Jane Austen’s Dragons book 1 by Maria Grace

Author: Maria Grace

Narrator: Benjamin Fife

Length: 8 hours 11 minutes

Series: Jane Austen's Dragons, Book 1

Publisher: Maria Grace

Released: July 2, 2019

Genre: Epic Fantasy

England is overrun by dragons of all shapes and sizes. Most people are blissfully unaware of them and the Pendragon Treaty that keeps the peace between human and dragon kind. Only those born with preternatural hearing, like Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are able to hear and converse with dragonkind.

When the first firedrake egg laid in a century is stolen from Pemberley, the fragile dragon peace teeters on collapse. Darcy has no choice but to chase down the thief, a journey that leads him to quaint market town of Meryton and fellow Dragon Keeper, Elizabeth Bennet.

Elizabeth shares a unique bond with dragons, stronger than anything Darcy has ever experienced. More than that, her vast experience and knowledge of dragon lore may be the key to uncovering the lost egg. But Elizabeth can’t stand Darcy’s arrogance and doesn’t trust him to care properly for a precious baby firedrake. After all, he already lost the egg once. What’s to prevent it from happening again?

Can he win her trust and recover the stolen egg before it hatches and sends England spiraling back into the Dark Ages of Dragon War?

Jane Austen meets Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. A must-listen for Pern fans.

Five time BRAG Medallion Honoree and #1 best selling Historical Fantasy author, Maria Grace has her PhD in Educational Psychology and is a 16-year veteran of the university classroom where she taught courses in human growth and development, learning, test development and counseling. None of which have anything to do with her undergraduate studies in economics/sociology/managerial studies/behavior sciences. She pretends to be a mild-mannered writer/cat-lady, but most of her vacations require helmets and waivers or historical costumes, usually not at the same time.

She writes gaslamp fantasy, historical romance and non-fiction to help justify her research addiction.

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Benjamin Fife has always had a passion for learning. With a mind that remembers all sorts of numbers and useless trivia, he regularly wins local radio shows and enjoys confusing people with sci-fi quotes.

Fife grew up in Southeast Idaho. He attended college at Idaho State University, where he met his future wife in their music theory class. They have been married nearly 20 years and now have six children and a whole menagerie of animals. When their oldest daughter was three or four years old they started reading aloud from novels every night at bedtime, and have continued the tradition ever since. The family loves exploring various worlds and topics through Fife’s wonderful reading skills, which get better every year. They all have his Christmas Carol voices memorized (and the older kids are known to quote along with portions), since he has read it to them every December.

Benjamin enjoys all kinds of sci-fi and fantasy - both books and shows, is an extreme eclectic music lover, and prefers his chocolate to be of the 90% cocoa variety. Above all, he loves to be with his family. He loves recording audio books, and is delighted to tell people, “I’ve finally found what I want to be when I grow up!”

Website

Q&A with Author Maria Grace

• Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format? 
  
  
  • I’ve had narrators doing both non-fiction and fiction books for me and it has all worked. I believe that if it reads well—it’s engaging and interesting and hard to put down—then it will also listen well. But narrating excellent audiobooks is a really skill than not every narrator has.
• Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing? 
  
  
  • I thought a little about the possibility of doing audiobooks with the dragon series, but I was honestly so caught up in the complexities of creating the world that I didn’t really process he whole audiobook potential until much later.
• Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing? 
  
  
  • Definitely, though I will absolutely not be naming any names! I will say this difficult people are far more likely to wind their way into my stories than easy-going, delightful ones. Large, old, dragons to be rather cranky. Apparently I know a lot of real life dragons if you now what I mean. LOL
• What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
  
  
  • Being a research nerd and a college prof for 16 years, I’d point to the research that says audiobooks tap the same parts of the brain as reading does. That’s pretty good evidence to suggest that there’s no cheating involved in audiobooks!
• How did you celebrate after finishing this novel? 
  
  
  • By starting the next one. This particular story required a three book arc to tie up all the plot points (though each book had a definite plot of its own). So I was itching to start the next one once I’d launched the first.
• In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series? 
  
  
  • Hands down, I prefer to write series. I love the opportunity to hang out with the characters over a long period of time and really get to know them. Series offer the chance to create far deeper and more complex worlds and stories and I just love that.
• What’s next for you?
  • Another book in the series! Seriously, I’m half way through the fifth book right now and hoping to have it done in March! If you’d like to keep up with news about it you can find me on RandomBitsofFascination.com.

