USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Marni was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotions. A New Englander at heart, she now lives with her husband in Sarasota, Florida. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop, working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling, boating, or devouring fabulous books. Want to get in touch?
Grady Castillo isn’t the biggest fan of Mayor Maggie Sullivan and when he sees she’s up for reelection, he can’t help but throw a wrench into her plans. However, as the race heats up and unwanted feelings arise, Grady begins to realize there’s more to Maggie than meets the eye. Readers who love small-town romances will devour Rival Hearts by W. Million, a slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance.
“I had a ball going through this one as your writing is so free-flowing and easy to get into. I could definitely feel the angst between Grady and Maggie, and loved it when all of their secrets began to finally spill out! I found myself thinking of the story even when I was done working for the day… These two will certainly latch onto your heart!” – Proof Positive Editing Services
“Maggie is a shoo-in to be reelected as mayor of Little Falls until her ex-lover Grady comes back to town, sparking a rivalry that’s just as personal as it is political. Scandalous secrets and lies are revealed that bring to light the pair’s complicated past in this romantic story of love, loyalty, and redemption.” Brittany M., Proofreader, Red Adept Editing
Coveting my brother’s girlfriend is one thing, but acting on it is a step too far. It’s too bad it’s a step I’ve already taken.
The first time I met Maggie Sullivan, she was my brother’s guest at Sunday dinner. That should have been enough to keep me away. It wasn’t.
The night I lost control and gave into my passion was also the night of my brother’s arrest for selling drugs—a business I was sure Maggie must have had a hand in.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I seized a chance to try out for Center Stage, a televised singing competition. Winning changed my life.
Now, years later, I’ve returned to Little Falls to reconnect with my family, and Maggie Sullivan has somehow managed to become mayor.
With only twenty-four hours until she’s reelected uncontested, I decide to throw a wrench into her perfect life.
When the race heats up, and old, unwanted feelings surface, I start to realize that Maggie might not fit the box I’ve shoved her into all these years.
Soon, I’m wondering if I want to steal the election, or if the real victory lies in winning Maggie’s heart.
My body was a traitor. I’d spent the last hour staring at the center of his chest instead of his stupid chiseled face, not giving him the satisfaction of making eye contact. What would I see in Grady’s eyes when I glanced up? Twelve years ago, we’d been this close, closer, and those eyes stole a piece of my soul. I couldn’t afford to give any more away.
With a deep breath, I stepped back and stared at him. He was stupidly tall and broad. I couldn’t remember exactly how tall. Six foot five, maybe? Enough to hurt my neck if I was too close, barefoot, and looked up for too long. I squared my shoulders and gave him a sugary smile. “You must be thirsty.” My tone was so sweet it dripped syrup. “All that singing would be hell on your voice. No need to speak.” I held up a hand in the direction of his face. “I wouldn’t want you to strain your precious vocal cords.”
Grady’s brown eyes scanned me, and I tried to decipher the emotion behind them. Amusement and something else I couldn’t place. He chuckled and raised his bottle of water. “No need to worry, Maggie May. I don’t make a living off my voice anymore, so I can let it get as rough as it needs to be.”
The familiar timbre sent an unexpected jolt through me. I hadn’t heard his voice in person since that night. Goose bumps rose on my arms, and I yanked my sweater tighter. “My middle name isn’t May.”
His lips quirked up, unrepentant, and he didn’t respond. Someone tried to get his attention. He shook his head and gave them an apologetic smile, gesturing toward me. “We’re catching up.” The crowd around him thinned back.
“No, we’re not,” I muttered.
His lips quirked again, but he didn’t say anything.
“You’re back in town, then? Trying to make something of your life?” I jutted out my chin and crossed my arms. Any sense of playing nice disappeared. The goose bumps on my skin were from disgust, nothing else. I hated him.
He scanned the crowded bar. “Seems to be a few people who think I’ve already made something of myself.” He shrugged. “But they’re probably easily impressed—give them a glossy surface and they’ll root for anyone.” He directed his pointed gaze at me and sipped his bottle of water. “I heard you’d graduated from ruining one man’s life to taking down a whole town. Little Falls still standing, or have you demolished it as well?”
