At the beginning of August, it seems like there’s a lot of summer left. An entire month of hot, sleepy days of summer. (At least in my corner of the globe!) Yet the stores try to remind us that it’s not too long until Autumn with back to school sales and Halloween displays.

Instead of worrying about the future, let’s take a moment to stop. Just breathe. Smell that sea air as the wind whips it around your face. Listen to the ocean waves as they crest against the shore. Feel the sand beneath your feet, a gentle massage that might be a bit too hot against your soles.

I’m very lucky that I live here in New Jersey – yes, I said New Jersey. I know my state gets a bad reputation, but there are many things I love about my home, and being so close to the beach is one of them.

There’s nothing more restorative to the soul than taking a moment to stare at the horizon, knowing that the world goes beyond what you can see. I like to step on the boardwalk and just watch the ocean and just be. I get some of my best ideas while watching the water.

So I wrote not one, but two stories about the beach. One, a short story, you can read for free on my webpage! http://ccbridges.net/shore.html

In The Shorehouse:

Vince invites his two best friends to his family’s house down the shore for Memorial Day weekend, with plans to set the two of them up.

However, thanks to some magic cookies and honesty, he finds out that three is sometimes better than two.

Note: This story is mmf

One of the nicest things about living here is being able to go to the beach in the fall and winter, after the heavy tourist season dies down. It’s during this season that I set my novella “Love in the Time of Hurricanes” which is my love letter to the Jersey shore.

The night Nick Henderson storms into Martelli’s Pizzeria, he’s just looking for something to eat. Along with dinner, he finds Lou Martelli—pizza cook extraordinaire and Jersey Shore native. Nick is renting a Shore house for the winter while taking classes at the local community college as he devises a way to escape the accounting major his father chose for him.

When Lou offers to show Nick around, heat flares between them as they realize they have more in common than domineering families. But it’s not all fun and games on the boardwalk. Hurricane Sandy blows ashore, changing the place Nick was starting to think of as home. His peace is shattered, and it will take everything he has to keep his relationship with Lou from being torn apart by the storm brewing around them.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Buy Links:
Dreamspinner: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/love-in-the-time-of-hurricanes-by-cc-bridges-8262-b
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Time-Hurricanes-States-Book-ebook/dp/B06WP7DXXX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487819184&sr=8-1&keywords=love+in+the+time+of+hurricanes
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-the-time-of-hurricanes-cc-bridges/1125793547?ean=2940157413507
Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Love-Time-Hurricanes/CC-Bridges/Q767430428?id=6878192726616

About the Author

CC Bridges is a mild-mannered librarian by day, but by night she writes about worlds of adventure and romance. When she’s not busy solving puzzles in an escape room, she can be found diving into comics or binge-watching superhero movies. She writes surrounded by books, spare computing equipment, a fluffy dog, and a long-suffering husband in the state of New Jersey.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccbridgeswriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccbridgeswriter
Blog: http://blog.ccbridges.net/
Website: http://www.ccbridges.net

UPDATE: The winner is…Toni Whitmire!

* * * * *

Do you love reunion stories? I do. Especially when the couple faces great odds to get back together. It could be family issues, different backgrounds, or the infamous “We were on a break!” line that Ross kept spouting on Friends, much to Rachel’s chagrin (until the very end). But whatever it is, when two people that have allowed their soul to trust another human being on the deepest level find the courage and the strength to make their way back to that original realization despite genuinely tough times – I’m a mess. A happy, story-fulfilled, blubbering mess.

And with that, I introduce you to Dare and Abby from Real Deep, the second book of my REAL MEN series. These two have been through a lot! Abby’s from Money (with a capital M), Dare isn’t. Yet he’s the only one who’s ever ‘seen’ her. And for his part, no one’s ever been there for Dare before, either. So in the backstory, when they break up, it’s a tragedy.

But there’s something about being stuck on a practically deserted tropical island that strips away the rest and brings out only the gold…

If you like reunion stories, I’m betting you’ll want to take the journey with Dare and Abby, two of my very favourite characters.

