Sunday Smooch - Loving the Odds

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Stefanie London but first 


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is ladiemarcie.!!


Can you please contact annie (at) annie-west (dot) com to receive your copy of A VOW TO SECURE HIS LEGACY.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from LOVING THE ODDS.

Risk analyst Bailey Reuben might be in Las Vegas, but the last thing on her mind is sin. She’s there to find her jerk of an ex and get her grandfather’s watch back. Instead, she finds a smoking hot stranger. A stranger with a crazy plan to help her retrieve her family heirloom and get revenge. It’s a bad idea—she calculates risks for a living, after all—but she can’t say no.

Bad boy PR guru Lance Fulton is all about helping the gorgeous, quirky Bailey. She’s in desperate need of some fun, and pretending to be her new boyfriend is the perfect way to help her see how sexy she is, get the watch, and show her ex what he’s missing. But the more they get to know each other—and the hotter their attraction burns—the higher the probability one of them will end up with a broken heart…

Set up: Bailey and Lance are sharing a hotel room after her spontaneous decision to stay in Las Vegas for the weekend. There’s a lot of instant attraction between then, but Bailey’s been burned before and she’s unsure how to deal with her attraction to Lance. Luckily for her, Lance isn’t to shy about going after what he wants.

“I’m not one of those people who uses literally when they mean figuratively,” she said.

“I’m sure you use the correct word at all times.” His lip twitched but he managed to keep a straight face.

“Oh, I try to. Grammar is very important and not enough people take care with it.” She paused. “Hang on; you’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

“Me, never.” He put a hand to his chest in mock sincerity. “I’m a total gentleman.”

The fine arch of her brows said it all. “Riiiight.”

“You wound me.”

She laughed. “Want me to kiss it better?”

It was a saying, a colloquialism…he knew that. But those six little words managed to suck all the air out of his lungs and disconnect his body from his brain. He stepped forward and her breath hitched. The blacks of her pupils ate away at the electric rim of blue around them.

“What did you say, Bailey?” His voice came out roughhewn. Edgy.

“I just meant…” She sucked in a breath and mashed her lips together.

Desperate desire rushed through him. He wanted to press his lips to her throat and see if her pulse was racing the same as his. What would it be like to drag his lips across her skin? Would she taste as clean and fresh as she smelled?

“It was a joke,” she whispered. Her tongue darted out to touch the corner of her mouth and that flash of pink totally undid him. “I think.”

The space shrunk between them as he closed in. “You think?”

“I don’t know.” She stood rooted to the ground. “What if it wasn’t?”

“Are you saying you want to kiss me, Bailey?”

Her lips parted as if in invitation and her hands came up to his chest automatically. The soft, feathery touch of her fingers through his T-shirt stoked the fire inside him. She moved her hands over his pecs and up to his shoulders. The movement was gentle, but passion flickered across her face like a flame.

“I’m still deciding.” She pressed her sweet little body against him, her bare thighs lining up with his.

The delicate swirl of her hips forced his blood south. He was hard as f**king steel. “You’re still deciding?”

“Well, I don’t usually kiss random men. Actually, I’ve never been one to kiss much and there’s a chance I may not be good at it.” Her brows creased but her hands fisted into the cotton of his T-shirt. 

“At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

“You’re giving me some very mixed signals right now.” His face hovered inches from hers, their breath mingling in the air between them.

“I want to kiss you, but…” Her lips quivered. “I’m scared.”

“Why don’t we take it slow?” Lance brushed his mouth over hers. It was more a whisper than a kiss. 

“Glacial, even.”

“Glacial,” she sighed as he slid his hands up the back of her neck to cradle her head. “I like that.”

His thumbs stroked her ears as he kissed one corner of her mouth and then the other. Slow.  Soft. Her fresh scent curled around him.

“That feels good,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering shut.

He traced his tongue along the seam of her mouth and she opened for him, her lips glistening and shiny like ripe fruit. When he leaned in again, her tongue came out to meet his and he moaned into her mouth.

I love the idea of having a crazy story about how people met their significant other. Lance and Bailey will certainly have quite the tale for their grandkids one day!

How did you meet your significant other (or anyone else important in your life, like a best friend)? Leave a comment below to be in a running to win an ebook copy of Loving the Odds.

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and another smooch will be posted!

Sunday Smooch with Stefanie London

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from  PRETEND IT’S LOVE but first


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Laney4!

