Mary Karlik is here to tell us about Had Me At Howdy, a Hillside* Spring Creek Novel, romantic comedy, contemporary romance, young adult.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Had Me At Howdy
Mary Karlik
(A Hillside * Spring Creek Novel)
Publication date: November 22nd 2025
Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Platinum credit card? Deactivated. New car? Sold. Best life ever? Canceled.
Thanks to my dad losing his job, we’ve ditched Chicago for Fumbuck, Texas—population: redneck. Now I’m living on a rundown farm, scrubbing dishes, and driving a rusty pickup. Worst of all? I’m stuck working alongside a cowboy.
But this Cinderella isn’t giving up. I’ll claw my way back to the luxe life I left behind—and no one, not even infuriatingly chill, stupidly handsome Austin McCoy is going to stop me. Even if he does make feeding the chickens weirdly… enjoyable.
She thinks she’s just passing through. I’m hoping she stays.
I kind of feel for the Quinn sisters. City girls don’t belong in Spring Creek—but Kelsey? There’s more to her than designer labels and eye rolls. When she forgets to be angry, I see it—like the way her eyes light up when she feeds the chickens.
Now all I have to do is convince her the guy she really wants is me, not some rich dude taking her to a ball in Chicago.
Content Warning: This work contains a subplot involving death, grief, and an off-page instance of date rape. While these events are not depicted directly, they are referenced and may be distressing to some readers.
The universe had completely crapped on Kelsey Quinn’s life.
She dabbed at her eyes, blew her nose, and wadded up the tissue before dropping it to the pile on the seat next to her. Pressing her forehead against the car window, she watched the scenery fly by at seventy miles per hour. They passed Bob’s Stay and Go combination gas station—fast food restaurant—hotel, followed by some weird concrete starship-shaped pizza parlor. Next, three-foot fluorescent letters screamed about redemption across a junkyard fence surrounding rusted pieces of mangled metal. The few words of scripture painted there weren’t going change her fate. Her dad was in the driver’s seat and they were heading straight for the armpit of Texas.
With a sigh she slumped against the seat and tried not to think about the boyfriend who’d been ripped from her life, or the best friend she’d been forced to leave behind. But it wasn’t just her forced exile from Drew and Zoe. She’d lost her identity. At St. Monica’s, she knew who she was and where she fit in. It was her senior year, the year she’d looked forward to for as long as she was in school. They had taken it away with less thought than the car they’d sold one afternoon while she and Zoe were shopping. None of it was her fault. She was a victim of her dad’s incompetence on one hand and her sister’s immorality on the other.
Her dad exited onto a two-lane highway where they were greeted by a faded, Welcome to Hillside Texas, Population 5000, sign. They slowed to a crawl as they entered the town. At a four-way stop her mom screeched, “Oh my God Tom, look at the cute little diner. We’re all starving, let’s stop before we go to the house.”
“Sounds good to me. Jack’s not expecting us for another couple of hours anyway.” Dad angled the Infinity between two pickup trucks and turned off the engine.
The diner was nestled in the center of a row of dilapidated two story buildings. Early Bird Café was painted in bright blue letters across the glass. Kelsey pulled her compact mirror from her purse and studied her reflection. She’d been crying for two days, no amount of makeup magic would fix her swollen red eyes. It didn’t matter. She didn’t care about this place or these people. She sure as heck didn’t care what they thought about her. She shoved the mirror back into her purse.
Her younger sister, Ryan, looked all wide-eyed and curious. And worse, she actually looked excited to investigate this hick little town. Why not? It was her fault they were in this mess in the first place. Her parents would have been justified to ship Ryan off to some kind of school for troubled kids. But no—Quinns don’t give up on their own. Everybody had to suffer because Ryan couldn’t say no to drugs or boys.
Mackenzie, Kelsey’s youngest sister, flipped her compact gymnast’s body from the third seat to the back seat nailing Ryan in the shoulder with her foot.
“Watch it!” Ryan drew her fist back, but before she could get the hit off Mackenzie flashed a cherub smile and released a powder sugar apology. Yeah. That wasn’t an accident. Kelsey almost smiled when she saw foot impact with shoulder. Mackenzie had been fairly silent about the ruin Ryan’s exploits had done to her life. Apparently, she had her limits too.
