Tag Archives: blue collar heroes

Spotlight on Blurred Lines by Nikki Prince (@AuthorNPrince @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Blurred Lines By Nikki Prince

BLURB:

Phaedra Sims had taken the job at the prison to block out the memories in her head as she helps to heal others. Memories of a love that died too soon. Sergeant Rocco De Angelis is a man who has proven his dedication to his job over himself. Phaedra can’t deny the chemistry between them. Rocco plans to make sure she doesn’t. Healing the heart and soothing the soul will definitely be blurring the lines.

*****

EXCERPT:

“Do you want to try that again?”

Phaedra Sims didn’t look up as she asked the question. She just continued to write on the notepad that she had in her lap as she sat in her office at the California state prison. In order to make those that she spoke to feel comfortable she didn’t use the couch method but had nice comfortable chairs across from each other in a room with soft lighting. Eye to eye so to speak, although being eye to eye with this client always made her nervous, though she hid it. Not in that he scared her, quite the opposite. The tension was from what being in his vicinity and dealing with the intense excitement he generated in her. An excitement that she could ill afford. She was his counselor after all.

“I don’t need your help,” he said.

“Is that, right?” Phaedra said simply as she finally glanced up to meet the dreamy sable eyes of Sergeant Rocco de Angelis. She was used to this tactic from him. He’d been in her office more than once at the request of Captain Jackson Brockman. In fact, she’d seen him on and off for the past two years and they’d developed somewhat of a camaraderie albeit tinged with feelings she didn’t want to even think about. He reminded her of Gian Esposito. Gian. The man she’d planned to marry and whose life was cut short.

And of course, today of all days was when she was missing Gian the most. It should have been the day that they were married. Wouldn’t Gian want her happy? It was easier when she didn’t feel. So, much easier to just work herself until she was tired. Rinse, wash and repeat. Healthy? No. But it was perseverance of the highest order.

She pushed the thought of Gian to the back of her mind and turned her focus back to the man sitting before her. Being with Rocco De Angelis would be a problem, she had to remind herself of that.

“Yes, that’s right. I don’t need your help, now just like I didn’t need it a few months ago.”

Rocco was indeed very strong. However even a strong man like him could use help at times. It was getting him to do it that would be tricky.

“Captain Brockman seems to think otherwise.”

“The Captain is worried over nothing. I can deal with what’s happened in this prison over the last two years.”

“Okay, so tell me this.” Phaedra paused and took of her reading glasses and set them in her lap as she crossed slack covered legs and leaned forward. “The men and women that you oversee, would you do anything for them that you could?”

Phaedra watched as a blonde brow rose, and he crossed his arms. She knew she’d touched a nerve. Sergeant De Angelis was all about the men and women that were under his care. She’d done her homework on Rocco. He was dedicated to the job and to his men and women. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them. Yet as impressive as that was even the 6’5, 230 pounds, golden haired and brown eyed, Rocco De Angelis could crumble under pressure. Of course, he didn’t think so. She was there to see that he didn’t crack under pressure as well.

“Well?” She said softly.

“You know the answer to that.”

“I may know it, but I want to hear it from your lips.” Phaedra leaned back in her chair her pen still in hand as she waited for him to talk.

“I would do whatever it takes for those I work with.” Rocco stated simply.

“Just as I thought. So, knowing you will do anything for them, then there will be no problem in us meeting and you taking care of yourself.” Phaedra began jotting down some notes on her pad.

“Counselor Sims, all I need is to do my job, a good beer and some fun between a woman’s thighs.”

His words managed to dampen her panties and make her wish it was her he was talking about. She cleared her throat and looked up at him. Molten chocolate colored eyes gazed back at her.

“Distractions can be a good thing, yes. However, you need to talk about what’s happened and deal with those issues as well.”

Rocco got up and moved away from her, heading to the window, she watched as he stood there and looked out at the front of the prison. It wasn’t a very picturesque view but she at least had a better view compared to what the officers and the prisoners dealt with daily. Her office faced the front of the prison where one could see all of the comings and goings if they so choose to, as it faced the main parking lot and the main gate. She continued to observe him wanting to give him time to take in what she’d said. He was such a handsome man and at times it was hard for her to separate what she was supposed to be doing versus what she wanted.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nikki Prince is a mother of two, who’s always had a dream to be a published author in the romance genre. Her passion lies in raising her children as readers, gaming, cooking, reading and her writing.  Nikki’s a multi-published author with several epublishing houses. She loves to write Interracial romances in all genres, but wants to let everyone know to not box her in, because there is always room for growth.

