Hard Chrome Release Blitz

Book synopsis

He’s tough. But she’s tougher.

Tanner Ellis left American Heavy Metal in her rearview mirror. She didn’t see the beauty behind the grease stains and the polished chrome until it was too late. Now she’s back, determined to save her father’s legacy—and bring the South’s premier classic-car shop into the new century. Nothing is going to stop her—especially not the sexy tech who refuses to follow her lead.

American Heavy Metal is the only home Duke Wilson’s ever known, and no high-heeled, sharp-tongued princess is going to take it away. He tolerates Tanner’s advice, and it’s fun to push her buttons, but she doesn’t belong in the shop—never has, never will. The sooner she realizes that, the sooner he can find his new normal.

When Tanner falters, revealing the pain beneath her bravado, Duke comforts her the only way he knows how. And when violence from his past threatens their future, she’ll be there for him, offering him the one thing he’s always wanted—a shot at a real family. He just has to convince himself to take it.

This book is approximately 49,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! 

Warnings

Hard Chrome deals with subjects some readers may find difficult, including domestic violence,

animal cruelty, drug use, and teen pregnancy.

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About Vanessa North

Vanessa North is a romance novelist, a short fiction geek, and a knitter of strange and wonderful things. Her works have been shortlisted for both the Lambda Literary Award and the RITA© Award, and have garnered praise from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Northwest Georgia with her family: a Viking, twin boy-children, and two large dogs. 

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Giveaway

     

Vanessa North is celebrating the release of HARD CHROME with a big giveaway! Three prizes are up for grabs: (2) $10 Amazon Gift Cards and (1) Signed Paperback of Hard Chrome + some serious auto-shop inspired swag! 

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Teaser

Since I never met trouble I couldn’t land in face first, I stand and follow Tanner out to the kitchen.
 She’s leaning over the sink, her eyes closed, breathing slow like she’s in a yoga class. Elbows locked, knuckles white. I get the feeling if she let go of that countertop, she’d crumple to the ground.
 “Are you okay?” I ask softly.
 She nods, not opening those pretty eyes for a long moment; then she turns and she stares right at me. “Do you know what it’s like to have everyone counting on you? And you know you’re going to let them down, but you can’t say no, so you just let it happen?”
 And I’m twelve years old, testifying against Clifton for beating Ma.
 And I’m fifteen years old, doing it again.
 And I’m twenty, when they finally lock him up for fighting dogs.
 And I’m tired and relieved when he gets time added to his sentence for punching a guard, because it means I don’t have to stand up there again and watch my mother’s heart break when all I ever wanted was my family to be safe.
 And still he got paroled.
 “Yeah. I know what it’s like.”
 “You don’t think I can do it, do you? You don’t think I can run the shop?”
 Can she? I don’t know. Tom Ellis didn’t raise no fools. Maybe she’s looking for an out, any excuse to cut and run, and she just needs someone who isn’t her family to give it to her.
 “I don’t think you want to. I don’t think you love the cars, or the work, or this town.” I swallow, hard.
 “Families are fucked up, all of ’em. I get why you want to stay. I just don’t get what hurting yourself and them to prove something does for anyone.”
 She scowls then turns back to the sink and her yoga breathing. My fingers itch to touch her, to comfort her somehow, but I can take a hint. Besides. I don’t even like her.

Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis

From Forever Romance/Grand Central:

SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN . . . 

After an overseas mission goes wrong, Army Special Forces officer Jacob Kincaid knows where he must go to make things right: back home to the tiny town of Cedar Ridge, Colorado. All he needs to scrub away his painful past is fresh mountain air, a lakeside cabin, and quiet solitude. But what he discovers is a gorgeous woman living on a boat at his dock.

Sophie Marren has nowhere else to go. She's broke, intermittently seasick, and fighting a serious attraction to the brooding, dishy, I'm-too-sexy-for-myself guy who's now claiming her dock. Something about Jacob's dark intensity makes her want to tease-and tempt-him beyond measure. Neither one wants to give any ground . . . until they realize the only true home they have is with each other.

Nobody But You is classic Jill Shalvis, combining hilarious hijinx with heart.  Jacob's journey seeking home, acceptance and forgiveness is set against the beautifully imagined Cedar Ridge, Colorado.  Jacob is the long lost twin of Hudson Kincaid, who we met in My Kind of Wonderful.  Hud and Jacob had a big fight at eighteen and Jacob took off and joined the Army, not to be heard from again for nine years.  The reunion is anything but smooth and in true Kincaid fashion, Jacob is given hell.  The Kincaid family is a hilarious hot mess and I love them so much.  