Narrator Benjamin Fife's 'Top 10 Reason to be A Narrator'

1. Sometimes I get information before the general public
2. I become intimately familiar with each book I narrate, going through it no less than 3 times total in a relatively short period of time.
3. Ego. I love hearing that people love my work. The Positive reviews have far outstripped the negative & I’m able to learn from the negative, improve & run with it.
4. Last year I read probably twice as much as any other single year of my life because I was narrating all the time. I get paid to read books! How cool is that?
5. Catharsis. Not with every book, but many of the books I’ve performed have had some pretty emotional chapters that in performing them, I feel amazing after having done so. Kind of something I’ve discovered as I’ve gone that’s an extra bonus.
6. I only have to do what I want. If a project doesn’t appeal to me in some way, I don’t audition for it.
7. Happier than I’ve ever been.
8. Flexible work schedule.
9. I get to be in on the creative process with some truly brilliant people.
10. Vicarious Adventures. I’ve yet to be outside of North America. Like book lovers since the world began, I experience so much through the worlds created from the minds of those truly brilliant people I’m able to work with.

Prize: Custom Statue of the Dragon 'Pemberly'

Jane Austen's Dragons Giveaway: Custom Statue of the Dragon 'Pemberly'

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Black Heart Boys' Choir by Curtis M. Lawson

Black Heart Boys' Choir 

by Curtis M. Lawson 

Genre: Horror

Great art demands sacrifice.

Lucien Beaumont is a teenage misfit and musical prodigy ostracized by his peers and haunted by familial tragedy. When he discovers an unfinished song composed by his dead father—a song that holds terrible power—Lucien becomes obsessed. As he chases after the secret nature of his father's music, the line between gruesome fantasy and real life violence begins to blur.

To complete his father's work Lucien believes that he and his group of outcast friends must appease a demonic force trapped within the music with increasingly sadistic offerings. As things spiral out of control he finds that the cost of his art will be the lives of everyone around him, and perhaps his very soul. 

Goodreads * Amazon

Curtis M. Lawson is a writer of unapologetically weird, dark fiction and poetry. His work includes Black Heart Boys' Choir, It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World, and The Devoured. 

Curtis is a member of the Horror Writer's Association, and the organizer of the Wyrd live horror reading series. He lives in Salem, MA with his wife and their son. When he is not writing, Curtis enjoys tabletop RPGs, underground music, playing guitar, and the ocean 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Russo Saga by Nicolina Martin blitz

Capo
Nicolina Martin
(Russo Saga, #6)
Published by: Blushing Books Publications
Publication date: January 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

You’ll die if you talk.

The warning haunts her every waking hour.

After a rough start, Chloe finally has financial stability, a place to call home, and friends she’d die for. It never occurred to her that the sentiment would be put to the test, but when her best friend gets on the wrong side of infamous mob boss, Luciano Salvatore, Chloe intervenes, sealing her own fate.

Salvatore never intends for Chloe Becker to live. Beaten to within an inch of her life by his most ruthless enforcer, she still stands tall, refusing to bend to his will. Curiosity gets the better of him and he decides to see what it takes to make her lose that last streak of defiance.

He definitely doesn’t intend for her to get under his skin.

When his existence crumbles and one heart stops beating, it kicks his own back to life, but it might be too late for forgiveness.

This is the sixth and final book in the Russo Saga series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Publisher’s Note: This contemporary, mafia romance contains elements of danger, suspense, adult themes, power exchange, sensual scenes and is intended for adults only. If any of these offend you, please do not purchase.

Previous books in the series:

Goodreads / Amazon

Get your copy of book 1 – HEAT – for FREE!

—

EXCERPT:

“Sit,” I hiss.

He stares me down with a hint of a challenge in his eyes, then he sits back down. “You fucking know I’ll do my job.”

“Good,” I say with finality in my voice. “Tonight, we have work to do.” I nod to Ivan who knows what it’s about. I’m about to test just how unflinchingly loyal my guys are. They don’t know of Roberto’s affairs, only Ivan does, and in a moment he’ll relay my order to them to take out the weasel. Roberto’s been working with us for fifteen years. They know him well, they know his wife and kids, they’ve killed and partied with this guy. Now they’re gonna do him in.

I stand and pull the girl up by her nape until she’s on her feet. Tucking my cock back in my pants, I steer her toward the glass double doors. In the corner of my eye, I see Ivan stand and pull out his gun, striding over to Roberto, putting it to his head.

“Let’s walk,” he says.

The pleading begins. Matteo, Christian and Eric dart up, as does the rest of the crowd. I smirk as I push the girl before me, reveling in the sounds of chaos. My forte. Roberto is in for a world of hurt tonight and just thinking about it makes me rock hard. Ivan will inform me who hesitated and who didn’t.