Mary Karlik (also writing as Mary J. Wilson) combines her Texas roots with her Scottish heritage to write happily-ever-afters from Texas to Scotland.
Mary has five indie-published contemporary young adult romance novels and two fantasy novels.
Mary earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, has a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, and is currently studying Scottish Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, Scotland. She is also a certified, professional ski instructor and a Registered Nurse.
Mary is an active member of Contemporary Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Dallas Area Romance Authors. Married to a Scott, Mary lives in both and Scotland and Texas.
R. K. Harrington is here to tell us about Kindred Schemes, Schemes book 1, historical regency romance.
There's also a great giveaway.
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One bookish
debutante.
Two dashing suitors.
And a season full of scandal.
Kindred Schemes
Schemes Book 1
by R. K. Harrington
Genre: Historical Regency Romance
One bookish
debutante. Two dashing suitors. And a season full of scandal.
Lady Alaina Sinclair never expected London society to be so treacherous—or so
tempting. She has always preferred books to ballrooms, but with a disastrous
start to her first season, she’s determined to rewrite her fate. With her heart
set on the respectable—and very eligible—Duke of Ashford, Alaina is ready to
embrace society’s expectations… even if it means silencing her true desires.
Alaina’s world is set awry by Christopher Kendall, the Marquess of
Rochester—sharp-tongued, maddeningly handsome, and inconveniently, the duke’s
closest friend. Their first encounter is a disaster. Their next, a temptation.
And every moment together after that, increasingly impossible to ignore. But with
a web of secrets, jealous relatives, and mysterious threats unraveling around
her, it soon becomes clear: this is no ordinary season.
Kindred Schemes is a modern take on a regency romance with glamour,
a steamy love triangle, and enough mystery to keep readers turning the page.
What readers
are saying:
"The story’s central love triangle will delight
romance fans...Harrington excels in crafting multidimensional characters...[A]
satisfying blend of romance, intrigue, and character-driven
storytelling." — Booklife
An entertaining period love story, nicely balancing
breathless lust with social satire and high-mindedness.” — Kirkus Reviews
"The characters are colorful and sharply etched…the
prose has a droll, Austen-esque verve to it, using pompously polite palaver to
reveal the crassness of high society...In keeping with the style is the spirit
of the book’s message—that true love triumphs over mercenary calculation.
Readers will root for the feisty Alaina to overcome the stuffed shirts and find
her heart’s desire.” — Kirkus Reviews
Oh no, here he comes, the lascivious Lord Finch and his merry band of
drunken fools. Alaina looked out at the crowded ballroom, her
eyes connecting with the group of men making their way toward its center.
Alaina had only been at the ball for a quarter hour before this particular
disaster struck, the leers of the men making the hairs at the nape of her neck
prickle. It did not escape Alaina’s attention that Lady Barbara, Lord Finch’s
sister, accompanied the group, and wore a sly smile. Hopefully, this latest
encounter would be short. Surely, Lord Finch would not want to be rejected twice,
let alone in front of a large crowd.
Alaina
looked to her right to find her parents close at hand, thankfully, and she
stood a little straighter knowing she would not face this alone.
The
group of men seemed to move in unison before coming to a halt a few paces
before Alaina and her family. A group of onlookers formed a circle around them
as if ready to enjoy the ensuing spectacle, Lady Barbara taking her place in
the throng. Alaina struggled to focus on the faces of the onlookers as she held
her head high, ready to meet Lord Finch and his friends with as much dignity as
she could muster. She hoped to project a more serene exterior than she
currently felt, her heartbeat accelerating to such a degree that she could feel
the blood rushing in her ears.
Lord
Finch stepped to the fore of the now halted group, and gallantly bowed to
Alaina before speaking, his voice so loud that Alaina was sure people arriving
in carriages outside could hear.
“My
dearest beautiful Alaina,” he started, clearing his throat before
continuing, “You have set upon me quite a conundrum. I fear I have fallen madly
in love with the idea of having you as my wife, and I feel you should be happy
with such an arrangement. I am quite the catch, you know, especially for
someone from the country, and one who likes to read.”
From
behind him, Lady Barbara piped up with an added insult, “Amazing, really, that
Alaina found her way out of the library to be here.” Laughter rippled through
the crowd.