His mother lived in Little Falls on the opposite side of town to my family. Penny Castillo had put my sign on her lawn during the previous election. Of all the conflicts I had helped to settle over the last four years as mayor, none of them caused my blood to boil like Grady was doing right now. He knew nothing about anything.
Leaning forward on my toes, I said, “I’ve spent the last four years looking after the people you abandoned while you chased fame and fortune.” I raised my eyebrows in a challenge. I’d been the one to help Penny Castillo fix her garage when a windstorm had taken off half the roof; I’d been the one who picked up Trent from jail when he was finally released; I’d been the one to find his brother a job a few towns over when no one else wanted to hire him. What had Grady done? Won a singing contest and disappeared.
“Only four years?” His intensity drilled into me. “What was Trent’s sentence again?”
I hated the heat creeping into my face.
Rage.
The heat was from rage and not humiliation. “It’ll be me looking after them for another four years twenty-four hours from now.”
“What are you talking about?” His sharp gaze turned curious, thoughtful.
My jaw ached from holding back the diatribe threatening to explode out. “I’m running uncontested for another term as mayor of Little Falls.”
Grady pinched the bridge of his nose and then looked toward the ceiling. “Uncontested?”
“That’s right. Uncontested,” Lila said, appearing out of nowhere to throw her arm around my shoulders. Her words were slurred, but I was so glad for the backup, her level of drunkenness didn’t matter. “It’s because she’s the best fucking mayor in any town anywhere.”
Throwing back his head, Grady laughed. “In any town anywhere?”
With a frown, Lila used one finger and pressed it into his broad chest. “Yes! God. Why do you have to be such a hot prick?”
I clamped my hand over Lila’s mouth. In the morning, Lila would regret those words. “She meant the prick part. The hot part is the Jell-O shots talking. Everyone in this bar is hot to her right now.”
“What makes you so sure no one is going to run against you at the last minute?” Grady’s eyebrows lifted, and he raised his bottle to his lips again.
Lila laughed through my hand and removed it from her face. “Because they’d have to own property in town, get enough supporters or file as an independent, and they’d have to think they could beat Maggie. No one is that dumb or that desperate.” Considering how drunk Lila appeared to be, I was impressed with how smoothly her little speech spilled out of her. “And,” Lila added, holding up her finger, “we know everyone who fits the criteria, and they’re not running.” She cocked an eyebrow at Grady and flicked out a hip. “Maggie’s got it in the bag.”
On instinct, I wanted to correct Lila, but the expression on Grady’s face made me hold my tongue. Technically, Lila wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t like the way Grady’s gaze turned calculating as it dragged across us. He chuckled to himself, and a hint of amusement lit his face.
A Hispanic woman I didn’t recognize appeared at the edge of our circle. “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Castillo. But we were hoping to get a selfie and an autograph? You’re like the biggest celebrity around here.”
“Sure.” Grady half turned toward his fan. The smile on his face had faded at the request. “Ladies.” Grady pointed his water bottle at us. “I’ll be seeing you around. I bought some prime real estate in Little Falls. Looks like we’ll be neighbors.”
About W. Million
W. Million is an award-winning author whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers. She is the author of the Bellerive Royals series and the Tucker FamilyBillionaires series. Writing as Wendy Million, she is the author of the contemporary second chance romances, When Stars Fall and Miss Matched.
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
Grady Castillo isn’t the biggest fan of Mayor Maggie Sullivan and when he sees she’s up for reelection, he can’t help but throw a wrench into her plans. However, as the race heats up and unwanted feelings arise, Grady begins to realize there’s more to Maggie than meets the eye. Readers who love small-town romances will devour Rival Hearts by W. Million, a slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance.
