It’s a sweet thang–a Sweet Thang mystery, that is! Gloom, Doom, and Missing Groom by Emma Ames

Gloom, Doom, and Missing Groom, A Sweet Thangs Mystery, Book 2

Gloom, Doom, and Missing Groom by Emma Ames

Blurb:
Tizzy Donovan, widow, single mother, baker and part-time bartender, is getting married–if she can find the groom.
Join Tizzy and her ragtag team as they scour two counties, drag a lake, and enlist the help of a fortune teller to solve the mystery.

Excerpt:
A Hunter’s Moon hung high in the sky and lit up the night. The temperature hovered in the low forties, but the thirty-five mile per hour wind created a chill much colder. Tizzy wished she’d grabbed a coat before leaving the house. The low-cut, sleeveless, dress proved to be a poor selection.

Thanks to a text from Jinx, she knew where Ridge parked on Lide. Not that she would have any trouble locating the old Chevy. But at least she wouldn’t have to drive around to find him and risk him seeing her first. From a safe distance, she sat in her van and watched him. There wasn’t much activity. The cold wind must have been keeping the Johns at home and the girls off the street.

Tizzy adjusted her blonde wig and decided the time was right to make her move. She was almost to the car when Ridge noticed her. He rolled down the window, and she leaned in.

“Hey, cowboy, need a date?”

“Jeezus, Tizzy. Do you ever listen to anything I say?”

“The name’s Velvet, and are you sure you don’t want some company?”

“Cut the crap. What are you doing here?”

“If this is going to be a long conversation, may I please get inside? I have a full nipple alert.” She stuck out her chest and gave him a good view of the warning.

He gulped for air. “No. You need to leave, and we’ll talk about this at home.”

“If that’s the way you want it.” She rose to her full height, then ducked back down again. “Just one more question. Would you be less mad if I mentioned I’m not wearing panties?”

Buy links:
Book trailer: https://tinyurl.com/sl3uayy
Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZTT97XJ
Audio: https://tinyurl.com/sl3uayy

How I Start a Story
For me, a good story starts with a great first line, and I can’t begin to write until I have one. At least one I think is great. For the Sweet Thangs Mystery Series, each opening sentence needs to set the tone of the book—a blend of mystery, romance, and humor.

I love it when a first line grabs me. Here are a couple from my favorite authors.

One hot August Thursday afternoon, Maddie Faraday reached under the front seat of her husband’s Cadillac and pulled out a pair of black lace underpants—they weren’t hers. ~Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie.

It wasn’t every day a guy saw a headless beaver marching down the side of the road, not even in Dean Robillard’s larger-than-life world. ~Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Two from my alter-ego, Ann Everett.
Quinn Dorsey had kissed her share of toads, and now, just months before her thirty-fifth birthday, her efforts were about to pay off. ~Two Wrongs Make a Right

According to scientific studies, Maggie knew even good girls got aroused by bad boys.~Tell Me a Secret

And here’s the one from the book featured today, Book Two, Gloom, Doom, and Missing Groom: Twenty-four hours ago, Tizzy Donovan was naked in Ridge Cooper’s bed, screaming to get God’s attention.

When choosing a book, how important are opening lines to you? Let me know in the comments.

Emma’s bio:
Emma Ames/Ann EverettEmma Ames is an alter-ego of Ann Everett, who is an alter-ego of a real person. All three live in Texas.

Emma writes sweeter versions of Ann Everett’s steamy mysteries and romances. Although they contain no graphic love scenes or language, they are still rated 18+ due to sexual innuendo and adult themes. And, as always, a happily ever after is guaranteed.

Social media links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaAmes11
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/emmaames
Find out more about Emma: https://www.anneverett.com/emma-ames-books/

New! Don’t Forget the Dog: Linda O’Connor

I’m so excited to celebrate my latest release!

DOn't Forget the Dog by Linda O'Connor

Don’t Forget the Dog (Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor, Book 2)
Medical Romantic Comedy
Sweet Romance

Read about the first in Linda’s series, Don’t Drop the Baby!

Blurb:
Dr. Brogan Corkie is happily semi-retired from medicine and now has time for other hobbies. Her passion for food is second only to her skill at matchmaking!

