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#BlitzTour “What Are Friends For?” by @SarahMaeSutton ~ @XpressoTours

What Are Friends For?
Sarah Sutton
Publication date: January 14th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

FALLING IN LOVE ISN’T COMPLICATED…UNLESS IT’S WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND.

A close, easygoing friendship can all change with just one kiss. Seventeen-year-old Remi Beaufort learns this the hard way when she plays a blindfolded kissing game at a party.

She thinks she’s kissing Jeremy, the totally hot basketball player she’s been crushing on. And the kiss…it’s amazing. Heart-stopping, world-changing, toe-curling. The kiss makes her forget about her overbearing mother, the next-door neighbor’s drama, and the probability that she’ll fail her senior year. The best kiss of her life makes all that fall away.

Until her blindfold falls off, and she realizes that instead of kissing her crush, she’s kissing Elijah, her best friend since third grade.

Though she manages to convince Elijah that he was kissing his girlfriend, Remi can’t get the thought of his lips on hers out of her head. As things between them grow more and more complicated—because it turns out her fantasizing about his mouth is more of a problem than it sounds—Remi has to make a choice: does she live the rest of her life loving her best friend in secret? Or does she tell the truth and risk ruining their friendship forever?

Heart-melting and romantic, What Are Friends For? is a swoon-worthy best-friends-to-lovers story that will leave you crushing hard.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

There were times between us that felt totally normal—like, almost the entire time we’d been cutting out snowflakes, things had felt normal. I hadn’t been staring at his mouth or imagining his body heat enveloping me into a hug. We joked like normal, laughed like normal. But the quiet moments between us had my heart aching, wanting.

“See you tomorrow,” Elijah said, and I saw from the corner of my eye the shadow of him rising to his feet. He pressed his hand once against the spot between my shoulder blades before walking off, his socks silent on the wooden floors. I counted each of my breaths as I waited for the sound of the door to open.

It took seven slow inhales and exhales and then Elijah was gone, leaving me with a torrent of thoughts and a hurting heart.

Author Bio:

Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).

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#BookBlitz “What Lies in Paradise” by Leah Cupps / @XpressoTours

What Lies in Paradise
Leah Cupps
Publication date: January 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

She’s got 400,000 fans. One of them could be the killer.

Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans carefully curates her enviable public persona. Despite being freshly widowed, she’s eager to strike a pose at her best friend’s extravagant destination nuptials. But Sydney’s feed goes dark when she blacks out on the plane, awakening to discover another guest poisoned to death.

With the FBI keen to use Sydney as an insider, she takes the arm of a rookie undercover agent hoping to capture something incriminating. But a deadly run-in exposes a shocking criminal underbelly lurking beneath her own picture-perfect marriage. And if she doesn’t solve the case before her friends tie the knot, the culprit will make sure her next selfie is her last.

Can Sydney catch a murderer or will the wedding become a funeral?

What Lies In Paradise is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative mystery.

Buy What Lies In Paradise to join a deadly digital whodunit today!

Goodreads / Amazon

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PROLOGUE:

The circular steel barrel of a Glock nine-millimeter pushed roughly against Sydney’s left temple. The gun was searing her skin, still warm from the last bullet fired. One large, tan, muscular arm wrapped around her neck, threatening to snuff out her last few breaths.

I should have seen this coming, she thought. I should have known that if I agreed to go along with this ridiculous plan, something terrible would happen and I’d end up dead.

A series of images from her life began to scroll across her brain, like the snapshots from her Instagram feed. She in pigtails blowing out the candles for her sixth birthday. The fabulous pink satin dress that peeked out from her graduation gown, bright enough to match to her beaming smile. A picture of her at a café in Paris posing with a freshly baked chocolate croissant and a steaming cappuccino. She could see the images, but all she could think about were the choices she didn’t make and the people she neglected.

If she survived this moment, gun pressed against her temple, maybe she would start spending more time with her head in the real world, where life was messy and not one picture-perfect square after another. That was her mistake: projecting the perfect life made her believe she had the perfect life, but she didn’t. Had she tapped the Do Not Disturb button every once in a while, maybe she would have sensed the lies that had begun to weave their way into the real world around her. She could have fallen in love with someone different, someone who led a simple, boring life, like an accountant or a mechanic. But who was she kidding? Love doesn’t work that way.

Although there was shouting next to her ear, the voices sounded far away. All Sydney could hear was the blood thumping through her head and the whoosh-whoosh of her heart beating. The large tropical bushes that lined the walkway reached up toward the sky and bent down to form a canopy over the four of them, giving them respite from the burning Jamaican sun. She was not alone, but that didn’t make the situation any better.

