New Release Spotlight: Somewhere To Begin by Mika Jolie

There are wounds that never show on the body.

For twenty-nine years, Colbie Bennington does as expected with an eternal smile stained on her lips. The biggest chances she’s ever taken can be counted on one hand, three fingers to be exact—her battered red chucks, painting her toenails a vibrant blue, and her wedding dress. Always the dutiful daughter and a Stepford fiancée, she has never acted on impulse, never been in love.

She’s never lived.

On her wedding day, Colbie ends a toxic relationship, drops the fake smile, and says, “I can’t do this anymore.”

Navy SEAL Zander Serrano returns home broken and burdened with a volcano of remorse. Too trapped in a mental war to be at peace and too damaged to be at war, he shuts the world out. The last thing he expects is to feel, especially for a runaway bride with her own baggage.

Two empty hearts marred in different spots find themselves drawn to one another. Each with their own scars. Some, the world can see. Others, unseen to the naked eye.

They say two broken people should not be together. But for Colbie and Zander, their attraction is undeniable, unexpected.

Can two souls with fractured parts be the best cure for each other’s wounds?

Starting over is never easy, but sometimes in life, everyone needs somewhere to begin.

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Somewhere To Begin Excerpt

When she looked at him again, she’d turned into a different person. She managed to fake a smile that buried her pain deep inside her heart. But her eyes remained cold, as if nothing in this world could melt them.

“Colbie, I’d never hurt you.”

She tucked wayward hair behind her ear, and then stared back at him, her eyes a defeated storm. “I know,” she said, a hint of apology in her voice. “I just don’t need the pity.”

At that, he cupped her face and slowly stepped into her space. Her hands immediately planted on his chest. The touch gave him a pure electrical jolt like nothing he’d ever experienced.

Zander waited for her to push him away. Instead, she tilted her head back to look at him, a soft expression on her face. For the longest minute, he ran his thumb along the curve of her cheekbone. Those sultry eyes of hers were heavy and aware, it was impossible for him not to be held prisoner by them. “This isn’t pity.” He dipped his head until their lips were a whisper apart. “Not even close.”

Mika Jolie is the bestselling author of the Martha’s Way series. She lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she’s determined to balance it all and still write about life experiences and matters of the heart. Let’s face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When she’s not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, you can find her on a hiking adventure, apple picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up.

She loves to hear from readers.

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New Release Spotlight: Neighbors by Stylo Fantȏme

Are you ready to meet the neighbors?

Neighbors by Stylo Fantome is NOW AVAILABLE & FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

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Things a good neighbor can do for you:

1. Give you a cup of sugar

2. Let you borrow his lawnmower

3. Water your plants while you're on vacation

4. Make your eyes roll back in your head with his tongue

Katya Tocci has never paid much attention to who lives next door - her career always kept her too busy. She's a good girl, working her way to becoming the most sought after cake designer in all of San Francisco.

But even a good girl's gotta cut loose once in a while, right? So one fake dating profile later, and she's ready to tarnish her squeaky clean image. Little does she know, her fun time is closer to home than she ever imagined.

Throw in a neighbor who wants to corrupt her, and another who just wants to own her, and her entire world is flipped upside down.

Who knew neighbors could be so helpful?

It was no joke.

Liam had been waiting in the lobby for her at nine o'clock, sharp. Liam Edenhoff – “but everyone calls me Eden” – he'd introduced himself again to her before guiding her out to a taxi he'd had waiting.

She felt a little nauseous. She'd chugged down another half bottle of wine, and some crème de menthe, before heading downstairs to meet him. She'd almost talked herself out of going, but she'd made the mistake of telling her roommate Tori about the whole fiasco. Apparently, Katya owed it to women everywhere (and Tori in particular) to explore this opportunity to its fullest. She'd all but been shoved out the apartment, the door slammed and locked in her face.

“Nervous?” Liam Eden-whatever-his-name-was asked her as the cab slowed to a crawl.

“Nope,” Katya's voice sounded overly loud.

“Liar. Tonight is gonna be an interesting night, angel cake.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“What's your last name?”

“None of your business.”

“Okay then – when the gang bang starts, I'll tell them to call you Katya X.”

She couldn't stop the blush from happening that time. Liam burst out laughing, then soothed the sting by grabbing her hand.

Even when they got out of the cab, he didn't let go of her. Normally, she would've been uncomfortable with a stranger assuming such a familiarity with her, but this time, she was thankful for it. She held onto him tightly as they walked down a crowded street. Then they turned into an alley, and his gang bang joke didn't seem so funny. He led her to a plain door, above which a simple, small, neon sign spelled out “The Garden”. Outside were several small groups of people, chatting and smoking. Some of them called out greetings to him, all of them using his nickname, but a large and scary looking bouncer addressed him very properly.