Blaine McKinnon, owner and executive chef of an upscale restaurant in Mapleton, has an adorable Old English sheepdog named Tacos. Brogan is roped into dog-sitting Tacos at Blaine’s house. The upside is the spectacular kitchen at her disposal.

Dr. Sabrina Langfield, a newly minted doctor, is in a bind when her mom, Rue, falls and fractures her wrist. Brogan offers to help and does double-duty looking after Tacos and Rue.

Blaine and Sabrina were high school sweethearts but parted ways when Blaine pushed Sabrina to pursue a career. Sabrina hasn’t seen him since, but Rue is a huge fan and frequents his restaurant. Rue’s biggest regret is her part in Sabrina and Blaine’s break-up, and with Brogan’s help, she’s determined to get them back together. It might not be that easy – Sabrina is wary of Tacos and, more pressing, she’s decided to move a four-hour flight away to do five more years of training in emergency medicine.

Will meddlesome matchmaking, Blaine’s persuasiveness, and – don’t forget the dog – Tacos’ sweet nature be enough to convince Sabrina to stay?

Excerpt:
Rue stepped inside. She brushed a hand down Blaine’s arm and then opened her arms for a hug. “You’re so sweet to welcome me into your home.” She squeezed him tight with her left arm. Her casted arm fell to her side.

“Not even a question.” Blaine closed his eyes briefly as Rue held him. “I was sorry to hear about your accident.”

“A bit of a busted wing, but no worries, I’ll fly again.” Tacos nudged against them and Rue broke contact. She held out her hand for Tacos to sniff and then rubbed him behind the ears. “Look how you’ve grown, Tacos. Do you remember me? Still so cute.” She bent and put her face in Tacos’s fur when Tacos tried to lick her.

Blaine turned to Sabrina. “Are you going to hover on the doorstep or come inside? You’re letting all the heat out.”

Sabrina stamped her feet to knock the snow off her brown suede boots and then stepped inside and shut the door, avoiding eye contact with him. She brushed at the snow on her tailored wool coat.

Blaine watched her with a half smile on his face. “Looks like you missed a snowflake.”

Sabrina’s jaw clenched. She held out a bag. “My mom’s things.”

He raised an eyebrow. Rue reached around him and took the bag. “Thanks heaps, dear.”

Tacos skipped over to sniff Sabrina.

Sabrina took a step back to avoid him. “Don’t forget to take your pain pills regularly today, Mom. Don’t wait for the pain to become intolerable. And get some rest.”

Blaine pulled Tacos away from Sabrina and interjected. “Rue, have you met Brogan Corkie? Brogan, Rue Langfield.”

Brogan stepped forward. “Hello. I’m pleased to meet you.”

“Sorry, I should have introduced you,” Sabrina mumbled. She loosened the belt and undid the top buttons of her coat. Underneath she wore a crisp white blouse and a navy blue pencil skirt.

Rue held out her hand to shake and then smiled crookedly and waved it instead. “I’m delighted to meet you, too. Sabrina told me that you work with her at the clinic.”

Blaine’s head swivelled between them. “Is that so?”

Brogan smiled. “I do, or rather I did. I’m semi-retired now, so I’m not there as often.” She turned back to Rue. “My new passion is cooking, and I’m hoping you like to eat.”

Rue removed her knitted wrap and matching cap and tossed them on a chair. The loose-fitting caftan she had on flowed to her ankles and covered her cast in a tie-dye rainbow of colours. Her dark hair, with wisps of grey, fell in a long braid down her back. “I love to eat. We should get along famously.”

Brogan smiled. “Have you seen Blaine’s kitchen? It’s to die for.”

“Show me.” Rue put her arm around Brogan’s waist as they walked down the hall. Tacos trotted happily beside them. “You’re not one of those New Age, plant-based, vegan, health food nuts, are you?” Rue asked as they moved out of earshot.

Sabrina didn’t catch Brogan’s answer, but she winced when their laughter filled the air.

Blaine leaned against the wall. “I take it you’re still a plant-based, vegan, health food nut.”

Sabrina raised her chin. “There’s nothing wrong with choosing foods wisely to optimize health, despite what my mother thinks – or you, for that matter.”