He's also given hell by Sophie, the crazy heroine of our story, who is recently divorced and living on her ex-husband's boat out of spite.  Their story is sweet and sexy, but it's Jacob's journey that is poignant and inspiring.  It's a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, grief and love that made me laugh and cry.  

You should definitely pick up Nobody But You so that you can love Jacob Kincaid as much as I do.  We can fight over our newest book boyfriend for hours.  :-)

~ Shel

Best Worst Mistake (Brightwater #3) by Lia Riley

* * * *

Sometimes the worst mistakes turn out to be the best… 

Smoke jumper Wilder Kane once reveled in the rush from putting out dangerous wildfires. But after a tragic accident, he’s cut himself off from the world, refusing to leave his isolated cabin. When a headstrong beauty bursts in, Wilder finds himself craving the fire she ignites in him, but letting anyone near his darkness would be a mistake.

After her Hollywood life went up in smoke, Quinn Higsby decided to leave Tinseltown behind and return to Brightwater to care for her ailing father. She spends her days in a small bookstore, until her peaceful existence is up-ended by a fascinating but damaged man. Quinn is determined not to be scared off by Wilder, not once she’s experienced the heat of his passions.

But when an arsonist targets the community and Wilder is accused, he must confront the ghosts of his past. Will his desire for Quinn burn him up or will he be able to tame the wildness inside and rekindle a hope for their future?

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve never thought of myself as a fan of small town romances and yet, Lia Riley has made a convert out of me. Best Worst Mistake has ended up being my favourite of the three so far!

Wilder is the oldest, mysterious Kane brother who’s been MIA from Brightwater for years. He’s purposefully stayed away because of the painful memories his hometown holds for him. Upon surviving a devastating accident, he is forced to return home where his family can keep an eye on him. He reluctantly gives in but remains aloof. Since his movements are limited, he spends his time reading and taking up crafty projects.

Quinn has returned to Brightwater to escape her disappointing career in LA. The lifestyle here is exactly what she needs. Being home also allows her to be closer to her ailing father. She works at the local bookstore that just so happens to be delivering loads of books to this mysterious Wilder. An incident involving Quinn's dad leads to their first meeting. She is instantly intrigued by and attracted to Wilder’s surliness. Wilder prefers it when his abrasiveness  scares people away but Quinn responds to him differently. She’s not intimidated in the least. Instead she goes head-to-head with him and he rather enjoys it. And that’s how this little romance begins.

I can’t believe how badly I wanted to burrow my way into this book. People, I’m not even a fan of winter or the snow and here I was wishing I could transport myself to Brightwater to visit this little bookstore, then pop over to the café for a hot drink and pastry and then hang out at Wilder’s cabin. That last part is so not me. I’m normally a room service girl but somehow, Lia Riley managed to have me wishing I could cozy up to a warm fireplace and hang out with the entire Kane family. This is a tightly knit group of family and friends that I have come to adore. And speaking of that, I couldn’t adore Quinn enough. I have a special affinity for her. Perhaps it’s that she babbles when she’s feeling awkward. Or that she works in a bookstore and loves wearing geeky t-shirts. Then there’s Wilder. I honestly thought there was no way I could love a Kane brother other than Sawyer. Well, I was wrong. I responded to this character who is devoid of any ego but haunted by secrets. He’s sturdy; someone who quietly observes from the background and who is ever ready to be there for you at a moment’s notice. Yes, I puffy heart him something fierce!

I think you get the gist. Reading Best Worst Mistake is like being wrapped up in a warm, fuzzy blanket. Read this entire Brightwater series. It’s good for your heart and increases smiles by 110%!

~ Bel

One More Kiss by Kim Amos Launch Day Blitz

We are excited to participate in the incredibly sweet looking One More Kiss by Kim Amos!  We have all the info you need and an excerpt below.  Check it out!

About One More Kiss

ONE MORE KISS . . . 

Betty Lindholm doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. The banner advertising the new shipment of satin at her fabric store finally arrived and now the entire town of White Pine is up in arms. How was she supposed to know there'd be a typo? Now the entire town thinks she's proclaiming "Satan is here!" Even the gorgeous pastor with his steel-grey eyes and sexy smile . . . 

