Eve, Where Are You?

 

 

Confronting Toxic Practices Against the Advancement of Women

 

Christian Living, Women’s Issues

Date Published: November 24, 2020

 

 

Without question, having competent women in leadership can certainly enhance the vitality of any organization. Sadly, too often women are not given equal opportunities and are left doubting their sense of self and their abilities.

In Eve, Where Are You?, Dr. Nicole Davis uniquely evaluates bias practices within one specific organization: the Christian church. You’ll learn why many women are discouraged, emotionally absent, leaving churches, or considering giving up religious pursuits altogether. Within these pages, Dr. Davis thoughtfully contemplates the scriptural significance of God’s creation of Eve; compares women’s leadership advances in the marketplace and church; and shares real-life stories and perceptions about women in leadership offered by present-day church leaders.

As a conflict coach and resolutionist, Dr. Davis boldly addresses possible causal effects of toxic practices against women and then offers strategic solutions and guidance to both women and church organizations to facilitate reconciliation, creating opportunity for the church to regain influence and effectiveness in our culture.

Crisp, aggressive, and truthful, this study presents a call to action for women who want more, men who want more for women, and church organizations seeking to embrace internal transformation against gender bias in the Christian church. Also available in Spanish.

About the Author

Dr. Nicole Davis is a wife, mother, pastor, Christian life coach, social science researcher, and conflict resolution practioner, with over 20 years of professional experience. Her areas of research interest include gender inequality, organizational leadership, women empowerment, and family dynamics.

Dr. Davis believes there is a huge distinction between a woman’s calling, which is determined by God, and a church’s doctrine about the utilization of women, which is a cultural decision predominantly determined by men.

Dr. Davis advocates for churches of all denominations to begin having open dialogue about systemic oppression and alienation against women.  Those who show no regard for women’s callings or competency levels. Women need to be developed and commissioned to serve at the highest levels.

Dr. Davis examines the deep-rooted conflict concerning what God intended when He created Eve in the Garden of Eden. She asks poignant questions inviting women to explore how they see themselves based on God’s original plan for them.

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PRIDE OF LYON'S & Giveaway

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $20 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.

Enter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.

What’s a young lady to do when a powerful lord tries to abscond with her and make her his mistress?

When you’re Miss Honoria Quinn, you leap from his carriage and run like the wind to find some place to hide. Trouble is, Honoria mistakenly chooses The Lyon’s Den, a disreputable gambling house as her sanctuary, a move that ends up with her having to make another choice at the hands of the Den’s match-making proprietor Mrs. Dove-Lyons: wed a complete stranger or become the lord’s mistress.

No good deed goes unpunished…

Thomas, Lord Braeton agrees to attend a wager at The Lyon’s Den only to keep his brother-in-law out of trouble. What he doesn’t count on is becoming embroiled in one of Mrs. Dove-Lyons’s schemes to marry him off. But when he tries to come to the aid of another peer, Thomas finds the only honorable thing he can do to save Miss Quinn’s reputation is put aside his hopes for a love match for himself and instead offer to marry her.

As Thomas and Honoria set out on a wary journey to matrimony, can they learn to live together and hope love will grow between them? Or are they doomed to a loveless marriage of convenience from which one or both will want to escape?

Read an Excerpt

“I can be very generous with you if you are equally generous with me.”

Then, quicker than a striking snake, he sank his mouth onto hers.

Completely shocked, Honoria couldn’t think what to do, leaving Lord Danford to take full advantage of her paralyzed body. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he plundered here and there, then pushed incredibly deeply into her throat until she almost gagged. Meanwhile, he slid his hands up onto her breasts, squeezing them until they ached, even through her clothing. At last, he released her right breast and that hand suddenly tried to worm its way underneath her skirts, his fingers brushing her knee, her thigh…

That touch, on her most intimate flesh, acted as a bucket of cold water thrown in Honoria’s face. She gasped as though coming up for air and was suddenly free of the deadly paralysis. Rearing back, she brought her arms up between them, planted her hands squarely on his chest, and heaved him across the carriage into the opposite corner. His head hit the windowpane with a crack, eliciting a groan from the man.