He stepped closer and brushed at the snow melting on her neat ponytail. He could smell the perfume she wore. It took him back eleven years, and he almost lost his train of thought. “Eating for pleasure is just as important.”
Sabrina stiffened at his touch. Her back was ramrod straight. “Proper nutrition gives you the energy to enjoy what gives you pleasure.”

Her message and her body language read prim and proper, but her husky voice was pure sex. His body responded, and he leaned closer. “What gives you pleasure these days?”

She stopped him with a pointed finger jabbed into his chest and raised her chin. “Shouldn’t the question be who is giving me pleasure?”

Blaine jerked back, her words stopping him more effectively than a slap. He’d been fairly confident she hadn’t been dating anyone. He had a front seat window to the ticker tape of her life through Sabrina’s mom, who was a regular at Fire and Ice. There hadn’t even been a whisper of Sabrina dating, and even though two people couldn’t be any more different, Sabrina and her mom were still tight. There was no way Mrs. L wouldn’t know. He glanced at Sabrina’s left hand. No ring. She was baiting him, but he couldn’t deny the relief that coursed through him. He narrowed his eyes at her sublime expression and had to ask. “Who is giving you pleasure?”

Sabrina smiled slowly, her emerald eyes silently mocking him. “I would say that’s none of your business.”

She buttoned her coat. “I’ll pick my mom up after work at six.” She opened the door. “See ya.” She pulled the door shut behind her.

Blaine stood in the foyer and, with a shake of his head, smiled reluctantly. Round one to Sabrina. She was still sassy, sexy, and smart – exactly why he loved her. Game on.

Buy link:
e-book

Linda:
Linda O'ConnorAward-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Website https://www.lindaoconnor.net
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.lindaoconnor.net/contact/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA

Out Now—FEISTY (Do-Over Series Book 3) by Julia Kent

Feisty by Julia Kent

Feisty

AN ALL-NEW STANDALONE FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JULIA KENT

I’m not too proud to admit that finding Mr. Right involves swiping right. Right? Welcome to dating in avocado toastland.

Here I am, on my first blind date, ever, courtesy of a smartphone app and my two annoying best friends.

So what is Chris “Fletch” Fletcher doing, walking across the room, looking at his phone like he’s pattern matching a picture to find a real person he’s never met before?

Oh.

Oh, no.

The guy I drop-kicked in seventh grade cannot be my blind date. The guy who earned me this infernal nickname.

That’s right.

Feisty.
———

Feisty by Julia Kent

More from New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent as Fiona “Feisty” Gaskill gets her chance at love—drop-kick included.

Other Standalone Books in the Series:

Little Miss Perfect
Fluffy
Perky 

Buy links:

Amazon (all countries) 
Google Play 
Kobo 
BN/Nook 
Apple Books 
BookBub 
Goodreads

Audiobook narrated by Erin Mallon:

Audible 
Amazon Audio 
iTunes: Coming Soon

Feisty by Julia Kent

Excerpt

“Why are you suddenly meddling in my life like you know me? Because you don’t,” I inform him, moving closer, one hand rising up, my index finger pointing as I assume a power stance that seems otherworldly. Some self inside me is coming to the forefront.

And she has something to say.

Two of the people at his table turn and look at us, then start whispering. Fletch’s eyes cut over.

“Can we talk in private?” he asks.

“Why? Afraid of being called out in public?”

“No, but you’re about to get a bunch of cellphones pulled out. You really want more recordings of you floating around on the internet?”

I spin on my heel and move to the hallway in what I think is the direction of the bathrooms. Paleo2Clean is new to me, but before this incarnation, it was a soup restaurant, and before that, a froyo place.

Yep. Guessed right. High chairs and bathrooms.

“Look, Fletch,” I say, grabbing his arm hard. “Until our reunion last year, I hadn’t seen you in forever. And when Mal and Will chose us both to be in their wedding, I wasn’t happy, but I plastered on a fake smile because that’s what you do when your friends are getting married and you used to hate one of the groomsmen.”

“Hate?” A smile tickles his lips, his amusement infuriating me more than any other response he could possibly have. “You,” he says, looking at my hand on his skin, taking a step closer into my space, “hate me?”