. . . IS NEVER ENOUGH

Pastor Randall Sondheim is always on the lookout for excuses to drop by Betty's shop and gaze into her lovely blue eyes. The latest is her crazy sign-could that be a sign of something more? Sweet Betty brings out the best in him but it's the worst in him, his dark secret tragedy, that worries Randall. Can this man of God conquer his own demons to win a match made in heaven?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Vz69SX

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About Kim Amos

Kim Amos is a romance writer whose Midwestern roots run deep. You can usually find her hanging out in a state that borders the Great Lakes. She is married to an artisan ice cream maker, which is a dangerous complement to her enduring love for cheese. Learn more at www.kimamoswrites.com.

https://twitter.com/@KimAmosWrites

https://www.facebook.com/KimAmosWrites

Excerpt:

Prologue

Betty Sondheim studied the fresh-baked apple pie in her shopping cart and wondered what in the world was happening to her. The golden-colored filling looked rich enough to be called buried treasure, the way it was artfully folded under all that flaky crust. And the bottom of the tin was still deliciously warm: No doubt the pie had just been baked that morning by Arleen Raider, who had won White Pine’s most recent Fourth of July dessert contest. Even now, she caught a glimpse of Arleen behind the Lumberjack Grocery’s bakery counter piping frosting onto cakes, her experienced baker’s hands moving with graceful ease.

            This pie was going to be delicious. Arleen’s pies were always delicious.

So why did Betty suddenly want to throw the whole tin across the room and never touch another bite ever again?  

Audrey Callaghan rolled her cart next to Betty’s. “Get everything you needed?” her friend asked. The pair were picking up a few extra items for that evening’s Knots and Bolts recipe exchange. Betty would never bring a store-bought pie to a recipe exchange, but she would bring one home to her husband, Randall Sondheim.

“I just need to grab some cream of tartar, then I’m done,” she said. She eyed the pie warily as she spoke. Sometimes she and Randall had Arleen’s pies with their coffee in the morning, sitting in their sun-soaked kitchen and appreciating the fact that life was too short to always eat dessert last.

She took a breath as her heart thudded, thinking of Randall and how lucky they were to have each other. Arleen’s pies were more than just dessert—they were a symbol of all that was good between them.

Her stomach roiled and she nearly dropped the tin.

So why did she feel like what was good between them suddenly made her sick?

Audrey reached out and grabbed Betty’s elbow. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

Betty set the pie back down. “I’m—I’m fine. I just don’t think I should be buying this right now. We’re trying to watch our waistlines.”

She swallowed, hating the lie but not knowing what else to say. Because deep down was the sudden realization that maybe this wasn’t about pie at all. Maybe this was about something much more exciting. And terrifying.

She forced herself to smile at Audrey, whose lovely brown eyes were watching her carefully.

“You go on and check out,” Betty said. “Let me grab the last of what I need and I’ll meet you up front.” The two women were slated to return to Betty’s when they were done at the store, to prep their food for that evening. Betty was supposed to show Audrey how to make homemade strudel dough, though her brain felt so scrambled at the moment that she wasn’t sure how she could brown toast, never mind tackle anything more complicated. 

“All right,” Audrey said hesitantly. “I’ll be right up front. If you’re not there in five minutes, I’m coming to find you.”

Betty waved her off. “I’m fine. Go get one of those Hollywood magazines you like and read about the latest plastic surgery fiascos until I get there.”

Audrey smiled and headed for the front. Betty pushed her cart away from the bakery section, telling herself she was making a big deal out of nothing. Right? The fact that she didn’t want the pie didn’t mean anything else was going on.

And yet there was a fluttering in her stomach that she couldn’t lock down. She clutched the top of the cart more tightly and steered it through the store, trying to get to the spice and baking aisle as quickly as possible. But her steps slowed when her eyes landed on the aisle with toilet paper and toothpaste and…something else.

She turned her cart and stopped in front of a small row of white boxes.

Pregnancy tests.

She gripped the cart until her knuckles were white. That couldn’t be it, could it?

It would explain the pie, anyway. And why couldn’t it be possible? She and Randall had started trying, after all. It’s just that it had only been…well, barely a few weeks. She’d figured that it would take months, maybe even years, since she was approaching her mid-thirties. But maybe her ovaries were as impatient as the rest of her tended to be.

