All posts by writinstuff

Contemporary romance writer, political comedy writer, ghostwriter and editor. Lover of coffee & cocktails, world traveler, off-key singer, vegan and adventurer-ish!
Cover reveal, Romance

COVER REVEAL ~ Release by Dylan Allen

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Title: Release
Series: A Symbols of Love Novel
Author: Dylan Allen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 28, 2018
Cover Design: Passion Creations by Mary Ruth 

 

I’m here for pleasure.

And in paradise, I don’t have a past. I don’t have pain, my secrets don’t haunt me and I can be anyone I want 

He’s here for business.

Harry’s intoxicatingly handsome, rich, and also the biggest jerk I’ve ever met. So, it’s inconvenient that sparks fly every time our eyes meet.

Indulging in an affair wasn’t on my agenda.

But fate isn’t a mistress to our intentions; And what starts as a strike of lightening on a moonlit beach ignites a fire between us that will span continents. 

Meeting again in the unlikeliest of circumstances feels written in the heavens.

And I’ll need the courage of the gods to tell him the truth.

They say the truth will set you free… but what if it destroys you first?

Dylan Allen is a Texas girl with a serious case of wanderlust.

A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters chase their own happy endings.

When she isn’t writing or reading, eating or cooking, she and her family are planning their next adventure.


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COVER REVEAL ~ Red and Unmasked by Trista Jaszczak

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Title: Red: Naughty Ever After #1
Title: Unmasked: Naughty Ever After #2
Author: Trista Jaszczak
Genre: Twisted Fairytale / Erotic Romance 
Release Date: February 14, 2018


 

Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?…

 


Samantha Wentworth has one mission in life: to get as far away as she possibly can from her troubled past. When she finds herself on the Louisiana bayou, she runs straight into the arms of a very sexy Big Bad Wolf that she just can’t seem to resist. Will Samantha continue on her journey, or does the full moon have other plans in store for her?

Cinderella is proof that a pair of shoes can change your life…

 


 

In Blair’s case it just so happens to be a pair of $8,000.00 shoes. When she’s given the chance to go to a masked ball to celebrate the rock band, the Huntsmen’s latest album release her two fairy godfathers flip her life upside down. She doesn’t believe that it could ever end in a one night stand with a rock star…and a lost $8,000.00 shoe…but it does. All Blair can think about is the mess she’s gotten herself into and all prince of rock Hunter can think of is finding the woman he spent a night with, even though his only lead is a single, red-bottomed shoe.

 

Trista Jaszczak (jazz-ick) is the international bestselling author of Red, Unmasked, Skin Deep, and Loverboy. She is an Air Force spouse and mother to two mischievous and rambunctious little girls. She is originally from Hamilton, Ohio but calls home where ever the Air Force sends her. She currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska where she finds endless inspiration in the pure Alaskan wilderness. When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her family in the vast Alaskan outdoors, working as a make-up artist, running, or riding her Harley. She loves the outdoors, the moon, old movies, and music.

 


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RELEASE DAY ~ Free Fall by Emily Goodwin

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Title: Free Fall
Author: Emily Goodwin
Genre: 2nd Chance Standalone Romance
Release Date: February 1, 2018 
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Nora Fisher. The way my heart sped up in my chest and blood rushed through every part of me. I was drawn to her the moment our eyes met.

 She was beautiful. 

 Guarded. 
Damaged.
Just like me.

I never meant to hurt the only woman I’ve ever loved. She was light, and I was dark, casting shadows on everything around me. Letting her go meant spiraling back into the darkness only Nora could pull me from. But I’d sacrifice myself a thousand times for her.

Four years later, she’s back, and the passion she ignites makes the fight for her stronger. But the more I try to make things right, the more I realize how complicated things have become.