“Hey, Mr. Edenhoff, wasn't expecting you in tonight. Any problems?”

“Nope, just bringing a friend to show her the place, let her see what I do for a living.”

All the blood was quickly rushing from Katya's limbs, pooling somewhere in her stomach. None of this was a joke. He really did own the place, that much was obvious.

As Liam led her through the door, though, Katya actually felt a surge of confidence. She was still nervous, still more than a little scared, but she was okay with it. Liam seemed like a nice guy, he wasn't going to take her into some dark room and insert foreign objects into her orifices. She could leave whenever she wanted to, whenever it got too uncomfortable. Everything was fine, and for once, she was doing something exciting. She'd een have something interesting to talk about at work the next day.

Finally.

Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.

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New Release Spotlight and Review: Jackson Stiles, Road to Redemption by Jo Richardson.

Jackson Stiles, Road to Redemption
Road to Redemption #1

By: Jo Richardson

Releasing September 21, 2016
Self-Published

Jackson Stiles is used to having bad days, but they’ve been especially bad since a certain tabloid reporter seems to have it out for him.

Emma Green doesn’t mean any harm. She simply sees it as her duty to report the misdeeds of certain Private Detectives who charge too much in a society where people need more superheroes and less villains; something even Jackson has convinced himself he deserves to be called, deep in his gut.

When the two of them realize they’re investigating the same suspicious circumstances, Emma makes Jackson an offer he only wishes he could refuse. But can the man who trusts no one allow the one woman he can’t stand help him get to the bottom of a murder he feels responsible for?

Exposed and unsure, these two unexpected allies come together to unmask the mysteries cloaked in plain sight while uncovering secrets within each other. A lost soul and a seeker of truth travel down the road to redemption and discover more than they bargained for.

Link to Follow Tour: HERE

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“Morning, Stiles.” The five-and-a-half-foot brunette that likes to make my life miserable is easily five-eight, maybe even five-nine, in the heels she’s got on today. Combined with the dark blue power suit she’s wearing, she comes off as all business despite the fact that she doesn’t make eye contact with me. She’s too busy scrolling through a bunch of bullshit on her smartphone.

I growl a response so it comes out as more of a warning than a greeting. Is it a bit much for this time of day? Maybe. Considering our history, I’m not exactly worried about her impression of me, though.

Emma Green is the latest and greatest “crime” reporter for our friendly neighborhood tabloid. And I use the term “reporter” loosely, by the way. Very loosely.

Doesn’t care about getting the story right in certain cases, if ya know what I mean, loosely.

Her name’s been on nearly every article the Redemption Chronicle has put out since she arrived from somewhere down in Florida. She shows up at most crime scenes, from burglaries to homicides, and has very much become a royal pain in my...

“You’re late, by the way. They were just talking about you.” She mutters and points, blindly, down the hall as she steps into the elevator. Which is my cue to get the fuck out.

My one and only cigarette calls to me from the front pocket of my button down. Thank God I remembered it. But quite frankly, I don’t have the energy to pull it out. Not that I wouldn’t get arrested if I did, but . . .

“And you look like hell.” She’s full of compliments today, I see.

“Fuck you very much, Green.” Not that I’m complaining. It makes it easy to respond to her in like fashion. And bonus: I’m feeling pretty good about getting the last word in on this battle of the banter, as the doors close but then they open again.

“Maybe you shouldn’t stay up so late playing around with your buddies over at the police department.” I look back to see her foot blocking the sensors that would normally allow the doors to close. She still can’t be bothered to look up. She’s too busy burying her nose into the iPhone.

Let’s be real here. Flirting is not her forte.

“I appreciate that enlightening bit of useless advice, Green.” Despite my attempt to be nice sarcasm spills out of every word. It’s only when she pulls her foot all the way in and the doors are halfway shut that I ask myself─ how did she know I was downtown last night?

Emerald eyes peer up at me as the question enters my mind. And I swear, she’s fucking smirking.

Between the pleasant smile and the way her expression lights up like she’s about to pounce, I’m not sure what the hell to think. I haven’t seen her smile like that since the day I briefly met her on the scene of a break-in I was hired to investigate. First thing I noticed was her smile. She seemed...new.

The next thing I noticed was her eyes.

Deep green. The grab-a-hold-of-you-and-don’t-let-go kind that make you wanna know everything that’s going on behind them.

And don’t even get me started on her ass. It begs for mercy because she, no doubt, runs it every day, then follows up with a pint of fat free yogurt and a jug of water.