Lord Danford slowly sat up rubbing the back of his head. He cocked his head and frowned, like a puzzled hound. Without hesitation, Honoria grabbed the door handle, wrenched it downward, and threw it open.

The cobbled pavement flew by with dizzying speed, but she had no other choice. Taking a deep breath, and sending up a fervent prayer, she jumped.

About the Author:

Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets--including two vocal cats, one almost silent cat, two curious bunnies, and a Shar-pei mix named Frenchie.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unfinished Summer by Rachel De Lune

 

 

**LIVE NOW**

Unfinished Summer by Rachel De Lune

Buy Now! https://mybook.to/Unfinishedsummer

#SecondChanceRomance #SmallTownBeachRomance, #FirstLove

Blurb

Some moments in life set you on a path that changes everything. 

Meeting Jayce Roberts when I was 16 was my moment. 

Falling in love with the ridiculously handsome surfer I met at the beach might have been the beginning of this story, but our goodbye two weeks later wouldn’t be the end.

I did everything I could to move on from that summer. I studied, I worked, and yet I couldn’t erase the feelings of being suffocated by heartbreak in this small seaside town.

So, I left.

A few years turned into twenty, and now life has brought me back to the place I ran from. I thought I’d put Jayce behind me. But when he walked back into my life, he exposed the scars that refused to heal. He wanted a second chance, daring me to remember what we had.

But I vowed long ago that forgiving and forgetting isn’t in my nature. There’s nothing Jayce Roberts can say or do to change my mind.

Or so I thought.

First Chapter - Zennor Now

I used to love the feel of the sand on my feet—the gritty and coarse grains of packed, damp sand or the soft sugary flecks in the warmer, dry parts of the beach. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t keep the specks from covering you.

There is no place like Cornwall, and once upon a time, it didn’t matter that I grew up here. I still thought it was the centre of the world.

And it was, for a time.

Clear blue sea to rival the Mediterranean meets bright cornflower skies. The rock cliffs are lush with green and wildflowers—a patchwork of spring—even the grey stone of the cliffs looks warm.

But the weather is fickle, and summer can feel like the depths of winter. And in winter, it’s bitter, as all the colour is sucked from the countryside. The sea turns wild and scary, and the inviting waters are long forgotten.

You have to be hardy to weather a Cornish winter. And when I was feeling low, it was the thing I wished to escape the most.

Until he came into my life.

After him, there were two things I wanted to escape.

I amble along the edge of the beach. The weak sun barely warming my skin. Whenever I feel a moment of heat, the breeze steals it, chilling me back down. As I continue, I wrestle with the lifetime of feelings this place threatens to dredge from me.

In the last twenty years, I’ve walked on many a beach. But never back here. Never in Cornwall. But I’m not in a position to choose the white sands of the Maldives or somewhere glorious and sunny in the Caribbean.

This was my family home, and I had no choice but to come here, for a time at least.

Gather myself. Plan and put this failure of a marriage behind me.

The happiness I escaped here to find might still be a step out of reach. Especially when being back here only reminds me that time hasn’t healed the wounds I ran from in the first place.

MEET RACHEL DE LUNE

Rachel writes emotionally driven contemporary romance.

She began scribbling her stories in the pages of a notebook several years ago and still can’t resist putting pen to real paper. What ifs are turned into heartfelt stories of love where there will always be a HEA.

Rachel lives in the South West of England and if she’s not writing HEAs, she’s probably reading them. She is a wife and has a beautiful daughter.

Find Rachel on Social Media!

https://linktr.ee/RachelDeLune

 

Etude & Giveaway

 

Etude
Morgan Shamy
(The Dark Nocturne, #2)
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Young Adult

For November Huntington, the past haunts worse than any ghost.

After spending a summer without Vincent, a tortured pianist who also happens to be immortal, November tries to move on. When kids begin to fall into comas, November is thrust back into the haunted, musical world. Except, this time, more danger lurks.

