Lia Life has never been fair to me, but I’ve accepted the hand life has dealt me. Until that night. I had no idea I was sneaking into the room of Nikolai Petrov. As my eyes met his, I knew certain death would follow. I could only hope it was quick. Except, it never came.
Nikolai My world is a web of lies and betrayal. When I became Pakhan, I knew the target on my back had grown exponentially. It’s not safe for anyone around me. Especially not her. With a war on the horizon, I don’t have time for distractions. So why can’t I seem to let her go?
Cala Riley, better known as Cala and Riley, are a pair of friends with a deep seated love of books and writing. Both Cala and Riley are happily married and each have children, Cala with the four-legged kind while Riley has a mixture of both two-legged and four. While they live apart, that does not affect their connection. They are the true definition of family. What started as an idea that quickly turned into a full-length book and a bond that will never end.
I believe that there is one person in this world that can both break us and make us whole. One person who can love us more than life can hurt us. With this comes deep, intense passion, and a burning connection. But in turn, that person can destroy us, cut us, make us bleed in ways no other ever could. They have power over us.
For me, that one person is Dash Black.
He walked into my life in a rush of sunshine, in the darkness of heartache and uncertainty. We were broken apart, and whole together. He healed me. I believed I did the same for him. Until the past became the present, and every moment of suffering in his life consumed him. Instead of seeking refuge in me, he pushed me away. As the famous quote from an unknown author says, “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours; if it doesn’t, it never was.”
I’ve set Dash Black free. Now, I wait.
When I Say Yes is the third and final book in the Necklace Trilogy.
Dash carries me to the bedroom and lowers me to my feet at the end of the mattress. I reach for him, and I can feel his need to feel my hands on his body, but instead of caving to that burn, he catches my wrists again. “Not until I say you can touch me.”
Defiance rips through my body and my chin tilts. “And if I touch you anyway?”
“Then you won’t feel my hand on your ass, baby. Or anywhere else.” He drags me closer, aligning our bodies. “You know what I want. Tell me. What do I want, Allie?”
“Control,” I say without hesitation, but there’s a hint of vulnerability in my voice that I cannot tame. Just as I know I will never tame Dash. And the thing is—I don’t want to. In fact, I want the opposite. I want him unleashed. I want him wild and free.
“Are you going to give it to me?” he presses. “Can you trust me that much, Allie?”
Trust.
That’s the monster that torments each of us in our own minds and yet, we want it from each other, we demand it be given blindly, irrationally perhaps, but it doesn’t seem to matter. So much about how Dash and I approach each other is irrational and yet somehow, we make sense. And so I say, “I already do.”
He turns me to face the bed, one hand cupping the side of my neck under my hair, the other on my waist, his hard body at my back. Dash leans in close and says, “I can be demanding, Allie.”
My mind flashes to the night of our fight back in Nashville, when my hands had been pressed to the front door of our apartment, his hand on my throat, him behind me, thrusting into me. “I know,” I whisper, my skin flushing with the memory and because it’s the truth, now I dare add, “I like it.”
“Do you?” he challenges.
“Beyond reason,” I whisper.
His fingers flex on my neck, seconds ticking by before he replies with, “I used to think I wanted to scare you off, Allie.”
“And now?”
“Now, I pray I can’t.” His teeth scrape my shoulder, rasping roughly.
I suck in a breath at the rough, erotic nip that borders on a bite. He cups my jaw and drags my head back to his shoulder, just enough to angle my mouth to his and lower his to mine. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t try,” he adds. “Nice guys are gentle, Allie. You need to know that I’m not a nice guy.”
“If I’d wanted nice, I would have walked away before we ever started calling me cupcake which was almost the moment I met you, Dash.”
It’s a joke about the nickname I’ve earned with him, but he doesn’t laugh or smile. He brushes his lips over my lips. “You taste like you don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“And you taste like you talk too much, Dash Black.”
He lingers there a moment, his breath rushing over my lips with a promise of a kiss that doesn’t come. Instead, he says, “No more talking. Knees on the mattress, baby.”
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones writes dark, edgy fiction including the highly acclaimed Inside Out series and the crime thriller The Poet. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland and Bad Mom’s) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned a multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a cat that talks too much, and a Golden Retriever who is afraid of trash bags.
Southern Bombshell by Jessica Peterson is now live!