And now I’m starting to see that maybe her light was never meant to be mine.
They call me a hero.
But to me, I’ll always be the guy who shot his best friend. Some nights, when the air is still and the house is quiet, I can hear it. The whisper of metal on metal as the hammer is pulled back on the gun. Everything comes rushing back. The way the gun felt heavy in my hand. The pungent smell of blood filling my lungs. My finger slipping as I pulled the trigger, slick from my own blood. And most of all, the way Jason’s blood splattered my face as the bullet hit him.

 

I tell people I blacked out after that, but I remember it all. The screams. The feeling of panic and remorse and terror all at the same time, ripping my heart into a million bloody pieces. When they ask, I tell them the pain from my own bullet wound intensified and I collapsed. Sometimes, I feel bad for lying. But the truth won’t change anything.

 “And how are you feeling today, Jack?” Mr. Levine asks, not looking up from his computer.

 “Fine,” I reply in a huff, already eyeballing the clock. It hasn’t even been a minute yet.

 

“Are you still having nightmares?”

 

That’s the only kind of dream I have, well, if I sleep at all. “Nope.”

 

“Good, good.” Mr. Levine stares at his computer during most of our meetings. I assume he’s looking at porn. If he is, it makes these meetings a lot less serious. “And what about school?”

 

“What about it?”

 

“How are you doing in your classes? What kind of grades are you getting?”

 

“Can’t you look that stuff up?”

 

“Oh, I can,” he says, and I want to roll my eyes and call him out for being lazy. But that puts me at risk for getting another counselor, and I like Mr. Levine for exactly that: he’s lazy and doesn’t probe. Nearly a year of these godforsaken meetings is bad enough. I’d lose my shit if I had to sit in with anyone else. “But I want to hear it from you.”

 

“I get Bs and Cs. Nothing special but nothing terrible.”

 

“What about football? You still enjoy that?”

 

“Yes,” I say honestly. It’s probably the only thing I enjoy. It’s the one place I feel the most free. I can’t run away from my life, but I can run on the field. I can’t push, shove, or block my problems in real life, but I make one hell of a defense, even though I’m the quarterback. 

 

“You’ve gotten quite a few marks for unsportsmanlike conduct already,” Mr. Levine says and lifts his gaze from his computer to me. “And it’s the beginning of the school year.”

 

I shrug. “Just making up for lost time and feeling extra competitive. Don’t want to break our winning streak. Go Bulldogs.”

 

“Sounds good.” His eyes are back on his glowing computer screen. “You know I’m here if you need to talk. See you Friday.”

 

I grab my shit and leave his corner office, emerging into a hall that empties into the main office building of Dale Hollow High School. There are three rooms back here: Mr. Levine’s office, the other counselor, Mrs. Freeman’s office, and the conference room they sit you down in when bad shit happens.

 

I’ve been in all three more times than I can count.

 

Between the doors to the two counselors’ offices is an ugly armchair that smells like mothballs. I’ve clocked serious hours parked there, waiting to be seen, or waiting while my parents talked with the principal behind closed doors. Today it has a different occupant, and I slow without meaning to.

 

Her head is turned down to the book in her lap, and raven hair is covering half her face. Noticing me, she looks up, and I’m taken aback by her beauty. Eyes as green as emeralds stare back at me, and her full lips part. She’s gorgeous.

 

There’s something familiar in her eyes that I can’t place. She looks to be the same age as my sister, who’s two years younger than me. Yet something about this girl makes me think she has experience, and I don’t mean with sex.

 

With life.

 

She knows life is full of bullshit.

 

There was a time when I’d flash a smile, lean in, and introduce myself. But those days are gone. Her long lashes come together in a blink, making my heart skip a beat and a rush of blood go to my dick. I quickly walk away before she has the chance to say anything.

 

Emily Goodwin is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over a dozen of romantic titles. Emily writes the kind of books she likes to read, and is a sucker for a swoon-worthy bad boy and happily ever afters. 

 


 

She lives in the midwest with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, you can find her riding her horses, hiking, reading, or drinking wine with friends. 

 


 

Emily is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency.