She glanced around to see if Audrey was anywhere nearby. When the coast was clear, she grabbed one box—then another—and stuffed them into her cart under a bag of spinach.

She steered toward the front of the store, wondering how she was ever going to check out without Audrey seeing the tests. Not that she didn’t want to tell her friend. It’s just that their other friend Willa was pregnant and due in another few weeks, and she wanted Willa to have the spotlight to herself for as long as possible. And who knew if Audrey was trying now too, what with her recent marriage to Kieran Callaghan and the dazed-in-love look she wore most days.

Betty knew spilling news about babies and pregnancy could be complicated. Women had funny reactions to it all sometimes.

She took a steadying breath. Bigger than all that, though, was the fact that she wanted to tell Randall everything first. She wanted to pull her husband close and feel his strong arms around her, and have it be just their secret. For a time anyway.

If she even was pregnant.

It was a huge if. After all, everything she was feeling could be indigestion. Gas. Heartburn from all that spicy chili she made earlier in the week.

Audrey waved as Betty approached the check-out. Audrey’s wedding ring glinted under the bright store lights. Her shopping bags were resting on the floor by her feet. And now, standing next to Audrey, was her sister Casey, who’d just moved to town recently. Snow fell gently outside the windows facing the grocery store parking lot, blanketing the blacktop in white.

“Look who I found!” Audrey said, bumping her sister with her shoulder. “Looks like we’re all here trying to get ready for tonight’s recipe exchange.”

“Hi Casey,” Betty said, trying to sound like it was a regular Thursday afternoon and she didn’t have two pregnancy tests shoved into the bottom of her cart. “You settling into town okay?”

“So far so good,” Casey said, looking like a carbon copy of Audrey—but with more beige in her wardrobe. She shifted the bags in her hands. “The job is great, and I’m unpacking slowly but surely. Audrey here tells me you’re teaching her to make strudel.”

“That’s just it,” Betty said, turning to Audrey, “I’m, ah, not feeling so hot, and I think you’d better just drop me off at home. Sorry about that, Audrey. We can do the strudel next week.”

Audrey nodded sympathetically. “It’s absolutely fine. Let’s get you into bed. You looked like you were going to pass out back there in the bakery.”

“Maybe you could pull the car around?” Betty asked, eyeing her items again. She didn’t want to put them on the conveyor belt in front of her friend. “I’d appreciate it.”

“Of course,” Audrey said. “I’m all checked out. It’s no problem.”

Audrey gave her sister a quick hug. “See you later, Casey.”

Casey opened her mouth to answer, then closed it sharply. Her golden-brown eyes widened and she swallowed visibly. Betty and Audrey followed her gaze to a nearby end-cap of cereal where a tall, broad-shouldered man was checking out nutrition labels. He picked up a box and frowned at the small print, the cardboard seeming small and flimsy in his massive hands.

Betty realized it was Abe Cameron, their local fire lieutenant.

As if he knew he was being watched, Abe turned around and spotted the cluster of ladies. He nodded and smiled at them, teeth flashing bright white. His gaze lingered for a few long moments. Was it Betty’s imagination, or were his eyes locked onto Casey’s?

Next to her, Casey stiffened. Nervous energy was radiating off her. There was a crackle in the air Betty couldn’t hear—but she could sure feel it. After a long moment, Abe broke the stare and turned away. But Casey’s eyes kept tracking on Abe, even as he pushed his cart away, down toward the frozen food section. And no wonder. His ass was gloriously tight and high as he walked along.

“Some view,” Betty said. “I bet you could bounce a quarter off those cheeks.”

Audrey chuckled. “Casey looks like she could watch him leave all day.”

Casey blushed so red, Betty swore she could feel heat radiating off the poor girl’s face.

“Next,” the cashier said, jolting them all out of their fireman reverie.

“I’ll get the car,” Audrey said, grabbing her bags and fumbling for her keys.

“I’ll join you,” Casey said, tearing her eyes away from the retreating form of Abe. “I’m all set here, too.”

Betty let out a small breath, watching them go. She unloaded her cart quickly, shoving the pregnancy tests on the belt between some clementines and oatmeal, her foot tapping out a steady rhythm on the floor. Now that the idea of being pregnant was in her head, all she wanted to do was to find out for sure—one way or another. Gray areas never sat well with her. Finally, she paid the cashier, then bundled everything into her canvas shopping bag.

