RELUCTANT GROOM ANTHOLOGY: NOT SO SHAM WEDDING by Author Megan Slayer *BookBlast* *Giveaway*

Today we welcome back author Megan Slayer and feature her book, Not So Sham Wedding, part of the Reluctant Groom anthology from Evernight Publishing. You can find all the stops on Megan’s tour at Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure the check out the Rafflecopter entry form at the end of this post.

GENRE: Contemporary LGBTQ Erotic Romance

About the Anthology

He’s older, wiser, and always gets what he wants. This wedding is happening ... whether the groom likes it or not.

Our seven hand-picked stories feature young reluctant grooms and the older men determined to claim them. These forced marriages may start out frigid, but our authors will prove that love can conquer all.

Evernight's Reluctant Groom anthology stories are sure to deliver passion that is off the charts, scorching hot sex, and sigh-worthy happy ever afters.

Worth the Risk by Allyson Young

Sins of the Father Hannah Morse

Room With a View by James Cox

Making It Real by Marie Medina

Protecting Chauncey by Cooper McKenzie

October Surprise L.J. Longo

Not So Sham Wedding by Megan Slayer

Get the anthology at Amazon ~ B&N (Nook) ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ Evernight Publishing

Enjoy an Excerpt from Not So Sham Wedding

©MeganSlayer, All Rights Reserved

“What do you want me to do? Stall her?” Lucas crossed his ankles and folded his arms again. “What do you think?”

He stared at Lucas. He’d known Lucas Cole for ten years and worked beside him for six of them. He was a sweet man, sexy, too, and the kind of guy he wanted to settle down with—the man he trusted. He’d been attracted to him since the first day they met. The idea of mixing work and play bothered him, but if anyone could help him out, it was Lucas. Besides, it’d give him a reason to see Lucas without the trappings of the job. He’d always liked Lucas and wanted to take things to the next step—trying to figure out if they could be together. Now, he had the chance and he refused to squander it.

“Well? She’s in the elevator.” Lucas unfolded himself and stood. “What do you want me to do?”

“Marry me.” If he had to be a reluctant groom, then he wanted his best friend and confidante beside him.

“What?”

“It’ll put them off if I’m already engaged.” Hudson removed his prized diamond ring his father had given to him years before. He offered the jewelry to Lucas. “Marry me.” He dropped to one knee.

“Lucas?” Not quite the way he’d wanted to propose, but he’d do it over later.

“Me? They think you’re going to marry a woman.”

“I’m gay, and I’m not changing who I am for money.” He held up the ring. “Lucas?” If there was anyone in the world he loved outside of his family, it was Lucas.

“You should marry someone more suitable.” Lucas shook his head. “You need me as your assistant.” A lock of his blond hair slipped over his brow. He tightened his jaw and pressed his lips together. He could’ve been a model instead of an assistant, and he’d be the best one out there because he embodied sexy boy-next-door. He might be younger than Hudson, but Hudson didn’t care. He’d fallen for Lucas a long time ago.

Meet the Author

Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads ~ Newsletter

Enter the Giveaway

Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack with a necklace made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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As always, it’s been my pleasure hosting Megan here at Notes From a Romantic's Heart. Please come back again on Monday when we celebrate a Book Birthday, and the fourth book in the Last Chance Beach romance series.
Nancy

HAWK by Author Amber Malloy **REVIEW** **GIVEAWAY**

Notes From a Romantic’s Heart is pleased to welcome author Amber Malloy to the blog to discuss her new her release, Hawk, Book 3 of the Perfect Stats sports romance series. You can find all the stops on Amber’s tour at Goddess Fish Promotions. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter drawing for a chance to win an Amazon or B&N gift card. The entry form is at the bottom of this post.

GENRE: Contemporary Sports Erotic Romance

About the Book

Hawk thought he had everything he wanted until Lexington Waters showed up. That’s when he discovered he needed so much more.

Tech Guru Lexi Waters needs to snatch her company out of the grasp of her greedy ex-husband. The only problem is the restraining order that keeps her away from the business she built from the ground up. With no money left to her name, Lexi is forced to go back to Chicago and face the first man to ever let her down—blues legend Sugarfoot Moe Waters, her father. While she’s stuck fixing up his crappy bar, the last thing she needs to deal with is a pushy, arrogant professional hockey player—Hawthorne Maze, aka Hawk. Hopefully the gorgeous distraction won’t derail everything she has worked so hard for.

