Tour: The Trouble with Love by Lauren Layne

As Lauren Layne’s salacious Sex, Love & Stiletto series returns, a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get over an old flame: falling for him all over again.

As Stiletto magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma Sinclair writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte, North Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the ice queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl behind, but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart. Now Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly sexy guy who ditched her at the altar.

After giving up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams crumble as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats and giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a job in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right? But when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex can’t help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he remembers, this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her more.

The Trouble with Love
Sex, Love and Stiletto #4

By: Lauren Layne

Releasing March 3, 2015

Loveswept

And as for Emma? Emma was the resident heartbreak expert—the one who helped women figure out how to cut him loose, or how to survive the aftermath when you were the one set loose.

Her most recent article was “Surviving the Single Life When Your Friends Are Coupled Up.”

Emma was able to write that one from personal experience. Hell, Emma would even call herself an expert on the topic, because her best friends were very much coupled up. In the best way possible, of course.

When she’d joined the Stiletto team a year ago, Julie had already landed the dead-sexy Mitchell Forbes, while Grace and Riley had been single.

Since then, she’d watched Grace fall head over heels in love with hotshot journalist Jake Malone, whom she’d married in a small, gorgeous destination wedding a few months ago.

And Riley? Riley had successfully completed her ten-year quest for the heart of Sam Compton. They were getting married in a few months.

But then there was Emma.

Emma was still most definitely single. Intentionally.

She dated whenever it suited her, and had had plenty of relationships over the years. But Emma had no intention of shackling herself to a man, no matter how happy her friends were.

Because that happiness could be ripped away faster than a burst pipe could ruin your morning. And then you were left with nothing but a gaping hole where your heart should have been.

“Okay, so if there wasn’t a hurricane or prom date gone wrong, what’s with the weird combination of wet hair, au naturel makeup, and glam cocktail dress?” Grace prodded.

Emma filled them in on her apocalyptic flood situation. As she talked, Julie rummaged around in her purse until she came up with a mascara wand, lip gloss, bronzer, and a hairbrush.

She offered them up to Emma, who reached for them eagerly.

Grace checked her watch. “Sorry, Em. You’ll have to rock that natural look a bit longer. Staff meeting’s about to start.”

“Emma, you didn’t tell them the best part of your morning,” Julie said, as the four of them headed toward the conference room.

“What?” Emma asked. “The part where you gave me your caramel macchiato?”

“Nope,” Julie said, “I’m talking about who we saw in the elevator.”

Emma rolled her eyes. Oh. That.

“Who?” Riley asked. “Was it the Duchess of Cambridge? I heard she and Prince Willy were coming to the States, and I must know what hair conditioner she uses.”

“We saw Cassidy,” Julie said in a singsong voice.

“Yikes,” Grace muttered as she pushed open the conference room door. “I hope everyone was bundled up. It’s always like an ice storm when Emma and Alex are in the same vicinity.”

Emma’s eyes flicked to Grace in surprise. It was weird to hear someone refer to him as Alex. When they’d gone to college together, the guy had been known only by the last name scrawled across his back on game day. To Emma, Alex Cassidy had only ever been Cassidy. Had that changed? Had he grown up? Decided to ditch the soccer superstar identity and go by his first name?

Not that she cared. Whether he went by his first name or last name, it all translated to the same thing: jerk.

  

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Lauren Layne is a snarky cynic with a serious weakness for happily ever afters.

Marrying her high school sweetheart was a good start. *cue Disney soundtrack.* But Lauren wanted all romance, all the time.

Now she writes fictional happy endings, and considers her job done well if you swoon while reading her books. Don't worry. You will. Once upon a time she lived in a Manhattan high-rise, but now she's on the laid-back train in the Seattle area. If you ever find yourself in Issaquah, she'll probably buy you a drink. Maybe.

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Release Blitz: Dangerous Temptations by Brooke Cumberland

One night was all it took…

One night to ruin everything I thought I knew.

From the outside, I had the perfect lifestyle.

Wealthy fiancé, blossoming career, amazing friends.

I wasn’t looking to get married yet, but when William—“Manhattan’s royalty”—charmed his way into my life, I couldn’t deny the security and comfort that overcame me. 

To society, I was the girl only after his money. I was the party-goer who managed to seduce a man twice my age to have the lifestyle some could only dream of. I was every magazine’s cliché of what a gold-digging whore was.

I wanted to prove them wrong—that our love was real and that I wasn’t that girl.

But then everything changed. 

One wrong decision. One unfaithful night. One haunting reality.

Perhaps they were right. 

The media didn’t see it coming…and neither did I. 

**This is a stand alone romance suspense novel with no cliffhanger. HEA depends on who you ask.**

Recommended for readers 18 and up due to strong language and explicit sexual content.

“How long do you plan to act like this?” His question shocked me, my body jerking in response.

“Act like what?” I turned around, narrowing my brows in disapproval.

“That you despise me,” he said bluntly.

I thought about his question for a moment, realizing this was probably just as hard on him as it was on me, but he was the one acting like an arrogant jerk.

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d stop trying to cross boundaries with me when you know it’s inappropriate.”

“Inappropriate?” He laughed, pissing me off more. “Good god, it’s like you’re a Stepford Wife.” 

“You know what I mean.”

“You mean…that I’m tempting you? That I’m giving you something more to desire?” He took a step toward me, caging me in with his arms around me. I stepped back as far as I could before hitting the back of the sink. “If you didn’t feel it too, there’d be no issue. But I know for a fact you do.”

I swallowed, hating that he was right, but it didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t. 

“Just because your technique—“ I waved a finger between us, “—normally works for other girls, doesn’t mean it’s going to work on me.”

He furrowed his brows and asked, “And what technique would that be?”