Not that I’ve thought about it.

But I digress.

She was polite enough. Or so I thought. Asked me if I had any insider’s information on what had gone down that day. It’s not like I was rude or anything. All I did was tell her I wasn’t doing her fucking job for her.

I paid the price for that comment in the article she ran the next day. The headline read, “Local P.I. steals more from family than burglar.” I won’t bother you with the details, but let’s just say, the article was less about the break-in and more about what an asshole I am.

I mean, what the fuck?

I can assure anyone who has the balls to ask, I charge less than ninety percent of the dicks working the tri-state area. Just ask the bill collectors.

The asshole thing is still up for debate...in most circles.

Lesson learned here? Never trust a woman with eyes that stunning or an ass that tight.

Basically, I fucking hate her.

Jackson Stiles is a bad-ass Private Investigator because pleasing his Father and becoming a cop just wasn't his agenda. Plus he earns far more money working freelance. Emma 'Green' always seems to be in his face as he goes about his crime-solving, leading him to believe that the woman who wrote a damning article about him in The Chronicle isn't all she seems.

Emma Green is a reporter for The Chronicle and she's responsible for keeping the good folk of Redemption informed with her gossipy, factually inaccurate articles. Jackson Stiles has been a target of her observations and it was far from complementary. However, wherever he is, she's always there at the scene, so when the pair joins forces, he discovers she's not the woman he thought she was...or is she?

I particularly liked Jackson. He's a straight-talking guy but underneath his bravado is someone struggling to come to terms with his past. The result is a strained relationship with his father. 'Green' is like a breath of fresh air to Jackson, although what she believes contradicts what she writes for the local newspaper. Together they are unlikely allies, yet manage to spark off each other in a convincing way. Yet there's an element of doubt as to whether either can trust the other thus making their partnership intriguing.

I enjoyed that the author keeps you guessing about the villains, keeping the suspense running throughout the whole book. However, I struggled to keep focused on the plot which was like a running commentary. The dialogue/banter is too wordy (busy) for me and I found it distracting along with Jackson's inner thoughts. A couple of laugh-out-loud moments are there and confident more are there if only I were more attuned to the urban/streetwise way the characters spoke to each other. As a Brit, it was hard for me to follow, although I feel confident American readers will just lap it all up easily.

Overall, I liked the plot and Jackson too, who is incredibly likeable. It's just how it was all put together that didn't work for me.

***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Tasty Book Tours*** 

A movie fanatic, a writer of stories, a lover of life.

I grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity – but it was too cold up North for this thin blooded girl. So today, I live in Florida with my two girls and a husband that shares my same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

I write both contemporary and paranormal stories that include mystery, suspense, humor, action, romance, and anything else I can think up.

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New Release Spotlight: Meant To Be by Jenna Harte

Meant to Be
Southern Heat #2

By: Jenna Harte

Releasing September 27, 2016
Penner Publishing

Charming and sexy, detective Mitch McKenna lets women into his bed—not into his heart. When his first love left him in a lurch, crushing his soul, Mitch swore off relationships and love. After all, any woman who chooses what her parents want over what she wants is not worth fighting for.

Or is she?

Successful New York doctor, Sydney Preston left the only man she ever loved to follow the path that her parents paved for her. When a tragic incident at the hospital threatens her life, Sydney moves to Virginia to rekindle the spark with her ex-fiancé.

But Mitch isn’t interested in reigniting the flame that fizzled out long ago. Will they both allow resentments and misunderstanding spoil their chance of discovering what was meant to be?

Link to Follow Tour: HERE

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The warning grew more intense until Mitch couldn’t help but turn around and stare right into the beautiful hazel eyes of Sydney Preston.

His heart stuttered in his chest as a wave of conflicting emotions; anger, love, bitterness, joy crashed through him. His first instinct was to leave, which only pissed him off. He’d stared down insurgents in the Middle East. He could survive seeing Sydney Preston. Another, equally strong, part of him wanted to touch her, to hold her close and see if she felt as soft, smelled just as sweet as he remembered. But he wouldn’t succumb to her charm again. Like a steel gate, everything inside Mitch closed.

“Doctor Preston is our new OB/GYN from New York. She’s helping out at the free clinic, too. Doctor Preston, this is my husband, Kevin, and our friend Mitch McKenna. They’re Charlotte Tavern’s finest police detectives. But watch out for Mitch, he’s a real ladies’ man.”

The hazel eyes that had once captivated him flashed with surprise and maybe panic. But then it was gone, replaced by a blank smile.