Steering the girl into my bedroom, I slam the door closed and shove my hand between her legs, push her panties to the side and thrust my fingers up her cunt. She twitches from the rough intrusion and I haven’t even begun yet.

“Knees hurt?”

“No, sir, I’m good,” she gasps.

I glance down at the flattened skin over her kneecaps. Her dark hue doesn’t allow the redness to show. “Know what?” I pull out and tear her panties off her. “I hate liars. Bend over.”

Breathing erratically, she turns and obeys, presenting her mouthwatering round butt. I smack it. Hard. She stumbles forward.

“Don’t fucking move,” I growl. “Hands on the floor.” I take a step closer and smack her again, making her rock forward yet another step.

She whimpers. “I can’t keep my balance, sir.” She steadies herself, spreading her legs as she puts her palms to the floor.

Her cunt is hairless and too enticing not to explore further. I slide my fingers along her slit, back and forth, rubbing against her clit, then a little rougher in between her folds. Like a bitch in heat, she begins to rock against my hand, getting wetter by the second. I push my fingers inside her, thrusting, a thumb on her increasingly swollen nub. Then I pull out and slap her right across her pussy, making her scream and shoot forward.

I snap open my belt and pull down my zipper. “Bend over the edge of the bed.”

She darts around, her eyes huge and confused, a single tear trickling down her cheek. “Sir, I—”

“This is what I pay you to do. Get on the fucking bed. Now.”

I’m rock hard, stroking my cock in my hand. Her eyes dart between my face and my thick length, then her gaze turns distant, as if she gives up all hope. She turns slowly and walks up to the bed, spreading her legs as she falls forward clutching the comforter.

I don’t like that she gives up already. I want to pull them to the edge of despair, I want them to plead and weep. But I want the first fucking part to last a little longer than this. Glancing over at the curtain that covers my rack of canes and whips, I already know how I’ll pull her right back to the present.

Pulling off my belt, loop by loop, I then wrap it around my fist and whip it right over her beautiful ass. She’ll plead. And when she does, I’ll fuck her. Hard.

In my basement, at this very moment, someone else is pleading. This girl will leave the building, a hefty sum in her bank account, probably bleeding, definitely crying, but alive. Roberto won’t be as lucky.

Author Bio:

Nicolina Martin is a Swedish born author who escapes the long, dark winter nights by writing hot contemporary romance/suspense.

She's a mother of three teenage girls, a medical doctor, a quirky loner, and a social human being. She has traveled the globe, has had more lovers than she can count, has loved and hated, succeeded and failed, has gone through marriage and divorce. She has seen darkness and despair, as well as light and happiness.

All these experiences, she pours into her tales, taking her readers for a wild ride while twisting their minds. She loves showing that stories can be different even if the trope is the same.

Nicolina believes that life is too short for regrets and in looking forward, no matter what. She wants to enjoy every moment, and cherish life.

To find out more about Nicolina Martin, visit her official website.

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Carter by A.M. Salinger blitz

Carter
A.M. Salinger
(Twilight Falls #2)
Publication date: January 31st 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Carter’s carefree, movie star lifestyle comes to an abrupt end when he becomes the guardian to a little girl he has never met before. Will his hot new neighbor Elijah prove to be the one thing he and Maisie need to make their family whole?

Carter Wilson has it all. A dazzling career, fame, fortune, and women falling at his feet. All that changes the day he becomes the guardian to his newly orphaned niece. When he moves to his hometown of Twilight Falls to give Maisie the stable life she deserves, the last thing Carter expects is a hot neighbor who is soon making him wish for things he has never wanted before.

After abandoning a promising career in Europe to fulfill the vow he made to his grandmother, pastry chef Elijah Davis is determined to make his new bakery business a success. What he doesn’t need is a distraction in the shape of the hunky movie star next door and the little girl who is fast worming her way into his heart.

But when an old flame chases Elijah to Twilight Falls and a bitter movie producer threatens to expose Carter’s secret bisexuality, both Elijah and Carter realize they will have to fight dirty if they want their relationship to survive.

Discover Carter and Elijah’s story in the bewitching second novel in Twilight Falls, the new series by the author of the bestselling, contemporary romance series Nights.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Carter Wilson closed his eyes and groaned as he came in the mouth of the woman who was busy blowing him. His fingers clenched in her perfectly-styled hair, messing it up. He knew it would likely give away what they’d been up to, but he didn’t care.

A hiss of air left him when she finally let go of his pleasantly spent cock. The blonde sat back on her expensive Jimmy Choo heels and licked her lips greedily as she gazed up at him, her blue eyes sultry with lust and her nipples hard where her breasts showed in her gaping cleavage.

Carter reluctantly tucked his dick back in his tuxedo trousers.