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Romance

Review ~ Faking It by Diane Alberts

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ABOUT:

Derek Rory never meant to propose to his best friend’s little sister. But when her boss tells a family-oriented investor he’s Stephanie’s fiancé, Derek can either play along or let her get fired. He’s hardly one to turn away from a damsel in distress. If only that damsel wasn’t adorable and sexy with a laugh that could melt any cold business mogul’s heart.

When a business proposal becomes a marriage proposal, Stephanie Miller tries to keep it strictly boardroom. But when things get hot under the table, it’s all they can do to stay apart. As the tangle of lies drags them deeper into the underhanded world of business politics, Stephanie finds herself in over her head—not just with her job, but with her “fiancé.” His eyes are cold, but his kisses light her on fire. If she’s not careful, she’ll end up faking her way into a real romance.

First of all, who doesn’t love a fake relationship romance? Because I do. Stephanie, the heroine of Faking It, is one of those heroines you just have to love. She’s vibrant and bubbly…and clumsy as hell. As a fellow klutz, I had a good time reading about her mishaps. She wasn’t exactly a bumbling idiot, just clumsy enough to make a tiny mess of things, which actually turned into the best thing that had happened to her in a long time.

The simple act of listening to the weatherman had her caught out in the rain without an umbrella, and that’s how she first meets Derek. The friend her brother wanted to introduce her to, anyway. Derek was hot and successful…and terribly emotionally stunted. But not in that annoying way that most men have of being emotionally stunted, no Derek’s father had done a real number on him and it is what causes much of the drama in Faking It.

Throw in a smarmy boss and possible spy for a brother, and you have a fast and fun romance that’ll have you smiling the entire time.

This was a classic opposites attract and watching how being together made both Stephanie and Derek better people was a joy and something you rarely get to see in modern romance. Sometimes Stephanie was stubborn as hell, too proud to accept help but you always understood her rationale, even if you wanted to beat her over the head with it.

Cover reveal, Romance

COVER REVEAL ~ Broken Boundaries by TC Matson

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Title: The Broken Boundaries
Series: The Debonair Series #1
Author: TC Matson
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Release Date: February 21, 2018

Two things I love are the company I built from the ground up and women, and not particularly in that order.

 

When I see something I want, I get it, whether it’s a new client or a wild night in the sack.

 

Women flock to my stock, and ladies, that’s not all they enjoy.

 

I’m not labeled as one of Denver’s top playboys for nothing.
I’m damn good-looking, my pockets are deep, and my “endowments” leave women begging for more.
Two rules I live by:
* Don’t mix business with pleasure.
* Never, ever date an employee.
I thought I had it all in check until Zoey Campbell started working for me.
All my rules? Disintegrated.
Because rules are meant to be broken.
And great sex is meant to be had.
Easton Langley is a manwhore.
I knew his reputation before I applied for the job.
But none of the rumors about him mattered because my focus was on my career.
And I’m smart enough not to fall for his sexy charm.
Or so I thought.
He’s so insanely good-looking and smooth with his words, I can’t help but be distracted whenever he’s around.
Fantasizing about the boss is inappropriate.
Sleeping with him would be crossing the line.
One night. That’s all it took.
And going back to the way it was isn’t an option.
The worst part about it?
I’ve fallen for him.
When a late night in the office shatters every rule, Easton and Zoey find themselves breaking all the boundaries.

 

“Dreaming in Reality…You dream in reality when you pick up a book and get lost in it. In my writing, I strive to take you to a place where reality and fantasy become a blurry line. Everything should be relatable. It could happen…couldn’t it?” ~ TC MatsonTC Matson loves to let her character’s voices be heard. With a head full of stories, she puts her keyboard through a beating daily. With an understanding that love isn’t always instant and full of flowers—her writing mirrors it.

She’s a romance junkie at heart and an avid reader. Add those two together and she will devour books within hours, getting lost in the world the author creates.