Can you please contact Michelle at michelle (at) michelle - douglas (dot) com to receive your copy of REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Stefanie London

Bar manager Paul Chapman is sick of his family’s traditional ideals. Marriage, babies, and a white picket fence? Not his gig. But now that his ‘golden child’ big brother is tying the knot, Paul’s screwed. His ex will be there...and she’s having his cousin’s baby. Unless he wants to show up to the wedding alone and face his family’s scrutiny, he needs a girl on his arm. Now.

Cocktail specialist Libby Harris has spent her life earning the nickname Little Miss Perfect, all to win the love of her wealthy, controlling father. But she deviated from his plan, and now her business is on shaky ground. If it fails, she might as well kiss his respect—and her dream—good-bye. Her only hope? Convince the hottest bar in town to take on her product.

Luckily for her, the owner’s brother is sexy as sin and in need of a perfect girlfriend...

Setup: Paul and Libby are at his parent’s house for dinner. They’ve agreed to engage in a fake relationship for mutual gain, and now they’re acting the part of his family. They’ve gone into the kitchen to put the dishes away and Paul works out that the family are watching the, very closely. So, being the cheeky guy that he is, he decides to take advantage of the situation.

She looked behind her to make sure they were alone. “This is a business arrangement, nothing more. I don’t want things to get messy.”

Messy was an understatement. She didn’t want to get used and discarded for a newer model the way she had back in university. The way her father had done to her mother years before that.

History would repeat itself if she wasn’t careful, and Paul would only be able to use her if she let him. But she wouldn’t. Their arrangement gave her something precious—an opportunity, a chance—and she would otherwise keep him at a distance.

“But getting messy is so much fun.” He reached out to her and pulled her to him, his hips flat against her belly as he wedged her against the kitchen bench. “Besides, they’re spying on us.”

“Who?”

“My family.” He inclined his head back toward the kitchen door with a movement so subtle she felt as though they were spies communicating undercover. “We should sell it; we don’t want them thinking this is just business.”

His hands touched her hips, his fingers tracing the line at the top of her jeans just under her shirt. The throbbing started up again, insistent. Demanding.

“They don’t think that,” she protested, but her hands came up to his chest as if controlled by a puppet master tugging her strings.

His muscles were hard beneath her palms, and she had to stop herself from rubbing against him. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a flash of red. Gracie.

“Okay, maybe they are watching us.”

“Ready to play the part?” One hand came up to cup the angle of her jaw. “Let’s see what kind of actress you are.”

“This is purely for show,” she said, the breath rushing out of her lungs as his face hovered close to hers.

“Of course.” His lips brushed the space next to the corner of her mouth, so close and yet the distance felt like pure, unadulterated torture. “You won’t enjoy this at all.”

“I won’t.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

He angled her head, coming down over her in a way that was completely possessive and in control. 

As his lips parted hers, she sighed against him, her body losing the ability to hold itself upright. Every nerve ending in her body sparkled like New Year’s fireworks, and her fists curled into his T-shirt.

The moment his tongue touched hers her mind went blank, the taste of wine on his lips and the scent of his skin driving her to a point of desperation. His fingers thrust into her hair, pulling her head back so he could take more, demand more. Taste more.

Unable to stop herself, Libby pressed her hips against him, gently rubbing up and down until a wonderfully guttural sound came from the back of his throat. He was hard beneath her hands, the muscles in his chest perfectly shaped. The press of his thighs against hers enough to spark wild images in her mind.

“You seem fairly invested,” he murmured against her lips, pulling away from the kiss with a dark fire in his eyes, “for someone who’s not enjoying herself.”

Find Stefanie's books on:

Amazon US | Aus | UK | CA

Kobo & iTunes

PRETEND IT'S LOVE is Book 2 in the Behind the Bar series and is set in Melbourne, Australia. 

To go into the draw to win an ebook copy of the book, answer this question: What's your favourite drink? It can be a cocktail or something non-alcoholic :)

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Rachel Bailey will be posted!

Sunday Smooch with...Stefanie London

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Stefanie London, but first 

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Savannah Blaize!

Can you please contact louisageorgeauthor at gmail dot com to receive your copy of book!

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Stefanie London’s Entangled Lovestruck novella, The Rules According to Gracie.

Back cover blurb:

Gracie Green has a shopping list for men. Career, financials, family...and a long list of rules to determine a guy's suitability. She's already disappointed her socialite mother once—now Gracie needs to find Mr. Perfect. Too bad she keeps getting distracted by her super-sexy, six-feet-of-tattooed-hotness friend, Des, who is so many shades of Mr. Wrong…

Bar owner Des Chapman has vowed never again to get involved with society girls. Yet he's irresistibly drawn to Gracie—those lush curves, those lips, and her ridiculous ability to date the wrong guys. As Gracie's discouragement grows, Des realizes it's time to show her what she reallyneeds in a man—and it has nothing to do with a briefcase and generous bank account. He'll teach Gracie the Rules According To Des…even if it means breaking his rule in the process.