Alaina
cringed at his easy use of her given name, devoid of any honorific, and seethed
at the mockery of her character. Lord Finch and his sister sounded ridiculous,
pompous, and conceited.
Alaina
was frozen in place, her lips trembling in rage, and when no comment ushered
forth from her lips, Lord Finch rejoined, unfazed by the one-sided nature of
their conversation. “I find myself at an impasse. Shall I continue to press my
suit with decorum, or should I make my feelings known to the whole world, so
that you may not so easily dismiss them as you have in the past?”
A
warmth crept up Alaina’s neck and touched her cheeks, giving her pale skin a
glow, although one not easily perceptible in the dim light of the ballroom. She
turned once again to where her parents stood, only to find that her father had
disappeared, and her mother’s pale face was drawn in embarrassment as she
watched her eldest child with dismay. Oh, how Alaina wished her father would
have stayed; his tall frame was intimidating to a crowd, and his familiar umber
eyes were always reassuring to her.
Resolved
to put a stop to this farce, Alaina turned back to Lord Finch and remarked, her
voice distant and strange sounding in her ears, “Lord Finch, it seems my
earlier rejection of your suit did not deter you in the least, but I ask you to
have a care for your surroundings.”
As
the words left her mouth, Alaina watched Lord Finch’s face change, his
outwardly serene expression making way for something more sinister. His smile
twisted into an outright leer, and his pale green eyes seemed to burn of their
own accord, the candlelight no longer just a reflection in them. He lowered to
one knee and reached out his hands in supplication as he sneered, “Please, will
you marry me, my lady?” The emphasis on the last word ensured that
Alaina felt the insult.
Lord
Finch was quickly joined by his friends, their idiocy knowing no bounds, all of
them dropping to their knees in a chorus of marriage proposals, each more
mocking and infuriating than the last. Soon laughter rang loudly in Alaina’s
ears as the men and then the onlookers seemed to find amusement in her
predicament. Her world blurred through a sheen of tears, the faces of the
laughing men—now resembling something like demons—the only clear points in her
vision.
Alaina
glanced about to find her mother and threw herself into her open arms,
shielding her from the worst of the crowd. The two women made their way to the
outer edge of the ballroom and quickly to the front entrance, only stopping a
moment to gather their cloaks before heading out into the cool night. Her
father, having had the forethought to make his way to the exit, met them in the
front drive, where he had already called for their carriage to be brought
around, and not a moment too soon.
The
Sinclair family hastened into the carriage, a pall falling on them as the
conveyance made its way onto the main thoroughfare and toward their London
townhome. Alaina squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the clip clop of the
well-matched team of four, grateful for the silence of her parents, as she let
tears make their way unchecked down her cheeks.
R. K. Harrington is a debut historical romance author,
combining swoon-worthy romance with a bit of mystery. Her first novel, Kindred
Schemes, is scheduled to be released February 2026.
In 2021, R. K. Harrington found that her daydreams were
yearning to spill over to the written page, and, ever since, has been writing
historical romance with a dash of mystery in hopes of publishing her work one
day. After much editing, and long hours designing, she is gearing up to release
her first novel, with many more to come!
R. K. Harrington grew up reading romance novels at a (maybe
too) young age, and the stories entranced her. Give her a Happily Ever After
(HEA) and there is no better book in the world. While romance books (namely
historical romances) are her first love, R. K. Harrington is an avid reader of
all genres. She has gone through many phases: medical mysteries, crime dramas,
science fiction, romantasy, and is currently in a fantasy phase (she does do
the occasional non-fiction book as well, namely history). Through every season
of reading, romance books of all kinds are sprinkled liberally.
When R. K. Harrington is not writing or reading (or working
her day job as an engineer), she is having fun with her husband, their kids,
and her very cute dog, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Maximus. They all live in
the DMV area, where the summers are hot, the winters are cold, and the two days
of Spring and Fall are beautiful enough to open the windows!
Summer Hunter is here to tell us about Always Believed in You, Pink Hotel Book Three, romantic suspense.
Read on for details...
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Pink Hotel, Book Three
Romantic Suspense
Date Published: January 20, 2026
Toby
I should’ve stayed away from Tate Moon.