“No. I said I used to hate you. Before I worked on evolving and being a better human being.”

“How, exactly, have you done that?”

“By increasing my vibration.”

“You are a better person because you use vibrators?”

“Who said anything about sex toys?”

“You did. Just now.”

“No, I didn’t! I said vibrations!”

“What’s the difference?”

“Enlightenment!”

“Pretty sure enlightenment comes from enough orgasms, too, Fiona.”

An espresso machine hisses in the distance, cutting through the sound of our matched breath. He’s inches from me, heat pulsing off his rock-hard body, the close-fitting black cloth of his shirt rippling only because of curved muscle. My hand on his arm feels like heat itself, our bodies some sort of element that conducts energy on a wavelength science hasn’t discovered yet.

And I’m wet, wanting, and so, so confused.

“Why are you turning this conversation into a sex talk?” I finally choke out, pulling back as he leans in.

“You started it,” he replies, the smile fading, replaced by something intensely seductive. He bites his lower lip for a moment, looking at me. Then, in a whisper that makes me lean in to hear, he adds, “Maybe you wouldn’t hate me so much if I helped you with those vibrations.”

Feisty by Julia Kent

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 19 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French and German, with more titles releasing in 2020 and beyond.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://jkentauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jkentauthor
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2PIBi9n
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkentauthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-kent
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3238619.Julia_Kent
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Kent/e/B00A99V268/

Writer Marketing ServicesRelease blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

Don’t Drop the Baby! (Sounds like good advice) by Linda O’Connor

Don't Drop the Baby by Linda O'ConnorDon’t Drop the Baby (Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor Book 1)
Genre Medical Romantic Comedy — PG

Blurb
Dr. Brogan Corkie is happily semi-retired from medicine and now has time for other hobbies. Her passion for food is only second to her skill at matchmaking!

Ross Skye, owner of BabyCare, a high-end line of baby merchandise, is injured in an accident, and Brogan uses her cooking, medical – and matchmaking – skills to help him out. Dr. Lauren Kane is taking care of her nephew for two weeks, and Brogan agrees to babysit while Lauren is at work.

Two years ago, Ross and Lauren dated. At that time, Lauren wanted kids, but Ross wasn’t keen. Now the tables have turned, and Ross is trying to convince Lauren that they’d make an awesome parenting team. Brogan suggests they test drive parenthood by looking after a simulated baby for a week – a computerized version that eats, sleeps, wets, and cries. Ross and Lauren experience the “joy” of having a newborn firsthand, and the bar is set pretty low. Their first goal is: don’t drop the baby. The second goal is to find out if their love for each other will survive the test of…parenting.

Excerpt from Don’t Drop the Baby
Her phone rang and she picked it up eagerly when she saw her daughter’s name on the call display. “Hi love, how are you?”

“On a scale of one to ten, I’d have to say ten.”

Brogan smiled. When the kids were teenagers, they’d roll their eyes when Brogan switched hats from mom to doctor and asked them to rate their pain or mood on a scale of one to ten. Later on it became a running family joke and everything from the weather to vegetables to their opinion of their sibling’s date was fair game.

“How are things with you, Mom? How’s the retirement test going?”

“Also a ten out of ten. I’ve slipped into my new career like a fish to water. I couldn’t be happier.”

“Nice. I’m sure a lot of patients are missing you, but you’ve earned the break. Are you managing to keep busy?”

“Yes. My freezer was overflowing, but I’ve got my very first customer.”

“Good gracious. Someone’s paying you to cook?”

“Mae honey, have a little faith. Some people enjoy my cooking.”

Mae laughed. “I guess the bright side is you can treat them if something goes wrong. Not many chefs can boast that.”

Brogan chuckled reluctantly. “The advantage of keeping my license up.”

“What are you catering?”

“I’m the in-house chef for a young man.”

Silence. “Excuse me?”

“Jess’s nephew was in an accident and fractured his arm and leg. I’m getting his meals and keeping an eye on him.”

“Jess’s nephew? You’re telling me that you’re living with multi-millionaire Ross Skye, CEO of BabyCare, who recently walked away from the crash of his private helicopter with a broken arm and leg?”

