Deadly Intentions by Anise Storm – Spotlight and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Anise Storm who is celebrating the release of her newest book Deadly Intentions .

When Viviana Spataro’s best friend was murdered, revenge became her number one focus and ten years later, her mission for vengeance is almost complete. The only obstacle standing in her way is the son of the man she wants to destroy, the sexy and lethal, Nazario Vaccaro. Fans of dark romances will devour Deadly Intentions by Anise Storm, a sexy enemies-to-lovers, mafia romance.

Viviana Spataro had dreams and ambitions until the murder of her best friend in a New York City alley changed everything. Overcome with grief, her dreams soon changed. Instead of wanting to heal others as a doctor, she now wants to annihilate the one person responsible.

Ten years later, she finally has her chance. As a mistress to one of the most notorious Mafia Dons in Italy, Stefano’s days are now numbered. Her mission of vengeance is almost complete, or it will be once she can get past the only thing standing in her way. That obstacle is her attraction to the sexy, and equally as lethal, son of the man she’s determined to destroy.

Nazario Vaccaro is well aware of his father’s sins, and he’s hellbent on exacting payback of his own. Viviana doesn’t know the levels of depravity his father is capable of so she has no idea the real danger she is in. He does, and he is determined to protect her, even from herself.

Will he be able to seduce her into heeding his warning as he prepares to take his rightful place upon his father’s throne? Or, will she become collateral damage in a deadly game of betrayal, sex, and secrets?

Enjoy an Excerpt

“You’re going to do what I tell you to do, or else—”

“Or else you’ll kill me like your father did my best friend.” She had thrown it out there and everything I had suspected was now confirmed. There was venom laced within the smoky sensuousness of her voice, especially when she mentioned him.

“You need to let that go,” I warned, more for her protection than anything else. She couldn’t go around throwing things like that out there or else someone would connect the pieces and she would experience a death far worse than Donnatella had.

“I’ll never let that go,” she told me while pushing forcefully at my chest.

“You must,” I repeated.

“F*** you,” she said, her voice now completely filled with pain that the man who’d sired me had caused her. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. You just make sure that you keep your big mouth—”

Knowing where she was headed with it, I grabbed her by the throat and fused my mouth to hers. I had never wanted to kiss her in all the time that I had known her in the past, but as soon as our lips touched, I never wanted to stop. I quickly neutralized her, my tongue tangling with hers in some forbidden dance. She was my father’s mistress, and a witness that should’ve been snuffed out a decade earlier, yet I couldn’t stop kissing her as she held my very life in her hands when it should’ve been the other way around.

She struggled against me, as I suspected she would, until she didn’t. The lack of resistance elicited the same response that being doused with a bucket of ice water would, and I slowly released her from my grasp. When I stepped back, I had miscalculated her mood because she slapped me so quickly and with such force that the entire side of my face stung.

“I’m not leaving until I get what I came here for. Get in my way, Nazario, and it’ll be your last fatal mistake. I am not about taking prisoners. I am collecting body bags.”

I shook my head to not only stop the ringing inside of it from her blow, but the words she spoke. Even back in school, she’d been the soft spoken type. The night in New York City, she’d been scared but resembled the girl I had once known. The vixen in front of me was like something out of my wet dreams. She was arrogant, definitely not a damsel in distress, and someone I would enjoy fucking into submission over and over again. I couldn’t do any of those things, however, because she was going to get her ass killed if she didn’t drop this vendetta and leave town immediately.

“You’re not the only one that wants him dead,” I stated, causing her to look up at me and deadpan.

“Yes, but unlike others, I don’t lack the balls to get the job done.”

I scrubbed my hands down my face. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Then leave the heavy lifting to those capable of doing it, Darling.”

About the Author Anise Storm is a USA Today Bestselling author of Contemporary and Dark Romance. A Southern transplant, Anise is married with children. She has a love of football, shoes, and tall, dark heroes. When not spending time with family or traveling, she can be found either curled up with a good book or writing.

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Deadly Betrayal by Sheila Kell – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sheila Kell will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When trusting the wrong person can be deadly.

From Romantic Suspense BEST-SELLING and AWARD-WINNING Author • What happens when a former FBI analyst quits her job to become a PI and ends up partnering with the man who left her fourteen years earlier? In Sheila Kell’s riveting novel of secrets, deceit, and romance, two people rush to find a killer while reckoning with their growing attraction.