Vincent is powerful. Dreams are causing these comas, and November believes he’s the one behind the attacks. To stop him, November must find the Blood Magic—the only power capable of helping her save these kids. But in doing so, she awakens a horrific group  who live off of blood and kill for sport. What’s worse? A brood of witches con their way in, hungry for the power at hand.

One by one, November finds all her loved ones being wrenched away. Fear grips her, and she’s worried she might lose her mind, her sanity slowly fading, until she must face Vincent alone.

Is he her true love? Or is he out for her blood?

Only her dreams will tell.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

The group edged back toward the exit, their footsteps quiet in the large cavern, when a deep pounding reverberated from within the walls. The sound was slow, heavy, and with each pound, the ground vibrated beneath them. Conroy motioned everyone to stop, his head cocked to the side.

“What’s that?” Margaret whispered, her arm still linked through Cam’s.

“Stay calm,” Conroy said. “Whatever it is, we’ll be gone before we see. Let’s go.”

The group started to head out once more, feet shuffling quick, but the pounding continued. The pools of water on the ground rippled, the deep sound jarring November’s teeth. They continued to hurry through the dark cave when a large blast rocketed through the area. White light seared November’s eyes, and she blinked back, waiting for her vision to clear. The group paused again. The pounding continued from the walls, vibrating her bones, and everyone scrambled back in confusion.

“Keep going!” Conroy yelled, but everyone seemed frozen.

The walls began to shimmer as the pounding intensified. November placed her hands over her ears, clamping her teeth down together tight. The noise had taken over her brain, it was hard to focus on the present.

Move your feet, November thought. Run. But she seemed to be as paralyzed as the rest of them.

Very slowly, faces began to appear on the rocky walls. Eyes. Lips. Noses. Cheeks. The faces solidified, pushing outward from the rock, until their bodies also surfaced, pushing outward. They looked skeletal in the dim light, and the pounding continued on. November’s eyes were glued wide. None of the group moved. They couldn’t breathe. It was as if their lives were tied to these men—if such they were—who were peeling themselves from off the rock.

Author Bio:

Morgan Shamy is an ex-ballerina turned YA writer. She has been immersed in the arts since the young age of 4, where she performed various roles alongside a professional ballet company for over seven years, and has danced on prestigious stages like soloing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has taught hundreds of girls in her fifteen years of teaching, where some of her students have received full-ride scholarships to schools like School of American Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few.

Morgan discovered writing when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. It was through that experience which instilled the need to share art and magic with children through words on the page.

Morgan is also an accomplished concert pianist. She was the first girl in Utah to receive the 75 pt. Gold Cup in the Utah Federation of Music in piano solo/concerto competition. Morgan currently lives with her X-Games gold-medalist husband and four children in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Catching Quinn & Giveaway

 

Catching Quinn
Jennifer Bonds
(Waverly Wildcats, #2)
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports

What’s a girl have to do to lose her virginity around here?

When I decided to ditch my V-card, I figured Greek Row was a sure thing.

I didn’t count on Cooper-the-cockblocking-jockhole-DeLaurentis or his misguided sense of bro code putting an embarrassing end to my hookup. After all, Waverly’s star wide receiver is the most notorious player on campus.

He’s arrogant. Infuriating. Sexy as hell.

Just ask him.

Worse? He’s made it his personal mission to scare off every guy who shows an interest in me. But I’m not about to be outwitted by a hypocritical baller with more ego than sense. I may be a hot mess, but I’m no pushover.

Two can play this game, and I’m playing to win.

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

—

EXCERPT:

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Quinn demands, pulling herself up to her full height. Maybe that shit works on her brother, but I spent the afternoon staring down guys three times her size. “Are you drunk?”

“No.” I point to her half-empty cup. “But if you finish that drink, you will be.”

Her brows furrow in confusion. “What’s wrong with my drink?”

Is she for real?

“Other than the fact that it’s got five kinds of liquor in it?”

“Five? Really?” She lifts the cup up and stares at it like she’s seeing it for the first time. “Huh. Who’d have guessed?”

“Why do you think it’s called Adiós, Motherfucker? It’s meant to get you shitfaced.” She giggles, probably at the name, and I scrub a hand over my face. “If you don’t know what’s in it, why are you drinking it?”

