Posts Tagged ‘romance’

That Touch… By Christi Snow ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: November 2, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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That Touch…

By Christi Snow

 

Publication date: September 10th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A swoon worthy, he falls first, love story filled with laughter, tears, and a surprisingly romantic work trip to the Colorado mountains where late night revelations change everything.

Izzy and Leo have been best friends since second grade.

Leo…

He’s been in love with Izzy almost ever since, and was sure someday she’d see him the same way he saw her…as more.

But someday never came and now Leo is twenty-seven years old and ready to shed his virginity, and heartbreak. It’s time for him to find someone else…besides Izzy.

But when she needs a last-minute photographer for the biggest advertising campaign of her career, he can’t let his best friend down. He’s already decided this will be their last job together.

Izzy…

She grew up in the fantasy world of romantic comedy movies that her mom idolized. That “ideal” man was so much better than the disappointing reality of her philandering father.

That same father is now Izzy’s boss, making her work her way up through the misogynistic ranks of his executive team at the family advertising firm. When her dream account wants to hire her, she takes it on, without consulting anyone else in the company.

This is her account, her chance to prove her worthiness.

Escape to romantic Colorado…

But she’s working under a time-crunch, which can make things dangerous on a snowy mountainside. This work trip to Colorado for a last-minute photoshoot has the potential to change everything when Leo and Izzy are faced with having to share a hotel room and the confusing world where attraction becomes a distraction.

They say never fall for your best friend.

How has Izzy never noticed Leo, the man, before? Unfortunately, that discovery may be too late, because he already has other plans, and they don’t include Izzy.

A snowy mountain small town never looked so romantic before, but family drama has a way of ruining everything…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Izzy

I paused Pillow Talk and crawled out from under my piles of blankets I’d cocooned myself in for my day of self-care so I could answer the door. Hopefully, my UberEats guy had known I needed my regular order from Tommy’s Tacos tonight, even if I hadn’t called and ordered it yet.

At this point I ordered so much, he could probably foresee my needs like that.

Maybe—and I knew this was sudden—I should date him. God, that was an idea. Forget the tall, dark, and handsome losers I kept dating who treated me like shit.

I glanced over at Rock Hudson, frozen on the screen. I should just accept my dream guy was an impossibility of fiction.

It was time to try something else. Give me a guy who could foresee my needs for tacos. Now that would be the perfect match.

I’d built this idea up in my head so much in the last few seconds crossing the room that my shoulders dropped when I opened the door and didn’t find the UberEats dreamboat.

“Oh, hi, Leo.”

I left the door open for him to come inside while I shuffled back to the couch.

“Wow, I feel the love,” he said from behind me as he followed me inside. “I’m overwhelmed by that welcome. Now, I’m sure I made the right decision to skip the wrap party of the West Coast Babes show to bring my sad friend her favorite Tommy’s Tacos.”

At the sound of my two favorite “t” words, I swung back around and realized that yes, Leo held the distinctive red and green greasy bag from Tommy’s.
I reached for it. “Oh my god. Forget my UberEats guy, you’re my dream guy.”

His eyes widened comically for a minute until I laughed. “You should see your face. Don’t worry, Leo, definitely no romance between us. You will always and forever be my BFF. I decided that twenty years ago. I will not change my mind about it this late in the game.”

Something weird flitted through his gaze before he frowned at me. If I weren’t spending the night wallowing in my broken heart, I might have considered it more.

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About Author Christi Snow:

As an avid reader her entire life, Christi Snow always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy she felt when she read. But…she never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When her husband retired from the Air Force, Christi decided it was time to chase her dream and she started writing. She hasn’t stopped since. With twenty-two published books in various romance genres, she’s found her passion. Now she spends her days with her laptop writing about sexy, alpha heroes and the loves of their lives.

Writing, Christi has fulfilled her dream… filling the world with more romance and suspense.

Her tagline is… Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. She loves this adventure and has truly found her tribe!

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

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That Touch Blitz

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Amalfi Wish By Rosie Donlin ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: November 1, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, women's fiction
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The Amalfi Wish

By Rosie Donlin

 

(The Lucky Year, #1)
Publication date: October 31st 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Laurel McBride knows how to make other people’s dreams come true. She just has no idea what to do with her own.

As an event planner at a Florida resort, Laurel can rescue beachfront weddings, soothe impossible clients, and solve disasters before anyone notices. But six weeks after she and five other women split an $84 million lottery jackpot, she is still answering emails, fixing everyone else’s problems, and postponing her own life.

So Laurel does something wildly out of character: she walks away from work, crosses the Atlantic, and spends July on the Amalfi Coast with the other winners.

The plan is simple—sunshine, spectacular food, beautiful views, and one glorious month in which nobody needs anything from her.

Then she meets Tore.

With him, Laurel cannot hide behind schedules, competence, or the carefully controlled version of herself who always knows what to do. And as the women settle into their lucky year, Laurel begins to wonder whether the dependable life she built was ever truly hers—or whether being needed has simply kept her from risking what she really wants.

For the first time, Laurel has enough money to choose almost anything.

Now she must decide what would actually make her happy.

Sun-drenched, romantic, and full of friendship, food, and second chances, The Amalfi Wish is the first interconnected standalone novel in The Lucky Year series.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The condo was quiet at seven, and the orange was still on the cutting board.

Laurel McBride had paid four ninety-nine for it at Whole Foods, then left it there for days, sticker still on the peel. She hadn’t eaten it or put it away.

Outside the sliding door, the courtyard sprinkler was drowning the same azalea again. Laurel caught herself planning what to tell the superintendent, then remembered she wasn’t at Mariner’s Crown. The superintendent could handle the azalea on his own.

Over Memorial Day, a storm at Mariner’s Crown had stranded six women at the Compass Bar long enough for them to buy a Powerball ticket and make a promise. The ticket had left each of them with fourteen million dollars. The promise had given them a year of places to go together, beginning with Laurel’s month on the Amalfi Coast.

Six weeks after the money reached her account, Laurel still hadn’t bought herself a thing. She had paid bills, shifted money among accounts, and stared down every question about what came next. Then she’d spent four ninety-nine on an orange and left it on the cutting board like incriminating evidence. Fourteen million dollars, and produce made her nervous.