Cassie McKay was tired of being passed over as a FBI field agent. She quits her job as a FBI analyst, moved back home with her mother, and takes a job as a PI. Only she hadn’t expected her partner to be the one man who’d left her years before.

Jack “JD” Walker had done a lot wrong in his life, but he hadn’t killed the mother of his child as the police believed, nor had he expected the only women he’d ever loved to come to his rescue. The two work diligently to prove JD’s innocence while someone is determined to make JD pay.

Deadly Betrayal is the first book in the Coastal Investigations series. If you enjoy a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read, you’ll love this installment of Sheila Kell’s new romantic suspense series.

Read an Excerpt

He noticed a vehicle approaching from the rear fast. He sped up, but the car kept closing. Idiot. He hated tailgaters. Just because the guy wanted him to go faster didn’t mean he would, not with his son in the truck.

Then the vehicle behind him did something JD hadn’t expected. He rammed JD from behind. The impact threw him forward in his seat belt, and he noticed Henry Kyle do the same. Someone had tried to hurt him with his son in the car. No fucking way was he going to allow that to happen. Then the vehicle rammed them again, and this time his truck spurred forward toward a busy cross street. Henry Kyle screamed, and JD, braking hard, tried to regain control of the vehicle.

About the Author:

Sheila Kell writes about the romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on memorable, adrenaline-pumping stories. Or, (since her editor tries to cut down on her long-windedness) simply “Smokin’ Hot Romance & Intrigue.” Her debut novel, His Desire (HIS Series #1), launched as an Amazon #1 romantic suspense bestseller and Top 100 overall, later winning the Readers’ Favorite award for best romantic suspense novel.

As a Southern girl who traveled the world with the United States Air Force, she remembers all the embarrassing moments of her fellow veterans to include in her books and laughs every time she does it. Having left behind her days as a College President, she can usually be found nestled in the Mississippi woods, where she lives with her cats and all the strays that magically find her front door. When she isn’t writing, you can find Sheila with her nose in a good book, dealing with the woodland critters who enjoy her back patio, or wishing she had a genie to do her bidding.

Falling for the Grouch by Carolina Jax – Spotlight

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Carolina Jax, who is celebrating today’s release of Falling for the Grouch.

He’s cynical and annoyed with the world. She’s bright, bubbly and determined to win him over both in life. Readers who love Carrie Elks and Avery Maxwell will devour Falling for the Grouch by Carolina Jax, a steamy, small town, grump/sunshine, beach romance.

Dash

When my son had to leave our small hometown of Christmas, Texas, I couldn’t wait to leave with him, only to fall into a new fresh hell.

Christmas 2.0 a/k/a Candy Cane Key.

Everyone is in love down here. They love their town. They love their school.

Let me tell you, True Love doesn’t exist. Romantic love is made up.

There’s no one who can tell me differently.

No matter how gorgeous she is.

And I’m the grouch who said so.

Summer

I love where I live. I love the sun, the people, my job. I love to help and do whatever anyone needs of me.

But letting them past my surface is hard when they’re only using our town as another way out.

For having a bright talented kid, and being extremely good looking, this guy is all types of grouch.

He’s cynical, annoyed with the world, and has become my new target.

Can I make him love Candy Cane Key, and also let my guard down and him in?

The MAN OF THE MONTH CLUB is a steamy small-town collection featuring a new hottie (or two!) every month. In 2023, escape to Candy Cane Key, Florida, and celebrate ALL the holidays with your favorite group of romance authors and their delicious Paradise men. Can’t wait to see you there!

Enjoy an Excerpt

I’m waiting for Dash to take the bait. Again. And then he does. I turn again and his rough hand lands on my hip as he leans toward me, his hot breath tickling my ear.

“That’s two. You shouldn’t tease a grouch.”

Bingo.

“What will happen if I do?” I take another chip and crunch it, licking the cheese off my fingers as I watch him.

“You’ll make him angry.”

“Oh? Will he punish me?” I lean in, eyes wide, “Maybe two spanks this time?” I ask in faux terror. It’s dark inside this bar, but there is no mistaking the way his pupils dilate. I reach for another chip but his hand on my hip squeezes once again and I jerk into the table pushing my hand onto the plate of nachos, getting cheese all over my finger. I stand upright to reach for a napkin, but he grabs my wrist and holds it, forcing me to face him head on. My entire body is racing with excitement, tingles moving from my toes to the top of my head.