The Wedding Planner’s Rulebook:
Keep the bride happy.
Keep the wedding party out of trouble.
Never let anyone know you’ve been in love with the groom for years.
I lived by these rules. Until Nate Kingsley.
The Capulets and Montagues have nothing on the Beauregards and Kingsleys. Our families have feuded for centuries, and Nate was always forbidden—which made fooling around with him that much more delicious. But then I fell for him, and he fell off the face of the earth, ghosting me without so much as a goodbye.
Fast-forward two years: as an expert in romance, I’m a wedding planner to the rich and famous. I never expected Nate to show up at my office, least of all with a shiny new fiancée on his arm. She’s got money to burn, and she wants me to plan the most extravagant wedding of my career.
It’s a make-or-break moment for my business. I convince myself I can do Nate’s wedding and keep my feelings for him in check, even if he does look good.
Really, really good.
But when the secrets we buried years ago come to light, what kept us apart suddenly binds us together. Even if my heart belongs to Nate, and his belongs to me, he belongs to someone else. And that’s a rule we absolutely cannot break.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Jessica Peterson writes smokin’ hot romance set in her favorite cities around the world. She grew up on a steady diet of Mr. Darcy, Edward Cullen, and Jamie Frasier, and it wasn’t long before she started writing swoon-worthy heroes of her own. She loves strong coffee, stronger heroines, and heroes with hot accents.
She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband Ben and her smelly Goldendoodle, Martha Bean. She’s hard at work on writing her next favorite sex scene. Stay tuned for exciting news on her next release!
The Resurrection by Jodi Ellen Malpas is now live!
From the moment Danny Black met Rose Cassidy, he knew she’d be the death of him. But their electric connection and twisted love gave him a purpose beyond ruling Miami with his iron fist. Faking his own death and disappearing to St. Lucia was the only way he could escape the deadly underworld that brought them together. But his seclusion was sabotaged when a notorious assassin lured him out and made him an offer he couldn’t ignore.
So Danny was forced to decide whether to remain concealed and pray his enemies didn’t find him, or re-emerge and take back control of his town. His future.
James Kelly’s sole purpose was to find and kill the man who ordered the death of his family. Peace would never be his until then. Beau Hayley, a scarred former cop, was the key to his mission. He was supposed to kill her. Instead, he fell in love with her. Forced to accept that he could no longer fight his war and keep Beau safe from their enemies, he sought out the only man who could help him.
But by resurrecting the infamous Brit, James unwittingly started an even bigger war.
Two lethal men. One shared goal. Keep their women safe. And survive.
But only one of them can come out the other side alive.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo!
Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in England, where she lives with her husband, boys and Theo the Doberman. She is a self-professed daydreamer, and has a terrible weak spot for alpha males. Writing powerful love stories with addictive characters has become her passion—a passion she now shares with her devoted readers. She’s a proud #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, a Sunday Times Bestseller, and her work is published in over twenty-five languages across the world. You can learn more about Jodi & her words at: http://bit.ly/JEMWebsite
Jo is a professional online romance scammer and Jamie is The Conscience of Silicon Valley. They don’t trust one another, and when they meet in person, they quickly discover that not everything appears as it seems. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will love Scammer Girl, a spicy enemies to lovers romance.
Five years ago, Jo Harper did a bad thing. Dumped, injured, and in crippling debt, Jo did what any desperate woman with a PhD in psychology and above-average computer skills would: become an elite, undetectable online romance scammer. Now Jo and her team of four young women bring in enough cash to keep them securely afloat. Their targets? Married cheaters.
Jamie March, Bay Area royalty known as “The Conscience of Silicon Valley,” hates every aspect of online crime, especially those who defraud people. And when it appears that his brother is the victim of a sophisticated romance scam, he can’t stand idly by.
What’s weird though, is that when Jo and Jamie meet…they don’t hate one another. Not at all. He makes her laugh and feel alive again. She challenges his intellect like no other. But they can’t trust one another, right? And you can’t fall in love with someone you don’t trust—or can you?
We swayed together as the song reach its climax. It was much more of an embrace than a dance. My lips were inches from that damn freckle, and his hands were roving through my loose hair, tugging my head back. My lips parted—
He stiffened, just the slightest bit. I felt the withdrawal. “What’s wrong?”
There was a storm in those sea eyes. A sharp bite in his voice. “Does every man you target feel like this? Like you’re both the drug and the antidote?”