Nikki’s also a member of Romance Writers of America National chapter, Passionate Ink RWA, CIMRWA, and the Rainbow Romance Writers (RRW).

Nikki would love to hear from you…

WEBSITE  I  FACEBOOK  I  TWITTER  I  INSTAGRAM

 

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Spotlight on Stoke the Flames by Samantha A. Cole (@SamanthaCole222 @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Stoke the Flames By Samantha A. Cole

BLURB:

After losing a bet, Cade Fallon ends up in the fire department’s annual, fundraising calendar—at least it was for a good cause. At first, it was funny having strange women run up to him and ask for pictures or autographs, but it doesn’t take long for it to become annoying.

Jenna Anderson is shocked to learn her student’s uncle is “Mr. October” from the calendar her friend bought her, but she’s more concerned about young Christopher’s falling grades. The last thing she expected was Cade’s interest in her—especially when he’s got women falling all over him. Refusing to be another notch on his belt, she fights her growing attraction to him.

When Cade realizes Jenna is the woman his heart has been searching for, he knows he’ll have to work to convince her. Stoking the flames between them shouldn’t be too hard—after all, he is a fireman.

*****

EXCERPT:

A short while later, as Jenna was teaching her students about the pilgrims and Plymouth Rock, the fire alarm resounded throughout the school. Knowing it wasn’t a drill—she would have been notified prior to the alarm—she calmly had her class line up at the door before instructing them to walk out to their designated meeting area. They’d practiced fire drills every other week to ensure the students knew what was expected of them and where to go. Unfortunately, in this day and age, they also practiced active-shooter drills too, although they called them “code red” alerts as to not frighten the children.

After making sure no one was left in the room, Jenna closed the door behind her, before following her students, who were walking single file, out to the playground. She did a headcount as they stopped at their assigned spot. All were present and accounted for.

Spotting Caroline and her charges, Jenna eased her way through the crowd of children, while still keeping an eye on her own students. “What’s going on? Who pulled the alarm?”

“I don’t know,” Caroline replied, shaking her head. “My kids were in the middle of a science quiz.” She turned to her students and reminded them not to talk about the questions on the test.

Jenna’s next thought was interrupted by the sounds of sirens as several fire trucks and a police car drove up to the school with their emergency lights blazing to the delight of the students. They all watched in awe as several firemen climbed off the trucks, grabbed pieces of equipment, and entered the building. The school principal, Jeff Carpenter, was at the front of the school talking with the fire chief. It appeared to be a false alarm, but would take several minutes before they confirmed it.

Suddenly aware a few of her students were horsing around, Jenna interrupted the impending chaos and calmed them down. Five minutes later, the firemen filed out of the school and apparently gave the all clear signal to the principal, who then waved for the teachers and students to return to their classrooms. As Jenna began to line her students back up, Chris pointed to the group of firemen who had taken off their helmets and turnout coats. “There’s my Uncle Cade!”

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A proud member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Samantha A. Cole is a retired policewoman and former paramedic who is thrilled to add award-winning author to her list of exciting careers. Her stand alone novel, The Friar, won the silver medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards in the Contemporary Romance genre out of more than 1000 entries. While the original planned stories for the Trident Security series have been completed, they have brought many opportunities for Samantha to spread her wings and bring her readers more characters and stories to love.

 

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Spotlight on Lockdown by Mia Hopkins (@miahopkinsxoxo @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Lockdown by Mia Hopkins

BLURB:

Alice

For the past year, my life has been a raging trash fire. Right now, a house sitting job sounds perfect—one long summer, alone in someone else’s mansion with nothing but my stupid broken heart. Everything is going fine…until I find the key. Until I find him.

Ivan

I’m the only locksmith in the city who can crack this lock. It’s a complicated job, made even more complicated by the gorgeous, mysterious woman who hired me. She lives here alone, haunting this house like a ghost. What is her story? And why can’t I get her out of my mind?

*****

EXCERPT:

She’s right. This feels good—so good.