He raises my finger dripping with cheese and paints my lips with it. He watches as I snake my tongue out to lick it off, our eyes holding the entire time. “You want to be punished?”

I nod my head slowly , sticking my finger in my mouth and sucking off the remaining cheese. A smug grin forms on his lips.

“F***, Rainbow Brite, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“I don’t. Yet.” I raise a brow, daring him to answer me. Begging him to want the same things I do. He stands abruptly, bumping me, but I don’t move back. With his hand still wrapped around my wrist, I’m not going anywhere.

“You’re playing with fire, little girl.” He whispers in my ear, and I want to jump for joy.

I want to climb this man like a tree and let him take me home and do wicked, wicked things to my body, all the while reminding myself that he’s leaving, he’s just passing through this town, and I should not fall for the grouch. But it’s too late. “Then burn me, big boy.”

About the Author: Hailing from a tiny town in New York, Carolina spends her free time with her military husband, their two sons and her chocolate lab, Lincoln. Her avid love for reading slowly morphed into an “I want to do that, too!” attitude and a dream was born with a pen and paper.

Carolina Jax writes contemporary romances about her favorite things – football, small towns and big hearts. Her stories are based on an everyday life with amazing people finding amazing love. They have the perfect combination of love, lust and laughs, and always with a Happily Ever After.

When she’s not on the field watching her boys play football and lacrosse, she loves to drink wine with friends, watch the Philadelphia Eagles (hopefully) win, read about alpha heroes, and dream about everything Christmas.

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Time for Once by Jes Smyth – Spotlight

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Jes Smyth who is celebrating the recent release of Time for Once.

For Jolie and Jace, timing is everything. It’s also complicated, and they can’t seem to get it right. They enter a decade-long cycle of passion, heartbreak, bad timing, and, ultimately, self-discovery. Will time, for once, ever be on their side? Fans of Josie Silver and David Nicholls will fall in love with Time for Once by Jes Smyth, an adult, coming-of-age, second chance, love triangle, Women’s Fiction novel.

Have you ever wondered …

If I had met this person as who I am now, instead of who I was then, would it have changed anything?

For fans of Rebecca Serle and Josie Silver.

Two people. Ten years. One winding love story.

Time, for Jolie, is the worst. It moves too slowly when she needs it to speed up; too fast when she wishes she could just bring everything to a halt. But for her and Jace, timing is everything. And they can’t seem to get it right.

Time, for Jace, is simple. The plan is obvious and the outcome is inevitable: earn a degree, get a job, make a life. All in due time. But for him and Jolie, timing is complicated. And they have a habit of falling out of sync.

As they navigate the tides of their relationship amid the uncertainties of life after graduation, Jolie and Jace enter a decade-long cycle of passion, heartbreak, bad timing, and, ultimately, self-discovery. All in pursuit of an answer to the inescapable question: Will time, for once, ever be on their side?

Time for Once is an adult coming-of-age story about love, acceptance, and the mistakes we all make in the messy but crucial process of growth.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“How about we give him two more minutes?” Alix said. “If he’s not out by then, we can assume he left through the front and you won’t—” Alix stopped talking as the lecture door swung open.

Jolie’s back straightened. He was done. And walking. Right past the bench. His messenger bag was slung over one shoulder, and his stride purposeful—like he couldn’t wait to get out of the building.

Jolie stood up, trance-like. Her heart beating a sprinter’s pace. Go catch up, it would say if hearts had mouths. But her feet had turned to puddles, followed by her calves and then her knees. All she could do was stand still as her body dripped into a puddle across the tile.

Alix glanced at her. “Jolie, what are you doing?”

“I… I can’t.” Jolie’s voice shook.

Alix remained quiet. The significance of what Jolie had set out to do, and that she couldn’t see it through, didn’t need highlighting. “You never know,” Alix whispered while Jolie’s eyes tracked his legs moving him further away. “He might come through the Union again and I can give him your number or something.”