And as an added benefit, Real Deep is another exciting installment of the Real Men series. This series introduces readers to the brotherhood of a group of men who have bonded through serving as army reservists in various location. They’re connect to the fictional town of Jack’s Bay in northern Ontario as well as the fictional town of Golden, British Columbia.

Today, I’m giving away one copy of Real Deep to a randomly chosen commenter below! All you need to do is:
Follow me on Amazon and…take your pick of: signing up for my newsletter or following me on the social media of your choice.  Let me know in the comments what you chose. Giveaway ends on Sunday at midnight, so let all your friends know!

See you August 7th, folks! And I should have more information about a new, special, summer of 2017 release!

Real Deep

Real Men #2

Deserted tropical island, hunky male models. Sole female photographer. Everything is on track for Abby Haines to please her sleazy boss and win the make-or-break photography contest of the year so she can prove herself to the wealthy parents who’ve disowned her, keep the career she loves, and oh yeah. Eat.

That is, until the past love of her life shows up. The scumbag.

Part-time solider and handyman extraordinaire Dare Logan gets things done. But life just ratcheted up a few degrees for the guy from the wrong side of the track. If he doesn’t kowtow to the creepy shoot director, he can’t save his fledgling renovation business and take care of his mom and sister. And now he’s got to deal with Abby—the woman who broke his heart, proving that what he could provide for her wasn’t enough. Super.

But when they’re sent on a dangerous trek across the island and fate plays with their deeply-entrenched principles and worse, their hearts, choices will have to be made, and the stakes are no longer simple.

Amazon
Kobo, B&N, Nook, iBooks, Inkterra & Other Retailers

Real Men

A new, small town military romance series. Featuring full-length stories and meet-cutes.
Read the entire series to fall in love with the men of Jack’s Bay!

About Susan

Susan Saxx writes sexy, unexpected, heartwarming romances. Her REAL MEN series focuses on a band of Canadian military reservists and the strong women they fall in love with. Meet the cowboy, the ex-hockey player and more at her website, and join her mailing list for exclusive teaser stories and release updates!

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Saxxy Reads FB Readers Group

The Lake District in the north of England has inspired some of the most romantic poetry and literature in the world. It’s no wonder William Wordsworth – one of the most famous poets of the Romantic era – made the Lake District his home, calling it “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”

Courtesy of Pixabay

The shining lakes, the green mountains, and the dramatic changes in weather in the Lake District make the perfect backdrop for a romance novel. The heroine of my novel Felicity at the Cross Hotel has travelled to the Lake District from her home in Norfolk – a part of England that’s renowned for being completely flat. Here is Fliss’s first sight of the spectacular view looking down on my fictional lake, Emmswater:

“The jagged mountains of the Lake District rose and fell in great dark peaks on the skyline, their sides flecked with splashes of bright, mossy green. Soft fields crept down into the valley, dotted with the fluffy white forms of sheep, and lying at the centre of it all was the gleaming lake.

Fliss took in a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill her lungs.  ‘What a magical place,’ she said to the man standing next to her. ‘ And look, the sun’s come out.’ She held up a hand to the pale sky. ‘Where I come from is so flat. I’m starting to get vertigo here, but in a really good way. Like being on the roller-coaster at Great Yarmouth fun fair.’”

Some people find living in mountains claustrophobic, but my heroine is trying to escape the stresses of working in her father’s business, and instead of feeling hemmed in she finds the mountains exhilarating. I wanted to capture this feeling of wild escape when she looks down on the wonderful landscape.

The setting of the Lake District is also a novelists’ dream because of the dramatic actions the landscape can inspire. The beauty of the scenery can become threatening, as swiftly as the clouds that roll in from over the mountains. Patrick Cross, the hero of my novel, is grieving the death of his friend, who died because of an act of recklessness while diving the still, green waters of the lake. There have been many deaths in the mountains and lakes of Cumbria, and I’ve used the symbolism of the landscape to reflect the contrast between the beauty and the danger.