“I had a ball going through this one as your writing is so free-flowing and easy to get into. I could definitely feel the angst between Grady and Maggie, and loved it when all of their secrets began to finally spill out! I found myself thinking of the story even when I was done working for the day… These two will certainly latch onto your heart!“– Proof Positive Editing Services
“Maggie is a shoo-in to be reelected as mayor of Little Falls until her ex-lover Grady comes back to town, sparking a rivalry that’s just as personal as it is political. Scandalous secrets and lies are revealed that bring to light the pair’s complicated past in this romantic story of love, loyalty, and redemption.” Brittany M., Proofreader, Red Adept Editing
Blurb
Coveting my brother’s girlfriend is one thing, but acting on it is a step too far. It’s too bad it’s a step I’ve already taken.
The first time I met Maggie Sullivan, she was my brother’s guest at Sunday dinner. That should have been enough to keep me away. It wasn’t.
The night I lost control and gave into my passion was also the night of my brother’s arrest for selling drugs—a business I was sure Maggie must have had a hand in.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I seized a chance to try out for Center Stage, a televised singing competition. Winning changed my life.
Now, years later, I’ve returned to Little Falls to reconnect with my family, and Maggie Sullivan has somehow managed to become mayor.
With only twenty-four hours until she’s reelected uncontested, I decide to throw a wrench into her perfect life.
When the race heats up, and old, unwanted feelings surface, I start to realize that Maggie might not fit the box I’ve shoved her into all these years.
Soon, I’m wondering if I want to steal the election, or if the real victory lies in winning Maggie’s heart.
I checked my watch. The first performer should have started five minutes ago. Running behind for some reason? Or fashionably late? Maybe the potential performers were intimidated by the large audience? I’d been here before with Lila for an open mic night, and the bar hadn’t been this packed.
The yellow curtain on the stage stirred. Kareena, the owner, burst through the gap to the small bit of stage in front. She looked flushed and too excited for a simple open mic night. “Ladies and Gentlemen.” She waited for everyone to quiet down.
I sat straighter in my chair. The place hummed with an unusual energy.
“Tonight, as some of you know—news like this spreads like wildfire—we have the privilege of a very special guest.” Kareena glanced behind her, her brown cheeks rosy. “Oh gosh, I am so excited.” She giggled and covered her mouth.
I frowned and eyed everyone in our party who looked equally confused. Other people in the crowd whooped and hollered as though they, too, knew the secret. What could be so special about some singer at open mic in a town barely bigger than Little Falls?
“I was going to do this big, long spiel about our guest, but he asked me to keep it simple since his appearance is last-minute. So, maybe I’ll let it be a surprise to those of you who don’t know yet.” Her grin was broad enough to split her face. “Enjoy the night, everyone!” With a flourish, she threw back the curtains and disappeared.
“That was weird,” Fernando muttered. “The only person I know who has ever inspired that kind of weirdness is—”
The curtain peeled back, and the chords of a familiar song started. My breath caught in my throat.
Grady Castillo.
I never uttered his name. Hadn’t spoken it in years. He’d burst onto the music scene with his stint on Center Stage, the talent discovery program, when I was at college in Florida. Lila had told me how crazy my town went over one of our own winning the top spot. A heap of money and a recording contract. When he only produced one successful album and then largely disappeared, I was thrilled.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Fernando called over the familiar beat of the song. “I wonder what he’s doing back here.”
W. Million is an award-winning author whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers. She is the author of the Bellerive Royals series and the Tucker FamilyBillionaires series. Writing as Wendy Million, she is the author of the contemporary second chance romances, When Stars Fall and Miss Matched.
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
Grady Castillo isn’t the biggest fan of Mayor Maggie Sullivan and when he sees she’s up for reelection, he can’t help but throw a wrench into her plans. However, as the race heats up and unwanted feelings arise, Grady begins to realize there’s more to Maggie than meets the eye. Pre-order this sexy, slow-burn, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance from W. Million today!
Title: Rival Hearts
Author: W. Million
Release Date: 10/04/2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Small-Town Romance
Word Count: 91,000 words
Tropes: Small-Town, Enemies-to-Lovers, Second Chance, Rockstar MMC, Slow Burn, Girl Next Door FMC, Secrets, Angsty, Rivals, Brother’s Ex-Girlfriend
Blurb
Coveting my brother’s girlfriend is one thing, but acting on it is a step too far. It’s too bad it’s a step I’ve already taken.