She’d been excellent at spending other people’s money. Give Laurel a wedding budget and she could tell you where to save, where to splurge, and which upgrade a bride would remember after the flowers were gone. This money belonged to her rather than a client, free of deadlines and finalized floor plans. It was hers whenever she chose to want something.

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About Author rosie Donlin

Rosie Donlin writes destination women’s fiction about complicated friendships, second chances, and women figuring out what they truly want. Her books blend escapist settings, grown-up romance, humor, memorable meals, and plenty of reasons to pour another glass of wine.

Rosie lives in San Francisco.

Website / Instagram / TikTok

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GIVEAWAY

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The Amalfi Wish Blitz

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Beneath The Burning Sky By Ruby Valladares

Posted: October 30, 2026 in Dystopian, Excerpt, giveaways, Romance
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Beneath the Burning Sky

By Ruby Valladares

 

(The Ashfall Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: October 6th 2026
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance

He never wanted a wife. But marrying her is the only way to keep his little sister alive.

Five years after the world ended, David has one job: keep Grace alive.

Food is rationed. The water is contaminated. Marauders roam beyond the fences. And the Drange is turning ordinary people into violent, purple-veined monsters.

When a deadly infection breaches their refugee camp, the rumored Sanctuary may be her only chance of survival.

There’s just one problem: Passage is reserved for families.

So David makes an impossible choice: he marries his nemesis.

She doesn’t trust him. He doesn’t trust her. Their marriage is supposed to be nothing more than a means of survival.

But once they leave the fences of Camp Orange, surviving each other becomes the least of their problems.

Because the wasteland is hungry.

Beneath the Burning Sky is a post-apocalyptic dystopian novel blending survival horror, a deadly outbreak, infected humans, forced marriage, reluctant allies, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

So this is what the end of the world looks like.

The thought ran through David’s mind as he trudged along next to his father and sister, bumping shoulders with hundreds of other desperate survivors who had escaped the wrath of Yellowstone.

Just fourteen days ago.

His dad had driven them hundreds of miles before the gas stations ran out of fuel.

It hadn’t been far enough.

They’d been walking ever since.

They’d crossed into Kentucky two days ago, but it didn’t look any different than Wyoming. Any different than Missouri four days before that.

The fingers of devastation reached here as well. The volcanic eruption had come out of nowhere, shattering the land and blanketing everything in gray.

Ash rained down from the sky, a silent, relentless shroud that smothered everything in its suffocating grip. The smell of sulfur and smoke lingered in the air, a constant reminder of the chaos and destruction that had been unleashed upon the world.

David opened his bag and pulled out a granola bar. Three days ago the group had run into a military unit handing out bags of food, urging them to keep going.

“We’re setting up camps in the south,” they’d said. “We’ll have shelter, food, everything you need until we can get back on our feet.”

David counted the bars he had left. Five. That was it.

He dropped the bar back into his bag.

His feet dragged through the ash like freshly fallen snow, leaving deep imprints behind. The horizon was filled with ruins of buildings and broken trees, the sky a gloomy mix of gray and red as the sun attempted to peek through.

East. Go east. And then south. Get to Georgia, Alabama, Florida.

That’s what everyone around him said. Like somewhere magical and untouched by the eruption existed if they just went far enough.

His home, his entire life, had been taken from him in an instant.

His mom.

Don’t think about what you’ve lost.

Fabric stained with soot and sweat covered his mouth. He trudged on, his mind numb and his body achingly tired.

Thirteen days of walking.

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About Author Ruby Valladares:

Ruby Valladares writes adult speculative fiction filled with catastrophic disasters, impossible choices, complicated relationships, and ordinary people discovering just how far they’ll go to survive.

Her worlds are dark. Her characters are messier. And hope—when it comes—has to be fought for.

Website / Instagram / TikTok

 

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It’s A Wonderful Wife By Anna Valleria ~ Peel Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 27, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, historical romance, Holidays
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It’s a Wonderful Wife

By Anna Valleria

 

(Lords Fall First, #3)
Publication date: October 27th 2026
Genres: Adult, Historical, Holiday, Romance

He wished he had never met her… until he saw the world without her.

James Reed, Lord St. George, the Baron of a struggling estate, has spent years in London avoiding the responsibilities of his title and the wife he married for her dowry. Mariah Reed, the daughter of an Irish linen mogul, has spent those same years saving the family estate, supporting the nearby mill town, and secretly nursing dreams of becoming a playwright.

When James returns to Bailey Hall with a secret plan to save his childhood home by pressuring Mariah’s father to lower worker wages, he finds a woman far more passionate and capable than the shy bride he left behind. After a drunken confrontation leads to the destruction of Mariah’s community project and her dreams, James is met by a mysterious figure who shows him what a charmed life he had.

Through a harrowing vision of a world where Mariah never entered his life, James witnesses the ruin of his brother and the total desolation of his town. Faced with the reality of his own selfishness, James must embark on a path of redemption to prove to Mariah, and himself, that he is worthy of the life she built for them.

Return to the Victorian world of the Lords Fall First series in this emotional, second-chance holiday romance!

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

He spent five years ignoring their arranged marriage until a brush with death made him realize she’s the only thing that matters. Too bad she isn’t interested in his apologies.

“Mariah,” he began purposefully, “something happened, I—” How could he explain what had happened without sounding like a madman? She would likely have him sent to Bedlam if he attempted to explain his revelations. “I don’t know how to say this to a person such as you.”

“A person such as m-me?” While her tone had previously leaned toward emotionlessness, he recognized his error as her body became rigid.

Double damn, he had only meant he did not know how to apologize to a woman, but he had well and truly put his foot in it.

“I’m sorry.” Was all he found he could say. “For the assembly hall, for Barrymore. Bloody hell, for everything. For spending your father’s hard-earned money on anything besides saving the estate. I’ve been…beyond selfish since we wed, it’s only taken me losing almost everything to see it.”

She stayed in the same position before him, her uneven breath the only indication she was at all affected by his words. For a moment, something softened in her eyes before that chilling emptiness returned.

“Very w-well. I accept your apology.”

