit more interesting and sucks me in deeper to the story, curious to see everyone's reactions and how the characters will fit in with the town as a couple.  

Beau and Tuesday's story was a bit of a slow-burn, which ultimately worked for the two of them and made me dig a little deeper into the story.  I loved the banter between these two, it really helped show their relationship progressing and a deep connection between the two.  

Tuesday was unabashedly herself, she was fun loving - but deeper than you'd expect at first impression.  Beau comes off as Mr. Serious at first, he's not really about the fun, flighty aspects of life. And yet there's some major chemistry between these two, and an undeniable connection they can't seem to shake.  

The Corner of Forever and Always is a total story of opposites attract told with banter, swoony moments, and characters that pulled me in from the start.  With more of the small town feel of Everland to add to the story, I was happily enthralled and couldn't wait to see what would come next.  Lia Riley wrote a really fun, sweet, happy story that left me feeling refreshed and smiling. 




THE EVERLAND, GEORGIA SERIES

IT HAPPENED ON LOVE STREET, #1
THE CORNER OF FOREVER AND ALWAYS, #2



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lia Riley is a contemporary romance author. USA Today describes her as "refreshing" and RT Book Reviews calls her books "sizzling and heartfelt." She loves her husband, three kids, wandering redwood forests and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California.


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