Matson resides in the peaceful Piedmont area of NC with her husband and three boys, where staying hopped up on caffeine is the key to her sanity. Chaos is indefinite and a sense of humor is an absolute must.


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New Releases, Romance

Box set #newrelease ~ MMG Series Boxset by RB Hilliard

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Title: MMG Series Boxset Books 1-6
Author: R.B. Hilliard
Genre: Romance Suspense

Release Date: January 29, 2018

 

 


 His End Game (MMG #1)

 


 

Ellie Davis has finally begun to mend the pieces of her shattered heart. With a new job slinging drinks behind the bar at Charlotte’s latest hot spot and a crush on her deliciously sexy bar manager things are finally starting to look up.
New job plus new man equals the perfect anecdote to help Ellie forget all about bad boy Max McLellan…or so she thinks.
This is Ellie’s journey and it isn’t always pretty.
It isn’t always neat.
It isn’t always happy.
But it’s hers.

 

Not Letting Go (MMG #2)
Piper O’Connell’s life is crumbling down around her. Broken and betrayed by the man she loves, she flees to the safety of North Carolina and the only people she can trust. When the man who hurt her comes knocking at her door, she is forced to face the fact that maybe she had it all wrong. Gage Blackwell wants to know why the girl of his dreams walked away. Searching for the truth, he follows her to North Carolina where, instead of receiving the answers he so desperately seeks, he is drawn into an intricate web of secrets and lies. Will the truth bring Piper and Gage back together or will it destroy them and the ones they love, once and for all…

 

One More Time (MMG #3)

 

From the second Dillon Whitaker sets eyes on Isabella Fisher, he is captivated. After one night in her bed, he is consumed. In a moment of weakness, he walks away. Isabella throws away her moral compass for a night with Dillon. As he walks away, Dillon leaves Isabella with so much more than hurt feelings. He leaves her with unexpected consequences. When unforeseeable circumstances bring them back together, will misunderstandings keep them apart, or will they be given… One More Chance… To Get It Right… One More Time

 

Right Side Up (MMG #4)
Life goes on after tragedy…or does it?
After wreaking havoc in their lives, Dooley Shane is finally dead. However, it seems he’s left his mark on the MMG.
While Dillon and Isabella were falling in love in One More Time, the rest of the gang was picking up the pieces. Nothing is ever as it seems….Sometimes, it’s so much more.
Max McLellan’s life is spinning out of control. After watching his wife and child almost die, he’s plagued by doubts and insecurities. Does he want this life he’s fought so hard for?
Piper O’Connell is a survivor. After coming close to losing everything, all she wants is her happily ever after. Her fiancé, however, is not making this easy for her. His overprotective nature is about to tip her over the edge.
Kurt Greenfield has seen his fair share of psychotic women over the past few years, but he has never experienced it first-hand. That is, until now. Will he fall victim like Max and Dillon, or will he be the first to walk away unscathed?
Ellie McLellan is afraid. Since the kidnapping and premature birth of her son, something has changed in her marriage. Her once demonstratively loving husband has disappeared and in his place is a complete stranger.
Gage Blackwell is a man obsessed with protecting his woman. He failed her once, but never again. He is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Does this include letting her go?
Joss Greenfield is living the life she’s always dreamed of, happily married with a baby on the way. Will she have the strength to persevere when in the blink of an eye, both are jeopardized?
Sometimes life turns you upside down…The question is, can love flip you right side up?
*Warning* This book is intended for mature audiences only due to sexual content. Those characters I mentioned up above, they are having sex. Lots of it. Consider yourself warned. Right Side Up is a companion novella to the MMG series, it is not a standalone. Everything you need to know about these characters and the events that have led up to this novella has been written about, in detail, within the first three books of the series. To avoid any confusion, it is advised you start at the beginning.

