Posts Tagged ‘romance’

The Champagne Crush By Caroline O’Connell ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 24, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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The Champagne Crush

By Caroline O’ Connell

 

(Les Femmes Series)
Publication date: August 20th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Perfect for fans of Emily in Paris—with the sophistication of the wine world and a slow-burn, opposites-attract love story. A glitzy PR expert and a traditional wine president clash on a high-stakes global launch—where rivalry, reinvention, and romance collide.

AUDIOBOOK PRODUCTION DETAILS:

  • Format: Unabridged Audiobook
  • Performance: Single Narration by acclaimed British stage actress Karen Gundersen
  • Audio Features: Fully voiced character accents and deep emotional range
  • Primary Tropes: Workplace Romance, Opposites Attract, Slow-Burn
  • Audiobook Vibe: High-tension with a romantic, high-heat fade-to-black intimacy level (the intense build-up is on the page, but the camera pulls away before explicit details)

Goodreads / Amazon / BookBub

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Chris McDermott’s Family Ranch in Napa, CA
(Dinner after an all-day TV shoot in the vineyards)

When they were finishing the fig tart dessert with freshly whipped cream from their dairy, his dad leaned over to Chris. “Why don’t you show Catherine our current operation? It’s not much yet, but she’ll be able to say she saw a world class winery in its early stages.” He stood up and grabbed his plate. “I’ll help Maura clear the dishes. You two can take off.”

Chris didn’t need prompting. He was feeling inexplicably drawn to Catherine. The temperature outside dropped quickly, so he bundled her up in one of his warm leather jackets. It was three sizes too big, which only made her look more adorable.

They stepped onto a moonlit path and walked a short distance to the temporary winery: an aluminum-sided structure that held rudimentary winemaking equipment next to cases of empty bottles. A walk-in cooler held samples of the wines they’d already produced laid horizontally on racks. On the far end of the room, a partial wall separated the “office”—an old metal desk, a long table with office equipment and a computer, one file cabinet, shelves brimming with books and magazines, and a large bulletin board with articles and graphs clipped on it.

“I know it doesn’t look like much yet,” Chris said. “But it’s the genesis of our dream. My dad and I have been working toward this moment for many years, the chance to create our own family wine.”

He held out his hand. “Let’s go sit outside. It’s such a clear night, we should be able to see the stars.”

They sat on hay bales near the barn, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to keep her warm. He pointed up to the sky. “Most nights you can see the constellations and major stars, unless there’s cloud cover.” He pulled her closer. “There’s Venus . . .”

“Named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty . . .” Catherine chimed in.

Seems the beauty is right here, sitting next to me. “How about you, Catherine Reynolds? What are your dreams?”

She tucked her hands into the jacket pockets. “Unlike you, my dreams have changed over time. When Vanessa and I were teenagers, we went into modeling.” She made a face. “It’s not as glamorous as people think. Now, I’d like to pursue a career in the hospitality sector.” She sighed. “Still working that out.”

“I’m sorry I doubted you in the beginning. I think you’re a wonderful asset to the company.” And to my life.

He stood up and silently offered his hand, pulling her up to face him. An owl hooted nearby, momentarily jarring him from his intent to steal a kiss. He took a deep breath and gazed into her upturned face. Her long-lashed eyes blinked as she looked into his questioningly.

“We’d better get going.” He turned her around and draped his arm over her shoulders as they walked back. When they reached the guest cottage, he gave her a warm hug and walked off. She’s too appealing. I’m falling fast.

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About Author Caroline O’Connell:

Caroline O’Connell is the author of numerous travel guides, including Affordable Paris Hotels. The Champagne Crush is the first novel in the Les Femmes Series. In conjunction with the launch of the audiobook version, the ebook is discounted to $1.99 (from $9.99) on all platforms. Her website is https://carolinestraveltips.com/.

 

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GIVEAWAY

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The Champagne Crush Blitz

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Requite Of The Fates By Venus Campbell ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: August 21, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Romance, Science Fiction
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Controlled by aliens, Nathaniel Wayne can’t resist his
attraction to Marlene Broadie.

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Requite of the Fates

by Venus Campbell

Genre: Interracial Time Travel Romance, SciFi Adventure

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Perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and A Touch of
Darkness, this interracial time-travel romance is a Greek mythology retelling
of the Theseus and the Minotaur that follows war photojournalist, Marly
Broadie, surviving on grit and grief as she encounters Emissary Nate Wayne,
under the control of aliens.

Set in near future New York city, and Los Angelos and 1500’s
BCE Crete, Nate’s body, as Emissary for Earth, can be piloted by the Entity,
aliens threatening humanity. Any resistance initiates humanity’s annihilation.
Marly’s photography of the Emissary will ensure her mother’s life-saving
treatment. Instead, Marly provokes the Entity’s interest and Nate’s. Alien
time-travel tech flings them back to ancient Minoan Crete. Stuck in the past,
their desire for each other grows. Every reclaimed memory brings them closer to
returning to the present and the Entity who can possess Nate’s body. However,
the future without them means human extinction. They will escape the past as
their love is required to ensure humanity’s future.

From award winning author, Venus Campbell, Requite of the
Fates is a multicultural mytho-sci time-travel romance for readers ready to
adventure into the mythical past.

Book
of Venus * Amazon * IngramSpark * Goodreads

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If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? No. Once I release my book, for better or worse (preferably for the better) that’s it. The story belongs to its readers. I have to let it go.