“Hi.” He choked out the word, not wanting to appear rude. At the same time, he wasn’t going to go out of his way for a chummy reunion. She didn’t deserve his recognition, so he wasn’t going to give it.

Her head tilted to the side, and a slight smirk crossed her lips. “Actually, we’ve met.”

“Really?” Jenny’s voice suggested intrigue and delight at the prospect. “Where?”

“We went to college together.” Sydney held his gaze. If she wouldn’t flinch, neither would he.

“Oh, wow. Hey, maybe you know his old girlfriend. Poor Mitch lost his heart to her, and she crushed it like a bug.”

“Honey.” Kevin patted Jenny on the back, while casting Mitch an apologetic smile.

Mitch didn’t know if Kevin was intervening because he knew no man liked to have his emotional history laid out in public or if he recognized there was something more between Sydney and him. Probably both. Kevin was observant and insightful, which is what made him a skilled detective, one that Mitch was grateful to have as a partner.

“What?” Jenny blinked up at her husband.

“Yes, I knew her.” Sydney’s tone was matter-of-fact. Mitch’s eyes narrowed with scrutiny as he waited to see if she was going to admit to being the one who squashed his heart.

Jenny turned her attention back to Sydney. “Was she a real bitch? I heard she came from a rich family that didn’t like Mitch. But what’s not to like, right? I mean, he’s as yummy as cherry pie.”

“I thought that was me.” Kevin pouted.

“You’re peach pie, my favorite.” She smiled coyly at Kevin, who gave her wink. Mitch imagined there was a story there but blocked his brain from filling in the details of what it might be.

“Speaking of peach pie, why don’t we go to the cafeteria and get some,” Jenny suggested. “We can let Mitch and Doctor Preston get to know each other.”

“I don’t need to get to know Doctor Preston. I’m sure I’m not her type.” He knew the minute it was out of his mouth that Jenny would reprimand him.

“Why, Mitchell McKenna, your mother would light you up if she knew you were being so rude. I’m so sorry Doctor Preston—”

“It’s okay.” Sydney waved the comment away, much like she’d waved him away ten years earlier. “I have to check on Mrs. Warner anyway. You go enjoy your pie.”

She said it with such smoothness, it highlighted Mitch’s bad manners. But he didn’t care. Let Jenny and Kevin think he was a heel. He knew the truth and Doctor Preston knew the truth. She didn’t deserve his time or attention. Not anymore.

***

Sydney walked, back straight and chin up, until she turned the corner. Then she sagged against the wall, hoping her legs would still hold her upright. Her hand shook as lifted it to cover her thundering heart. Over the last ten years, she’d imagined what seeing him again would be like. But what actually happened had never been in any of the scenarios she’d considered. Not that she’d thought he’d take her in his arms, confess his undying love, and kiss her senseless as he used to do, although, admittedly, she’d always hoped that would be his response.

He was still ridiculously handsome with his bronze wavy hair and emerald eyes. But gone were the affable smile and charm, replaced by eyes that were as hard and cold as his welcome.

She hadn’t considered that he’d pretend to not know her. It showed just how deeply she’d hurt him. Even so, she wasn’t going to let him get away with it. She was in Charlotte Tavern for one reason only: to fix things with Mitch McKenna. Sure, they still might not have the future they’d once planned, but at least she would address the regret and hopefully make amends. Life, she’d recently learned, was too short to not live it to the fullest without guilt and unresolved issues.

“Are you okay, Doctor Preston?”

Sydney looked at the nurse approaching her.

“Yes, Meg. Just a little tired.”

“I have Mrs. Warner’s meds. I was just taking them to her.”

“Actually, I’m on my way to see her.” Sydney pushed off from against the wall, grateful for the distraction.

“She has such a cute baby.” Meg walked alongside Sydney. “Not all babies are cute.”

Sydney agreed, although she was surprised to hear Meg say it out loud. “No. But they’re all a gift.” A gift Sydney knew she’d never have.

Jenna Harte is a die-hard romantic writing about characters who are passionate about and committed to each other, and frequently getting into trouble. She is the author of the Valentine Mysteries, the first of which, “Deadly Valentine,” reached the quarter-finals in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award in 2013. She is also the author of the contemporary romance series, Southern Heat, with includes Drawn to Her, and upcoming September 2016 release of Meant to Be. She has a bundle of stories filled with romance, mystery and even time travel rattling around in her head and is eager for the day when a device is invented allowing her to download what’s in her brain onto her computer. When she’s not telling stories, she works by day as a freelance writer, author, blogger and online entrepreneur. She lives in central Virginia with her husband, two college-bound children and a two fat cats.

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