 

Keep It Simple (MMG #5)

After living most of her life surrounded by alpha men, Sarah McLellan wants a sensitive, sweet, doting man in her life. Then she meets Cas. Cas Ashford is running from his past. With a new job in a new city, he has a fresh outlook on life: Keep it simple. Then he meets Sarah. Some things are easier said, than done.

 

The Last Call (MMG #6)
Welcome to The Last Call.
Where Max and Ellie finally get their end game and Gage and Piper reap the benefits from not letting go.
Welcome to The Last Call.
Where Dillon and Isabella realize what one more time really means and Kurt and Joss are flipped right side up.
Welcome to The Last Call.
Where Cas and Sarah figure out how to keep it simple and Harry and Polly take a chance on love. Welcome to The Last Call.
Where friends come together as family and family means everything.
Welcome to The Last Call.
Where new beginnings are just around the corner…

 

   

 

RB Hilliard lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and two children. In 2012 she began writing His End Game, the first book in her MMG Series. Hilliard has not only published six books in this series, but has gone on to publish Utterly Forgettable, a hilariously funny Romantic Comedy, as well as her Rock Star Romance Series, Meltdown.

 

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COVER REVEAL ~ Proper Ink by Zeia Jameson

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Title: Proper Ink
Series: Jaded Lily Book #2
Author: Zeia Jameson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 16, 2018
Cover Design: Alyssa Garcia @ Uplifting Designs

Luca Cipriani knows art. 

 

Specifically, tattoos. 

 

Patience, focus, and attention to detail are crucial.
He’s consumed with it all.
For the past three years, Luca has been building his reputation as the master of ink in Savannah, Georgia.
It wasn’t his original plan, but sometimes, lives twist and plans change.
Kerry Frazier knows entertainment.
Specifically, event planning.
Locations, guest lists, and the hottest trends keep clients begging for more.
She’s living the dream.
Even though Kerry’s job is exhilarating and rewarding, it’s also never ending.
So a night on the town for herself is just what she needs.
Luca never expected someone like Kerry to waltz into his shop. And blatantly flirt with him, no less.
He never imagined flirting would lead to more.
One secret night.
That was all it was supposed to be.
Until one night turned into two. Three.
Luca doesn’t do feelings.
Kerry can’t do complicated.
What happens when you’re drawn to someone who is bound to break your heart?

 

Zeia Jameson’s passion for writing compels her to get into the zone and type until her fingers go numb. When not submerged within her own stories, she enjoys curling up in her large reading chair, snuggling underneath a blanket, and feeding her addictions of coffee and reading. She is fond of humor and laughter and believes these are elements that keep the world sane and spinning.


Zeia lives in Georgia with her husband and daughter, where they spend most of their time exploring recipes, binging on Netflix, drawing chalk-art on sidewalks, and avoiding pollen at all costs.


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Cover reveal, Romance

COVER REVEAL ~ Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

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Title: Break Down
Series: Dublin Rugby #4
Author: Rebecca Norrine
Genre: M/M Sports Romance
Release Date: February 21, 2018
All my life I looked and wondered. Could I? Would I? And then, finally, I did. But when I sampled a taste of that forbidden fruit, my whole world came crashing down.
Now, I’m in a new country, trying to rebuild my life and get back the things I lost. But one look at him—those knowing, whisky-colored eyes, the abrasive scruff dotting his jaw, and the colorful ink lining his forearms—and I’m wondering all over again.
Can I? Will I? My heart says no, but my body says yes.


 

USA TODAY bestselling Rebecca Norinne writes steamy contemporary romance featuring smart and sexy heroines and the men who adore them. When not writing, Rebecca is watching rugby, drinking craft beer, or traveling the globe in search of inspiration for her next story. Find out more at http://www.rebeccanorinne.com

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COVER REVEAL ~ Chased by Clarissa Wild

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Title: Chased
Author: Clarissa Wild
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: February 12, 2018
Cover Design: Booming Covers

I’m filthy rich … and ruthless.

I live for the hunt. The chase.

My desires aren’t exactly normal.

But neither is she … The girl I bought.

