Summer Book Event:
Queen of His Heart & Southern Embrace
Contemporary Romance stories
Judith Bell is comfortable with her quiet, predictable life. After a failed relationship left her emotionally—and physically— scarred, she tries her hardest to ignore Carlos Moreno’s advances. But the sexy, dark-eyed security chief is proving very hard to ignore. When fear and blackmail drives her to compromise her new position at Royal Courts, Judith’s serene life is once again disrupted.
Carlos is captivated by his boss’ assistant. Beyond her beauty is a sweet, gentle woman needing desperately to be loved. But when an internal investigation points to her, he realizes Judith may not be the innocent she appears. Left wondering if he’s been duped by a pretty face and bewitching smile, Carlos finds himself torn between his obligations to Royal Courts or protecting the woman who’s already stolen his heart.
On the run from her past and forced into hiding, Judith is faced with two choices—either let fear define her future or allow love to heal her wounded heart.
“Are you okay, muñeca?” he asked slowly.
She stared up at him, overwhelmed with despair. No, not really. The worry in his eyes was enough to have the lump return, but this time from profound guilt instead of panic.
Could she trust him?
It wasn’t worth the risk so instead she took a deep breath and simply nodded as she tried to formulate her thoughts and put them into coherent words this time.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Judith assured him with a wide smile. “I just…I got so busy today, I missed lunch and now can’t seem to think straight.”
At least that wasn’t a complete lie. There was no food in her stomach and no rational thought left in her brain—not enough anyway to have kept her fear at bay and stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life.
“You need to take better care of yourself,” Carlos said, concern still clouding his eyes. “Don’t let Carrone work you to the ground.”
Despite herself, she was warmed by the gentle reprimand. He cared.
“I’m fine, really. I just need to grab a few things, then I’m heading out soon.” She turned the door knob of the supply room as she spoke and to her dismay, found it locked. Glancing over at Carlos, she let out a weak laugh.
“I guess they’ve started locking these after hours,” she muttered, though it was something she wouldn’t know. In her three months at Royal Courts, she’d only been there once or twice.
With a grin, Carlos pulled out a set of keys. “The perks of working in security,” he said, quickly unlocking the door.
He pushed it open and she walked past him inside. Following her into the small, dim room, Carlos let the door closed behind him with a finality that was jarring.
Judith ended her quick search for the light switch and resigned herself to using the downlighting to navigate through the room. Rows of tall shelves lined the small space and she walked through the nearest one, looking for something suitable to carry out of there. But being isolated in the dark room with Carlos Moreno wasn’t helping matters.
“What are you looking for?” he asked, coming up behind her. “Maybe I can help.”
Her eyes fell on a stack of notepads and she reached for them. “Uh, I think I found it,” she said quickly.
Unfortunately, she missed the box of envelopes that were stacked right above them. When she jerked on the pack, they all threatened to come down on her head.
“Careful,” Carlos said sharply, reaching over her to catch the items.
He shoved the bundle of papers back into position and the action brought him firmly against her. His warm, well-muscled chest pressed solidly along her back. She wanted nothing more than to lean against him, to have him wrap his strong arms around her and hold her close.
“Nothing got you, did it?”
She shook her head, her face heating, grateful he’d saved her from that embarrassing mishap—and that he wasn’t a mind reader.
“No, I’m fine.”
She turned around, but he didn’t step back. They both stood there looking at each other. There was no way she could hide her attraction to him now. Not when he looked at her like that.
Stark desire blazed in his deep, penetrating eyes, but there was also a tenderness and affection in them that made something in her belly flutter.
He reached out and brushed his thumb slowly across her cheek. “What’s a good girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?”
Judith glanced away from his intense gaze. He’d obviously intended for it to be a joke, but with what she’d just done not too long ago, coupled with the slow throbbing between her legs just from his light touch, he was far from the truth.
She was no good girl.
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Lena Hart is a Florida native currently living in the Harlem edge of New York City. Though she enjoys reading a variety of romance genres, she mainly writes sensual interracial romances with a flare of suspense and mystery. When Lena is not busy writing, she’s reading, researching, or conferring with her muse. To learn more about Lena and her work, visit LenaHartSite.com.