Outside, Audrey pulled up to the front doors, and Betty dashed through the falling snow to meet her. She pulled the car door shut against the cold and kept her shopping bag clutched on her lap. Drive fast, she begged Audrey silently as her friend pulled away from the Lumberjack Grocery and toward home. 

~Shel

A Taste of Sugar by Marina Adair

*** 1/2

From Forever Romance (Grand Central):

A blast from her past . . .

Charlotte Holden, Sugar's favorite pediatrician, knows better than anyone that love only leads to heartbreak. Instead, she's focused on creating the Grow Clinic, an outpatient center for children. All she has to do now is to host the best Founder's Day Parade in the history of Sugar, Georgia, to win over a big-city donor. Easy as peach pie. Then sexy Jace McGraw blows back into town and utters those three words every woman dreads: we're still married.

. . . leads to tantalizing trouble

Jace McGraw was making an offer on his dream business in Atlanta when he was told that his wife had some credit issues. Wait, his wife? The annulment went through years ago-or so he thought. He'd walked away only to keep his troublemaker reputation from ruining her dreams. But now that they have a second chance, Jace offers Charlotte a deal: he'll grant a discreet divorce in exchange for 30 days and nights of marriage. Because this time he isn't going to let her go without a fight.

The McGraw brothers are fabulous.  First we met Brett, the pro-golfer playboy, then Cal, the stand-up single father, now the youngest, Jace, the troubled brother, comes home to Sugar, Georgia.  It's a classic good girl meets bad boy story, except Jace isn't much of a bad boy.  Troubled, absolutely, but not so much of a bad boy, despite his hulking muscles and tattoos.  He's really a big teddy-bear.  For her part, Charlotte is the classic good girl suffocating under the weight of expectations.  When she finds her voice, it's awesome to watch her make everyone take notice.

Marina Adair has solidified her spot on my list of go-tos for sweety, steamy small-town romance.  Fans of Jill Shalvis and Kristin Higgins will fall in love with Sugar, Georgia too.  

~ Shel

Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

***

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it's the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there's an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile . . .

The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . .

Crippling loss, regret and a second chance at love...  Shalvis has created another small town filled with beautiful alpha men and the women who drive them crazy.  With Second Chance Summer we are introduced to the Kincaid family, where we find trust-issues galore, fear of intimacy and commitment and an entertaining family dynamic, and Lily, whose family has been destroyed by loss.  Aidan and Lily were friends before Lily left town.  With Lily's return, if they can get over old pain and learn to move forward, they can get their own happily ever after.

Second Chance Summer has plenty of sizzle and laugh-out-loud antics, but mostly it has heart.  A trademark Jill Shalvis book.  I can't wait to see what's next for the Kincaid family and other residents of Cedar Ridge!

~Shel

A Taste of Sugar by Marina Adair Release Week Blitz

If you guys haven't read the Sugar, Georgia books yet, you are seriously missing out on a funny and sweet contemporary romance series!  Check out the info & excerpt below and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

A TASTE OF SUGAR by Marina Adair (Forever Mass Market; Sugar, Georgia #3)

A blast from her past…

Charlotte Holden, Sugar’s favorite pediatrician, knows better than anyone that love only leads to heartbreak. Instead, she’s focused on creating the Grow Clinic, an outpatient center for children. All she has to do now is to host the best Founder’s Day Parade in the history of Sugar, Georgia, to win over a big-city donor. Easy as peach pie. Then sexy Jace McGraw blows back into town and utters those three words every woman dreads: we’re still married.

…leads to tantalizing trouble

Jace McGraw was making an offer on his dream business in Atlanta when he was told that his wife had some credit issues. Wait, his wife? The annulment went through years ago—or so he thought.  He’d walked away only to keep his troublemaker reputation from ruining her dreams. But now that they have a second chance, Jace offers Charlotte a deal: he’ll grant a discreet divorce in exchange for 30 days and nights of marriage. Because this time he isn’t going to let her go without a fight.

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SUGAR ON TOP by Marina Adair (April 28, 2015; Forever Mass Market; Sugar, Georgia Book #2)

She's sassy and sweet

The last thing Glory Mann wants is to become chairman of the Miss Peach Pageant in Sugar, Georgia. Spending months hearing nothing but the clinking of pearls and judgment? No thank you! But when Glory is forced to take the rap for a scandal she didn't commit, the judge sentences her to head the committee. Even worse, her co-chairman is rugged, ripped . . . and barely knows she's alive.