From the outside looking in, Hawk’s life seems perfect. Professionally, he’s at the top of his field, and personally, he has his pick of any groupie. Orphaned by teenage parents, he only knows is that his mom is white and his dad black. Other than that, there are only two people he considers family—his childhood friend Gavin Knox and geriatric bar owner Moe. He thinks he knows everything about the famous blues artist, but the sudden appearance of his hot-ass daughter is not only unexpected but also unwanted. Contemplating retirement, Hawk needs to figure out what to do next, but fate keeps throwing the sexy egghead Lexi in his path.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Who’s on a first-name basis with their parents?”

Lexi’s head jerked up to find problem number two in her crosshairs. Hawk leaned against the doorway, shooting her a lazy smirk she’d fought hard to ignore the entire day.

“That sounds like a question for Moe.” She trained her face into a blank slate, devoid of emotion. Lexi wished she could say the tech world had taught her that trick, but unfortunately that particular talent was a holdover from her shitty marriage.

“It’s just curious I’ve worked here for a few years and haven’t seen you, not once?”

As Hawk graced her with a lopsided smile, bright specks of brown and green twinkled in his hazel eyes. Similar to a bad kid, mischief was written all over his pretty mug. Maybe in another life she would have played with him, but unfortunately Josh had stomped out any sort of good humor. “That is another question for Moe. So far you’re batting a thousand.”

“Well, let me hit you with one that you can answer.” He pushed off the door and brought a picture frame from behind him. “Why did you hide all this awesomeness in the stockroom?” Standing smack in the middle of sexiest people she’d ever laid eyes on, the big guy held up a trophy.

“Ah, what sport is that?” she asked, completely in the dark.

“Hockey.”

Imagining the man spinning a graceful figure eight, she coughed into her hand, hiding her chuckle. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but Moe’s is a blues bar, right?”

“Got it. I’m no Louis Armstrong, but I’m a championship winner—and Chicago loves their winners.” Arrogant much? She bit her lower lip to stop all the smart remarks from flying out of her mouth. “Blues and hockey aren’t exactly peanut butter and jelly.”

“Point,” he sighed, evidently done with dispensing the charm.

“They don’t mix.” Lexi leaned back in her seat. “Honestly, these people probably think you’re just a really big bartender.”

My Review

4 Stars

A well-done sports romance, the author brings a bit of intrigue and a lot of steam to the complex story of Hawk and Lexi. I enjoyed their interaction out of the bedroom as well and would have loved to have seen more of it.

Hawk showed a vulnerable side in his love for blues music, old movies, and Lexi. However, from time-to-time he seemed a bit needy or moody.

I love a good complex plot to go with my steam and this one qualifies what with the heroine’s tussle with her ex over her business.

If you’re a fan of sports romance books, you will enjoy this book

Meet the Author

Amber Malloy dreamed of being a double agent but couldn't pass the psyche evaluation. Crushed by despair that she couldn't legally shoot things, Amber pursued her second career choice as pastry chef. When she's not writing or whipping up a mean Snickers Cheesecake, she occasionally spies on her sommelier. Amber is convinced he's faking his French accent.

Amazon Author Page ~ Gooodreads ~ Twitter

Enter the Giveaway

Amber Malloy will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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It has been my pleasure welcoming Amber to the blog today. Please come back again on Friday and then all next week for more authors, books, and giveaways.

Nancy

SO NOT MY TYPE by Author Amelia Kingston *Book Blast* *Giveaway*

Notes From a Romantic’s Heart is pleased to welcome author Amelia Kingston for her visit to the blog! Today, we’re featuring her latest book, So Not My Type. Don’t forget, there’s also a #Giveaway, so be sure to enter.

You can find all the stops on Amelia’s tour at Goddess Fish Promotions.

GENRE: Romantic Erotic Comedy

About the Book

An endearingly irreverent love story.

 To Jackie Ryan, insults are foreplay and love is war. What the feisty redhead lacks in stature, she makes up in attitude. She’s made more than one grown man cry and she’s damn proud of it. Little does the rowdy barista know she’s about to meet her match in the shape of a walking, talking pair of starched khakis.

