The Devil Wears Black contains a paradox that Maddie Goldbloom can’t run away from. Her battle to refuse yet accept the wild proposition she’s presented with by her ex, Chase Black, starts with her empathetic heart on her sleeve and ends with her breaking down barriers she never anticipated unfolding.

LJ Shen continues her antihero trope and explodes it into another universe. She dangles the perfect man in Ethan Goodman right before one’s eyes and then douses the reader with the Devil in black. The cloak of darkness surrounding Chase is brilliantly executed, and in Shen’s signature penning, she forces the reader to love to hate him.

Maddie is Chase’s perfect sparing partner. She’s strong, opinionated, and recently grown into her own self-confidence which shines when challenged with the indecent proposal Chase presents to Maddie. This story goes beyond the wolf circling the lamb and explodes into two dynamic characters taking their seats among the gods of lore. Shen’s ability to create two dynamic characters learning the ropes of life, loss, and love reaches new heights with The Devil Wears Black.

Blurb:

Maddie Goldbloom stitched up a plan to ensure everything in her life was perfect – from a career in fashion to a chic NYC apartment to a pediatrician boyfriend.

When her ex, Chase Black, storms back into her life with an outrageous request, her immediate reaction is to refuse him. But he only wants to fulfill his father’s last wish. So even though he’s the man who broke her heart, playing his fiancée shouldn’t be hard, especially if it means she gets to watch the arrogant devil squirm a bit.

What ensues is a chain of events that detonates Maddie’s life – and when Chase’s walls come down, they both are forced to face reality.

They say keep your enemies close. But what if your enemy is also the man you love?

-eBook: https://amzn.to/38ovsSK

-Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ek1iUv

-Audio (narrated by Sebastian York and Ava Erickson): https://amzn.to/38msq15

In all good stories, the hero and heroine butt heads and bring some good lessons to the table. Make no mistake, in Pretty Playboy, Sloane Howell and Alex Wolf hit those trope marks and then hit the sweet spot. They’ve created book eight of the Cocky Suits Novels with as much passion and fire as the first seven. However, they drive home some real-life issues which also play to the heartstrings and provide depth and breadth to the characterization development for both the main characters, Penn Hargrove and Campbell Page. Hargrove emulates the typical “Pretty Boy” with the world at his fingertips and no steady relationship, as he is “too good” to get caught in the dating pool. While Page holds a truth near and dear to her soul; she fights for the rights of others and has no time for relationships, and all the clutter they bring to the table. Howell and Wolf work their characters like any good coach and challenge them beyond what they think they are capable of, and the key here is love. They test Hargrove and Campbell’s ability to love and be loved through a natural, yet well-coaxed design. With each Cocky Suit Novel the characters, conflicts, and major plot elements get better and better. These two creative authors leave it to pop culture, allusions, humor, heartache, and passion-driven motivators to provide a solid wrap-up to the Cocky Suits Novel Chicago Series and Pretty Playboy hits the mark!

Buy Link: https://smarturl.it/prettypboy

Blurb:

He wants her. She hates him.

Penn Hargrove is a playboy.

He goes through women so fast he doesn’t remember their names.

Until he sees her…

Campbell Page, the ball-busting, no nonsense union rep.

The first time she glares at him, he knows there’s more behind those light blue eyes and sassy mouth.

He wants her in his bed. She wants to kill him, more than once.

He’s relentless in his pursuit.

He won’t stop until he has her.

When she finally gives in, crushing secrets are revealed that threaten to rip them apart at the seams.

When the smoke clears, one question remains…

Will they sail off into the sunset, or sink in the wake?

Cillian “Kill” Fitzpatrick stands with his shoulders back, and his head held high; a man proud of being cold as ice and untouchable. He’s likened to Hade’s and leaves no paths untouched if they wedge their way into his vision.

Persephone Penrose lives and breathes for the growth of mankind and exudes altruistic actions through her teaching of pre-school students, and her willingness to leave her burdens kept tight inside rather than seek help. That is until she is left with no choice. She’s not to be underestimated.