Sunshine like hers shouldn’t touch a man carved out of violence,
Shadows, and the kind of past that doesn’t just haunt – it hunts.
When I buy the Pink Hotel, Laketown calls me danger.
They’re right. They have no idea how right.
I came here to repay a debt – not hunger for the woman I’ve
already fallen for twice.
But Tate walks back into my life, all soft curves, wildfire eyes, and a pull
I’m too weak to resist.
One accidental touch, one breath against my throat, and every line I swore
I’d never cross ignites.
But the men coming for me won’t pause because I want her.
And when her secret – who her father is – drops us straight into
the crosshairs, I do the only thing guaranteed to break us both:
I walk away before the blood on my hands becomes hers.
Tate
Toby thinks disappearing will protect me.
He forgets exactly who he’s dealing with.
When he vanishes, leaving danger snapping at our heels, I refuse to let fear
or fate take him.
With my pistol–wielding mama, my chaos-loving grandpa, and half the town
ready to scorch the earth, I’ll tear through every thread determined to
claim him.
Because Toby Russo believes he’s poison – but I know better.
His darkness steadies mine, his touch anchors me, and I’ve believed in
him long before he believed in himself.
The Pink Hotel has secrets buried in every cracked tile and blood-soaked
memory.
This time, we’re the ones ripping them open – and we’ll burn
down anything that tries to swallow us whole.
About the Author
Summer Hunter writes romantic suspense with bite—where love
sizzles, danger lurks, and someone always ends up shirtless.
She calls Hawaii home, which means she’s fueled by sunshine, strong
coffee, and the occasional plot twist that shows up between bites of fried
noodles. Her characters are bold, her banter is sharp, and her
happily-ever-afters always come with a little chaos and a lot of heat.
When she’s not plotting her next twisty love story, she’s probably
side-eyeing tourists from behind her sunglasses and pretending it’s all
“research.”
Marteeka Karland is here to tell us about Rancor, Kiss of Death MC, motorcycle club romance, suspense, and age gap.
Read on for details...
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(Kiss of Death MC)
Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap
Date Published: January 16, 2026
A broken man, a wary woman, and a past that wants blood -- love has
never been more dangerous.
Cora -- Survival is my full-time job. Delivering groceries to the Kiss of
Death MC should’ve been just another stop… until Rancor stepped
out of the shadows and looked at me like he already knew my secrets. His quiet
strength is wrapped in scars and heat. He’s the kind of man who could
break the world but touches me like I’m the only soft thing he’s
got left. I should run. Instead, I keep driving through those gates, craving
the one man who makes me feel safe in ways I don’t dare say out loud.
Rancor -- I buried my heart years ago. Grief, violence, and prison killed
anything left inside me, and I was glad. It meant I didn’t have to feel
anything. Then Cora walked into the compound and cracked me open with a single
glance. She’s brave without meaning to be, a storm in a small frame, and
the first woman to make me feel anything since the night my life ended. One
touch, and I knew I’d protect her with my last breath. One kiss and I
knew I’d kill for her. I’ve already lost too much to lose her,
too. Especially not to the same family who already ruined my life.
EXCERPT
Cora
The gates of the Kiss of Death MC compound loomed ahead, iron and rust and
threat. I knew the place was called Kiss of Death because there was a big-ass
sign on the gate. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel of my beat-up
sedan. No one wanted to deliver here, and for good reason. My second delivery
here felt even worse.
The first time I could blame ignorance, on not knowing better. This time I
drove through those gates with full knowledge of what waited inside. At least,
I hoped I did. The people inside these gates had been nothing but kind to me.
Tipped well, too. I still found it hard to let my guard down in a place
literally named Kiss of Death.
The sedan’s engine coughed as I pressed the accelerator. The sound
seemed too loud, even in a place that could get noisy. The rumble of a bike
starting up had me jumping. As the guy caught sight of me, he froze and shut
down the bike. Next thing I knew he was rolling backward, pushing the bike
with his feet until he returned to the inside of the garage. I rolled forward,
past the gates.
Camo netting stretched between the buildings, creating shadows in the
afternoon light. The warehouses formed a perfect square like some kind of
military precision in architecture. If I didn’t need the money, I
definitely wouldn’t be here.
The main building rose ahead. I’d been directed there last time, so I
aimed for the same spot. I thought about the envelope from my first delivery.