“That happened once. In three months. Those odds are not favorable.” Jolie watched him stop in front of the exit. Inevitably, he would walk out those doors and the “Where’s Waldo?” of her college years would continue. It seemed where she was frequent on this campus, he was elusive. Not a single random, or even not-so-random, run-in outside of class. Yet, there he stood, mere steps away. The end of the beginning was within her grasp. All she had to do was go up to him and say what she’d lost so much sleep rehearsing.

Hello.

Time was running out.

“You’ve put way too much pressure on yourself, and on this person you don’t even know. And—Why is he just standing there?” Alix’s voice sounded far away.
The loud, rhythmic ticking from the lobby clock directly over his head had replaced the sound of his retreating footsteps now that he’d come to a stop.

Tick.

Jace was staring out the window. She noticed his headphones were pulled down around his neck.

Tick.

Jolie was standing only a few paces away from him.

Tick.

She could do this. She had to do this.

Go catch up.

Jolie clutched onto Alix’s arm. Her expression, she imagined, was wild. Her face was an oven.

Alix rolled her eyes. “I’m going to use the bathroom,” she said and mouthed, Go.

Reason took over emotion and Jolie launched herself forward.

About the Author: Jes Smyth is a writer at heart, a poet by accident, and the author of contemporary women’s fiction. With a background in psychology, and a lifetime stuck in her own head, Jes uniquely explores the often misunderstood emotions of change and growth in her debut Time for Once.

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Sanctuary on Victoria Island by Karen Andover – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Karen Andover will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Victoria Island is an idyllic place to live and work. Or so Emma Rutledge had always thought. Working for her family’s property company, she enjoys professional success. But her personal life is more complicated. She struggles to move past her childhood infatuation with Donovan, her brother’s best friend, and to cope with his callous rejection of her feelings.

But things are not always as they seem on the picturesque island. The sunny and peaceful haven conceals dangerous secrets. When Emma unexpectedly stumbles across the darker side of life, her life is threatened.

Donovan Evans is leaving the military after fifteen years and returning home to Victoria Island. He is ready to start the next chapter of his life with a different job and the hope for a new relationship. But old hurts frustrate his plan. And unforeseen violence transforms his priorities. Suddenly Emma and Donovan have more at stake than getting past their troubled history. They must work together to say alive.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

Emma slurped the last of her frozen margarita. She carefully set the massive wide-rimmed tumbler down.

“You know something? You almost waited too damn long.” She accentuated her comment by pointing a tortilla chip at Donovan.

“You weren’t seriously involved with that banker.”

He took a swig of his beer. When he set it down, beer spilled over the top.

“I could have been. Stephen and I had a lot in common.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“We both volunteered for the Save the Seas charity.” She ticked one item on her finger.

“Hmm…” His eyes narrowed. “What else?”

Emma screwed her face up. She was having trouble organizing her thoughts, and this interrogation was making her think too hard. She blinked.

“He’s attractive. He’s my age.” She counted off two more fingers. She extended another finger, then hesitated. “Oh, yes! He has a good job. That’s four reasons.”

He shook his head. “Those are superficial rationales at best. They don’t establish long term compatibility. Anything else?”

“Uh, he was a good dancer.” She made a “voila” motion with her hands.

“Right.” He set his beer down precisely on the mat.

“It’s clear to me that you could never have been deeply committed to him.”

About the Author:Karen Andover is an author of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and science fiction. Karen lives an idyllic island life and her goal is to share her happy place with readers one book at a time. She lives in Florida with her family and rescue pup.

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Half-Breed’s Lady by Bobbi Smith – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bobbi Smith will award a randomly drawn winner a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

To artist Glynna Williams, Texas was a land of wild beauty, carved by God’s hand, untouched as yet by man’s. And the most exciting part of it was the fierce, bare-chested half-breed who saved her from a rampaging longhorn bull. Just as the untamed wilderness called to the painter in her heart, Hunt’s mesmerizing eyes touched the woman in her.

As she spent the days sketching his magnificent body, she dreamed of spending the nights in his strong arms. Glynna knew the paintings she’d done of his Comanche people would guarantee her success as a Western artist, but would she ever succeed in capturing Hunt’s wary heart? He’d been trapped and wounded before by a white woman. Now only the gentle bonds of love could make Glynna the…Half-Breed’s Lady.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Glynna hadn’t meant to forget the stage driver’s warning to stay close, but as she roamed away from the road, sketchbook in hand, she became more and more entranced with the beauty of the wilderness surrounding her. Her creativity was urging her on. This landscape was why she’d come to Texas.