When unassuming Eddie Jaworski stumbles into a quirky coffee shop, he isn’t expecting a battle of wits with the maniac behind the counter. Still, he can’t help be intrigued by the endearingly irreverent human enigma. She’s brash, but considerate. Closed off to most, but fiercely loyal to a few. Everything is a joke, except those things that are sacred. Jackie doesn’t trust easily and if he wants to get close, he’s going to have to work for every inch. Good thing he’s up for the challenge.

But Eddie has a secret—one he didn’t mean to keep—that’s going to tug at the delicate strings weaving the pair together. When everything begins to unravel, Jackie must decide just what she’s willing to risk for love.

 

Read an Excerpt

“That it? That all?” He winks. This fucker actually winks at me.

Time to go nuclear. I toss my glasses down on the table with a thud before they skid across the surface. I pull the hair tie out of my ponytail and let my wavy red locks fall past my shoulders. I give it a little tussle, knowing it is barely controlled chaos. Just like me. I lick my lips with my eyes locked on his. He’s trying hard to keep his composure, but I see him swallow the tension.

“You’re too pretty. Too soft. Too clean. Too easy. Too bland. Too safe.” I take a slow step towards him with every word. A sexy catwalk strut, crossing my combat-boot clad feet each time, adding an extra sway to my hips. I pin him with a challenging glare as he drinks in my curves with stifled desire.

I lean against him, pressing my chest into his. He doesn’t pull away, but his muscles tensed, his body hard. I bring my mouth to his ear.

“I want dirty and dangerous.”

Going for the kill, I tease his earlobe with a flick of my tongue. He lets out a deep groan. I shove off his chest and stalk back over to my abandoned dish tub.

I quip over my shoulder, “Darlin’, I’d destroy you.”

“And I’d enjoy every second of it,” he adds without missing a beat.

I bite my lip to keep from smiling.

Meet the Author

Amelia Kingston is a California girl, writer, traveler, wife and dog mom. She survives on chocolate, coffee, wine, and sarcasm. Not necessarily in that order. She’s been blessed with a patient husband who’s embraced her nomad ways and cursed with an impatient (although admittedly adorable) terrier who pouts when her dinner is five minutes late.

She loves to write about strong, stubborn, flawed women and the men who can't help but love them. Her irreverent books aim to be silly and fun with the occasional storm cloud to remind us to appreciate the sunny days. As a hopeless romantic, her favorite stories are the ones that remind us all that while love is rarely perfect, it’s always worth chasing.

Amelia's Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads

 

Enter the Giveaway

Amelia Kingston will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's been my pleasure hosting Amelia for this stop on her tour. Please come back all week for more authors, books, and giveaways.

Nancy

GEMINI RISING by Author Bianca Swan

Today we are welcoming author Bianca Swan to Notes From a Romantic’s Heart. We’ll be taking a peek at her latest book, Gemini Rising, from Black Lotus Books.

Let me begin this post by saying, Gemini Rising is not for the faint of heart. It pushes all the taboos and—because it does—Amazon has so far refused to carry it. However, that doesn’t make it less of a book. If anything, it made it more interesting to me. Yes, it does push boundaries, but it also holds surprises that make it more than what it appears to be and definitely an interesting and entertaining read.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Is your book based on real-life experience or a figment of your imagination?

No, I don’t even have siblings to love too much, and, in the romance department, I’ve never survived such a poignant love story.  Not to say my love life has been smooth sailing. Far from it! There was this young man 20 years younger than I—ahem, back to Gemini Rising. Alain and Alina own a special place in my heart. Their story might be fictitious but they were very present and real, almost as if I’d known them, which I have not. Gemini Rising was a difficult book to write because I felt their pain.

If you could trade places with one of the characters from your book, who would it be and why?

The book is currently out of print. When the rights reverted to me, I’ve been busy with other projects and haven’t taken time to go through Hot Spanish Nights.  I’d like to possess Erica DeLongpre (meaning the way a spirit would possess a human), a Virginia sociatlite, who goes to Spain to purchase the perfect horse meets the perfect man. Damián Xérès is handsome, wealthy, and can ride a horse as if he were a centaur. He is heir to a sherry dynasty and a renowned rejoneador (mounted bullfighter).  Erica is a beautiful, spoiled brat. It is also a coming of age for a twenties+ young lady. In Spain, she knows lust and love like no other. Yes, I’d like to possess Erica and live the adventure. I love the Andalusian horse, which is featured in Hot Spanish Nights.