 

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book? Yes- I had an epiphany about story structures and how readers read stories in our modern world. It has changed how I interact with my stories and my writing and I applied this writing change into a lot of this story’s segments.

 

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead? I guess Zendaya could play Marly and Chris Hemsworth could play Nate

 

Anything specific you want to tell your readers? This book is for readers looking to extend their enjoyment of the Odyssey into their romance stories and this book is perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and A Touch of Darkness, this interracial time-travel romance is a Greek mythology retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur

 

How did you come up with name of this book? answered

 

What is your favorite part of this book and why? Good question

 

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? I would love to spend time with Icarus as he is as smart as his father and kind and sympathetic.

 

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination? Yes.

 

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story? I’ve got the reigns

 

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read. Not to repeat but perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and A Touch of Darkness, this interracial time-travel romance is a Greek mythology retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur that follows war photojournalist, Marly Broadie, surviving on grit and grief as she encounters Emissary Nate Wayne, under the control of aliens.

Set in near future New York city, and Los Angelos and 1500’s BCE Crete, Nate’s body, as Emissary for Earth, can be piloted by the Entity, aliens threatening humanity. Any resistance initiates humanity’s annihilation. Marly’s photography of the Emissary will ensure her mother’s life-saving treatment. Instead, Marly provokes the Entity’s interest and Nate’s. Alien time-travel tech flings them back to ancient Minoan Crete. Stuck in the past, their desire for each other grows. Every reclaimed memory brings them closer to returning to the present and the Entity who can possess Nate’s body. However, the future without them means human extinction. They must escape the past as their love is required to ensure humanity’s future.

 

Have you written any other books that are not published? Yes- I still have three more manuscripts drafted, but the next manuscript for the adult multicultural romance line will be originally drafted

 

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be? Plum or jasmine

 

What did you edit out of this book? A half chapter from a third character’s perspective, but I will add that text as a side story. It’s very good!

 

Is there an writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why? Anne McCaffrey because she was, you know, Anne McCaffrey, and she wrote both science fiction and romantic elements as well as actual romance.

 

Give us a Fun Fact/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?’-type tidbits about you, the book or the

writing process of the book. I actually wrote this book with my critique group nearly 20 years ago. It was a vastly different book then. No aliens and the like. When I reopened the book, I knew it needed a major overhaul. It needed to breathe the changed air that is the world of 2026. And it needed to have aliens. I love mytho-scis (think Stargate or Prometheus). This was the perfect opportunity to re-envision the story from the perspective that the ancient gods were actually aliens. I hope you enjoy!

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Nate had never known true agony. He was lucky. She wanted
to hold it against him, his “everything will turn out all right” point of view,
but she needed a bit of that. She looked up from her hands in her lap and met
his gaze. Yes, a bit of fantasy in her life would do her good.

Smiling, she quipped, “You promised food.”

“Did I? Well, I think Stacy should be out in a minute
with dinner. I usually get a pot pie. Chicken is one of her specialties.”

Marly nodded. Her stomach growled as she adjusted her
bottom in the seat. “I could eat anything at this point.”

“You were rude, Mr. Wayne,” a woman’s voice interrupted
from behind her. “And I just wanted you to know that it reflects badly on you
to be sleeping with a woman like her.”

Marly turned to stare up at the tall blond who had
accosted them in the front hall earlier. It took Marly a minute to absorb what
she’d heard, then her face heated.

She didn’t think. She just stood, fury boiling to the
surface. She took one step in the woman’s direction and would have let out a
nasty response if Nate’s hand on her shoulder hadn’t restrained her. Staring at
him, she opened her mouth to speak, but he wasn’t looking at her. He angled in
front of her and squeezed her arm reassuringly in one controlled movement, then
advanced on the blond with angry intent.

Nate’s voice rang out powerfully in the dining room’s
sudden silence. “You better get smart. A mouth like that will get you
permanently barred from a career in Hollywood. You’ll certainly never work on a
film with me. And just so you know, I wouldn’t sleep with you to save the great
race. Let’s go, Marly.”

He curved around the woman, making sure no part of him
touched her, and headed out of the dining room with Marly right behind him. At
the double-door hall entrance, a stalwart Stacy sent Nate a questioning look.
He stopped, his nostrils flaring, and bit out his words.

“I believe that woman is having difficulty finding her
way out.”

Stacy nodded. “I’ll make sure she gets there.” She handed
him a key. “I’ll have your dinner brought up.”

Nodding a quick thanks, his expression impenetrable, Nate
turned and pulled Marly up dark-carpeted stairs. They made their way silently
down a wide hall, the maroon-colored wallpaper casting a forbidding slant to
their mutual silence. She couldn’t figure out what was going on. He seemed
angry with her, yet he’d defended her. Maybe he regretted his outburst, but she
didn’t. Now she understood why every sane person wanted to be with or be Nathaniel
Wayne.

They stopped at a door and Nate slipped the key into the
lock, turned it with a click, and pushed, then retreated to let Marly enter
first. She marched into the room, and after he’d followed and turned to address
her, she slammed the door shut and grabbed his sweat coat, her mouth crashing
against his as she pulled him down desperately.

He held back a second before grabbing her ass. Yes. Perfect
hands.

Then his chest, arms, and nether regions pressed against
her, his hard body inching her backward until she was against the wall and he
adjusted his grasp on her buttocks. He held her against his erection.

