Title: Bring Me Home
Author: Nicola Haken
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 11, 2021
BLURB
Hugo Hayes has it all; the voice, the money, the looks. Adored by fans all over the world, there’s nothing more he could ever wish for. Or so it appears. But no one sees what happens off stage. Nobody knows where he came from, what he goes through, where he’s heading…
Except the girl he left behind. She’ll know. She always did.
Helen Jenkins is starting over. Back on the diet and heading for a career change, it’s time to stop wallowing in the past and give up missing the best friend who traded her in for fame and glory eight years ago. Harder than it sounds when his image and voice seem to follow her wherever she goes…
Harder still when he appears at her front door one rainy spring night.
Hugo is falling. After all these years, will Helen still be prepared to catch him before the inevitable crash? Or has he lost the only home he’s ever known, forever?
PURCHASE LINKS
EXCERPT
We had to wait for the cameras to capture an appropriate amount of applause before someone shouted, “Cut!” and when they did, I was outta that chair before the word had finished leaving their mouth. I stormed from the set, ripping the mic pack from my back, eyes focused on my target.
Drew.
He raised his hands in a protective stance, his mouth melting into an apologetic frown.
“Don’t ever do that to me again,” I barked, shoving the mic pack into his chest. I didn’t wait around to listen to his excuses or apologies. I needed out. Out of the studio, out of the heat, the whole fucking building. I barged past crew members, blustered through mazes of corridors lined with framed photos of stars from the various TV shows produced here, until I found a set of exit doors.
The rush of air smacking me in the face as I pushed open the double doors felt like breaking the surface of the ocean. Finally, I could breathe again, after being pinned under water for almost an hour, splashing, screaming, begging, too far from the shore for anyone to notice. Outside, I leaned back against a wall, closed my eyes. I had about a minute before hyperventilation set in and I lost control of my senses.
Breathe, I told myself. One, two, three, four…hold… I inhaled slowly, focused on my diaphragm, the vision of it expanding a little more with every breath. One, two, three, four… Box breathing, a therapist had called it back in my high school days. Belly breathing, said another. Sometimes it worked, if I noticed myself slipping in time. Other times, the anxiety flourished so quickly it retained all the power, leaving me helpless. Scared.
“There you are.” I was vaguely aware of Helen’s voice, but I couldn’t distract myself enough to focus on it. “Hugo?”
One, two, three, four…
“It’s okay, Hugo. I’m right here.”
I heard her footsteps come closer. It made my heart rate spike, the nerves under my skin feel like barbed wire. No. Not Helen. If I couldn’t bear Helen’s touch…where did that leave me?
Alone. Forever.
One, two, three, four…
“It’ll be over soon,” Helen whispered, cupping my cheek.
I felt the muscles freeze inside my body. Nausea tore through my stomach. Irritation tightened my lips. “Get off,” I mouthed, teeth gritted. I felt like a bastard, a useless and selfish motherfucker, but I couldn’t stand it. Her skin on my skin. The sound of her breath. “I’m sorry,” I choked out, because I was. Truly fucking sorry. I loved her…but I couldn’t be near her, couldn’t even look at her. Not yet.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she said softly, footsteps retreating. She understood. She fucking understood.
Why? Why was she still here? She deserved better than this.
The end befell eventually. Always did. After what could’ve been several minutes or an hour, a sense of calm encircled me, floated from above like weightless chiffon and moulded itself to my body. Breathing became natural again. I could smell the brine from the canal that ran the length of the studios and beyond. I could hear Helen…and appreciate her.
My eyes peeled open. “Hey.”
She smiled, though her eyes looked heavy. Sad. “Hey.”
AUTHOR BIO
Born in Manchester, England, Nicola Haken is an author of multiple genre-hopping romance novels, including Bring Me Home, Broken, and Goodbye Kate. She lives in Rochdale with her husband, four children, and a menagerie of pets, is addicted to Pepsi Max and chicken nuggets, and wishes Harry Styles was her best friend. Like one of her characters, Hugo Hayes, Nicola is autistic, and has battled with her mental health her entire life – winning every time…eventually. With two of her kids also on the spectrum, life can get pretty…interesting! When she’s not locked in her office playing with her imaginary friends, she can usually be found reading, binge-watching boxsets, or belting out great songs and pretending she doesn’t sound like a cat in distress. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…
AUTHOR LINKS
Unhinged by Ren Alexander @author_renalexander @GiveMeBooksPR
Title: Unhinged
Series: Unraveled Renegade #2
Author: Ren Alexander
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Sarah Kil Creative Studio
Release Date: January 13, 2022
BLURB
Love and hate collide when Greg Rodwell spills his secrets to two women, torching all three worlds.