Is the setting for your book real? If so, have you been there? If it’s fictitious, is there somewhere real that you’ve used as a model?

The setting, an island castle off the coast of England, is purely fictional. A long ago visit to St. Michael’s Mount, which is a tidal island off the coast of Cornwall, is the inspiration for Alastair Keep (the castle in Gemini Rising) and the setting in general.  If you’ve never visited St. Michael’s Mount, it is a spectacular experience. The island is connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway of granite setts, only passable during mid-tide and low tide. There is no causeway in Gemini Rising. The rocky coastline of my imagined island can be approached by small watercraft.  In fact, the Alastair family own a yacht for crossing the channel.  

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About the Book

The Alastair twins are a scientific impossibility. To parents who’ve tried every way to have a child, their male and female identical twins are a miracle.

Isolated in their island castle, the Alastair twins, Alain and Alina turn to each other for friendship and love. But when their love shifts from fraternal to frighteningly deep, they’ll each dance with their lust in their own way.

A dark fantasy of forbidden longings and midnight pledges, spoken only to be broken or kept. How can these phenomenal twins possibly unleash their innermost desires? The answer will shock you.

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Read an Excerpt

Alain tucked the in-flight magazine into the seat pocket and gazed out the window. The distance from one life to another vanished with the clouds fleeing beneath silver wings. The new 777-200 transported him from a sunlit future to a misty past…from a black-haired beauty to a fair-haired princess. Sunlight broke through cloud striking steel, blinding him for an instant.

Someone was going to get hurt.

Already he hurt—a low throbbing like a toothache. If he returned to Portugal, Alina would be devastated. His father would disown him. If he picked up his discarded heritage, a part of him would die and Maritza would grieve. For a time. He wasn’t vain enough to think she’d pine for him forever`.

The choice lay in his hands.

Damn, life got complicated when he tried to declare independence from The Keep. He shifted his long legs cramped beneath the airline seat. He preferred not to think, but fragments of memory plagued the corners of his eyes.

A vivid picture of Alina supplanted images of recent days drenched white-hot by a Portuguese sun. His twin’s presence was more corporeal than the woman sitting to his left. Welcome or not, Alina was there inside him, the mere thought of her a compulsion. He sensed her anticipation mounting as the miles melted. Expectation tingled over him. In self defense, he grasped at a memory of riding the splendid Lusitano stallions, their beauty and majesty a temporary refuge. Like Maritza. As he pictured his lover framed in an arbor of roses, his heart dived. Grief mingled inseparably with the mounting excitement.

His seat mate muttered something. He smiled vaguely at the tiny movie screen where imaginary figures acted out their roles. The film would end happily; every desire fulfilled. He hated the silver screen people. Things never turned out right—except in the movies.

The roar of jet engines and the spattering of conversation became a distant echo. Alina was journeying. When his sister took flight, despite the distance, she’d lead him down the path her imagination chose. Alina had always been the leader. Or is that a cop out to ease my own guilt? He laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. Why fight the inevitable?

The rumble of the sea surrounded him. July sunshine warmed his face. The light of home was different from any other place, diffused, like sunlight filtered through a special camera lens. He stood on the top tier of the formal garden, looking down on another sweeping flagstone terrace. A brisk waterfall sprang from an aperture in rock to feed the swan pond. Even in summer the water rippled clear, green, cool.

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Watch the Trailer

 About the Author

Bianca lives in Houston, Texas with her Z3 and baby grand piano. She has been writing all her life and loves to tell stories about hot heroes and the sexy heroines who love them. Her favorite things: Her two sons, music, sports cars, symphony, theater, the ocean, mountains, horses and travel.

Bianca's Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook Page

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Another wonderful day with an equally wonderful guest! Don’t forget to come back tomorrow when we welcome the writing duo of Liz Crowe and Desiree Holt. Until then, stay happy, stay healthy, stay well read!

Nancy