His tongue caressed the inside of her mouth. She tasted
mint on his breath. Tilting his head, he raised one hand to frame her face, the
callouses on his fingers brushing sensuously on her cheeks. He pulled in her
breath, lapping at her tongue, then slanted away to suckle her lips as his blue
irises bored into her eyes. A question twinkled there and Marly nodded. This
time, yes.

She couldn’t think as she watched him. Her eyes closed in
shuddering bliss as his lips touched her neck and he ran his hands down her
body again to pull her against him. Want was all she could think. She ached
with want.

Then he was pulling away and the contrasting cool to his
warmth returned thoughts to her head. Should they be doing this? She stared at
him as he stepped back, breathing hard.

His hands, shaking, reached out to straighten her rumpled
shirt, then held her face a moment. “I’ve been in enough movies to know that
making love to you right now would ruin any chance I have at persuading you
into a relationship with me.” He took another deep breath as if to steady
himself. “May I draw you a bath?” His question was so innocent, so concerned.
Marly’s heart thumped.

He didn’t wait for her to answer. Taking her hand, he
walked her to the bathroom and flicked on the light switch. Lavender. Marly’s
eyes lit in the violet-and–tiled room as the scent of lavender floated
into her nostrils. Bath and hand towels in a matching -and-violet scheme
lay folded on the marble countertop. A ceramic clawfoot bathtub
dominated the room; its classic silver knobs caught Marly’s glance. A pair of
complementing knobs shone from the sink. Stacy must have paid for the best
interior decorator money could buy.

Nate left her to bend by the tub and turn on the water.
After a minute of fiddling, he seemed to have the temperature where he wanted
it. Marly was drawn to the water’s relaxing tinkle. Fatigue pushed forth again,
as her tense muscles unwound from her earlier confrontation with Nate’s
less-than-adoring public and, well, her life. She had to fight to keep her
eyelids open as the steam from the tub wrapped itself around her.

Nate appeared before her and lowered her slicker off her
shoulders. Then he pulled her shirt gently up and off her body and reached
around to unhook her bra. No flicker of desire lit his gaze. Only concern. Her
shirt and coat flung across the crook of his elbow, he smiled and rubbed her
arms then bent to help her pull off her jeans.

Marly blinked to combat her fatigue. With her clothes in
hand, he walked to the door and looked back. She could barely discern his
words.

“I’ll be right outside, okay?”

Nodding, she let her gaze slide to the hot bath before
her. The door clicked shut. Pulling off her bra and underwear, Marly climbed
into the warm water and sank until she was covered up to her neck. The lapping
of the water at her chin drew her lids lower until she couldn’t resist sleep
anymore. Nathaniel Wayne, desire and concern in his eyes, was the last image in
her head. Her last thought: she was falling in love with him.

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Venus Campbell is the Principal of
the Book of Venus publishing and the Winner of the Kroger Award for Excellence
in Creative Writing.  She has finaled in
various writing contests such as the Central Ohio Ignite the Flame and the New
England Chapter- RWA First Kiss.
Campbell is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the
Authors Guild.  Campbell has written
professionally since 2006 and has completed five single title manuscripts.  To Desire the Stars is her second
publication. Campbell focuses on interweaving paranormal elements into romance
stories, creating unique worlds which challenge people’s perceptions of self
and preconceived notions of human love and relationships.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Enter the Requite of the Fates Giveaway Here

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ His Beautiful Game By Peyton Lux

Posted: August 19, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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His Beautiful Game

By Peyton Lux

 

(Lanark Soccer Club, #1)
Publication date: August 11th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

My childhood crush is my injured captain… and I’m the physio secretly keeping him on the pitch.

Rafe Calder is everything I learned not to want: flashy, reckless, adored, and far too beautiful. He is also hurt, lying about it, and somehow mine to fix.

I catch the limp no one else sees, then make the dumbest deal of my life. Private rehab, locked rooms, my hands on him daily, and one rule I keep pretending still matters.

At first, he pushes because he hates being handled. Then he listens when pain scares him, lets me see the lonely man under the captain’s armband, and looks ready to break when Donovan Reid makes me smile.

Somewhere between treatment lights, late-night checkups, and one reckless after-hours mistake that turns into more, I fall. Not for the fantasy I used to worship, but for the man who finally stops performing.

Then his injury truth explodes, and protecting him could cost me everything.

Worst of all, loving him might end his career.

Tropes: Childhood crush, star player x physiotherapist, secret injury, forced proximity, forbidden workplace romance, jealousy triangle
Spice level: High / explicit

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Jealousy

I watch every second of that embrace. Her face when he lifts her off the ground, her laughter, the ease of it. Nothing between Tess and me has ever been easy.

He was a good player. I said that myself. But tonight he saved the game in my place, and thirty thousand people cheered him while I stood there feeling like a man who had started the match and somehow still lost it. Then I see him holding Tess, my Tess, and she’s smiling up at him like she doesn’t know exactly what that does to me.

I find her in the hallway outside the locker room. She doesn’t slow when I fall into step beside her, but I catch the way she worries at her lip.

“Great game,” she says.

“Is that what you said to Reid when he had his hands all over you?”

Her head jerks toward me. “I thanked him for the hug, yes.”

I stop her with a hand around her wrist. “I saw the way he looked at you.”

“He was thanking me. I cleared him to play on a calf knock.”

My throat tightens. “I saw the way you looked at him.”

Her expression hardens. “And what about you? What about the pictures of you with that woman? So it’s fine for you to do whatever you were doing, but I can’t accept a thank-you hug from a player I treated?”