Brogan frowned. “Helicopter? I didn’t realize. I’d assumed it was his car. But either way, yes.” She paused. “Although I highly doubt he walked away from it.”

“He’s an experienced pilot. Apparently there was some mechanical problem, and his skill saved him. The crash was pretty spectacular. It was caught on video and plastered all over social media. He’s lucky to be alive.”
That might explain the trouble sleeping.

“He could afford the best of the best,” Mae continued. “How did you get involved?”

Brogan pursed her lips and tried to overlook the insult. “Jess asked me to drop off a few meals for his freezer, and I offered to help.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“Does he know you’re a doctor? Has he asked you to prescribe something illegal for him? Narcotics? Benzos?”

Brogan sighed audibly. “Relax, Mae. I do know what I’m doing.”

“The fact that you’re staying at his house seems a little sketchy. A one out of ten, Mom,” Mae said with a grunt. “Does Finn know about this?”

“Something tells me he will shortly,” Brogan said wryly. “I appreciate your concern, but there’s no need for it. I’m having fun.”

“That’s what concerns me!”

Brogan laughed. “I love you, dear. Say hello to Lori for me and don’t worry.”
Mae sighed. “Love you, Mom. Be careful.”

Brogan smiled and hung up the phone. Kids – can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.

Buy link Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0847SFBFV

Let’s find out about Linda and Don’t Drop the Baby

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book/A fun fact about writing your book.
LO’C: I’m so excited to introduce a new series – Dr. Brogan Corkie, Matchmaking Doctor. I’ve been busy working on this series for the past year. I originally had the idea for this story two years ago. I’m a physician, and I work at an Urgent Care Clinic. I frequently see patients with infectious illnesses and advise them to stay home from school or work until they’re no longer contagious. Sometimes it’s difficult for working parents to find care for their sick children – often they just can’t take a day off and it’s nearly impossible to find a caregiver willing to look after a child who is ill. It also isn’t easy for someone living on their own to cope when they don’t feel well. I thought caring for the sick when they are temporarily ill would make a great job for a retired doctor, since a doctor wouldn’t be daunted by the illness. That’s how Dr. Brogan Corkie’s character was born.

Initially, I was going to have her look after the sick in their homes and then bring two people together in that context. But when I started writing, I ended up giving Brogan a hobby – she enjoys cooking and catering for people and that became her second career. She uses her cooking know-how, her medical knowledge – and her matchmaking skills – to care for other people. I “upgraded” her M.D. from Medical Doctor to Matchmaking Doctor. Brogan is the romantic catalyst – she brings couples together and then through good advice and a warm heart she weaves her magic to make love happen. And throughout the series, Brogan’s own heart gets tangled up in romance, too! Medicine – it truly is a work of heart.

NA: What sort of research did you do to write this book?
LO’C: I don’t usually do much research for my books – the medicine part is easy for me, and I write contemporary romances, so I don’t need to check history facts. I can focus on writing!

NA: What started you on the path to writing?
LO’C: I’m a physician, and I started writing because I wanted to find a fun way to disseminate medical information and to educate and empower readers to take ownership of their health. Targeting a female audience with romance novels seemed like a good idea because women are usually the ones who see a doctor. (Males typically only go when a girlfriend/partner/spouse/mom encourages them to do so. :D)

I write romantic comedies because I love being in a fun headspace when I’m writing, and I weave the best parts of medicine into my stories. Laughter is essential to great health and nothing is better than a happily-ever-after ending!

NA: What do your friends and family think about your writing?
LO’C: My family supports me in the sweetest ways – helping me promote with social media or buying thoughtful writing gifts for my birthday. The funniest thing with respect to my family was my choice of characters for the first book. I wanted the female character to deliver a baby unexpectedly, out of the hospital setting, so I knew she was going to be an obstetrician-gynecologist. I was trying to write what I know – and my husband is an ophthalmologist. I know the medical terminology related to the eye specialty and have a good sense of the job through him, so naturally, it made sense to make the male character an ophthalmologist. It wasn’t until I hosted a release party for my book that I realized how much ribbing he was getting as a result of that (and the sexy scenes in the book). Oops!