I break the surface and take a deep breath. I rub my hair out of my eyes and tread water, laughing. I can’t remember the last time I went swimming.

Alice splashes me with water. “Race you to the other side?”

“You’re on.”

“One, two, three, go!”

I do some kind of weird freestyle-butterfly stroke until my lungs are busted, but it’s no use. A 38-year-old sack of lead has nothing on a 23-year-old mermaid. She reaches the end of the pool three seconds ahead of me.

“Again!” she says. “The other side. One, two, three, go!”

I swim with one arm ahead of me, making sure not to smash my face into the concrete. It’s pitch black out here. I come to realize this is a long, narrow pool, like a business envelope, meant for laps. We criss cross it two more times with Alice winning every race until I have to call a time out, my old man lungs wheezing and burning while she cackles with delight.

“Chan takes the gold!” she hollers, apparently not winded at all. She puts on a sports announcer’s voice. “Mendoza nabs the silver. Not a bad showing for the former locksmith turned extremely unlikely Olympic swimmer!”

I can’t help it. I start laughing like a little kid.

To catch our breath, we swim a lazy backstroke back and forth across the pool. Even after my eyes adjust to the darkness, it’s a crescent moon—too faint to see Alice’s face, even though she’s less than a foot from me.

“Do you swim out here a lot?” I ask.

“Every day. It’s my favorite thing about this house.”

“It’s a nice perk,” I say. “Do you swim at night? Alone?”

“Every now and then.”

“Seems like it could be dangerous. Out here by yourself. Something bad could happen.”

“Something bad could happen anywhere. At least here it’s peaceful.” When we reach the middle of the pool, she stops swimming. “Here, try this. Just float on your back and close your eyes.”

I do as she says. I lie on my back and float so that only my face is above the surface. With water in my ears, I can hear only my own breathing. I close my eyes and I feel weightless, like I’m flying. Drops of water cool on my skin. Inhale, exhale. In the stillness, I can hear my own heartbeat, slow and even. Is it always like this? As loud as this? Am I just too distracted to ever listen to it?

“Okay,” Alice says quietly. “Now open your eyes.”

The chlorine stings just a little, but I blink it away. When I look up, the only thing I can see is the night sky. My eyes, accustomed now to the dark, discern a whole field of stars, some bright, some faint. Far from the city lights, out here in the mountains, the stars are dazzling. And suspended in the swimming pool, my body tricks my brain into believing I’m flying, weightless.

“Wow,” I say. “Amazing.”

“Right?”

“That’s so cool. Did you discover this?”

“A long time ago,” she says.

We float together among the stars for a long time. I listen to the rhythm of my breathing and my heartbeat. Two fancy beers and I’m feeling good. A warm breeze blows across my face and chest and I get goosebumps.

Working the hours I’ve been working, pushing as hard as I have, I don’t get a lot of opportunities to be still.

In that moment, Alice and I drift together, bumping each other’s forearms.

She stops floating and begins to tread water. “Oops.” She gives a little laugh. “Collision course.”

The pool is shallower here, so I get to my feet. Because of her height, Alice can’t reach the bottom. She puts her hands on my shoulders and I lead her up the slope of the pool until she can stand up on her own. But when she does, she doesn’t let go of my shoulders. My skin tingles where her fingers grip me. Blood rushes through my body.

It’s been two years since a woman’s touched me.

I’m grateful—grateful for the darkness and the way it’s hiding the embarrassing way my body is reacting to this.

Alice steps closer to me. I don’t know which urge to fight—the urge to throw my arms around her or the urge to pull away. I’ve shied away from contact like this for a reason. I don’t know how to withstand it. I barely survived one woman. I don’t think I could survive a second, no matter how fun and meaningless something like this is meant to be.

Alice steps even closer. I hold my breath.

In the starlight, I can see the faintest outline of her cheekbones, her chin. I can feel her soft breath on my lips. She wants me to kiss her. When she runs her hands from my shoulders down to my chest, her palms brush my nipples. I almost jump out of my skin.

My brain pings everywhere. Suddenly I feel like a high school student, messing around with a girl while her parents are away. Everything about this screams adolescent fantasy—skinny dipping, underage drinking, a young woman who’s making all the moves for me. I’m confused. Was it ever like this in reality? High school was twenty years ago, but I’m pretty sure this didn’t happen to me back then.