In true LJ Shen fashion, she wraps the difficult ills of society into a package where the surface appeals to the old tales but twists them into something magical and brings Olympus to its knees. Shen’s ability to write a villain with misplaced ideals and bring them full-tilt into the light of goodness and redemption is her wheelhouse. However, the villain in this story is a sleight of hand as there is more than meets the eye in this Greek tragedy, and Shen’s brilliant skills of weaving the subtext of long time inequities in society with the damage created through these dark secrets drive the feels for this brilliant work. There is nothing better than ending 2020 with The Villain and wondering who to root for as there is more here than meets the eye.

The Villain by LJ Shen

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3qBYGoA

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3qFjmMC

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/33UhpSF

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/33RC2yB

Blurb:

Cruel. Coldblooded. Hades in a Brioni suit.
Cillian Fitzpatrick has been dubbed every wicked thing on planet earth.
To the media, he is The Villain.
To me, he is the man who (reluctantly) saved my life.
Now I need him to do me another, small solid.
Bail me out of the mess my husband got me into.
What’s a hundred grand to one of the wealthiest men in America, anyway?
Only Cillian doesn’t hand out free favors.
The price for the money, it turns out, is my freedom.
Now I’m the eldest Fitzpatrick brother’s little toy.
To play, to mold, to break.
Too bad Cillian forgot one, tiny detail.
Persephone wasn’t only the goddess of spring; she was also the queen of death.
He thinks I’ll buckle under the weight of his mind games.
He is about to find out the most lethal poison is also the sweetest.

Wells Covington likes his women in pairs, and his money coming in from all directions. He translates numbers into greenbacks and takes no prisoners as he gathers up his holdings and turns everything into gold. It all stops when he meets his first real challenge in the sexy form of Meadow Carlson. She’s bright, intuitive, and always a step ahead of Covington. Women used to be a bed ’em and shed ’em for Covington until Carlson challenged not only his body but his mind.

Sloane Howell and Alex Wolf team up for another tale in the Cocky Suits Series with Wealthy Playboy. The intricate chess game played between Wells Covington and Meadow Carlson intrigues the mind and contains all the humor, feels, and entertainment of the cocky suits of Chicago the readers have grown accustomed to, as Howell and Wolf dig deeper into the tight niche group which surrounds the Collins brothers. This time around, the cat-and-mouse game takes a few turns which provides the reader with a rollercoaster path of laughter to tears and onto something deeper, as Covington is served his notice that bachelorhood is behind him. Unfortunately for this self-proclaimed single man, he needs the proper time and keys to convince Meadow that she’s the one for him. Another sweet romance with plenty of hot steamy scenes and heartfelt warmth as the fall season arrives and everyone is ready to snuggle in and get reading!

Blurb:

He’s everything she hates.

Arrogant. Cocky. Wealthy.

Wells Covington is the Tony Stark of Wall Street.

He’s never met a deal he couldn’t conquer, and never met a human who could out maneuver him.

Until her… and she’s the only thing on his mind.

Meadow Carlson.

She tanks his mega real estate deal the first time they meet.

Billions of dollars, business, friendships, and family are at stake.

Their worlds threaten to crumble around them.

But only one question remains…

Can they keep their fire alive or will everything they’ve worked so hard for burn to the ground?

Wealthy Playboy is a full length contemporary romance that has all the feels and of course their signature Happily Ever After. Enjoy!

Buy Links: https://smarturl.it/wealthy-pboy

Jaxson and Wilder met in college and grew a love that held them to one another, in secret, yet unforeseen circumstances forced them apart. Broken hearts left them both unwilling to open themselves to another as their souls knew who owned them. Neither of them will settle for anything less than the key which fits the lock they’ve each placed upon themselves.

Once again A.M. Johnson created a world where love is love but not without hard work and a passion which blazes between her main characters. Wilder is the creative nerd who knew from a very young age he loved deeply and his heart clung to the one who tore him apart. His walls crumble from the beginning of something beautiful, yet not meant to be, and he rebuilt his fortress, allowing no one to enter for years.