She cocks a hip. “Mike bought it for me.”

Of course he did. “The asshole was probably trying to get you drunk and take advantage of you.”

“Maybe I was trying to get him drunk and take advantage of him,” she says, poking me in the chest. Heat radiates from the spot where her finger landed, which is ridiculous because it wasn’t even skin-to-skin contact. Probably just leftover energy from the game. She pokes me again. “Did you ever think of that?”

“No.” It’s bullshit, but I’m not trying to picture Quinn seducing some random creeper at a bar. “It did, however, occur to me he might’ve slipped something in your drink.”

Quinn rolls those big green eyes. “I’m a virgin, not a moron. I took the drink directly from the bartender.”

Thank Christ.

Relief surges through my veins. How the fuck does Noah deal with having his little sister on campus? On Greek Row?

For the first time in my life, I’m glad to be an only child. If I saw some dude playing grab-ass with my sister, I’d break his fucking hands.

Quinn’s not your sister, so what do you care?

I don’t.

Okay, fine. I care. But only because I’m not a trash human being.

“I can’t believe you chased Mike off.” Quinn’s bottom lip juts out, forming a sexy little pout. “It was rude.”

“Serves the fucker right.” I plant my hands on my hips. If she thinks she can guilt me over Doctor Octopus, she’s got another thing coming. “Thirty seconds ago, he was dry humping you like a dog in heat.”

“Eww.” She squeals, doing that cute nose scrunching thing again. “Gross.”

I flash her a wicked grin. “Tell me about it.”

“Did you just—” She tilts her head and looks up at me from under her lashes. “Did you just call me gross?

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing gross about you.” That’s half the problem. If she’s really going through with this whole losing her virginity to a stranger thing, she’ll have no trouble finding dudes to volunteer as tribute. “From the looks of it, I arrived just in time.”

“If by just in time, you mean just in time to cockblock me again, then yes.” She lifts the blue drink to her lips and takes a hearty gulp. “You can move along now.” She makes a shooing motion with her other hand. “Go wreck some other virgin’s night.”

“Are you sure I didn’t save your night?” I cross my arms over my chest, and damn if her attention doesn’t lock on my biceps. Not gonna lie, I’m flattered. I figured her type was more studious. “That guy probably doesn’t even know what a G-spot is, let alone how to find it.”

Her gaze shifts to my face, a challenge burning in her eyes. “I suppose you think you could do better?”

Author Bio:

Jennifer Bonds is the USA Today bestselling author of sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy alphas, and a whole lot of mischief. She’s a sucker for enemies-to-lovers stories, laugh-out-loud banter, and over-the-top grand gestures. Jennifer lives in Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She's lucky enough to live with her own real-life hero, two adorable (and sometimes crazy) children, and one rambunctious K9. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, a solid Netflix binge, the Winchester brothers, cupcakes, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.

To connect with Jen—and get a FREE book—visit www.jenniferbonds.com!

You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram @jbondswrites.

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The Kite & Giveaway

 

The Kite
N.R. Walker
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance, Suspense

Ex-Australian Specialist Response Group, Tim “Harry” Harrigan, has been running covert ops for almost a decade. A lone wolf, he’s single-handedly taken down terrorists and national security threats, or so he thinks. He’s been in the game far too long, and when he sees a familiar threat, he knows his time is up.

Asher Garin is a dangerous man. A man without loyalty, a man without a nationality, without a country, or a home. He’s also a mercenary for hire to the highest bidder. His next job is a face he recognises, and after a tip-off, he learns he too is a marked man.

It’s a different game now, and Harry and Asher have a better chance at surviving if they stick together. But it’s not just the game or the rules that have changed. The stakes have too.

Because on their own, they had nothing to lose. Together, they do.

~

#EnemiesToLovers #GayAssassins #UsAgainstThem

Caution: on-page physical and gun violence. Reader discretion advised.

Goodreads / Purchase

—

EXCERPT:

Harry crossed the street. No one crossed after him, but whoever was after him was closer now.

He could feel it.

That cold stab of dread, sixth sense, gut feeling. Like icy fingers down his skin.