She wasn’t sure how far she’d wandered from the stage when a vista unfolded before her that left her enthralled. Low-growing mesquites and cedars provided the perfect frame for the view of a distant mesa. It rose tall and powerful against the horizon, its colors vivid in the brilliance of the afternoon sun. Sitting down on a rock nearby, she never let her gaze shift from the view.

She worked for some time, trying to capture the essence of the wild, untamed land. Her concentration was such that she didn’t hear the rustling in the brush nearby. She was focused only on her work. It was the man’s shout that jarred her back to awareness of where she was, and it was then that she saw him. A bare-chested warrior, leaning low over his horse’s neck, riding straight for her. The expression on his face was savage, and she was sure his intent was equally frightening. He looked deadly, fierce, and it was then she remembered the stage driver’s warning that renegades might be in the area. Frantic, she looked around, trying to decide where to run. Desperate to escape, she tried to flee. It was then that a strong arm snared her around the waist and hauled her roughly up against him.

About the Author After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982. Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and several short stories. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists. When she’s not working on her novels, she is frequently a guest speaker for writer’s groups. Bobbi is mother of two sons and resides in St. Charles, Missouri with her husband and three dogs.

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Defeat by Evelyn Sola – Cover Reveal

We are so excited to share the cover reveal of Defeat by Evelyn Sola. Fans who love Runaway Bride Romances will sink their teeth into this steamy, friends with benefits romance. Keep scrolling for more details about this sexy, diverse romance.

A self-proclaimed bachelor, content on his own. A runaway bride, searching for her freedom.

They may seem like they’ve got nothing in common, but the tiniest sparks make the biggest flames.

Delaney Lewis is desperate for her freedom. From her controlling mother and the man she left standing at the altar.

Her best friend is more than happy to help her escape and sets Delaney up at her soon to be brother-in-law’s house while he’s out of town, confident that when David comes home—he’ll do whatever it takes to keep Delaney safe from her crazy family.

David Sutton finds the surprise of a lifetime when he discovers a woman sleeping soundly in his bed. When she explains how she ended up there, David’s heart and mind slowly open, leading to a permanent place to stay, a job, and best of all, a new outlook.

The woman who was much like a stranger before, slowly becomes his friend…with a few intimate perks and before they know it, real sparks start to fly.

About the Author: A Boston native, wife, mother, and wine enthusiast. If she’s not writing, thinking about writing, you will find Evelyn with a book in her hands. While a new publisher, she’s been writing for years, and she will continue to write for many years to come.

Evelyn is obsessed with assertive and confident men who will stop at nothing to get their woman. Her stories are filled with love, passion, and humor.
She currently lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and two daughters.

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Loves Me Knot by Aubree Valentine – Spotlight

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Aubree Valentine who is celebrating today’s release of Loves Me Knot.

Aubree is bringing the heat and the drama with this short and sweet second chance romance about a hot cop and the town’s favorite kindergarten teacher. Sparks will fly as these two reconnect and rediscover not only their love for one another but who they are now as individuals. Readers who love Corinne Michaels and Melanie Harlow will devour Loves Me Knot by Aubree Valentine, a steamy, small town, second chance, beach romance.

I thought I was going to be her forever. That was until she up and left Candy Cane Key and took my broken heart right along with her.

Now she’s back and damn if those feelings aren’t still there for the girl who’s all grown up and still drives me crazy. Don’t get me wrong, I want her back and they say you’ve got to shoot your shot, but, I don’t know that I can handle another blow.

Guess I’m about to find out if she loves me, or knot.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“What are you doing?” I leaned closer to my best friend Abby and whispered through gritted teeth.

It was bad enough that I let her convince me to come with her to this Manuary charity auction. Now she was sitting here bidding, Candy Cane Key’s favorite Sherriff’s Deputy, who also happened to be my pain in the ass ex.

Deputy Ryan Albright worked the crowd of hungry local women with his piercing blue-green eyes, a charming and seemingly innocent schoolboy smile, and that sandy blondish-brown hair that I used to love running my fingers through. When he winked at someone in the front, a table of ladies that we graduated high school with whistled and placed another round of bids.

Abby’s hand went up and she doubled the last bid.

“Abby!” I hissed, suddenly wishing I was anywhere but here.