NA: Do you outline books ahead of time or are you more of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer?
LO’C: Before I start to write a story I have a rough idea of the beginning, middle, and the ending, but I don’t plot out the whole thing. I do make a detailed description of the characters. And I can’t start writing until I’ve nailed down the characters’ names. The male names are the hardest because I have 3 sons, and they have a lot of friends. The name can’t remind me of anyone I know.

NA: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author?
LO’C: The most rewarding experience has been meeting new people – in person and online. It has been so much fun talking to other writers and readers, and I’ve been invited to a few book club meetings, which I love!

NA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
LO’C: I love to dance. I’ve been doing Zumba for years, and I recently started Scottish Country dancing. It is so much fun!

NA: A pet peeve
LO’C: People who take up two spots when they parallel park. I always wish I had a super strength superpower to fix them.

NA: Why did you choose the shirt you have on?
LO’C: I’m wearing a cozy sweater – because it’s cold outside and it keeps me toasty warm inside.

NA: First thought when the alarm goes off in the in the morning?
LO’C: I’m glad I set that alarm ten minutes early, so I can stay under the covers for another few minutes.

NA: What are you working on now?
LO’C: I’m editing the third book and writing the fourth book of the Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor series. The fourth book will be a Christmas romantic comedy!

NA: What books will we see from you in coming months?
LO’C: I’ll be releasing Don’t Forget the Dog, Book 2, and Don’t Unravel the Past, Book 3 of the Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor series in May 2020 and August 2020 respectively. And I’ll release Book 4 in November. Can’t wait!

Bio
Linda O'ConnorAward-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Social Media
Website 
Twitter 
Facebook 
Goodreads 
Amazon Author Page 

Julia Kent’s new book, Fluffy!

Out Now—Fluffy by Julia Kent (@jkentauthor) #romance #romcom

Fluffy by Julia Kent

FLUFFY
Author: Julia Kent
Release date: April 30, 2019
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Hang Le
Editor: Elisa Reed
Audiobook narrator: Erin Mallon

Description:

An all-new STANDALONE from New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent

It all started with the wrong Help Wanted ad. Of course it did.

I’m a professional fluffer. It’s NOT what you think. I stage homes for a living. Real estate agents love me, and my work stands on its own merits.

Sigh. Get your mind out of the gutter. Go ahead. Laugh. I’ll wait.

See? That’s the problem. My career has used the term “fluffer” for decades. I didn’t even know there was a more… lascivious definition of the term.

Until it was too late.

The ad for a “professional fluffer” on Craigslist seemed like divine intervention. My last unemployment check was in the bank. I was desperate. Rent was due. The ad said cash paid at the end of the day.

The perfect job!

Staging homes means showing your best angle. The same principle applies in making a certain kind of movie. Turns out a “fluffer” doesn’t arrange decorative pillows on a couch.

They arrange other soft, round-ish objects.

The job isn’t hard. Er, I mean, it is — it’s about being hard. Or, well… helping other people to be hard.

Oh, man…

And that’s the other problem. A man. No, not one of the stars on the movie set. Will Lotham – my high school crush. The owner of the house where we’re filming. Illegally. In a vacation rental.

By the time the cops show up, what I thought was just a great house staging gig turned into a nightmare involving pictures of me with an undressed naked star, Will rescuing me from an arrest, and a humiliating lesson in my own naivete.

My job turned out to be so much harder than I expected. But you know what’s easier than I ever imagined?

Having all my dreams come true.

Buy links:

AmazonUS: http://mybook.to/fluffy
AmazonUK: http://smarturl.it/fluffyAMZuk
AmazonCA: http://smarturl.it/fluffyAMZca
AmazonAU: http://smarturl.it/fluffyAMZau
Nook/BN: http://bit.ly/2CGtnBE
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2RmE159
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BjWvxL
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2COKLmQ
Audible: https://adbl.co/2KRgFGR
Print: http://mybook.to/fluffy
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2TjDjqS
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2ThoLrZ

Fluffy by Julia Kent

Excerpt:

“You’re changing the subject.”

“How do you know that’s what I’m doing?”

“Because you have this thing you do when you get nervous. You did it in high school and you’re doing it now.”

“What’s that?”

“You start cracking your knuckles. One by one.”

He halts mid-crack on his ring finger. His bare ring finger.