And if someone was after Harry, it wasn’t good. He was the hunter, never the hunted. If he was the mark . . .

Christ. He was the mark.

Harry ducked past two women, slipping through a narrow utility alley, and he ran. He was being chased now, silent and fast. At the end of the alley, he turned left and went through an open door, up a set of stairs to the roof, his heart hammering.

He ran along the roofline, exposed but faster than on the street. He heard footsteps chasing behind him but didn’t dare turn around, and as the muted whirr of a bullet pinged past his head, he jumped.

He knew the sound of that gun. It was a SIG Pro 9mm with a suppressor.

French special forces, standard issue.

He landed on a first-floor balcony, using his momentum to leap again, this time to the ground. Pain shot through his ankle but he kept moving, down another alley, and through an open door and into a darkened hall.

Hands grabbed him, spun him and pinned his back against the wall as the door closed behind him. In half a disorienting second, Harry pulled his gun to his assailant’s head at the same time he realised he had a pistol pressed against his.

Eyes flashed in the dark, familiar and close. A man’s body pressed him hard to the wall, their chests heaving. A hand covered his mouth.

“Shh.”

Harry didn’t dare breathe, his finger on the trigger, still aimed at the man’s head. The cold press of metal against Harry’s temple told him to wait.

The sound of feet outside came running. The crackle of a radio, a French voice just outside the door. “I’ve lost him.” The footsteps faded, and only after a long moment did the man move his hand from Harry’s mouth.

Harry could see then who it was.

Asher Garin.

Asher fucking Garin.

Adrenaline exploded through Harry’s veins and he started, pushing his pistol harder into Asher’s temple. Asher gnashed his teeth. Anger and defiance flashed in his eyes. “Keep quiet or you’ll kill us both,” Asher hissed, barely a whisper.

His words didn’t make sense.

Asher had saved him?

If there was anyone on the planet sent to kill Harry, it would be Asher. He was the only other man good enough. They were the top two government assassins in the world. Yet Asher had just saved him from the French?

Keep quiet or you’ll kill us both.

Both?

After an eternity, Asher released him, though he kept his pistol aimed at Harry’s head. “We need to get out of here,” he murmured.

Harry’s heart was thundering. His finger itched to pull the trigger. Itched. “The fuck?”

Asher held up his phone to show Harry the screen. “Sent to all agencies.” An assignment, just like any other. Just like any of the thousand he’d received in the last decade. Locations, dates, names, and photographs.

Two photographs.

Harry’s blood ran cold, and his eyes met Asher’s.

Asher nodded, his stare intense. “You and me; double hit. They want us dead. You’re a kite, and your government just cut you loose.”

Harry grappled with his fight or flight instinct, his heart hammering, his ankle throbbing. But given two men had just tried to kill him and the fact Asher hadn’t killed him—and the assignment on his phone screen—Harry could assume what Asher said was true.

Asher must have seen the realisation in Harry’s eyes because he slowly lowered his gun. Just an inch. “We need to trust each other,” he whispered. “The only chance we have is if we stick together. Can you do that?”

Trusting any other person went against every cell in Harry’s body, but what choice did he have? If he said no, one or both of them died right here. If the assignment was sent to all agencies, there wasn’t a country or government anywhere in the world that could protect them.

Harry had no choice.

Answering without a word, he took his finger off the trigger.

Author Bio:

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

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Bratva Darling & Giveaway

 

Bratva Darling
Sabine Barclay
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #1)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: June 28th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

I wasn’t prepared for her…
She just got me to pay three times as much as I wanted for a company I’ll buy and destroy.

She knows who I am. The bratva doesn’t scare her.

Intelligent, brave, and unstoppable.

I’ll make her mine.

She doesn’t know it yet, but we’re soulmates.

I’ll take her to her limits. Then give her all her heart desires.