If he’d had a condom on him, he would have pulled her to her feet, yanked up her thousand-dollar Dolce & Gabbana dress, and fucked her against the wall of the art gallery’s restroom stall until she screamed in pleasure.

He’d unfortunately used the last rubber in his wallet in his trailer yesterday, after he finished shooting what he hoped would be his next Hollywood blockbuster movie in New York. He’d known that the assistant he’d been given by the studio had had the hots for him all along, but Carter never liked mixing business with pleasure, not after the unpleasant incident that had nearly ended his movie career prematurely. So he’d waited until the last day of filming to give her a parting gift, which was his dick in her mouth and her hungry pussy.

Most people called him a bastard and a serial womanizer, a reputation that was only rendered more infamous by the paparazzi who constantly tailed him. Carter didn’t mind. He knew the career he’d chosen meant sacrificing his privacy and, as far as he was concerned, his conscience was clear; he’d never made false promises to the women he’d slept with, always used protection, and had been upfront about never wanting to be in a serious relationship.

There were only two aspects of his life that Carter protected jealously: his family and his hidden bisexuality. The first had been surprisingly easy to keep under wraps, since his only living relative had left the small town they’d grown up in some years back and was now halfway across the world.

As for the second, although there were plenty of gay actors who’d come out in the business in the last few decades, Carter knew his status as an action hero and the opportunities that might come his way in the future might be affected if he were to reveal like he liked to fuck men as much as he liked fucking women.

On the occasions when he felt like dick more than pussy, Carter visited an exclusive club in L.A. where all employees and guests were made to sign non-disclosure agreements. There, he had his pick of the male clientele who habitually called upon the club to satisfy their own secret desires. Carter had been hesitant to join up at first. But after hearing the club rules dictated all visitors wear close-fitting carnival masks to conceal their identities and that there were private suites where guests could indulge in their wildest sexual fantasies, he’d signed on the dotted line and never regretted it since.

“I think it’s about time we got back out there, don’t you?” Carter told the blonde with a relaxed grim.

She hesitated before returning his smile with a lingering look of regret. Carter knew she would brag to her closest friends about tonight. It wasn’t everyday she got to suck the cock of a A-list Hollywood star while her husband was entertaining their guests fifty feet away.

Carter waited a couple of minutes after she vacated the restroom before stepping out into the service corridor at the rear of the art gallery. He stilled when he saw the woman leaning a hip against the wall in the shadows, her arms crossed rigidly across her body.

Izzy Batista’s green eyes were dark with exasperation and there was a distinctly unhappy moue on her pretty face. “Please tell me you didn’t just fuck the gallery owner’s wife?”

Carter’s lips tilted in a teasing smirk. “It depends on your definition of fuck.”

Izzy swore. “For Christ’s sake Carter, can’t you keep it in your pants for one goddamn night?!”

Carter strolled up to her and rested his shoulder casually against the wall, mimicking her pose.

“Normally, I would say yes,” he drawled in a sarcastic tone. “But, you see, a little mouse with brown hair and green eyes blackmailed me into coming here and I just had to, you know, blow off some steam.”

Izzy rolled her eyes. “It’s only for a couple of hours. Besides, your agent said you didn’t have anything lined up for tonight.”

Carter frowned. “I did have something lined up. It was called an evening spent relaxing in my own home for the first time in three months.”

Izzy gasped and raised a hand to her lips, an expression of mock horror painted across her face. “OMG! Is this the first sign that Carter Wilson is getting old? Would you like me to get you slippers and a hot cocoa kit for Christmas?”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” Carter muttered.

Izzy grinned and tucked her arm through his elbow. “Now, why don’t you be a good blackmail victim and come along peacefully. We’re about to do the big reveal.”

Carter grunted and allowed her to guide him to the main gallery area.

Izzy was the younger sister of Wyatt Batista, one of Carter’s closest childhood friends from his hometown of Twilight Falls. Together with Tristan Hart, Hunter Thomson, Drake Jackson, Miles Martinez, and Alex Hancock, they’d formed the “Terrible Seven”, a name that had struck dread in the heart of parents, teachers, and law enforcement for the decade and a half they’d grown up together in the quaint tourist town in the San Bernardino Mountains.

It was Izzy who’d sneaked in the boy’s locker room when Carter and the others were in high school and taken the infamous picture of his naked butt, which she had threatened to use to blackmail him on many an occasion since.

Though Carter knew it was in jest, he still worried about Izzy. The woman was the devil incarnate when it came to poking fun at her friends, and Carter wouldn’t put it past her to one day find a picture of his sixteen-year-old ass plastered over a billboard in L.A.