“Ivan,” she whispers. “Are you okay?”

With cupped hands, Alice pours water over my bare shoulders and chest. She touches my face. The smooth skin of her hands brushes my unshaven jaw and she runs her thumb back and forth over my mouth. My nervous system threatens to blow like an electrical panel. My brain is a crazy, confused bird bashing itself to pieces inside my skull.

Shit.

Is this what it’s like to be seduced? I’ve never been seduced in my entire life. Do men get seduced?

“Are you okay?” she asks again. “Is this okay?”

“Sure, it’s—I mean…it’s just…”

I stop talking, take a deep breath, and force myself to regain control. Under the surface of the water, I rest my hands on her hips and take a half-step closer to her. In the dark, in the water, hidden by starlight, I can imagine she’s just a dream. It feels safer that way.

“This is okay,” I whisper. “I’m okay.”

Softly, I kiss her forehead. Her skin is cold, and the chlorine tastes bittersweet.

Remembering her pale brown freckles, I kiss her right cheek, then her left.

I copy her movements and brush my thumb against her mouth. Her lips are parted, and her warm breath washes over my skin.

When I lean down and kiss her at last, my eyes close tight. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses me back, this strange young woman, this bit of starlight, this mermaid, this dream.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. She’s a sucker for working class heroes, brainy heroines and wisecracking best friends. She lives in Los Angeles with her roguish husband and waggish dog.

WEBSITE  I  FACEBOOK  I  TWITTER  I  INSTAGRAM

NEWSLETTER

 

FOLLOW DOWN & DIRTY ON FACEBOOK

Spotlight on One Night More by Sabrina Sol (@theromancechica @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

One Night More By Sabrina Sol

BLURB:

With only hours until her big 3-0, Vanessa still has three things left on her “Before I Turn Thirty” bucket list: have a one night stand, get a tattoo, and get engaged. When her boyfriend dumps her during dinner, she knows a ring isn’t happening. But no-strings sex with the handsome stranger she later meets at a bar? Check.

Mateo never expected to hook up with the sexy brunette. He also didn’t expect for her to bolt before he could get her last name. Luckily, he’s about to get a second chance.

But Vanessa only wants to forget that night once she realizes Mateo is the owner of the landscaping company vying for a lucrative contract at the hotel where she and her father work. With Vanessa’s dad deciding if Mateo’s business will get the multi-million dollar deal, they must keep things strictly professional—or else risk consequences that could affect their families.

*****

EXCERPT:

He didn’t say anything. At least not right away.

Mateo stayed quiet if only to give himself time to adjust to the erection that had just formed in his pants. God, there was something so fucking sexy about a woman who asked for exactly what she wanted. So why wasn’t he grabbing her by the hand and running toward her suite?

She must have wondered the same thing. The air between them flowed with uncertainty as her expression changed from confident to embarrassed. It didn’t matter that he hardly knew this woman, he still hated that he was the one responsible for that look in her eyes.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

“Okay, so I guess that’s a no,” she blurted nervously. “Sorry for making things weird. You’ve been nothing but friendly and I overstepped. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go to my room and pretend this night never happened. It was nice meeting you. Have a good, um, life.”

Vanessa jumped off the stool and grabbed her purse. His hand flew out immediately and he caught her wrist before she could take another step.

He waited until she would look him in the eye. “Stop. You didn’t make things weird or overstep. You just surprised me, that’s all.”

“Oh,” she said, with a sly smile. “So you do want to have sex with me?”

Mateo loosened his grip only to pull her closer. Her soft thighs rubbed against his knees and he fought back a groan. “Right now, it’s about the only fucking thing I want in this world. But…”

That sexy smile disappeared. “But what?”

He sighed. “I’m just not so sure it’s the best idea. For you. Or me.”

Her eyes dropped to the floor. “Okay.”

“Shit,” he grumbled. “You seem like such an amazing woman, Vanessa. And, believe me, if we had met a few weeks ago, I’d be all over you right now. It’s complicated.”

Her eyes widened and she yanked her arm from his grasp. “Oh my God. You have a girlfriend, don’t you?”

“What? No. No I swear I don’t. I’m single.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

She squinted. “How would you….? Oh. I get it. It’s because I’ve never done something like this before. You’re worried I don’t know the rules.”