“Mariah, you can’t—” he began before her words registered. “You do?” A previously unknown joy shot off within his chest. “Mariah, I don’t deserve you, thank heavens. I was thinking, perhaps… Perhaps we could start again, you and I—”

“James,” she said sharply. “I said that I f-forgive you, but I would still like for you to go to London.”

“My lord,” she continued, “I b-believe that we should carry on as we had before. Live s-separate lives.”

“But why should we when we have this?” He let out a low growl, closing the distance between them before ensnaring her waist in his firm embrace, hoisting her closer to his heat. His gaze descended to her pillowy lips, lingering for a heartbeat to offer her the chance to utter a denial.

When no denial came, he claimed her mouth with his own. She tasted of tea and fresh mint, a scent uniquely hers that he had relished upon many occasions, yet never before had their coupling kindled such a profound sense of exhilaration within him. Embracing her now sparked a previously unknown ecstasy as he finally acknowledged the truth of his own heart.

“How can we live apart when we have this?” he rasped, reluctantly pulling his lips from hers.

Her dilated eyes refocused, and she shoved his hands off of her and turned, wrapping her dressing gown around herself more tightly. “Just because I forgive you does not mean I trust you. Or wish to have a real marriage with you.”

“Mariah… I think I could love you. I’m…I’m falling in love with you.”

Mariah stared at him as something pulsed in those midnight blue eyes. Then, as if a curtain had been drawn, they went blank.

“You d-don’t know me, James. Not really.”

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About Author Anna Valleria:

Anna Valleria is an award-winning historical romance author who believes that everyone deserves to see themselves on the page. Her mission is to write steamy Regency and Victorian stories featuring socially active heroines and devoted heroes that reflect windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for all readers, including characters of different sizes, backgrounds, abilities, and neurodiversities. Her novel The Baron Takes a Wife was the 2025 winner of the Hearts Through History Romance Through the Ages Contest in the published Georgian/Victorian category.

Currently residing in a beautiful, historic city in the southeastern U.S. with her family and a rescue pup. If she’s not writing, she’s likely in a coffee shop, walking with her son or dog, or trivia with her team, Stone Cold Jane Austen.

Website / Instagram / Goodreads

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Naked Brews By Christi Snow & Sarah Nego

Posted: October 26, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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Bottled Up Chemistry

By Christi Snow & Sarah Nego

 

(Naked Brews, #1)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A reformed conman and a sarcastic beauty both want the same mountain brewery.
He’s holding lies and she’s barely holding it together.
What could possibly go wrong?

Lake always had a plan. Finish college, move back to Colorado, and run Naked Brews with her dad. Her plan went down the drain when her dad died and left the brewery she called home to her absent maternal figure. Now Lake will have to convince her impossible-to-please mother to sell her the brewery, sweet talk the bank into a loan she can’t afford, and turn her dad’s small town dream into a thriving business.

Walsh thought the plan was simple. Pretend to be his millionaire best friend, buy a failing brewery, and honor their fallen military brother. But simple went down the drain the minute he met the sassy and beautiful brewery manager who clocked him as enemy #1. Now he’s stuck between his growing attraction to the loud-mouth sarcasm factory and knowing he’ll break her heart when he takes her brewery.

Bottled Up Chemistry is a small town romance with found family and moderate spice.

This book was previously published as Deliciously Smooth by KB Jacobs (a pseudonym used by Sarah Nego and Christi Snow).

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Lake

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“There you are.” Melissa ran up to me as I wrenched the door open. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

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“Well, I’ve been everywhere. The bar was a mess, Hops on Top is almost out, and Barb is late.”

Melissa fluttered her hands in front of her in the most Melissa-like movement possible. “I have something I need to talk to you about. It’s really important.”

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“Can you talk and walk?” I hefted the kegs on to the dolly and tilted it onto the wheels to head back to the bar.

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Melissa trotted after me, wringing her hands like she was trying to kill a chicken. “This is really important. Did I say that?” She stayed hot on my heels as I wheeled back through the brewery and toward the bar. “We should go to the office. Actually, maybe pour a beer first and then come to the office.”

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My phone buzzed in my pocket. I eased the dolly down and pulled out my phone. Five minutes until the open sign flashed on unless I wanted a mob of local guys beating down my door.

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“This had better be Barb.” I pulled up my text messages, and sure enough, Barb had sent a quick note saying she was running late. “No shit, Sherlock.”

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I shoved the phone back into my pocket and angled the dolly back up again.

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“Really, Lake. We need to talk.”

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“Really, Melissa. This is not the time.” I pushed through into the beer cooler. “Barb is late, so now I’ve got to run the bar and the food until she gets here. I’ve got a keg about to blow, and I still haven’t hooked up the new on-tap offering. “

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“I know, I know.” Melissa stood to the side while I offloaded the back-up kegs. “It’s just, this really can’t wait.”

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“Is the bar on fire?” I sniffed, inhaling nothing but the scent of burnt french fries and hops. “Nope, didn’t think so.”

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Outside, the first rumbling diesel engine pulled into the parking lot. There wasn’t enough time to take the dolly back, which meant I’d have Harlan bitching at me in an hour. I hauled ass back through the kitchen. The fryers were hot and ready, but I had no idea if any of the food I’d need today was prepped or even here. I mentally added kitchen inventory to my to-do list.

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Melissa tailed me as I marched into the front of the pub. The lights needed to come on, and I’d just have to pray that Barb would be there soon.

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“Lake, I just need a few minutes. This really can’t wait.”

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I flipped the light switch that powered the neon tube sign in the window, alerting all of Aspenridge the best beer in Colorado was now available, served cold and fresh. “Dammit, Melissa. I love you, but can’t you see I’m trying and failing to do the job of three people right now? What is so frickin’ important that it just can’t wait one more second?”

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Melissa squared her shoulders and looked me dead in the eye. “You don’t own the brewery.”

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About Author Christi Snow:

As an avid reader her entire life, Christi Snow always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy she felt when she read. But…she never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When her husband retired from the Air Force, Christi decided it was time to chase her dream and she started writing. She hasn’t stopped since. With twenty-two published books in various romance genres, she’s found her passion. Now she spends her days with her laptop writing about sexy, alpha heroes and the loves of their lives.