A dull murmur of voices reached them as they turned a corner and entered the gallery. Tonight was the opening night of Finn West’s first art exhibition in over three years and the whole town was buzzing with the return of the famous artist.

Although Carter had reluctantly agreed to headline the guest list, he had to admit to being more than a little intrigued once Izzy explained the circumstances behind her request.

It turned out Finn was Alex Hancock’s husband of a few months.

Carter’s gaze found the happy couple where they stood with the art gallery owner next the central piece of the exhibition, which still lay hidden beneath a white sheet. Finn had seemed tense when Carter had met him on the red carpet at the beginning of the evening. He now looked like a totally different person and could hardly keep his eyes, and his hands, off the man next to him.

A twinge of jealousy stabbed through Carter as he observed Alex’s radiant expression. It was evident to anyone in the room that the pair were very much in love. He wondered if he would ever find that kind of connection one day, or if he was doomed to a life of brief sexual encounters.

Carter had yet to meet anyone who had held his sexual and intellectual interest long enough for him to consider them as a potential life partner. The women who entered his life seemed more interested in having a movie star as a boyfriend than in who he was as a person, while the men were one-night stands whose faces he wouldn’t recognize if he passed them on the street.

He smiled blankly at the art gallery’s owner’s wife as he walked past the couple and let Izzy lead him to Finn and Alex’s side. Alex greeted him with a hug and a hearty pat on the back and Carter found himself feeling genuinely happy for his friend as he embraced him. They’d all been through some rough times together before he and Alex left Twilight Falls and it was great to see Alex’s eyes devoid of the guilt he’d carried for so many years.

The central piece of the exhibition was finally revealed to wild applause. Carter took his leave an hour later and headed out of the back door to the parking lot. He’d just climbed inside his Maserati when his cell started ringing. He took the phone out of his pocket and stared at the screen.

It was an international number. One he didn’t recognize.

The first tendril of dread pooled inside Carter as he gazed at it. He hesitated before taking the call. “Hello?”

“Is that Mr. Wilson? Mr. Carter Wilson?” a woman said in a heavy French accent. “The next of kin of Louise Payton?”

Carter’s stomach clenched in fear. “Yes, it is,” he finally managed, mouth so dry he was surprised he didn’t croak.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Wilson,” the woman continued in a voice filled with compassion, “I’m afraid there has been a terrible accident.”

A buzzing noise filled Carter’s ears. The words the woman was saying reached him dimly, every syllable a knife that stabbed into his heart.

In that moment, he knew his life would never be the same again.

Author Bio:

Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary romance. In 2018, she finally decided to venture to the steamy side. NIGHTS is the first of several sizzling series featuring sweet, sexy men with dark pasts and a whole lot of love to give to the ones brave enough to fight for their hearts. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.

Want to be the first to know about Ava’s new releases and get access to exclusive content, sneak previews, sales, and giveaways? Then sign up to her Reader Group here and join her VIP Facebook Fan Group here.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Bookbub / Instagram / Pinterest / Amazon / Book and Main Bites

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Masters’ Mistress by Jamie Schulz blitz

Masters’ Mistress
Jamie Schulz
(The Angel Eyes #1)
Publication date: February 1st 2020
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Romance

A man bound by chains. A woman burdened by regret. Will love set this tortured pair free?

In this nightmarish future where women own men, Bret Masters refuses to serve anyone. But after spending years evading slavers in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, he’s furious when he’s finally caught and sold. So, although his mistress has a pretty face and deliciously tempting curves, he vows to escape.

Angel Aldridge hides her pain behind fences as sturdy and vast as her ranch. And even though her newly acquired slave is a ruggedly handsome cowboy, she’s not about to let her fantasies endanger the people she swore to protect. But between her always-watching enemies and her wounded heart, she’s reluctant to admit she may need him in more ways than one…

As the two toil side by side, Bret is surprised to discover Angel’s vulnerability and her compassionate nature. And the more time they spend together, the harder she finds it to resist her feelings and to soothe her lonely soul. But when they’re stranded alone together, the barriers between mistress and slave may not be strong enough to withstand their red-hot attraction.

Can Bret and Angel overcome their fears to sow the seeds of lasting love?

Masters’ Mistress is the steamy first book in The Angel Eyes futuristic dystopian cowboy romance series. If you like complex characters, gritty western settings, and slow-burning desires, then you’ll adore this enthralling story.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Bret remained silent, his stomach twisting and his heart beating faster with every step he took. He could feel sweat soaking into the cloth tied over his eyes and trickling slowly down his chest, but cold enfolded him like a heavy frost.

After what seemed like hours, the stairs finally ended and Bret’s guard ushered him forward. He wanted to resist, but the fear and his pride wouldn’t let him.

