The next generation of the Southern Boys returns in a new spin-off series, Brooklet Dreams…
She was supposed to be my forever…
I’ll never forget the first time I saw her. She wore overalls two sizes too big and a pair of gloves that were also too large for her little hands. But that didn’t faze her one bit, and we clicked instantly.
By the age of twelve, we had become best friends, and by the time we turned sixteen, we were more. I had eyes for only one girl. My girl.
But then life changed, and different paths led to broken promises. When she left town, I was forced to let go of our dreams.
I spent my days existing. Baseball, classes, and working at the family farm became my life. I didn’t care about anything else. Until I met Allison Jo.
AJ was the quiet girl I never expected. She brought me to my knees with that beautiful smile. She made me laugh and slowly brought the old me back to life. I found myself wanting more with her.
I became her world, and she was my everything.
But when my past returns, my world is turned upside down.
I’m not sure I was prepared for what was about to happen.
“Oh, my lanta! I binged on this book and read it in a day! Now, that has NOT happened in a LONG time… LOVED everything about Rhett and AJ’s story. Everything.” – HEA Bookshelf
Start the Brooklet Dreams Series today!! Sale Runs May 1-31, 2023
Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December. The last thing she needs is to be upstaged by her former childhood BFF, Bella Bradley, who blows into town with handfuls of cash and a sexy business partner, Nate Wright. But a little competition never hurt anyone, and Jane’s ready to do whatever it takes– including flirting with Nate–to get Bella to pack up and leave. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will love Grinch Girl, a spicy and humorous Christmas Romance from Michelle Dayton.“The love story itself is stirring and emotional, and Emily and Bobby’s second chance feels well-earned.”—Publishers Weekly review for Escape GirlBlurbSometimes, the real story isn’t the beautiful city girl returning to her small town to save Christmas—it’s the townie chick who never left.Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December, working three jobs and directing a homemade reality dating web series, Single Bells, as a stunt to keep her small town competitive with the ritzy resort towns luring tourists. Then the gorgeous Bella Bradley, Jane’s childhood BFF who had no qualms about skipping town when times got tough, returns with handfuls of cash and her smoking-hot business partner Nate Wright on her arm.Jane can’t believe she’s being upstaged again, especially when Bella uses the Single Bells activities to rekindle a romance with her high school boyfriend—the man Jane had envisioned her future with. So if a little competition could convince Bella to leave town—again—Jane is ready to take the mittens off. And she’s not above sabotage, cheating, or flirting with Nate to win. Let the reindeer games begin…
The stranger had a British accent, dark hair, funky glasses, and wore both an expensive cashmere sweater and a bored expression. He couldn’t have looked less local if he’d tattooed “I’m from away” on his forehead. “Do you know the Wi-Fi password, by any chance?”Of course I did; I’d installed it. “Nope.”OK, that was unnecessary. Don’t piss off the tourists, Jane. Jim’s pub couldn’t handle a one-star Yelp review from some asshole.He threw up his hands. “No sign posted with the Wi-Fi info. Nobody pouring drinks.” He let out an exasperated huff. “No wonder this place is a dying shithole, right? The bar, the whole town.”Strong words, stranger. Maybe I agreed, but I was allowed to think so because I lived here. He, however, could take his opinion and shove it straight up his ass.The need for caffeine was real. I stood, put my palms on the bar, and boosted myself over it. The stranger put his phone on the bar with an angry slap. “Are you kidding? Are you the bartender? You’ve just been sitting there ignoring me the whole time I’ve been here?”I almost wanted to say yes. Because that haughty, entitled tone in his prettily accented voice made his face a prime candidate for a fist.“I don’t work here,” I said flatly, although I did pick up shifts in the summers sometimes. “I just know the owner.”The stranger cocked his head and considered me. Changed tactics. “Do you know him well enough to grab me a beer?” He smiled, and it changed his whole damn face. He went from haughty and bored to…zing! There was a teasing tone in his wry voice now, complimented by curved lips and a flash of white teeth. A knowing, flirtatious glint in his dark eyes.Hmm. This was a person used to getting everything he wanted.Too bad for him that I hated people like that.Maybe I didn’t want a soda after all. Maybe I wanted something else. I slowly took a pint glass from the shelf and pulled a draft of Spotted Cow, all while making extreme eye contact with the stranger’s amused gaze.But instead of sliding the beer over the bar, I walked around it, grabbed my laptop, and strolled slowly to the back office, enjoying an enormous gulp of the beer on my walk. I ignored his “what the hell” and called over my shoulder, “Enjoy your stay in our shithole town.”