She’s innocent and blind.

Perfect for all my wicked needs.

Perfect to prove just how far I’m willing to go.

But there’s just one problem …

I’m falling for her. Deep. Hard. Fast.

Even though I’m the bad guy. The man who keeps her locked away.

I’ll do anything to make her stay.

One thing’s for sure … She will be mine. 


WARNING: This book contains very disturbing content that may be offensive to readers.

 


 

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” he murmurs into my ear.
I nod.
I can feel him smile. “I’m a monster … remember? I don’t play nice.”
“I’m not asking you to,” I reply.
“Good. Because I am not about to listen,” he says, his voice gruff and demanding as he takes my earlobe into his mouth and sucks. Then bites.
Hard enough for it to hurt, but soft enough for it not to bleed.
“Think you can handle me?” he muses. “That you can taunt me like that and get away with it?”
I shake my head, but he pulls my hair harshly, forcing my head back and exposing my neck.
His lips make a trail down towards the base of my neck, where he plants a hot kiss filled with desire … and something else. A hunger for bad things.
He wraps his free arm around my waist and pulls me close while his tongue dips out to lick my skin.
My legs quake. I feel something between my legs … excitement … something I haven’t felt in a very long time.
“I’m not gentle. I’m not nice,” he whispers, sinking his teeth into my skin.
I hiss, but still don’t reply.
“You’ve pushed me too far now, Syrena,” he groans. “I’m going to take what belongs to me now. Inch by inch, your body will be mine.”

 



Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, the Stalker Duology, Twenty-One (21), Ultimate Sin, Viktor, Unprofessional Bad Boys Series, RUIN, Indecent Games Series, Father, and Caged. She is also a writer of various erotic romances. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

Want to get an email when my next book is released? Sign up here to receive 4 FREE short stories: http://eepurl.com/FdY71

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RELEASE DAY ~ The Space Between Us by Alyne Hart

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Title: The Space Between Us
Series: The Men of Evansdale County Volume 1
Author: Alyne Hart
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Release Date: January 31, 2018
Emma f#cking Winchester
She’s the little sister of my ex-best friend, Forrest. She’s off limits like tempting forbidden fruit, and I’m the snake slithering through the grass.
She ignites a fire in me. One I can’t explain. One I sure as f#ck can’t control. It’s raw and primal.
She’s sweet, and I am not.
She’s pure, and I’m broken.
When I came back to the town and past I’d left behind ten years ago to make it big in the world of underground fighting – it was for one reason, and one reason only. To take care of my Grandma Rose, and I’ll do it by any means necessary. Even if it means doing the one thing I said I’d never do.
I didn’t expect to see Emma again.
I didn’t expect to want her the way I do.
I didn’t expect to peel back all her perfectly controlled layers or for her to see through mine.
***

Love isn’t always simple. And it’s definitely not as predictable as aspiring dancer Emma Winchester’s life. Or the way her life used to be until Dean King forced his way into her world and heart – now there’s no turning back.
Emma returned to her hometown of Evansdale after leaving for college when tragedy struck. She and her brother Forrest are now the sole owners of Winchester Estate Orchards – but the apple business has never been Emma’s passion. Dancing is. Until she bumps into Dean King, her older brother’s ex-best friend and the object of her teenage crush. She knows she’ll hurt her brother if she keeps seeing Dean, but she can’t stay away.

Tall, handsome and tattooed boxer Dean King is nothing out of a fairy tale. He’s brooding and moody, and he doesn’t believe in love. But when he runs into Emma, something ignites inside of him. A fire. A desire that’s all but consuming in way he doesn’t understand.
Dean’s life has never been simple. And it’s never been predictable. Coming from a poor family and having an alcoholic and neglectful mother left him with scars he’d just as soon forget. He left Evansdale to get away from the memories and reputation that have haunted him – until his grandmother Rose, the only person who’s ever told him they loved him is dying. Dean will do whatever it takes to take care of his Mama Rose. Even if it means selling his soul.