Cash, all of it, with a tip that equaled half the order total. That money had
bought groceries for a week, gas for two. It had been the difference between
making rent on time and asking my landlord for another extension I
wouldn’t get.
The parking area materialized ahead. I pulled in next to a row of motorcycles,
their chrome catching the filtered light through the netting. My sedan looked
all kinds of wrong among them.
I shifted into park and killed the engine. The silence felt worse than the
noise. Now I could hear everything. Distant music from somewhere inside the
compound. Male voices, laughing. It all sounded so normal I wanted to laugh at
myself. Obviously they’d been grateful to get someone to deliver here
and had treated me well. The phone app tracked my movements, kind of like a
safeguard, so I really had little to worry about. I hoped.
My fingers fumbled with the door handle. Metal, cold against my palm. I pushed
it open and the hinges squeaked, announcing my presence to anyone within
earshot. The air outside tasted different than in my car. Heavier. It carried
scents I couldn’t identify; motor oil and something sharp underneath,
something that made my lizard brain want to run.
Movement from the clubhouse caught my eye. Hannah bounded out waving as she
hurried to me. She’d been the one to meet me last time.
She hurried toward me with an easy confidence and a bright, genuine smile I
envied. Her dark hair caught the filtered light, pulled back from her face in
a way that revealed high cheekbones and those striking hazel eyes. She wore
jeans and a simple T-shirt, and a black leather vest. I’d noticed last
time the vest was similar to her husband’s, though the back proclaimed
her as “Property of Knuckles” where his simply said “Kiss of
Death MC” and “Nashville, TN”. It sounded barbaric, but this
woman didn’t seem oppressed in any way. In fact, when I met her the last
time, her husband had dropped a kiss on top of her head as he’d passed
her and hadn’t let Hannah carry anything from the car.
I raised a hand in an awkward wave, immediately feeling stupid for the
gesture. But Hannah’s expression softened further, and she picked up her
pace. I moved to the back of my car and lifted the trunk lid, ready to help
her unload.
“You came back.” Hannah’s voice held a warm welcome that
seemed impossible in this place. She stopped a few feet from my car, close
enough to be friendly but far enough to respect boundaries. “I
wasn’t sure you would.”
“The order came through.” I tried to keep my voice steady,
professional. “Same as last time.”
“And you accepted it.” Something shifted in her expression, a
subtle approval that made me stand a little straighter. “Most drivers
reject anything with our address. The guys haven’t done anything, but
this many ex-cons in one place makes people nervous, I guess.” She
frowned. “People tend to overlook the good they do. Not every person
guilty of bad things are bad people.”
I tilted my head to the side. “You know, I never thought about it that
way. But you’re right. I shouldn’t judge people unless they give
me reason to.” I looked away, suddenly ashamed of myself.
“I’d be in a world of hurt if people judged me by what they saw on
the surface.”
“Hey.” Hannah moved closer, reaching out to touch my shoulder
gently. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. We truly are
grateful someone is willing to give us all a chance.” She smiled,
squeezing my shoulder gently before dropping her hand.
“Um, can I ask a question?” I didn’t know why I asked her,
but once I had, I intended to follow through.
“Of course.” She looked pleasantly curious.
“I saw a guy when I first came in today. He came out of that
building,” I pointed back the way I’d come. “But he turned
off his bike and rolled back into the shadows.” I swallowed hard. If
I’d gotten too nosy I might well have crossed a line I shouldn’t
have. But it was odd! Also, I might be feeling a little paranoid. But to my
surprise, Hannah only smiled.
“The guys know this place isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. They
also know that some people are scared of the noise, to say nothing of the men
themselves. There’s not one of them who doesn’t look scary as
hell.” She grinned. “But every single one of them sat through and
energetically participated in the Christmas party they had for the women and
children in the shelter they help protect. The kids adore them all.”
Before I could respond, movement behind her drew my attention. Another figure
emerged from the clubhouse, moving with a deliberate slowness that made every
step feel intentional.
My breath caught. He was big. Tall and broad-shouldered, and big in the way
that suggested power held in careful check. His shoulders stretched a gray
T-shirt to its limits.