Will looks down. A slow smile pulls at his lips. “You’re right. I do.” Our eyes meet. “How did you know?”

“I sat behind you in nearly every honors class, Will. I’ve watched you answer countless questions from teachers. And every time you didn’t know the answer, you cracked your knuckles. One”–I crack my index finger–“by”–I crack my middle finger–“one.” My ring finger won’t snap.

He waits.

“You spent a lot of time paying attention to me, Mallory.”

“I sat behind you. It’s not like I could stare at your ass all day. I had to have something else to look at.”

“You stared at my ass?”

“It was two feet in front of me! Four classes a day!” I start to sweat. The memory of him in football uniform pants. Oh, sweet ice cream fairy, deliver me from evil.

“You okay? You look,” he says, stepping closer, “a little disturbed.”

“I’m fine.”

“Hot, even.” The rise and fall of his chest pauses after those words, as if he’s holding his breath, too.

Fluffy by Julia Kent

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down

Social Media Links:

Website: http://jkentauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jkentauthor
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2PIBi9n
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkentauthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-kent
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3238619.Julia_Kent
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Kent/e/B00A99V268/

Fluffy and Writer Services

Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

Our Options Have Changed: Julia Kent & Elisa Reed

Our Options Have Chnaged

FREE from 5th-12th February! Our Options Have Changed by Julia Kent & Elisa Reed

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance

Description:

Having it all is a fantasy, right?

Chloe Browne knows all about fantasy. Fantasy is her job.

And she’s very, very good at what she does.

As director of design for the O Spa chain, a sophisticated women’s club that is trending its way into being the Next Big Thing, Chloe’s ready to take on the world.

One baby at a time.

Her home study’s done, and she’s about to adopt, a thirty-something single mother by choice. Who needs to put her life on hold for the right guy when the right baby is waiting for her?

Besides, talk about fantasy.

The right guy?

Pfft. Right.

And then in walks Nick Grafton, with those commanding sapphire eyes and wavy blonde hair and a sophisticated mouth that only smiles for her.

He’s perfect.

But the last thing Nick wants is to start fresh with a new baby as his college-age kids fly the coop. A single father for more than fifteen years after his wife walked out on her family, Nick finally tastes freedom.

But he likes the taste of Chloe more.

* * *

Changed options

Our Options Have Changed is a full-length standalone contemporary romance, the first in the On Hold series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent and journalist-turned-fiction-writer Elisa Reed. It is a loose spinoff from Julia Kent’s Shopping for a Billionaire series, with cameo appearances from favorite characters.

Buy links:

Apple Books: http://apple.co/2b0fHR6
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2bnRf1K
Nook: http://bit.ly/2b24Ol8
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2b5n785
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2bjzV9C
Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/2bnRU3d
Amazon Australia: http://amzn.to/2aWxoGe
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2nK6QfY
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2byDbyX
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2FwF6po

Author Bios:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.
Website: http://jkentauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jkentauthor

Elisa Reed is a journalist-turned-fiction-writer whose snappy, irreverent prose combines with an irrepressible zest for the simpler, and often intimate, pleasures of life to produce fun(ny) contemporary romance with a focus on second chances. New England born and bred, Elisa Reed now lives, writes, and plays in New Orleans and along the sugar sands of the Gulf Coast.
You can find her on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/elisareedauthor

Excerpt:

O is a twenty-first century club for sophisticated women. A fourth space for women of a discerning taste.

Home is the first space. Work is the second space. Third spaces are locations like coffee shops and malls.

O is the fourth space. The space where you can arrive. Rest. Relax. Indulge. Be someone you can’t be in the other three spaces.

Based on our membership rates, we’re onto something. Our investors are, shall we say, pleased.

O does have a public presence, thanks to our retail environments. In Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and soon in New Orleans, sophisticated consumers can spend hours—and hundreds of dollars—browsing our selection of “elegant accessories for intimate pleasure.”

That’s right—sex toys. That’s what the masses call them. Except at O, we cater to a clientele that doesn’t want to be one of the hoi polloi. They want to be unique. In the know. Enlightened and cosmopolitan on the surface.

But a wildcat down…below.

Which makes a Grade C unacceptable. No one wants to be average.

Especially down below.

Freebie blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.