He shrugged. “Even though we just met, I’d hate to be another reason why you regretted tonight.”

Vanessa nodded as if she agreed and he expected her to walk away. Instead, she nudged his knees open and walked between them until her face was only inches away from his. He could smell her perfume–sweet, yet bold. Somehow he resisted the urge to nuzzle her neck and take a taste.

“I’m a big girl, Mateo. You don’t have to worry about hurting me. I understand what this would be and I’m okay with it. In fact, I’m pretty excited about it. But I’ll understand if you still can’t. So, this is what’s going to happen. I’m going to head up to my room—it’s suite 600. If you don’t knock on the door in the next fifteen minutes, then I’ll know your decision. This way you don’t owe me an explanation either way, okay?”

“But…”

She shushed him by placing a finger against his lips. God, how he wanted to suck on that finger. “Fifteen minutes. Room 600.”

And then she was gone.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

This chica loves love. I write spicy romance stories featuring smart & sexy Latina heroines. I live in sunny Southern California with my husband, three kids, two Beagles and one Bulldog.

I’m part of a large, extended Mexican family and we love to laugh almost as much as we love to eat! Because of this, family and food are strong themes behind many of my stories.

But if any of my tias or cousins ask, they are definitely NOT the source of inspiration for some of my characters. Okay?

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Spotlight on Scout’s Honor by Maia Dylan (@maiadylanauthor @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Scout's HonorScout’s Honor by Maia Dylan

BLURB:

As the manager of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the safety of the men under his control was the most important thing to Cooper. That was until Dr. Honor Jennings stepped from a helicopter and proceeded to show him that playing it safe wasn’t always the best way forward.

When Honor arrived onboard the rig, she was fully prepared to uncover the safety breaches an anonymous source had advised her were taking place. She was completely unprepared for her reaction to the rig manager. The cold-blooded murder she witnessed came as a downright shock!

Can Cooper keep Honor safe with a murderer on the loose and a storm keeping them isolated from the mainland, or will the risk prove too much and cost them everything?

*****

EXCERPT:

“Don’t be a prick, Greg.” Honor could hear the snarl in her own voice and didn’t give a shit. Her Irish heritage wasn’t just responsible for her hair and her coloring. It was a healthy contributor to her fiery nature and quick temper, too. “We both know you have no authority or right to freeze wages. If you think the guys on this rig are going to pay any attention whatsoever to your over inflated ego and blustering, you really are as thick as Mr. Cooper said you are.”

Greg’s gaze slid to her and glared. “Honor, you’re here at our request to satisfy the curiosity of our board, and no other reason.” He slid a knowing glance at Joey. “Perhaps you might find something else to hold your attention while we are out here and let me and my team take care of this mess. I know from personal experience, you aren’t above taking some time out on the job and seeking, shall we say, a more intimate knowledge of those you are working with.”

Honor felt the heat rise in her cheeks, and cursed that particular aspect of her heritage, but she refused to give this bastard the satisfaction of seeing her wilt beneath his accusation. She felt the man next to her tense, and could tell Cooper was about to say something. Never one to let another fight her battles, Honor stepped forward.

“For Christ’s sake, Greg…” Honor heard the contempt in her own tone. “If you want everyone in the room to know you and I fucked once, just say it. Innuendo was never one of your strong points, and apparently good taste in men was never one of mine.” Joey’s quick laugh morphed into a cough. “Putting aside my little mistake, and yes, I do mean little, investigating this morning’s incident and getting to the bottom of exactly what is going on here will more than hold my attention. I’m not here at JPG’s request, and your board did everything they could to ensure I wasn’t on that chopper, yet here I am. And why is that? Because the Ocean Energy Safety Institute has a state mandate to investigate health and safety violations in this industry at sea. So I would suggest you pull up your big boy panties and deal with it. This rig will remain under a stop-work until the OESI and Mr. Cooper are satisfied.”

Honor kept the fact someone had been anonymously sending inspection outcomes and incident summaries to the OESI for the past few weeks to herself. She had no desire to see someone who was trying to do the right thing get punished for it.

Greg’s face had turned an interesting shade of purple. “Remember you’re walking a very thin line with the OESI yourself, Dr. Jennings. But there is one thing we can agree on. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can get the hell off this rig and back to civilization.”