About Michelle Dayton
There are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.
Zoey Hart is finally back in Birch Cove. In the years since she lived there, a lot has changed, her dad has passed and her sister now runs the farm that they were raised on. A farm she wants to be a part of. A dream she has held onto for so long. Except the army has changed her. No longer is she the outgoing, bubbly girl whose teen who couldn’t keep herself out of trouble. Now nightmares haunt her sleep and the fear of one misstep will get her sent away again. This time for good.
Gabe Watson’s not ready for the feisty red headed woman to kiss him minutes after laying eyes on her. But he can’t forget her either. Nobody can, but she isn’t the woman that everyone in town talks about. She hides the pain that he sees so clearly. Her past is far to present, and he is the only one who understands what she went through, and what she is going through.
Zoey needs Gabe, but will being with him be the last straw for her sister? Can she move past long buried secrets she has kept so long, secrets that will blow up her family if they came out. Because if they come to light, she will definitely be sent away forever. And Gabe won’t be able to keep her safe.
Seeing Her Pain is book one in the Hart Sisters Series, a heartfelt series about finding love with just the right amount of steam and stories that will stay with you after you’ve turned the last page.
I loved Zoey and Gabe from the opening bar fight. She’s tough and vulnerable and totally incapable of talking about her vulnerability. Gabe gives off instant protector vibes that never let up, and even better, he’s not overbearing about keeping her safe.
The instant attraction was perfectly written, not over the top, just two people recognizing sameness in each other. Seeing Her Pain wasn’t insta-love and Zoey & Gabe’s story didn’t move at hyper-speed but the connection between them felt that visceral. They were wonderful together and other than Gabe and Evie harping on it, the age gap never presented that big of an issue.
I am curious to learn who was in that photo and more about the Hart sisters’ father. And mother.
This series is off to a good start and I can’t wait to read book two.
Some neighbors ask for a cup of sugar.
But Evie’s going to ask for a whole lot more.
Seeing her sister fall in love warmed Evie’s heart. But she can’t help but wonder if she’ll get her own chance at happiness. Despite being a widow, she has little experience in the bedroom. She’s sure she’d disappoint any man she dated.
When her neighbor, Jasper, comes home for the harvest, Evie gets an idea. And she figures Jasper is probably too nice to turn her down. So she asks for a favor:
Would he, ever so kindly, mind taking her to bed?
Little did she know her request was like something out of Jasper’s dreams. He’s always known that Evie was the one for him, ever since he was a teenager.
Jasper is more than happy to oblige her. But he’d be happier still if she could realize he is the man for her.
In the bedroom, they’re a match made in heaven. But the rest of it may turn out to be more complicated…
Her Favor is book two in the Hart Sisters Series, a heartfelt series about finding love. There’s just the right amount of steam and stories that will stay with you after you’ve turned the last page.
I really enjoyed Jasper and Evie’s story but I admit that I did not connect to Evie at all. I felt she just created whole stories out of nothing. What she believed had no bearing on her situation with Jasper and he never once made her feel as if any of her negative thoughts were his feelings, which made her more annoying than a heroine I wanted to root for.
Even giving her plenty of latitude because of what she went through with her ex and all that, it was hard to say, “yeah, she totally deserved this happy ending.”
I mean, I am glad she got it because I think Jasper deserved it because he was great, honest and open with his emotions, while giving her the time she needed to figure her stuff out. The scenes between them were hot and sweet at the same time, which only made her actions and attitudes all the more annoying.
For that reason, Her Favor gets a 4.5 star rating from me.
Don’t look. Don’t move. Don’t even breathe.
Max Valentine is looking at me.
Yes, that Max Valentine. The tall, handsome and super successful lawyer that every woman at the firm is trying to get her hands on.
Well, every woman except Della. Okay, well, she does think he’s hot, but she’s more interested in making partner than making out with Max. Or anyone else. But that doesn’t matter. Because Max Valentine would never look at her.
Her career dreams are shattered when she gets fired unexpectedly. Della doesn’t know who she is without her work. With no clue what else to do, she moves back to her home town and rents an old Victorian home.