The first time I met Maggie Sullivan, she was my brother’s guest at Sunday dinner. That should have been enough to keep me away. It wasn’t.
The night I lost control and gave into my passion was also the night of my brother’s arrest for selling drugs—a business I was sure Maggie must have had a hand in.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I seized a chance to try out for Center Stage, a televised singing competition. Winning changed my life.
Now, years later, I’ve returned to Little Falls to reconnect with my family, and Maggie Sullivan has somehow managed to become mayor.
With only twenty-four hours until she’s reelected uncontested, I decide to throw a wrench into her perfect life.
When the race heats up, and old, unwanted feelings surface, I start to realize that Maggie might not fit the box I’ve shoved her into all these years.
Soon, I’m wondering if I want to steal the election, or if the real victory lies in winning Maggie’s heart.
W. Million is an award-winning author whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers. She is the author of the Bellerive Royals series and the Tucker FamilyBillionaires series. Writing as Wendy Million, she is the author of the contemporary second chance romances, When Stars Fall and Miss Matched.
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, cats, retired greyhounds, and an old, foul-mouthed parrot. She traveled the world for seven years, attended three universities, married the vocalist of her favorite rock band, and retired from her quantitative analyst career in 2014 to write full-time.
Her interests veer toward the unconventional: bourbon, full-body tattoos, and tragic villains. Equally peculiar are her aversions to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
From romance royalty and New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Penelope Douglas comes a never-before-seen dark romance that is sure to satiate readers’ most taboo cravings. Known for their twisted and sultry romances that leave nothing to the imagination, Douglas is back with FIVE BROTHERS (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; on-sale: July 30, 2024), where one woman becomes the irresistible object of five brothers’ desires but must decide which one is the real deal.
For over ten years, Penelope Douglas has been writing the most addictive romances that has garnered the likes of TikTok with over 1.3 billion views and growing. With stories that feature inclusive characters, unique perspectives, and some of the darkest romances on the market, it’s no wonder readers flock to Douglas who has worked tirelessly at normalizing the taboo. Since October 2023, Berkley has proudly published new print editions of Douglas’s biggest self-published hits to reach new readers, including the viral smash hit Punk 57 and The Devil’s Night Series. This summer comes FIVE BROTHERS, an original release that is perfect for new and old fans alike.
FIVE BROTHERS by Penelope Douglas |Berkley Trade Original 560 pages | $19.00 | ISBN: 9780593816578 | On-sale: July 30, 2024
From an affluent family on the right side of the tracks, Krisjen has always been known to be the quintessential pristine and proper ‘good girl’ growing up. A beautiful, naïve, and ignorant young woman, ready for the taking…at least that’s what her parents think. But contrary to what everyone believes, Krisjen has always enjoyed being in control and is more than capable of fending for herself. It wasn’t until she was pulled into Trace Jaeger’s magnetic orbit, along with his four enigmatic brothers that she found herself okay with relinquishing a little authority.
On the Jaeger’s side of town, in the swamps and underneath the glades, it’s easy for Krisjen to play pretend and embrace their wild family dynamic. The five brothers – Macon, Army, Iron, Dallas and Trace – are all extremely uncouth and fierce with dirty minds and wandering hands. They offer intrigue and temperaments that are as unfathomable as a tornado. Unpredictable and exciting, each brother has wicked dreams and nightmares planned for Krisjen while she’s crashing on their couch. But as fun as it’s been to escape and to enjoy the whirlwind of all the Jaeger brother’s attention, Krisjen must venture back to her side of town to fulfill her role as an obedient daughter and chaste girl once again.
She’ll sleep on the couch one last time before returning home. And only when she knows everyone else is asleep, she’ll let herself cry for the future she has to look forward to. Except everyone isn’t asleep. When he sees Krisjen crying, he can’t help but offer his comfort…embracing her from behind, arms wrapped around her body, and his breath on her neck. Krisjen is only left wondering: which Jaeger brother held her tightly and made her veins feel like they were on fire?