If he’d physically slapped me, it wouldn’t have hurt more.
I took a step back, dropping my hands and jutting out my chin. Not that it mattered or that he would believe me, but, “You were never a target.”
The song ended, and I raised my hands in applause to the stage before coolly pointing to my sofa, marching to it, and sitting down. “I assume you want to discuss your brother.” Jamie lowered himself to the cushion next to me, but he didn’t relax into the seat. His rigid posture made me want to give him a good shove.
“I’m sorry I said that,” he mumbled. “I’m extremely uneasy about the effect you have on me.” His lips tightened. “I know a lot about the ways people can be damaged by Internet scams: financially, emotionally. But I’ve never been involved in one personally.”
He moved his head from side to side, a little sheepish. “The past month, our letters. There was always the possibility you were acting or lying. But I didn’t think you were. I chose to believe that the letters you wrote were coming from you, not someone you made up. That the conversation we had the night we met was real.” He looked at the band, at the couples swaying. “When we were dancing, I was so … so fucking thrilled, I scared myself. What if you’re pretending? Performing? What if I’m the world’s biggest idiot?”
His straightforward truthfulness was jarring. Maybe I’d been in the game for too long, but I just didn’t expect men to be so open about their feelings, especially ones that made them vulnerable. In writing, yes. In person, no.
“I’m not pretending or performing,” I bit out. The truth came through my lips before I could stop it. “I’m extremely uneasy about the effect you have on me too.”
His shoulders relaxed a few inches. “I do want to talk about Bobby,” he admitted. “But,” he leaned forward. “First I just want to talk. To you. About anything.”
Still a little stung, I just shrugged. “Well, no Jeopardy! tonight. So I guess we won’t be trading quotes from classic literature.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “There’s one perfect quote that’s been boomeranging around my skull for the last several weeks.” He quirked one brow and made meaningful eye contact. “‘You have bewitched me, body and soul.’”
Oof. I hung my head in mock surrender and covered my heart with my hands. He just undid with me with his ridiculous adorableness. “Ok, Indy. You win. You’ve just recited my favorite line in all of fiction. Let’s talk.”
Jamie’s eyes widened with glee. “Indy? That’s the Harrison Ford I am? Indiana Jones? Should I buy a hat and whip?”
I burst out laughing. “I mean, sure. You’d look great in a fedora. But I was referring to Indiana Jones in professor mode. With the three-piece suit, tie, and glasses.”
He slumped down, looking deflated. “Oh. Yeah, that makes more sense.”
I poked him in the shoulder. “Don’t pout. There is a huge population of women who find classroom Indy even sexier than sweaty jungle Indy.”
He cocked his jaw. “Interesting. Are you within that population?”
Oh. This was getting dangerous. But not even a little part of me felt like stopping. I smiled directly into his eyes. “Hell yes.”
About Michelle Dayton
There are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.
Take A Chance With Me by Kristen Proby is now live!
A friends to lovers, soulmates story from Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby, set in her beloved With Me In Seattle Series!
Cameron Cox has mastered the art of keeping secrets. His talent for computer hacking means he’s been recruited for highly classified jobs since leaving the military. He travels the world, risking his life. But his biggest secret isn’t from a government job or a foreign spy. It’s Maggie O’Callaghan. He’s loved her from afar, always standing by as the friend. He’s been her rock through the hardest days of her life. But after his dangerous past comes crashing into his life and threatens the only woman he’s ever loved, he has a choice to make. Give up the secrets and win her heart. Or watch Maggie walk away with his.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
Kristen Proby has published more than forty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion and Romancing Manhattan Series.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats.
Screams in Symphony, the jaw-dropping conclusion to The Malvagio Mafia Duet from USA Today bestselling author Kelsey Clayton, is available now!
From USA Today bestselling author Kelsey Clayton comes a dark mafia romance filled with pain, betrayal, devastation, revenge, and a mindblowing ending that will have you questioning everything.
There once was a girl, tarnished and ruined by the actions of others. Some are born plagued by darkness, but she was doused in it by those she trusted.
Like Lucifer himself, she fell from the heavens and landed amongst the flames. Now she wears her crown black, with diamonds coated in the blood of her enemies.
This isn’t the story of a girl who saved the villain. This is the story of a girl who became something much worse, and the man who loved her for it.