Betsy Henry, my arch-rival essentially since birth raised Abby’s bid while looking right at me with an evil smirk on her face.

Ha. If Betsy wanted a date with Ryan, she could have him. It would serve him right, too. After breaking my heart in two, Ryan absolutely deserved to suffer through a night with the likes of Betsy. Besides, it wasn’t like I was the one bidding on him.

Abby pledged another hundred dollars on top of Betsy’s bid.

What the hell was she thinking?

Did she want a date with Ryan?

There was no way.

Abby would never do that to me, nor would she do that to her boyfriend Liam. And if she was merely trying to up the bids and raise more money for charity then surely she would have placed a bid on some of the other guys, too.

Right?

I swallowed hard and my cheeks flushed when Ryan looked in our direction and shot Abby a confused glance before locking eyes with me.

“Abs. Really. That’s enough. Please, stop,” I pleaded.

“Going once. Going twice,” the auctioneer called out. “Sold to our very own Abby Monet!”

I gasped out loud.

Abby turned and looked at me with a satisfied grin. “You’re welcome.”

“What?” I croaked.

“That was all for you, bestie,” she winked. “You can thank me later.”

“Abbbbbbyyyyy. What have you done?”

About the Author Aubree Valentine began her book world career as a personal assistant for a close friend/author and as a book blogger. But, she’s been writing stories of all kinds since she was a child.

Her time spent as a personal assistant and book blogger only further fueled her love of romance and the desire to write her own happily ever afters, so with a hard shove from a friend (or four), she made the leap and officially published her very first book in 2016.

Since then Aubree has brought to life more than a dozen sexy alphas, including her beloved fan-favorite first responders from the Too Hot to Handle collection.

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up with a good book and her fur babies. Or bringing to life some over-the-top craft project.

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My Take on Critique Groups by Sally Basmajian – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sally Basmajian will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Take on Critique Groups

I belong to two critique groups. One is made up of five female writers—some wise and some witty, but all darn good writers. We call ourselves LAKS, which stands for the Literary Ass Kicking Society, and that’s metaphorically what we do whenever one of us becomes sluggish and stops producing. The other is a much larger collective made up of writers at varying stages of their journey. It’s a local, inclusive group. I like to support it because the members were very encouraging when I started writing, and actually awarded me the first prize I ever won.

When I meet with my LAKS friends, I take seriously every piece of criticism they give me. We push each other to be better writers, and we’re all at similar stages in our literary journeys, so we aren’t afraid to be direct. While we don’t bludgeon each other with overly harsh, personal observations, we also don’t sugarcoat our comments or pull any punches. We hash through issues over coffee and heaping helpings of complex carbs. Later, when I’ve re-read their written critiques at home, I choose how many of their suggestions to incorporate in my next draft. More often than not, it’s the majority.

One of my LAKS colleagues, Lena, doesn’t even have to write her ideas out in full anymore. She just pens a bold “OTT” on any particularly florid passage I’ve written, to tell me that once more I’ve gone too far in trying to push a joke or describe a zany character. Is she right? In my opinion, yes—at least 80% of the time. I have her to thank for helping me realize that not everything I think is hilarious will amuse someone else.

In my larger community group, I apply a different filter. I do appreciate the general impressions of everyone in attendance, and I find many of their comments instructive. I also love the fact that the larger group organizes workshops and sometimes brings in knowledgeable professional speakers. Often, though, I disagree with the feedback from one or two participants.

As an example, a person in the group recently voiced a strong opinion that a novel’s character shouldn’t be called a nickname by her lover, because having two names made it confusing to keep track of who she was. In this case, the critic happened to be new to the group and had no grasp of the book’s flow. For instances like this, the rule I follow is to nod and pin on my brightest smile—and later not revise a single word.

It’s like hand-selecting the reddest apples at the grocery store, or buying a cheap, jumbo bagful and hoping for the best. Either option can be nutritious and tasty, and I do recommend both types of critique groups. Just remember to choose your companions wisely, and don’t be afraid to walk away if you end up frustrated instead of inspired after you’ve tried out a couple of sessions. In the long run, it’s more important to feel uplifted than to be critiqued in a manner that’s inapt or inept.