“That was weeks ago,” I snap. “Before you and I—”

“I saw you at Halo.” Her voice goes cold. “The night after I came to your house.”

I stare at her. “I was with the lads. We go for beers all the time.”

“From where I was standing, you had a woman on your arm. Then you went off with her afterward. And you’ve got the gall to stand here and act jealous over three seconds in a football stadium?”

“Why were you watching me at Halo?” I demand.

“I was out with Donovan and Layla,” she says sharply. “I wasn’t stalking you.”

The room seems to tilt. “You were out with him?”

“With him and Layla. As friends.”

That lands like a punch. She steps closer and jabs a finger into my chest, and I let her. “Besides, you have no claim over me. You said mine into a mirror after a quick fuck in the gym and then showed up in the press with some other woman. And you know what? You’re right. We’re nothing, officially, so don’t stand here making me feel guilty for doing my job.”

“Don’t say nothing,” I say.

“What are we then?”

The anger in her face cracks for a second, and there’s fear underneath it. “I’ve been lying to my employer about you. I’ve filed false assessments. I’ve let you into places that were supposed to be professional, and you—”

“I haven’t touched anyone else,” I say. “Not since you.”

That stops her.

“The photos were nothing,” I tell her. “What you saw at Halo was nothing.”

Tears gather at the corners of her eyes. “You told me—”

“And I meant it.”

I cup her cheek. “You’re mine, Tess.”

She shudders when I kiss her. She lets me pull her against the wall, lets me kiss her hard enough to make the hallway disappear. But then she presses a hand to my chest and pushes back, just enough to stop me.

I break away, breathing hard. “I haven’t wanted anyone else. Not once.”

Her jaw tightens. “You’re injured, Rafe. Publicly now. I have to file a real assessment this week, and whatever this is, I can’t let it affect that report.”

“It doesn’t have to.”

“It already does,” she says quietly. “Every decision I make about your hip, your minutes, whether you play the Founders’ Cup or Donovan does—it’s all compromised because I have feelings. About both of you. And I can’t fix that, so I need you to give me some room.”

Room. For him, too.

I take a step back. Then another.

“Okay,” I say.

Her face flickers. “Rafe—”

“I heard you.” I keep backing away. “Do your job, Montgomery.”

She turns and walks off, leaving me standing in the corridor with the feeling that I’ve just done the right thing, and somehow lost anyway.

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About Author Peyton Lux:

Trading boardrooms for bedrooms (of the fictional kind!), Peyton Lux is now fully dedicated to writing steamy workplace romance that leaves readers utterly satisfied.

Her former life in marketing taught her how to craft compelling narratives – a skill she now devotes entirely to her steamy workplace romance novels.

Peyton lives and breathes romance, infusing her stories with undeniable heat and fiercely earned happily-ever-afters.

Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

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GIVEAWAY

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His Beautiful Game Blitz

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

When The Silence Breaks By Elizabeth Goddard ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 17, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Romance, suspense
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When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard Banner.

 
WHEN THE SILENCE BREAKS
by Elizabeth Goddard
August 3 – 28, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:
MERCY RIDGE

 

A deathbed confession. A decades-old secret. A mountain that holds the answers–and danger closing in.

When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of her grandfather’s deathbed confession connected to her brother’s murder, she’s determined to protect her remaining family. After further investigation, she discovers the disclosed information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she looks for a guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand. After his father’s death in a tragic mountain accident, former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin no longer guides for the family business. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her and can’t stand by while someone brings danger to his small-town mountain community. Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming storm. When the danger escalates, their search for answers shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it through involves trusting each other and confronting the truth no one wants them to find. This gripping romantic-suspense thriller set in the Pacific Northwest from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard is a series opener that will sweep you away in a rush of adrenaline.

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Praise for When the Silence Breaks:

“Goddard (Deadly Currents) kicks off the Mercy Ridge series with a gripping mystery brimming with buried family secrets, government cover-ups, and natural disasters… Goddard keeps her foot on the gas from start to finish” ~ Publishers Weekly

 

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Published by: Revell Publication Date: August 4, 2026 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 9780800747688 (ISBN10: 0800747682) Series: Mercy Ridge, Book 1

Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Christianbook | Audible | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

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Enjoy this peek inside::

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About Author Elizabeth Goddard:

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Elizabeth Goddard

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of more than sixty-five novels. She is a Carol Award winner, a two-time Reader’s Choice Award winner, and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.

Catch Up With Elizabeth Goddard:

ElizabethGoddard.com Amazon Author Profile Goodreads BookBub – @ElizabethGoddard Instagram – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor Pinterest – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor X – @bethgoddard Facebook – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor

 

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Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win! Click here to view the Tour Schedule  

 

Step Into the Suspense—and a Gift Card!
This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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WHEN THE SILENCE BREAKS by Elizabeth Goddard Can’t see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

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The Art Of Almost Losing It By Alina Jacobs ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 12, 2026 in comedy, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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The Art of Almost Losing It

By Alina Jacobs

 

(The Richmond Brothers, #3)
Publication date: August 4th 2026
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

There comes a time in every almost-thirty-year-old woman’s life when getting kidnapped off the street is preferable to admitting that the hot, rich boyfriend you’ve been bragging about for months does not, in fact, exist.

Yes, it’s terrifying being stuffed in the trunk of a Mercedes, but I would rather be locked in a stranger’s penthouse than sleeping on the floor of my parents’ apartment like the loser daughter I am.

Honestly?
It’s nice to get some alone time. And my own bathroom.

He bribes me with money not to call the police.