Something soft brushed harmlessly against him, but its unexpectedness sent Bret over the edge. He whirled around, dislodged the guard’s hold on his arm, and prepared to confront an aggressive opponent.

“Now,” the auctioneer’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker in a pleased tone that turned Bret’s heated blood to ice and stilled his frantic scuffling, “here’s what most of you have been waiting for, and a fine breeder he will make! What shall be the starting bid?”

With a stunned mind and hesitant feet, he stumbled forward as the guard towed him toward the sound of the crowd. She brought him up short and fastened his leash to a bolt in the floor, all while the auctioneer spoke. The guard removed the blindfold from his eyes and, as he blinked in the brilliant light that filled the Auction Hall, he heard a rash of astonished female exclamations.

“Oh my, he’s beautiful!”

“Is he as good as he looks?”

“Put your money down and find out.”

A brief spattering of laughter echoed around the room.

Bret shifted uncomfortably and bared his teeth in fury, disgust, and embarrassment. He pulled on the chains with an inadvertent yank, wanting to run so badly he could taste it—a bitter, coppery flavor, like blood on his tongue.

Wide-eyed, he took in the crowd of faces leering up at him. He forced himself to look away, to take a deep breath, and tried to relax before he collapsed and embarrassed himself further.

“Twelve hundred,” one woman shouted above the others, unwilling to wait for the auctioneer to begin.

“Twelve! My, that’s a heavy starting bid, but start with it, we will,” the auctioneer said in a happy, greedy tone before she began her banter.

Bret only listened with half an ear as the price multiplied. Instead, he attempted to ignore the sea of faces staring at him by gazing around the glamorous room.

He stood on a stage-like dais with a set of wide stairs running down either side to the audience floor below—both glowed a satiny silver and sparkled under the bright lights. The luminous color repeated itself in the silk curtains that draped the back of the round room. Rows of silver chairs lined the full length of the black and white checkered floor below where Bret stood. Women filled the seats, and they were staring up at him with hungry eyes. His skin tightened and bile burned the back of his throat as those eyes raked over his naked body without so much as a thought about him. It made no difference who won him. He wouldn’t stay long, no matter where he ended up.

Yanking at the chains again, Bret looked away and wished in vain that he could cover himself from their avid stares. Instead, he gazed toward the men in the far back. All dressed in black suits and under heavy guard, they waited patiently for their owners. Bret searched the crowd in the rear, not expecting to identify anyone; yet, contemplating the small sea of male faces, he stopped short to stare in disbelief. One individual stood out like a flashing beacon in the dead of night. The face was unclear, but the man he scrutinized possessed the same stature, the same appearance, the same stance. Bret’s breath caught in his throat.

It can’t be…

“Forty-five hundred,” someone cried as if in triumph, but Bret barely heard.

As he stared, the too-familiar man in the back of the room nodded to another person in the crowd. Bret combed through the fervent faces closer to the platform and caught the slightest indication of acknowledgment from a tall woman, her vibrant blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail. Without a glance at Bret, she looked toward yet another woman on the opposite side of the room and lifted a hand to her simple coiffure. The second woman gave an almost indiscernible response before lifting her gaze to him.

Her eyes impressed Bret. They were the brightest, the darkest, the deepest, most heavenly blue he had ever seen. They were an ocean for a man to get lost in, alluring with just enough wariness to spark his need to rise to the challenge. Slow-ly, his vision pulled back enough to see her eyes were only the beginning of her beauty. Her sun-kissed skin appeared silky smooth. Her nose was straight, above a luscious mouth with full, pink lips. Her ebony-colored hair framed a fine-boned oval face and hung past her shoulders in a mass of gently curling waves. She wore no makeup, which made her seem a little plain compared to all the flash and glamor around her, but Bret found her appearance wholesome and stunning.

He sucked in a breath and berated himself. She’s just another woman who’ll hurt you. Stop hoping for the impossible.

In the middle of the shouting bids, Blue Eyes stood up, showing a short, curvy figure, which Bret, despite his inner chastising, examined with male appreciation. Lifting her chin in what looked to him like stubborn determination, she addressed the auctioneer in a loud, demanding voice that brought everything to a stumbling halt, “What’s wrong with his feet?”

Her unexpected question plunged the room into silence.

The auctioneer glanced at a group of women sitting off to the side and cleared her throat before she answered. “Nothing.” Her composure was clearly shaken. “Why do you ask?”

“Because,” Blue Eyes retorted while crossing her arms, “there’s something wrong with them, and his ear too. Did any of you notice his ear’s infected?”