The Bratva Darling is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book one in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Laura

As I sit across from the four Kutsenko brothers, I press my lips together to keep from drooling. No four men should be so strikingly handsome. Not all from the same family, anyway. I fight a valiant battle against letting my gaze drift toward the eldest, Maksim, whose ice-blue eyes bore into me. After years of negotiating billion-dollar investment contracts while facing countless ruthless businessmen, I’ve learned to keep my expression studiously blank. But it’s a true struggle today. Instead, I focus my attention on the squirrelly lawyer sitting across the conference table. While he’s disingenuous with each comment, he’s a good negotiator. But I’m better. How cliché am I?

While I feel Maksim watching me, I focus on Dmitry Yakovitch as he continues to argue the merits of the venture capitalist company I represent, RK Capital Group, merging with Kutsenko Partners. What he means is the merits of Kutsenko Partners acquiring RK Capital Group, then stripping it and making it another money-laundering shell corporation. While most people in New York have little awareness of the Russian mafia, I do. The Kutsenko brothers’ names appear on no titles or deeds anywhere in New York City, but it wasn’t difficult to determine which shell companies likely belong to them. Their assumption that I’m unfamiliar with them is proving beneficial to me as they continue to whisper amongst themselves in Russian. I think they may even believe they’re convincing me that they don’t speak much English.

The senior partners of RK Capital Group know who I’m negotiating with, though they may not know I’m aware of these Russians’ more nefarious operations. They’ve given me the go-ahead to agree to a merger with an eventual acquisition, but only for the right price. A price to the tune of twenty billion dollars. Considering an investment firm like Goldman Sachs is worth nearly one-hundred-and-twenty billion dollars, my clients’ asking price appears reasonable.

“Mr. Yakovitch, I shall stop you now.” I raise my left hand, pen caught between my index and middle fingers. When I have his attention, I lean back in my chair and casually twirl the pen over my index finger and thumb. “Fifty billion is my clients’ asking price. You know that. Your clients know that. RK doesn’t oppose the merger. What they oppose is the insulting offer you’ve made. It’s nearly noon, and I’m hungry, Mr. Yakovitch. I have a delicious ham sandwich waiting for me. I even have three chocolate chip cookies waiting for me. If we aren’t going to make any progress, I shall let you go, so I can move onto my eagerly anticipated lunch.”

I cant my head just enough for me to appear as though my gaze rests solely on the opposing attorney’s face, but I can see each Kutsenko brothers’ reaction. My face battles yet again against showing my emotions as I fight not to smirk. Their muted but surprised expressions confirm what I already know.

“Please tell your clients to make a reasonable counteroffer, or I will conclude this meeting and enjoy my ham sandwich and cookies.”

Dmitry glares at me before turning to Maksim and his three brothers. In rapid Russian, he doesn’t interpret my suggestion. Oh no. There’s no need for that. I can’t catch every word because his voice is too low. But I catch something along the lines of “The bitch refuses to budge. What now? A f*cking ham sandwich. More like a stick up her *ss.”

Maksim swivels his chair to look at his brothers. In Russian, he says, “Fifty billion is ridiculous. She’s not so stupid or naïve not to know that. My guess is they’ll settle for twenty billion. We offer fifteen.”

“That’s barely better than what we already offered,” Aleksei, the second-oldest brother, argues. “She’ll be eating the f*cking sandwich and dipping her cookies in milk before we walk out the door. We need the buildings.”

“We offer twenty, Maks,” Bogdan, the youngest, insists.

As I watch the brothers discuss, their voices barely lowered, I pull my lunch sack from the black leather satchel by my feet and set it beside my laptop. It’s a ridiculously pink floral bag with an embroidered monogram, the L and D overlapping. It’s an empty prop, but they don’t know that. I watch as five sets of eyes narrow. I offer a smile that would appear innocent in any setting other than this meeting. It’s patronizing, and I know it.

Author Bio:

Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

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Neighborhood Watch & Giveaway

 

 

Neighborhood Watch

by Kevin Patrick Kenealy

Genre: Thriller

"Superb characters headline this chilling, slow-burn crime tale," Kirkus Reviews

"Thoroughly enjoyable with just the right amount of suspense." - Readers Favorite

"This gripping story of a sinister small-town secret will keep you on the edge of your seat! It's completely unforgettable." - Reedsy

When the Caseys move into affluent Ridgeport, Ill. in search of a better life for their newborn Scott, they are surprised to find a book entitled, Ridgeport Welcomes You: Procedures and Guidelines for Happy Living. The book is full of rules and ordinances that citizens must abide by in order to live in their happy neighborhood. Although mom Loretta Casey is hesitant to live by Ridgeport’s strict rules, all that changes when she meets her neighbor Sue Ellen Norris.