I scream at him for forcing me to go to brunch as his prisoner at the hottest restaurant in New York.

Now everyone in my parents’ aggressively posh Manhattan neighborhood thinks we’re dating.

Buckle up, buddy.
I have a full wedding itinerary to attend, and congratulations—you’re my fake boyfriend.

Unfortunately, my kidnapper is the worst fake boyfriend in the history of fake boyfriends.

He’s mean.
Aloof.
Emotionally unavailable.
And deeply offended by how much time I spend on my phone.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to ignore how yummy he smells, all muscular and tall as he fumes next to me in bed, furious because I asked him when the sexy portion of the kidnapping is going to happen.

It’s a fair question, though, right?!? I thought kidnapping came with benefits!

Guess my kidnapper didn’t want me that much after all.

Men lying about their desire for a relationship. Story of my life.

Now I’m trapped.
He’s miserable.

And somehow, this is starting to feel dangerously like a relationship.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The one time a hot guy shows interest in me… and he’s a violent kidnapper.

My screams cut off as he tosses in my laptop case. It lands on my ribs, knocking the breath out of me. He shoves my legs fully into the trunk, then tosses in the barking Lulu, then slams the door.

I assume it’s a mistake.

The expensive German car. The bespoke suit. The cologne that smells like money and expensive scotch—Men like him don’t grab women like me.

So why did he just shove me, in all my pizza-sauce-stained, Costco-clothes glory, into the trunk?

I needed a boyfriend, sure, but I did not expect him to arrive via a felony crime.

The engine purrs.

Wait.

Am I really being kidnapped?

Like… for real?

Sleet rattles against the roof as the realization hits.

Oh.

Oh no.

I’m trapped in the trunk of a stranger’s car. A dangerous man. Being driven God knows where.

Sure, he’s attractive—but that is deeply unhelpful information right now.

I’ll never see my family again. Never eat a dollar slice of pizza again—

Wait.

I squint.

Window.

This isn’t a sedan. This is an SUV.

I’m not trapped.

I haul myself up and pop my head over the back seat.

“You’re a crappy kidnapper!” I scream.

“Shit!” he yells—and nearly plows into a parked truck. “You—!”

The car jerks to a stop at a stop sign. He throws it into park and starts climbing over the seats toward me.

“You can’t kidnap me,” I say, panic creeping in. “You don’t want me. I’m not a girl anyone kidnaps.”

My dog barks.

Emerald-green eyes catch the light.

“Sit down,” he commands.

“My mom is going to be really upset if I don’t come home tonight,” I blurt. “Let me go.”

The doors lock.

I fumble in my purse. Find my pepper spray.

“Yes!” I whisper. “I’m a strong, independent —”

I spray… myself.

“Water,” I gasp, coughing, wheezing, blind.

I suck in a lungful of peppery air and yank at the door handle, begging it to open.

Too late.

“Stupid fucking girl,” he snarls, grabbing my jacket and dragging me forward.

“You didn’t even handcuff me!” I wheeze.

He pauses. “You really don’t know when to shut up, do you?”

He loosens his tie.

I gulp.

“I cannot believe,” he sneers, “that I kidnapped the most unattractive woman in Manhattan.”

Oh.

So… not the future love of my life after all.

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About Author Alina Jacobs:

I write the kind of books I love—romantic comedies featuring snarly guys with hearts of gold, kick-ass heroines, and a swoon-worthy happily ever after! Also wine. And cupcakes.

When I’m not writing I can be found drinking tea, surrounded by my massive to-be-read pile! So many books…

You can connect with me on social media or find information on my books at my website.

Sign up for my newsletter so that you can get information about new releases, giveaways, and more!

http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

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Cover Reveal ~ Love Next Door By Eve Kasey & Melanie A, Smith

Posted: August 11, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Cover Reveal
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Love Next Door: A ‘90s Anthem Duet

Eve Kasey & Melanie A. Smith

 

Publication date: September 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

One volume, two steamy interconnected romances set in 1995 Seattle

Come to My Window
Hazel Bell has lost everything — her job, her apartment, and her future in Seattle. Now her whole world is a thrift-store wardrobe, a family of houseplants, and a stranger in the opposite window who knows exactly what to say.

They exchange notes instead of names. Confessions instead of introductions. And somehow, the man she’s never met becomes the one person she can’t live without.

Gideon Sarkis knows the truth would end them before they ever begin.

He knows exactly who Hazel is. But she doesn’t know him — or how badly he once hurt her. The more notes they write, the harder he falls. But with his obligations pressing in and her options disappearing, their time is running out.

Some windows are meant to be opened.

But some secrets can shatter everything.

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Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Ben Pedersen is a ghostwriter stuck crafting someone else’s thrillers when a misdelivered package introduces him to the mystery of unit 203 — and its elusive occupant, Heaven Lee.

Lee is a software engineer burning the candle at every possible end, helping build one of the first online bookstores. She doesn’t have time for nosy neighbors. She barely has time for sleep. But the guy upstairs keeps getting her mail, and he’s funny, patient, and her dog likes him more than the UPS guy. So maybe one coffee not-date won’t kill her.

The neighborly arrangement that follows becomes something neither of them planned. But Lee won’t admit what’s in the misdelivered packages, and Ben’s writer brain won’t let a mystery rest. When curiosity crosses a line, both must decide what matters more: protecting their secrets or fighting for what they’ve found.

Love Next Door is two warm, witty nostalgic love stories about the secrets we keep, the walls we build, and the people worth tearing them down for.