“Then why don’t we start with the site inspection.” Cooper spoke from beside her, and when Honor turned to look at him, she was thankful to see he was no longer scowling at her. Her breath caught once more at how spectacularly hot he was.

He had golden eyes the color of honey, surrounded with thick, long lashes any woman would have coveted. High cheekbones, square jaw with the right amount of stubble, and despite the hardhat he wore, she could see his black hair was thick. Cooper wore a set of coveralls that had SCOUT DRILLING embroidered on the left side, but they did little to detract from his broad shoulders, sculpted chest, and narrow hips. Hell, even the oil that marred the coveralls looked sexy on the man.

“That sounds like a great place to start,” Honor agreed, ignoring the fact she felt a little breathless.

“So, why don’t you follow me, Mr. Frederickson and clones, and we’ll see about getting you the correct PPE,” Joey announced, walking to the internal door on the opposite side of the room. “We shouldn’t compound the issues we have on the Discovery by not following protocol and wearing the correct protective personal equipment now should we.”

Greg and the other two men followed Joey, and from the stiff way Greg walked out of the room, she knew he was pissed and couldn’t help the wave of satisfaction that rolled through her.

Cooper huffed a laugh, and she turned back to look at him. The grin on his face had heat pooling within her. “I have gotta ask: What the hell was a woman like you doing with an asshole like him?”

Honor grinned back and shrugged her shoulders. “I thought Greg was quite specific, but if you’re asking me how the hell it happened? Well, we all make mistakes, right? Mine happens to be a six foot, narcissistic asshole who works in the same industry as I do, and is currently through that door pulling on coveralls, steel caps, and a hard hat.”

Cooper looked at her for a long time. “You handled his bullshit though. I was going to punch him in the face with the intention of breaking his nose.”

Honor laughed. “Effective, but potentially career limiting. I’m not sure what the powers that be at Scout Drilling would have to say about it, but I think there might be laws or policies against laying out a senior manager of the petroleum company you’re under contract with.”

The door opened, and the others stepped into the room. “Let’s get this over with. I want to be back on the mainland as soon as possible. I hate these goddamn submersibles.”

Cooper’s gaze hadn’t moved from her. “And yet the compulsion remains strong, and I can’t help thinking it could be worth the punishment.” He turned back to face the JPG team. “Follow me.”

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write the kind of books that I love to read. Love stories between strong men and their independent soulmates. Usually, their path to Happily Ever After is a bumpy one, but there is always a Happy Ever After.

​In the world’s I create there is someone (or two, or three) for everyone!  Love comes in many forms and I believe it is all beautiful and should be celebrated!

​I live, love and write in New Zealand, married to my husband of eleven years with two beautiful children who I truly believe were sent as a blessing, but sometimes to try my patience, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

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Spotlight on Pieced Together by Lori King (@lorikingbooks @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

*****

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Pieced TogetherPieced Together By Lori King

BLURB:

Two fractured souls must lean on each other to heal physically and emotionally….

Karly Stephens got her heart shredded, when the man she thought was supposed to be her forever, cheated on her. To avoid dealing with her tattered life, she threw herself into work.

Injured and battle-weary Marine, Garret Lole, agonizes when his team deploys overseas without him. When Karly is assigned to be Garret’s nurse, unexpected sparks fly.

Despite her scarred soul, Karly is drawn to Garret in every possible way. Like puzzle pieces scattered on the floor, they must figure out how to trust in themselves and each other. Picking up the pieces might mean a whole new world for both of them.

https://www.facebook.com/Storm-Corps-Series-565188477165130/

*****

EXCERPT:

Karly felt like all the wind had been knocked out of her body. The man in front of her was over six feet of deliciousness wrapped in sexy muscles. His blonde hair curled slightly on top, but he kept it cropped short. It was his green eyes that truly captivated her, and she couldn’t find her voice for a moment.

“Are you my nurse?” he asked, his deep voice rumbling through her and making her insides shiver.

Breathlessly she nodded and murmured, “I am.”

“Damn. If I’d known a bum knee would bring me an angel I would have done it years ago.” He said, cocking his head and letting his eyes roam down her body. “What’s your name?”