She could still hear the soft call of the ocean behind her but all she could see were palm leaves and the crushed gravel pathway beneath her. Sweat was pouring down her face, neck, and back, soaking the pale blue chiffon dress she had just posted herself wearing on social media a few hours ago.

If only my followers could see me now, Sydney thought.

She heard the click of the pistol’s slide, chambering a round. Sydney didn’t believe in bad luck, but this situation might surely change her mind. Why me? she thought as the world started to blur around her like a watercolor painting. She began to taste the tangy bit of blood forming at the back of her mouth. He was holding on too tightly. If only she could wake up from this nightmare and be somewhere else. Like when she woke up at the airport.

That was the beginning.

Author Bio:

Leah Cupps is an entrepreneur and author. She has built and sold several businesses, and documented the process in her first book #MomLifeInc.

She always has a passion for stories and spends her evenings writing novels. Her debut novel is, What Lies in Paradise, will debut in January, 2020.

She writes Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and Action & Adventure.

Leah’s novels are fast-paced, thrillers that will keep you up at night as you can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband, three young children and two small dogs. When she isn’t losing sleep writing her next novel or scaling her next business, she enjoys running and spending time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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#MFRWHooks “…leaned in and touched her lips with his.” #books #MFRWAuthor #blogger


Happy New Year !
I hope you had a wonderful start into 2020. It’s been busy for me, but I had a lovely break; enjoying a small holiday.
Please spare a thought for those affected by the fires here in Australia. We’re fine, but it’s been horrific for a lot of Australians.

Today’s Hook:

Hollie stared. “This is your car?”
“Yes. Why? What’s wrong with it?” His voice conveyed his confusion.
“Well, it’s sort of big. As well as expensive and new.”
Jeremy let out a soft laugh as he opened the door of the black BMW for her.
“I did warn you that I live outside Launceston on a small farm, didn’t I? So, no blaming me if the car gets dirty.”
She made herself comfortable on the passenger seat, enjoying the luxuries of the car, especially the feel of the leather seats.
“Which way, ma’am?”
Hollie guided Jeremy through the streets of Launceston onto the country roads. She knew the shortcuts, and they soon arrived on the farm. Hollie watched him as he drove down the bumpy driveway, but he wasn’t fazed by the dust and dirt at all. She let out a soft snort.
“What?”
“I expected some cursing while coming down the gravel road,” she explained.
“It’s just a car. Nothing that can’t be fixed.”
A few minutes later, he stopped in front of her house, switched off the engine, and turned towards her.
“Thanks for giving me a lift home,” Hollie whispered, the sudden silence in the car loud in her ears. “I appreciate it.” Unable to tear her eyes away from the intensity of his gaze, she didn’t move. It almost undid her, and a shiver raced down her spine. She took a couple of deep breaths, trying to control herself and her body again. When he cupped her chin, stroking her jaw with his thumb, her breath caught in a quiet gasp. He paused. With her heart pounding and every nerve in her body on alert, she tried to reach for the door handle. Apparently mistaking her tremble for anything but the need to get out of the car, he leaned in and touched her lips with his.

BLURB:

There must be a reason for her dreams…

Hollie Anderson, a young woman living in Tasmania, is content with life, even more so since she has met Jeremy. However, she has been having a recurrent dream that impacts her daily life, as well as her relationship, a dream that eventually takes her on a journey to Ireland.

Samantha Shaughnessy enjoys the success as Head of Advertising for a popular magazine in the Irish capital Dublin. Married to Padraic, she thinks she loves her husband, but when she meets Hollie under unusual circumstances, she needs to face the truth–and not just about her marriage.

When both women meet and find they share an unexpected tie to the past, will they finally be able to move on into relationships with the men they love? 

 “This blood-pumping novel will keep the reader hooked until the very end.” InD’tale Magazine

“Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this wonderful book and fall in love.” (5 star review)

Mat is a sexy, tattooed New Zealander with a strong sense of family and duty and Tiffany is a woman with a past that continues to haunt her. Can Mat help her overcome her demons and move on with the next phase of her life? Come for the romance and stay for the breathtaking scenery. (5 star review)

4 stars – NEW BEGINNINGS is a very emotional read, one that is heartwarming as well as heart wrenching. It gives you hope in the act of human kindness and that good things do happen to good people. I highly recommend this book.