He's ready and willing
Single dad Cal McGraw can't take any more drama in his life. After a difficult divorce, his little girl became a boy-crazy teenager and his hands are full. The last thing he needs is to spend his down time with the town bad girl. Glory is pure trouble-tempting and tantalizing trouble. But he can't deny the strong chemistry between them-or how her touch turns him inside out. Now as squabbles threaten to blow up the contest and the town of Sugar itself, Cal must risk everything on the sexy wild card to get a second chance at love . . .

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SUGAR’S TWICE AS SWEET by Marina Adair (November 25, 2014; Forever Mass Market; Sugar, Georgia Book #1)

He’s trouble she doesn’t need…

Thanks to a cheating fiance, Josephina Harrington’s perfect life just crashed and burned. Moving in with her overbearing parents is definitely not an option. No, she needs to prove she can make it on her own. And she will—by turning her great-aunt’s old plantation house into a destination getaway. She’s just not expecting her contractor to be so hands-on—and so totally irresistible. 

…but everything she wants

Bad-boy golf champion Brett McGraw figured his hometown of Sugar, Georgia, was the perfect place to lay low and get his life back up to par. The leggy blonde with a pint-sized pup is the kind of sweet ’n’ sassy trouble he never saw coming. She doesn’t know a nut from a bolt and before long, he’s renovating her house…as she steals his heart. Can he convince Josephina that his womanizing ways are in the past and he’s ready for forever?

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Excerpt:

“Morning, Dr. Holden,” he said, unfolding himself from the car.

“You’re late.” Charlotte stood and swished her way down the steps toward him. No good morning, no thanks for coming, just a you’re late as though they had plans, as though he’d disappointed her again.

“Sorry,” he said coolly, tapping the face of his watch. “Forgot to set it to Charlotte Standard Time.”

She stopped a few feet from him, and he could see the hesitation in her expression. Hesitation and something else. Something that looked an awful lot like vulnerability. Oh, there was a good portion of irritation and hostility glaring at him through those baby blues, but behind it all was definitely vulnerability. Interesting.

“You’re the one who said we had to go to Atlanta today.”

“I believe you told me you were too busy to make the time,” he said, not sure how he was going to handle six hours in an enclosed space with her. Just standing downwind taking in her floral scent was making him hard.

“I changed my mind.”

Jace looked at her for a long moment, then laughed. She was serious.

“Darling, you don’t change your mind. Ever.” Charlotte Holden might be a Southern belle, but her Kevlar wall of stubbornness could rival a Southern granny’s—and having been raised by the most mule-headed granny in the world, that was saying a lot. Oh, he believed that Charlotte had changed her mind, he just didn’t know why. “So what happened with your debutante sisters yesterday that has you desperate enough to call me?”

“Sugar Peaches,” she corrected. “And since when do you keep up on Sugar gossip?”

“Since you started calling yourself a Sugar Peach. I mean, weren’t the Peaches your mom’s thing?”

Charlotte had once confided in him that she moved to Atlanta to escape the pressure of following in her mother’s footsteps. The pageants and parties and social ladder climbing were Babette’s dream for Charlotte. Charlotte’s dream was to save lives—and she was a master at it.

“Well, it’s my thing now,” she said, and he couldn’t help but notice the resignation in her voice. He wanted to know what else had changed, then realized it didn’t matter anymore. “And that means I have to be back as soon as possible. Founder’s Day is only three weeks off, and I have a lot to do.”

“Yeah, me too.” He had to get an annulment, convince his buddy to fix Hattie’s car, and secure that loan before Dale pulled his offer.

“Good, because as the current regent of the Sugar Peaches it falls to me to plan the Founder’s Day Fair, so this trip needs to be a quickie,” she said, her bossy, take-charge tone making him smile.

“Quickies aren’t really my specialty,” he said. “But who am I to argue with a lady?”

“Easy and discreet, Jace. The last thing I need right now is to explain this to my parents,” she clarified as though he was slow, as though he didn’t know just how anxious she was to put the past behind them. Which shouldn’t have pissed him off, because that was what he wanted, too. But it did.

“Easy and discreet? Kind of like our marriage?” he mused.