And she feels… free. She stops dying her hair. She wears whatever she likes. She starts finding a new kind of joy in her life.
Until she looks up and sees Max Valentine is looking at her. Really looking. But he couldn’t be, could he? She thinks maybe he wants a fling. Maybe she’s just the nearest woman.
But she’s wrong.
Max can see the real Della. And he would like to do much more than look. Because he’s convinced he’s looking at the love of his life.
If only he could convince Della of that.
Max Valentine is Looking at You is book three in the Hart Sisters Series, a heartfelt series about finding love with just the right amount of steam and stories that will stay with you after you’ve turned the last page.
Wow, I thought Zoey was the complicated sister but she doesn’t hold a candle to Della! I mean that in a good way, because Della’s pain and reservations were palpable and totally understandable. She did jump to conclusions the same way Evie did, but her reasons were crystal clear to me.
I loved Della and Max together. They were fun and flirty, but there was always that underlying tension of me just wondering when/if Della would blow up this amazing relationship she’d stumbled into. For his part, Max was supportive and kind, he thought she was brilliant and let her shine. I mean, what more could you want in a proper book boyfriend?
Watching Della grow beyond her professional achievements was truly a pleasure and I rooted for her all the way. I was worried that this story would go the ‘woe is me’ route but it didn’t. Della was a fully independent woman with demons and flaws that she—mostly—embraced. I loved this story almost as much as Zoey & Gabe’s.
Zoey and Gabe’s story was my favorite of the series but Zephyr and Zachary are a very close second. Zephyr’s pain was palpable throughout the story and the way she turned in on herself to stay safe was heartbreaking.
It took me some time, okay it took ALL the time to warm up to Zachary but I really liked them as a couple. He was just the right amount of protective and she was just stubborn enough to keep the story moving forward. The whodunnit wasn’t all that shocking but I’m not sure it was meant to be because the highlight was Z&Z together, actually getting to know each other this time around and unraveling her secrets.
It was great to make a trip back to Birch Cove and see everyone else again, and I admit to feeling as hesitant as Zephyr about the reception she would receive when she got there. This was a fun, rollercoaster ride of a story and I’m glad to say I enjoyed every step of the journey with the Hart sisters.
Zachary made two promises. To keep Zephyr safe. And to keep his hands off her.
But promises can be hard to keep.
The daughter of a hard-drinking mother who died too young, life has been tough on Zephyr. The one break she got was when local cop, Brian Wainwright, tried to adopt her and give her the better life she deserved. But his son, Zachary, put a stop to that.
Zachary might have stopped the adoption, but he made a deathbed promise to his father to keep her safe. And with threats made against her life, he knows it’s time to fulfil that promise.
In the dead of night, he steals her away to Minnesota, a place he knows no one will find them.
Despite ruining her chance for happiness, Zephyr has always had a crush on Zachary. One she’s finding hard to put aside when she finds herself in close confines with him.
So she asks him to make another promise: to keep his hands off her. And while keeping her safe is difficult for Zachary, staying away from the beautiful enigma that is Zephyr Hart is going to be downright impossible.
Keeping Her Safe is book four in the Hart Sisters Series, a heartfelt series about finding love with just the right amount of steam and stories that will stay with you after you’ve turned the last page.
Alie Garnett loves a little spice in her books. She lives on a small hobby farm in northern Minnesota with her husband and two kids. When she isn’t writing, she is doing everything that she didn’t ‘get to’ while writing.
Title: All the Lonely Hearts: Poetry Inspired by Music
Author: Ella Rye
Genre: Free Verse Poetry, Poetry
Release Date: April 9, 2019 Cover Design: By Hang Le
Poetry
Has given me a reason
To breathe
A reason to be
Inspiration
It comes in many forms. One of those can be music. Be it the melody, or the story it’s trying to tell.
All the Lonely Hearts is an exploration of inspiration. Be it the melody, the story, or even a word. Ella Rye brings these two worlds crashing together. Each poem is inspired by a song.
All the Lonely Hearts is a collection of Free Verse Poetry.
As the VP of Kings of Retribution MC, I live and breathe club life. After suffering the loss of two women in my life, I grew cold and indifferent to the idea of love. I don’t need to let anyone in. I’ve seen the aftermath it can leave in its quake.
The last thing I’m looking for is someone to fill the void.