#MusicMonday “Memories” by #Maroon5

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#SnippetSunday “She most certainly was a big puzzle to him.” #romancebooks #Sundayblog #amwriting

♥ Happy Sunday and Happy New Year ♥
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a great start into the new year. Thank you for your messages in regard to the fires in Australia; yes, we’re safe and quite a distance away from it.
But, please, spare a thought for all the ones affected by these horrible fires – people, businesses, mother nature, and our beloved animals. Let’s hope for more rain.

Anyway, I’m back with more snippets for you. This is still the story set in Tasmania, Leonie’s attempt to travel around the beautiful Australian state. Today’s snippet is in Alex’s POV.
Enjoy ♥

“I could’ve lied.”
“Did you?”
Alexander stared at her, unsure how to take her silence. Was she a liar? Her whole body sagged, and he had an inkling he’d hit a nerve. In some way or another. Not in regard to being a liar, but the mixed messages about the holidays. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father sauntering over to them.
“I was under the impression you were heading to Bridport.”
Now that his dad mentioned it, so was Alex.
Leonie blew out a breath as deep and long as if the world’s problems were weighing heavy on her shoulders. She most certainly was a big puzzle to him.
When she finally replied, she spoke barely above a whisper. “I’ve had no plans, but booked a few nights in St Helens as a backup. The dodgy site was obviously too good to be true. I had this wonderful idea about travelling along the coast and enjoy each day to the fullest.” She gently rubbed her hands over her face. “It’s obvious, I should’ve put more planning into the whole adventure, but more importantly, I should’ve not fallen for cheap offers on the internet.”
Alex looked at his dad who gave him a slight nod. He knew it was supposed to encourage him to jump over his own hesitation and offer his house again.

Thanks for all your comments,
I do appreciate each single one of them!
And check out Snippet Sunday  Facebook site for other writers.

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#MusicMonday “My Island Home” by #ChristineAnu #Australia

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#SnippetSunday “What if I were a criminal.” #romancebooks #Sundayblog #amwriting

♥ Happy Sunday ♥
After spending a few weeks in Tasmania and thought the place deserves a story. It’s still very much a WIP, but hopefully it’ll turn into something really good. Today’s snippet is still in Alex’s POV.
Enjoy ♥

He studied her face. Her struggle and disappointment was obvious not only through her voice, but also in her demeanour and the sagged shoulders. He pondered about the offer that lay on his lips. He looked over to his father who was tinkering away at the car oblivious about her newest misfortune. Hans was in his sixties and could’ve easily retired a few years ago, but he liked to help people. His services were the most affordable around, because this wasn’t just work for him, but his life, something he loved.
He gazed back at Leonie. “What’s in St. Helens?”
She shrugged. “The scenery. Far away from civilisation. Peace and quiet.”
Nodding, he gave a smile. Again, he thought about his idea. He understood, because these were exactly the reasons he’d bought a house near St. Helens a few years back.
“I have a house in Binalong Bay you could stay for a few days. I’ll only be heading that way next weekend.”
Eyes wide, she said, “I can’t accept that.”
With a lift of his shoulder, he asked, “Why not?”
“Because.”
He choked back a chuckle. “You’re aware this is not really an answer.”
Standing straight now and turning towards him, she explained, “There are many reasons. You don’t know me. I don’t know you. I can’t just stay at your house. What if I were a criminal.”
Rubbing his temple with his finger, he let out a soft laugh. “You just told me you’re not running, but trying to have a holiday.”
“I could’ve lied.”
“Did you?”

Thanks for all your comments,
I do appreciate each single one of them!
And check out Snippet Sunday  Facebook site for other writers.

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Check out my books on Amazon

FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers

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#NewRelease “Stealing Her Heart” by Simone Angela – #Book 6 of the #BindarraCreek series

♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥

Release of Bindarra Creek book number six!
Stealing Her Heart is available on Amazon
 
♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥

Katherine Porter escapes to the country town of Bindarra Creek after her gambler husband left her broke and distrustful of all men, especially financiers.

Animal lover and financier Marcus Brodie returns to Bindarra Creek, keen to expand the current wildlife sanctuary, and set up a cat rescue home. When he meets his beautiful but bristly neighbour Katherine, he adds another mission – to put a smile on her face and light into her sad, troubled eyes.

But an unsettling truth plunges their budding relationship into the dark.

Can Katherine overcome her fears and let go of the shackles of the past? And if she can, will Marcus be convinced a future with her is possible?

Available on Amazon