“Karly.” She couldn’t have explained why she responded at all to the rude question, but she was on autopilot. Her body didn’t seem to be responding to anything but him. “Nurse Stephens.”

“Well Nurse Karly Stephens, I’m Lance Corporal Garrett Lole of the United States Marines and I’m more than happy to make your acquaintance.”

He reached for her hand, steadying himself on one crutch as he kissed her knuckles his eyes never leaving hers. She could feel the touch of his lips on her skin like a shot to the gut.

“You’re a Marine?” she repeated, realizing the instant it left her lips that she sounded stupid. “That’s great, my Dad is a Marine. 4th LAAD Battalion. Retired now, but he put in twenty-seven years before his hearing loss kicked him out.”

“No shit. I’m 4th LAAD Battalion.” Garrett’s eyes lit up and the smile he gave her made her weak kneed.

“That’s great.” She heard herself repeating, trying to avoid visibly cringing at her own ridiculousness. She never acted like a smitten teenager, she was notorious for being serious and single. Clearing her throat she held up the file in her hands, “Are you going to let me discharge you?”

“Nurse Karly Stephens, I’ll let you do anything you want with me.” His flirting was making it hard for her to think, and she grew irritated.

“Well right now, I just want to discharge you so I can go give a strep test to the four year old in the next room before his mom comes looking for me. Sound good?” she told him, stepping around him into the room and putting her file down. “Looks like you’re up for surgery. We can get you scheduled, just stop by the—”

“Admin office.” He interjected, “Yeah the doc told me that. I was just trying to figure out if the surgery was really necessary or not. I’m supposed to deploy in a few days and I really can’t leave my team hanging.”

“I’m sure a Marine with a bum knee is exactly what they want in Iraq.” She said, propping her hip against the only countertop in the room.

“I don’t know that I’ll be in Iraq.”

“Does it matter? Is there a good place for a Marine with a…” she looked at the paper again, “Handle bar tear to his left meniscus?”

Garrett’s green eyes shifted from a grassy color to a deep forest green and he gave her a panty dropping grin, “Underneath a nurse named Karly?”

It was too much. As attractive as he was, she had no interest in being a notch on a bedpost. “No thank you. Now, Dr. Aguiar has prescribed a muscle relaxer and pain meds, here are the instructions on how to take them safely. Please make sure you’re careful, mixing too much of these meds can be very dangerous.”

“Are you concerned for my safety, Karly?” he asked, moving a little closer. On his crutches, the move was less than seductive, and she giggled.

“Yes, you’re pretty awkward on those crutches, but don’t worry. After six to eight weeks on them you’ll get the hang of it.”

“So I’m having surgery then. No possibility of parole?”

She shook her head, “Nope. Of course, you can get a second opinion, but Dr. Aguiar is the best there is.”

“Then what the hell is she doing working for the VA?” he asked, taking the papers and folding them in half before he shoved them in his back pocket.

“She has to do a little charitable work here and there.” Karly responded, winking at him as she moved back around him and opened the door. “Please remember to stop by the admin office.”

He stood there for a second and then moved into the doorway, pausing before he passed her fully. Reaching out to cup her cheek, he stroked his thumb over her lips. “Until later, Nurse Karly Stephens.”

She watched him as he made his way down the hallway, his tall form struggling on the crutches as if his muscles couldn’t wait to break free of their confinement. He was as good looking from the back as he was from the front that was for sure, but he was also cocky, and she hated cocky.

Shutting the door behind her, she hurried off to the next patient, her mind still buzzing with the tempting flirtations of a sexy Marine.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori King is the author of more than thirty Amazon best-selling romance novels, as well as a full-time wife and mother of three boys. Although she rarely has time to just enjoy feminine pursuits; at heart she is a hopeless romantic. She spends her days dreaming up Alpha men, and her nights telling their stories. An admitted TV and book junkie, she can be found relaxing with a steamy story, or binging in an entire season of some show online. She gives her parents all the credit for her unique sense of humor and acceptance of all forms of love. There are no two loves alike, but you can love more than one with your whole heart.

With the motto: Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance, she will continue to write as long as you continue to read. Thank you for taking the time to indulge in a good Happily Ever After with her. Find out more about her current projects at http://lorikingbooks.com, or look her up on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LoriKingBooks or Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoriKingBooks.

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