Pre-order

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About Author:

Melanie A. Smith is an award-winning, international best-selling author of steamy romance with smart, self-sufficient heroines and strong, swoony book boyfriends with hearts of gold. A former engineer turned stay-at-home mom and author, when Melanie is not lost in the world of books you’ll find her spending time with her husband and son, crafting, or cross-stitching.
Eve Kasey writes for a design firm by day and reads (and writes!) indie romance novels by night. Her contemporary romances balance swoon and steam while aiming to teach readers something new. She loves romance for the hope the genre conveys as well as the amplification of the simple truth that everyone everywhere deserves a happily ever after – however that looks to them. Eve lives in and loves the Pacific Northwest.

 

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Secrets Of The Cryptids By Sharon Buchbinder ~ Guest Post And Giveaway

Posted: August 6, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Guest Post, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance
Tags: , , ,
34

 

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She never belonged
to the pack—until fate led her to him.

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Secrets of the Cryptids

Cowboys and Cryptids Book 1

by Sharon Buchbinder

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantasy

She never belonged to
the pack—until fate led her to him.

Cybersecurity expert Hayil Rufus Rose has spent her life hiding one impossible
truth: she’s a werewolf who has never shifted, a failure by her pack’s rules
and a woman on the brink of exile. A solo hike in Glacier National Park is
meant to clear her head—but instead, a chance meeting with Will Penn, a guarded
federal agent with powerful instincts and secrets of his own, changes
everything.

As Hayil becomes entangled in a missing persons case involving Will’s brother,
she uncovers corruption, cartel money laundering, and violence threatening the
Blackfeet Nation. She forms an unexpected bond with a Bigfoot family, who are
not monsters, but an ancient people who recognize her latent power. Through
trauma, loyalty, and near‑fatal danger, Hayil finally undergoes her full
transformation, claiming her identity at last.

Secrets of the Cryptids launches a thrilling paranormal romance
series about found family, fierce hearts, and the courage it takes to become
who you were always meant to be.

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

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Hayil had the advantage of
excellent night vision—super vision compared to other humans. Plus, she
possessed an almost uncanny ability to connect with most wild and domestic
animals. Hayil mentally grimaced. She could also thank her grandmother
for her long overdue ability to shift. What would it take to trigger her body
into the lupine version of herself? Was it like a growth spurt that hadn’t hit
her body yet? Or was Hayil destined to remain the one person in her pack who
wasn’t able to wolf out?

Once again, her mother’s
constant refrain came back to her: “You’re a late bloomer, like your
grandmother. She was older than you when she shifted. All in good time.
You’ll see.”

 

Sure, Mom.

Hayil knew her mother
wanted the best for her, but found her cheerfulness a bit forced. Beneath her
mother’s optimism, Hayil sensed an undercurrent of concern about her
thirty-year-old daughter’s ability to integrate into the red wolf clan. This
missing piece of Hayil’s identity called to her like a siren’s song, demanding
she complete herself. Would she ever be a true part of the pack? Or
would she forever be the unmated one? What then? She was an anomaly, something
the pack didn’t tolerate well. Tradition dictated that if a pack member didn’t
shift by the end of their third decade, they were banished.

A chilling thought struck
Hayil mid-stride.

 

If I don’t
shift this year, will they force me out of the pack?

They were the only family
she’d ever known. Her mother would fight for her to stay and would probably
win. But at what cost?

Hayil would be an outcast.
She’d never be invited to pack meetings, deliberations or celebrations. Those
were reserved for shifters. If she married a non-shifter, the pack would drive
her out, of that she was sure. What if her offspring were able to shift? Would
that make things better? Would the pack let her stay then? It wasn’t as if she
could go to a genetic counselor and ask for a DNA test for werewolves.

The thought of losing her
extended family through no fault of her own made her gulp back tears. Angry at
herself for allowing her thoughts to go down that dark rabbit hole, Hayil
reminded herself she was a scientist. Review the facts, not the fears.

Fact one: Grandma had been
in labor with Hayil’s mother when she’d shifted for the first time.

Fact two: The majority of
the pack members had shifted when they’d hit puberty.

Fact three: Hormones! It
had to be related to hormones! The rush of hormones at puberty and the flood of
pregnancy hormones had to be related somehow.

Hayil was long past puberty
and the associated mood swings and acne, thank you very much. She was not ready
to be pregnant. For starters, she would need a romantic partner in her life.
She’d had zero luck on that score so far.

“I still have time. It’s
not too late. I won’t give up hope.”

Shaking her head to clear
her mind, Hayil double-checked her wild animal deterrents. All in place.
Then she tugged her knit cap down over her ears and pulled her hands-free
headlamp into place. She zipped her fleece jacket against the breeze and
adjusted her twenty-five-pound backpack. With an altitude gain of almost
nineteen hundred feet, she planned to take her time, pacing herself for the
strenuous four-hour hike. She grasped her lightweight hiking poles and took a
last look up at the stars. Time to see that spectacular view at the top.

As promised by the trail
blog, the dirt path was well maintained. The morning air was cold and crisp,
layered with the woodsy scent of damp earth and pine needles. An owl hooted,
and Hayil spotted movement in the brush between the thick pines beside the trail.
Her headlamp reflected in the eyes of small critters, all of whom skittered
deeper into the woods.

For three hours, all she
heard was the crunch of her hiking boots on dirt and gravel, the rasp of her
own breaths, the glug of water when she drank and the jingle of her bear bells.
She looked at yet another incline on the trail and decided she needed a hiking
song for inspiration.