Writing, Christi has fulfilled her dream… filling the world with more romance and suspense.

Her tagline is… Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. She loves this adventure and has truly found her tribe!

Website / Instagram / Goodreads

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Naked Brews 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.

Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Sweet Harmony By Ellie Noor

Posted: October 22, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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Sweet Harmony

By Ellie Noor

 

(A Blue Spruce Hills Novella)
Publication date: October 22nd 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Who knew placing second in national baking competition would flood your inbox with opportunities?

Not Clara Whitman.

A third-generation baker, Clara knows that businesses like hers are entrusted, not merely handed over. But with options beyond Blue Spruce Hills suddenly in the mix alongside a looming rent increase, she’s at a crossroads. She can afford to keep the bakery going, but not while pursuing something new.

In a small town where beloved establishments are slowly disappearing, however, even the idea of leaving feels traitorous.

When an up-and-coming violinist comes to town to settle the estate of his estranged grandfather and sell the music shop, he is both a distraction and a reminder that sometimes the real challenge in life is deciding how much of it you’re willing to change.

Sweet Harmony is a spirited celebration of a woman who believes every problem has a solution—set against a backdrop of small-town loyalties, beloved holiday traditions, and the romance that sneaks up on her.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Thanks for coming, Rye. I know this is early for you.”

“This is important.” Riley bites into the gingerbread and lets out a blissful sigh. “Mmm… just the right amount of spice.”

She cradles the mug in both hands, inhaling deeply.

I know that look, and instinctively brace for whatever she’s going to say.

“You won’t forget me when you make it big, will you? If I have to keep sharing you, I’m afraid there won’t be anything left just for me.”

Her fear comes out the way it always does—half joke, half confession—and I respond the way I always do.

With humor.

Not because I want to minimize her feelings. She has good reason to feel the way she does. But if I take her words too seriously, we’ll spill over into territory that neither one of us can handle at six o’clock in the morning. Not when we have something important planned five minutes from now.

So I stick my tongue out instead.

“Judging by the way my Instagram numbers jumped overnight, that might just be a possibility.” I wait a beat, then tone it down a notch just to be on the safe side. “Joking aside, it’s wild, considering I came in second.”

“I think America is affronted on your behalf.”

I almost snort. “Maybe they’re sympathy likes. Anyway, the winner deserved it.”

“Only you would be genuinely glad for someone else winning when we both know you needed that first place prize money for a refurb and the rent increase. What a wagon that Mrs. Wallace is, serving a rent increase to the bakery and the bookstore and who knows how many other businesses.”

Wagon. This time I snort for real. “You are so Irish, you know that?”

Riley gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry you came in second. You deserved to win.”

“It’s okay. Someone on the show told me that contestants who come in second are often more popular than the winners and, you know what, they might be right because… ” I pull my cell phone out of my apron. “My inbox has been blowing up.”

“Oh..?”

“Listen to this. A cruise line wants me for a holiday residency next year. Live baking demonstrations while influencers sip champagne. Can you imagine?”

Riley starts picking at her sweater. “On a ship like… on the open seas?”

“No, ‘fraidy cat. They operate on the Hudson, the Mississippi, and other rivers. But that’s not all.” I scroll through more emails. “There’s a seasonal TV show, an invitation to teach at a new culinary institute and, wait for it, an offer to consult on a script for a Hallmark show about a baker. I haven’t even looked at the rest, and there are a dozen more since I last che—”

“Clara.” Riley’s mug lands on the table with a soft thud. “These are big-time offers.”

I don’t even try to stop myself from pulling a face.

“I know right?”

“It’s not surprising, though. You were definitely the fan favorite, and that smile of yours at the end…”

“Crying on national TV wouldn’t have fit my brand.” I laugh softly as I bite into my own gingerbread slice. A personal victory, considering half the town showed up at the community center to watch the finale last night. “Besides, I was genuinely happy for the winner.”

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Ghosts Of Border House By Leah Miles & Vanessa Victoria Kilmer ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 21, 2026 in Excerpt, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance
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Welcome to Border
House—where checkout time is optional, and some guests have been extending
their stay for centuries.
 
Border House has stood on the River Tweed since 1100, witnessing centuries of
Scottish history and accumulating many permanent residents along the way. This
ancient fortified manor, once a hunting lodge and defensive tower, now serves
as both a charming hotel and an unintentional retirement home for spirits who
can’t or won’t move on to the next realm.
The house is home to a medieval king, a turncoat scribe, a lonesome English
soldier, two Victorian ladies, one unhappy go-go girl, a Scottish Brewmaster,
and more. Each ghost brings their own quirks, complaints, and centuries-old
drama to daily life at Border House. Whether you’re a living guest checking in
for the weekend or a long-dead resident who’s been here for ages, everyone has
a story to tell.
This series features standalone paranormal romances written by various authors.
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Ann’s Undoing

Ghosts of Border House Book 4

by Leah Miles

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance

Ghost Dogs, a
performing troupe, and a murder to solve.

Ann Darby was a rising movie star but died alone in a river in 1975. It seems
she’s destined to spend eternity alone at Border House in Scotland. Halloween
is the one night she can be visible to the living, but this year she plans to
skip the party. That is, until a giant Highlander steps out of a green van in
front of the house.

Callum McLeod performs in a small troupe for parties and events, waiting for
his big break. Betrayed by the lover he trusted and fired by the employer he
outperformed, he’s at the end of the road—personally, financially, and
emotionally. His paycheck was supposed to cover rent. Now he’ll be evicted the
moment he gets home.

Then a killer strikes in the maze, and Callum never makes it home at all. The
house ghosts must work together to catch a murderer, and Ann has some hard
choices to make if she wants her future to look different from her past.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

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“Do you want to go
to the orchard? We can sleep out there under the stars.”

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“Sleep? Ghosts sleep?”

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“It’s not a true
sleep, but it stills your mind and gives you time to think. Perhaps if you
rest, you’ll remember something about what happened to you.” She held out her
hand, and he took it without hesitation.