Jaxson loved the freedom Wilder brought to his life, but freedom only existed within four walls and held no truths in the world in the outside world. His life did not include openly loving a man like Wild. He sucked down his happiness and trapped himself behind false walls and social pretenses. Johnson developed these two dynamic characters with all the realities of broken dreams, disgusted narrow-minded fools, and friendships that build bridges for open hearts, minds, and love to fill the soul. No good romance comes without its closet of horrors and mistakes. Johnson doesn’t miss a beat with any of these clever tools. Love Always, Wild is a must-read for 2020!

Blurb:

Wilder,

When I left that night, I had every intention of coming back to you. To us. But no matter how hard I wish for what I want, there are some things in life that aren’t meant to be. I don’t expect you to understand. You’ve already moved on, living your life. But mine ended that night, nine years ago, and I still can’t let you go. Not sure I ever will. I regret so many things, but hurting you, I’ll never forgive myself. I’m sorry for… everything.

Jax~

****

Jax,
If only you could’ve seen it like I did, the way you were when you thought the world wasn’t watching. How you’d change when I looked at you, when it was just us.
But most of all… I wish you could’ve seen how much it hurt me when you disappeared. Regrets are for cowards. It has always been my belief you should chase after the things you want with actions, not words. There is no such thing as never meant to be.
So this apology… not accepted…

Love always, Wild 

Add to your TBR: https://bit.ly/3h7LcMj

Buy Links: Coming Soon

Orion Darby thought of herself as one lucky girl until that fateful day when her innocence proved to be her downfall. Maddox knew in his heart that the community’s lack of interest in the poor girl’s disappearance was more than a trailer park run away, Fate brought them back together, but the sparkle that once lit up Orion had faded and the darkness of her tragedy wore heavy on her soul.

Anne Malcolm and BT Urruela unravel the sick underworld of sex trafficking. However, their approach to the subject diverges from the usual victim and assailant trope. The third-person limited, and times almost a hint of omniscient point of view, allows for the reader to experience the disconnect Orion has with her abuse during childhood and in captivity, It’s a unique perspective which certainly proved to be a winner in taking the author’s craft of tone and delivering the proper mood. The selection of Orion as a name is brilliant. It strengthens characterization and builds the resilience needed to cope with such a tragedy. Malcolm and Urruela bring a richness to the psychological damage not recognized by most in the face of the deepest scars left behind from those captured and toyed within the sex trafficking world. While Orion represents the wisdom learned through the eyes of a victim, Maddox juxtaposes her to the true north of justice. The brilliance of the work exists in the paradox which unfolds between the hunter and the prey.

This was not my first experience reading BT Urruela, but I am pleasantly thrilled to have a new author to read in Anne Malcolm. This is a thriller you’ll want to pick up!

BLURB:

They were taken.
Off the street. From parking lots. Malls. Playgrounds.
Snatched from life and thrust into hell.
They took Orion Darby on a perfect summer day, while she could still taste her first kiss on her lips.
She joined the others with chains on their ankles and scars on their souls.
They turned into nothing more than statistics. Cold cases. Lost girls.
Years passed and the world forgot.

Until the day they escaped.

This is not about their captivity.
This is about their struggle to return to a life that’s passed them by.
This was the real world.
But for Orion, this was hell.
You see… freedom isn’t enough.
She needs blood.

Hush

by BT Urruela and Anne Malcom

Coming August 11th. ⁣
⁣
Preorder everywhere.

iBooks: https://apple.co/3gLbpAt
Nook: https://bit.ly/2XZc1d1
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3gQA9qX
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2zQIGcZ

When this title landed in my lap I never expected it to wow me with a yearning for more. When this title landed in my lap, I never expected it to wow me with a yearning for more. Zane and Jenna Michaelson hit all the big topics of modern-day and use menopause as the binding factor. They find a way to make two unlikely souls to develop a friendship with a depth in the knowledge that one cannot judge a book by its cover. The world is ever-changing and opening the door to invite new people inside can be difficult as people age. Through the brazen and often not so PC Donna-Marie readers are invited into a world of wonderful characters. Some of them might be considered misfits in different social circles. However, Donna-Marie serves as the shaman and Michelle finds herself opening her heart and soul to a whole new world. One she recently found herself only focusing on the side effects of growing older. The journey Michelle embarks on truly captures the essence of what it means to embrace life after fifty. The Michaelson’s produced one of the most enjoyable reads of the year. A beautiful work with healthy themes and more laughs than one could hope for between the covers.