Set Up

Sick of seeing Gracie be disappointed with the guys she dates, Des offers to take her out so she can find the kind of guy who’s going to make her happy and get out of her rut. Only he secretly wants Gracie all for himself.

At the end of the night it’s clear that there’s a spark between them, but Gracie is resisting her attraction to Des. Luckily, he’s not the kind of guy who’s afraid to make the first move.

“What are we doing, Des?” It wasn’t something he could answer, but she had to fill the void of silence before it sucked her in. Before it consumed her right there on the spot.

“I’m not sure what you’re doing, but I’m going out on a limb.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“I’m breaking my rule.”

“I thought you didn’t have any.” A smile quirked on her mouth.

“I have one…had one.” He grabbed her hand and closed the last of the space between them. 

Her fingers were knotted with his; heat raced through her veins.

As his mouth met hers, her mind went blank. There was nothing but the insistent press of his lips as he opened her, tasted her. She should have resisted. For a split second she wanted to resist, but his hands moved to her back, crushing her to him. She was powerless.

He kissed like he meant it, like he wanted to savor every second of it. His tongue delved gently into her, teasing, taunting, coaxing. But it wasn’t until he moved his hips against her, the evidence of his arousal jutting into her belly, that she sagged into his chest and let him in.

“Gracie,” he moaned into her mouth. His hands slid down her back, cupping her ass and lifting her slightly. Each subtle movement of his hips shot flames through her. She was unravelling. Fast.

“Des, I think—”

“Don’t think.” It was a command, without room for negotiation.

His lips were at her cheek, her temple, her hairline. She slid her hands into his hair, tugging him so his lips came back to hers. A tremor ran through him, a tremor she’d caused.

Excitement danced like fairy lights behind her eyelids. Her world was tilting; solid ground shifted beneath her feet.

“Come home with me.” The words were whispered like a secret in her ear, an invitation to undo her laces and break down her boundaries.

“I can’t…” If she did then she would never be the same. Des would ruin her for other men. After experiencing him, her world would be gray. It was too risky. “We’re not right for each other.”

 

Gracie is stuck in a dating rut and Des is the one to help her break out of that. What's the most interesting, unusual or downright weird date that you've been on?

Leave a comment and you could win a ebook copy of The Rules According to Gracie.

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and another smooch will be posted!

My love affair with novellas

My Dad once told me that good things come in small packages. I have a feeling he told me this because I’m 5’4’’ on a good day, and have been ever since I stopped growing around the time high school started.

This is the book that started my
love affair with short reads

Speaking of smaller things, I’ve always enjoyed short books. I read a lot of category romances which run at the 50,000 word mark and I’m a huge fan of novellas as well which can be anywhere from 15,000 to 40,000 words (they can be longer for other genres where the average word count of a book is higher).

It’s not to say I can’t find pleasure in longer reads (since I just finished A Game f Thrones by George R.R. Martin which is longest book I’ve ever read and I loved it) but I enjoy the immediate gratification of a shorter read.

Not convinced? Here are my top reasons to pick up a novella today:

Instant gratification

Many novellas can be read in a single sitting. They’re great if you’ve come off the back of a long read and you’re looking for something quick and enjoyable. You get your happy ever after right away!

Revisit your favourite worlds

Many romance series these days have novellas as well as full-length novels. They’re a great way to check back in with your favourite world, see the characters who’ve been in the background of previous stories or to find some new characters to love.

Try out a new author

If you’re interested in trying out a new author, you don’t always have to commit to a full-length book straight away. Novellas are generally cheaper as well as quicker to read, which makes them a great way to see if you connect with an author’s voice and characters before you hand over the price of a bigger book.

Get your fix between big books

Writing is tough work and the publishing process can be slow. This means readers often have to wait long times between installments in their favourite series. A lot of authors are now releasing novellas so they can give their fans something between larger projects.

Novellas pack a punch

You might only have half the words but you still get all of the perks: chemistry, conflict and the beloved HEA. With the short word count authors have to work hard to fit everything into the story, meaning novellas are a concentrated form of romance goodness. Less words doesn’t have to mean less story.

Are you a fan of novellas? What the best one that you’ve read so far?

If you're looking for a place to start my novella with Entangled’s Lovestruck imprint, The RulesAccording to Gracie, is out today!! Happy Days.