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Ann Darby was the
only person … ghost … who’d stood with him from the moment he awoke, and she’d
asked him for nothing. Wordlessly, he let her lead him down the stairs and out
into the night. His dogs barked and raced across the grass as they walked around
the house and toward the orchard. The strong breeze carried a sharp, almost
vinegary sweetness of windfall apples beginning to ferment where they’d dropped
in the grass.

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“Why are you helping me?”

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She flashed him a
wry smile. “I would say it’s because I’m a good person, but you already know
that isn’t the whole truth. Callum … I’ve been alone a long time. At first I
liked it that way because I was so angry about my death and the unfairness,”
she waved her free hand, “Of all this. You know, I had much the same problem as
you. The hours before I drowned were a complete blank. I was at a party, inside
Border House, and next I knew, Donnal was pulling me out of the river.”

.

“He was alive then?”

.

“No. He wasn’t pulling my body out. He pulled me out. What I am now out.”

.

“When was this again?”

.

“Donnal died in 1970, and I drowned in 1975.”

.

He stopped walking
and faced her, still gripping her hand. “Ye’ve been here, at this house for 51
years?”

.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she nodded.

.

“When we spoke at
the fountain, you said you were at a party and found out the man was married.
The producer of the play. Is he the one who murdered you?”

.

“Yes. It took me a
long time to remember, but it was him. He drugged me and tossed me off the
footbridge. I was a fine swimmer, so even impaired I might’ve survived, but, it
was this time of year, and we’d had some rain and flooding.”

.

Her eyes were huge
in her pale face, and the need to comfort her overwhelmed him. He gently pulled
her against his chest and stroked his hand up and down her back. Her spine
softened under his palm, tension leaving by degrees until she relaxed against
him.

.

“It was a long
time ago. I thought I’d pass on to whatever came next after I remembered, but
I’m still here.”

.

He rested his chin
on her hair and squeezed her against him. The moon over them was full, and a
strong breeze rustled the leaves, bringing the sharp scent of fresh apples. The
king aside, this place wasn’t so bad. He had his dogs, and he had Ann. “Perhaps
I’ll stay here then. Even after we solve my murder.”

.

She sighed against
him before easing back. The smile she gave him didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I
would love to have you here with me, if you want that as well.”

.

He smoothed back a
stray wisp of hair and cupped her cheek, trying to determine the cause of her
withdrawal. Then tried a different tactic, sliding his fingers into the hair at
her nape, not trapping her, only holding as much as she allowed. His fingers
lingered in her hair, and with his thumb on her chin, he tilted her face up
until his lips met hers. She didn’t speak, but her breath caught as she leaned
into him, meeting his caress with her own. It wasn’t a cinematic kiss of sudden
passion and overwhelming hunger, but a slow search for mutual warmth. She
trembled in his arms, and he let a little hunger seep into his caress, then
left her mouth to trail kisses over her cheek, pulling her tightly to his
chest. “Yer the one bright spot in all this. I’m not sorry I met ye, Ann
Darby.” 

.

 

.
.

.

Black Cat Devotion

Ghosts of Border House Book 3

by Vanessa Victoria Kilmer

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance

Black cats love
sunshine.

Bubbly but lonely Scottish heiress, Morven Blair, connects
with Black Kat, a cranky internet pixie with a secret identity and a reputation
as a myth buster. Morven asks Black Kat to prove the existence of ghosts and
certify Border House, “the most haunted place in the world.” Black Kat intends
to prove it’s all a con. Opposites do attract, but do they really know love at
all?

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

.

.
.

 

“I’m an early riser,” Tibby
said, sipping from the only pink mug in the place. Interesting.

.

“Can I make you something to eat? Eggs. Toast.”

.

“No, I have to have second coffee before I can even think about food in the
morning.”

.

I opened the back door for Dam. “Is she okay to wander around outside? We have
wild animals roaming around.”

.

“She thinks she’s a lion, so she’ll be just fine.”

.

“You
said yesterday that Dam is black in the Thai language. Is your heritage Thai?”
I sat with my coffee in my favorite mug, covered in sunflowers. I inhaled the
aroma with a deep breath through my nose. I drink my coffee black. I peeked
into Tibby’s cup. Her cup had lots of milk in it.

.

She wrinkled her nose as if she considered not answering.

.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Privacy is a good thing.”

.

She stared at me for a long time, deciding.

.

“It’s
not really that big a deal. I’m just not used to sharing with someone I just
met.” She dipped her pinky into her coffee. “None of us know our birth
families, but we want to know. We took those DNA tests to see if we could find
any relatives. Mine said I’m part Thai and part French.” She got up to pour
more coffee. She held the pot up to me in a silent question.

.

I shook my head.

.

She went to the fridge to dilute her coffee and cool it off. No wonder she drank it
so fast.

.

“Have you taken one of the DNA tests?” She asked as she sat back down at the table.

.

“God, no.” I laughed as I pointed at my chest. “Nobility here. There were few
marriages for love in my family’s history. If we took a DNA test, we might find
out we’re related to the stable boy.”

.

Tibby blinked at me. I wasn’t sure if I was kidding her.

.

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not joking.”

.

“Well, alrighty then.”

.

 

.
.

.

The Brewmaster’s Kiss

Ghosts of Border House Book 2

by Leah Miles

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance

After fifty-five years, Nova Guthrie has returned to
Scotland for the annual Halloween Ball at Border House. Or that is her excuse
to return to the home of her youth and bid farewell to memories of her lost
lover.

What she doesn’t know is that Donnal Stuart still haunts the grand mansion,
along with a few other ghostly characters—one of whom will do everything she
can to keep them apart.

This story is about true love and secret ghost powers bundled up in a haunting
tale of second chances.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

.

 

.
.

“Don’t yell at me. You told me to speak to her,” Ann replied
sulkily. “All I did was say hello.”

.

Donnal threw up his hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think this
through.” He struggled to regain his composure. “If I can’t talk to her, and
hearing yer voice frightens her, what’s the alternative?”

.

Unaware of their presence, Nova pulled a book from the shelf and
began flipping through it.

.