It’s a shame that nowadays some parts of the Lake District are inundated with tourists, and the roads in summer are very often clogged. But it’s only in recent times that the Lakes have become a tourist destination, and there are many quieter areas that have remained unchanged for centuries. Alone in this magnificent landscape, away from the traffic, you can’t help but feel a part of a long, long history of the soil that stretches back thousands of years.

Lots of people have fallen in love in this wonderful setting, but there are some exceptions. Bill Clinton was famously moved to propose to Hillary for the first time by the shores of Ennerdale Water, but she turned him down. Obviously there are some people who remain unmoved by the romance of the Lakes!

Ennerdale Water, scene of Bill Clinton’s proposal. Attribution: Trevor Harris, via Wikimedia Commons

Will love blossom for Patrick Cross and Felicity Everdene, the hero and heroine of my novel? Here is the blurb to Felicity at the Cross Hotel:

A quaint hotel in the Lake District. The Cross Hotel is the perfect getaway. Or is it?

Felicity Everdene needs a break from the family business. Driving through the Lake District to the Cross Hotel, past the shining lake and the mountains, everything seems perfect. But Felicity soon discovers all is not well at the Cross Hotel …

Patrick Cross left the village of Emmside years ago never intending to return, but his father has left him the family’s hotel in his will, and now he’s forced to come back. With a missing barmaid, a grumpy chef, and the hotel losing money, the arrival of Felicity Everdene from the notorious Everdene family only adds to Patrick’s troubles.

With so much to overcome, can Felicity and Patrick bring happiness to the Cross Hotel … and find happiness for themselves?

Amazon universal buy link for Felicity at the Cross Hotel: http://mybook.to/FelicityCH

About the Author

Helena Fairfax is a British author who was born in Uganda and came to England as a child. She’s grown used to the cold now which is just as well, since these days she lives in an old Victorian mill town in the north of England, right next door to the windswept Yorkshire moors. Helena walks this romantic landscape every day with her rescue dog, finding it the perfect place to dream up her heroes and her happy endings. Subscribers to Helena’s newsletter receive news of free stuff, competitions with prizes, gossip, and links to cool websites she’s been looking at when she should have been writing.

Social Media Links

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cR_m71
Website: www.helenafairfax.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HelenaFairfax/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HelenaFairfax
Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/helenafairfax/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/helenafairfax/

So… About a year and a half ago I decided to write a serial release about a married couple finding and exploring kink together. Finding themselves. Finding each other again for the first time which can be soooooo scary.

The journey of Zeke and Aslan was born with Aslan’s Stranger. Now 9 stories later I’ve written the last story which is Aslan’s Fear. I have loved this couple and everything they have learned and how they’ve grown and how incredibly brave they both have been to find exactly who they’re meant to be. And sharing it with their spouse has been soooo much harder to write than I expected it to be.

They aren’t starting with a clean slate and no expectations.

Instead they’ve had a decade to “BE” with each other and all which that entails.

And writing their happily ever after has been one of the most rewarding writing experiences I’ve ever had. I balled writing the last book. Balled every time I re-read it for editing. It’ll be up in just a little bit but before then here are all the books in my rainbow glory!!! Had that planned from the beginning too just because it makes me soooo happy to look at it!

Here’s links to all of them in case you need a bit of a dose of dirty today….or tomorrow….or the next day. 😛

These are stories in a serial release all featuring Aslan and Zeke. A married couple looking for more and finding it in the arms of each other. There will be nine stories total, with one being released every couple months. Short kinky stories meant to tantalize and excite you. May you fall in love with love and everything that word means to your fantasies…

Aslan’s Stranger
Zeke’s Pitstop
Aslan’s Desire
Zeke’s Surprise
Aslan’s Fetish
Zeke’s Meeting
Aslan’s Evening
Zeke’s Demons
Aslan’s Fear – Coming soon!!!

Giveaway

Let’s have a giveaway with an AWESOME bag of goodies for one lucky poster! Two print books and lots and lots of other swag and kinky goodies! Plus a cup and a coozie and a pretty purple BED bag to hold it all!