Sue Ellen serves on the Neighborhood Watch Committee, overseeing the safety of the town, and Loretta becomes engrossed in Sue Ellen’s addictive personality. But as Loretta’s son Scott and Sue Ellen’s son Matt grow, they discover that Ridgeport is not as perfect as their moms make it out to be. As Scott and Matt form their band of friends, their journeys into the neighborhood woods prove to be much more than just a place of refuge.

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Kevin Patrick Kenealy is in his seventh-year teaching AP Literature, English, and Journalism to high school students. Before that, he wrote for Chicagoland newspapers, where he had the privilege to interview several famous people including Barack Obama, former Illinois governors Jim Edgar, Rod Blagojevich, and Pat Quinn. He also has published two books of poetry, 20 Something and Faith Journey, and the horror novel, Life and Death.

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BLOOD OF AZURE SERIES & Giveaway

 

Blood of Azure Series

by Jonathan J. Michael

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GENRE: Epic Fantasy

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BLURBS:

BLURB: BLOOD OF AZURE SERIES

Four races with powers dictated by the seasons seek balance and prosperity. However, life instinctively primes itself for survival, and when one race commands the touch of death, all others fall in line. Tyranny plagues Azure as an immortal ruler governs the knowledge of the seasons and those wielding its power.

Four young protagonists, Stone, Jaymes, Goose, and Astor, each navigate their way to escape his shadow and reclaim their freedom. Simple ambitions for young souls. But little did they know, they would uncover the secrets the realm is built upon, and the unique talents they each carry. Their ignorance allows the knowledge of the seasons to escape into the world around them little by little, and with it, a power loosing anarchy upon the realm. A power most aren’t worthy of wielding. It is up to Stone and his companions to tame that power and reclaim the balance.

Four seasons to balance the land. Four sages to balance the life.

BLURB: SEASON OF SACRIFICE, BOOK 1

Courage is for the bold. It is not for Stone McLarin. He’s been in hiding for four seasons after being orphaned by the Taoiseach. He doesn’t care for the heroic antics of avenging his parent’s death or securing his freedom. He only desires one thing—to protect his sister’s life.

This proves challenging when his sister, Jaymes, possesses a rivaling power of decay to that of the tyrant ruler’s. She’s a threat to his dominance, and there will be no escaping his shadow.

When the Taoiseach manipulates his way into Jaymes’s life and steals her away, Stone has no choice but to follow. He must venture into the heart of the tyrant’s domain and figure out how to penetrate the impenetrable. And if he succeeds there, he will have to slay the most powerful man in Azure.

In a world ruled by decay, what chance does life stand?

Season of Sacrifice is part one of the Blood of Azure series—an epic fantasy full of grim encounters, heroic adventures, unique magic, and a captivating world to explore.

Author’s Note: Contains explicit language and some graphic descriptions.

BLURB: SEASON OF SUFFERING, BOOK 2

A villain in his own mind, Stone McLarin is labeled the hero for murdering a man.

Not only is Stone weighted down as a hero, but he’s idolized by the dominant religion, and he’s the sole protector of the knowledge of the ages. The pressure of the entire realm is on his shoulders.

Carib Reign, a shapeshifter building an army of immortals, plans to purge the Crimson Capital to find this hidden knowledge. His motive, to give the people of Azure the freedom they deserve.

With many adventures along the way, Stone will lead the charge to defend the Crimson Capital against the Immortal Army. Should he fail, anarchy is inevitable. Death for all Azure, a possibility.

Where there is life, death anticipates. But what if death is abandoned? Life will rebel.

Season of Suffering is part two of the Blood of Azure series—an epic fantasy with both light and dark hearts. You’ll experience many fantasy tropes, clashing swords, unique magic, fantastical beasts, and a wide range of Azure’s scenic terrain.