“Look there, Donnal. She isn’t frightened. She’s reading a book.”
Ann made a bored sound in her throat. “I’m going to the dining room. King Edgar
might be there. What did he say when you spoke to him? Am I in the clear?”

.

Donnal shrugged. “Edgar agreed to commute yer sentence, but ye
need to be in the drawing room before dawn tomorrow for the speech. And no
interruptions.”

.

“Ugh.” She made a face. “Fine. I’m going then. Louisa Stuart said
it was roast beef tonight, and I want to sniff it before it all gets eaten.”

.

“Ann …”

.

“What?”

.

“Thanks for trying.”

.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, pausing a long moment before
resting a hand on his sleeve. “When your lost love returns to America, maybe we
can take that walk in the garden.”

.

“Sorry, Ann.” Donnal shook his head. “Even if Nova is far away or
long dead, she holds my heart. I just wish there were some way to tell her how
I feel,” he said, sidling closer to read over Nova’s shoulder.

.

Ann huffed. “Well, if that’s the way of it, I do have one idea.”

.

Hope speared through him, but he quickly squashed it as he faced
Ann. “We tried, and that’s enough for now. Maybe on Halloween—”

.

“Use your water power,” interrupted Anne.

.

His mind went blank. What did she mean? “Water power?”

.

“Don’t be dense, beer man. I heard you talking to James Graham a
few years ago. You died when your steam device exploded, and the
steam-propelled metal bits stabbed you in the heart. Right?”

.

He pulled back his shoulders. “Aye …”

.

“So …” Ann tapped a red-tipped finger against her equally red
lips. “Can you manipulate water? Or is it just steam?”

.

“Not in great amounts, but I can move water.” He scrubbed a hand
over his thick black curls. “It’s nae impressive.”

.

Ann gestured toward Nova. “She has a cup of tea right there. You
could slosh it around or something.”

.

“What purpose would it serve?”

.

Ann clicked her tongue and crossed to where Nova was flipping
through a second book. She jabbed a finger toward the teacup resting on the
ledge of the bookcase, then whispered in Nova’s ear. “Donnal is here.”

.

Nova jolted and dropped her book on the polished wood floor. “Donnal?”
she whispered.

.

He glowered at Ann for forcing this moment and concentrated on the
tea until it churned and sloshed over the rim.

.

“What the—” Nova snatched up the cup and used her sleeve to wipe
the spilled tea from the shelf before it reached any books. She held the cup
away from her and cast her gaze warily around the room. “I can’t believe I’m
going to say this. Donnal, if you’re here, prove it.”

.

Ann giggled. “See? I was right! Come on, come on. Spill it again.”

.

“It’s no small effort to move inert fluid.” Donnal cracked his
knuckles and refocused on the tea. Seconds later, it sloshed over the rim a
second time.

.

“I know I didn’t do that,” Nova said, her eyes wide.

.

The library door burst open, and the Earl entered with another
man. “Jack, I need to … hang on. What are you doing in here? Nova Guthrie, isn’t
it?”

.

“Yes,” she stammered and moved a foot to cover the spilled tea on
the floor. “James.”

.

“No. It’s John.” His lips curled in irritation. “Dinner will be
served shortly. This is my private library. Not available to the guests.
Valuable things in here, you see.”

.

“Apologies.” Her gaze darted around the room before she hurried
out.

.

 

.
.

,

Love Lost & Found

Ghosts of Border House Book 1

by Vanessa Victoria Kilmer

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance

2026 National
Excellence in Romance Fiction Award (NERFA) – Romance Novella category

In 1566, Thomas Kincaid is murdered at Border House by agents of the Scottish
King. Thinking himself betrayed by his soulmate, Sara Mae Stuart, Thomas curses
her to a life of reincarnation with his dying breath.

When Sara Mae dies of a broken heart, she is reborn again and again.

After 450 years of reincarnation, Sara Mae returns to Border House to perform a
séance and break her curse. She discovers a host of unsettled spirits, each
harboring their own hidden agendas, and Thomas, lurking inside her crystal
ball.

Can love survive revenge, guilt, and a quirky spiritual divide?

Amazon * * Bookbub * Goodreads

.

,

Confused was too tame a word for
how Thomas felt after last night. Baffled. Befuddled. Bewildered. No, more like
flummoxed or deranged. He huddled in the Haunted Cellar, so named because he
haunted it. The lowest most point of the manor, it served as a cell for
prisoners. No one came here, so he was assured of some peace. The warped
floorboards felt smooth and cool; a breeze from a loose stone in the corner
foundation brought damp, earthy scents up through the gaps between the wooden
planks set a foot above the cellar ground.

He peeked through the gap beneath
him. Fiona had not put the locket back where he had hidden it. Perhaps if he
asked her nicely, she might bring it back to him or give it to Sara Mae. Did he
want her to have it? He lost his resolve last night when he almost followed
through on his revenge. He didn’t think he could try again. He still harbored
anger towards her, and the anger simmered in his heart, but the love was still
there, too. He didn’t think he’d ever see her again, so he hadn’t planned to
face the love that never went away.

That was the real curse they both
lived under, a situation with many names but well known throughout the ages:
Beloved of the Soul, Twin Flames, the Other Half, Soulmate. Whatever one called
it, it was inescapable. He spent so many years dreaming of revenge. Now that he
couldn’t follow through, he was at a loss.

A collective wailing, the spiritual
equivalent of a gasp of shock, whirled through the manor. Thomas followed the
disturbance to the first-floor family rooms. The room at the front of the left
wing housed the sitting room. Three-quarters of the ghost residents milled in
the tight quarters.

Davina Blair, dry, dreaming and
wrapped up in the arms of a new ghost, sat on the couch, smiling. The new ghost
seemed somewhat familiar. Thomas snapped his insubstantial fingers.

“Patrick Buchan.”

The new ghost nodded.

“But how?” Thomas stammered.

“I found my Vina. She waited for
me. And now, no one will ever keep us apart again.”

The room erupted with applause,
some ghosts forming hearts with their wisps of their spiritual selves like
smoke rings.

“Your dilemma inspired us,” Davina
Blair said. “And now that we are reunited, in love and happiness, we want to
find a way to help you and Sara Mae.” She rested her head on Patrick’s chest,
her ear pressed to the spot where his beating heart would be if he were still
alive.