Until – Bella Jameson
Struggling to keep my head above water, my only concern is taking care of my sister. The last thing I expected was to fall in love with a tattooed biker, Logan Kane. With evil hiding in the shadows, I have no idea the danger my sister and I are about to face.
Will they overcome their demons in the end, or will they lose each other in the process? Lies will be told, secrets will be revealed, and what was once lost… will be found.
I’m not sure which one was Erica’s so I’m using this logo because it’s prettier. 😀
What Is The Mystery Blogger Award?
It’s an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion. –Okoto Enigma
The rules for the award are:
1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well. (Okoto Enigma – link above).
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)
Three Things About Me:
I am a serious political junkie. I have two degrees in political science and even now, living and traveling overseas, I tune in to politics. America, Germany, Canada, Thailand…I love it all and I eat it up!
I LOVE tennis. I mean like psychotically LOVE it. Roger Federer and Serena Williams are my jam but I grew up in the age of the Sampras-Agassi rivalry and I haven’t stopped watching since. One day I plan to be at all the Grand Slams in the same year!
When I write romance, I am usually listening to true crime documentaries in the background. It’s weird I know, but it’s such a wonderful microcosm of humanity which is like the perfect martini as far as an author is concerned.
FIVE Questions from Erica
ONE: If you’d recommend a book to a non-reader, what would it be?
Boomsdayby Christopher Buckley because it is hilarious and amazing and so incredibly well written that I think even a non-reader would get sucked in right away. He has taken satire and turned it even more absurd.
TWO: Is there a movie adaptation that you liked more than its book? Specify.
Nope. Absolutely not. I am a purist (my husband calls it a book snob) and I have yet to see a movie that was better than the book. Although if pressed to choose I’d say that The Notebook was one movie that I loved and I loved the book but that’s about as close as I’ve ever gotten to that reality. And I do love most movie adaptations of Jane Austen though not as much as I love the books.
THREE: What do you think is the most beautiful thing about reading?
That’s easy, getting lost in a world completely different from your own. Whether it’s a small town romance, urban fantasy fiction or paranormal, you get to go enjoy someone else’s life, their struggles and triumphs, tragedies and achievements. I love that I want to go to Marietta, Montana in hopes there’s something there as good as Sage Carrigan’s chocolates! THAT is the beauty of reading.
FOUR: Your favorite drink/food when reading?
I love a good cocktail when I’m settling in for some uninterrupted reading time. My go to is usually Jameson on the rocks but I’m always open to experimenting if my backup drink, a dirty vodka martini isn’t available. I don’t really eat when I read because usually food just sits there unforgotten.
FIVE: What was the last book that made you laugh so hard? And what’s so funny about it?
The Dare by Rachel Van Dyken! Dude, Grandma Nadine is one of the best characters in all of contemporary fiction! That old lady is hilarious and tough and amazing and when I’m her age, I hope to be as cool and feisty as her. Those little snippets before each chapter had me laughing so hard that at times my husband forced me to read them to him just so he could laugh along. SPOILER ALERT: He too loves Nadine!
Release Date: June 14, 2018 Cover Designer: Najla Qamber
Allie Sutton just got a new job.
Not one she wants, and definitely not one she’s prepared for. She hadn’t seen her dad in years, so the last thing she expects upon his sudden death is to inherit the thing he loved more than anything (or anyone) … the professional football team he owned for the last twenty years.
Luke Pierson does not want a new boss.
What he wants is to be a good father to his daughter, the best quarterback possible for his teammates. What he doesn’t need is a blonde bombshell ruining the team’s chances at another championship. Especially when that bombshell turns out to be his new neighbor. The neighbor he was a complete jerk to the first time they met.
For the sake of the team, they treat each other like complete professionals. In public, at least. Behind closed doors, it’s a different story. And the fallout of giving in to that heat is something neither one of them can see coming.
Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December. The last thing she needs is to be upstaged by her former childhood BFF, Bella Bradley, who blows into town with handfuls of cash and a sexy business partner, Nate Wright. But a little competition never hurt anyone, and Jane’s ready to do whatever it takes– including flirting with Nate–to get Bella to pack up and leave. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will love Grinch Girl, a spicy and humorous Christmas Romance from Michelle Dayton.
“The love story itself is stirring and emotional, and Emily and Bobby’s second chance feels well-earned.”—Publishers Weekly review for Escape Girl
Blurb
Natasha's Book Nook 