Author’s Note: Contains explicit language and some graphic descriptions.

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Excerpt:

EXCERPT I: SEASON OF SACRIFICE – GOOSE

My heart beats heavier. I inhale and, with the back of my hand, brush a drop of sweat that has found its way down my forehead. I know what these tracks be-long to. But why now? Am I projecting my ambitions—to slay a Creature of the Night? I grab a handful of Everweed from the ground and reluctantly head in the direction of the trampled vegetation.

My experience with these beasts is nonexistent, but then again, there isn’t another who can claim otherwise. They’re the type of animal man stays far away from, which was the primary reason for choosing this location as a refuge. We chose to risk being mauled by the Creatures of the Night over the public execution we would have inevitably encountered by hiding in a small village. Some would consider us the biggest halfwits in all of Vedora, all of Azure even, for making the decision we made, but I know Harris Martelli personally, and the fact he is capable of persuading a strong-willed and morally sound man like my father to do what he did is far more threatening than any beast living in the wood.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jonathan J Michael was born and raised in the greater Seattle area in the scenic state of Washington. Jonathan is an advocate of science, nature, and exploration, which has a heavy influence in his debut series, Blood of Azure.

When I drive down the freeway, I often want to veer onto the backroads and head for the mountains. When I'm at an evening gathering, I'm eager to step outside and gaze at the stars. When I'm on a ferry, I'm at the guardrail staring into the depths wondering what kind of leviathans lurk below. I'm an explorer, and since I'm not on the next Crew Dragon headed for the ISS, fantasy novels let me have what I seek. I write to explore a world of wonder.

~ Jonathan

SOCIAL LINKS

Website: https://jonathanjmichael.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.j.michael.author

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan_j_michael/

BUY LINKS

Season of Sacrifice – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08T1XV54W

Season of Suffering – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NSM62N8

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Innocent by Addison Jane

 

Title: Innocent

Series: The Exiled Eight MC #3

Author: Addison Jane

Genre: Contemporary Billionaire MC Romance

Release Date: July 6, 2022

BLURB

I escaped a brutal past.

Created a life I loved.

But when your fake proposal with your one-night stand ends up plastered all over the internet, suddenly you’re right back where you started.

Fighting for my life and the future I deserved.

Only this time, I wasn’t sure I’d survive.

Drake wasn’t just a tattooed CEO of a billion-dollar company.

He was protective.

He was passionate.

And he was a patched member of The Exiled Eight MC.

With him behind me, I felt strong enough to face my demons.

I had blood on my hands.

For that, they were going to make me pay the price.

Would that cost be my life?

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EXCERPT

I forced myself onto my hands and knees and crawled toward him, chewing my lip and reaching for his belt.

He grabbed my hands, and I looked up at him, my head falling to the side in confusion.

“That little taste just now got me real hungry,” he answered, using his thumb to tug my lip from between my teeth. “I’m not fucking you until I’ve devoured that pussy and made you come again. Maybe a third time just for luck.”

I could already feel myself getting wet again.

“A man who wants to make a woman come more than once before he gets his own?” I laughed, sitting back on my knees. “Where the hell did you come from?”

He smirked, leaning down to kiss me and tuck a loose strand of hair back from my face. “A place where we learn how to respect women.”

“Well,” I started, laying back with a sly smile. “I’m ready to be respected.”

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AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

Addison Jane is a born and bred kiwi girl with a passion for romance and writing.

When she gets the chance she enjoys the little things in life such as reading, dancing, music, and Facebook, but her world really revolves around the little girl who calls her Mum. It's an awkward balance between alpha males and Disney princesses but it works.

Growing up on a small farm next to the beach will always make her a country girl at heart. But since moving away to a small town close to the city she's discovered a dangerous love for shopping.

Writing stories has been something that's come naturally since she was young, and with the massive support of her friends and family, she finally decided to step out of her comfort zone and share them with the world. 

She enjoys bringing her books to life with strong female leads, sexy passionate men and a rollercoaster of twists and turns that lead to the happily ever after that her readers desire.

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