“Pain is a dangerous thing. It can make people crazy. Turn them into something they swore they’d never become. And once you give into the pain, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever come back from it.”
“There in the middle of destruction, I kiss her like she’s breathing the life back into me. Like we’re breathing the life back into each other. It’s an intoxicating dose of serotonin straight to my system, until the pain comes back in.”
Screams in Symphony is the deliciously disturbing, most anticipated conclusion to the Malvagio Mafia Duet. This book pulls out all the stops. It’s dark. It’s twisted. It’s all-consuming. Screams in Symphony will keep you on the edge of your seat and will leave you devouring each and every word.
Screams in Symphony picks up right where Suffer in Silence left off and completely hits the ground running. This story is dark and ruthless. It’s a twisted tale of love and revenge that will take these characters to unexpected places. Filled with lots of twists and turns, this book had my heart-pounding and left me hanging on every word.
Screams in Symphony lived up to its name and delivered on all fronts. This book was intense, with some parts that were hard for me to read. Even with all that, this book still left me with my mind-blown. For all my of my dark romance-loving friends, this is a book/duet you won’t want to miss. So, run and grab the Malvagio Mafia Duet today. You won’t be disappointed….
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Excerpt
“I’ll see you later, S.”
I nod. “Yeah, sure.”
The second she’s out the door, Kage is already heading toward me. “What the fuck was that, S?”
It takes everything in my power to hold back my smile, amused with how possessive he is. “I don’t know. She’s determined to become my friend.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
I shrug half-heartedly. “She’s…tolerable. And besides, it’s not like I can go out and find new friends, being dead and all.”
He stares back at me before shaking his head. “No. Nope. I don’t like it.”
Giggling, I stand up and walk toward him, dipping my fingers into his pockets. “I can’t spend the rest of my life with just you and Beni.”
He cocks a single brow at me. “Who the fuck said Beni is invited?”
“Kage,” I laugh. “I need other friends.”
“Why?”
Arching up on my tippy-toes, I press a kiss over his heart. “Because they keep me from wanting to kill you in your sleep.”
His hands land on my arms, and he moves me away from him so he can look down at me. “How many times have you considered doing that exactly?”
“Four…”
“Oh,” he says, relieved.
“…teen.”
Sputtering on air, his jaw drops. “Fourteen?”
I tilt my head side to side. “Give or take a few.”
“Saxon!” he groans, his amusement slipping through.
“What?” I ask innocently. “You’re a little insufferable sometimes.”
The corners of his mouth raise as he stares down at me. “Mm-hm. Great. I’m sleeping in the panic room from now on.”
A laugh bubbles out of me as I press my lips to his. “That’s probably smart.”
Meet Kelsey
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.
Arabella Adams was the one woman I would have laid my life down for, no matter the circumstance, because that’s what you would do for your soulmate. But when she broke up with me our senior year of college—for no reason or explanation at all—my world as I knew it fell completely apart. My heart was instantly ripped from my chest…and it was a pain I felt in my very soul, and one I never truly recovered from.
Now, here I am, ten years later, and I’ve finally learned the real reason Bella pushed me away. So, I must prove to her that anything that happened in her past—our past—doesn’t change the way I feel about her. After all, soulmates never stop loving each other, and even a decade later, I will make her see that I will protect her until the day I die.
Because you see, we promised one another we wouldn’t keep secrets, wouldn’t hide parts of ourselves that the other wouldn’t understand. Except, well, I lied. Because the moment I find the person who took Bella from me all those years ago, I’m going to make him pay for every lost moment of the past ten years, and nothing—not even the fact I’m a cop—will stop me from inflicting the same level of pain on him that Arabella and me endured all this time.
Note to readers: Arabella endures trauma no woman should have to suffer. Respectfully, the author invites you to emotionally and mentally prepare before experiencing this book on your own terms, should you choose to do so.
The Boggy Creek Series just keeps getting better and better.
Surrender to Me is the latest installment in the Boggy Creek Series and follows the story of Arabella and Hunter. Arabella and Hunter had the kind of relationship and connection that people could only hope to find. They were so sure of the love they shared for one another and had no idea that one simple twist of fate would turn their entire worlds upside down….