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Can a long lost love mend a grieving heart?
Widowed at twenty-three, Savannah Grant is devastated and consumed with grief, a grief that she can't seem to move past. When her high school sweetheart, Lance Peterson, re-enters her life, Savannah struggles with the feeling that she would be betraying her deceased husband by moving on. Plus, she can't forget the way Lance broke her heart all those years ago.
Lance never stopped loving Savannah. He wants a second chance, and he's willing to do anything it takes to convince her to give him one. Will she give in and let Lance love her, showing her a passion beyond anything she thought possible?
Content Warning: adult language, explicit sexual situations, anal play
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. Van grabbed her purse and headed out to the mall. Nikki's shower was the following weekend, and Nikki had been on her to get a new dress for days, threatening to drag her shopping kicking and screaming if she didn't go herself.
Once at the mall, Van picked up some last minute gifts for Nikki. After trying on a few dresses, she found a knee-length, strapless coral dress. She purchased it and was off in search of a pair of shoes. When she found the perfect pair of coral and silver heels, Van concluded the trip to the mall a complete success.
Her cellphone rang as she was leaving the shoe store. She dug around in her bag to find it. With her head down and her steps brisk, she ran right into someone.
"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz," she said as she looked up into the brown eyes of her first love. She gasped and took a step back, surveying him. His light brown hair was a little shorter and he was built like a man now, not the boy she used to know. She stood frozen in place, staring at him. This can't be happening. A tidal wave of emotions rushed through her at once. Anger, resentment, hatred, but mainly pain…so much pain.
"Van."
"Lance? Oh my God!" She took another step back. "How?"
"I-I talked to Nikki. She told me you would be here. I needed to see you. When I heard what happened…" He paused. "I knew I couldn't stay away any longer. I'm so sorry."
The more he talked, the more Van's anger flared. Who does he think he is? He left me! Turned his back on me when he cut all ties!
"What exactly are you sorry for, Lance? That my husband died or that you broke my heart all those years ago?" The words she spoke were full of acid. "You have a lot of nerve just showing up here like nothing ever happened. Go away." She turned to leave.
"Please, Van, just talk to me. Give me a chance to explain," he begged as he reached for her hand.
"Don't you dare touch me," she said through gritted teeth, yanking her hand away. "What do you want from me?" She stared at him while plotting all the ways she was going to torture Nikki for her betrayal.
She seethed as he looked around. "Calm down, Van. People are starting to stare. Please, can we go somewhere more private and talk? There is so much I need to tell you."
"What could you possibly have to say to me that would make up for what you did? I mean, I know you had to move, but you cut all ties with me. Like the three years we spent together meant nothing to you, like I meant nothing to you. Damn you, Lance, you didn't even try to make it work."
"Please, Savannah. Give me a chance to explain."
"Give me one reason why I should."
"Because I still love you. I. Never. Stopped. I cut all ties with you because I had to. Long distance relationships never work out. I was afraid you would wake up one day and resent me. Being apart from you was killing me. I thought this way we would both be able to move on. But I was wrong, I never was able to move on. I let the love I have for you consume me. I wanted to come back sooner, but then I heard you'd gotten married. When I found out what had happened, I wanted to rush here and be by your side, but I figured you would need some time."
His words shocked and confused her. After she took a few moments to process everything, she shook her head. "I can't do this." She turned and walked away, then stopped. "Go back to wherever it was you came from and leave me alone."
"I won't give up on you. I won't stop trying, and I most definitely won't ever leave you again."
"Just go away, Lance. You're good at that," she snarled before she walked away. She didn't dare turn around because looking at him as he begged her to give him a chance to explain would certainly weaken her. Van needed to focus on how she was going to kill her so-called best friend.
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Southern Embrace is on sale for $.99 for the month of September!
Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story.
She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights. Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice.
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Lena is giving away a $10.00 Amazon GC.
Tamaria is giving away an eBook off her backlist.
For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.
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