Sensationally dark and vivid, Penelope Douglas stays true to their signature style and delivers a stunningly sexy and devourable romance that encourages every reader’s guiltiest pleasure. Poised to be yet another TikTok sensation, readers do not want to miss FIVE BROTHERS.
Five Brothers captivated me from the very first page and reminded me exactly why I LOVE Penelope Douglas’ writing. This story is sexy, deliciously taboo, and filled with so much angst. The further you dive into the story, the more you unravel the secrets and complexities of things. Nothing is what it seems and I promise you, the characters will leave you hooked and utterly consumed.
I was in no way prepared for the emotional ride Five Brothers was about to take me on. I found myself so immersed in this story that I took my time with it and savored it. I never wanted it to end. Five Brothers is a romance that I didn’t know I needed and am so glad I picked up. I truly loved everything about this story from beginning to end and Penelope Douglas does not disappoint. Five Brothers is a definite top read of 2024 for me.
If you’re a fan of Penelope Douglas and love reverse harem and found family romances, you won’t want to miss Five Brothers. I hope you’ll pick up this story and be just as consumed by it as I was.
*Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this title.*
Like all her books, S.J. Tilly resides in the glorious state of Minnesota, where she was born and raised. To avoid the freezing cold winters, S.J. enjoys burying her head in books, whether to read them or write them or listen to them.
When she’s not busy writing her contemporary smut, she can be found lounging with her husband and their herd of rescue boxers. And when the weather permits she loves putting her compost to use in the garden, pretending to know what she’s doing. The neighbors may not like the flowery mayhem of her yard, but the bees sure do. And really, that’s more important.
WOW! wow wow wow. Bad Romeo put me through the emotional wringer from start to finish and I absolutely LOVED it. It was a true romance in every sense of the word, both heartbreaking and swoon-worthy in equal parts. But beware – it is pretty angsty. I am an angst lover so this suited me down to the ground.
“My body is against his, and my hands are in his hair, and every single reason I should stay away melts as our mouths open to each other. It’s rough and desperate and full of passion I don’t want to feel. But this…this is where all the best memories of him live.”
The story switches back and forth between the past and the present day. The past tells us the story of how Cassie and Ethan met and came to be, and the present day revolves around their reconciliation after a period of around three years. I LOVED following their journey from the beginning and getting to experience those first precious moments of when they met, as well as all of their trials and tribulations along the way.
Cassie and Ethan first meet in acting school, where they are cast as the star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet. Sparks fly and tensions rise between them until they finally beak through the barriers they have set in place and fall into a passionate relationship. Cassie is a sweet girl with a positive outlook on life, and Ethan is a typical bad boy with a huge chip on his shoulder. Bit by bit they fall madly and deeply in love, until Ethans issues come to the surface and tear them apart leaving Cassie a devastated and heart-broken shell of herself.
Three years later they are once again on-stage playing young lovers, however, this time it is Cassie with the issues and Ethan is the one determined to make up for his past mistakes and win back Cassies love. It may be too little too late for Cassie though who struggles daily to cope with the gaping hole Ethan left in her heart.
“I want things to be different. If you want me to apologize, I’ll do it until I lose my fucking voice. I just want things to be right between us. Talk to me. Help me fix this.
“You can’t.”
I absolutely LOVED how well the author has captured the tension, heartbreak and passion between Casssie and Ethan. I could feel every moment and was completely absorbed in their story. Angsty? Yes, but it is also such a beautiful and believable story of young love and loss, and how to cope when the person who crushed you beyond repair suddenly reappears in your life.
Bad Romeo is Part One of a two part book series and it DOES end on a cliffhanger (I know, I know), but trust me; you want to read this story. Lovers of romance everywhere will be a puddle of emotion on the ground by the end of it. Book two, Broken Juliet, is out in April 2015, so not long to wait. And I can’twait to see what’s in store for the rest of Cassie and Ethan’s story.
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