The auctioneer flicked another swift glance toward the same woman to her right. “Well, no,” she replied as her gaze refocused on the blue-eyed woman. “How do you know it is?”

Those heavenly blue eyes turned cold and her jaw hardened. “Because I asked him.”

So this was the woman he spoke to outside earlier. Bret almost wished he hadn’t been blindfolded during that conversation. He would’ve enjoyed seeing her up close. He also now understood her concerns about his health and chuckled in silent scorn—the stingy bitch wanted to depreciate his value.

Heat flashed over Bret’s skin and his body tensed. He lifted his chin and glowered at the audience, his blood pounding rage through his veins. They wanted his body, but they only saw a breeding slave standing naked on a stage, not a man with a heart and a mind. And one of them thought his price was too high? Shaking his head, shame joined the fury that swept through him, momentarily blocking out the fear, as he yanked at his chains again. He was worth a hell of a lot more than forty-five hundred!

“Are we done, or are we still declaring?” the last bidder asked, eyeing him as if she wanted to retract her bid.

He caught her gaze and his lips curled in his nastiest smirk.

“No, we’re not,” the blue-eyed woman said and broke his menacing glower at the other bidder. He focused on the small woman with the same malice, but his glare didn’t appear to bother her. In fact, she didn’t even look at him.

“If anyone bothered to ask him about his health,” she continued, “you’d have known of his injuries as well, but then I suppose that’s too much to hope for.”

Bret frowned, confused. She sounded bitter, but he couldn’t understand why. She wasn’t chained up and forced to stand naked in front of strangers to be sold like an animal.

“And, Darla,” she said, twisting her stiff posture toward the same group of women the auctioneer had glanced at, “if your guards talked to these men instead of beating them all the time, they might be a little more responsive, not to mention obedient.”

The scorn that infused her last word deepened Bret’s frown.

“Not this one,” a young guard who stood near the stairs leading down to the checkered floor said. “Why do you think he’s chained so heavily?”

The auctioneer’s glare silenced the chatty guard in an instant. An uncooperative slave would bring a much lower price.

Blue Eyes lifted a pointed eyebrow at the guard’s comment and tilted her head. “Because most of the guards here are sadists who enjoy beating the spirit out of men.”

“No one forces you to come here to get your slaves,” an audience member chided her.

“It’s not like I have much choice though, is it?” Blue Eyes shot right back.

“That’s some heavy criticism, Angel,” the auctioneer said with a slow shake of her head and another quick glance to her right.

Angel… Bret thought, savoring her name in his mind as his eyes scanned over her. The name seemed to fit her outward appearance, but he doubted its implied connotation extended to her heart. Don’t be a fool, his inner voice rebuked him again. She’s just like all the rest.

Straightening her shoulders, Angel replied, “I only criticize what needs changing.”

The auctioneer bit her lip. Her eyes shifted to Darla, who nodded her head and spun her fingers in a quick get-on-with-it motion.

The auctioneer, rubbing her palms on her black slacks, refocused on Angel and said in a calm voice, “The bid is forty-five hundred. If you wish to make a bid, then make it. If not, please sit down.”

“Yes,” Angel said, her blue eyes as cold as ice and hard as granite, “I wish to make a bid: Ten thousand, gold.”

Several spectators gasped at the size of her offer, while the rest of the room went deathly silent. She met Bret’s eyes as stunned whispers filled the air, and he shivered with trepidation as a caustic smile curled her pretty pink lips.

Author Bio:

Jamie Schulz lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family, her husband, and their fur babies. Writing has always been a big a part of her life, and she hopes to one day reach the best sellers lists.

Cowboys, ice cream, and reading almost any kind of romance are among her (not so) secret loves. To her, every one of her stories, no matter how dark, must have a happy ending, and she strives to make them impossible to put down until you get there.

She balances her free time between reading her favorite romance authors--in genres ranging from erotica and dark romance to sweet historicals and contemporary romance--and spending time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Amazon

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Cannabis for Seniors by Beverly A Potter, PhD

Self-Help

Publisher: Ronin Publishing

CANNABIS FOR SENIORS is for seniors who are curious about cannabis and how they might use it to better their lives.

CANNABIS FOR SENIORS reviews research regarding the health effects of cannabis and the effectiveness of various strains for managing specific health conditions and improving quality of life.

CANNABIS FOR SENIORS debunks myths and discusses concerns that seniors may have about cannabis use. Docpotter describes methods of using cannabis, explaining how smoking, eating, and topicals users.

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About the Author

Docpotter—Beverly A Potter, PhD, earned her doctorate from Stanford University. She was an early Silicon Valley corporate trainer and has authored numerous books on health and workplace issues. Docpotter is located in Oakland Ca. Her site, docpotter.com is packed with useful information.