Patrick nodded. “We can help. At
the very least, we can find the locket and get it to Sara Mae. Beyond that,
we’re not sure because you still hold so much fury, which will block any
suitable solution to your predicament.”

Now that the excitement of a new
addition to the household waned, Thomas was left alone with Davina, Patrick and
King Edgar.

“I had my eye on her,” King Edgar lamented.

“She’s another relative of yours,” Patrick said.

King Edgar shrugged. “Again, not a very close one.”

“Go away, Edgar,” Thomas said. “I need to think.”

“That’s King Edgar to a lowly
servant.” He blew a raspberry and left the room with a pop.

Malcolm Alba entered the room through the door.

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Thomas said. “Are we never to have any peace?”

,

 

.
.
 

.

Leah Miles grew
up in Atlanta, Georgia, and planned to have a career as either a television
anchor or a successful author. After getting a bachelor’s degree in English and
communications, she worked at CNN for more than a dozen years in technical news
production. Her second career is managing an insurance agency in rural Georgia,
along with six brand-new Airbnb-style rentals, with her husband. When not
writing insurance or cleaning cabins, she cherishes quality time with her hubby
and their cocker spaniel, Hootie. They have three adult kids—a doctor, a
lawyer, and a journalist. Leah is currently writing a series with military
elements involving take-charge heroes and women who stand up for themselves and
the people they love. For updates, visit leahmilesauthor.com.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

.

 

 

Vanessa Victoria
Kilmer told her first story to an angel who visited her when she was locked
in a dark, medieval attic at the age of four.

She grew up surrounded by fortified castles, primal salt
mines, and the drama of ancient places. Her fantasy fiction teems with murder,
magic, and madness. She explores the abuse inflicted by those closest to us and
the various ways people deal with the damage. Between writing novels, she
blogs, paints, and takes pictures with her white camera named Traitor and
embroiders tapestries.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

.

 

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

.



.

~~~~~

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.

Time Stopper: Interludes In Time ~ Guest Post By Author James Young

Posted: October 20, 2026 in Guest Post, Romance
Tags: , ,
0

 

.

TIME-STOPPERS: INTERLUDES IN TIME

By James Young

 

 

Category: Adult Fiction, 376 pages
Genre: Fantasy: Time Travel/Romance
Publisher: Mascot Books
​Publication Date: June, 2026
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

The “perfect life” is an impossible dream—or is it?

Aided by an ability to stop time at will, David Preston intends to find out. David is obsessed with making his world perfect: career, love life—everything. Most people settle for less because they know perfection is impossible. But David has a problem: He believes perfection is not just possible but attainable. At least, for someone with his extraordinary gift.

David can stop time at will for everyone but himself. The world freezes around him, giving him “time” to complete tasks on impossible deadlines, compose brilliant answers to sudden questions, and dodge the otherwise unavoidable disasters we can see coming but are powerless to stop.

But life is messier than it appears, and reality is not easily dissuaded—especially when there may be someone else out there, stopping time…

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Mascot Books ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads
.
Author Guest Post
.

Q1: How did you do research for your book?

A1: I lived it instead of researching it!  Almost everything in the book came from some part of my personal experience.  I rode a motorcycle for years and rode the same roads David does—in fact, several experiences he has are ones that I had.  I went to Cornell and knew students in the school of architecture, so I put in memories from there.  I was a lobbyist in Washington for a long time, so I took experiences and acquaintances and blended them into episodes and characters.

Q2: Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

A2: David was the hardest character.  He was because his power makes him exaggerated beyond normal and this calls for a leap into the unknown: What would he do in this circumstance?  How would he react?  The easiest was the office assistant, Stacey.  She is normal but experiencing David’s abnormal; I just had to put myself into her shoes.

Q3: What made you write a book about stopping time?

A3: My daughter started me on the path.  Very unknowingly, of course.  When she was very young, we had these great conversations about the most random things.  One was about what our preferred superpower would be.  We went back and forth, and I stumbled onto this one as we stretched our list.  It intrigued me, and I just kept developing it and applying the premise to things around me.

Q4: Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

A4: From life as much as practical.  Things I experience, mostly.  Sometimes from things I read, but I would rather experience something directly.  I think if you are going to make a copy of something (and that is what writing is to me: making a copy of something in words), then you will get a clearer image from an original than from someone else’s copy.

Q5: There are many books out there about manipulating time…. What makes yours different?

A5: While there are many about manipulating time, these usually involve traveling through it; mine is about standing still in it.  Time travel is such a natural draw; when we encounter old buildings, we all want to travel back to their heyday.  The more I thought about travel through time, the more the idea of stopping it altogether intrigued me.

Q6: What advice would you give budding writers?

A6: Think, analyze, write: All the time!  I used to know an English doctoral student when I was in college in Chicago.  He confessed to me one day that he edited everything in his mind, right down to the writing on his shampoo bottle!  I thought this unusual at the time, but as I continue to get more into writing, I know exactly what he meant… because I do exactly the same thing.  The point is: never turn your mind off.  The more you think, the more fodder you create; the more you create, the more likely you are to stumble onto something worth developing.

.
.

Meet Author James Young:

This is James Young’s first foray into fiction. He has spent over three decades in and around D.C. politics, immersed in economic and policy legislation. Alongside degrees from the University of Chicago (B.A.) and Cornell University (M.A., Ph.D.), Young’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, The Hill, American Spectator, The Federalist, Washington Post, New York Post, Barron’s, Forbes, Chicago Tribune, Townhall, Blaze Media, San Francisco Chronicle, Cleveland Plain Dealer, USA Today, and elsewhere.

In his early days, James was Kipling’s “cat who walked by himself,” working in a steel mill, sailing on the Great Lakes’ iron ore boats, tending bar, riding motorcycles, scuba diving, traveling extensively worldwide, and “doing all manner of things that would have consumed fully eight of the Kipling cat’s nine lives.” He is spending his remaining life more sedately, though still traveling with his family to America’s national parks—with only the occasional exotic foray here and there.

​Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

,

 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Finding Zaide By Kim Deister ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 20, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: , ,
2

 

Finding Zaide

By Kim Deister

 

Publication date: October 19th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Life had gotten comfortable for Amara Addison, maybe too comfortable. Fabulous job, great friends, even an amazing ex-boyfriend who was her ride or die for life. Then Zaide Rossi sauntered into her life and suddenly everything changed. But no matter how crazy life became, finding Zaide made every last moment of chaos worth it.
___

This book, from concept to edit to design, was created without the use of generative AI.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

I found the new photographer wandering around the top floor, occasionally lifting her hands and moving them around in what looked like a rather lame fight with a ghost. My own skills in photography started and ended with my phone’s camera, but I’d been doing this job long enough to know exactly what she was doing and that I shouldn’t interrupt. She was framing shots in her mind’s eye to find interesting plays of light, good angles, unique backgrounds.

A stepstool stood nearby, so I sat on it to wait for her, watching her as she moved around the open space. She’s younger than I expected. Even though I’d known when I hired her that she was younger than the more established photographers we usually used, I’d still somehow had it in my head that she’d be older than she clearly was. But now that I saw her in person, I realized that she had to be about my age, give or take a year or two.

Young or not, however, she looked the part of a creative type. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled up into a messy bun, skewered into place by three jewel-toned chopsticks. The sunlight filtering through the dirty windows glittered off the one ear I could see from where I sat, the cartilage armored by a stack of tiny silver hoops, a bigger one threaded through her nostril. She wore a pair of olive green Army-esque cargo pants with a black camisole left loose over them. On her feet were a pair of purple Chucks that had probably seen better days. More silver encircled her fingers, her wrists, her neck. Tattoos encircled both arms from wrist to shoulder. Another tattoo, a peacock, nestled its head just beneath her ear, the rest of it disappearing beneath her top. What I could see of it was beautiful. Then she turned toward me, and I realized she was beautiful.

My mouth went dry as our eyes met. The world instantly dropped away, and I forgot how to breathe. Then she smiled brightly, and the world settled back into its rightful place. My breath stuttered, and I fervently hoped she hadn’t noticed the effect she’d had on me. What the hell is wrong with you, Mara? Get your shit together. She crossed the room toward me, dust motes flying up in her wake. When she stopped in front of me, I almost lost my ability to breathe all over again.

Zaide Rossi was even more beautiful up close.

.

About Author Kim Deister:

My name is Kim and my last name, Deister, is pronounced “Die-ster.” I always tell my husband I should have kept my married name, Ingram. So much easier to to pronounce!

I am a writer thoroughly in love with words. Reading them, writing them… I love that words can take you outside of your world and let the unimaginable become imaginable. I love them so much that I decided I needed to create some worlds and stories of my own!

Besides being a writer, I am an Army veteran (and Army wife) and a mom to four sons. I grew up in northern New York in a tiny college town called Potsdam. Over the years, our Army life has taken us all over the place and I have been lucky enough to work and live in some pretty amazing places. Right now we live in Hawaii on the island of O’ahu, minutes from the North Shore.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

.

Finding Zaide Blitz

.