**GIVEAWAY – US ONLY** – Just look at all the awesomeness you could win!! So tell me why YOU read romance! Why do you like it? What draws you in? What gives you the shivers and brings you back for more??

I’ll pick a winner on Monday the 19^th!! Good Luck!! PS –It’s always great to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you! Hate not being able to give winners their goodies!!

Decadently Yours,
Jennifer Kacey

About the Author

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her miniman in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website – Newsletter – The Decadent Divas– Amazon Page
Facebook – Facebook Author Page – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest

Summer’s here and things get busy and sometimes with vacation and spending time with family… things can get away from us. So I’m on vacation in beautiful Mt. Tremblant with my husband, sons, and a couple of friends, and I realize that the blog post I was to do for Delilah’s blog is this week, NOT next week. Oops!

Well, you’re probably as busy as I am, so I figure you’ll be happy with short, right? So here’s an excerpt from Heat, which came out yesterday. Enjoy!

HEAT

With passion so blazing hot, you don’t want to put this fire out…

When Rikki’s first love dies in the line of duty she vows to keep her heart guarded and never give it away again.

After moving to a new town for a fresh start, she is given the opportunity to show off her photography skills and shoot a sexy fireman calendar. Although taking the job might bring up painful memories, she knows this is her best chance at fulfilling her dreams of becoming a professional photographer.

While out with her new roommates, Rikki meets Simon and Carter and feels an instant spark of attraction… to both equally gorgeous and tempting men. This is the same intense feeling she had the first time she fell in love. But how can she feel that way about two men?

When she arrives at the firehouse to shoot the calendar, she is surprised to find that Simon and Carter are firefighters so she immediately pulls back on their growing flirtation. But Simon and Carter are men who know what they want, and they want Riki. As the chemistry between them ignites Rikki finds it hard to resist falling prey to her steamiest fantasies.

Now she has to choose between keeping her heart safe… or taking a chance on love… and possibly losing everything.

Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/u/mdKVdX

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Excerpt:

“From the two gentlemen at the bar. They said to say welcome to Muldone.”

Rikki’s gaze shot to the bar, and the man she’d been gazing at before smiled and nodded. Then she glanced at the man next to him and—

It was like a punch to the gut. That same intense feeling as she’d had when she’d seen the first man. That this was the man she was meant to be with.

This guy had the same type of physique as the first. Tall, muscular. Very strong. His hair was a soft brown, and wavy. She imagined it would feel soft to the touch. And his eyes seemed very warm.

His gaze shifted from his friend’s to hers  for the first time and—Wham! Instant electricity.

Oh, God, how could she have the same feeling—this very special and intense intuitive feeling—for two men?

Of course, she couldn’t. She was just reading things wrong.

The two men stood up and started to walk her way. Her heart fluttered, then started pounding faster as they approached the table.

“Hello. My name is Simon,” the first man said. “And this is my friend, Carter.”

“Hi,” Carter said.

Simon held out his hand and she shook it. At the first touch, sparks flared through her body, playing havoc with her senses. Then she shook Carter’s hand, and had the same wild reaction.

“Hi, uh . . . I’m Rikki.”

“May we join you?” Carter asked.

Ordinarily, she would make some excuse to send them away, but she was too befuddled and found herself nodding.

“I . . . uh . . . thanks for the drink.”

Simon smiled. “Our pleasure.”

“How did you know I just moved to town?”

Carter laughed. “Rhonda on the bar knows her clientele. She told us.”

Rikki nodded and took a sip of the icy drink, and the sweet flavor of peaches exploded on her tongue.

“It’s delicious.”

“So did your party break up,” Simon asked, “or will the others be coming back?”

“I’m not really sure. I’m not used to coming to places like this, but I think they might have moved on.” She could see Tina sitting at another table, and Mel leaning in close to the woman he was talking to at her table.

“So the guy just ditched you?” Simon asked.

She shrugged. “He’s not my boyfriend or anything. In fact, I barely know him. We just live together.”