***My mother, who is 77, enjoyed every word of this work as well!

Buy Links: https://geni.us/NqF0n

Blurb:

For men, their advancing years can mean many things–eyebrows that grow together, an ever-expanding waistline, thinning hair, or worst of all, a low hanging scrotum.

For women, their advancing years can mean only one thing–the curse of dry vagina.

Affluent beauty salon owner, Michelle Cooper-Brown is suffering such symptoms and declaring enough is enough, she makes an appointment to visit her GP desperate for help.

In the waiting room, she meets down-trodden, loudmouthed, cleaning lady, Donna-Marie Clark, who understands the symptoms of menopause only too well.

A clash of worlds follows their initial meeting with the refined and lady-like Michelle horrified by Donna-Marie’s foul mouth and over-bearing personality.

Eventually, Michelle discovers in Donna-Marie a kindred spirit–that rare person who can smile through adversity and find joy even in the darkest of times.

A friendship blossoms between both ladies; one that opens new possibilities to the humdrum life both have settled for.

Through the itches and scratches of dry vagina, join Michelle and Donna-Marie as they navigate the trials and tribulations of the menopause.

Where do start when the present world is written between the covers of a newfound author. A Song for Anew Day exemplifies a paradox of modern-day society without knowing it would be so true in such a short period of time from its release. Sarah Pinsker tells of a world in a unique set of first-person before POV and after third-person POV. The unique perspectives allow Luce Cannon and Rosemary Laws (the names an Irony of beauty in terms of the characterization and sub-themes) to represent the larger picture of the views of the world. The message is clear that a song for a new day is needed when the world takes to one extreme or another and free will is taken off the table. A Song for a New Day is a must read!

BLURB:

In the Before, when the government didn’t prohibit large public gatherings, Luce Cannon was on top of the world. One of her songs had just taken off and she was on her way to becoming a star. Now, in the After, terror attacks and deadly viruses have led the government to ban concerts, and Luce’s connection to the world–her music, her purpose—is closed off forever. She does what she has to do: she performs in illegal concerts to a small but passionate community, always evading the law.

Rosemary Laws barely remembers the Before times. She spends her days in Hoodspace, helping customers order all of their goods online for drone delivery—no physical contact with humans needed. By lucky chance, she finds a new job and a new calling: discover amazing musicians and bring their concerts to everyone via virtual reality. The only catch is that she’ll have to do something she’s never done before and go out in public. Find the illegal concerts and bring musicians into the limelight they deserve. But when she sees how the world could actually be, that won’t be enough.

Buy Link: Amazon

LJ Shen created an epic sleight of hand with Hunter and Sailor. On the surface, Hunter Fitzpatrick plays the trust fund playboy all too well. Rich tastes, endless parties, and plenty of girls at his disposal. His character exemplifies the trope. To Shen’s gift as an author, she stops the traditional playboy trope within a few chapters as she introduces Sailor Brennan as a Red Herring for a juxtaposed character. In Shen’s cleverness, she pulls out all the stops and turns Hunter and Sailor from juxtaposed protagonist/antagonist into parallel characters. They require the right shift in the universe to cause a collision for these two characters to recognize their worlds mirror one another far more than they’d like to think. Shen leaves no room for error and successfully executes a jaw-dropping, hot, sexy, hit sure to give you the entire array of emotions and leave you breathless in the end of the journey.

Blurb:

Hunter
I didn’t mean to star in a sex tape, okay?
It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds.
It just happened.
Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston’s nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan.
The virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family’s oil company.
Little does she know, that’s not the only pipe I’ll be laying…

Sailor
I didn’t want this gig, okay?
But the deal was too sweet to walk away from.
I needed the public endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny.
Besides, what’s six months in the grand scheme of things?
It’s not like I’m in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors.
No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick’s charm.
Even at the cost of losing everything I have.
Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2L5dLLS
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3fnDJIq
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2YE3xtK
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3c3B1pk
Audio (narrated by Jason Clarke and Virginia Rose):
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2WycO3N