“Getting what you want, who you want.” I pushed against his chest, needing the space. “You’re not used to girls saying ‘no’ to you. You use your name, your father’s popularity to gain respect, and truthfully, it’s a little pathetic,” I snapped, the courage I’d felt quickly left as his eyes darkened, getting more intense. 

He leaned into me and shot back, “Do you see any other girls here?”

“Give it time.” I held my ground as best I could. His face that close to mine was making it almost impossible to think straight. 

He laughed in my face, a deep, throaty laugh that came out as if he was amused by my antics. “If it’s on the Internet, it must be true, right?” 

I had looked him up late last night when sleep wouldn’t come to me. Although I tried, wanting—needing—to forget that whole day, it just wasn’t happening. Most of the stories were from his teenage and early college years, there hadn’t been anything recent, but I used it against him anyway.

“Isn’t that the way the game works?”

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, sweetheart, but I know what you felt when you kissed me. You feel what I feel and there’s no denying that.”

His eyes looked into mine, confident and tense as I stared back. “It doesn’t matter, Alex. It’s never going to lead to anything, so you should just stop trying.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“You’re just wasting your time.”

“I’m willing to bet I’m not, but if you want to be delusional, fine with me.” He pressed his chest against me and brought his face closer to mine. “I wasn’t sorry for what we did, Mac. I’ll never be sorry for that. I’m only sorry you felt guilty about it afterward.”

“If you cared about me at all like you claim, you’d back off, Alex.”

He huffed in an amused laughter. “That’s one thing you should learn about me, Mac. I don’t back off on something I want.” He gripped my chin with his thumb. “I was trying to get you out of my mind, and I failed miserably. The only thing I want from you isyou. I don’t need to parade you around like a little trophy wife or show you off to my friends. Once you see that, you’ll change your mind.” He dropped his hand and stepped back, walking away with the last word. It didn’t matter anyway, I had nothing left to say. 

Read the first chapter here

Brooke Cumberland is a USA Today Bestselling author who's a stay-at-home mom and writes full-time. She lives in the frozen tundra of Packer Nation with her husband, 4 year old wild child, and two teenage stepsons. When she's not writing, you can find her reading love stories, listening to music that inspires her, and laughing with her family. Brooke is addicted to Starbucks coffee, leggings, and anything sweet. She found her passion for telling stories during winter break one year in grad school--and she hasn't stopped since.

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Tour: Fake Boobs by Ryan Ringbloom

 Tori Albert is eighteen. Her confidence level is zero. A girl lost in the shuffle, hiding in the shadows craving attention, but no one ever seems to notice her. If only someone, anyone, would notice her, she’d be happy. 

Grant Donavan is Tori’s older brother’s best friend. Suddenly he can’t stop noticing Tori, but that is not a good thing. She’s young, inexperienced and naïve. The best thing he could do is walk away. So why the hell is he not walking away?

Tori’s small boost of confidence gets torn down and she makes changes to build it back up. But maybe her new confidence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Unfortunately some things you just have to learn the hard way. 

*Contains Mature Content

New Adult

Date Published: February  2015

 

Grant

“Look around the bar, Grant. Give us an idea of what your type is. We’ll help hook you up with the perfect girl.” My sister’s friend, Gabby, tossed a pretzel into her mouth, and chewed while talking.  

I scanned a few of the girls seated closest to us. Fair skin, red hair, casually sipping a beer and chatting with her friends. She was pretty, but not for me. Moving along. Dark hair, exotic, confident, drinking a Martini. Her eyes connected with mine and she rolled them uninterestedly. Not a problem, the feeling was mutual. Next. Ponytail and glasses picking at the label on her bottle of beer. Cute, but once again, I wasn’t interested.  

“Doesn’t look like you see anyone,” Gabby said, exchanging glances with my sister, Julie.

I gave another glance around the room at the pretty faces surrounding us, but still no one held my attention. All of the girls were attractive. Just none of them seemed to do it for me.

Not like her.

The dull ache forming in my chest stopped me from going down that road again.

Crowds and drinking were never my scene. I was eager to leave even though we hadn’t been there very long. No matter what part of Jersey you were in, the bars were always mobbed. I’d almost forgotten how crowded it could get; it’d been so long since I was home. Not that Jersey was my home anymore. We paid the tab and the three stools we vacated were immediately snatched up in the packed bar.

As we made our way through the hoard of people, my eyes fell on a girl with the most unnatural looking blonde hair I’d ever seen. Platinum locks so light her hair actually bordered on white and eyes an odd shade of blue that just didn’t look right. Even in the poor lighting of the bar, I could see her make-up was piled on thick. Her jeans were tight and her blouse was low cut. The heels on her boots were high and her boobs were…ginormous. Way too large for her small frame. She stood in a circle of laughing girls, but there was something familiar about the sweet sound of her laugh that stood out.  

After passing the group of girls, I turned my head to catch one last glimpse of the busty blonde before being tugged from the bar into the fresh night air.

What was it about that girl? Did I know her? What was on her wrist?

“No. Way!” Julie and Gabby both stated dramatically in unison.

“No way what?” I asked, turning to face them.

“There is no way in hell we would ever let you go for a girl like that.” Julie laughed, patting me on the back.

“Like what?” I questioned, lifting my brow.

Gabby shook her head giggling and Julie answered for both of them.

“A desperate girl with big, fake boobs.” 

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Ryan Ringbloom is a YA/NA author who lives for anything Romance. The passion, love, angst, awkwardness… she loves all of it. When Ryanneeds a break from reality she sneaks off to read a romantic story or write one of her own. Drinking coffee, reading Tweets and hugs from her five year old are the best part of her day.

Feel free to contact her, she would love it!

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