His head was shaved clean, and somehow, the man was more intimidating for its
starkness. But it was his face that made my fingers tighten on the grocery bag
I still held. Weathered. Lined with stress that had carved deep grooves around
his mouth and between his eyebrows. He looked like a man who’d forgotten
how to relax, if he’d ever known.
He approached with that same measured pace, each footfall deliberate. The way
he moved reminded me of documentaries I’d seen about predators. Not
rushing. Never rushing. Because predators didn’t need to hurry when they
knew their prey couldn’t escape. My heart, which had just started to
calm, kicked back into overdrive.
“Cora, this is Rancor.” Hannah gestured between us, casually as if
introducing neighbors at a barbecue. Thank God she didn’t notice my
discomfort because how embarrassing would that be? “He’s going to
help with the groceries.”
His gaze met mine, and I forced myself not to look away even though every
instinct screamed at me to drop my gaze. His eyes were dark, nearly black in
the shadow of the camo netting, and he studied me with an intensity that made
my skin prickle.
“Ma’am.” His voice was quiet and rough, as if he
didn’t use it much.
“Hi.” The syllable came out higher than I wanted. I cleared my
throat. “There are a lot of bags.” Brilliant conversational
skills, Cora. Truly impressive.
But Rancor just nodded, a single dip of his head, and moved past me to the
trunk. He smelled like soap and motor oil, the combination oddly intriguing.
I stepped back, giving him room.
He reached into the trunk and pulled out several bags at once, hoisting them
like they weighed nothing. His forearms flexed, muscles shifting under skin
decorated with what looked like a burn scar. Then he turned and walked toward
the clubhouse, that same deliberate pace.
“So.” Hannah’s voice pulled my attention back to her.
She’d moved closer, filling the space Rancor had vacated. “You
deliver every day?”
“Most days.” I watched Rancor’s back as he walked away, the
way his T-shirt stretched across his shoulders. “Depends on the
orders.”
“That’s a lot of driving.” Hannah leaned against my car,
comfortable in a way I envied. “You like it?”
Did I like it? I liked eating. I liked having electricity. I liked not being
homeless. My job met those ends.
“It’s fine,” I said. “Flexible schedule.”
Hannah’s smile widened. Not mocking. Understanding. “Money
talks?”
“Sometimes, I guess.” No point in pretending otherwise. My car was
clean, inside and out, and I took care with my appearance. I didn’t have
anything fancy, nor did I know how to do makeup or anything, but I kept myself
clean, my clothes washed and pressed. Obviously, I didn’t have much, but
I had pride.
Rancor emerged from the clubhouse, empty-handed now, heading back toward us.
My pulse quickened at his proximity. Stupid. His presence made my pulse jump
and my body betray me. I’d seen good-looking men before, both nice guys
and dipshits. For some reason, though, this guy just did it for me when he
shouldn’t. Story of my life. Wanting things I had no business dreaming
about.
He reached the trunk and grabbed another few bags. This time when he lifted
them, his eyes cut to mine briefly. Just a flicker of contact, there and gone,
but it jolted through me like touching a live wire. I looked away first.
Examined my shoes as if they held the secrets of the universe.
“Where are you from?” Hannah asked, still making conversation like
this was normal, like we were normal people in a normal place.
“Here. Nashville.” I shifted my weight. “Well, just outside
the city.”
“You grow up here?”
“No.” The word came out clipped. I didn’t elaborate. Hannah
didn’t push. She seemed to have a way of paying attention to my body
language and feeling me out.
Hannah glanced toward Rancor, who was emerging from the clubhouse again. When
she looked back at me, something knowing glinted in her hazel eyes.
“I’m glad you came back. Hopefully I can make a friend because you
did.”
Rancor collected the last of the bags. His fingers brushed the trunk’s
edge near where mine rested. We weren’t touching, but we were close
enough that I felt the heat of his skin.
He straightened with the final bags and paused. Looked at me full-on, not just
a glance but actual eye contact that held for three long heartbeats. Then he
walked away, and I remembered how to breathe.
When I finally brought my attention back to Hannah, I found her watching me
with that same knowing expression, approval written in the curve of her mouth.
I felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with danger and everything to
do with desire I had no business feeling.
Rancor must have set his load down somewhere because he now stood near the
clubhouse door, hands loose at his sides, watching us. Watching me. The weight
of his gaze pressed against my skin like humidity before a storm.