~~~~~

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.

If You Were Mine By A.S. Kelly ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 15, 2026 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: , ,
0

 

If You Were Mine

By A.S. Kelly

 

Publication date: October 14th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Levi Anderson has never felt more alone. Since saying goodbye to his husband, he has drifted between long shifts at the hospital and quiet, empty hours in his apartment, surrounded by boxes he can’t bring himself to unpack. He refuses to face the pain — or imagine a life without him.

Shay Miller has never been more furious. In one devastating moment, he lost the man he loved, his job, and the home they shared. He’s barely holding himself together. He’s tried to start over, but deep down, he knows he can’t move on until he lets go of the past — and stops hurting himself.

When fate brings Levi and Shay together, they immediately see how different they are and can’t imagine ever being drawn to one another. Levi is still learning how to live again, while Shay is learning how to forgive.

Yet, with this stranger who’s appeared out of nowhere, Levi slowly begins to open up and trust again. And with this man, terrified of letting himself go, Shay starts to long for someone he can protect and love.

For the first time, the future feels possible for both of them. But Levi doesn’t know Shay has lied about who he is — or that he’s hiding a secret capable of destroying everything, leaving Levi to hate the man he loves for the rest of his life.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

After about half an hour, I’m standing outside the cafeteria, peering through the window to make sure he’s really inside, waiting for me. But when I see him, sitting at one of the tables, intent on reading the newspaper, the urge to turn around and run away almost gets the better of the strange, inexplicable desire to sit at that table with him.
He lifts his head from the newspaper and scans the room. Then his eyes land on me, watching him from the other side of the glass, as if he suddenly realises someone is there.
I wave at him like an idiot, take a deep breath, walk to the cafeteria door, pluck up courage, and push it open. I cross the space between us with his eyes still on me, and join him at the table. He folds the newspaper and sets it aside the moment my hand touches the back of the chair in front of him.
“You didn’t get anything.”
“I was waiting for you.”
I grip the back of the chair without thinking.
“Do you want to…?” He points to the same chair.
I’d like to, yes. To sit here with you. To talk, maybe even smile at you, to understand who you are and why you keep appearing in my life when I least expect anything to happen. And I wish I didn’t feel guilty towards those who are no longer here, just for thinking and wanting all these things.
“Everything okay?” he asks, after realising I’ve been standing in front of him, just staring.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly.
“And do you maybe want to find out?”
“I don’t know that either.”
He nods slowly, as if turning my words over in his mind.
“All I know is that I want to sit down.”
He sketches a half smile.
“With you.” I don’t know if I’m still breathing as I say it. “I want to sit here with you.”

.

About Author A. S. Kelly:

A. S. Kelly was born in Italy and now lives in Dublin, Ireland, with her husband, two children, two cats, and many plants.

She worked as a literary translator for several years before she began writing full-time. Today, her books are available in English, Italian, and Spanish.

A. S. Kelly writes emotional, heartfelt romantic fiction. Her most popular series are The O’Connor Brothers and From Connemara with Love.

She enjoys yoga, running, and swimming. She also loves gardening, photography, and reading mystery and crime novels.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

.

If You Were Mine 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.

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