“Country roads, take me
home,” she sang, belting out “Mountain Mama”—and something crashed through the
bushes ahead on the trail. Something large.

She froze.

An enormous black bear
stood on its hind legs at the top of the hill.

 

Shit,
shit, shit. If only I could shift, shift, shift!

The animal had its back to
her, but if it got her scent, it could turn and charge at her in a flash.

Heart pounding like a
jackhammer, she placed her hand on the bear spray.

A breeze sprang up, making
her eyes water with its intensity. The good news was that it meant she was
downwind of the bear. The bad news was that the air smelled like a wet dog had
rolled in a dead animal. The worst news was that the bear turned and looked
right at her.

 

Omigod.
It’s not a bear. What the heck is it?

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Bigfoot and Me

By Sharon Buchbinder

I’m a Janie-Come-Lately to the Bigfoot Believer Tribe—which may surprise people who know my fascination with anything that refuses to fit neatly into science’s square boxes. Bigfoot Believers draw on evidence from researchers, scientists, and Bigfoot Experiencers—people who have actually had firsthand encounters. Some believe Sasquatch is an undiscovered bipedal hominid; many Native American cultures consider Bigfoot an ancient tribe that retreated when White settlers arrived on Turtle Island. Others see Bigfoot as a supernatural or paranormal entity, possibly connected to UFOs or UAPs.

Despite my scientific training—psychology (BA), neuroscience (MA), nursing (AAS), and public health (PhD)—I’ve never seen a UFO or a Bigfoot. But I am no stranger to the paranormal.

Paranormal events have threaded through my life since childhood. Merriam-Webster defines paranormal as “not scientifically explainable,” and I’ve always accepted that alternate reality. Whether or not others believe in these phenomena has never mattered to my own experiences: dreams that come true, thinking of someone moments before they call, knowing my sister was pregnant before she did, or hearing a ghost in my college duplex.

In the 1970s, while studying psychology at the University of Connecticut, I participated in telepathy experiments using the now-famous J.B. Rhine Zener cards. My “hit rate” as a receiver was, as the study noted, “statistically greater than chance occurrence.”

Only later did I learn about the CIA’s psychic spy programs, remote viewing research, and the MK ULTRA behavioral modification project. I now suspect those college experiments may have doubled as a quiet recruitment tool for psychic talent. A large scientific evaluation later found that remote viewing results were statistically positive—though “not detailed enough for practical uses in the field.” The military continued the work for a time before officially shutting down their psychic soldier units.

Fast-forward to today: the U.S. government has begun releasing decades of UFO/UAP documents. It makes you wonder—will Bigfoot be another revelation waiting in the wings? After all, in 1976, David Byrne sent a hair sample to the FBI and didn’t hear back for forty years, only to be told it was “deer hair.” Forty years? The mail isn’t that slow.

Scientists, trained observers, and everyday people have been searching for Bigfoot for decades. The holy grail, of course, is physical evidence. Researchers like Jeff Meldrum, PhD—an expert in primate foot morphology and locomotion—have dedicated their careers to the subject. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) maintains a massive database of “credible sightings and related reports,” searchable by state and county. Scott Tompkins’ Bigfoot Mapping Project uses crowdsourcing and GIS technology to visualize sightings. Even Dr. Jane Goodall, the Queen of Primatology, refused to rule out Bigfoot’s existence.

My new release, Secrets of the Cryptids, plays with this tension between skepticism and belief. Hayil, my werewolf protagonist who has never shifted, pushes back against her best friend Ashley’s Bigfoot enthusiasm:

“Isn’t this enthusiasm for cryptozoology a little…I don’t know”—Hayil wiggled her fingers—“woo-woo?”

Ashley, of course, disagrees. “This area isn’t just Big Sky Country, it’s Bigfoot territory. You saw and smelled a Sasquatch. That’s the kind of experience people would give their eyeteeth to have.”

Hayil’s dog chimes in with a nuzzle, as if to say, Are you hearing this?

Ashley continues her science-based defense: “Every year, new species of flora and fauna come to light… Last year, a sinkhole in China revealed a new underground ecosystem with an ancient underground forest. We may never know what lives at the bottom of the deepest trenches in the ocean. It’s science, not superstition.”

While I may be a latecomer to the Bigfoot Believer Community, I’m in good company. And who knows? Somewhere in the Montana wilderness, Bigfoot might be enjoying a bumper crop of huckleberries.

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Sharon Buchbinder is an award-winning author who has been
writing stories since she could hold a pen. The paranormal romance genre is her
writing home, a place where the impossible is simply the beginning, where women
find their power in the most extraordinary circumstances, and where love is
always worth the danger of seeking it.

A Maryland-based author with a background in healthcare and
higher education that has informed her vivid, grounded storytelling, Sharon is
drawn to heroines who have been underestimated — women who carry something
extraordinary inside them and spend the whole book learning to trust it. Sharon
believes passionately that readers deserve stories where the heroine doesn’t
just survive — she transforms. When she’s not writing, Sharon can
usually be found unplugging in her garden, obsessing over cryptid mythology,
and convincing her pets they are not, in fact, supernatural.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Enter the Secrets of the Cryptids Giveaway Here

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Bad Decisions & Back Roads By Zoe Forward ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 4, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: ,
1

 

 

Bad Decisions & Back Roads: Second Chance Veterinary Romance

By Zoe Forward

 

(Southern Veterinary, #2)
Publication date: August 3rd 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The problem with bad decisions is you never stop wanting them.