Hannah shifted closer, close enough that her voice dropped to something almost
conspiratorial. “You know,” she said, quiet enough that Rancor
probably couldn’t hear her. “You couldn’t pick a better
protector than any of the men from Kiss of Death.”
The words hit me wrong. Too direct. Too knowing. Like she’d reached
inside my head and pulled out thoughts I hadn’t fully formed yet.
“I’m just delivering groceries.” I kept my voice light,
aiming for casual and probably missing by miles. “I don’t need
protection.”
But even as I said the words, I felt the lie in them. I was one bad
day’s work away from being homeless. I lived in a really shitty part of
town because I couldn’t afford anything better.
Hannah’s smile suggested she heard everything I didn’t say.
“Of course.” I didn’t know what to do with the implication
hanging between us. That I needed protecting. That I might want protecting.
Or, more aptly, that the men here, Rancor specifically, could provide the
safety I longed for.
The idea should have offended me. I’d spent years learning to protect
myself, to need no one, to be self-sufficient in every way that mattered.
I’d always been stubborn. At least, I had been after I left my
parents’ sphere of influence.
About the Author
Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double
life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife
by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in
spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable
heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful
ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are
speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined
with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a
sigh from her readers.
Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband
with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for
preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts
(which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with
Marteeka's latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her
website. Don't forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you
with a potpourri of Teeka's beloved recipes, book suggestions, autograph
events, and a plethora of interesting tidbits.
Stacy Eaton is here to tell us about her Loving a Young series, steamy small-town romances.
There's also a great giveaway.
____________________
Six Siblings.
Six Steamy Romances.
One Small Town.
Wesley
Loving a Young Book 1
by Stacy Eaton
Genre: Steamy Small-Town Romance
An overprotective
mother, an injured child, and a handsome doctor. Can an accident create a
family?
Charlotte Bennett is not a fan of strangers. She reacts without listening when
she sees a man touching her daughter at the park. It’s only later when her
daughter is rushed to the hospital, that Charlotte realizes how wrong she had
been to accuse the stranger of inappropriate behavior.
Doctor Wesley Young only wanted to help the tender-aged girl he witnessed fall,
but when her mother attacks him at the park, he’s left stunned. When little
Marisol arrives in the emergency department, the mother makes more of an
impression on him than the cut she left on his face.
Things heat up quickly when Marisol is no longer Wes’s patient, but when
traumatic things from Charlotte’s past are revealed, Wes isn’t sure that
Charlotte is the woman for him. Can Charlotte find a way to explain it all so
that Wes will accept both her and her daughter?
The Loving a Young Series is a steamy adult romance series
comprising of six books. While these books are all standalone romances, the
characters will be seen throughout the series. They will also be found in the
five-book spin-off Loving a Winston Series. An additional Spin-Off
Series is projected to start publishing in 2025 and is entitled Loving
a Lancaster Series. It is currently slated for eight books
Ever the optimist,
Roxy is excited about the future, but when she finds out about the sexy
Paramedic’s past, can you get over it?
Being a wedding planner is hard, especially when someone always tries to steal
your business, and your family doesn’t support you. However, Roxanne Novak is
determined to keep her business afloat—no matter what. When Roxy is in a car
accident hurrying to meet a potential bride, she’s injured and scared, but
paramedic Henley Young takes excellent care of her.
Henley loves his job and thrives on the adrenaline of helping people in need.
Maybe that’s why when he meets Roxy, he’s inclined to help her with more than
just medical care. Hooking her up with his older brother Wesley and his
bride-to-be could be just what she needs. It might also be the start of
something between Henley and the spunky little wedding planner.
With a surprise job offer Roxy, she finds herself rethinking her entire
business plan. Excited at the prospect and another chance, Roxy and Henley
begin making plans. After Roxy accidentally learns of Henley’s past
relationship, everything she knew about him is questioned.
Can Roxy and Henley put the past to bed and move forward to something that
might be more than what either had ever hoped for?
When Daniella’s life
is threatened again, can she pull herself out of her fictional world long
enough to see the truth?
Daniella Knight works hard to create suspenseful and romantic tales, but she
shutters herself from the world after a violent interaction with a fan. When
her house catches on fire, she and her protection dog, Tigger, are forced to
rely on the help of strangers.