Fate brings them together. Burning passion binds them. When the fires get too hot, can love save them? 
This novel is a standalone in the Men of Evansdale County series. No cheating. No cliffhangers and a guaranteed HEA. Contains adult material including, but not limited to: scenes of violence (boxing matches) sex and language.

Dean Alexander King.
It’s a name I hadn’t heard since the day my brother said we could never utter it again. In fact, I hadn’t thought of him much since, even though I had the biggest crush on him my entire childhood. It was a silly crush. He was my older brother Forrest’s best friend since kindergarten, which meant I had barely been born when they first met.
Our mom practically adopted him like he was a stray puppy. She showered him with attention, clothes that fit him right instead of the raggedy hand me downs he wore, and plates of hot food every night she could. He was her little pet project from the wrong side of town.
In fact, Dean was such a fixture in our home that I thought of him as my other brother until I was ten and figured out what having a crush meant. After that, I followed Dean around like a pest until he and Forrest would get irritated enough to lock themselves in Forrest’s room. Other than that, he never noticed me. I was just the annoying kid sister of his best friend.
When I was sure no one was listening, I named my Barbie, Emma and my Ken doll, Dean and I made them kiss. A lot. Sometimes with no clothes on. When I was twelve, I would write Emma plus Dean, or Emma Cassidy King on my school folders over and over. Usually with a lot of hearts and other embarrassing things I’m glad no one ever saw.
Sometime around thirteen is when I started to notice the differences between them. Differences that left me confused. I never understood how Forrest and Dean were friends in the first place—they were as different as night and day.
Dean was always in trouble. He got suspended more times than I could count. He got into fistfights at school that Forrest inevitably had to break up. He went through girlfriends like dirty socks, and he got put in juvie. Three times.
Forrest, on the other hand, was and still is, polite and gentlemanly. He rarely swears, he had one girlfriend through all of high school, and like me, he follows all the rules.
Not Dean. Filthy-mouthed, cocky and arrogant—he broke the rules like it was his favorite hobby. And unlike his last name might suggest, Dean King was nothing out of a fairy tale. Which is probably why the vision of him never failed to make the skin of my cheeks fill with a hot, red blush—and why my fourteen-year-old daydreams were always of him shirtless, offering to be my very first kiss.
Of course, I never got that kiss. For one, Dean was five years older than me, and I was nothing more to him than a little sister. Two, my brother came home one day and told us his engagement to his high school sweetheart and fiancée Renee had been called off, and that Dean was the reason.
Dean never came around after that. Last I’d heard he’d taken off and was never heard from again. Well—until now that is.
Only, he didn’t look at me like I was Forrest’s little sister anymore—and he asked me not to tell Forrest he was back in town.
Dean King is fire.
Like the most beautiful and destructive of all the elements.
Fire is a welcoming warmth that washes over your skin, like a glowing blanket. But in the blink of an eye, flames can leap, devouring everything in their path. Everyone and everything in its way is left to choke on the thick black smoke. If you turn your head for even a second, everything you once loved and held so dear is gone.
Fire smolders. Flickers playfully, sending embers flying like a sparkling, hot fountain of orange against the dark purple of night.
Dean King is fire.

 

And I am rain.
Hello, I’m Alyne Hart. A contemporary romance author living in the state of Washington with my two children. I’m a romance junkie, happy ending addict, cat collector and wine lover.
I began my story-telling journey first with my dolls, then it progressed to paper. I have a deep love for anything romantic, and I’m a believer that in love anything is possible. 
I write (mostly) strong, witty and intelligent women who love fiercely. And strong, sexy, intelligent men – alpha heroes with a heart of gold. Then I add in my own little fantasy – they can all cook.
Most of my stories involve people with problems bigger than just trying to find love. I like making peace with the past, re-kindling old flames and healing old wounds. I love small towns, second chances, cowboys, rock stars, and men in uniform.
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