I used to be the rebellious girl from the wrong side of the fenceline. He was the local hellraiser nobody could tame. While our families carried on a feud older than indoor plumbing, we fell for each other.

Then my vicious father found out. To save Timothy’s life, I broke his heart and disappeared.

Now over a decade later, I’m back as a large-animal veterinarian, working at his brother’s clinic and treating everything from prize dairy cows to Timothy’s homicidal llama. Avoiding him should be easy.

It isn’t.

He’s a single dad running two businesses, still infuriatingly irresistible, and determined to make me pay for every year he spent hating me.

The problem? I never stopped loving him. But if he learns why I really left, I could lose him forever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Yesterday…I wrecked you?” She gave me a look I remembered. Her green eyes flared. I was about to lose this fight in a way I’d never recover from.

She slowly unzipped her coveralls. My brain immediately abandoned ship. Not helped by the fact that traitorous memory chose this exact moment to replay yesterday’s rainstorm in vivid detail.

Meanwhile, in real time, she peeled the coveralls down and somehow stepped out of them while keeping her socks from touching the ground—a feat of female sorcery I could neither explain nor stop watching.

Underneath was a tight white shirt that clung in ways that should probably require a warning label, a permit, and possibly a pastor on standby.

My eyes briefly closed. Opened. She was still there.

Beside me, Cody made a small choking noise.

I cut him a glare.

He didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed.

Then—because she enjoyed cruelty—she lifted both arms and twisted her hair into a messy bun. Which did things. Terrible, magnificent things to her chest.

Her mouth curved like she knew exactly what she’d done. She pulled a scrub top out of the duffle and pulled it down over the tight shirt. Without a word, she packed the supplies into her duffel, casually picked up the dart rifle from the ground, and started walking up the hill like she hadn’t just detonated every functioning brain cell in a fifty-yard radius.

Then she tossed over her shoulder—

“I’m back, Timothy Hurst. End of story.” A few steps later she said, “You’re welcome…for dealing with your dangerous llama.”

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About Author Zoe Forward:

USA Today bestselling author Zoe Forward is a parent, wife, veterinarian, and unapologetic chocolate lover. She writes spicy paranormal and contemporary romances that blend action, adventure, humor, and a touch of magic.

Zoe lives in the South with a lively menagerie of four-legged beasts and two slightly wild kids.

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A Peek Inside A Deadly Inferno Consumes By Sophie Barnes

Posted: July 28, 2026 in Mystery, Romance
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House of Croft, Book 6

 

Murder Mystery Romance

 

Date Published: July 28, 2026

 

A chilling disappearance, a lethal enemy, and a family pushed to the
brink…

 

When the Duke of Wrengate’s sister vanishes without a trace, suspicion
swirls. Did she flee to escape a scandalous secret…or has she been
abducted? Whispers lead to a treacherous underworld, where rumors of an
illicit auction suggest a far more sinister fate: a woman trapped, drugged,
and enslaved. Determined to save her, Adrian Croft and his valet, Murry,
plunge into London’s darkest corners.

But Finn O’Leary, the Irishman bent on revenge, remains a threat that
presents a difficult choice for Adrian: save Wrengate’s sister or protect his
family. With the recent birth of his daughter, he and his wife, Samantha, have
more to lose than ever before. And as danger closes in, they must fight with
everything they have. Not only for justice, but for their very survival.

 

About Author Sophie Barnes:

USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance
novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their
quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper
Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages.
With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three
continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with
varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three
times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel,
Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking,
gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

Contact Links

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All The Way To The Moon By Rose Titus ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: July 27, 2026 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance
Tags: , ,
0

 

 

All the Way to the Moon

By Rose Titus

 

(The Vampire Next Door, #3)
Publication date: April 3rd 2018
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

An innocent girl, a vampire, an old lady, a ghost, and a werewolf must combine their talents to defeat an evil billionaire and his hired professional killer…

In Night Home: the Vampire Next Door Book 1, the fact that vampires truly exist was almost made public when a story presented as fiction seemed all too real to a vampire hunter.

In After Dark: the Vampire Next Door Book 2, a community of vampires quietly hiding on the west coast needed to defeat a serial killer before being blamed for his acts of terror, while at the same time one of them found himself falling in love with a suicidal young woman who expected him to kill her.

In All the Way to the Moon: the Vampire Next Door Book 3, vampires on the west coast consider whether to reveal their existence and communicate with others of their kind. Laura, no longer wishing for death, and finally finding happiness in her young life, discovers to her horror that her wealthy and powerful father intends to kill her. To survive she must flee her new home and leave her new friends, and travel far to find safety, unaware that a hired killer is not far behind.

Fortunately she has a werewolf to help protect her.

Goodreads / Amazon

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About Author Rose Titus:

Rose Titus resides somewhere in cold, dreary New England with two manipulative cats and a very out of date computer with which she creates horror and fantasy fiction. She also has a restored classic Buick to ride around in while in search of adventure.

For travel she has stayed the night in an allegedly haunted castle, has taken a boat ride on Loch Ness, and has visited the Bermuda Triangle — without getting lost.

Her work has previously appeared in Lost Worlds, Lynx Eye, Bog Gob, Mausoleum, Weird Terrain, Descend, The Dead River Review, and other literary magazines. She also writes regularly for Blood Moon Rising Magazine.

When she’s not working or writing or messing with her old car, she waits by the mailbox for her Fortean Times to arrive.

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