Suze Foster has always been devoted to her daughter. As a child, Jannie required extra support in school, but now-at age 29-she’s a rising executive. Suze, thrilled with Jannie’s success, is finally free to follow her own dreams.
Without Suze’s dedicated attention, though, Jannie flounders. In a careless moment, she floods her apartment. Enter our hero, Aram-her hot but significantly older neighbor. He saves the day, and for Jannie, it’s love at first sight.
Not so much for Aram, though, who falls head over heels for Suze when they accidentally meet. Unaware of Jannie’s feelings, Suze is equally smitten.
In this twisted triangle, can a happily-ever-after be achieved? Or will someone’s heart break and the mother-daughter bond be severed forever?

Enjoy an Excerpt

He was the most good-looking man she’d ever seen. Luxuriant locks. She bet that’s how a Harlequin Romance would describe his hair. And under the full beard, maybe even a cleft chin. And most definitely, a sensuous lower lip. Ooh la la.

As she mused in an X-rated way about his mouth, Jannie remembered something from a book she’d read where the heroine had a habit of biting her lower lip. It drove men mad.

So she tried it. Nibble, nibble.

Aram just looked at her. His breathing didn’t accelerate. His chest didn’t heave.
She tried again. Nibble, nibble. The prolonged silence was beginning to be uncomfortable.

“Are you all right, Jannie?” Aram finally asked. He studied her.

Well, that hadn’t gone so well. But she’d never tried to flirt with an older man before. Maybe they needed something more obvious.

She attempted to look coyly up at Aram through her eyelashes. This wasn’t as easy as all those romance authors made it sound. She felt her forehead contract, her nose wrinkle and her upper lip pull away from her teeth in her effort to do the impossible.

“Jannie, are you having an allergic reaction? Shellfish, maybe? Isn’t that crab I smell coming from your condo? Do you carry an EpiPen?”

She stamped her foot in frustration. It was supposed to look fierce and cute, but she could tell from Aram’s face that he was way more startled than turned on.

About the Author After leaving the corporate world, Sally Basmajian discovered the joy of writing. Her fiction and nonfiction stories have appeared in newspapers such as The Globe & Mail and in several anthologies. In 2022 she won prizes for memoir pieces (Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop, Gulf Coast Writers Association), and was thrilled to have a poem selected by the journal Antithesis. She expects to be busy in 2023, when her first two novels appear: in January, a light-hearted romance, So Hard to Do (published by Creative James Media) and in October, a much darker one, Fountain of Evil (Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC).

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Love All by Liza Malloy – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Liza Malloy will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

College students Nate and Olivia are a perfect match on the courts—and in the sheets. Everywhere else, they’re polar opposites and sworn enemies. But as the chemistry builds, a figure from Olivia’s past unexpectedly pops back into her life and the couple realizes they have more in common than they thought. Are these star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat their parents’ mistakes, or can they build a life together once the final set is played?

This book is a standalone, steamy, new adult/college, sports romance, 77k words. Tropes include enemies to lovers, he falls first, and billionaire.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“You know, some people like to give others the benefit of the doubt and get to know them before assuming the worst.”

Olivia snatched the cherry from the shake that I’d set on the edge of my plate. “Some of us prefer to avoid disappointment. I’ll keep my assumptions until people prove me wrong.”

At least she was honest, I thought, oddly envious of the cherry stem as she pressed her tongue against it. “Challenge accepted.”

We left the diner, but the drive home was far too short.

“Thank you for the ride,” she said, already clutching her racket and duffel bag before I even slowed to a complete stop in front of her apartment.

“And for the excellent meal, right?” I added.

She stared dryly. “I’ll thank you for the food when you thank me for not pressing charges on the whole kidnapping front.”

I bit back a smile. Even pissed off, Olivia was captivating. “This was fun. Why haven’t we hung out before?”

“Because we have nothing in common.”

“Not true. There’s tennis, lame business majors, and douchebag fathers.”

Olivia gazed back at me and for the briefest of moments, I thought she would say something meaningful, but instead she just shook her head, dismissing whatever idea had crossed her intriguing mind.

“You can’t possibly want to spend more time with me. I’ve been a total bitch to you all afternoon.”

I wasn’t about to deny that last part, so instead I pushed my luck with a bad joke. “We could move into the back seat and you could make it up to me,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows seductively.

I’d hoped for a snarky comeback, but instead she just rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I’ll see you at practice,” she mumbled, climbing out of the car.

About the Author:

Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming.

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