Huntley Young loves being in the thick of the action—especially if that action
has something to do with his job as a firefighter. When Huntley stops the
homeowner from returning inside the house, he has no clue that he just placed
himself firmly in the hero department of her latest book.
As Hunt and Daniella get to know each other, Daniella’s creative mind sometimes
has trouble separating reality and fiction. When danger strikes again, will
Daniella be able to see what is right in front of her, or will her past trauma
protect her while hiding inside her romantic fictional world?
The Loving a Young Series is a steamy adult romance series
comprising of six books. While these books are all standalone romances, the
characters will be seen throughout the series. They will also be found in the
five-book spin-off Loving a Winston Series. An additional Spin-Off
Series is projected to start publishing in 2025 and is entitled Loving
a Lancaster Series. It is currently slated for eight books.
Will Riley finally
admit that she’s in love with Ethan, or will she lose him forever?
Riley is always the life of the party, and Ethan is there to pick her up and
keep her together. He knows her almost as well as she knows herself, and he
knows she will never love him as he does her.
Now Ethan wants more out of life and love, but Riley continues to deny her
feelings and insists they are only friends with benefits. When a training
opportunity comes up that will get Ethan out of town for months, he jumps on
it—finally, a way to get over Riley and move on.
With Ethan gone and a new guy in her life, Riley deals with several emotional
issues without the help of her best friend. A family emergency has Ethan
feeling lost without Riley to lean on, but he refuses to go to her and seeks
solace with another.
Will Riley make the right choices and finally admit how she feels, or will she
find herself alone and falling further down the rabbit hole?
When Kayley falls for
a younger man, can she learn to accept her feelings, or will she lose something
she didn’t even know she wanted?
Kayley Young’s life is about to undergo a few profound changes. Independent
Kayley Young is a real estate agent in New York and loves her life as a single
woman. She’s not one to get tied down and leaves the baby-making to her
siblings.
Officer Cameron Sexton is new on the job, a veteran of the military, and proud
of his dedication to the job. Unfortunately, he finds himself annoyed at his
lackadaisical sergeant, who should hang up his gun belt before getting someone
hurt. When Cameron is dispatched to a burglary, he meets Kayley Young and is
instantly attracted to her. Cameron has a feeling she reciprocates those
feelings, except she’s a little leery that he is ten years younger than her.
When Kayley’s life starts taking a turn for the worst, she depends more on the
attractive young man she has let into her bed for fun than she intended. Her
original thought of enjoying the moment starts to last longer, but Kayley’s not
sure that dating a man ten years her junior is wise for the long haul.
Especially with the rest of the changes that have happened in her life. Can
Kayley come to terms with the age difference, or will her family sway her away
from the younger man?
Bradley is set in his
ways, but when his sister asks for him to help her friend, he finds more than
he bargained for.
Bradley Young is the eldest sibling of the Young family and the only one
previously married. After losing his wife to cancer, he’s used to caring for
his two kids alone. The thought of dating is not something he’s interested in,
not with a busy construction business and a family that always needs help.
Nolan Nickels needed a change, and with the help of her good friend, Kayley,
she left New York and came to Millerstown to take a teaching position at the
middle school. She has always been a tomboy and loves to fix things with her
hands and play sports.
With a new house in her name, Nolan seeks out the perfect plan to get the house
ready so she can bring her two daughters home, but is her fixer-upper more than
she bargained for?
When Kayley finally gets Brad to stop by the house to check something, Brad
finds himself more than intrigued with the spitfire, Nolan. Will he finally
find the woman to spend his life with, or will she close the door on any
future?
Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Bestselling author and began her
writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took early retirement from law
enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016 due to a second serious
concussion. Her last three years on the job were in investigations and crime
scene investigation. She now writes full-time.
Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband,
who works in law enforcement. She has a daughter in college and a son who is
currently serving in the United States Navy.
Stacy writes a variety of genres, but mostly romance. She
enjoys writing real-life stories that people can relate to with real-life
problems, emotions, and solutions.
Her favorites: Classic cars, photography, Disney, music,
coffee, and her favorite sweatshirt that says, You are dangerously close to
getting killed in my next novel.