She looked at him for a long moment and then slowly shook her head. “Nothing about our marriage was easy, Jace,” she said, and the absolute certainty in her voice made him want to prove her wrong.

“There was one easy thing between us,” Jace said, stepping into her and closing the distance, trapping her between the car and his body. He reached behind her neck, crushed his mouth to hers, and kissed the hell out of her.

Only one touch, and she was kissing him back. No hesitation, no second-guessing, just—pow —debutante to seductress. Not interested to tongue down his throat in two seconds flat.

And holy fucking God, it was perfect. The way she felt, the way she tasted, the way she crawled up his body and demanded more...How had he forgotten this side of her?

That insane pull between them, which he’d convinced himself didn’t exist, wasn’t only burning a hole through his clothes—and his mission—it also wasn’t one-sided. Which told him that he should a) back the hell up, and b) immediately cancel this field trip they had planned. Before things got crazy.

But then she made this sexy little sound in the back of her throat—the one that used to drive him batshit crazy, that still drove him batshit crazy—and he was a goner.

So he deepened the kiss, because why the hell not? Charlotte had her prim and proper hands all over him, and he was certain that this was the best kiss he’d ever had. Hot and needy and raw and so damn desperate it was like driving down the track at three hundred miles per hour with no breaks.

Then he realized that this was not only the best kiss ever, but probably also their last kiss ever, and he slowly pulled back, tugging her lower lip between his teeth as long as he could until the connection finally broke. And damn, he wished he hadn’t stopped.

That one second of uncharged air was all Charlotte needed. Sure, she was breathing heavily, and her gaze was dazed and confused. A mirror image of his own. But within a split second her eyes frosted over and that unflinching fortitude was back.

Not that he was fooled. Jace knew that they had chemistry, remembered how electric they were together, but what had arched between them just now floored him. And it had floored her, too.

Charlotte cleared her throat. “This changes nothing.”

Jace lowered his gaze to her hands, which were resting on the buckle of his belt. “Oh, it changes something.”

About the author:

Marina Adair is a lifelong fan of romance novels. Along with the Sugar series, she is also the author of the St. Helena Vineyard series and the upcoming Shelter Cove series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter. As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter at @MarinaEAdair or visit her at www.MarinaAdair.com.

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Not So New In Town by Michele Summers

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You can’t go back, and you can’t stand still…

Lucy Doolan is a marketing genius. She can sell rain to a frog and snow to a polar bear. Newly single and unemployed, she’s lured back to her hometown of Harmony, North Carolina to help out her pregnant evil stepsister…only to find former crush heartthrob Brogan Reese has returned too, to open a new business in town. To add insult to injury, he’s still hot.

If the thunder don’t get you, then the lightning will…

Brogan never noticed Lucy much when they were young, but seventeen people have recommended her to help him. She’s got his attention now. With her sweet personality, brilliant imagination, and penchant for doing the completely unpredictable, Brogan is finding a whole lot of excuses to spend his days—and nights—with Lucy.

Don't we all dream of seeing our high school crushes as adults?  We'll be hot, sophisticated and successful and they will be devasted that they never noticed us in high school...  That's the dream.  Lucy is not so lucky.  She's recently dumped, broke and stranded on the side of the road when she runs into her crush.  

Not So New in Town is a funny, heart-warming romance.  Brogan is a good guy.  Lucy is a hot mess and the two of them together makes for a fun read.  Throw in a surly teenager, Parker, and his evil mother and it's a recipe for pure entertainment.  If you are looking for a good summer romance, you won't go wrong with Not So New in Town.  

That's What HE Said Thursday #34

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us ;)

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

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Meet brand new book boyfriend material, Saywer Kane from Last First Kiss by Lia Riley. Ladies, if you're in the mood for a quiet, solid hero, Sawyer is your man! And he's a sheriff to boot, so he comes with his own uniform. In this scene, he leads Annie, his one-time high school crush who who has come home, to their secret swimming spot along the river. The whole set up is very sweet with Saywer trying gently to convince Annie to give them a second chance. 

Last First Kiss was released this past Tuesday and you can read my review here. In meantime, drool away ladies!

~  Bel

He pressed his lips tight and then returned her smile.  “No, Annie Girl.”  He tugged her bathing suit strap and planted a kiss on her shoulder.  “Right now I want to love you until all you’re saying is my name.”

~ Last First Kiss (Brightwater #1) by

Lia Riley