Yeah, I did it. In pouring out my heart to my married best friend, fate handed me an opening along with my unzipped fly, and I flung it against a wall before setting it on fire. What I did… I should regret it, but the only lesson I learned was I should’ve done it sooner. That reality hurts like a… Still, I know this will haunt Hadley and me forever.
On the other hand, living with Simone’s betrayal—mocking me and setting me up just like they did to me over a decade ago—I’m a live wire of animosity. My darkness was never supposed to see the light of day, but she gift-wrapped it for the world to tear open. She trashed our friendship. I hope that fact haunts her forever too.
Ditching Richmond, that life-changing night, and both chicks, I try to restart or take a breather—something my sister never had before she died. Unfortunately, and uninvited, I’m not the only passenger on this displeasure cruise. My recent screw-up is a roadblock in every way imaginable until I discover her weakness: guilt. I grab on to that sucker because to ease her conscience, she wants to make it right with me. Which she will. To rebuild my life, I need a tour guide to show me the ropes, in a bedroom and a woman. While I lack the experience, she’s skilled in that department. And before I cut her loose, she’ll make me one too. She owes me. Restraint be damned.
Unhinged is Book 2 of a new series, but you’ll achieve maximum shock and awe if the Wild Sparks Series and The Keys to Jericho are read first.
Ren Alexander writes steamy contemporary romance, including the Wild Sparks Series, and contributes to K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes Series from her desk in Motown—Detroit, Michigan. Yes, part of her state is shaped like a mitten, 8 Mile Road really exists, and Eminem is her neighbor and carpool buddy. Unfortunately, she and Slim Shady don’t ride in the same car. She’s still working on that part.
Writing her romance novels with a big dose of reality, the good and bad, Ren embraces the gritty and raw with a side of funny and crazy. No matter what, there is always an explosion. You never know what you’ll get in her mixed bag. That’s personal, anyway.
Ren lives in Detroit, Michigan, with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
Ricardo’s Collision by Christina & Edward Sledge #Excerpt #Reveal @house_sledge @inkslingerpr
Edward & Christina Sledge are excited to share an excerpt for their upcoming contemporary suspense thriller! Ricardo’s Collision releases on October 12th!
Title Ricardo’s Collision
Author: Edward and Christina Sledge
Genre: Contemporary Suspense Thriller
Release Date: October 12th
About Ricardo’s Collision:
Years after disappearing from Brooklyn in disgrace, businessman Ricardo Desire is found dead in his home. A glimpse of Ricardo’s past reveals a salacious love triangle and double life and in the aftermath of his death, the lives of those he knew begin to unravel. Olena Jackson is the detective assigned to the high profile case and the more she digs, the more lies and bodies she uncovers. Although Ricardo is dead, for the people left behind, the collision course is just getting started.
Sign up for Release Updates Today!
Exclusive Excerpt:
“After weeks of playing around and following her, I decided I needed to talk to her, so I walked up to her desk. “Excuse me. I don’t want to be rude, but you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.” She looked up at me and smiled. “For a fine man who could have any woman he wanted, you sure do a lot of stalking.” “Stalking?” “I’ve been watching you watching me, and to be honest, every afternoon I daydream about you grabbing me by my arm, taking me into the storage closet, tearing my clothes off, and having your way with me. Anything you wanted to do, you did it.” “Wow. I thought about trying to have babies with you.” “Mr. Desire. I need you to place me on your bed and…..” 
Watch the Exclusive Trailer!
About the Author:
Christina and Edward live in Maryland with their two daughters. They have been happily married for more than 21 years. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Christina received an undergraduate degree from Temple University and a graduate degree from The George Washington University. Edward received an undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern University and a graduate degree from Towson University. They started Sledge House Publishing and Media in 2021. Both are planning to write more books together in the future.
Reading Renee 
You must be logged in to post a comment.