At Simon’s arched eyebrow, she added, “He’s my new roommate. All three of them are. But I just met them when I moved in a few days ago.”

“Well, since they’ve moved on, do you want to go somewhere quieter where we can talk?” Carter asked.

Anxiety quivered through her. These guys were definitely moving faster than she liked.

“Don’t look so panicky,” Carter said. “I just mean we could move to a booth on the back wall. With the overhang, it’s quieter and we won’t have to fight with the music to hear each other.”

“Oh.” She glanced to the wall and saw a few booths were open. “That would be okay.”

She stood up and grabbed her purse and her gift from Anna. Simon picked up her drink and he and Carter followed her to one of the booths. As soon as she sat down, she noticed the difference in noise level.

“You’re right, this is better,” she said.

The two men sat across from her in the rectangular booth.

“I’ll just let my friends know where I am.” She grabbed her phone and texted Tina.

Way to go, Tina texted back with a winky face.

“So where did you move here from?” Carter asked.

“I was in Ashton. That’s the small town in Ohio where I grew up. But I got laid off from work and so I decided to start again someplace new.”

“And you came here because of the great scenery?” Simon asked.

“It is a beautiful spot. I hadn’t realized how pretty it was here or how much of a tourist destination  it is. I came here because a close friend from college lives here and I thought it would be fun if we lived in the same place again.”

“Friends are important.” Carter’s smile caused his eyes to twinkle.

“You two are good friends I take it,” she observed.

“That’s the truth,” Simon said.

“Yeah. We share everything.”

The glitter in Carter’s eyes sent a shiver of excitement through her. As if he’d just told her that he and Simon both wanted to be with her. To kiss her . . . undress her . . . make love to her. Together.

Oh, God, the thought of being with one of these big, muscular men was enough to steal her breath away. But the thought of being with both of them . . .

Of course, she was just being silly. Because of the weirdness of her intuitive feeling that she was meant to be with Simon. And with Carter. She was misinterpreting things. They probably shared an apartment and maybe a car and . . . whatever else guys shared on a regular basis.

Not women.

Not her.

Remember the mention of free books?

You can get free stories by signing up for my mailing list.  This gives you a chance to sample my writing to see if you enjoy it. If it’s not your style, you can unsubscribe anytime. No worries! 🙂

Sign up here: OpalCarew.com/ReaderGroup

Also, you can get a free anthology of 7 sizzling stories called Summer Nights. Perfect for your summertime reading!

Get it here: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/AbcL2

About Opal

As a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of erotic contemporary romance, Opal Carew writes about passion, love, and taking risks.  Her heroines follow their hearts and push past the fear that stops them from realizing their dreams… to the excitement and love of happily-ever-after. Her books have won several awards, including The National Readers’ Choice Award, The Golden Leaf Award (twice), The Golden Quill (3 times), CRA Award of Excellence, and Silken Sands.

Website: OpalCarew.com
New Releases: OpalCarew.com/ReaderGroup
Facebook: OpalCarewRomanceAuthor
Twitter: @opalcarew
Instagram: opal.carew
Pinterest: opalcarew
Amazon author page: bit.ly/OpalCarewAmzBlog: bit.ly/OpalsBlog
Goodreads:  bit.ly/OC_Goodreads

Had a last minute bail from an author. So, I thought I’d do something fun. I uploaded a story to Amazon early this morning. I love the cover. The girl in the pic looks very, very tired, which is very appropriate for this sex-fest story. It’s a refurbed story I had with Ellora’s Cave way back when…

If you’ve never read it, you should enjoy—if you’re into sexy firefighters, weekend orgies, and… Well, you’ll just have to see. 🙂

First the blurb, then play!

Jane wants Bruno…Bruno wants Cord…Cord wants Jane…but can everyone get what they really want?

Jane, fresh from a breakup, decides to seduce Bruno, one of the firemen next door, to restore her shattered confidence. But the trap she sets is sprung instead by his best friend, Cord.  After she flees in embarrassment, Bruno makes a proposition too wicked for any good girl to consider, but how can she refuse the chance at not one, but two strapping firemen?