Surrender to Me is a beautiful and heartwarming second chance romance. It is the kind of story that will tug on your heartstrings and leave you feeling a buffet of emotions. Hunter is the kind of guy that every girl wishes for. He loves fiercely and hard. He’ll do anything to protect those who are important to him. And despite the odds and how hurt he was losing Arabella, he never gave up hope. That brings up to Arabella. Arabella has the biggest heart and just lights up the room when you’re around her. She too loves fiercely and loves hard. But when her life gets turned upside down, she finds herself in a neverending loop of pain and confusion. The last thing she wants to do is hurt the man she loves….
Surrender to Me is a truly beautiful story. I was swept up in Arabella and Hunter’s story instantly and couldn’t wait for them to find their way back to each other. Their story isn’t an easy one and deals with some tough subject matter. Author Kelly Elliott did an amazing job with this subject matter and made it very easy to connect with the characters.
Hunter and Arabella’s story is a beautiful love story that will make you swoon, rage, fall in love, and believe in second chances. Kelly Elliott fans, you won’t want to miss this heartwarming love story.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
A sexy, hilarious, emotional, new romance from New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase.
Connor Daniels never thought he’d be starting over at dating square one. His career as a successful doctor, and his three boys, are everything to him. It’s not exactly a setup conducive to a scorching love life—but he’s giving it a shot.
ER nurse Violet Robinson never intended for Connor to find out she’s had a crush on him forever. It was a dirty little secret only meant for her dirty dreams. Her heart trips every time he’s around—and so do her feet.
When Connor sees Violet coasting across the grocery store parking lot—and she falls on her face—he starts falling for the gorgeous, young nurse right back.
Dating can be tricky. And life can be beautiful and crazy and unpredictable. But when it gets real, you discover what matters most . . . and the one person you want loving you through it all.
Getting Real is a fun and heartwarming read. It’s the third book in the Getting Some Series, but it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel.
When we first meet up with Connor, we discover that he’s a single dad, trying to do it all. Balancing a busy job as an ER doctor with 3 boys isn’t easy, but if anyone is up for the task, it’s Conner. The last thing he expected was to fall for ER nurse, Violet. In Connor’s eyes, Violet is young and totally out of his league. Fate has Connor and Violet right where it wants them. Get ready for a story filled with good humor, family, and of course love.
Getting Real is a quick and easy read. I really enjoyed Connor and Violet together. I thought they were both real and easy to relate to. Connor’s struggles as a single dad were spot on and I loved how adorably awkward Violet was around Connor. I really liked how their relationship progressed. There was no rush. They took their time getting to know one another before diving right into a relationship. But, man, let me tell you, they certainly knew how to steam up the pages together.
Getting Real was just the book I was looking for. This story was well written, real, and very entertaining. It was easy to fall in love with Connor, his boys, and Violet. In the end, this book checked off all my boxes and left me with a big smile on my face.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Meet Emma
Emma Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels filled with humor, heart and heart. Her stories are known for their clever banter and sexy, swoon-worthy moments. Emma’s novels have been translated in over twenty languages around the world.
Emma lives in New Jersey with her amazing husband, two awesome children, and two adorable but badly behaved dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine
What’s the worst thing you could hear your best friend, who you’ve always secretly been in love with, say? That would be telling another girl he could envision her being his wife.
I just about died when Gannon Raferty, the boy who used to borrow my pencils in elementary school, said that to the lead of the reality dating show he was cast on. Though he didn’t win her heart, he’s now a bona fide sensation when he returns to our college and moves back into the off-campus house we share.
The torch I carry for him has always been one-sided; I’m head-over-heels, soulmate-level into him while he views me as a lovable kid sister. So I decide this school year will be the one where I move on, where I finally attempt to open my heart to another. After all, if he can make declarations of undying love to someone he just met, but not to me, that’s the biggest wake-up call I could ever receive.
Until one night early on in the semester, when we accidentally sleep together. Because of course he’s going to confess his feelings now, when I was ready to give up on there ever being an us.
But just as Gannon starts admitting exactly what I’ve always wanted to hear, I get devastating news. And suddenly, I don’t want to risk losing him as a best friend. I’ve already lost too many people I love, and am on the brink of adding one more to that list.
If our romance goes south, I don’t how I’ll ever come back from it. Not only the crushing heartbreak, but the fact that we can never go back to how we were again.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Author of romance novels such as Fool Me Twice and Love at First Fight, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.
When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband, two children and ninety-pound rescue pup.
onceuponabookblog.com 