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IndieBound

Breach of Contract by Elizabeth Miller

Title: Breach of Contract

Series: Kavanagh Family Romance #1

Author: Elizabeth Miller

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 31, 2020

Blurb

Bonafide
bombshell Maisie Walker loves sex. The problem is she’s never had it—not with a
real live person anyway. Her vibrator, Vinnie, and pornbud.com keep Maisie’s
nights busy, but she’s itching to lose her V-card—with her boss, Jayce
Kavanagh.

As managing
partner of the hottest legal firm in New York City, Jayce Kavanagh likes to
win—in court and in the bedroom. With his mind set on legal perfection, he
doesn’t have time for the killer sway of his assistant’s assets or her sinful
mouth.

One late
night in the office changes everything.

Spanking
your associate after-hours is not ideal, but with proper boundaries, Jayce
makes it happen. Enter in Exhibit A—the contract. General terms and conditions
are set in place, satisfaction is guaranteed, and oral persuasion commences.

As they
test their limits in and out of the office, feelings surface and amendments are
made. But just when an extension is proposed, Jayce strays outside of the
contracted lines and Maisie must decide if their flourishing relationship can
survive a breach of contract.

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Excerpt

Every three-point-five seconds my thoughts drift to Maisie
and the contract I delivered two days ago. I haven’t heard a response, and why
should I? We never exchanged numbers. She’s had no way to reach me while I was
out. We’re nothing but colleagues with a history. But that doesn’t stop me from
missing her, wanting her. It all pisses me off. I have work to do and life to
deal with. I knew I didn’t have time for a complication, but I can’t stop
thinking about her sweet face and gorgeous ass.

I force myself to focus on the Spears case and the latest
injunction Marjorie Blume has filed. She’s muddying up the waters by leaking
reports of MoMo’s lengthy conviction record. What he thought was past tense is
front and center. It’s my job to retrain the focus on Blume versus freedom of
speech, and not his penchant for cars that don’t belong to him.

I drill into the details. Each hour spent living through
Blume’s history has my temper rise by ten degrees. At the end of the day, I’m
hot. She’s not a saint, and it sticks in my craw she’s made a living making
people believe she is.

Focusing on Wentworth for days and Blume for what feels like
ages has my blood pressure off the charts. Life is full of complications and
I’m in a punishing mood because of them.

“Mr. Kavanagh,” Lisa says from the door. “It’s seven and I’m
heading out. Do you need anything before I go?”

“I do—” Ms. Walker arrives behind her with the devil in her
eye and a fairly well-hidden smirk. She peeks around my secretary to stare me down
with a secret only the two of us share. “I do not,” I amend.

“I brought the research you requested, sir.” Maisie holds
out an envelope—a familiar one, stamped confidential.

My gaze jerks from the document to her mouth: plump lips
brightened with peach gloss. Christ. My chest aches. Goddamn
heart. I smooth it under the pretense my tie is out of line.

“Enjoy your weekend, Lisa. I’ll finish with Ms. Walker and
close up,” I say while my gaze remains trained on Maisie.

I wave her in as Lisa escapes before eight on a Friday
night. As the automatic lock latches on the door, we stand and stare with
silence swirling around us like the promise of what’s to come. Evening sun
warms my office, but Maisie’s nipples pebble into distinct points. They draw my
attention to the ripe lushness of her breasts pressed together in a skintight
button-up and I can’t think of anything but her naked flesh. Because I’ve seen
it. I’ve watched her writhe in ecstasy, squeezing the life from my dick.

In an instant, my mind retreats from the memory and drills
into sharp focus. There’s no reason why she’s over there and I’m here and we
aren’t touching. “Did you read it?” I ask.

Maisie nods. “I did. And I signed it too.”

After this shit with Wentworth, it’s important that we’re on
the same page, that she’s honest with me about her feelings. She must give
permission. Say it out loud and reassure me I’m not the only one suffering.
“Tell me, Ms. Walker. What do you want from me?” My voice is low and jagged
from need. Something my body knows all too well as it stiffens at the mere
sight of her.

“I want you to f*ck me like your dirty little secret, Mr.
Kavanagh.” She breathes out my name as if it’s a wish, a fucking plea for my
cock to meet the back of her throat.

Lord, have mercy. Who am I to deny her? If she wishes
to know the type of justice I deliver, then so be it. “Come forward for your
sentence, peach.”

Author Bio

She wears many hats. Some include wife, mother of two boys,
writer, reader, lover of gummy bears and Henry Cavill. She’s a proud Indie
author who adores a broken hero, a feisty heroine, and lots and lots of sexy
times.

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