Bruno’s shared women with Cord before, but decides to use Cord’s attraction to Jane to break down his friend’s defenses for the ultimate threesome. Cord thinks he knows how this little tryst will go down, but he’s seduced into allowing Bruno intimacies this hetero guy has never before considered.

How do you do it all?

That’s the question I’m asked most often once people hear I’m a writer. And a mom. And a military wife. And I have a day job.

Sometimes I answer flippantly. “Lots of caffeine!” I’ll say, or “I have a wine cellar.” But my real answer? I just do.

I don’t mean to sound sanctimonious. That just happens to be the answer. I just do. Because there is no alternative, not at this point in my life.

Years ago, when I was single, being a writer was a dream in the back of my mind. Something I’d settle down to do after I’d conquered foreign relations as the first female Secretary of State. (Damn you, Madeleine Albright, that was supposed to be my job!). Then it became something I dabbled in on occasion, in-between my full-time military job and college courses. It took a backseat again when I married and moved overseas, earned my degrees, and spent five years focused on having that family I’d always wanted, but which my body seemed intent on denying me.

But through the pain of recurrent miscarriage and infertility, I found that spark to write again. The little embryo of the dream I had of becoming a published writer grew. Until life happened, yet again, and I put it on hold to focus my energies on my growing family.

Now, here I am, with four little wombats (as my uncle calls them), all of whom play sports and have social lives far more active than mine, a husband who is thisclose to retiring from the military, and a demanding day job, and I choose now to pursue this writing dream full-steam ahead.

Because what is the alternative, really? To shelve it until the kids are grown, the hubby is retired, the day job is done? Sorry, but that’s no alternative. Writing is what fulfills me. Writing romance is my calling, the thing that keeps Cate from being lost in the blur that is “Mom” and “Sweetheart”.

In Love Me Now, my heroine and hero both have dreams they’ve pushed aside because of family obligations. It’s tough to balance the needs of others with your own needs. And make no mistake, pursuing a lifelong dream is a need, not a want. It’s something I’ve learned over the years. I’m a better wife, mother, and friend when I’m not feeling restless and resentful. It’s a realization that my hero, Miles, eventually makes and helps Calista, my heroine, see. Though he takes it to the extreme at one point, going so far as to sabotage his fledgling relationship with Calista. You’ll have to read my book to see what ends up happening. *wink*

Langston Hughes once famously asked, “What happens to a dream deferred?” For a long time, mine sagged like a heavy load. But now I am watching it explode. And it’s marvelous.

What is your dream? What is holding you back from making it happen?

About the Author

Cate Tayler is a beach baby, born and raised on the Connecticut coastline. She met the love of her life while serving in the US Air Force, and after extensive overseas travel, they are now raising their four children in the wild suburbs of Maryland.

When she’s not living her own happily ever after, she’s creating them in her small-town romances. Because the world always needs more happy endings!

In addition to writing, her passions include cooking, everything 80s, sappy Hallmark movies, Arrow (specifically, Stephen Amell’s abs), and the Miami Dolphins. You can connect with her at her website: http://www.catetayler.com.

About Love Me Now

A sassy good girl. A rebellious billionaire. A pretend proposal. What could possibly go wrong?

Calista Markatos is failing miserably at saving her family’s Greek diner. Without a miracle, her parents will lose everything. And it’s all the fault of a land developer whose big ideas are destroying her family’s livelihood.

Driven by guilt over his brother’s death, Miles Gardner plays the role of dutiful son. But he rebels against his father’s choice of a bride. A fake engagement can help him avoid the marriage trap. All he has to do is convince the Greek goddess to go along with his plan.

She doesn’t have to like him to pretend to love him.Thirty days later, they’ll both get exactly what they want—and maybe something they didn’t know they needed.

Love Me Now will be available May 23, 2017. You can preorder a copy at all major
e-book retailers for a special price now until Memorial Day!
https://books.pronoun.com/love-me-now/